US3626460A

US3626460A - Photographic letter style and job layout machine

Info

Publication number: US3626460A
Application number: US806137A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph H Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-11
Filing date: 1969-03-11
Publication date: 1971-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-07

Abstract

A photocomposing machine for varying the size, arrangement and style of character layouts comprising a base, a hollow table movable on said base in forward and rearward directions, a photosensitive sheet-holding plate slidably mounted within said table to move from side-to-side, the upper surface of said table having a centrally disposed light-passing opening, a shutter disposed above and closing said opening, a photographic enlarger mounted above said table including a holder for a film strip having transparent characters, means for vertically adjusting said enlarger and aligning the same with said table opening and shutter, and means for opening and reclosing said shutter.

Description

United States Patent 1,986,522 1/1935 Owens 95/44 M 2,010,561 8/1935 Ogden 95/4.5 2,160,750 5/1939 Meyer... 95/4.5 2,184,222 12/1939 Koppe 95/4.5

Primary Examiner-John M. l-loran Artorney- Berman, Davidson and Herman ABSTRACT: A photocomposing machine for varying the size, arrangement and style of character layouts comprising a base, a hollow table movable on said base in forward and rearward directions, a photosensitive sheet-holding plate slidably mounted within said table -to move from side-to-sidc, the upper surface of said table having a centrally disposed lightpassing opening, a shutter disposed above and closing said opening, a photographic enlarger mounted above said table including a holder for a film strip having transparent characters, means for vertically adjusting said enlarger and aligning the same with said table opening and shutter, and means for opening and reclosing said shutter.

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BY MM PHOTOGRAPHIC LETTER STYLE AND JOB LAYOUT MACHINE This invention relates to a photographic composing machine, and more particularly to a machine for visually composing type, or other characters, into words, or wording, forming an attractive advertisement, or the like, for recording on a sheet of photosensitive material, the words being quickly'arranged letter-by-letter, by reference to a separate guide sheet and various scales on the machine which enable adjustment of the composition to follow the guide sheet despite variation in style and size of the letters, or characters, and each letter being photographically recorded to desired size immediately upon completion of its optical image arrangement.

Type printing machines for photographic compositions are old in the art and vary considerably in complexity and design, the usual machines being very expensive and difficult to use. It is often difficult to adjust'the type characters so that the spacing between letters, the spacing between lines, and the size of the letters are correctly proportioned. This is especially true when the'exposure produces no immediate image. g

The present invention uses a sensitized sheet of paper, or film, to record the character image upon the proper exposure, but prior to such exposure the image of the character is thrown on a lined and scaled top surface of a shutter where it isreadily visible to the operator who can make adjustments in spacing and thereby provide an accurate and pleasing composition. The light-sensitive sheet is later developed in the usual manner to produce a contrasting black-and-white, or color, composition, which may then be used to form a matrix for an offset printing machine, or like purpose.

To this end, the machine utilizes a plurality of alphabetical and numerical fonts, or other basic character designating means, the number of fonts depending upon the number of characters and three fonts being usually sufficient for all normal requirements. Each font comprises a series of transparent characters'formed in a strip of photographic film, the film being slidable quickly in'the enlarger to select the character to be printed. The characters on the three fonts, for example, may be eight point, 24 point and 36 point type, which suitably enlarged, will print characters ranging from six point to 96 point type.

ln'view of the above, it isa primary object of the present invention to provide an improved photographic-type printing device which avoids one, or more, of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art printing devices.

Another object. of the present invention is to provide a 'machine which enables composition of a desired succession of characters on a sensitized sheet, which can be used later as a master to print a large number of copies.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device in which the characters being printed can be observed which may be readily moved to select the characters forprinting and in which only three fonts are required to reproduce typevarying from six point to 96 point in size.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine, 1

having the above-described characteristics, which is inexpensive to fabricate and easy to use, as well as being efficient and timesaving in operation. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine, havingt'he above-described characteristics, which v guided an enlarger carrying frame, generally indicated by the 7 enables an operator to completely compose a type layout for t advertisements, or the like, and which permits the photo- Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine, having the above-described characteristics, which will produce a negative, or positive, on film, or paper, suitable for use as a preliminary master for offset printing, or the like.

