US3670632A - Phototypesetting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for expanding the effective width Of an image forming surface, such as the face of a cathode ray tube, on which characters are formed in proper succession to make up lines of composition includes a carriage supporting photographic material, which is in optical alignment with the image forming surface, for permanently recording the images thus formed on the display surface, the carriage being movable from a first position, where a large portion of the photographic material is exposed to the image formed on the tube, to a second position where the remainder of the photographic material is placed within the field of view of the image forming surface.

Description

O United States Patent 1151 3,670,632 Stanton et a]. 1451 June 20, 1972 1541 PHOTOTYPESETTING APPARATUS 1,808,123 6/1931 Uher ..9s/4.s [72] Inventors: Arthur J. Stanton, Warrensville Heights; g q

Edwin R. Kolb, Cleveland; Webster (2. 1 Roberts, south Euclid of 3,1 17, Higonnet 95/4 5 [73] Assignee: Harris-Intertype Corporation, Cleveland, Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Ohio Assistant Examiner-Monroe H. Hayes 22 i d: Nov. 1 9 AHOMQI-YOLII and Ta-f0! [21] Appl. No.: 776,738 57 ABSTRACT A device for expanding the effective width Of an image form- [52] US. Cl. ..95/4.5 R, 355/53 ing surface, Such as the f f a cathode ray tube, on which [51] Int. Cl ..B4lb 19/08 characters are formed in proper Succession to make up lines of [58] Field of Search ..95 4.s; 355/53, 54, 85, 95 composition includes a carriage supporting photographic material, which is in optical alignment with the image forming [56] Cned surface, for permanently recording the images thus formed on UNITED STATES PATENTS the display surface, the carriage being movable from a first position, where a large portion of the photographic material is 2,690,696 9 A ht n exposed to the image formed on the tube, to a second position 21963-544 12/ 1950 Nleset X where the remainder of the photographic material is placed 3,010,376 1 1/1961 Johnson... within the field of view of the image fon'ning surface. 3,299,776 1/1967 Baptie 355/54 X 3,540,361 1 1/ 1970 Schira ..95/4.5 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUHZO m2 sum '1 OF 3 INVENTORS 9 s m m T E N w 9 OC R R mm. m AEW WW, M "ra ATTORNEYS PHOTOTYPESETTING APPARATUS RELATED APPLICATIONS both applications assigned to the-same assignee as the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In phototypesetting systems of the type which employ a cathode ray tube to display characters formed on the face thereof in proper succession to make up lines of composition, the characters thus formed are focused onto a photographic material, such as paper or film, to be permanently recorded. Preferably, the characters are projected onto photographic material at the same, or a reduced, size as formed on the cathode ray tube face. Usually, the photographic material has a width which may be utilized efficiently for this type of printing which is normally wider than the width of a cathoderay tube. It has been found that, as a practical matter, the maximum tube diameter is in the order of ten inches, and that this type of tube has a useful writing'surface of approximately 8% inches. The photographic material is usually I254 inches in width with l 1% inch line width being used for recording the lines of type. Therefore, in order to utilize the full available width of the photographic material completely, either the writing surface on the cathode ray tube must be enlarged, or the film moved relative to the projected image of the cathode ray tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a carriage shifting mechanism which moves the photographic material in a plane parallel to the image forming surface of the cathode ray tube to expand its effective writing surface. The entire apparatus includes a cathode ray tube having a writing surface, a lens to project the image formed on the writing surface onto a strip of photographic material, a carriage assembly mounting the photographic material for movement in a plane parallel to the writing surface, and a leading mechanism to move the photographic material in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carriage so that a line of composition at a time may be recorded thereon.

The carriage supporting both the photographic material and the leading mechanism is carried by two shafts mounted on bearings which are fixed to a base member mounting both the lens and the cathode ray tube. A motor moves a spring load crank arm to position the carriage against stops in either one of two positions, and upon reaching the selected position, the motor is electrically disconnected by switch means. Since the cathode ray tube has an 8% inch writing surface, and therefore 8% inches of the photographic material is exposed initially, it is only necessary to shift the carriage mechanism through approximately three inches to permit the remainder of the photographic material to be exposed.

