Patent US 3,945,480

The illustrated embodiment is a desk top justifying text writing reproducing machine, illustratively controllable by a code reading means in a desk top text writing composing machine (the topic of our copending application for "JUSTIFYING, TEXT WRITING COMPOSING MACHINE", Ser. No. 213,045, filed Dec. 28, 1971), for automatically producing a justified copy, line-by-line, generally one line behind the line being encoded in the composing machine. The operator normally merely puts paper in the reproducing machine, sets a left margin control and shifts a key that conditions the machine for code controlled operations. The arrangement of the encoded information for each line is such that the reproducer is normally automatically operated according to a justifying quotient code, a justifying remainder code, a machine conditioning or clearing code, the text codes (including characters, spaces and functions) and a carriage return code, in that order, so the controlling information for succeeding lines is fed in a single forward direction and the operator need not handle the code media or perform any of the reproducing operations. The reproducing machine includes means, responsive to conditioning codes, for in each instance operating the machine to assume a particular group of operating conditions that correspond to the operating conditions of the composing machine at the time the conditioning code was encoded. The reproducing machine also includes clearing means, responsive to a clear code, for placing the machine in a normal operating group of conditions. In a reader control "stop" condition, the reproducer may be operated manually, for inserting variables in an otherwise code controlled reproduction, or for using the machine as a typewriter.