The novel features thatare considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

The invention, itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several Figures, and which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine according to the present invention;

FlG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the movable table housing the photosensitive sheet-holding plate;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the working surface portion of the machine of FIG. I, viewed from the left front;

P16. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a separate layout table and T-square for use in making a guide layout;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the shutter housing and support taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 isa bottom plan view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7, and looking-in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation between the type font, the enlarger lens, the shutter housing with scales therein, and the accessory scales related to movement of the table and the photosensitive sheet-holding plate;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the lower, or table portion of the machine as modified for semiautomatic operation, particularly with respect to the shutter;

H6. is a sectional view taken along line ll11 of F l0. l0, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FlG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of I line 14-14 of FIG. 13, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 15 is a bottom plane view of the film font slide track and its carrier; and

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16- 16 of HG. 14.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a machine according to the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 and 1346 as comprising a base 10, a reciprocating table 12 for housing the photosensitive sheet to be printed, a shutter mechanism 14, and a photoprinting device, such as enlarger 16.

The base 10 may take any suitable form, the form illustrated including a generally square-shaped stand having four vertical angle iron legs 18 secured to a lower platform 20. A pair of upper side bracing angle irons 22 are shown below the tops of -the legs, and front and rear braces 24 of which only the front brace is visible.Fixed to the top of the stand in a manner to be described later, is an inverted U-shaped frame 26 of channel iron which is braced near its bottom and across the bight of the U by arm 28, and which is held in a plane tilted upwardly and slightly forwardly by rear brace rods 30. Cross braces 32 also hold the frame 26. 7

Within the channel cross section of frame 26 is movably numeral 34 and having lateral sides 36 and upper and lower.

sides 38 to which a conventional photoprinting device, such as the enlarge 16, is affixed. The frame 34 is movable upanddown the U-shaped frame 26 by conventional rack and pinion means disposed within the channel cross sections, and not visible in FIG. 1. Such movement is attained by a conventional motor device 40 and a manual manipulating wheel 42, added thereto. i

The enlarger 16 includes an upper housing 44 which encases a lamp, a film carrier 46 between the lamp and the bellows 48, and a lens casing 50 at the lower end of the bellows. Adjustment of thebellows, and the distance of the lens from the film holder is made by manipulating either wheel 52.

The conventional motor device 40 is modified by the addition of three

fixed pointers

54, 56 and 58, to respectively correlate the position of the enlarger with a scale 60 fixed to the front face of one arm frame 26, and so arranged that one pointer will serve to exactly index the position of the enlarger for one size type font inserted therein, and the other two fin gers will similarly serve to exactly position the enlarger for the two other sizes of type font that may be substituted. Indexing of the

appropriate finger

54, 56, or 58 with respect to the scale 60 will serve to print an exact size letter on a photosensitive sheet held within the table 12 for the respective size type font. For example, with type font size 36 point, finger 54 will be set to print any size type within the range from 36 point to 96 point. Similarly,

fingers

56 and 58 can be set to print and selected type size in the rangeof 18 to 36 point and 6 to l8 point, respectively, for other two sizes of type fonts, 8 point and 18 point. The operator may manipulate wheel 52 and knob 42 simultaneously in synchronized fashion to get exactly the size type projected, as may be desired.

