US3197131A - Typesetting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 27, 1965 R. c OBRIEN 3,197,131

TYPESETTING' APPARATUS Filed 001;. 23, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 1 KEYBOARD 8 PERMUTATION SWITCHES AUXILIARY I05 KEYBOARD LC 256 5l2 5 PUNCH PICLET INVENTOR. RICHARD C. O'BRIEN so M74641 ATTORNEYS y 1965 R. c. O'BRIEN 3,197,131

TYPESETTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-3 62 54 INVENTOR Y RICHARD c. O'BRIEN ATTORNEYS July 27, 1965 R. c. O'BRIEN 3,197,131

TYPESETTING APPARATUS Filed 001. 23, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet s FIG-5 w.s. I

KEYBOARD 0 IN ITIATE ENCODER V Q20 5'? PUNCH as 13 77 "f1: :1: 2 23a l I ONOFF 25 2s 25 2d 25 2f5 25 sc sc so F I6 32"64)L FLASH /37 INVENTOR.

RICHARD c. O'BRIEN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,197,131 TYPESETTING APPARATUS Richard C. UErien, Huntington, N .Y., assignor to Harrisilntertype Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 232,543 3 (Jlaims. (ill. 234-4) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 39,858, filed June 30, 1960, now Patent No. 3,141,395, issued July 21, 1964, to the assignee of this application. Reference is made to said patent for a more detailed explanation of devices with which the present invention is particularly useful.

This invention relates to typesetting apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for selecting characters in desired sequence to form a line of composition and for determining the actual space, in physical measurements, which will be occupied by these characters.

The present invention is described in relation to typesetting systems wherein the apparatus is divided into two parts, a first or keyboard machine which prepares a coded record containing the information for a page, or number of pages, of line composition, and a second apparatus which operates from the coded record and operates to set the type. In such a system the keyboard operator, or composer, manipulates the selection keys in a selected sequence determining the succession of desired characters in lines of composition. When preparing a code record for a high speed photographic machine he may determine also the magnification or reduction of characters from the font carrying discs in the photographic machine which will result in the desired size of character images exposed onto the galley film in the typesetting operation.

The selection and space computing system in accordance with the invention comes into action immediately when the first character key is depressed to select the first character in a line of composition. The system makes a coded record (for example in binary code) which serves as identification of the selected character. Presumably a coded record may already have been made of the desired style or font from which characters are being selected, and in the case of photographic machines, of the point set factor which will be determinative of the optical magnification or reduction of the characters projected from the selected font to obtain the desired image size. As each character is selected the keyboard machine operates to determine the relative or unit width of that character with reference to the other characters in the font, and then uses this relative width information and the point set factor to determine the actual Width in picas and fractions thereof to be occupied by the characters.

An important object of this invention is to provide improved character selection and space computing apparatus of the above described type which is capable of fast and exact operation, yet requires a minimum of parts and circuitry.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved space computing apparatus for performing the aforementioned functions, including a space computing disc with impulse generating means in several different radial zones, and a selective pickup which can be adjusted to operate from a selected one of these zones to provide a desired variable number of impulses for each complete cycle of relative movement between the disc and such selective pickup.

A further object of this invention is to provide such improved character selection and space computing apparatus wherein a single counter is utilized for both functions, and wherein the apparatus includes circuitry for operating the counter first to determine the unit Width information for a selected character, and then to coop- 3,l97,l3l Patented July 27, 1965 erate with other space computing apparatus in determining the actual space to be occupied by the selected character.

As mentioned previously, the system is divided into two parts. In a phototypesetting system the actual photographic exposure of the galley film is performed by a second or photographic apparatus which operates from the coded record prepared by the keyboard machine.

The invention also is applicable to machines which prepare record tape for controlling linecasting machines, or other typesetting machines operating on the same general principle. In such case, the record tape carries only character identification code and function codes, since justification is accomplished by expanding variable-width space bands inserted in the interword spaces between the character mats for the characters immediately preceding and following an interword space, or in other known manner such as described in Patent No. 2,395,659. In such instances the present invention provides a keyboard unit operating on an absolute or actual space basis, for preparing such control tapes or records.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and block type diagram of the keyboard machine for a phototypesetting system in accordance with this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are detail views of the timing and computing disc, and the associated pickups;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which the stages of the line length accumulator counter and the word space counter are interconnected and provided with suitable read out circuitry; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic and block type diagram similar to FIG. 1, showing the arrangement of a keyboard machine for preparing records to control linecasting machines or the like.

