US3868699A

US3868699A - Printing machine

Info

Publication number: US3868699A
Application number: US323058A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christina B Gardner; Bruce A Odelberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-01-12
Filing date: 1973-01-12
Publication date: 1975-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-25

Abstract

A printing machine having an elongated font member provided with a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas and being mounted for lengthwise movement; an elongated image receiving receptor member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and traversing the font member; means for moving the members for juxtaposing any of the image areas on the font member and a succession of adjacent areas on the receptor member; and means effecting a direct image transfer from the font member to the receptor member. Width codes are provided on the font member for providing an automatic advance of the receptor member for proper spacing of successive image transfers.

Description

United States Patent 2 1 Gardner et al.

[ PRINTING MACHINE [76] Inventors: Christina B. Gardner, 725 Cherry St., Santa Rosa, Calif. 95404; Bruce A. Odelberg, 151 Overhill Rd., Orinda, Calif. 94563 [22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. N0.: 323,058

[52] US. Cl. 354/12 [51] Int. Cl B4lb 17/38 [58] Field of Search 95/4.5; 354/12 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,896 6/1920 .lobke 355/27 1,968,287 7/1934 Farina..... 95/4.5 X

, 2,537,069 1/1951 Lohr 95/4.5 2,869,443 1/1959 Huebner.... 95/4.5 2,876,687 3/1959 Higonnet 95/4.5 2,948,207 8/1960 Amsel 355/96 3,122,075 2/1964 Klyce 95/4.5

[ Feb. 25, 1975 Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Attorney, Agent, or FirmWarren, Rubin & Chickering [57] ABSTRACT A printing machine having an elongated font member provided with a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas and being mounted for lengthwise movement; an elongated image receiving receptor member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and traversing the font member; means for moving the members for juxtaposing any of the image areas on the font member and a succession of adjacent areas on the receptor member; and means effecting a direct image transfer from the font member to the receptor member. Width codes are provided on the font member for providing an automatic advance of the receptor member for proper spacing of successive image transfers.

4 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures f2? 122 1 I34- 33 i 38 mg m L b) L I32 l :29 J 41 PArimznfm 3.868.699

- SHEET OlUF 11 PATENTED 3,868,699

SHEET CEUF 11 PATENIEDFEBZSISTS SHEET DSUF 11 mm Hr v i k .m m

PATENIED FEB 2 5 I975 sum 0B OF 11 PATENIEBFEBZSIQYS 3,868,699

' v SHEET OBUF 11 PATENIEDFEB25I975 m 100; 3,868,699

SHEET 110? 11 PATENIED FEB 2 5 I975 won won PRINTING MACHINE The invention relates to imaging and composing devices such as photocomposers and more particularly to apparatus for composing large alpha-numeric display characters.

An old and continuing problem in the printing art has been the production of large display lette rs, numbers or characters such as used for signs, banners and the like where a requirement for such characters may be in the order of 4 to 6 inches or more to provide ready readability at a distance. In printing. large wooden letters dominated display typesetting in the last century following the development of routing and pantographic machines for relative mass production of such type. Wooden letters now require prohibitive amounts of labor to use and, therefore, have been largely abandoned although they are still in use for occasional work where skilled and time consuming labor is needed to print acceptable letters. Difficulties in the use of wooden type may be readily observed in the presence of voids in ink distribution in the printed copy and the presence of nicks and other imperfections in the type occasioned by long handling, storage and use. Ironically, images which were readily and cheaply available from wood type in earlier times are still needed but have now become expensive and inefficient to obtain. Hand lettering which is one substitute for wood display lettering is also expensive and has become a somewhat neglected skill.

Large sizes of type may also be photographically achieved. Generally, however, such processes require repetitious blow-ups entailing the use of considerable and expensive equipment as well as the use of expensive photographic materials expended in the several steps. Also such equipment is limited as to size of characters which can be economically produced; and the quality of the product falls off with the number and extent of enlargements.

.An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, compact, modest sized and relatively inexpensive machine which is nevertheless capable of producing large display characters of highest quality and will additionally automatically provide for proper spacingof successively printed characters. Another feature of the present invention is that the spacing between characters may be easily and precisely adjusted manually for individual kerning or letter spacing, or for uniformly large or for uniformly small spacing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing machine of the character described which is simple and relatively foolproof in its operation and provides a simple technique of printing large letters on demand; easy and precise positioning of characters on a common base line without reference to size or shape of the character; and provides the foregoing without requiring judgmental decisions of any sort on the part of the operator. As another feature of the invention the apparatus provides greater operator-machine communication encouraging competence and improved accuracy and speed of operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the character described which is capable of printing an elongated strip or banner in a continuous length of any desired length.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a printing machine of the character above which will permit customized or personalized fonts for each user including trademark logoes, proprietary typestyles, penline flourishes, decorated letters, postal indicia, paste-up grids, self-made overlays for repetitive forms, etc. Fonts may be readily interchangeable in the machine and large amounts of fonts stored in the machine at one time for selective use and information storage.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

FIG. 1 is'a perspective view of a printing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine on a somewhat enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 9-9 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the planeof line 1111 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 12-12 of FIGS. 4 and 6.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 13-13 of FIG. 6..