FILM FONT CARRIER AND SLIDE TRACK The conventional enlarger 16 is modified in its film holder to accommodate the improved film fonts of the invention as follows. Referring particularly to FIG. 13, the carrier comprises a generally pan-shaped, square member 62 having a flat bottom wall 64 with a large square aperture 66 therein, upstanding front and

rear walls

68, 70, and inturned

upper flanges

72, 74 on said walls. This pan-shaped receptacle is sized to slidably fit into the space in the enlarger normally occupi'ed by a slide, or other film holder, and to remain therein until released and removed. Within the member 62 is placed an inner member 76 formed of three inverted U-shaped channels 78 extending transversely and welded, or soldered, to eachother and to a bottom plate 80. The bottom plate is provided with a square aperture 82 of smaller size than the corresponding aperture in the outer pan and the rear edge of said aperture is aligned with the rear edge of the aperture in the outer pan. One of the channels 78 is spaced from the other two channels, which are side-by-side, so as to define a slot 84 to frictionally seat and hold a slide carrier 86 in the form of an elongated member, U-shaped in cross section, having a solid bottom 86 in its central portion with an aperture 88 therein smaller than the two

apertures

66, 82 mentioned above. The outer ends of the slide channel 86 have axially directed slots 90 separated'by transverse spacers 92 which enable the operator to place his thumb up through the slot and forefinger down through the top of the slide channel to grasp the end of the film strip and covering plexiglass strips and slide the same in the channel between its sidewalls and along the bottom of the member.

In placing the film strip 94, or type font, into the slide carrier 86, the film, with the transparent characters thereon, is sandwiched between two precisely made flat thin plexiglass strips 96, 98, and these stiffen the film strip so that when the sandwich is grasped as a unit by the operator at either end, the film carried by the plexiglass can be quickly slid in one direction, or the other, to align the desired character over the

apertures

88, 82, 66.

Normally two slide carriers 86 are provided, the illustrated one being the larger in that it accommodates the wider and larger film together with their stiffening plexiglass covers 96, 98. For film strip of the smallest type, as for example, 8 point, a slide carrier having the same width from front to'rear is utilized, but the carrier has a narrower slide channel therein to accommodate the narrower film, a smaller aperture 88 to accommodate the smaller letters, and a shorter length because the font including all the letters and figures in smaller type size is necessarily shorter.

SHUTTER, SHUTTER HOUSING AND ASSOCIATED MECHANISM secured in adjusted position by the bolt 106 and wingnut 108 passing through related slots 110 in the walls of the two members. Near the forward end of the forward section 104 is fixed a vertical shutter housing 112 which is tubular-shaped and open at the top, but closed by a bottom wall 114 having a shutter aperture 116. The shutter 118 is a plate pivoted at its rear end within the shutter housing to lie in a closed position covering the shutter aperture 116, said pivot being shown at 120. At the forward sides of the forward end of the shutter are a pair of pivot pins 122 which, ride within a pair of loops 124, each loop being connected to a rearwardly extending rod 126. The rods ride in fixed tubes 128, and at their rear ends are secured to a transverse coupling bar 130. The upper portion of coupling has a pair of pins 132 which are guided for movement in parallel tracks I34 and the coupling is pivoted at 136 to a link 138 connected to the bottom end of a lever 140,

FIG. 7. The central portion of the lever is pivoted on an axle 142 extending between the pair of brackets 100 and the upper end of the lever protrudes through an aperture 144 in a top plate connecting the two brackets. The solid line showing in FIG. 7 shows the shutter 118 and its operating mechanism in closed position covering the aperture 116. When the upper end of lever is pulled forwardly to its dotted line position of FIG. 7, the rods 126 and loops 124 are moved rectilinearly rearwardly to their broken line positions shown in the same Figure, and as a result of the pins 122 riding in the loops, the shutter 118 is turned above pivot 120 to its open condition. To close the shutter it is merely necessary to return the lever to its full line position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the forward portion of the bottom wall of the shutter housing 112 has a horizontal scale 146 in six-' teenths of an inch marked along its interior surface, and the upper surface of the shutter 118 is preferably painted white and marked with a similar vertical scale 148. This enables the operator to visually determine the position and size of the character being projected onto the shutter and to measure the width and height of the character on the two scales, respectively. For reading the vertical scale in the dark room light used during projection of the characters, a magnifying glass 150 is supported from the front wall of the shutter housing by a bracket 152. Similarly, to read the horizontal scale, a second magnifier 154 is supported to overlie the shutter housing at the rear thereof by means of the adjustable bracket 156, and a mirror is positioned above the magnifier and inclined slightly upwardly and forwardly, being held by bracket 158 in such position that a portion of both scales may be read by the operator in the mirror.

