Abstract: An electric motor driven roll feed system for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press. The roll feed system is designed so that its main rotating elements have greatly reduced rotational inertia. A low inertia overall roll arrangement is characterized by two relatively small diameter cooperating feed rolls that are respectively radially supported by a plurality of light back up rollers that peripherally engage these small feed rolls at locations spaced along the operative lengths of such feed rolls. The spaced rollers thus allow the applied operational stock gripping, feeding and braking forces to be distributed over several support locations along the operative axial length of each feed roll.

Abstract: A mailing system including a postage meter adaptable to either a high-speed mailing machine capable of parallel postal value selection or a low-speed mailing machine capable of serial value selection is disclosed. The postage meter includes a print drum with printing value members. A rod extends outwardly from the drum. The rod contains linear racks that are axially located above the horizontal centerline of the rod. The linear racks interact with the value members to provide the proper value setting. Attached to the postage meter are a plurality of cross-over shafts with pinion gears. The gears engage the racks to facilitate value selection. In the high-speed mailing machine, a series of drive members engage the shafts. Apparatus within the high-speed mailing machine causes the shafts to rotate in a parallel fashion to allow for postal value selection to facilitate postal printing. In the low-speed mailing machine, one drive member engages on e shaft of the postage meter.

Abstract: A system for the metering of encrypted postage and similar indicia includes a device for printing such indicia and a device for reading such indicia. The printing is accomplished with a dot matrix printer driven by signals obtained by altering character generation signals with encryption signals. The interleaving is accomplished on a row-by-row basis by inserting delays from an encryption circuit into signals from a character generator circuit. The reading is accomplished by correlating received characters against a stored array of symbols to determine the presence of a symbol, the extraction of coded data from character data of the received and identified character, and the comparison of the separated coded data with a reference code to determine the accuracy of the printed material. Thereby, forgery and alteration is inhibited.

Abstract: A system for the metering of encrypted postage and similar indicia includes a device for printing such indicia and a device for reading such indicia. The printing is accomplished with a dot matrix printer and a bar-code printer driven by signals obtained by a character generator and an encryption circuit. The reading is accomplished by a bar-code reader and a dot matrix reader. Intelligence is obtained by correlating received characters against a stored array of symbols to determine the presence of a symbol, and the comparison of the separated coded data with a reference code to determine the accuracy of the printed material. Thereby, forgery and alteration is inhibited. The data and the encrypted material are imprinted by indicia utilizing both the formats of alphanumeric characters and the formats of a bar code.

Abstract: A system for the metering of encrypted postage and similar indicia includes a device for printing such indicia and a device for reading such indicia. The printing is accomplished with a dot matrix printer driven by signals obtained from a character generator and an encryption circuit. The reading is accomplished by correlating received characters against a stored array of symbols to determine the presence of a symbol and the comparison of the separated coded data with a reference code to determine the accuracy of the printed material. Thereby, forgery and alteration is inhibited. Alphanumeric characters are utilized for both the data and the code, a group of characters for the data being separated from a group of characters for the code to allow for the reading of the data, while readily extracting the remaining characters for verification purposes.

Abstract: In a postal meter adapted to be connected to a source of supply of power for energization, and having structures for printing postage values and a selected data, for displaying a plurality of segments, and for entering data, and having a computer electrically connected to each of the aforesaid structures and programmed for processing data for controlling the operation thereof, and wherein the postal meter includes structure for selecting one of a plurality of dates; there is provided an improvement for reminding an operator of the postal meter to check the selected date. The improvement includes the computer being programmed for causing the display to start displaying at least one unique segment in response to energization of the postal meter, the data entering structure including a depressable key for entering data into the computer, and the computer being programmed for causing the display to stop displaying the at least one segment in response to the depression of the key.

Abstract: The ink ejecting portion of an ink jet printer is described, wherein a single ceramic transducer is used to create the pressure for the ink droplets. Unlike prior devices, the transducer is a one-piece member as opposed to use of a crystal and diaphragm. The one-piece member is practical because of the generally spherical configuration of the crystal.

Abstract: A microprocessor controlled postal meter system having a postal meter with a postage printer. An accounting means maintains an accurate record of account of an amount chargeable by the meter and used by the printing means, and a data entry means for entering an amount to be charged to the accounting means, the improvement comprising a data entry medium removable from the postal meter system, the data entry medium having encoded thereon a unique combinational code for data transfer between the card and the accounting means.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for completing an incomplete trip in an electronic postage meter, comprising the steps of reading the state of bistable member after the trip cycle has commenced, setting a fatal error if the bistable member is in its home state prior to completion of the trip cycle, energizing a drive motor to try to complete the trip cycle, reading the state of the cycle switch, and de-energizing the drive motor after a maximum period of time.

