Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides for automatically controlling positioning of a moistening nozzle relative to an envelope flap being moved therepast at high speed. The invention has particular application as an envelope flap moistener in a high speed mailing machine. Envelopes are moved to and past the nozzle at a speed of at least about 65 inches per second along a given path with the flap extending from the envelope in an opened configuration thereof. A sensor attached to the nozzle senses the location of the edge of the flap within about 0.2 inch of the nozzle upstream thereof a plurality times as the flap moves to and past the nozzle. The nozzle is then positioned to track the flap edge in accordance with sensing of the envelope flap. The nozzle may be pre-positioned by a lower bandwidth servo system having an envelope sensor located further upstream of the tracking sensor. A higher bandwidth servo loop controls tracking of the nozzle in response to the tracking sensor.

Abstract: A postage meter has a print drum assembly which includes a print drum and a drum shaft. The drum includes selectively settable value printing elements. The drum shaft has, located in one or more grooves therein, a plurality of linearly movable racks. These racks are connected to the value printing elements in such a manner that linear movement of one rack alters the position of a corresponding value printing element. The meter also has a plurality of gears, called cross-over gears, arranged to drive corresponding racks. The cross-over gears driving the racks in the or each groove are arranged side-by-side and are independently driven by respective drive components arranged for rotation about a rotation axis common to the cross-over gears and the drive components.

Abstract: The thermal printing postage meter includes a base supporting a registration wall and a deck, and a thermal print head mounted to the registration wall above a portion of the deck to define a print station. A position sensing assembly is provided for sensing the presence of the envelope's leading edge in the print station and informing a microcontroller. A thermal tape cassette is mounted to the registration wall such that a portion of the thermal ribbon passing below the thermal print head. A platen roller assembly and position assembly are responsive to instruction from the microcontroller for causing the platen roller to assume either a position biasing the envelope against the thermal ribbon and thermal print head or a retracted position. An ejection roller assembly having position assembly is responsive to instruction from the microcontroller for causing the ejection roller to assume either a retracted position or a position biasing the ejection roller against the envelope and an ejection plate.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for verifying that the correct postage has been paid includes a mail processing machine which is adapted to receive properly oriented mail via a transport from a racer apparatus. The mail processing machine includes a scale for weighing a mailpiece having postage affixed thereto for the purpose of cancelling it with a mark which includes the actual postage which should be affixed. In a further embodiment other information necessary to calculate the necessary postage is obtained by reading the information from the mailpiece. Any discrepancies between the postage affixed and the amount of postage which should actually be paid may be noted at acceptance or seen by the carrier as the mail is delivered. A batch of mail may be sampled to select representative mailpieces in a random manner and verified to compare the calculated total of postage required based on the sample to the postal amount paid for the batch by the sender.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for verifying that the correct postage has been paid includes a mail processing machine which is adapted to receive properly oriented mail via a transport from a racer apparatus. The mail processing machine includes a scale for weighing a mailpiece having postage affixed thereto for the purpose of cancelling it with a mark which includes the actual postage which should be affixed. In a further embodiment other information necessary to calculate the necessary postage is obtained by reading the information from the mailpiece. Any discrepancies between the postage affixed and the amount of postage which should actually be paid may be noted at acceptance or seen by the carrier as the mail is delivered. A batch of mail may be sampled to select representative mailpieces in a random manner and verified to compare the calculated total of postage required based on the sample to the postal amount paid for the batch by the sender.

Abstract: Improved Driver circuitry for multiple combination LED/silicon detector sensors arranged in an array or scattered in a machine, wherein the LEDs and detectors are connected in a matrix arrangement to common busses to reduce the number of connections and minimize interference. Grounding gates are toggled "ON" and "OFF" prior to actuating the driver circuitry to reduce the presence of live voice.

Abstract: A thermal printing postage meter comprising a base supporting a registration wall, a print deck. The registration wall supports a detachable mounted thermal ribbon cassette and a thermal print head. The thermal print head is mounted to the registration wall to extend over the deck to define a print station. A platen drive assembly is mounted to the base for biasing an envelope against the thermal print head and causing the envelope to traverse the thermal print head during a print cycle of the thermal meter under the influence of a drive motor responsive to a micro controller. The micro controller has a plurality of switches mounted to the registration wall of the postage meter. The cassette is comprised of a housing formed by a front and rear wall maintained in spaced apart relationship by a plurality of side walls. The rear wall of the housing includes a slot having an outwardly extending pin slidably mounted in the slot.

