US2065155A - Type arrangement for composing machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1936. SAMU-El. IsH-sHALoM E-r A1. 2,055,155

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SAMU-EL lsH-sHALoM E-r Al. 2,065,155

TYPE ARRANGEMENT FOR COMPOSING MACHINES Filed Dec. lO, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec- 22, 1935. SAMU-EL. lsH-sHALoM Er Al. 2,055,155

TYPE ARRANGEMENT FOR COMPOSING MACHINES Filed Dec. l0, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ("Wll n rm n i l-l l nu l n n u L 1 il l @qu '--1 AIwlllkDl i Dec- 22, 1936- sAMU-El. lsH-sHALoM Er AL 2,055,155

TYPE ARRANGEMENT FOR COMPOSG MACHINES Hummm ca -u HU I.

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Filed Dec. l0, 1935 5 S h e e t S h e e t 5 2r 'H y l-IIIHIIHM Patented Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE TYPE ARRANGEMENT FOR COMPOSING MACHINES Application December 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,695

6 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical composing machines, which as is well known comprise, among other parts, a keyboard and a matrix font representative of the type characters to appear in print. By the depression of the keys of the keyboard, the matrices, through the action of intermediate parts, are released in the proper order from their storage magazine and assembled in line for the casting therefrom of type bars or printing slugs.

The number of keys which the keyboard of a typographical composing machine can comprise must be held within certain limits in order that the machine may be operated with the necessary facility, speed and accuracy. The keyboard of the regular commercial typographical composing machine, known and widely used in this country, is provided with but ninety different keys, and it has been found in practice that keys to that number will answer the ordinary requirements for printing in the many languages in which composing machines are now used. For example, a keyboard, whose keys are marked with the characters used in printing the English language, will customarily have ninety keys, as set forth above; a key kfor each lower-case or small letter of the alphabet; a key for each upper-case or capital letter; and a key for each of various other symbols used in printing.

There are some languages which employ very many more symbols or characters than ninety. The Hebrew language, for example, involves the use of at least several thousand essential characters of alphabet and vowels for its printed expression with the fullest detail and requires the use of unlimited thousands of combinations of symbols, if musical accents, as they occur in the Old Testament, are to be included.

The Hebrew language is composed of twentyseven consonants and twelve vowels. Words may be written without the use of vowels in which case there is, however, a loss of accuracy. A word written without its vowels may be susceptible of two or more meanings, and this is where the difficulty lies. For example, the word composed of consonants "ZKR may mean memory or it may mean male. Only by the use of vowels, or the'reading of the text, can the diierentiation in meaning be made.

The setting of Hebrew vowels is dilcult because` of the fact that they do not follow the consonant as in the case of Latin alphabets. The Hebrew vowel may occupy oneor more of three positions in relation to its consonant; the vowel may be under the letter, within the letter or above the letter, or in any two or all of these positions. As a result of these varying vowel positions, the combinations possible with 27 consonants and 12 vowels, are almost limitless, and the number of combinations in actual use amount to thousands of characters. The mechanical diiiiculties inherent in the setting of the Vconsonants with the vowels under these circumstances are self-evident. When in addition, musical characters are required, the diiculties of their setting neces- 10 sarily becomes greater because of the limitless combinations possible and required.

The only method in use today for the setting of Hebrew characters with properly positioned vowels, or with musical accents, is by hand. In vl5 this method the consonants are set rst and the vowels or musical accents are manually set above or below the consonant. This method is slow, laborious, diicult to handle, costly, and because of the very minute size of the vowel-units, involves a severe and damaging strain on the eyes. All known mechanical methods for casting Hebrew type with vowels have been proven impractical and useless for one or more of the reasons that they do not provide for essential combinations; they cannot be used on a regular line composing and casting machine; and/or they require the casting of one line in three parts, the consonant, the upper vowel and the lower vowel. Each is in a separate and distinct line and their subsequent junction with the associated elements adds to the diculties of matching consonant to vowel. None of the known methods of casting Hebrew type with vowels provides for the setting of musical accents.

In our United States Patent No. 2,006,435, we have described a method of overcoming the diiiieulties inherent in the casting on a line composing machine of languages which comprise a large number of symbols such as the Hebrew language and which use also separate vowel signs. 'Ihis method broadly stated resides in the division of the letters of such a language into a plurality of letter elements which, while being meaningless in themselves, do, when aligned on a line-composing or single type casting machine in group assembly of two or three, form a complete and undistorted character, such as a condensed or extended Hebrew consonant without a vowel or with .5b any required vowels in any desired position. Thus each individual matrix consists of one `ele-- ment which can be combined with the elements of one or two other matrices to form a complete character with vowels if desired and also in the case of Hebrew with musical notations. It is understood that the elements are interchangeable so that any desired combination can be made to produce any desired character with or without vowels in combination with musical notations. Thus in the U. S. specification above referred to we have perfected a type arrangement of 63 lelements which when placed together in selected combinations of two or three will result in the composition or formation of all modern or square Hebrew letters with or without the required vowel arrangement.