The present invention is disclosed in combination with other features of phototypesetting apparatus which includes a first or keyboard machine, shown schematically in FIG. 1, and which is adapted to prepare a record tape of the lines of composition, and a second or photographic machine which operates under control of the prepared tape to produce an exposed galley film on which the lines of composition are formed as latent photographic images to be developed. The keyboard machine includes a main keyboard 19 which has a number of keys for selection of diiferent characters, together with permutation switches which cooperate with the keys in known manner to produce a binary selection code in the form of electrical pulses or voltage applied to one or more of the seven selection output lines 12. These lines are connected through diode rectifiers 13 to the first seven of eight input lines 15 controlling operation of a conventional coding and recording mechanism such as a perforator or punch unit 20 through which record tape, for example in the form of paper tape 22 to be perforated in a characteristic manner, is supplied for producing a permanent record respective of each character selected by operation of the keyboard 10.

All of the characters which make up a font, including upper and lower case letters, numerals, punctuation, etc., should be alloted space in accordance with their relative widths. For example, the character M obviously requires considerably more Width than the character i. Furthermore, for versatility in machines of this type it is desirable to enlarge or reduce the characters in the photographic machine through a suitable optical system, and in such optical change allowance must be made for the variation in actual width occupied by the same characters at different enlargements. This may be conveniently accomplished by determining the relative or unit Width of any selected character and multiplying this unit width by a point set factor which is a function of the enlargement produced by the optical system at that time, and whereby the product of unit width and the point set factor is representative of the actual width occupied by each selected character. in accordance with this invention the unit width measurements and point set factors are so selected that the actual width of each character is represented by a digital output defining the actual width of the selected characters in pleas and fractions of a pica, hereafter referred to as piclets.

For the purpose of determining the relative or unit width of each selected character, and thence computing the actual space to be occupied by that character at a given point set, the keyboard code output lines 12 are connected respectively to seven buffer amplifier units 251F25 which in turn are connected to preset the individual stages SCJi, SCZ, 8C4, SCS, SClld, SC32 and SCd-d of a selector counter-space computer binary counter. These stages may conveniently be in the form of conventional Eccles-Jordan or similar flip-flop stages connected in cascade. This counter is designed to perform a dual function, namely first to select the unit space information pertaining to a selected character which is identified by the input code through the aforementioned buffer amplifier, and secondly to cooperate with other apparatus in computing the actual space information for the selected character.

The unit space information is provided by a six digit binary code formed as differential light transmitting portions on a continuously rotating space code disc 3% which is fixed to a rotating shaft 32 driven by motor 33. The code is formed by having light transmitting slits (or inversely opaque marks) on the disc Ed in each of the six code positions, and the selected unit space information is picked up by causing flashing of a high speed flash lamp 35, under the control of a flash control unit 37 to energize appropriate ones of the six pickup photocells iii, each one of which is positioned in alignment with a respective code position. These photocells have six separate output lines 42 which extend to the buffer amplifiers 2Sbg for presetting the corresponding stages SC2-SC64, of the counter in accordance with the selected space code.

Accordingly, when a character is selected by pressing a key on keyboard til, the character selection code is set up in lines 12 and is transmitted through the rectifiers 13 and lines 1.4 to the punch input lines I15, for the purpose of actuating the punch to produce a characteristic punch code in the record tape 22 which identified the character selecte At the same time the selection code is transmitted through the lines 12 to the buffer amplifiers 25a- 2553, to preset the selector counter to the identification code number. The unit space code information on the rotating disc 3% is arranged in complementary fashion such that the unit space code for a selected character is spaced from a fixed point on the disc by a number of places which is, in the count of places, a complement of the selection code entered in the selector counter.

The fixed position, also referred to as the synchronir; ing position, is determined by a synchronizing light transmitting mark 2-5 on a timing and computing disc Stl which is secured to shaft 32 in predetermined fixed position with respect to code disc 36, and cooperates with a photocell 52 and a light source (not shown) on the opposite side of disc to produce a synchronizing pulse once for each revolution of the discs 3i and 50. This synchronizing pulse is transmitted through line "4 to a control gate circuit 61. This gate circuit is controlled by a flip-flop circuit P to follow the state thereof. Thus, when flip-flop Fl is in its first or G state G1 is closed or will not pass pulses transmitted thereto, and when F1 is in its 1 state, G1 is open and pulses transmitted through line 54 will be passed on through line 55 to a A second control flip-flop F2. F1 is normally in its 0 state, closing gate G1, but will be switched to its 1 state by transmission of an initiate pulse through line 57 from keyboard 1d. A pulse is transmitted through this line each time a character is selected, by depression of a key, or in some other suitable manner.