MOVABLE TABLE HOUSING SLIDING PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET-HOLDING PLATE Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2-4, the movable table housing the photosensitive sheet-holding plate is supported as to the upstanding frame members 26. Each pair of

channels

162, 164 houses two bearings 166. The channels are suitably spaced apart vertically by

spacer members

168, 170. A pair of axles 169 are journaled in said bearings and each axle has a pair of pinions 172 affixed thereto and a pair of wheels 174 which may be of nylon, or other plastic material. The forward axle has a handwheel 176 for manually turning the same.

Supported between the channels 164 is the hollow table 12 fonned of a bottom wall L-shaped and an upper wall formed of two laterally spaced

sections

180, 182. Section 180 is fixed spacedly above bottom wall 178, and section 182 is hinged at 184, to the rear thereof. Both section carry outer downtumed flanges, or lateral walls 186, and section 182 carries a front flange 188. The bottom surface at its side edges of the bottom wall 178 is recessed to receive a pair of bars 190 having a pair of racks 192 fixed in outer grooves therein, the teeth of the racks facing downwardly to mesh with the pinions 172. Two inner recesses 194 are formed in the bars 190 as guides to receive the nylon wheels 174 and guide the movement of the table as it reciprocates forwardly and rearwardly as the result of turning the handwheel and operation of the racks and

pinions

192, 172. It will benoted that the bars 190 extend forwardly of the hollow table structure and are provided with inverted L-shaped; stop members 196 at their forward ends which engage the base member 24 to limit rearward movement of the table 12.

The upper surface of the bottom wall 178 of the hollow table is provided with a number of parallel, trapezoidal recesses running parallel to the forward edge of the table in which are inserted nylon strips 198 of corresponding trapezoidal shape whose upper surfaces are flush with, or slightly above, the upper surface of the bottom wall of the table. The front and rear of the hollow table are closed by

boards

197 and 199, P10. 4.

Seated on the strips 198 for sliding, friction-reduced motion laterally of the table is a photosensitive holding plate 200 having a width from front to rear equal to the corresponding dimension of the hollow table between

walls

197, 199, and a width from side-to-side about half the width of the table. Accordingly, plate 200 may be slid within the hollow table from under the cover section 182 to a position under the fixed cover section 180 so that the full width of the paper held on the plate may be utilized to receive images from the enlarger through the shutter housing 112. The photosensitive paper 202 is seated on the plate 200 and held thereto in the desired position as at the left of the plate by scotch tape, or the like, entry for placement of the paper being provided by lifting the table cover section 182 on its pivot and hooking the same in raised position by means of the hook 204 and the chain 206 fixed at one end to the upright standard 26, see FIG. 4.

The two

sections

180, 182 of the upper wall of the table 12 are spaced apart at 208 by a distance equal to the width of the shutter housing 112, and said housing is centrally aligned over this space. To close this space and make the hollow table lighttight to projected images, a flexible masking strip 210 is passed under the table from front to rear and over two similar rollers 212 held in brackets 214 at the front and rear edges of the table, the free ends of the masking strip being clamped to the front and rear walls of the shutter housing 112 by suitable clamp means, such as spring clips engaging rollers on the housing. Thus, the shutter housing and the ends of the masking strip are held fixed while the table is moved forwardly and rearwardly, the masking strip remaining in position to cover the space 208 between the upper sections of the table over the entire path of travel of the table as it is moved from front to rear, or vice versa.

For determining the position of the table, the upper surface of channel 164 carries a scale 216 extending from front toward the rear of the base and collaborating with a pointer 218 carried by moving table, see FIGS. 9 and 10. Similarly, for indexing the position and adjusting the movement of the photosensitive sheet-holding plate 200, a transverse member 220 is fixed at its right end to the table and upper surface of bar 196 and extends above the hollow table parallel to its front edge for its entire width.