FIG 14 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the font strip forming a part of the present machine.

FIG. 15 is a schematic wiring diagram of a portion of the electrical controls in the present machine.

FIG. 16 is a graphic representation of the several timing cycles in the operation of the machine.

FIG. 17 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electronic circuitry used for reading the width codes of the present apparatus.

The printing machine of the present invention comprises briefly an elongated strip or length 21 of flexible material providing a series of longitudinally spaced

image defining areas

22, 23 and 24 as seen in FIG. 14 and which is mounted for lengthwise movement in the machine as seen in FIGS. 6 and 8; an elongated strip or length 26 of flexible material providing an image receiving member mounted for lengthwise movement in the machine, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, perpendicularly to and traversing the imaging bearing font strip 21; means, more fully hereinafter described, for moving

members

21 and 26 for juxtaposing any of the image areas 22-24 and a succession of adjacent image receiving areas on member 26; and means effecting a direct image transfer from member 21 to member 26.

The mounting and drive means for the font strip 21 will be best seen in FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and comprise a pair of

end reels

28 and 29 about which the elongated strip 21 is wound in the manner of a scroll, and

reels

28 and 29 are journaled for rotation in each instance on

stub shafts

31 and 32, and 33 and 34 journaled for rotation in supporting

brackets

36 and 37, and 38 and 39 in turn supported from the top and

bottom walls

41 and 42 of the housing for the machine, see FIG. 3. Preferably the reels-28-29 and shafts 31-34 are arranged for easy and rapid interchangeability for font strips 21. A typical construction is seen in FIG. 3 where each of the reels is formed with a pair of end disc hubs 43 and 44 which are secured to

shafts

34 and 33, respectively, and which support a hollow cylinder 46 about which strip 21 is wound. Supporting bracket 38 is spaced sufficiently from hub 44 to permit withdrawal of the latter from cylinder 46 for removal of the cylinder, likewise from hub'43'and insertion of a new cylinder. In this operation it will be noted that shaft 33 will slide in an axial direction through its supporting bearing 47 carried by bracket 38.

As will be understood strip 21 may be of any desired length to carry the number and types of fonts desired to be contained on one font strip. A full set of letters and numbers of inches in height will require a font length of about 35 feet. Due to this length and the need for rapid movement fron one character to another, a motorized advance is used for gross movements of the strip with final precision positioning being accomplished manually. The motorized advance comprises an electric motor 51, see FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 13, which is provided with a drive cylinder 52 on .its drive shaft 53 which may be brought into selective drive engagement with spaced

drive wheels

56 and 57. As will be best seen in FIGS. 7 and 13, motor 51 is mounted in a surrounding cage 58 which is journaled on shaft 59 located at the end of motor 51 opposite to drive cylinder 52 thus permitting the motor to swing laterally between

drive wheels

56 and 57. Swinging of cage 58 to effect such selective drive engagement is here effected by a manually engageable lever 61 having a forward end 62 projecting through an opening 63 provided in a front base wall 64 of the housing and having its rear end pivoted on a vertical pin 66 supported by the bottom wall 42 of the housing. Lever 61 is connected medially of its length to cage 58 by an arm 67 so that as lever 61 is swung to the left as seen in the drawings FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, drive cylinder 52 will be moved into driving engagement with wheel 56; and as lever 61 is swung to the right as viewed in these drawings, drive cylinder 52 will be moved to the right and into driving engagement with drive wheel 57. In the first instance the font strip will be driven to the left at a relatively high rate of speed, and in the second instance the font strip will be driven at an equal speed to the right. Drive

wheels

56 and 57 are secured to shafts 68 and 69 which are journaled in bearing blocks 71 and 72 and are fitted at their forwardly extending ends with sprocket wheels 73 and 74. The latter are connected by

drive chains

76 and 77 to reel

shafts

32 and 34, respectively. Opening 63 may be formed as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 for providing easily recognizable left, right and center positions for lever end 62.