In order to set the Old Testament in Hebrew there are required, besides the vowel signs, an additional group of 22 musical signs. Inasmuch as these 22 signs may be used singly or in any grouping and inasmuch as they may be placed either on the top or bottom of, or may occupy both these positions in relation to any letter, it is evident that the combinations possible between Hebrew words and their musical accents are limitless in number. The present known method of setting musical accents is by hand and this method has disadvantages similar to those of setting the vowel signs by hand. In order to overcome these disadvantages and to enable an operator to set Hebrew musical accents at the same time he is setting Hebrew letters with vowels by our method, we have provided a set of characters which will allow of this operation.

Thus since by our said invention we have provided for the casting of modern Hebrew letters with vowel signs by means of only 63 characters there-are left enough nger-keys and channels on the standard ninety-channel keyboard layout to provide for additional symbols; either numerals, special characters or complete alphabets Yas the work may require.

When in the use of the type-casting machine yit is desired to change the matrices for other languages or combinations it is of course necessary to change the symbols on the keys accordingly. In order to facilitate the ease of changing the character indicators of the keyboard to correspond with the various lay-outs of combinations possible with our method we have provided (as described in the U. S. specification above referred to) a iinger key consisting of a body portion having its upper face recessed for the reception of a symbol-bearing card or the like, a cover member being hinged to the body portion adapted to be raised to permit of changing the symbolbearing card and in its lowered position overlying the top of the key and having a ange adapted to engage below the lower end of the body portion to lock the cover member in position.

All of the foregoing is described in our United States specification above referred to. The present invention contemplates improvements and refinements designed to increase the speed and ease of operation and the range of useful application of the invention.

The typographical arrangement previously described comprises a plurality of keys many of which (those to be used for Hebrew characters, for example) show symbols which represent an element only (meaningless in itself) of a character, two or three of which elements when combined form such a complete character. In order to enable the operator quickly and easily to ascertain the keys which he must actuate in order to assemble with speed and ease and in correct relation the element-bearing matrices which constitute the complete character we show 011 each key-button not only the particular symbol illustrating the element of the desired character carried on that particular matrix but also the complemental element or elements of the character. The complemental element or elements however are distinctively or contrastingly displayed so as to be readily distinguishable from the specic element on the particular matrix controlled by that key. Thus each such key-button displays a complete character composed of two or more meaningless elements, portrayed or delineated in contrastingly pictured outline. One only of these meaningless elements is carried on the face of the matrix but all of them are required for the portrayal of the complete character. The elements of the character on a key-button are of course displayed in some contrasting manner so as readily'to be distinguished. Thus the element belonging to the matrix controlled by that key may be in solid lines with the other element or elements in contrasting colors or otherwise readily distinguishable.

Thus assume it is necessary for an operator to cast a letter Vcomposed of two meaningless elements, requiring the use of two matrices each of which requires a key-indicator showing the symbol which the matrix carries. For the sake of illustration let us describe the first of these two meaningless symbols as the primary and the second .as the complementary symbol. Since each symbol is meaningless by itself it has no significance to the operator beyond what meaning he attaches to it through memory or through mental association of it with its complementary or primary symbol, both of which of course combine to make up a letter. Instead therefore of indicating the matrix of such a meaningless symbol by a representation of that symbol on the key-button we present on the button the entire and complete and meaningful character but indicate in outline or in some other contrasting manner each of the two, the primary and complementary elements which enter in the formation of the complete character. 'I'he operator therefore has before him at all times the complete meaningful character and in assembling this particular letter he depresses first the keybutton which bears the primary outline in contrast to the complementary, and then depresses the key-button which bears the complementary outline in contrast to the primary. In like manner he proceeds with all other letters, the operation being facilitated both in speed, ease, and the mental efforts necessary, by the fact that there is always pictured a complete character 4before the operator.

In languages employing Latin alphabets it is common to designate the small letter as a lower case letter and the capitals as upper case letters. In some languages, as in Hebrew for example, there are no capital or upper case letters. Similarly, matrices commonly carry two letters or characters on each matrix. Since there are no upper or lower case letters in Hebrew We have devised a matrix which carries in addition to the regular solid black elements, a series of new elements bearing characters in outline. 'Ihese forms, in outline, are also composed of meaningless elements, which kwhen comclassic, `or generally round shaped letter.

We have found that by inventing elements so that vwhen assembled they constitute the classic Hebrew `characters we can reduce the number of elements necessary to make up any desired Hebrew classic character. Thus we can use only 56 elements to form classical Hebrew, or round characters with or without vowels and/or accents. Twenty-eight of these elements would also suice to set the Yiddish language in extended or condensed form.