Abstract: A character generator system for dot matrix printers wherein a microprocessor receives an input signal in the form of an M bit digital code, such as ASCII code, and representing a text to be reproduced in dot matrix form as well as other bits of information. The microprocessor converts the incoming code from an M bit code to an N bit code, where N is greater than M, whereby substantially more information may be transmitted. The microprocessor then sends appropriate information to various components of the system that cooperate to control a dot matrix printer in accordance with the input coded information.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus is provided for using data stored in one non-volatile memory to locate the next memory address in which to write data in another non-volatile memory of an electronic postage meter, comprising the steps of and associated apparatus for providing a first non-volatile memory for storing data therein including cumulative piece count data corresponding to the number of completed postage transactions, providing a second non-volatile memory for storing accounting data sequentially therein for each one of a predetermined number of trip cycles of the postage meter which number corresponds to the number of individually addressable trip cycle memory locations in the second non-volatile memory and defines a modulus of the second non-volatile memory, retrieving the cumulative piece count data from the first non-volatile memory during a power up cycle, dividing the cumulative piece count data by the modulus of the second non-volatile memory, and using the remainder resulting from the divisi

Abstract: An adjustment device for a latching mechanism for releasably joining and locking together two separate modules located on a flat surface. The latching mechanism includes a first module having a pair of lower fingers projecting therefrom and a pair of upper angular, locking members projecting therefrom, a second module having a pair of lower apertures for locking engagement with the pair of lower fingers and a pair of upper apertures for locking engagement with the pair of upper, angular, locking members and a cam rotatably mounted in the lower portion of the first module. The cam has a shape such that rotation of the cam is effective to lower the first module onto the second module to thereby join the two modules and continued rotation of the cam is effective to urge the second module upwardly against the first module to thereby rigidly lock together the two modules.

Abstract: In a postage meter having structures for entering data, for displaying numerical values and other data, and for printing postage, and having a computer electrically connected to each of the aforesaid structures and programmed for processing data for controlling their operation, wherein the data entering structure includes a keyboard having a plurality of depressable numeric keys, and wherein the computer means includes means for storing data and calculating amounts pertaining to the operation of said postage meter; there is provided apparatus and a method of displaying data pertaining to the operation of the postage meter.

Abstract: A postage meter, adapted to be connected to a source of supply of power for energization, is provided. The postage meter includes improved structure for entering data. The data entering structure includes a keyboard having a plurality of numeric keys, a postage setting key, at least one special purpose key and a plurality of display keys. In addition, the postage meter includes devices for displaying numerical values and other data, for selecting one of a plurality of dates, and for printing postage values and the selected date. Further, the postage meter includes a computer which is electrically connected to each of the aforesaid entering and displaying and printing devices and is programmed for processing data for controlling the operation of the same.

Abstract: A drive base which is utilized in conjunction with a postal mailing system is disclosed. The base comprises a mode selection arrangement which alternately actuates a postage metering unit or a tape drive unit located within a mailing machine. The arrangement also provides a neutral setting for the drive base. Thus, in the neutral position, the drive base prevents the meter unit or the tape drive unit from operating. The mode selection arrangement includes a first cam member for engaging either the metering unit or the tape drive unit for operation. The arrangement also includes a second cam member for preventing one of the units from rotating when the other is engaged. In addition, the second cam member prevents both units from moving when the system is in a neutral position. This base provides a simple apparatus to be utilized for actuating the various portions of a postal mailing system.

Abstract: A machine for accumulating and for stacking a plurality of documents in a first plane so that the leading end of the documents are in a shingled relationship. Upon actuation of a system of first and second pairs of feed rollers, the documents in a stack are fed along a path leading to an angularly disposed, first buckle chute of a folding device. While traveling within the first buckle chute, the first and second pairs of feed rollers cause the leading end of the stack of documents to become aligned in relationship, thereby providing squarely folded groups of documents when the folds are made in a folding device within the machine.

Abstract: An electronic postage meter includes a settable mechanism for printing postage with electronic accounting circuits coupled to the printing mechanism and a value selection control circuit for controlling the value set on the printing mechanism. An audible alarm device is mounted within the meter housing and is connected to be controlled by the microcomputer. The audible alarm device is selectively energized by the microcomputer to alert the meter user of the existence of predetermined conditions. The value selection control circuit may include a winding which is adapted to be energized under control of the microcomputer to cause the value selection control circuit to operate to control the value to which the printing mechanism is set.

Abstract: Printer apparatus for use with a dictation system including a changer device having an input stack, a recording deck for recording dictated messages, and an output stack for storing recording media onto which dictated messages have been recorded. The changer device further includes an optical reading element for reading identifying indicia on the recording medium in the recording deck. This information along with other information such as the number of dictated messages recorded on the recording medium, the time of day, etc. are printed out by the printer.

Abstract: A simplified sheet folding and envelope inserting machine is disclosed for folding and inserting of the folded sheets into envelopes. The machine is designed so that immediate access is gained when the top half is pivoted open. When opened, the first buckle chute is automatically opened, and access to another buckle chute is achieved by pivotally raising the upper wall of the other buckle chute. Jam access to the envelope filling station is immediate, since the sheet inlet guide is positioned over the inserting station, and the inlet guide raises with the top half of the machine.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine, there is at least one mail piece separating and feeding device for handling vertically oriented mail pieces to assure that only one mail piece at a time is fed into the mail processing machine. A feeding roller is positioned in a feed path defined by guide plates to keep the mail pieces in a vertical orientation, and a separator belt is mounted on a plurality of rollers mounted on a bell crank, one of the rollers being a drive roller. The bell crank is resiliently urged toward an adjustable stop member so that, a predetermined minimum gap is maintained between the outer surface of the belt and the adjacent surface of the feeding roller regardless of the extend of wear on the belt.