With a little practice the operator will'be able to advance the font strip to within a few characters of the one desired. Final movement of the font strip is accomplished by a pair of hand cranks 8l and 82 mounted at the front of the machine, see for example FIGS. I, 2 and 3, and which are selectively movable into engagement with the front hub disc 83 in the case of reel 28 and 43 in the case of reel 29. A typical construction is illustrated in FIG. 3 where crank 82 is connected to shaft 86 mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in bearing 87 supported by bracket 88 from the bottom wall 42 of the housing. The rubber drive wheel 89 is mounted at the inner end of shaft 86 and will move on inward displacement of the shaft into driving engagement with hub disc 43. A ratchet 91 is preferably mounted on shaft 86 to limit rotation to a clockwise direction advancing the font strip to the right as seen in the drawings. A spring 92 here engages bearing block 87 and a spring rest on shaft 86 and normally biases the shaft to an outward .position disengaging drive wheel 89 from hub disc 43 as illustrated, and requiring the operato'r to push in on crank 82 to effect driving engagement. Crank 81 and its driving connection to hub disc 83 is constructed in a similar manner except that its ratchet prevents rotation of crank 81 only in a counterclockwise direction moving the font strip to the left.

As a feature of the present invention, each of the characters on the font strip have their height dimensions extending lengthwise of the strip and are related to the width of the image receiving member, receptor strip 26 so that the height of each of the letters, see FIG. 6, will lay crosswise of strip 26.'With this relationship only one image defining area 22-24 will be placed in juxtaposition to strip 26; and thus the image transfer will be exclusively confined to the juxtaposed charac-' ter. Transfer of the image from strip 21 to strip 26 may be effected in any conventional manner such as by photographic process, electrostatic printing, etc. As here shown, a photographic process is used and the portions of strip 21 surrounding the image defining area are formed opaque with the image defining area itself being translucent; and member 26 is formed of photosensitive material such as photographic paper. Such paper may be obtained in long continuous lengths of I00 feet or more provided in rolls which may be here mounted on

roll supporting brackets

93 and 94, see FIGS 1, 2, 3-and 4, secured to and extending upright from the rear wall 96 of the housing of the machine. Paper is fed from a paper roll 97 so supported around a roller carried by the top wall 41 of the housing through an opening 99 in the wall, between opposed pairs of rollers 101 and 102, located above the juxtaposed area of strip 21, between

rollers

103 and 104 below such juxtaposed area, see FIG. 4, and discharged through a lot 106 in front housing wall 64. I

With reference to FIG. 4 it will be seen that the housing is provided with a front downwardly sloping panel 107 which is hinged along its upper edge as seen at 108 to swing from a closed position as seen in FIG. 4 to elevated position exposing the interior parts as seen in FIG. 6. A mounting plate 109 is supported from the underside of panel 107 and spaced in relation thereto by a plurality of studs 111, see FIG. 3, and which in turn supports rollers 101 and 103. Preferably these rollers are provided with shafts which are mounted in plate supported bearings 110, see FIG. 12, containing springs urging the rollers downwardly into engagement with

rollers

102 and 104.

Additional rollers

112, 113 and 114 are similarly carried by mounting plate 109, see FIG. 8, and these rollers are similarly spring pressed against a set of

lower rollers

116, 117 and 118 which support the font strip 21 for movement between its

end reels

28 and 29. Also carried by plate 109 between rollers 101 and 103 and

rollers

113 and 114 is a transparent plate 121 which provides a planar support for the font strip. A platform 122 is mounted at the underside of the receptor strip 26 and is movable to and from plate 121 for pressing

strips

21 and 26 into and out of direct contact. A compressible rubber pad 123 may be carried by platform 122 for direct engagement with receptor strip 26 so as to ensure a full faceto-face pressurized engagement of the juxtaposed strips for printing. Exposure of the receptor strip 26 is effected by a plurality of lamps 124 here mounted within a light box 126 carried by panel 107 in registration with the transparent plate 121.

Means for reciprocating platform 122 to secure the strips for printing and to release the strips for movement is here effected by a solenoid 127, see FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, which is connected by link 128 to bell crank 129, best seen in FIG. 8, which has one end 131 disposed for engagement with the outer end 132 of a stem 133 mounted for reciprocation in a supporting bearing 134. A spring 136 mounted between bearing 134 and stem end 132 biases the platform to a lowered, open position. Energizing of solenoid 127 causes bell crank to displace the platform to its raised position clamping together the two intersecting strips in registration with the open bottom oflight box 126 for exposure of receptor material 26.