The timing disc 5d also is provided with pulse generating marks about its entire periphery in a radial zone separate from the synchronizing mark, and these timing marks cooperate with the aforementioned light source and a photocell as to generate timing pulses in line 62 which are transmitted to a further gate circuit G2 connected to follow flip-flop F2. Therefore, since F2 is normally in its 0 or off state, the gate G2 also will normally be closed and timing pulses will not pass through this circuit until P2 is caused to switch by receiving a pulse from line through gate Gil. However, when this occurs and F2 switches to its 1 state, G2 will open and pulses from line 62 will pass through G2 and its output line 64 to the input on stage 3C1 of the selector counter. At the same time, a reset pulse will pass on line 65 to flip-lop F1, causing it to revert to its normal 0 or off" state and gate G1 will again close. Timing pulses will continue to pass through G2 into the selector counter until this counter fills up. For example, assuming that the binary code for a selected character is 0010100 (corresponding to 20 in al ebraic numbers), then in order to fill up the selector counter 107 more pulses must be received, at which time the counter will read 1111111. The next or 108th pulse will clear the selector counter and cause an output pulse at its output line which is connected to the input of a flip-flop circuit F3, and at the same time a reset pulse will pass through line '72 to reset F2 to its 0 state, closing G2. F3 is connected through line to control the operation of flash circuit 37, such that the flash control unit follows the state of P3. Therefore, F3 is normally in a state where the hash control unit is deenergized, but a pulse through the selector counter output '70 causes F3 to change its state and a pulse is transmitted through line 75 causing the flash control unit to produce an instantaneous flash of light from the flash lamp 35 as the space code information in the 108th position past the synchronizing or starting posi tion is aligned with the photocell read-out bank 4d. The impulses generated by one or more of these photocells will be transmitted through the outputs 42 to preset the selector counter stages 85326064, through the buffer ai plifiers ZSb-g, and these last six stages of the selector counter now function in cooperation with the computing disc 5% to compute the actual space to be occupied by the just selected character at a given point set.

The spacing computing operation proceeds as follows. When F3 was caused to change its state and actuate the flash control unit 37, this also produced a signal in line '78 causing the normally closed gate circuits G3 and G4 to open. The input to the selector counter is now through gate G3 and line 7% which receives impulses from the units photocell dd which cooperates with units pulse generating marks on disc 59, there being for example oneunits mark for each quadrant, or four for each I complete revolution of disc 5d. The pulses generated by photocell thus pass through line 82. to gate G3 and thence are buffered into stage 802 of the selector, to accumulate therein and eventually to fill up the last six stages of this counter which have now been preset to a binary number representing the unit space width of the previously selected character, from the space code disc 3%.

The input to gate G4 is from a piclets photocell 35' which transmits pulses through line 86 to gate G4, and when this gate is open to the input line 87 of the line length accumulator counter which comprises twelve binary stages identified as LC]lLC2i8. The piclets input pulses to this counter each represent a discrete fraction of a pica, which is a standard printers measurement equaling approximately one-sixth of an inch.

There are a number of different characteristic radial zones from which the piclets photocell may read selectively, as shown in FIG. 2. This selection is accomplished by moving the photocell 85 into alignment with a desired one of the radial zones of piclets impulses generating marks 91-95 such that a greater or less number of piclets impulses will be generated by this photocell between successive units impulses generated by the photocell 89.

As the units impulses are transmitted to and accumulated in the selector counter, this counter will begin to fill, and the number of units pulses required to fill the selector counter will be the complement of the unit space code preset into the counter from the photocell bank til. Thus, when the last six stages of the selector counter are filled from the units input through gate G3, then the next units input pulse will transmit through line 70 to F3, causing this flip-flop to revert to its normal state and close the gate circuits G3 and G4. The total number of impulses transmitted through gate G4 to the line length accumulator counter during this interval will thus represent a digital input the sum of which is the total actual space to be occupied by the selected character, and this information is stored in the line length counter in this manner for each selected character, with subsequently recieved space information being added to that already stored in the counter to maintain a summation of the space in the line of composition to be occupied by the characters, added to a preset value which represents the difference between a desired line length and the total capacity of the accumulator counter.

