Optical device for converting a phototypesetter into headliner operation

Claim 1

A convertible phototypesetter and display size type printing machine, comprising: an orginal object holder and means to illuminate an object positioned on said holder; a compensator lens, this lens being a primary lens positioned to gather light rays from said illuminated object and form an aerial image of the object at the focal length of the lens; a first composing system, comprising: 1. a collimating and a de-collimating lens optically coupled; 2. means for shifting the lenses as a cooperative system to produce point size variations of print; 3. a mirror in the optical path of said de-collimating lens for bringing the image produced by said compensator, collimating and de-collimating lenses to focus on an image plane lateral to said optical path; 4. a drive system for stepping said mirror through a limited excursion in said optical path for spacing successive images in a series to produce a line of composition; a second composing system, comprising: said paragraph (4) drive system extended to shift said mirror of paragraph (3) beyond the said limited distance to a fixed position wherein the optical path misses said image plane; and a secondary mirror system to project said image onto an image plane separate from said first composing system; and means to step a web of photosensitive material in said image plane after exposure of each character to produce a single line of composition of unlimited length.