In the preferred embodiment, the images formed on the cathode ray tube are directed onto the photographic material a line at a time until an entire column of printed material has been processed. The carriage supporting the photographic material is then shifted to its second position and the remainder of the material exposed. The above described method of shifting the carriage makes optimum use of the cathode ray tube since shifting the carriage parallel to the lines of composition requires considerably more time than either leading or forming the lines of characters on the cathode ray tube. It may be preferred that during the time the carriage is shifting, the photographic material be reverse leaded to the top of the column and thereafter the remainder of the material exposed a line at a time.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for a phototypesetting system of the type described above wherein the effective width of an image forming surface may be expanded by supporting photosensitive material, usually photographic film or paper, for movement to a selected one of a plurality of positions along a path within a plane parallel to the image forming surface; to provide an apparatus as described above wherein the photosensitive material is supported in a carriage carried by a pair of shafts and is movable from a first position where amajor portion of the photosensitive material may be exposed to record the images formed on the image forming surface, to a second position where the remainder of the photosensitive material may be exposed to the images fonned on the image forming surface; and to provide an apparatus wherein the carriage supporting the photosensitive material is moved against stops in each of its first and second positions by a spring loaded arm so that the carriage is located positively and accurately with respect to the image forming surface.

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

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the general relationship between a cathode ray tube having an image forming surface on which characters may be formed, a lens for projecting the characters onto photosensitive material, and a carriage mechanism for supporting the photosensitive material for movement in a plane parallel to the image forming surface;

FIG. 2 is a simplified plan view showing the photosensitive material in its first position and the amount of photosensitive material exposed to the image forming surface;

FIG. 3 is a simplified plan view showing the photosensitive material moved to its second position so that the remainder of the photosensitive material may be exposed to the image forming surface of the cathode ray tube;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the carriage mechanism which supports the photosensitive material;

FIG. 5 is an end view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 4 showing the motor and crank for moving the carriage from its first position to its second position; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view showing the leading mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which shows a cathode ray tube 10 mounted within a housing 11. A mounting ring 12, made of a material such as plastic, centers the cathode ray tube within the housing and provides shock mounting for the tube. The housing 11 is secured in place by thumb screws 13 having heads which extend into a slot 14 formed in a frame 15. Also slidably mounted on the frame 15 is an optical device or lens 17 which focuses characters formed on the image forming or frontal surface 18 of the cathode ray tube 10 onto photosensitive material 20.

The photosensitive material 20 is supplied from a reel 21 through an area, shown generally at 22, which is parallel to the image forming surface 18 of the cathode ray tube 10. The material 20 is taken up by a reel 23. A reversible motor 24 moves the photosensitive material through the area 22 in which the images formed on the cathode ray tube are focused. The reels 21 and 23 are mounted in a carriage assembly, shown generally at 25, which is positionable to one of a plurality of preselected positions relative to the frame 15 to expand the effective writing surface of the cathode ray tube 10.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2 and 3 which are simplified plan views showing the cathode ray tube 10, the lens 17, and the photosensitive material 20. It has been found that a -inch cathode ray tube provides adequate resolution for forming characters of phototypesetting quality, with only 8% inches of the tube being used normally for this purpose. The photosensitive material, either photographic film or paper, depending upon the particular use for which the copy is made, normally has a total width of 12% inches with 11% inches being used for recording the lines of type which are formed on the cathode ray tube 10. It has also been found that it is preferable to have a ratio of 1:1 between the characters formed on the cathode ray tube face and the image of those characters focused on the photosensitive material. Thus, only 8 and one half inches of the photosensitive material will be exposed when using this type of cathode ray tube, and consequently approximately 3 inches of the available surface of the photosensitive material would remain unused. However, by shifting the photosensitive material horizontally to the position shown in FIG. 3, the remaining three inches of the usable surface is then moved within the field of view of the cathode ray tube 10 and may therefore record the characters generated on the image forming surface.