Similarly, every time there is an interword space in the line of composition the operator presses the space bar on the keyboard which closes a switch and transmits a pulse through output line Lilli) which connects through the auxiliary keyboard ltll to the line W2 which transmits input pulses to the first stage of a word space counter comprising six cascade connected binary stages WCl, WCZ, WCd, WCS, WC16 and WCSZ. Thus this counter maintains a summation of the number of word spaces in the line of composition. At the same time, a code is set up in lines 12 which actuates the punch unit 20 to produce a code indicating the presence of an interword space in the line.

For this purpose of reading the information in the line length accumulator counter and word space counter each stage of each of these counters is connected through a following amplifier to operate a relay. A typical arrangement of a binary stage With its following amplifier and relay, and showing also the reversing connection between successive cascade connected stages, is shown in FIG. 4. It should be understood that this arrangement is followed for all stages of the line length accumulator counter and the word space counter, with certain exceptions as will be noted.

Thus, referring to FIG. 4, the binary stage has an input connection 115) to an input condenser 112 connected to both cathodes of the input dual diode, which may be for example type 6AL5. The plates of the dual diode are connected to the plates of a dual triode, for example type 5963 which is incorporated in a conventional Eccles-Jordan circuit as shown. These plate circuits are also connected through mmf. capacitors to the forward and reverse output contacts 115 and 11s for this stage, which may be alternately connected through the relay control switch to transmit carry pulses to the input line 122 of the next stage. In the usual manner, one side or the other of the dual triode is conducting while the opposite side is cut off, and this condition reverses in response to each input pulse received at the input capacitor 112. Thus, the grids of the dual triode are alternately, and oppositely, at a slightly positive potential, and a following connection 125 is provided to the grid of a triode amplifier tube 1J1 which controls the how of current through the coil of a relay 13%. When triode 127 conducts relay 130 will be energized to close the contacts thereof and prepare a circuit through the contact 132 and a neon bulb 133 to a characteristic output line in the eight channel output matrix 15 which controls operation of punch Zll.

This circuit is not completed until the end of the line of composition is reached, and therefore the outputs are shown schematically from the line length accumulator counter and the word space counter, respectively, as output cables 135 and 136 (FIG. 1) which go to the end of line control 14h. Therefore, although the relay 13d of each stage of these counters may be energized or deenergized several times during the composition of a line, only the final setting of these relays, after the line has been completed, is utilized to complete the read out circuits which then cause coded information to be punched into tape 22 corresponding to the complement of the summation of space occupied by characters from the line length accumulator counter (i.e., the space remaining to be divided up for word space) and the direct reading of the number of word paces in the line from the word space counter.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a similar system for use in preparing a wellknown six channel perforated tape used to control linecasting machines. Here the perforated tape, which is well known in the art, utilizes the same character identification code for two characters, and there are special codes used to determine whether the following character identification codes relate to, for example, a lower case or an upper case letter. The linecasting machine assembles the individual mats which have molds thereof of two characters, for example the same character in different style. Depending upon whether the character identifying code was preceded by an upper rail code or a lower rail code, the mat will be assembled in one of two positions so that the proper mold for the desired style will be used in the casting operation.

Also in linecasting machines adjustable space bands are inserted wherever interword spaces occur, and justification is accomplished by expanding these bands when a full line of mats has been assembled, to bring the length of the assembled mats out to stops which are set apart according to predetermined line length. Each space band has a definite range of movement, and can be adjusted between a minimum and a maximum word space position. Therefore, when a keyboard operator is composing a line, he should be informed as to the amount of space being used as he prepares the perforated tape record which will assemble mats of predetermined lengths. He should also be informed as to the range of justification which is possible, by some type of indication of the space used if each of the space bands were at their minimum thickness, and each of such bands were at maximum thickness.

The present invention provides a system operating on an absolute or actual space basis for accomplishing the aforementioned purposes, and a diagram of such a system is shown in FIG. 7. Since many of the parts are identical to parts shown and described in FIG. 1, the same reference characters are applied to identical parts.