Abstract: A thermal ribbon cassette includes a take-up spool and a supply spool rotatively mounted in the cassette housing. The spools are aligned to respective aperture in the rear wall of the housing. The housing has a print head opening located between the supply spool and the take-up spool dividing the cassette into the respective supply side and the take-up side. The thermal ink transfer ribbon supply is wrapped around the supply spool and extending to the take-up spool. An encoder post is rotatively mounted to the rear wall to the supply side of the cassette aligned to an aperture in the rear wall. A first drag post is fixably mounted to the rear wall on the supply side of the cassette and a feed post is fixably mounted to the rear wall on the supply side of the cassette just prior to the print head opening. A drag clutch is provided for preventing the supply spool from turning in the non-feed direction and for providing a predetermined amount of drag to the supply spool.

Abstract: A programmable logic device for commutating a brushless motor having an encoder with a plurality of Hall-effect sensors operative for providing commutation information to a motor controller for commutation of the motor by sequencing of a plurality of complementary FET's for energizing stator windings of the brushless motor comprises a Hall-effect sensor decode circuit and a deadtime generator. The sensor decode circuit is operative for commutation of motor output control signals in accordance with direction and PWM signals from a system controller and commutation information from the Hall-effect sensors. The deadtime generator provides timed blanking for ensuring that each respective one of said plurality of FET's is turned completely off before its complementary FET is turned on to protect against destructive currents.

Abstract: A wrap spring clutch assembly is disclosed which is designed for use with a rotary element which is subjected to repeated intermittent rotary motion. The clutch assembly includes a first circular hub fixedly attached to the element for rotation therewith, a wrap spring mounted on the first hub and adapted to grip or release the hub depending on the direction of movement of a free tang of the wrap spring. A second, split hub acting as a resilient shock absorber is mounted on the rotary element and underlies a portion of the wrap spring so as to deflect inwardly when the wrap spring grips the first hub thereby permitting a small amount of additional rotation of the rotary element to provide a controlled deceleration of the rotary element, thereby absorbing the shock force of virtual instantaneous deceleration of the rotary element which otherwise occurs and tends to break the wrap spring at the juncture of the spring coils and the tang which is attached to the rotary element.

Abstract: A tape storage apparatus is used with a mailing machine having printing postage indicia on a discrete portion of a strip of tape of indefinite length which is fed along a tape path extending through the mailing machine by a tape feeding device mounted within the mailing machine. The tape storage apparatus includes a base having vertical guide rails and a tape holding device mounted on the guide rails for movement therealong. A releasable latch holds the tape holding device in a lowermost position against the force of a plurality of resilient spring device for moving the tape holding device upwardly to a position in which the tape holding device becomes accessible to an operator or service person for reloading rolls of tape or performing service on the apparatus. When the tape holding device is in its lowermost position, it is functionally integrated with the mailing machine, but it is inaccessible for reloading tape or for threading tape into the feeding device in the mailing machine.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for verifying that the correct postage has been paid includes a mail processing machine which is adapted to receive properly oriented mail via a transport from a facer apparatus. The mail processing machine includes a scale for weighing a mailpiece having postage affixed thereto for the purpose of cancelling it with a mark which includes the actual postage which should be affixed. In a further embodiment other information necessary to calculate the necessary postage is obtained by reading the information from the mailpiece. Any discrepancies between the postage affixed and the amount of postage which should actually be paid may be noted at acceptance or seen by the carrier as the mail is delivered. A batch of mail may be sampled to select representative mailpieces in a random manner and verified to compare the calculated total of postage required based on the sample to the postal amount paid for the batch by the sender.

