Abstract: Apparatus for retaining a mail piece includes first and second elements, said elements having an open state in which the first element is spaced from said second element for insertion of a mail item therebetween into a required position and a closed state in which at least one of the first and second elements is displaced toward the other of the first and second elements to clamp the mail piece and further including mail piece retention means mounted on the first element and effective during displacement of the element to retain the mail piece in the required position to which it has been inserted.

Abstract: A print head transport mechanism of a postage meter for printing postal indicia which are of greater height than a printing height of a print head comprises a carriage to traverse the print head over a band of a print receiving area. The print head is mounted in a sub-carriage mounted on the carriage and the sub-carriage is displaceable in the direction of printing height of the print head. A cam connected between the sub-carriage and the carriage is operable to displace the sub-carriage. The cam is provided with friction surfaces that engage with friction pads during traverse of the carriage to operate the cam and thereby displace the sub-carriage so that printing is effected in a first band during traverse of the print head in one direction and printing is effected in an adjacent band during traverse of the print head in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

Abstract: An ink jet print head includes an ink jet print module contained in a cartridge housing. The ink jet print module includes a surface containing a plurality of ink jet nozzles and this surface extends in a aperture of the cartridge housing. An element extends from the housing and supports a set of electrical terminals and electrical connection means provide electrical interconnections between electrical contacts of the set of electrical contacts of the ink jet print module and electrical terminals of the set of electrical terminals supported in the element.

Abstract: Apparatus for retaining a mail piece includes first and second elements, said elements having an open state in which the first element is spaced from said second element for insertion of a mail item therebetween into a required position and a closed state in which at least one of the first and second elements is displaced toward the other of the first and second elements to clamp the mail piece and further including mail piece retention means mounted on the first element and effective during displacement of the element to retain the mail piece in the required position to which it has been inserted.