US3074328A - Photocomposing machine - Google Patents

Photocomposing machine Download PDF

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Publication number
US3074328A
US3074328A US354826A US35482653A US3074328A US 3074328 A US3074328 A US 3074328A US 354826 A US354826 A US 354826A US 35482653 A US35482653 A US 35482653A US 3074328 A US3074328 A US 3074328A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
characters
character
lens
image forming
array
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US354826A
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English (en)
Inventor
Rossetto Louis
Gino F Squassoni
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH
Mergenthaler Linotype Co
Original Assignee
Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH filed Critical Mergenthaler Linotype GmbH
Priority to US354826A priority Critical patent/US3074328A/en
Priority to GB12551/54A priority patent/GB746562A/en
Priority to NL187234A priority patent/NL90655C/xx
Priority to NLAANVRAGE7903748,A priority patent/NL187234B/xx
Priority to FR1102680D priority patent/FR1102680A/fr
Priority to DK147954AA priority patent/DK92387C/da
Priority to CH318471D priority patent/CH318471A/fr
Priority to DEM23040A priority patent/DE963034C/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3074328A publication Critical patent/US3074328A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41B—MACHINES OR ACCESSORIES FOR MAKING, SETTING, OR DISTRIBUTING TYPE; TYPE; PHOTOGRAPHIC OR PHOTOELECTRIC COMPOSING DEVICES
    • B41B21/00—Common details of photographic composing machines of the kinds covered in groups B41B17/00 and B41B19/00
    • B41B21/02—Shutters in optical systems
    • B41B21/04—Shutters in optical systems for selecting characters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41B—MACHINES OR ACCESSORIES FOR MAKING, SETTING, OR DISTRIBUTING TYPE; TYPE; PHOTOGRAPHIC OR PHOTOELECTRIC COMPOSING DEVICES
    • B41B17/00—Photographic composing machines having fixed or movable character carriers and without means for composing lines prior to photography
    • B41B17/04—Photographic composing machines having fixed or movable character carriers and without means for composing lines prior to photography with a carrier for all characters in at least one fount
    • B41B17/08—Photographic composing machines having fixed or movable character carriers and without means for composing lines prior to photography with a carrier for all characters in at least one fount with a fixed carrier
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41B—MACHINES OR ACCESSORIES FOR MAKING, SETTING, OR DISTRIBUTING TYPE; TYPE; PHOTOGRAPHIC OR PHOTOELECTRIC COMPOSING DEVICES
    • B41B21/00—Common details of photographic composing machines of the kinds covered in groups B41B17/00 and B41B19/00
    • B41B21/16—Optical systems