Transverse member 220 is comprised of a number of channel.

members

232, 234, 236 and 238 plus strips 240, 242, as best seen in FIG. 12, and carries the scale 222 on its upper surface along the front edge. Overlying this scale is a pointer 224 whose support bracket 226 also functions to hold an amber lamp 228 suitably connected to a power source by electric wires 230. The member 220 is provided with a longitudinal slot 244 between

parts

238, 240 and 236, 242, in the bottom of which rides a strip 246 connected at its right end to an upstanding handle 248 intended to be manually moved to slide the strip. At the left end and lower surface of strip 246 is a lug 250, P10. 12, which protrudes downwardly into a receiving opening in the slide plate 200, whereby movements of the handle 248 from right to left, and vice versa, are imparted to the slide plate 200 to carry the plate and photosensitive sheet 202 held thereon within the hollow table. The scale 252 is slidably held in an upwardly opening channel 254 forming part of the member 220, and this scale has a pointer 256 which is indexed along the scale 252 as the latter moves. A bracket 258 which has an upstanding leg holds a magnifier 260 over both

pointers

224 and 256 which are aligned in such manner as to render both

scales

222, 252 in the field of view.

OPERATION AND USE OF THE MACHINE In use of the machine, the operator will utilize the board 262 and T-square 264 of P16. 5, placed conveniently near the machine, to make, or hold, a rough layout with the words, commas, letters and figures to be photoprinted disposed approximately in the intended arrangement and selected sizes of each. Horizontal and vertical centerlines may be marked on the rough layout by means of the T-square, and the distance between lines and spacing may be measured on the

scales

266, 268, 270 and 272 at the top, bottom and side edges of the board. The rough layout provides quick measurement of the marginal positions of each character to be printed.

The operator then selects from one of the three available type film fonts 96, one such as shown in FIG. 9, suitable to print both enlarged and diminished letters within the range contemplated on the layout. This font, sandwiched between the two plexiglass strips 94, 98, is placed in the slide carrier 86 which is fitted into the slot 84 of the carrier holder 76 and pushes the whole holder assembly 62 into the enlarger opening intended to receive the same. Assuming that the type font selected is 36 point for 84 point print, the operator sets the focus scale pointer 54 to 84 point, the intended size of the letters, or most of the letters to be printed, by moving the pointer to reading 84 on the adjacent scale 60. In so doing, and while simultaneously adjusting the focus wheel 52, the 36 point type of the film font will be enlarged razor-sharp to 84 point at the level of the photosensitive sheet 202 held under the shutter 1 18.

The operator then selects the first letter to be printed by sliding the film font to the left, or right, in the slide carrier 86 utilizing his thumb and forefinger and extending these upwardly and downwardly through the openings 90 at one end in the slide carrier to grasp the film. The blank sheet of photosensitive paper 202 having already been taped in position, as approximately shown in FIG. 4, on the plate 200 (it being understood that this is performed under dark room illumination the table cover 182 is then lowered over the photosensitive paper and the operator attaches the ends of the masking strip 210 to the shutter housing by means of two clips, as previously explained.

Turning on the small yellow lamp 228 which lights up the area of the handle 248 and associated scales, and following the job layout on board 262, FIG. 5, as a guide, the operator proceeds at one end of the first line and sets the handwheel 176 to the position of line one, and then moves the handle 248 to position pointer 224 on scale 222 so that the right or left margin of the first letter will fall in its margin position of intended printing. The first letter, for example W" in FIG. 9 will appear in enlarged size on the upper surface of the shutter 118, and when properly positioned in the above way, is exposed by moving the shutter lever handle 140 to open the shutter, keeping the shutter open for the required time of exposure. The shutter is then closed. The scale 252 is then slid to exactly align with scale 146, and handle 248 is moved right or left a distance equal to the width of the first letter and required spacing to the next letter, as noted from scale 146, but by noting movement of pointer 256 along scale 252. The next letter to be exposed is then selected and moved into registry with the aperture 88 in the slide carrier, the enlarged letter being seen on the top surface of the shutter, and when I properly positioned by centering this letter is exposed by opening the shutter. Scale 252 is again slid in its channel to align with scale 146. Handle 248 is again moved to the width of the second letter and appropriate next letter spacing by observing pointer 256 on scale 252. The same steps are followed for each letter in sequence along the first line of the layout and subsequently, the handwheel 176 is turned to the next line and the letters, or characters, of such line are individually exposed following the above-described procedure until the entire layout has been completed.

