Abstract: A mail processing system includes mail processing devices such as postage meters, a sorting machine and a host computer. Each mail processing device provides to each outgoing mail not only its mailing charge but also an indicator which identifies the device itself, storing such provided data in its memory device. The sorting machine reads from each received mail the data provided to it and stores such data in its memory device according to the device-identifying indicator. The computer serves to retrieve data from these memory devices to make comparisons. If the discrepancy is greater than a specified value, a warning signal is outputted as a fraud has been committed.

Abstract: A paper product has a first sheet with a pattern of spaced openings permitting separation into sections and a second sheet releasably attached to the first sheet with a pattern of continuous curvilinear openings dividing the sheet into sections and being aligned with the openings of the first sheet. A die sheet for a die for cutting material includes a die sheet surface with a die pattern extending outwardly from the die sheet surface. The die pattern has slitting sections providing curvilinear, continuous openings through a second sheet of the material and spaced perforating sections extending above the slitting sections providing a pattern of spaced openings in the first sheet adjacent to the openings through the second sheet. A first method of constructing a die sheet includes covering a die surface with a first, spaced pattern of a first photo-resist material and then covering the first pattern with a second, continuous pattern of a second photo-resist material.

Abstract: A microencapsulated adhesive and a method for producing that microencapsulated adhesive are disclosed. The adhesive is produced from a solvent-based adhesive composition such as a styrene butadiene rubber composition an acrylic. The solvent-based adhesive composition may be encapsulated by interfacial polymerization, gelatin/gum arabic coacervation or melamine/formaldehyde encapsulation. The solvent is removed from the microcapsules by heating or reduced pressure to form an adhesive that is non-tacky, but becomes tacky upon application of external forces, such as shearing. The microencapsulated adhesive composition may be used, among other applications, as an adhesive for stamps or envelopes.

Abstract: A stamp (1) is disclosed which has a luminescent coating (9, 11) which over the area of the coating is such that there are a plurality of coated spaced regions interspersed with non-coated regions. The coating may be applied as a grid or cross hatching or other suitable arrangement. The coating is applied over an area which is of sufficient size relative to the thickness and density of the coating to permit the coating to be detected by a postage stamp luminescence detection device. The non-coated regions over which the coating extends being of sufficient area to permit penetration and drying of a stamp cancelling ink. A method of producing such stamp is also disclosed.

Abstract: An article of manufacture includes a substrate layer having an indicator of value thereon; an adhesive layer; and a switch attached to one of the substrate layer and the adhesive layer. The switch is activatable to produce a signal in the presence of a first magnetic field and deactivatable to prevent detection of the signal. The substrate may have a printed pattern and the indicator of value on one surface and the adhesive layer on the other surface, for example, as in a postage stamp. This article may be employed in a mail processing system where mailpieces are fed to a facer canceller where the stamp is deactivated to prevent reuse without pavement to the postal or other issuing authority.

Abstract: In a method for the operation of a postage meter machine jointly by a plurality of users, at least one message is allocated to each user and has at least one identifier that identifies the respective user to which the message is allocated. A control unit in the machine is supplied by a current user with information about that user's identifier when put into use. The control unit compares the information to the identifier and automatically uses the message allocated to the current user when imprinting postal matter for that user.

Abstract: There is provided a postage stamp construction formed of a plurality of postage stamps adhered to a currency sized release liner by an ooze resistant pressure sensitive adhesive which construction coated with a polymeric coating of the face of the stamp and the undersurface of the release liner and dispensable from an automatic teller machine.

Abstract: A composite stamp has two parts that are used in combination to provide the finished stamp on a piece of mail. One part bears a decorative design, and the second part bears the normal identifying postage-related information including country, denomination, etc. and also has an area on which the first part is to be adhered. Both parts have adhesive backs and may, for example, be provided in dry-peelable form on a suitable carrier substrate.

