Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustment device for adjusting the position of a fold abutment provided so as to be movable in translation along a shaft fixed on a guide plate for guiding a document to be folded. This adjustment device comprises an actuator device and a transmission device for transmitting the displacement of the actuator device to the abutment, which transmission device is constituted by a looped cable kept taut by three pulleys, with one straight portion of the cable being parallel to the side edge of the plate and connected to the abutment, and with another straight portion of the cable being connected to the actuator device.

Abstract: A mail franking machine which prints stamps and totals stamp values comprises a motor and drums carrying digits in relief for printing a stamp. A microprocessor controls the motor and totals the values of stamps printed. Position encoders connected to respective drums translate into binary words the values of the digits printed on the stamp and the states of manually operable switches. Interfaces essentially formed by an application specific integrated circuit include circuits for receiving and executing an instruction to start or stop the motor or a single instruction to scan and transmit the values translated by all the encoders and the states of all the switches.

Abstract: A system for processing parcel shipping comprises a set of "file memories" (2) containing firstly the identities of carriers, of senders, of the services offered by each carrier, of the documents that should accompany each shipment, and of the access of each sender to the various carriers and their services, and secondly receiving characteristics relating to each shipment, a programmed control unit (3) coupled to the files to generate and control the storing of characteristics specific to each shipment, document printers (10-13) for generating the documents for each shipment, the printer including a postage meter (13). The system further includes scales (14), and being characterized in that it includes an electronic card (20) for insertion into the processor unit to supervise its connection with the postage meter (13) and the scales (14), and to monitor and lock the software of the system by intervening in data exchanges between the programmed control unit (3) and the set of memories (2).

Abstract: It is characterized in that it comprises a ring (70) with an internal semi-annular collar (71) mounted on and axially fixed to a rear part of a print head supporting sleeve (12) of the print head, opposite the drum, and coupled by means (76, 77) to an adjustment control system (40) mounted to oscillate about the rear part of the drum to couple it to sliding rods incorporating racks and carried by the sleeve.

Abstract: A two-pocket folding machine has a case formed by a top case portion hinged to a bottom case portion. The case has a top pocket and a bottom pocket, with each pocket including a first plate and a second plate. The top case portion includes the first plate of the top pocket, with the top pocket first plate being fixed to the top case portion. The bottom case portion includes the first plate of the bottom pocket, which is fixed to the bottom case portion. A moving assembly includes preferably a pair of movable panels, with the second plate of the bottom pocket and the second plate of the top pocket being fixed to the movable panels and moving with the moving assembly. The moving assembly is displaced along a predetermined trajectory with respect to the top and bottom case portions during opening and closing of the top and bottom case portions such that the second plates are parallel to and close to the corresponding first plates when the case portions are closed.

Abstract: The postage meter has a removable head on a base and includes a sheath carrying a print drum in the head. The sheath is rotatably mounted in the head. The bore in the sheath is accessible from a far side of the head. The meter further includes a spindle which is rotatably mounted in the base and which is coupled to an internal drive mechanism for driving the platen in the base, and whose "near" end portion receives the sheath when the head is installed on the base, for the purpose of driving the sheath and thus the drum from the base.

Abstract: Device for adjusting print wheels of a franking machine print head where said print head is removable from a base unit and comprises a print drum incorporating said print wheels and carried at a forward end of a sleeve having its rear end projecting from the rear of the print head. The base unit has a location at the front for the print head and comprises a drive mechanism, control circuits connected to the drive mechanism and a rotating shaft coupled to the drive mechanism and partially projecting into the location for the print head to receive the sleeve on it and to drive the print drum. The device comprises a drive system comprising at least one drive motor and at least one driving gear coupled to the control circuit. Driven gears are each coupled to a different print wheel mounted with it in the print head. Sliding rods with front and rear racks thereon are mounted in the print head with the front rack of each rod meshing with one of the driven gears to impart thereto movement from the drive system.