Upon completion of the entire layout the operator removes the photosensitive sheet 202 from within the table 12 and develops the same to obtain a negative, or a positive, of the final layout, by conventional photodeveloping and printing techniques.

It will be noted from the above, that sliding scale 252 ruled identically with scale 146 in the shutter housing provides a quick and accurate means for transferring the letter width and required spacing to scale 222 which accurately positions the photosensitive sheet for printing of the next letter. Checking the position of any letter to be printed is readily accomplished by observing

scales

146 and 148 through

magnifiers

150, 154, and mirror 160.

MODIFIED MACHINE FOR ELECTRICAL SEMIAUTOMATIC OPERATION A modified machine is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 which differs from the machine is previously described only in the following respects.

The link 138 is made longer than corresponding link 138 and the upper end of the shutter lever arm 140 is slotted at 274 to receive a pin 276 protruding from another link 278. This last link is pivoted at one end to the armature 280 of an electric solenoid 282. The solenoid is supported on a plate clamped to the upper edges of the elongated plates 100'. The solenoid is powered in a conventional manner to be operated by the "on" and off" switch buttons, not shown, in conjunction with

switch buttons

284, 286 of a timer 288, FIG. 10. Thus, button 286 may be considered to be a focusing time button, and button 284 is an exposure time button. Housing 288, FIG. 10, is a switch for lamp 228. The focusing motor in housing 40 of FIG. 1 is connected to a conventional means to operate and electrically focus the enlarger. It will be apparent that the shutter will be opened and closed electrically by pressing of the switch buttons, not shown, rather than by manually moving the lever 140, FIG. 1, or 140, FIG. I0.

SEMIAUTOMATIC OPERATION Operation of the semiautomatic machine is the same as previously described above for the manually operated machine, except as follows. When the operator is ready to project the first letter for layout, he presses the switch button 286 on the timer and off switch controlling shutter solenoid 282. To make the exposure, he presses timer button 284 and the "onswitch for the shutter solenoid. At the end of the appropriate and indicated exposure time period he then presses button 286 and the shutter off switch to close the shutter.

The operator repeats these steps during focusing and exposing of each letter in turn, the electrical operation and timing speeding up the job and ensuring correctly timedexposures.

During focusing and layout of each letter the individual character is viewed and measured on

scales

148, 146, the width and spacing being transferred to the photosensitive sheet by use of sliding scale 252 and scale 222 fixed to the table, as explained above in connection with the unmodified machine. 1

It will be apparent from the above that the operation of the machine involves relatively few steps, and yet enables quickly producing a job layout in which the characters vary widely in arrangements, spacing, and size. For simple layouts a preliminary layout need not be used, but in all complex layouts it is desirable to rough-out the layout on the auxiliary board of FIG. 5.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not intended to be restricted to the exact showing of the drawings and description thereof, but is considered to include reasonable and obvious equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. A photocomposing machine for varying the size, arrangement and style of character layouts, comprising a base, a hollow table including upper and lower spaced horizontal walls, means for moving said table on said base in forward and rearward directions, a photosensitive sheet-holding plate slidably mounted to move from side-to-side within said table between said upper and lower walls, said upper wall of the hollow table being formed in two parts, one of said parts being fixed and the other being hinged to permit lifting thereof and placement of a photosensitive sheet on said holding plate within the table, said two parts of the upper wall of the hollow table being spaced apart centrally of the table to define a light passing opening, a shutter disposed immediately above and closing said opening, means for opening and closing said shutter, a photographic enlarger fixedly mounted against horizontal movement considerably above and spaced from the table and including a holder for a film strip having transparent characters therein, and means for vertically adjusting said enlarger in alignment with said light passing opening in the table so as to project visible images of characters on the shutter.

