Importance

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Abstract

Character matrices are stored in and retrieved from a magazine automatically. The matrices can be complete discs or pie-shaped 'petals' which are assembled to form a disc. A single pivotably-mounted support arm is used to support the spinning disc, and to move it for selection of concentric arrays on the disc, as well as for storage and retrieval of matrices. A reversed zoom lens is used to magnify the characters. The character spacing carriage can move continuously in order to increase the speed of operation. Proper location of the characters can be done by simply altering the carriage speed between projections, or by using a shuttling lens for character spacing compensation, together with flash delay and carriage deceleration. A system for inputting images from any one of three separate discs also is provided. A double-dove prism and optical wedges are used for altering the shapes of characters. Rules are formed by operating a flash-lamp very rapidly to shine light through an appropriately-shaped opening and moving the image along the photosensitive surface in a linear path. The matrix can be moved in a varying speed mode in which the matrix is moving slowly or stationary when the character is flashed. This allows the light intensity of the flash lamp to be raised significantly without significant degradation of the quality of the output. Controls are provided for automatically adjusting the base-line of the characters, the margins, the degree of enlargement, the flash intensity, and the focus. A simple attachment is provided for doubling or halving the size of the characters. The machine can produce output on photographic film or paper or electrophotographic material. Means are provided for automatically inserting graphic matter (pictures) into text matter for composing full pages, and for making half-tones.

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First Claim