One of the important features of the present invention is the elimination of any need of a shutter or the like to control the image transfer or the masking off of areas not to be printed. This is accomplished by making the font strip opaque except for its image defining area so that only the image defining area will be printed on the receptor member. Also the light box is sealed in registration with the transparent plate which is in turn light sealed with only the juxtaposed areas of

strips

21 and 26 so that only exposure of the desired portions will be effected. It will also be observed that the width of receptor strip 26 is selected tocorrespond with the height of the font charactersto be printed. And in all cases up to the full dimensions of the light box and plate 121 controlled exposure is obtained without the use of shutters or masks or the like. The machine as illustrated is constructed for use in a dark room. It is, of course, feasable to attach an enclosure to the machine and particularly tothe portions containing the unexposed film so as to enable operations under room light conditions. The easy and rapid interchangeability of different types of photosensitive materials is one of the features of the machine. Practically all photosensitive materials now on the market may be used. Since only a single direct contact print is used, as contrasted to a series of enlargements, there is a most economical use of photosensitive material. A series of pins 137 are preferably deployed as seen in FIG.- 6 so as to cofunction with the other parts above described for very precise guidance of the perpendicularly traveling strips into the confronting overlapping position for printing.

With the right angularly related strip arrangement as here used the only precision required in positioning the font strip 21 is to obtain a uniform base line ofa series of transferred images on the receptor material 26. This is true regardless of the width of the letter or character on the font strip. The base line of the character is the only factor which remains constant in the application of the image to the receptor material. Means for obtaining such .base alignment of the image areas on the receptor strip here comprises a line 141 on each of the image areas 22-24, see FIG. 14, which will be aligned with a cross hair 142 appearing in a window 143 in the front panel 107 overlying the font strip just ahead of light box 126, see FIG. 2. Line 141 is spaced by a uniform distance 1 from the base line 144 of the adjacent downstream character with which line 141 is identified. For example, in the illustration, FIG. 14, line 141 will be physically positioned adjacent to the letter K although it is used to fix the position of letter L in printing position. Preferably line 141 is a dashed line in which the dashes will disappear only when brought into registration with the solid line of cross hair 141. As a further aidto the operator the letter L will appear adjacent line 141 in image area 22 for identifying the character L in printing position 23. In like manner the letter M will appear adjacent line 141 .in image area 23 for identifying the next downstream character which would be in printing position when the associated line 141 was in registration with the cross hair. This precise positioning of the font strip may be quickly and easily accomplished by the use of hand cranks 81 and 82 as above explained. Because the viewing frame on the font is offset one frame from the printing frame, it makes it possible to view the letter being exposed even at the time the exposure is being made by the contact printing process which precludes any viewing of the font being exposed. This information enables the operator to be working ahead of the machine. As the exposure is being taken, the operator may prepare to position the next letter. The constant visual information thus provided prevents psychological block and improves operator-machine communication. The two strips are precisely and tautly held by the pressure plate during exposure and are otherwise relaxed for free running through the machine.

As another and important feature of the present invention, the movement of the receptor strip 26 may be automatically controlled according to the width of the last image transfer in order to obtain a desired predetermined spacing of the next successive image transfer. As will be understood since the structure of various characters, letters for example, varies with different letters of the alphabet and different type faces, spacing between adjacent letters must be individually tailored to obtain good overall appearance. In good spacing, the white area between the combining letters of a word is well distributed producing an effect of uniformity of color throughout the word. This variable spacing is here obtained by the use of a plurality of width codes on the font strip correlated with each of the image defining areas 22-24; and means reading the width code and controlling the operation of the advance of the receptor member by a distance determined by the width code correlated with the last preceding image transfer. For example with reference to FIG. 14, width code 146 in image area 22 will be correlated with the character, letter L, in image area 23.

Advancement of the receptor strip 26 is here effected by drive roller 104, see FIG. 4, which is connected to a drive motor 147 and a multiple ratio transmission,

' disc 148 and drive wheel 149 which is subject to manual operation, crank 150, for controlling the drive ratio for establishing a predetermined spacing constant between adjacent image transfers. Thus, the amount of spacing between letters is controlled by two factors. One is the setting of the drive ratio of the transmission, and the other is the code provided on the font strip. The code insures proper optical or visual appearance of space between letters, and the manually operable means 149 may be used to uniformly vary the size of such space.