Since phototypesetting quality must be maintained, the mechanism which moves the photosensitive material from a firs'tposition, show in FIG. 2, to a second position, shown in FIG. 3, must be so constructed that the photographic material always moves in a plane parallel to the image forming surface of the cathode'ray tube to retain the size ratio, and to insure that the image remains in focus.

As described in the above mentioned copending applications, the characters are usually formed a line at a time on the face of the cathode ray tube 10. Therefore, the photosensitive material will be moved at the completion of each line of characters in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the material from its first position to the second position. v

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which is an enlarged elevational view with a portion of the carriage assembly 25 which supports the photosensitive material for movement in the horizontal direction shown in cross section. The carriage assembly includes a casting 27 which has formed integrally therewithoutwardly extending brackets 28 and 29 which support a pair of horizontally arranged shafts 30 and 31. Bearings 32, which are attached to the frame 15, support the shafts 30 and 31, and thus the carriage 25, for movement in a horizontal direction. As shownin FIGS. 5 and 7, the bearings 32 are housed within castings 33 and 34 and are separated by hollow tubes 35.- Casting 33 and casting 34, are mounted on a machined face 36 of the frame 15. This construction allows castings 34 and 33 and thus the bearings 32icarried by them, to be adjusted so that all of the bearings 32 are parallel and in alignment with the shafts 30 and 31. Shims or other such alignment meansmay be placed between either castings 33 or 34 and surface 36 to align the bearings.

Referring to FIG. 6, a motor 38 is mounted to casting 34 on posts 39 and is located internally within the frame 15. The shaft of the motor is attached to a drive gear 40 which in turn rotatesa second gear 42 journalled in the casting 34. A wheel 45, rotatably supported on the other side of the casting 34, is secured to a shaft 46 which extends through the casting and which is secured to the gear 42. A pin 48 is mounted near the outer periphery of the wheel and rotates therewith. Rotatably mounted on the pin 48 is an arm 50 which interconnects the wheel 45 to the casting 27 of the carriage assembly 25 which therefore moves under the control of the motor 38. A pin 51 extends from the castings 27 to a block 52 which is received within a slot 53 (FIG. 7) in the arm 50. Springs 54 and 55 maintain the block 52 approximately centrally located within the slot 53. Tension on the springs 54 and 55 is controlled by the screws 56 and 57.

As shown in FIG. 7, casting 34 has a pair of stops 60 (one of which is shown) mounted at each edge thereof which cooperate with a member 62 threaded into the bracket 29 and a member 63 threaded into the bracket 28. Thus, rotating the wheel 45 will cause the arm 50 to move the carriage 25 until the stops 60 engage the members 62 or 63, with the remainder of the throw of the wheel 45 being taken up by the springs 54 and 55. This permits the carriage 25 to be located accurately with respect tothe frame 15 by the adjustment of the members 62 and 63, and positively held in place by the action of springs 54 and 55.

The outer circumference of the wheel 45 is provided with a detent 65 which cooperates with the actuating arms of limit switches 66 and 67. Through an appropriate electrical arrangement, the motor will be disconnected when the arm 50 is in a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, the carriage 25 may be moved from the position shown in full lines in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the position shown in dotted lines by one half revolution of the wheel 45. The detent 65 will cooperate with the actuator of switch 67 to stop the motor 38 once the carriage 25 reaches the position shown in dotted lines.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the reels 21 and 23, and the motor 24 form a portion of a leading mechanism which supplies the photosensitive material 20 from a reel 21, across a loop sensing tension roller 70 which is located at the end of arm 71 and which is biased upwardly by the spring 72. The photosensitive material moves downwardly between guide rollers 73, through the area 22 where it is exposed to the image formed on the cathode ray tube, between the guide rollers 74, around another loop sensing tension roller 75, also located at the end of arm 76 and biased downwardly by a spring 77, to takeup reel 23. Each of the reels 21 and 23 are driven by separate reversible motors 78 and 79, respectively. These motors are controlled by microswitches, not shown, which are actuated by the loop sensing tension rollers 70 and 75 sothat a predetermined amount of photographic material is always available for movement through the area 22 under the control of the motor 24. v

The reversible motor 24, shown in FIG. 5, drives a pair of sprockets 81 and 82 through appropriate gearing, not shown, and these sprockets engage holes in the edge of the photosensitive material 20 to move it through the area 22. The actual position of the photosensitive material may be obtained by a signal from an encoder mechanism 84 which is attached to the opposite end of the shaft carrying the sprockets 81.