Abstract: First and second drive rollers and a slideway feed in an envelope to be opened. A third drive roller drives the body of the envelope in a direction parallel to the fold connecting the flap to the body of the envelope, the drive roller rolling over the face opposite from the face against which the flap of the envelopes folded down, without rolling over the region close to the fold. A counter roller situated facing the drive roller, rolls over the face against which the flap is folded down, without rolling over the flap. An idler wheel situated facing the drive roller has a rim which rolls over the flap close to the fold connecting the flap to the body of the envelope, and which penetrates into the cylindrical volume defined by the straight generator lines of the third drive roller, so as to arch the body about an axis approximately parallel to the fold. A freely rotatable cone moves the flap and the body apart by being inserted into the space created by the arching.

Abstract: A device for selectively moistening the flap of envelopes has a moistening member and a pivoting moistening deflector selectively operable to moisten the flap or not. It further comprises a pivoting slide bar to the front of the moistening member and actuated between a protection position and a retracted position in front of the moistening member. The moistening deflector is adapted to cooperate with the slide bar and the moistening member and is coupled to the bar so that they are actuated virtually simultaneously. The device finds applications in automatic mail handling.

Abstract: A letter scale is adapted to be connected to a postal charge calculator unit and a printhead of a franking machine. It includes a horizontal plate adapted to receive a letter to be weighed and to move vertically due to the weight of the letter. A coding arm is mechanically coupled to the plate so as to move with it. This arm carries coding elements and fixed sensors face towards the arm to sense these coding elements as they move relative to the sensors due to movement of the arm. A processor unit connected to the sensors produces a measurement signal indicating one of a series of predetermined weight range within which the weight of the letter in question lies. A partly closed, flat, vertical casing houses at least the coding arm and the sensors. There is a vertical slot in an upper surface of the casing into which a letter is inserted to weigh it. The horizontal plate forms the bottom of this vertical slot. The letter scale constitutes a module connected and partly integrated into the franking machine.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the positioning of articles driven on a path comprises a first position detector mounted on the path upstream from a desired stop position for the articles on the path and a sensor for sensing displacement steps of the articles and triggered by the first position detector. The apparatus is characterized in that first detector is at a non-critical distance from the stop point, and in that it further includes a second position detector mounted at a distance which is known and referenced relative to the stop point, and means for deriving a stop-controlling parameter P during an initialization cycle using one of the articles driven along the path, on the basis of the number N of article displacement steps representing the known distance and on the basis of a number n of sensor steps measured between the article being detected by one of the two position detectors and then by the other. The invention is applicable to mail processing.

Abstract: The folder comprises a top portion (5A) which is openable relative to a bottom portion (5B). It has a first pocket (2) in the top portion, a second pocket (3) in the bottom portion, and a set (4) of folding rollers. The top and bottom portions are constituted by respective frames and the set of rollers is mounted in part in the top portion and in part in the bottom portion. The outlet path (11) for folded documents runs between the top and bottom portions. This provides wide open access to the paper paths inside the folder in the event of a jam.

Abstract: The apparatus for closing envelopes includes two sets of drive wheels (11A, 11B; 12A, 12B) defining a substantially linear envelope path (1) along which envelopes which are received open are displaced flat, are closed, and are then ejected. The apparatus includes a pair of pivotally mounted presser elements (30, 31) disposed between the two sets of drive wheels and put in a rest position off the path while the envelope is advancing and moved to a working position on the path when an open flap reaches the pair of presser elements, with the direction of displacement of the envelope along the path then being reversed substantially simultaneously with the pair of elements being put into the working position. The invention is applicable to processing mail.

Abstract: The machine comprises a quasi-closed frame constituted by a top frame (5A) hinged to a bottom frame )5B), a first path (10) for mail and a second path (20) for empty envelopes running through the top frame (5A), a third path 30) for filled envelopes running between the top and bottom frames, a folding module (11) and a filling module (31) each having one portion of their paths in the top frame and the remaining portion in the bottom frame and directly coupling the first path and the second path to the filling module on the third path. The machine is applicable to processing mail.