With reference to FIGS. 9'and 10 it will be seen that electric motor 147 and driving disc 148 are mounted on a carriage 151 in turn mounted for reciprocation on a horizontal rail 152. Disc 148 is provided with a shaft 153 which here extends horizontally parallel to motor shaft 154 and is connected thereto by a chain 156 entrained around sprocket wheels 157 and 15.8 on these shafts. Hand crank 150 is connected by lead screw 161 tocarriag e 151 so that rotation of hand crank 150 will be accomplished by reciprocation of carriage 151 and drive disc 148 and electric motor 147 carried thereby.

Drive wheel 149 and its shaft 162 are carried by an elongated supporting member 163 with the shaft 162 and axis of rotation of wheel 149 parallel to the driving face 164 of disc 148. Member 163 is supported for rotation in a bearing block 166 in turn supported from the bottom wall 42 of the housing, see FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. With reference to FIG. 11 it will be seen that shaft 162 is eccentrically mounted in member 163 so that upon rotation of member 163 in bearing block 166 drive wheel 149 will be advanced to and retracted from the face 164 of disc 149. Such rotary displacement of member 163 is here effected by an arm 167 connected and depending from member 163 and being connected by'link 168 to solenoid 169. Normally wheel 149 will be spaced from its driving engagement with disc 148 as seen in FIG. 10, but will be advanced into such driving engagement upon energizing 'of solenoid 169 as seen in FIG. 11. Connection of drive wheel 149 to the paper advance roller 104 here includes a chain 171 entrained around sprocket wheels on shaft 162 and idler shaft 172, and a drive chain 173 entrained around drive sprocket on idler shaft 172 and shaft 174 for drive roller 104. Accordingly, upon energizing of solenoid 169, driver roller 104 will be rotated to advance the receptor strip 26 at a rate dependent upon the setting of the multiple ratio disc transmission 148-149. In the present construction motor 147 has a constant speed, e.g., synchronous motor, so that the amount of advancement of the receptor strip 26 will be a function of time of energizing of solenoid 169.

Accordingly, the width code reading means here functions as a timing means for energizing solenoid 169 according to the width code read. With reference to FIG. 14, each of the width codes 146 comprises a plurality of

code areas

176, 177, 178, 179 and 180 which may be encoded to provide a binary value representing the width of the correlated image area, that is, the width code in image area 22 being correlated with the width of the character in image area 23. In the present instance, area 176 has a value of 1, area 177 a value of 2, area 178 a value of 4, area 179 a value of 8, and area 180 a value of 16. Thus a total value of 31 is assigned to the widestcharacter in a given set of characters. The width code reading means accordingly comprises a plurality of

devices

182, 183, 184,185 and 186, see FIG.

17, arranged for sensing code areas 176-180 and being connected to a'timing device comprising a plurality of serially connected

countdown flip flops

188, 189, 190,

I91 and 192 having an output connected to and controlling the operation of solenoid 169. In the present embodiment the code areas 176-180 are selectively light transmissive, providing its count when blocked and not counting when transparent. A pair of

lamps

194 and 195, see FIGS. Sand 15, are mounted for light transmission onto one side of the code areas 176-180; and the sensing devices here comprise a plurality of photoelectric cells 182-186 mounted on the opposite side of the code area for sensing light transmitted thereto. The outputs of photoelectric cells 182-186 are connected to the

present inputs

211, 212, 213, 214 and 215 of the countdown flip flops 188-192 through NOR

gates

207, 208, 209, 210 and 211, the connection of the latter to the flip flops being made through

diodes

213, 214, 215, 216 and 217.

As a further feature of the present invention spacing between sequential image transfers may also be performed manually by the use of a plurality of manually

engageable switches

221, 222, 223 and 224, see FIGS. 1, 2 and 17, and which are connected as more fully hereinafter described to the countdown flip flops 188-192 for providing various fractional spacings. These manual adjustments may be used in the place of the automatic .width code spacing as herein above described. For example, individual closing of the switches will provide for 30 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent of maximum spacing and will normally be used for individualized kerning. In considering percentage spacing, percent spacing would be that used for the widest letter or character, a space somewhat larger than the letter itself. All other letter widths as represented by movement of the receptor strip are fractional multiples.

A spacing standard is, of course, set by the variable drive transmission provided by disc 148 and drive wheel 149. Font sizes up to approximately 5 inches in height will varyin width into roughly three classes:

Class 1, up to l inches; Class 2, between I /4 inches and about 3 /2 inches; and Class 3, from about 3 inches to about 5 inches. Accordingly and'as another feature of the present apparatus, a visible indicator 226, see FIGS. 2, 9 and 10, is provided for showing the relative radial position of drive wheel with respect to disc 148 and accordingly the drive ratio. Indicator 226 comprises a window 227 formed in the top wall 41 of the housing; an indicator hand or pointer 228 positioned for viewing through window 227 and mounted for movement with carriage 151; and an indicator scale 229 mounted directly below pointer 228 in window 227 and having suitable indicia markings thereon as for example lines for indicating the Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 positions above referred to. Of course, the operator may adjust the pointer to any intermediate position to produce special-effects, i.e., larger or smaller spacing between the characters. After the hand wheel has thus been set for a particular font in the machine, the codeon the font strip will take over automatically to set letter spacing subject to further manual adjustment by way of switches 121-124.

