US3742825A - Character spacing system for phototypesetting - Google Patents

Character spacing system for phototypesetting Download PDF

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Publication number
US3742825A
US3742825A US00050025A US3742825DA US3742825A US 3742825 A US3742825 A US 3742825A US 00050025 A US00050025 A US 00050025A US 3742825D A US3742825D A US 3742825DA US 3742825 A US3742825 A US 3742825A
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Prior art keywords
codes
character
servo motor
register
line
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US00050025A
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English (en)
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E Shapiro
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Harris Corp
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Harris Intertype Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41B—MACHINES OR ACCESSORIES FOR MAKING, SETTING, OR DISTRIBUTING TYPE; TYPE; PHOTOGRAPHIC OR PHOTOELECTRIC COMPOSING DEVICES
    • B41B21/00—Common details of photographic composing machines of the kinds covered in groups B41B17/00 and B41B19/00
    • B41B21/16—Optical systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41B—MACHINES OR ACCESSORIES FOR MAKING, SETTING, OR DISTRIBUTING TYPE; TYPE; PHOTOGRAPHIC OR PHOTOELECTRIC COMPOSING DEVICES
    • B41B27/00—Control, indicating, or safety devices or systems for composing machines of various kinds or types
    • B41B27/28—Control, indicating, or safety devices for individual operations or machine elements