2. A photocomposing machine according to claim I, wherein said shutter is encased in a shutter housing fixed above the table, said housing having walls on all sides except the top, the bottom wall of the shutter housing having an aperture, and said shutter being pivoted at one side to move about a horizontal axis from a position overlying the aperture to a position uncovering the aperture.

3. A photocomposing machine according to claim 2, wherein said means for opening and closing said shutter comprises a hinge at one side of the shutter permitting the same to run from a horizontal to a vertical position, a pair of pins protruding from the edges of said shutter opposite said hinge, said pins being disposed in a pair of vertically disposed loops having a somewhat crescent-shaped outline, the center of said loops being connected to rods which pass out of the shutter housing, the free ends of said rods being connected by a link to one end of a pivoted lever, and the other end of said lever forming a handle for moving the shutter from closed to open position and reversely.

4. A photocomposing machine according to claim 3, wherein said means for opening and closing said shutter further comprises an electric solenoid whose armature is connected to said other end of said lever, whereby energization and deenergization of said solenoid serve to open and close the shutter.

5. A photocomposing machine according to claim 2, wherein is further provided a beltlike masking strip covering said light-passing opening and whose ends are removably fixed to the front and rear walls of said shutter housing, said masking strip extending under the table and being trained over a pair of rollers disposed at the front and rear edges of said table.

6. A photocomposing machine according to claim 2, whereina further provided scale is located on the bottom wall of said shutter housing, and a vertical scale is disposed on the upper surface of said shutter, both said horizontal and vertical scale having equal gradations.

7. A photocomposing machine according to claim 6,

wherein is further provided a magnifier mounted on the front wall of said shutter housing for viewing said vertical scale, a second magnifier and mirror being mounted on the backwall of said shutter housing for viewing said horizontal scale.

8. A photocomposing machine according to claim 6, wherein is further provided a transverse member including a fixed scale overlying the front edge of said hollow table and carried thereby, a scale slidable in said member transversely of the table, a first pointer movable with said slideable scale for registering with markings on said fixed scale, an arm slidable transversely of the table in said members, a dependent lug on said arm entering an aperture in said photosensitive sheet holding plate to connect said plate and arm for movement together, a second pointer carried by said slidable arm for movement over said slidable scale, and an upstanding handle for moving the slideable arm and connected plate.

9. A photocomposing machine according to claim 8, wherein said slideable scale and said horizontal scale in the shutter housing have equal gradations.

10. A photocomposing machine according to claim 9, wherein a magnifier is mounted on said slideable arm over said first and second pointers, and illuminating means is carried by said slideable arm for lighting said slideable and fixed scales.

H. A photocomposing machine according to claim 1, wherein said holder for a film strip comprises a pan-shaped receptacle slideable into and out of a holding space between the lamp housing and bellows of said enlarger, a transverse channel in said receptacle, an elongated slide carrier seated in said channel and protruding from each side of the receptacle, said slide carrier defining a channel-shaped guideway for seating receptacle, length of film sandwiched between two plexiglass strips in such manner that the film and supporting strips are slideable in the guideways along its length in either direction, said receptacle and slide carrier having aligned central apertures for projection of a light beam through the film, and said slide carrier having slots in its end portions through its bottom wall adapted to permit the insertion of the fingers of an'operator from above and below to grasp the film and covering plexiglass strips and move the same.

12. A photocomposing machine according to claim 11, wherein said pan-shaped receptacle of the film holder includes a bottom wall having a large aperture therein, front and rear walls and intumed flanges on said front and rear walls at the tops thereof, an inner member inserted within said pan-shaped receptacle including a bottom wall having a smaller aperture. one edge of which aligns with one edge of said larger aperture in the outer pan receptacle, means defining said transverse channel in said inner member extending from one side edge through the other side edge, and adapted to seat said slide carrier.