Definitions

  • This invention relates to photocomposing machines, that is to say, machines wherein images of selected characters are projected opticallyl onto a photographic member.
  • Character presentation that is, the projection of anv image of a selected character of a font at a predetermined master position suitable for photographing, is the central problem of photocomposition. Unless the images of all of the characters in the font can be produced at the same master position, the proper alignment and spacing of characters in a sequence, necessary for high quality composition, cannot be achieved. In the past, character presentation has usually involved relative movement between the character array and the optical system, either to bring the selected character onto the optical axis of the optical system, or to bring the optical axis to the selected character. Costly and elaborate mechanism is required to supply these movements, especially in rview of the degree of accuracy demanded; Ifurthermore, shifting of the character font or the optical system before each character is photographed makes for needlessly slow composition.
  • the present invention aims to avoid the need for relative movement between the character font and the optical system and oers a highly satisfactory and relatively inexpensive solution of the problem.
  • the invention comprises in essence a rapid and eflcient system for selectively projecting various charactersof a font plate in any desired sequence onto a photographic member in proper focus at the optical axis with an absence of distortion and color fringe, and without any movement of the font plate or the associated optical system.
  • the invention provides means for producing enlarged or reduced images of the selected characters so that a variety of different font sizes can be composed from the same character font.
  • FIG. 1 is a side diagrammatic view illustrating the components of the present invention
  • FIG.' 2 is a view of the font plate and of a shutter mechanism, looking in a direction opposite to that in which the characters to be photographed are projected;
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the control means for the shutter mechanism
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the collimating lens unit which constitutes one of the optical components of the invention
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another alternative optical system.
  • a suitable dark chamber (not shown).
  • selected characters of a font plate 1 are illuminated one at a time, and images of the selected characters are optically projected at a predetermined master position on a ground glass projection screen 2.
  • the images are photographed one at a time in the order of their selection on a light sensitive film 3, being optically projected from the screen 2 to the llm by a lens unit 4 capable of either enlarging or reducing the images photographed according to the point size of the type characters to be produced.
  • the font plate 1 comprises a plurality of translucent characters on an opaque background.
  • the plate 1 may be made of glass or in the form of a photographic film, or otherwise, and the typographical characters may be arranged thereon in any desired pattern, e.g., the characters may be arranged in rows and columns or in circular fashion.
  • the plate 1 is removable to make possible the substitution of typographical characters of different fonts.
  • the characters are projected by a source of field' light 5 which is intensified and directed toward the array of characters 4 by a reflector 6 and a condensing lens 7.
  • the condensing lens system makes for relatively even distribution of light over the entire area of the character array.
  • the characters are individually selected for composition by the operation of a shutter mechanism which permits the field light to pass through the selected character.
  • the shutter mechanism may be controlled from a keyboard and comprises a plurality of pivoted horizontal bars 8, one for each horizontal row of characters, and a plurality of pivoted vertical bars 9, one for each vertical column of characters.
  • the horizontal bars 8 are supported at their ends by a pair of side plates 8a (see FIG. 2), which plates are aflixed to the face of a at supporting frame 8b.
  • a central rectangular portion of the frame 8b is cut away to permit passage of the light rays from the selected characters through the frame.
  • 8 are supported in the side plates 8a by pins p which project laterally from both ends of the shutters and pass through holes provided in the plates, the holes serving as bearings for the pins when they rotate to open the shutters.
  • the vertical shutter bars 9 are similarly mounted in reference to a supporting frame 9b.
  • each shutter bar 8 is controlled by a pair of electromagnets 8c and through a mechanical linkage which includes a pivotal arm-8f, operated by the electromagnets, a connecting link 8h, and small crank arm 8g at the extreme end of one of the shutter supporting pins p.
  • the electromagnets are mounted on an L-shaped bracket 8d aixed to the lfront face of the frame 8b.