Definitions

  • a character image projection system successivelyprojects image bearing light beam'salong a common optical axis toward a photosensitive surface.
  • the images of the individual characters are-spaced on-the photosensitive surface to form lines of composition. Spacing is accomplished by collimating the image bearing light beams, then diverting the collimated beam by means of a movable reflecting surface into a refocusing and scanning lens assembly from which the light beams emit onto the photosensitive surface.
  • the position of the reflector is controlled by a servo mechanism which responds to character image space information from a computer.
  • the servo mechanism incorporates a closed loop with positional feedback'derived from an encoder driven synchronously with the reflecting surface Eachsubsequent position of the reflecting surface is defined by a unique address code finding correspondence in the encoder.
  • This invention relates to high speed phototypesetting machines of the kind in which characters for the formation of lines of composition are selected from input selection codes, and image bearing light beams of the individual characters are directed in order to different positions on a photosensitive surface, such as photographic film or paper.
  • a photosensitive surface such as photographic film or paper.
  • Various arrangements have been provided for directing of the image bearing light beams successively to the correct positions for spacing of the images formed on the photosensitive surface. These include moving film carriages and translating reflector systems.
  • collimated beam is directed to a rotating reflector such as a mirror.
  • the angular position of the reflector is controlled by a servo motor system which holds the mirror in selected different angular positions with the accuracy necessary for phototypesetting quality.
  • the servo motor is controlled in accordance with the image width information derived in selection of the character, from a width memory and point size multiplier.
  • the collimated beams are thus reflected toward the correct preselected locations, and a scanning and refocusing lens assembly receives these 'beams, at the different angular locations, from the rotatable reflector, and directs the beams onto the photosensitive surface.
  • This surface such as photographic film or paper, is mounted in an image plane and the scanninglens assembly focuses the image bearing beams in this plane, to form successive properly sized images of the individual characters, in the proper succession.
  • the scanning lens assembly thus is of a special construction which compensates for distortion of the image at the extreme angular positions of the rotatable reflector to either side of a mid position in which beams reflected from it would intersect the photosensitive surface at right angles.
  • the scanning lens assembly also being composed. Therefore, the scanning lens assembly operates as a passive element which provides the necessary compensation for distortion and/or change in focus due to deviation of the light beam from direct right-angle intersection with the image plane.
  • the angular position of the reflecting member is con trolled by a servo system which responds to direct ad dress information pertaining to the desired location of this member as each character image is projected.
  • a unique selection code for each character is also used to look up the relative width of that character from .a memory. This memory is loaded according to the font being used. The relative width is then multiplied by the point set factor, which represents the image enlargement or reduction in the optical system, and the product thus represents the actual character width.
  • a servo motor controls the position of the reflecting member, receiving its input from a D/A converter which is driven by the information in the register.
  • the servo motor also drives a position encoder which is connected to feed back position code information to the servo control system.
  • the encoder has the capability of representing any possible position of the reflecting member, to a small fraction of a pica, by unique address codes.
  • the character spacing servo system can be characterized as a direct address control, as distinguished from prior devices using stepping motors which merely add or achieve their next desired position from the preceding position. Therefore, in the present invention, cumulative spacing'errors do not occur. If there is an error, as due to noise or a slightly incorrect code, this has no effect on the subsequent positions so long as the output space register accurately totals the products of the selection and size multiplication devices.
  • the primary object of the invention is to provide a novel character spacing system and control for a phototypesetting machine, wherein lightweight low inertia parts are accurately positioned by a servo system incorporating direct address position control and positional direct address feedback, thereby minimizing the time between character projections and still achieving spacing of typographical quality.
  • FIG. 3 is a more detailed block diagram of the. spacing servo system.
  • the character image projecting system includes a continuously rotating character font disc which may be of the type shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,223,017, although the character width information may be omitted from the disc in this particular instance.
  • the disc includes at least two font circles 11 and 12, each of which includes a full font of type, different from the other, as a transparency throuh an opaque background.
  • the character selection code unique for each character in the font, is contained within a separate zone 14. Further details regarding the selection code and its use are described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,059,219.
  • the selection code in zone 14 cooperates with a pair of photocells 15 and cooperating light sources 16 to generate character selection pulses which are directed to selector circuits 18 that in turn control a flash control unit 20.
  • This unit drives a high speed flash lamp 22 (or a corresponding spark gap) which creates an intense beam of light, having a short time duration in the order of a microsecond.
  • This light passes through the font selector prisms 25 which are located on either side of the disc 10, and exits from these prisms along an optical path 26 which is common to the successively connected images. Details of the construction and operation of the font prism system are disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,099,945.
  • the image bearing light beams then proceed through one of a plurality of sizing lenses 28 carried for example in a turret 29 such that any selected one of these lenses is movable into the optical path, thus changing the size of the resultant image.
  • adjustable character sizing lenses could be employed.
  • the sizing lens which is in the operating position produces a real image of the character at a field lens 30, which is essentially operative to gather the light rays for the further operation of the optical system.
  • the image bearing beams proceed from the field lens 30 to a reflector system shown schematically at 32, in which the light is redirected as necessary.
  • This sytstem may include prisms with multiple reflecting surfaces for orienting the character images as necessary, however, for simplification there is shown merely a single reflecting surface.
  • the light beams then pass to a collimating lens system 35.
  • This collimating lens preferably has some adjustment of its focal length, sufficient for initial set-up and precise focusing, but once this adjustment is made, ordinarily the collimating lens is not further adjusted.
  • the collimated light beams emitted from the collimating lens 35 are directed onto a rotatable reflector or mirror 40 which is connected to the shaft 42 of a servo motor 44 which functions as a means for selectively changing the angularity of the reflection of the collimated beams.
  • the reflector 40 directs light to the plane of the photosensitive material 45 in such a way that the center of a line to be formed on the material 45 is at a point at right angles to the beam of light coming from the reflector 40. Thus, the reflector displaces the beams to either side of this center path.
  • this scanning lens 50 provides compensation for the angularity of light beams striking the photosensitive surface at some angle less than as when the light beams are displaced to either side of the center. Obviously, the farther the light beams are displaced in either direction, the more acute this angle will become, and in an ordinary optical system this would produce blurring of the images due to change in optical path, and would also produce a distortion of the image, with the characterimage tending to become wider as it is displaced farther from the center mark.
  • the scanning lens 50 thus functions as a passive element which provides for proper focus and sizing and spacing of the character images, while permitting the photosensitive material to be supported in a plane.
  • This scanning lens is of a special design, and ismore fully described in the above-mentioned U. S. application Ser. No. 34,300.
  • the only member which moves for spacing of characters while composing an entire line is the relatively lightweight, low inertia, mirror or reflecting member 40.
  • the servo motor 44 it is possible to achieve angular movements and positioning of the mirror 40 at very high speeds and with accuracy that is acceptable for typesetting standards of quality.
  • the selector circuits 18 may be of the type described and shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,339,470 issued Sept. 5, 1.967. These circuits are controlled through a character selector 55 receiving character codes from a line memory or register 60.
  • This memory preferably is divided into parts I and II, such that one part can be controlling an output or photographing operation while the other part is being loaded with information for the next line, and vice versa.