Abstract: A combination printed sheet and stamps that may be a direct mailer or a book of stamps comprising a sheet of imprintable material of substantially uniform thickness and including a first or stamp portion and a second self-mailer or stamp book cover portion, an adhesive coating on one side of the sheet and printed indicia on the other side thereof. The second portion of the sheet is foldable along a medial fold line to position the two segments thereof into superposed relation and the adhesive coating is activatable to secure the segments together to provide the thickness and stiffness necessary for the second portion to serve as a self-mailer or as a stamp book cover.

Abstract: There is provided herewith a postage stamp construction of currency size in which a first array of individually removable postage stamps are separated from the second array of individually removable postage stamps by a transverse peel strip.

Abstract: Stamps such as postage stamps, fee stamps, etc., involve the problem of being machine testable with respect to their position on the carrier and their authenticity, and of assuring that they can only be used once. A stamp is proposed with characterizing printing thereon and an adhesive layer for attaching it to a carrier, said stamp containing a machine-testable marking material suitable for automatic processing, the marking material being provided in the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A method for identifying postage meter and monetary value stamping machines from printed patterns thereof includes performing microprocessor-controlled printing processes in the machine for forming a printing pattern including a monetary value stamp, a data stamp and a printing block from stored data and current data only immediately prior to being printed and temporarily storing the printing pattern until being printed. An identification characteristic is imprinted in the open in addition to the pattern to be printed. The temporarily stored printing pattern and the identification characteristic are supplied together to a printer control for generating a final printing pattern.

Abstract: Stamps such as postage stamps, fee stamps, etc., involve the problem of being machine testable with respect to their position on the carrier and their authenticity, and of assuring that they can only be used once. A stamp is proposed with characterizing printing thereon and an adhesive layer for attaching it to a carrier, said stamp containing a machine-testable marking material suitable for automatic processing, the marking material being provided in the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A stamp pouch comprises a flexible Kraft paper back sheet in facing contact with a flexible transparent top sheet and at least one postage stamp interposed therebetween. The facing surfaces of the back sheet and top sheet are coated with a cohesive. The top and back sheets are longer than the postage stamp, so they cohere to each other in areas above and below the stamp top and bottom edges. The top and back sheets have respective widths approximately equal to the width of the postage stamp, so the top and back sheets cohere through the perforations at the postage stamp side edges. A slit in the back sheet enables a person to easily grasp and tear it to remove the postage stamp. In alternate embodiment, a zone along associated ends of the top and back sheets are uncoated with cohesive. A person can grasp the uncoated and uncohered sheet ends to peel them apart and remove the postage stamp. The stamp pouch may be hung on an attractive display caddy for viewing by purchasers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of protecting a philatelic item for alteration, which philatelic item bears a mark identifying an expert or owner of the item and possibly an additional distinguishable mark specific to the philatelic item. The invention further relates to a method of preventing fraudulent reuse of stamps.

Abstract: This invention enables the faster processing and sorting of mail pieces and packages while also detecting pieces with insufficient postage. A postal stamp is introduced which has provisions for entering, by the stamp user, both the destination and origination identifier codes which are detectable by a scanning device. In addition, distinct markings are printed for alerting a scanning device to the location and orientation of the entered identifier codes. Furthermore, special marking code printed thereon is provided to identify the monetary value of the stamp. Two other different stamp structures are also introduced to help facilitate the stated objectives. These two other structures involve stamps of two layers with peel-off pieces. A mail sorting process and apparatus is provided which utilizes the capabilities of the introduced stamp. Finally, a spostal metering device is improved and introduced as a compatible part of this invention.

Abstract: A value printing system includes a printer that prints an indicia. The indicia represents a value. The system also includes an apparatus for controlling the printer and an apparatus for accounting for the value represented by the indicia. The indicia includes one or more markers that present numerical data in the form of a diagram. Alternatively, the indicia includes one or more locations in which the presence or absence of a marker authenticates the indicia. An overlay may be provided to aid in interpreting the markers.