In order that our invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 represents a type-arrangement of a typecasting machine consisting of one possible arrangement o-f ninety keys, some of which indicate meaningless elements and others of which illustrate complete characters with meaningless elements in bold or outline formation.

Figure 2 represents a type-arrangement consisting of an alternative arrangement of ninety keys.

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the type-arrangement of Fig. 2.

Figures 4, 5, 6 and '7 each show a series of fourteen matrices carrying meaningless elements, by the use of which 56` elements we can form combinations representing classic round Hebrew characters with or without vowels and/or accents.

Figure 8 is a view showing a plurality of matrices assembled to make up a plurality of characters forming classic Hebrew words.

It will be observed from Figs. l and 2 that of the ninety keys shown in each gure fty-six keys control matrices representing but one element of a complete character although each of said keys (except such as represent vowels and accents only) displays the complete character. On the indicator key bearing the letter of the alphabet the specific part of the letter (a meaningless element) which the matrix carries is drawn or indicated in solid face, while the rest of the letter, or that portion of it complementary to it is indicated in outline. The rest of the keys represent punctuation marks or complete Hebrew characters but could of course equally well be used for any other desired characters.

Thus, looking at the enlarged view Figure 3 it will be seen that the operator desiring to form the character represented on key numbered I has only to actuate that key as well as the key numbered 2; that to form the character represented on the key numbered 2 he must actuate that key together with key numbered 3. Again to form the character on key 4 that key and key 5 must be actuated while to form the character shown on key 5 that key and key 6 must be actuated. Itis readily seen that the number of meaningful combinations which can be formed from combinations of meaningless elements is limitless. The very fact that so many combinations are possible serves to show the difficulty inherent in obtaining them since the operator is required to memorize and carry in mind at all times mental images of meaningless characters, which even when graphically expressed and presented to the operator through the visual sense have no immediate significance. They derive value only after having been translated in the operators mind, combined and again visualized as a united group of a single entity. All this calls for mental effort, permits of errors, slows up the process of type-setting, and wastes times. With our invention however, all these difculties are eliminated; the operator as he sets the type always has in iront ofhim the complete alphabetical character to which he has been accustomed (instead of meaningless symbols) and the operator proceeds with the ease and smoothness of his usual work even though the finished product is the result of complex combinations. Due to the interchangeability of the cards or markers carrying the symbols a very ready means is provided of changing the keyboard as desired and adapting it to other characters and arrangements of characters.

It will be obvious that instead of the elements of the characters being shown on the keys in solid lines and in outline respectively they can be shown in contrasting colors.

Referring now to Figures 4-7, it will be seen that each matrix is formed with two elements; one in solid lines as indicated by the numeral 'l (Fig. 4) and the other in outline as indicated by the numeral 8. The selection of the desired form is controlled by the operator by actuation of the usual matrix-rail, as is Well understood in connection with type composing machines. The elements as illustrated are adapted to form classic Hebrew characters and as above stated with the 56 elements illustrated we can form combinations of classic Hebrew character with or without vowels. Figure 8 shows the assembly of three Hebrew words requiring 12 classic characters with accents or vowel points.

While our invention has been described in relation to the type casting of Hebrew characters it will be understood that we do not confine ourselves thereto. The same principles may be employed in connection with such other languages as Arabic, Syriac, Turkish or Devanagari, when adapted for line composing by use of interchangeable meaningless elements to facilitate speed of typographical casting as explained above.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is:-

l. In a typographical composing machine having a type-arrangement comprising a group of meaningless letter elements which when aligned on a line-composing or single-type casting machine in group assembly of two or three form a complete character, a typographical arrangement comprising keys having keyboard indicators each showing a complete character but having the letter element which is controlled by that key represented in a manner easily distinguishable from the complemental element or elements making up the complete character.

2. A typographical composing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said keys although displaying a complete character controls a matrix on which is engraved or otherwise impressed two impressions of an element, meaningless in itself, of said character, one of said impressions being in outline only, for the purpose specified.

3. A typographical composing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein on each of said keys the letter element controlled by that key is represented in solid or heavy lines and the complemental element or elements in outline.

4. A typographical composing machine according to claim 1 having a type arrangement comprising 56 meaningless letter elements adapted to be combined to form desired classic Hebrew characters with or without vowels and/or in combination with musical accents.

5. A keyboard for typographical composing ma,-

' chines wherein a group of meaningless letter elements are adapted to be composed in group assembly of two or three to form a complete character, said keyboard comprising a series of iinger keys having keyboard indicators each showing a complete character but having the letter element which is controlled by that key represented in a manner easily distinguishable fro-m the corn- SAMU-EL ISH-SHALOM. OTTO I. BLOOM.

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