  • a reader 62 which may be a conventional paper tape reader or any equivalent device for handling input code information, is connected to transmit character identification and control codes to an input register 63.
  • a point size multiplier 65 receives the width information for each character, from the width memory 64, multiplies by the point size which is a factor related to the optical size change afforded by the selected lens 28, and transmits the product to a justifying computer 68. These products are summed in the computer, subtracted from a specified line length which is preset into the computer, and the difference is divided among the number of interword spaces in the line. Any remainder from this division is later placed in selected ones of the interword spaces, generally according to the system described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,339,470.
  • the resultant figure is an absolute justified interword space value that is to be used for each interword space as the corresponding line is produced on the film.
  • This value is stored in computer 68, preferably as the aforementioned difference and the number of interword spaces in the line, so that the division, and placement of any remainder, can occur as the value for a justified interword space is needed.
  • This is transmitted to a space status register 70 via an input 71 from the justifying computer.
  • the character identification codes are read one at a time from the part of line memory 60 which is in the output mode. These are directed via cable 74 to the character selector 55, and also back to the width memory where the relative width again is looked up, processed through the point size multiplier 65 to determine the code value of the actual character width, which is now added through connection 75 into the space status register 70.
  • the value or code number stored in register 70 represents the desired position of reflector 40 at the time the next character is to be photographed.
  • its actual width is determined by the above process, the change in output register 70 is transmitted over cable 78 to the mirror servo control 80 which immediately begins to advance the mirror to the next position as identified by the actual location code in the space status register 70.
  • a sub-diagram of the control 80 is shown in FIG. 3.
  • the information from the register 70 is supplied to a binary subtractor unit 82.
  • This unit functions to subtract actual position code information from an optical shaft encoder 85 from the desired location code in the register 70.
  • the encoder is an absolute thirteen bit natural binary optical shaft encoder with a resolution of 8,192 parts per revolution or 2.6 minutes of arc, and the binary subtractor has a like capacity.
  • the output of the subtractor unit 82 is supplied to a logic circuit 87 which converts the information to a form more convenient for digital to analog conversion, and also extracts the information indicating that the spacing operation is complete. This latter information is sent to the detector circuit 88, which in turn generates an output that indicates photography, or whatever operation is called for by the next code in the memory 60, can proceed.
  • the output from the logic circuit also functions as an inhibiting signal sent through line 89 to the flash control uint 20 to prevent its operation until the spacing is completed.
  • the converted digital information from the logic circuit 87 is sent to a digital to analog converter 90, and its analog output is sent to a preamplifier and compensation circuit 92, which supplies the required gain for static and dynamic performance of the servo system and ensures stable closed loop performance.
  • the output from this circuit is to the power amplifier 94, which may typically have a gain in the order of 2OV./V., and which drives the servo motor 44 to rotate the reflecting member 40 and the encoder 85.
  • a typical motor type is a permanent magnet low inertia DC motor delivering 30 ounce-inches torque, available from Honeywell Manufacturing Company as type HSM30.
  • the entire system is under control of a processing unit 95, which controls the timing of the various operations and sends appropriate switching and control signals to the reader, input register, memory, to direct the outputs of the multiplier 65 to the appropriate place, to start and stop the justifying computer 68 and when needed have it supply space information to the register 70.
  • the processing unit 95 can also provide appropriate spacing information to the leading motor 48 for line spacing and other film advance requirements.
  • the encoder can be of a type which merely transmits pulses in accordance with movement of the encoder.
  • the mirror servo control would incorporate a counter driven from the encoder and operating to accumulate a position code to be compared with the location code derived from the space status register.
  • Such an arrangement would require the need for an extra counter in the servo control, and somewhat more elaborate code comparison circuits, but on the other hand the encoder itself would be of a more simple type.
  • the servo control still, in such an arrangement, functions to compare the actual location code with the position code feedback in order to achieve the desired position of the operating member, such as the mirror or reflecting member 40.
  • a phototypesetting machine having a character projection system forming image bearing light beams, a photosensitive material on which the images are recorded to form lines of c'omposition, and a spacer operative to locate the images on the photosensitive mate- .rial forming words and interword spaces making up justified lines,
  • a position control system including a register for storing a unique code identifying the location of the next individual character image to be formed in a line,
  • a servo motor incorporated in said spacer and connected to said position control system to cause variable spacing movement according to location codes in said control system
  • a position encoder driven by said servo motor and capable of generating unique codes within the entire line for a series of incremental servo motor positions in achieving designated locations within the limits of a line of composition
  • a phototypesetting machine having a character projection system forming image bearing light beams, a photosensitive material on which the images are recorded to form lines of composition, a spacer member operative to direct the images onto the photosensitive material to form words and interword spaces making up lines of composition, and means for generating digital codes representing the space occupied by each character image and the space allotted to interword spaces,
  • a position control system including a register receiving digital codes as the individual character images are formed in the line, said register operating to sum the digital codes into a unique location code defining the position of each character with respect to one end of the line,
  • a servo motor driving said spacer member to cause variable spacing movement according to location codes in said register
  • a position encoder driven by said servo motor and capable of generating unique digital position codes for a series of incremental spacer member positions in achieving designated positions within the limits of a line of composition
  • a digital to analog converter receiving said difference signal and providing a corresponding analog output to drive said servo motor
  • a detector circuit also responsive to said difference signal for indicating coincidence between the location codes and the position codes signifying completion of a spacing operation.
  • a phototypesetting machine as defined inclaim 4 said spacer member being a rotatable reflector member connected to assume unique angular positions under control of said servo motor,
  • said encoder being an optical shaft encoder rotatable in unison with said reflector member.
  • said means for generating space codes including a memory for storing relative width codes for each character, and' a point size multiplier receiving width codes from said memory and sending actual image width codes to said register.
  • a phototypesetting machine having a character projection system, a photosensitive material on which images are successively recorded to form lines of composition, an optical system between said projection system and said material including a scan lens operative to focus on said material across the entire width of a line, a spacer member incorporated in said optical system and operative to direct light through said scan lens to form words and .interword spaces making up lines of composition, and means for generating digital codes representing the space occupied by each character image and the space allotted to interword spaces in the lines of composition;
  • the improvement comprising a register receiving digital codes as the individual character imagesare formed in the line and operating to sum the digital codes into a unique location code defining the position of each character with respect to one end of the line,
  • a servo motor driving said spacer member to cause variable spacing movement thereof according to location codes in said register
  • a position encoder driven by said servo motor and generating unique digital position codes for a series of incremental spacer member positions in achieving designated positions along a line of composition
  • a digital to analog converter receiving said difference signal and providing a corresponding analog output to drive said servo motor
  • a detector circuit also responsive to said difference signal for indicating coincidence between the location codes and the position codes signifying completion of a spacing operation
  • an inhibiting circuit responsive to said detector circuit and connected to inhibit operation of said character projection system until a spacing operation is complete.