Thus, the keyboard 10 is connected to an encoding device 11 which may be permutation switches or any type of mechanical encoder such, for example, as used presently to produce a characteristic binary code for each key of the key board which is depressed. The keyboard may be either a typewriter keyboard or a keyboard arranged as on a linecasting machine, and depending upon which arrangement is used there will be an appropriate encoding device. Details of such devices are known to those skilled in the art.

The output from the encoder is in the form of a seven line cable 12, and the first six of these run, as shown, to an ordinary six channel tape perforator or punch 29.

"Z It will be understood that in addition to character identifying codes there may be codes presented to the punch which identify ditlerent functions such as the upper or lower rail selection, shift or unshift, insertion of a space band (which occurs Whenever the space bar of the keyboard is depressed), codes for additional space bands called thin space and the rub-out code, which is an erasing code. Other function codes may also be employed, but it is unnecessary to mention all of them for purposes of explaining the present invention.

The output lines 3L2 lead through diodes 13 to seven amplifiers a-g, and these amplifiers are each in turn coupled to preset the seven stages of a selector counter 28, comprising the seven cascade connected binary stages SCl-SCdd. Each time that a character identifying code is impressed on the output lines 12 and punched into the tape 22a, this code is also set into the counter 23.

This will result in the finding of a unit space width code for that character on the space code information disc 3t), as will be explained. The disc is continuously rotated by a shaft 32 driven by motor 33. A flash lamp 35', having a control circuit 37, is arranged to emit a flash of light at the appropriate time when the space code for the selected character passes the lamp. This code will appear as one or more light transmitting parts, arranged radially on disc 30 which is otherwise opaque, and the light passing through these light transmitting portions will cause appropriate electrical pulses to be emitted by corresponding ones of the reading photocells 4t). The outputs of these photocclls are directed through a six line cable 42 back into the amplifiers 25b-g, for the purpose of presctting the counter stages SCZ-SCd once the space code for a selected character has been determined.

Also rotated by the shaft 32 is a synchronizing and timing disc 2% (similar to that shown in FIG. 2 but with only the timing and synchronizing pulse marks) which includes the single timing pulse generating mark 45 for generating a pulse via photocell 52 once for each revolution of the disc 2%. This pulse is transmitted through line 53 to gate circuit Gil, which is normall closed. This gate is controlled by a flip-flop Fl which normally holds the gate closed, but which will change state to open Gil upon receiving an initiate pulse through line 5'7 from the keyboard, designated as an on signal. A pulse passes through line 5'7 each time any key on the keyboard is depressed.

Therefore, when a key is depressed, F1 is turned on and Gil is opened to pass the next synchronizing pulse coming through line 53 and this pulse proceeds through line 55 to turn on the normally oft control flip-flop F2. This flip-flop normally holds gate G2 closed, but now it will open this gate. Timing pulses from disc 2%- will then be generated by the timing photocell (ill and will pass through line as through G2 into its output line as which leads to the input of the first stage SCl of counter 28. The first pulse into line 64 will pass also through line 65 to switch Fl oil, and it remains oil.

Recalling that this counter has been preset to a code number identifying the character selected by depression of the key which initiated this operation, pulses through G2 will continue until counter 2x3 fills up, and at this time the discs 3th and will have rotated to the position where the unit space code information for the selected character appears on disc 30. When the counter fills up, an output pulse will pass from line 759, performing two functions. First it changes the state of fiip-flop F3, causing it to emit an output pulse through line to trigger the flash control unit 37 for flash lamp 35. At the same time the pulse travels also through line 72 to turn off flip-flop F2. Therefore, the timing and code selecting inputs to counter 28 are now oil, with gates G1 and G2 closed.

The outputs from photocells dtl preset the stages SCE- SCM to a code number which is the complement of the unit width code for the selected character. Gate G3 is controlled through line 78 by F3, and is normally held closed because F3 is normally in the oil condition. When the pulse through line ill changes the state of F3 and turns it on, this provides a continuing on signal through line 78 to hold G3 open as well as providing the flash triggering pulse through line '75.

