Electronic typographic apparatus

A system for producting signals for the proportional display of characters on a display device in response to coded first signals corresponding to characters to be displayed, comprising

• a memory,
• means responsive to said first signals for storing information signals corresponding to said first signals in said memory,
• first program means comprising a first control circuit responsive to the receipt of coded input signals for producing display signals for the display of said characters with different widths, for application to said display device,
• second program means comprising a second control circuit responsive to the receipt of coded input signals applied thereto for producing pulse signals of different delays corresponding to different display character widths, and
• means responsive to said pulse signals for sequentially applying the information signals stored in said memory to said first and second program means at a rate determined by said pulse signals,
• wherein said memory comprises a circulating shift register, said first program means comprises (i) a first read only memory connected to receive signals stored in a given stage of said circulating shift register, (ii) a second shift register connected to the outputs of said read only memory, and (iii) means for reading out said second shift register in series to produce said display signals, said means for sequentially applying signals comprising means for applying said pulse signals to shift data stored in said circulating shift register.