A pressure roll 83, FIG. 8, holds the photosensitive material 20 in engagement with the sprockets. A pair of round rods 85 and 86 extend across the entire width of the photosensitive material to hold it against the backing member, shown generally at 87. This backing member includes a metal plate 88 having a recess portion on its frontal surface which'receives a ground glass recticle 89 which is mounted flush with the plate 88. The plate also includes an-elongated opening 91 through which the operator may view the image which is formed on the ground glass. 89 prior to the photosensitive material being installed. Thus, the ground glass 89 facilitates in focusing the image and aligning the cathode ray tube.

The leading mechanism also includes means to cut the photosensitive material. These cutting means include cylindrical members 95 positioned at each end of the viewing area 22, such cylindrical members having a slot 96 extending therethrough for the width of the photosensitive material and a knife blade 97. Means, not shown, rotates the cylindrical member 95 upon a command to cut the photosensitive material. A mating knife 98, also flush mounted on the plate 88, cooperates with the knife blade 97 to cut the material straight and accurately.

Thus, the apparatus described above includes a leading mechanism to move the photosensitive material in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lines of .type which are formed usually one character at a time, on the face of the cathode ray tube, and a carriage mechanism to move the film in a direction substantially parallel to the lines of type to expand the effective writing surface of the cathode ray tube. In this way, the cathode ray tubes of good resolution may be employed which permit the characters to be recorded on photosensitive material having a width which is generally used in the phototypesetting industry. The carriage mechanism moves the film, and the leading mechanism, to one of two possible positions, each of which is accurately defined, upon appropriate commands from either the operator or automatic electronic equipment which is programmed to move the carriage during those times when movement will delay the actual printing by the least amount of time.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, andthat changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a phototypesetting apparatus having an image display device at which light images, of characters are formed in proper succession to make up lines of composition, an optical device arranged to project the images onto a photosensitive material, and means for supporting the photosensitive material to receive the images,

the improvement comprising,

a carriage incorporating said photosensitive material supporting means; and

means mounting said carriage for movement to a selected one of a plurality of positions along a path parallel to the lines of composition to expand the effective surface upon which the images are formed; and including:

a frame supporting the image display device, the optical device, and said carriage in a predetermined relation to focus the light images of characters onto the photosensitive material;

means on said frame for supporting said carriage for movement in a plane parallel to the image forming surface;

a motor mounted on said frame;

adjustable stop means on said frame against which the carriage may be moved for positioning said carriage accurately with respect to said frame in one of two positions; and

means connected to said motor and to said carriage for moving the carriage to one of said positions including a crank rotated by said motor having a diameter slightly greater than the distance of travel of said carriage from one position to the other, an arm having a slot formed therein, one end of said arm being attached to said crank, a block slidably positioned within said slot in said arm, springs between said block and said arm to hold said block centrally within said slot, means connecting said block to said carriage so that as said arm is moved from one position to another by rotation of said motor, said carriage is moved against one of said stops, with said springs taking up the excess morion of the arm and positively holding said carriage in place against said stop.