  • the electromagnets 8c When the electromagnets 8c are energized, the pivotal movement of the arm 8f shifts the link 8h in the direction of the ⁇ arrow in FIG. 3 and, through the small crank arm 8g, rocks the associated shutter to open position.
  • a small tension spring 8i acting on the arm 8f, serves to close the shutter and restore the mechanical parts to their original position when the electromagnets are deenergized.
  • a pair of electromagnets is provided -for the operation of each shutter bar. The electromagnets are arranged adjacent the shutter bars which they control but in staggered relationship on op- The shutter bars corner of the character.
  • Every other shutter is operated by electromagnets located at the left side of the shutter, and every other intermediate shutter is operated by electromagnets located at the right.
  • the shutters 9 are operated in' precisely the same manner as the shutters 8 by electromagnets 9c disposed at right angles to the electromagnets 8c.
  • the selection of a character for composition is controlled from -the keyboard of the machine.
  • the depression of a key operates one of the horizontal shutters 8 and one of the vertical shutters 9, thereby exposing a single character in the array 1 to the field light 5.
  • a multi-lens component 10 and an imaging lensv 11 are positioned in front of the character array 1 and the shutter mechanism.
  • the multi-lens component 10 comprises a multiplicity of individual collimating lenses 10a, one for each character in the array.
  • 'Ihe collimating -lenses 10a are substantially identical and their optical axes are parallel.
  • the function of the vcollimating lenses is to project the light rays from the selected characters toward the imaging lens 11 as parallel light.
  • Each character inthe array is located at the center of or in fixed relation to the optical axis of its corresponding lens, and the distance which separates them is-approximately equal to the focal length of the lens.
  • yTheimaging lens 11 may be a convex lens of high -resolving power, or, at least, the area utilized should be free from aberration or distortion producing characteistics, and its :function is to form an image of the selected character lon the projection screen 2, which image will fall in a master predetermined position at the center of or in fixed relation to the optical axis 11a of the lens 11 to make it possible to photograph characters in proper sequence and in perfect alignment on the film 3.
  • the multi-lens component 10 be positioned in parallel lrelationship to the character array 1 and, moreover, that the distance between them be equal to the focal length of the lenses 10a. Also, to insure that the maximum amount of light from a selected character is directed toward the appropriate collimating lens, a channeled or honeycomblike element 12 is positioned between the character array and the lens system 10.
  • the images are formed on the groundglass screen 2, instead of being photographed immediately, so that they can be then magnified or reduced by the lenses 4 with respect to a fixed imaginary reference point, preferably located on the screen in the vicinity of the lower left-hand If this reference point is located on the optical axis of the lenses 4, the characters will be enlarged or reduced by one quadrant of the lenses 4 in the directions above and to the right of character, while at the same time maintaining a fixed left-hand margin and base line for all characters.
  • the ground glass projection screen 2 is located at thefocal point or principal focus of the lens 11, so that the images of different selected characters will all be produced aberration or distortion of images, must -be as great as or greater than the area that the lenses 10a occupy in the lens holder 10, or stated another way, the optical axes of all of the individual lenses 10a must fall within the -useable area of the lens 11.
  • a particular character in the array is selected for composition by opening the appropriate pair of shutters, one from the horizontal group ⁇ 8 and one from the vertical group 9.
  • Light rays from the light source 5 pass through the area of the array occupied by the selected character and are directed through the channeled member v12 to the collimating lens 10a associated with the selected character.
  • the light rays are converted to parallel light by the collimating lens and transmitted to the imaging lens 11, which then forms an image of the character, suitable for photographing, on the screen 2, said image beingpositioned on the screen at the center of or in fixed relation' to the optical axis 11a of the lens 11.
  • the images may be photographed on the film 3 in the order that they are projected on the screen 2, the film being moved in a step by step fashion as determined by the width of the characters to be photographed. Since images of each character in the array may be thus produced on the screen 2, each image falling on the optical axis 11a or in fixed relation thereto, a sequence of characters may be photographed on the film in perfect alignment.
  • FIG. 5 An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5, wherein the light source 5, condenser lens system 7, character font plate 1, shutter assembly 8, 9, channeled member 12, multi-lens system 10, and the imaging lens 11 are all shown mounted on a long supporting base F.