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US00050025A 1970-06-26 1970-06-26 Character spacing system for phototypesetting Expired - Lifetime US3742825A (en)

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US5002570A 1970-06-26 1970-06-26

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US (1) US3742825A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2131574B2 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2143993A5 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1346634A (enExample)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4189216A (en) * 1974-11-14 1980-02-19 Am International, Inc. Optical system for photographic composing apparatus

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1557159A (en) * 1975-05-27 1979-12-05 Hedgeland D R S Optical scanning apparatus

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2787654A (en) * 1948-07-29 1957-04-02 Walter E Peery Electronic photo-typecomposing system
US3224349A (en) * 1962-11-13 1965-12-21 Nuclear Data Inc Electro-optical printer and controls therefor
US3434402A (en) * 1966-01-11 1969-03-25 Fairchild Camera Instr Co Turret font photocomposing machine
US3539256A (en) * 1967-10-18 1970-11-10 Texas Instruments Inc Step and repeat camera with computer controlled film table
US3543657A (en) * 1968-03-22 1970-12-01 Itek Corp Phototypesetting machines

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2787654A (en) * 1948-07-29 1957-04-02 Walter E Peery Electronic photo-typecomposing system
US3224349A (en) * 1962-11-13 1965-12-21 Nuclear Data Inc Electro-optical printer and controls therefor
US3434402A (en) * 1966-01-11 1969-03-25 Fairchild Camera Instr Co Turret font photocomposing machine
US3539256A (en) * 1967-10-18 1970-11-10 Texas Instruments Inc Step and repeat camera with computer controlled film table
US3543657A (en) * 1968-03-22 1970-12-01 Itek Corp Phototypesetting machines

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4189216A (en) * 1974-11-14 1980-02-19 Am International, Inc. Optical system for photographic composing apparatus

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FR2143993A5 (enExample) 1973-02-09
GB1346634A (enExample) 1974-02-13
DE2131574A1 (de) 1971-12-30
DE2131574B2 (de) 1977-06-23

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