Abstract: An improved thermal printing postage meter includes a base supporting a registration wall and a deck. A thermal print head is fixably mounted to the registration wall above a portion of the deck to define a print station. A thermal ribbon cassette is detachably mounted to the registration wall, the thermal ribbon cassette having a thermal transfer ribbon supply mounted around a supply roller and threaded past the print head in the printing station to a take-up roller. A platen roller assembly supports a platen roller for positioning the platen roller to assume a second position biasing the media against the thermal ribbon and the thermal print head. A first motor drive is provided for rotatively driving the platen roller, wherein rotation of the platen roller simultaneously drives the media and thermal ribbon past the print head. A second motor drive is provided for driving the take-up roller during a print cycle.

Abstract: A system for processing documents with value markings thereon, having a reading element for reading the value markings, an accounting element for accounting for the value, and a marking element responsive to the accounting element for marking the document with information representing successful accounting of the value and uniquely identifying the accounting element. The marking element is positioned with respect to the document so as to cause the mark to be placed on the document. The value information, the reading element, the accounting element and the marking element are all positioned within a secure housing.

Abstract: A polyurethane foam is used in combination with an ink tray having a housing having a first and second chamber. The first chamber has an overflow baffle extending laterally within said chamber to divide the first chamber into an inlet side and an outlet side. An inlet port is provided for receiving replenishing ink in the inlet side of the chamber and an outlet port is provided for removal of excess ink from said ink tray. A plurality of portals extending between the first and second chambers for directing replenishing ink to the second chamber from the inlet side of the first chamber and excess replenishing ink from the second chamber to the outlet side of the first chamber. An elongated inking roller is mounted to the housing. The absorption material is mounted in the second chamber to contact the replenishing ink. The absorption material has a portion extending from the second chamber and contacting the inking roller to allow the transfer of replenishing ink to the inking roller.

Abstract: The drive system for a mailing flat bed postage printing apparatus includes a postage meter cartridge having an indicia plate mounted in the base of the printing apparatus. An inking system is included for inking the indicia plate. The inking system includes a drive motor mounted to the base in driving communication with a first shaft rotatively mounted in the base. A cam is mounted to the first shaft having a cam surfaces. An ink tray is positionable by a linkage system wherein the linkage system includes cam followers in communication with the cam surface to position the ink tray in response to the rotational position of the cam. A platen is reciprocally positionable between a first and print position in the base. The cam is rotated in a first range wherein the cam surface positions the linkage system and a second range of rotation wherein the linkage system is in a dwell mode.

Abstract: An ink pad device for a high speed mailing machine is disclosed. The ink pad device includes an ink pad and an ink chamber in which the ink pad is at least partially disposed to sorb ink therefrom. The ink pad device may also comprise an ink reservoir and/or a pump for pumping ink from the reservoir to the ink chamber. The ink pad device is attachable to a drive for moving the ink pad horizontally and vertically from a horizontal home position to a horizontal inking position in which the ink pad is tamped against a printing device which imprints postage indicia. The ink pump comprises a deformable chamber which is compressed to pump ink from the reservoir to the ink chamber. In one embodiment, the ink pad and the ink chamber are provided as a disposable, non-replenishable, non-refillable unit containing a limited amount of ink for limited use. In another embodiment, the ink chamber, the ink pad, the reservoir and the pump form a unit in which ink is replenished from the reservoir to the ink chamber.

Abstract: A method and system for accessing a non volatile memory for writing data therein, wherein the memory has a write accessing input. A control circuit produces successive enable signals, and a hardware device is connected to apply signal to the write accessing terminal of said memory only in response to a plurality of successive enable signals.

Abstract: In a moistener for moistening a mixed succession of objects of a substantially limited number of different height profiles and having a nozzle, methods for controlling movement of the nozzle are presented. These methods include a nozzle initialization process, a nozzle pre-positioning process and a nozzle holding process.

Abstract: A postage meter has a rotatable print drum for franking an article. The print drum includes settable value-denoting elements and is mounted on a drum shaft for rotation therewith. A series of motors are each connected to drive a respective one of the value-denoting elements via an intervening drive train. There is a gearbox housing within which the drive trains are housed. The gearbox housing is split into two portions which are shaped so that they together encircle and are supported by the drum shaft. This provides a compact and easily assembled postage meter.