Dynamic optical font availability system

A font storage and optical retrieval system for a photocomposition machine, comprising:

• a support frame;
• a plurality of indicia storage disc members mounted in superposed relationship about a common axis, each said disc having at least one data set in a circular track path;
• means for rotating at least one of said disc members at any one time;
• a read head mounted on said support frame, said read head having a fixed longitudinal path of travel;
• means for effecting relative separating between said read head and said disc members to position said read head beyond the diameter of the largest disc and for selecting one of a plurality of relative positions wherein said head is adjacent a selected data set track path;
• and
• means for effecting relative movement between said storage disc members and said read head along a path in the direction of said axis to place a selected one of said discs into alignment with said read head;
• whereby, said plurality of discs and head may be removed from interface with one another, shifted to align into a substitute position, and repositioned to select various data sets at will.

In a font storage and optical retrieval system for a photocomposition machine, having a support frame, a plurality set of character storage discs mounted in spaced relationship on a common rotatable shaft, each disc having at least one character font in a circular track, means mounting said shaft on said frame;

• and
• means for driving said shaft in rotary movement;
• the provision of an illuminating and projecting system which is movable with respect to said disc set for rapid access of a selected disc and font thereon, comprising:
• a stanchion longitudinally shiftable relative to said disc set shaft axis;
• means for moving said disc set and stanchion relative to one another in a path perpendicular to said shaft axis for separating them during shifting of said stanchion;
• and
• an illuminating and projection system having a stationary assembly of light source, collimating lens, and decollimating lens, said collimating and decollimating lenses defining an optical path and being separated at least a distance allowing said stanchion to traverse the full range of disc set;
• said illuminating and projecting system having a mobile group carried by said stanchion including a decollimating and focusing lens, a mirror grouping to fold the optical path in an offset loop encompassing a disc track, and a collimating lens to collimate an image produced by said mobile group and return the optical path to said stationary group decollimating lens.