A more detailed description of the operation of the machine and several electrical components involved follows. The machine is turned on and off through a power switch 231, FIGS. 2 and 15, with power lamp 232 indicating when. power is on. The primary power circuit, FIG. 15, is also connected to drive motors 51 and 147; optionally to a running time hour meter 233; a stepdown transformer 234 and to input terminal 236 of the balance of the circuit shown in FIG. 15. Terminal 236 is alsoconnected to input 240, see also FIG. 17. Transformer 234 supplies a reduced voltage to

photocell lamps

194 and 195; character illuminating lamp 237, at window 143; terminal 238 for providing a 60 Hz signal to squaring circuit 239, see FIG. 17; rectifier 241 which provides a volt DC circuit to terminal 242 for the photoelectric cells 182-186, see FIG. 17.

The desired character to be printed is advanced into printing position by use of a power advance lever 62 and with final adjustment as required being made by use of hand cranks 81 and 82. Printing operation is initiated by closing switch 243, FIG. 15, which may conveniently be a foot switch, energizing relay coil 244 closing

relay switch contacts

246, 247 and 248 and energizing sequence timer motor 249. There are seven

timer switches

251, 252, 253, 254, and 264, 265 and 266 associated with this timer and the sequence of their operation is illustrated in FIG. 16. Switch 251 normally engages contact 256 which energizes ready lamp 257,

see FIGS. 2 and 15. Switch 251 is the first to change position causing ready lamp 257 to go out and printing lamp 258 to come on. Through timer switch 251 and contacts 248, relay is locked on for the rest of the primary cycle. Timer switch 252 next closes energizing platform solenoid 127. Timer switch 253 next closes which stops sequence timer motor 259 and energizes exposure timer motor 261. Timer switch 262, associated with exposure timer motor 261, next closes furnishing current to the exposure lamps 124, FIGS. 4 and 15, to expose aphotosensitive paper 26. Exposure timer motor 261 will be set for proper exposure time following which switch 262 will change position turning off lamps 124 and restoring the operation of sequence timer motor 249. Timer switch 252 next opens which turns off the current to solenoid 127 allowing spring 156 to lower platform 122 to its normal position releasing the font strip 21 and receptor strip 26 for free longitudinal movement.

The three remaining timer switches operated by se-- input terminals of the several flip flops following which switch 265 closes which sets R-S flip flop'286 and sends a signal to the

load input terminals

287, 288, 289, 290 and 291 of the five countdown flip flops 188-192 which causes them to preset if there is a signal at their preset inputs 201-205. Signals at these preset inputs are derived from the width code as above explained. When light strikes a photoelectric cell 182-186, the resistance of such a cell lowers and allows a current to flow to NOR gates 207-211 which turns off the gate and thus does not send a signal on to the respective preset input terminal 201-205. If light is blocked from the photocells 182-186 by the width code, the opposite happens and current is not allowed to flow to the connected NOR gate 207-211 which in turn does send a signal through blocking diodes 213-217 to the respective preset input 201-205.

Timer switch 265 then opens and timer switch 266 closes which resets R-S flip flop 293 and causes it to stop sending a signal to NOR gates 296 and 297. NOR gate 297 is then turned on and sends a signal to driver amplifier 298 which in turn energizes a photon coupler comprising light lamp 299 and photocell 300. When photocell 300 receives the light from lamp 299, the resistance of the photocell is lowered and allows current to flow through auto advance switch 301 into a triac power controller 302 which in turn energizes solenoid 169 for initiating the paper drive. At the same time NOR gate 296 which is not locked off by a signal from R-S flip flop 293 is receiving a square wave from squaring circuit 239 which turns NOR gate 296 on and off at Hz. This signal is fed to flip flop 278 which divides it by 8 and sends it on to the string of countdown flip flops 188-192. These flip flops then count down from their preset state to zero. When zero is reached, a signal appears at output terminal 304 and is applied to R- S flip flop 279 starting it and sending a signal on to NOR gate 297 which locks it off and in turn turns off driver amplifier298 and de-energizes the triac power controller 302 and solenoid 169 thus stopping the movement of the receptor strip 26. Triac power controller 302 also controls power output at