  • These elements are all identical to the elements described in connection with FIG. 1; however, in this embodiment the image formed -by the lens 11 is produced in space, instead of on the ground glass screen 2 of FIG. 1, and the image is then optically projected on the film 3 by an eyepiece unit, generally designated by the reference numeral 15, and a photographing lens system 16.
  • This alternative embodiment adds to the complexity of the optical system, but has the advantage that the illumination requirements are not as great as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
  • the eyepiece 15 is of a well known type, usually identied with the Kepler telescope, and comprises individual lenses 15a and 15b.
  • the eyepiece serves to reduce the divergence of the light rays from the lens 11 and to concentrate them in the direction of the lens system 16, which latter produces the image on the film 3.
  • 'Ihe lens system 16 includes forward and rearward elements 16a and 1Gb which are positioned in fixed relation to the film 3, and the function of the lens system is to produce an image of the character selected on the film.
  • the lenses 15a and 15b are movable in either direction along the principal axis of the optical system and, as indicated in FIG. 5, the distances x and "y at which these lenses are located from the fixed lens 11 may be varied.
  • the lenses 15a and 15b are removably mounted in their holders so that lenses of different power can be substituted.
  • the particular eyepiece, design chosen should in each case insure that the exit pupil position, that is to say, the image of the aperture stop of vthe optical system, falls in the principal plane of the leading element 16a of the lens system 16 to permit maximum utilization of the free aperture of the optical system.
  • a neutral density filter 11 may be used to attenuate the illumination in accordance with the point size being photographed, in lieu of varying the intensity of the light source 5 for different point sizes.
  • the lamp is maintained at a constant intensity required for photographing the largest desired pointsize, and proper filters are selected to reduce the intensity of the field light projecting the image of the character for the smaller point sizes.
  • the forward element 15a of the eyepiece 15 is shown mounted in one of a series of pivotal lens holders 19 and the rearward element 15b in one or more rotatable discs 20.
  • the lens loldcrs 19 are provided with lenses, e.g., 15a', 15a", 15a', which lenses may be selectively brought into operative position on the optical axis 11a or to inoperative position away from the optical axis.
  • eachl disc 20 contains a series of lenses 15b', 15b", 15b", and is rotatable to bring one or another into operative position on the optical axis.
  • the lens holders 19 and discs 20 may be adjusted manually or automatically, as by a perforated control tape, to select the proper combinations for different point sizes.
  • a rotatable disc 21, containing a variety of neutral density filters 17a to 17g, may also be provided to lfacilitate changing the filter for different point sizes.
  • a font plate having an array of typographical characters, means for projecting light rays from ⁇ any selected character in the array to the exclusion of the other characters, a plurality of collimating lenses, one for each typographical character, for rendering the light rays from the selected characters substantially parallel, a first image forming lens common to all the characters in the array for producing images of the diiferent selected characters at a common predetermined position in a fixed plane, a light sensitive film located in another plane fixed in relation to said first image forming lens, a second image forming lens for projecting the images one after another as they are produced by the first image forming lens onto the light sensitive film, and an for composition in dierent point sizes.
  • v adjustable optical means comprises a plurality -of interchangeable forward and rearward optical elements useable 1n different combinations for composition in different point sizes.
  • a photocomposing machine the combination of an array of typographical characters, means for optically producing images of different selected characters at a common predetermined position in a fixed plane, an adjustable optical means capable of enlarging or reducing said images for composition in different point sizes, an image forming lens system, the light rays being directed toward the lens system by the optical means and said optical means comprising interchangeable forward and rearward optical elements, there being a plurality of such optical elements, some stationed at different points along theeoptical axis and selectively movable into operative position in the path of projection or to inoperative position away from the path of projection, the arrangement being such that different combinations of the optical elements, each useable combination having a fixed exit pupil position, can be selected as the forward and rearward elements of the optical means for composition in different point sizes, and a plurality of different selectable lter elements to attenuate the neutral density of the light rays for different magnification or reduction ratios.