13. A photocomposing machine according to claim 12, wherein said slide carrier comprises an elongated member having a bottom wall and upstanding front and rear walls whose outer surfaces are frictionally seated in said channel, and the inner surfaces of said bottom front and rear walls defining said guideway for reception and movement of said film strip sandwiched between the upper and lower plexiglass reinforcing strips, and said central aperture in the bottom wall of the slide carrier being aligned with said larger and smaller apertures of the receptacle and inner member.

14. A photocomposing machine according to claim 1, wherein the underside of said hollow table is fitted with a pair of racks on opposite edges, guide means on said base and table confining said table for rectilinear forward and rearward movement, a shaft transversely of said racks and having gears meshing with said racks, a handwheel for turning said shaft. a scale fixed to one side of said base, and a pointer carried by said hollow table registering with said scale to measure the distance of movement of the table along said base.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIUN Patent No. 3,626,460 Dated December 7, 1971 Inv nt Ralph H. Miller It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column '9, line 35, cancel "receptac'le," and insert Signed and sealed this 14th day of November 1972.

{SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,'JR.' ROBERT GCTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM po'wso (10459) uscoMM-Dc scam-pea V ll GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 O-3fi6-J34.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CQREC'HGN v Patent No. 3,626,460 Dated December 7, 1971 Invent0r(s) Ralph H. Miller It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 9, line 35, cancel "receptacle, and insert Signed and sealed this 14th day of November 1972.

{SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. 4 ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer V Commissioner of Patents F ORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 Yr u covzrmmzm' PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-366-334.

Claims

2. A photocomposing machine according to claim 1, wherein said shutter is encased in a shutter housing fixed above the table, said housing having walls on all sides except the top, the bottom wall of the shutter housing having an aperture, and said shutter being pivoted at one side to move about a horizontal axis from a position overlying the aperture to a position uncovering the aperture.

6. A photocomposing machine according to claim 2, wherein a further provided scale is located on the bottom wall of said shutter housing, and a vertical scale is disposed on the upper surface of said shutter, both said horizontal and vertical scale having equal gradations.

7. A photocomposing machine according to claim 6, wherein is further provided a magnifier mounted on the front wall of said shutter housing for viewing said vertical scale, a second magnifier and mirror being mounted on the backwall of said shutter housing for viewing said horizontal scale.

11. A photocomposing machine according to claim 1, wherein said holder for a film strip comprises a pan-shaped receptacle slideable into and out of a holding space between the lamp housing and bellows of said enlarger, a transverse channel in said receptacle, an elongated slide carrier seated in said channel and protruding from each side of the receptacle, said slide carrier defining a channel-shaped guideway for seating receptacle, length of film sandwiched between two plexiglass strips in such manner that the film and supporting strips are slideable in the guideways along its length in either direction, said receptacle and slide carrier having aligned central apertures for projection of a light beam through the film, and said slide carrier having slots in its end portions through its bottom wall adapted to permit the insertion of the fingers of an operator from above and below to grasp the film and covering plexiglass strips and move the same.

12. A photocomposing machine according to claim 11, wherein said pan-shaped receptacle of the film holder includes a bottom wall having a large aperture therein, front and rear walls and inturned flanges on said front and rear walls at the tops thereof, an inner member inserted within said pan-shaped receptacle including a bottom wall having a smaller aperture, one edge of which aligns with one edge of said larger aperture in the outer pan receptacle, means defining said transverse channel in said inner member extending from one side edge through the other side edge, and adapted to seat said slide carrier.

14. A photocomposing machine according to claim 1, wherein the underside of said hollow table is fitted with a pair of racks on opposite edges, guide means on said base and table confining said table for rectilinear forward and rearward movement, a shaft transversely of said racks and having gears meshing with said racks, a handwheel for turning said shaft, a scale fixed to one side of said base, and a pointer carried by said hollow table registering with said scale to measure the distance of movement of the table along said base.