The input through G3 to S-CZ is from a line 32 which receives pulses from a movable photocell St This photocell reads the space pulse generating marks 83 from one of the circles 83a, 83b, $30 or 83d (for 6X- ample) on the line length accumulator pulley or wheel 85, there being a conventional lamp or light source (not shown) on the other side of wheel 85 from photocell 82. The accumulator wheel cooperates with a further wheel 87 to carry a line length indicator tape or band 99 therebetween. The band is provided with visible graduations in terms of actual line lengths such as pleas and/ or fractions of a pica (piclets). There are diilerent numbers of pulse generating marks in the circles of marks 83a-d for the same angularextent. Thus, depending upon with which circle the photocell tilt is aligned, there will be more or less linear movement of band 98 for each pulse sent to the counter through G3.

A continuously running motor 92 drives the shaft 93 of wheel 85 through a slip clutch 94, and a brake 95 is provided on shaft 93 for normally holding the shaft and wheel 85 stationary. This brake may be self-energized, and its release controlled by the energizing of solenoid 9% through a connection to line 78. Therefore, when F3 is turned on to open G3 this also releases brake 95 and permits wheel 85 to turn.

Pulses through line 82. and G3 proceed into the last six stages of counter 28 and continue until this counter fills up, causing an output pulse through line 7t? which now causes F3 to change state again, reverting to its off condition and thereby closing G3 and causing brake 95 to be applied immediately to stop wheel 35. The amount of indicator or accumulator tape 9% taken up by wheel 85 will be a direct and visible indication of the actual amount of space occupied in the line by the selected character, and this operation repeats for each character selected.

Every time the operator depresses the space bar, indicating a word space, this causes an actuating pulse to be transmitted through line res, in addition to causing the words space code to be set up in punch There are two indicator members, shown schematically by the arrows Th5 and the, which function as the minimum word space and the maximum word space indicators, respectively. These indicators are moved along the indicator tape 93 by suitable variable driving escapements 157 and lltld, each of which receives a driving pulse through line 1% every time the space bar is depressed. These escapernents can be arranged, as by suitable choice of gearing or variation of their driving pawls, to move the respective indicators Hi5 and 1156 by amounts which correspond to the relative space occupied by a space band at its minimum width and at its maximum width, respectively, and taking into account the size of spaceband used at any selected point size.

it will be understood, therefore, that the accumulator indicating tape 98 is drawn past the indicators in one direction and these indicators likewise are moved in the other direction so that when the keyboard operator nears he end of a line, which he can determine by viewing the numbered marks on tape t ll, he can also determine whether he is within justification range, or whether perhaps he has gone too far and composed a tight line which does not have sufiicient space for all the characters and space bands that he has selected. A justifiable line will be indicated by the appearance of that measurenent corresponding to the line length at one of the indicators M95 or 1%, or between them. If desirable, a suitable indicator ilag or the like could be attached to tape 90 at the appropriate position corresponding to the length of the justified line to be composed, thus making the indication more visible to the keyboard operator.

At the end of composing each line, the tape 98 and indicators N and 11% are, of course, reset to their initial or Zero condition by any suitable means. The perforated tape 22:: is then capable of use by any conventional linecasting machine (or phototypesetting machine operating on the same principle) which is adapted for automatic operation from such record tape.

It will be understood that replaceable drums or discs bearing the circles of space pulse generating marks can be employed, driven in fixed relation to wheel 85. Also, a transparent drum or disc can be used for this purpose in conjunction with sleeves or discs bearing the appropriate marks, and removably mounted on such drum or disc.