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  • Lenses (AREA)
  • Microscoopes, Condenser (AREA)
  • Projection-Type Copiers In General (AREA)
  • Light Sources And Details Of Projection-Printing Devices (AREA)
US354826A 1953-05-13 1953-05-13 Photocomposing machine Expired - Lifetime US3074328A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US354826A US3074328A (en) 1953-05-13 1953-05-13 Photocomposing machine
GB12551/54A GB746562A (en) 1953-05-13 1954-04-30 Improvements in or relating to photographic type composing machines
NLAANVRAGE7903748,A NL187234B (nl) 1953-05-13 1954-05-03 Inrichting voor het gedoseerd afgeven van vloeibare media.
NL187234A NL90655C (OSRAM) 1953-05-13 1954-05-03
FR1102680D FR1102680A (fr) 1953-05-13 1954-05-05 Machine à composer photographique
DK147954AA DK92387C (da) 1953-05-13 1954-05-06 Fotosættemaskine.
CH318471D CH318471A (fr) 1953-05-13 1954-05-06 Machine à composer photographique
DEM23040A DE963034C (de) 1953-05-13 1954-05-13 Photographische Zeilensetzmaschine

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US354826A US3074328A (en) 1953-05-13 1953-05-13 Photocomposing machine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3074328A true US3074328A (en) 1963-01-22

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ID=23395055

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US354826A Expired - Lifetime US3074328A (en) 1953-05-13 1953-05-13 Photocomposing machine

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3074328A (OSRAM)
CH (1) CH318471A (OSRAM)
DE (1) DE963034C (OSRAM)
DK (1) DK92387C (OSRAM)
FR (1) FR1102680A (OSRAM)
GB (1) GB746562A (OSRAM)
NL (2) NL187234B (OSRAM)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3220013A (en) * 1963-10-21 1965-11-23 Ibm High speed electro-optic printer
US3509804A (en) * 1966-11-14 1970-05-05 Linotype Gmbh Photocomposing machines
US3738236A (en) * 1971-05-26 1973-06-12 Eltra Corp Photocomposing machines
US3780630A (en) * 1969-12-26 1973-12-25 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Light-distribution system for photocomposers
US3987459A (en) * 1975-08-11 1976-10-19 Andrew Anthony Cammarota Electro optical symbol emitting and recognition device
US4189216A (en) * 1974-11-14 1980-02-19 Am International, Inc. Optical system for photographic composing apparatus

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB182887A (en) * 1921-04-07 1922-07-07 Walter Broadbent Mechanism for the photographic reproduction of type or other characters
DE407965C (de) * 1920-11-23 1925-01-06 Adolf Mueller Photographische Setzmaschine
DE411617C (de) * 1925-03-27 Adolf Mueller Anzeigevorrichtung fuer photographische Setzmaschinen
US2203000A (en) * 1938-12-13 1940-06-04 Ibm Machine for reading perforated record cards
US2229689A (en) * 1937-04-27 1941-01-28 Westover George Apparatus for photographic composition of text matter
US2515862A (en) * 1947-10-25 1950-07-18 Saul Jeffee Optical device
US2699101A (en) * 1950-09-01 1955-01-11 Mergenthaler Linotype Gmbh Photocomposing machine

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE411617C (de) * 1925-03-27 Adolf Mueller Anzeigevorrichtung fuer photographische Setzmaschinen
DE407965C (de) * 1920-11-23 1925-01-06 Adolf Mueller Photographische Setzmaschine
GB182887A (en) * 1921-04-07 1922-07-07 Walter Broadbent Mechanism for the photographic reproduction of type or other characters
US2229689A (en) * 1937-04-27 1941-01-28 Westover George Apparatus for photographic composition of text matter
US2203000A (en) * 1938-12-13 1940-06-04 Ibm Machine for reading perforated record cards
US2515862A (en) * 1947-10-25 1950-07-18 Saul Jeffee Optical device
US2699101A (en) * 1950-09-01 1955-01-11 Mergenthaler Linotype Gmbh Photocomposing machine

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3220013A (en) * 1963-10-21 1965-11-23 Ibm High speed electro-optic printer
US3509804A (en) * 1966-11-14 1970-05-05 Linotype Gmbh Photocomposing machines
US3780630A (en) * 1969-12-26 1973-12-25 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Light-distribution system for photocomposers
US3738236A (en) * 1971-05-26 1973-06-12 Eltra Corp Photocomposing machines
US4189216A (en) * 1974-11-14 1980-02-19 Am International, Inc. Optical system for photographic composing apparatus
US3987459A (en) * 1975-08-11 1976-10-19 Andrew Anthony Cammarota Electro optical symbol emitting and recognition device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL187234B (nl) 1958-11-15
DK92387C (da) 1961-12-11
FR1102680A (fr) 1955-10-25
GB746562A (en) 1956-03-14
CH318471A (fr) 1957-01-15
NL90655C (OSRAM) 1959-03-17
DE963034C (de) 1957-05-02

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