2. In a phototype composing apparatus including character generating means for producing successive lines of characters on a record medium with the lines extending in a first direction across the medium, said character generating means being capable of generating a first line segment of characters arranged to form words on said medium with said medium stationary relative to said first direction, said line segment being less than the full length of the complete line to be generated, movable means for supporting said record medium in a first position at which said character generating means generates a first line segment thereon comprised of a plurality of characters and words while said record medium remains stationary with respect to said first direction and drive means for moving said movable means parallel to said first direction to position said record medium in a second position in which said character generating means generates a second line segment which is an extension of said first line segment, a plurality of stop means at various locations along the path of motion of said movable means, coupling means for coupling said drive means and said movable means com rising a crank means rotated by said drive means, said crank means having a diameter slightly greater than the distance of travel of said movable means from a first selected position to a second selected dpositron, an arm having a slot formed therein, one end of sar arm being attached to said crank means and a coupling member slidably positioned within said slot and said arm, resilient means positioned between said coupling means and said arm for positioning said coupling member within said slot and means connecting said coupling member to said movable means so that when said arm is driven by the rotation of said motor sufficiently so that said movable means is driven to a selected location against one of said stop means said resilient means takes up the excess motion of said arm to positively hold said movable means in place against said selected stop means until said drive means is deactivated.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said resilient means is associated with said connecting means and with said crank means so that when a new selected location of said movable means is desired said resilient means yields sufficiently to allow the rotation of said crank means until said movable means is against another selected one of said stop means following the selective energization of said drive means.

Claims (3)

1. In a phototypesetting apparatus having an image display device at which light images of characters are formed in proper succession to make up lines of composition, an optical device arranged to project the images onto a photosensitive material, and means for supporting the photosensitive material to receive the images, the improvement comprising, a carriage incorporating said photosensitive material supporting means; and means mounting said carriage for movement to a selected one of a plurality of positions along a path parallel to the lines of composition to expand the effective surface upon which the images are formed; and including: a frame supporting the image display device, the optical device, and said carriage in a predetermined relation to focus the light images of characters onto the photosensitive material; means on said frame for supporting said carriage for movement in a plane parallel to the image forming surface; a motor mounted on said frame; adjustable stop means on said frame against which the carriage may be moved for positioning said carriage accurately with respect to said frame in one of two positions; and means connected to said motor and to said carriage for moving the carriage to one of said positions including a crank rotated by said motor having a diameter slightly greater than the distance of travel of said carriage from one position to the other, an arm having a slot fOrmed therein, one end of said arm being attached to said crank, a block slidably positioned within said slot in said arm, springs between said block and said arm to hold said block centrally within said slot, means connecting said block to said carriage so that as said arm is moved from one position to another by rotation of said motor, said carriage is moved against one of said stops, with said springs taking up the excess morion of the arm and positively holding said carriage in place against said stop.

2. In a phototype composing apparatus including character generating means for producing successive lines of characters on a record medium with the lines extending in a first direction across the medium, said character generating means being capable of generating a first line segment of characters arranged to form words on said medium with said medium stationary relative to said first direction, said line segment being less than the full length of the complete line to be generated, movable means for supporting said record medium in a first position at which said character generating means generates a first line segment thereon comprised of a plurality of characters and words while said record medium remains stationary with respect to said first direction and drive means for moving said movable means parallel to said first direction to position said record medium in a second position in which said character generating means generates a second line segment which is an extension of said first line segment, a plurality of stop means at various locations along the path of motion of said movable means, coupling means for coupling said drive means and said movable means comprising a crank means rotated by said drive means, said crank means having a diameter slightly greater than the distance of travel of said movable means from a first selected position to a second selected position, an arm having a slot formed therein, one end of said arm being attached to said crank means and a coupling member slidably positioned within said slot and said arm, resilient means positioned between said coupling means and said arm for positioning said coupling member within said slot and means connecting said coupling member to said movable means so that when said arm is driven by the rotation of said motor sufficiently so that said movable means is driven to a selected location against one of said stop means said resilient means takes up the excess motion of said arm to positively hold said movable means in place against said selected stop means until said drive means is deactivated.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said resilient means is associated with said connecting means and with said crank means so that when a new selected location of said movable means is desired said resilient means yields sufficiently to allow the rotation of said crank means until said movable means is against another selected one of said stop means following the selective energization of said drive means.

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