Abstract: A bar code applicator is provided, which may be incorporated into a booklet, comprised of a translucent sheet having on one side thereof pressure-transferrable figures comprising an array of bars, the bars adapted to be transferred by the user to the face of an envelope or the like in a predesignated position to designate individual letters or numbers, to be read by an optical character reader. There is further provided a booklet incorporating the applicator, having also one or more groups of sheets, each group comprising an instruction page, a bar code applicator and a separator sheet adjacent the bar code applicator.

Abstract: This invention enables the faster processing and sorting of mail pieces and packages while also detecting pieces with insufficient postage. A postal stamp is intoduced which has provisions for entering, by the stamp user, both the destination and origination identifier codes which are detectable by a scanning device. In addition, distinct markings are printed for alerting a scanning device to the location and orientation of the entered identifier codes. Furthermore, special marking code printed thereon is provided to identify the monetary value of the stamp. Two other different stamp structures are also introduced to help facilitate the stated objectives. These two other structures involve stamps of two layers with peel-off pieces. A mail sorting process and apparatus is provided which utilizes the capabilities of the introduced stamp. Finally, a postal metering device is improved and introduced as a compatible part of this invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fields of postal stamps, automated postal sorter machines, sorting processes, and postal metering devices. The prior art of postal stamps and processing systems failed to provide for automatic sorting and processing without replacing the usual stamp with a machine printed decal thus: (1) depriving the ordinary stamp user from using the system which requires a special stamp printing machine, and (2) destroying the philatelic nature of the stamp for the hobby of stamp collecting. The invention solves these problems by providing a multi-part stamp where machine readable data are entered by the ordinary user without the need for a special machine. One portion of the stamp (42) includes the ordinary stamp attributes thereon and another portion (43) carries marking indicia (47) and (48) which are to be filled with the information of the points of origin and destination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a postage ad label assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly includes a label having a print side onto which an advertisement can be printed and an adhesive side. A pressure sensitive adhesive is affixed to the adhesive side and releasably secures the label to a backing member. A postage stamp is affixed on the print side of said label. Said label can be peeled from said backing member and placed on an envelope to affix postage to the envelope for mailing.

Abstract: A postal decal (stamp) which may be purchased regularly as a stamp is developed such that it carries a separable part of which is available for entering a destination identifier code (e.g. zip code) with the proper tool which can be a pen or pencil. These identifiers are written such that they are machine readable. Thus the process of sorting the mail and parcels to their destination can be greatly enhanced together with less human intervention for sorting. These stamps may be obtained at the usual post offices. If special pens or pencils are needed, they can be provided also at those post offices or at any other outlet. A second type of stamp is developed where the part designated for entering the destination identifier is thinly coated partially or totally with a magnetic or illuminating or coloring material which can be detected by the appropriate `reading` or scanning machine which reacts sensitively to this coating material.

Abstract: An elongated sheet of printed material for a roll stamp dispenser having formed flaps serving as driving sprockets and also having perforated score lines for tearing the stamp from the dispenser. A plurality of partially cut spaced apart flap groups formed of flaps along transverse lines mate with driving pins on the roll stamp dispenser. The flaps remain in tact with the stamp roll so as not to destroy the printed appearance of the stamp roll. Perforated transverse continuous score lines are formed at predetermined positions along the longitudinal length of the roll for use in separating adjacent sections of the roll as desired.

Abstract: A combination printed sheet and stamps that may be a direct mailer or a book of stamps comprising a sheet of imprintable material of substantially uniform thickness and including a first or stamp portion and a second self-mailer or stamp book cover portion, an adhesive coating on one side of the sheet and printed indicia on the other side thereof. The second portion of the sheet is foldable along a medial fold line to position the two segments thereof into superposed relation and the adhesive coating is activatable to secure the segments together to provide the thickness and stiffness necessary for the second portion to serve as a self-mailer or as a stamp book cover.