terminals

306 and 307 which controls the energization of relay coil 308, see lower right corner of FIG. 15. Energizing of relay 308 opens relay switch 309 associated therewith allowing timer switch 254 to open near the end of the timer cycle and turn off timer motor 249 until the countdown I flip flops count down to zero and turn off the triac power controller 302, which in turn turns off relay 308 closing contact 309 and restarting timer motor 249. Timer switch 254 then closes, timer switch 266 opens, and timer switch 264 closes clearing the width computer. Timer switch 251 then opens turning off timer motor 249 and printing lamp 258 and turning on ready lamp 257, thus ending the cycle.

' For spacing between words, where nothing is to be printed, one of the manual spacing switches 211-224 is operated by pressing a connected button on the front panel. Closing of one of the switches 221-224 allows current to flow to the corresponding R-S flip flop 280-283 and through blocking

diodes

311, 312, 313 and 314 to driver amplifier 316 and R-S flip flop 284. The output terminals 316 and 317 of amplifier 320 are connected to relay coil 318, see FIG. 15, which closes its relay switch 319 starting sequence timer motor 249 running. Because relay 244 has not been energized and therefore contacts 246-248 have not been closed, the sequence timer will skip over the printing function, that is raising the platform and turning the exposure lamps on. When R-S flip flop 284 receives a signal, it sets and in turn sends a signal on to the five photocell NOR gates 207-211 which locks them off so that signals from the photocells 182-186 are blocked. When the corresponding R-S flip flops 280-283 receive a signal from its manual switch 221-224, it sets and sends a signal through a group of associated blocking

diodes

321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328 and 329 and on to the appropriate preset input terminal 201-205 of flip flops 188-192 to correspond with the width assigned to that particular manual input switch 221-224. The rest of the paper advancing cycle follows in the normal 331, 332, 333, 334 and 335 may be used to show the value of the code read into the flip flops 188-192. These lamps are here connected to the outputs of flip flops 188-192 by

driver amplifiers

341, 342, 343, 344 and 345.

Automatic advance switch 301 is thrown to its off position when the automatic advance, as determined by the width code, is not to be used. Throwing of this switch to its off position causes an indicator lamp 347 to be energized by a switch 348 ganged to switch 301. Throwing of switch 301 will normally be done to provide special spacing for a character. After throwing of switch 301, the normal printing cycle would be started by closing switch 243. The machine will then print the character but will not space. When the cycle is finished and the ready light 257 comes on, the auto advance switch 301 is turned back on and one of the manual spacing switches 221-224 is operated. The end result is that a character is given a space other than that assigned to it by its width code 147.

An indicator lamp 351 is here shown mounted on the front panel 107 and is connected to a paper sensing switch (not shown) which comes on to show when the machine is out of photosensitive paper. Front panel 107 is here locked in position by means of a plurality of latch pins 352, 353 and 354 which are insertable through openings in the underlying base plate for detachably securing the panel in its down latched position.

In summary it will be noted that the type comes out right reading, from left to right, aligned with a common base line, and the receptor material is moved automatically after each exposure so that desired spacing between letters is automatically achieved. The perpendicular arrangement of thefont and receptor strips removes completely the necessity otherwise required where mounted for parallel movement for'simultaneous synchronization with each other. While each strip is here moved in precise steps, the perpendicular arrangement avoids the need of stepping the strips in relation to each other, where errors may be cumulative. While the printing of individual characters or letters have been used for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that the apparatus may print a whole book page at a time or whole return post cards or the like.

It will now be clear that the present apparatus will perform over a wide range of sizes, with excellent end quality and with versatility concerning choice and sizes of material; and that the foregoing is accomplished in a relatively simple machine having few required settings..

We claim:

1. In a printing machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicuarly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member to said second member, said first named means comprising a plurality of width codes on said first member correlated with said image defining areas, and a motor drive and multiple ratio transmission connected to advance said second member by distances determined by said width codes, the improvement comprising:

a motor driven disc having a drive face, and a-driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said face;

a carriage supporting said disc and being mounted for reciprocation along said axis;

an electric motor mounted on said carriage and being connected to and driving said disc;

means moving said wheel and face into and out ofengagement and being connected to and controlled by said width code reading means;

manually operable means connected to said carriage and effecting reciprocation thereof for controlling the drive ratio of said drive transmission and establishing a selectable spacing constant multiplier for said width codes; and

an indicator showing the relative drive ratio between said wheel and disc.