The aforementioned Patent No. 3,141,395 discloses a machine adapted to utilize the record to be produced by devices as shown in FIGURES 14 therein. The form of the invention shown in FIGURE 7 produces a control record on tape which can be used to control line casting machines or photographic typesetting machines which operate on the circulating matrix principle. These machines are adapted to be equipped in a well-known manner, with automatic controls for operation from a record tape input. Details of a photographic typesetting machine of the re-circulating matrix type are disclosed in said Patent No. 2,395,659.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitutes preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing a control record for typesetting machines, comprising input means operative to identify in coded form a succession of characters and interword spaces making up lines of composition, recording mechanism connected to and operated by said input means to produce a permanent record of each character identifying code and space code in the order received from said input means to assemble information for a line of composition, computing means responsive to the character identifying code to compute the actual space to be occupied by each selected character and to create a signal which is a digital representation of such actual space in formation, said computing means including a selector counter, means operative from said input means to preset said counter to a code number representing the selected character, means including a unit Width memory device operative with said counter to determine from the character selection code a further code number representing the unit width of the selected character relative to other characters of different widths, means connected to reset said counter to said further code number, means connected to supply a variable point set factor by which the unit width of selected characters is to be modified in computing the actual width of each selected character, means operating with said counter and said factor representing means to produce said digital output signals representing the product of the point set factor and the unit width information supplied to the counter for each selected character, accumulator means connected to receive said signals and to maintain a sum thereof, means maintaining a sum of the number of interword spaces in the line of composition, means for dividing the accumulated sum of character spaces by the number of interword spaces and for displaying the resultant quotient as composition of a line proceeds to provide for determination of the number of characters and interword spaces to be used in making up a justifiable line of composition, and means operative upon completion of selection of a line of composition to cause said recording mechanism to produce an end of line signal in the record.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said input means is a manually operable keyboard and permutation switches operated from said keyboard to produce a unique identifying code for each key on the keyboard.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said displaying means includes indicators for the amount of space to be occupied by interword spaces at both the total possible maximum and minimum space.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,848,049 8/58 Robbins et al. 234-7 2,876,687 3/59 Higonnet et al. 2344 3,106,336 10/63 Dirks 234-5 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTROL RECORD FOR TYPESETTING MACHINES, COMPRISING INPUT MEANS OPERATIVE TO IDENTIIFY IN CODED FORM A SUCCESSION OF CHARACTERS AND INTERWORD SPACES MAKINGG UP LINES OF COMPOSITION, RECORDING MECHANISM CONNECTED TO AND OPERATED BY SAID INPUT MEANS TO PRODUCE A PERMANENT RECORD OF EACH CHARACTER IDENTIFYING CODE AND SPACE CODE IN THE ORDER RECEIVED FROM SAID INPUT MEANS TO ASSEMBLE INFORMATION FOR A LINE OF COMPOSITION, COMPUTING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE CHARACTER IDENTIFYING CODE TOL COMPUTE THE ACTUAL SPACE TO BE OCCUPIED BY EACH SELECTED CHARACTER AND TO CREATE A SIGNAL WHICH IS A DIGITAL REPRESENTATION OF SUCH ACTUAL SPACE IN FORMATION, SAID COMPUTING MEANS INCLUDING A SELECTOR COUNTER, MEANS OPERATIVE FROM SAID INPUT MEANS TO PRESET SAID COUNTER TO A CODE NUMBER REPRESENTING THE SELECTED CHARACTER, MEANS INCLUDING A UNIT WIDTH MEMORY DEVICE OPERATIVE WITH SAID COUNTER TO DETERMINED FROM THE CHARACTER SELECTION CODE A FURTHER CODE NUMBER REPRESENTING THE UNIT WIDTH OF THE SELECTED CHARACTER RELATIVE TO OTHER CHARCTERS OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS, MEANS CONNECTED TO RESET SAID COUNTER TO SAID FURTHER CODE NUMBER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SUPPLY A VARIABLE POINT SET FACTOR BY WHICH THE UNIT WIDTH OF SELECTED CHARACTERS IS TO BE MODIFIED IN COMPUTING THE ACTUAL WIDTH OF EACH SELECTED CHARACTER, MEANS OPERATING WITH SAID COUNTER AND SAID FACTOR REPRESENTING MEANS TO PRODUCE SAID DIGITAL OUTPUT SIGNALS REPRESENTING THE PRODUCT OF THE POINT SET FACTOR AND THE UNIT WIDTH INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO THE COUNTER FOR EACH SELECTED CHARACTER, ACCUMULATOR MEANS CONNECTED TO RECEIVE SAID SIGNALS AND TO MAINTAIN A SUM THEREOF, MEANS MAINTAINING A SUM OF THE NUMBER OF INTERWORD SPACES IN THE LINE OF COMPOSITION MEANS FOR DIVIDING THE ACCUMULATED SUM OF CHARACTER SPACES BY THE NUMBER OF INTERWORD SPACES AND FOR DISPLAYING THE RESULTANT QUOTIENT AS COMPOSITION OF A LINE PROCEEDS TO PROVIDE FOR DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF CHARACTERS AND INTERWORD SPACES TO BE USED IN MAKING UP A JUSTIFABLE LINE OF COMPOSITION, AND MEANS OPERATIVE UPON COMPLETION OF SELECTION OF A LINE OF COMPOSITION TO CAUSE SAID RECORDING MECHANSIM TO PRODUCE END OF LINE SIGNAL IN THE RECORD.

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