2. In a printing machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing aseries of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member to said second member, said first named means comprising a plurality of width codes on said first member correlated with said image defining areas, and a motor drive and multiple ratio transmission connected to advance said second member by distances determined by said width codes, the improvement comprising:

a motor driven disc having a drive face, and a driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said face and being connected for advancing said second member;

means moving said wheel and face into and out of drive engagement and being connected to and controlled by said width codes;

manually operable means formed to effect a relative displacement of said wheel and disc radially of said face; v

each of said width codes comprising a plurality 0 code areas for encoded binary value representing the width of the correlated image area;

a plurality of serially connected countdown flip flops each having a preset input;

said width code reading means sensing said code areas and being connected to said preset inputs; and

a solenoid connected to said wheel-face engagement means for engaging and disengaging said wheel and face and being connected to the output of said flip flops.

3. In aprinting machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member 13 14 to said second member, the improvement comprising: viewing through said window.

a light transmitting plate juxtaposed to said first 4. A printing machine as defined in claim 3, a motor mb r; drive for said second member; a platform juxtaposed to said second member; a plurality of width codes on said first member correpower operated means for effecting relative movelated with said image defining areas;

ment of said plate and platform for pressing said means reading said width codes and controlling the members into contact; operation of said motor drive for advancing said illumination means mounted to expose said second second member by distance determined by the member through said image defining areas; width code correlated with the last preceding a viewing window spaced longitudinally of said first image transfer; and

member from said plate and platform; and sequential timing means energizing said platform means provided in one image defining area providing moving means, said illumination means, and said base alignment and identification of the adjacent motor drive. juxtaposed image area and being displaced for UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENTNO. 3,868,699 DATED February 25, 1975 Christina B. Gardner and Bruce A. Odelberg It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7 line 21, change "accomplished to --accompanied-. I

Column 10 line 43, change "211-224" to Signed and Scaled this twenty-third D a Of December 1 975 [SEAL] A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON I C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer ('ommissinner 0f Patents and Trademarks

Claims

1. In a printing machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicuarly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member to said second member, said first named meanS comprising a plurality of width codes on said first member correlated with said image defining areas, and a motor drive and multiple ratio transmission connected to advance said second member by distances determined by said width codes, the improvement comprising: a motor driven disc having a drive face, and a driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said face; a carriage supporting said disc and being mounted for reciprocation along said axis; an electric motor mounted on said carriage and being connected to and driving said disc; means moving said wheel and face into and out of engagement and being connected to and controlled by said width code reading means; manually operable means connected to said carriage and effecting reciprocation thereof for controlling the drive ratio of said drive transmission and establishing a selectable spacing constant multiplier for said width codes; and an indicator showing the relative drive ratio between said wheel and disc.

2. In a printing machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member to said second member, said first named means comprising a plurality of width codes on said first member correlated with said image defining areas, and a motor drive and multiple ratio transmission connected to advance said second member by distances determined by said width codes, the improvement comprising: a motor driven disc having a drive face, and a driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said face and being connected for advancing said second member; means moving said wheel and face into and out of drive engagement and being connected to and controlled by said width codes; manually operable means formed to effect a relative displacement of said wheel and disc radially of said face; each of said width codes comprising a plurality of code areas for encoded binary value representing the width of the correlated image area; a plurality of serially connected countdown flip flops each having a preset input; said width code reading means sensing said code areas and being connected to said preset inputs; and a solenoid connected to said wheel-face engagement means for engaging and disengaging said wheel and face and being connected to the output of said flip flops.

3. In a printing machine having an elongated first member mounted for lengthwise movement and providing a series of longitudinally spaced image defining areas of different widths, and an elongated image receiving second member mounted for lengthwise movement perpendicularly to and transversing said first member, and means for moving said members for juxtaposing any of said image areas and a succession of image receiving areas on said second member, and means effecting image transfer from said first member to said second member, the improvement comprising: a light transmitting plate juxtaposed to said first member; a platform juxtaposed to said second member; power operated means for effecting relative movement of said plate and platform for pressing said members into contact; illumination means mounted to expose said second member through said image defining areas; a viewing window spaced longitudinally of said first member from said plate and platform; and means provided in one image defining area providing base alignment and identification of the adjacent juxtaposed image area and being displaced for viewing through said window.

4. A printing machine as defined in claim 3, a motor drive for said second membeR; a plurality of width codes on said first member correlated with said image defining areas; means reading said width codes and controlling the operation of said motor drive for advancing said second member by distance determined by the width code correlated with the last preceding image transfer; and sequential timing means energizing said platform moving means, said illumination means, and said motor drive.