Abstract: A mailing machine including a postage meter for printing postage impressions on tape, a removable tape dispensing module, and a device for receiving the removable tape dispensing module. The removable tape dispensing module includes a support housing, a shaft translatably mounted in the housing, an advance roller slidably mounted on the inner end of and rotatably with the shaft, a paddle pivotably mounted on the housing and biased downwardly onto the advance roller to thereby clamp the tape, a cam fixedly mounted on the interior portion of the shaft, the cam being engagable with the paddle to lift the paddle away from the advance roller, a rotatable knob mounted on the outer end of the shaft and capable of rotating the advance roller, and a device for effecting translation of the cam in the direction of the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A weighing device is disclosed which comprises a frame, a pan element for supporting a load to be weighed, a channel member connected to the pan for retaining a plurality of weight elements in a vertically movable manner, a motor supported within the frame, a shaft member operatively connected to and extending from the motor and a plurality of vertically movable support members having top end portions adapted to receive and lift one of the weight elements. Two arms are secured to the shaft member and each extends in a direction toward the support members. In one embodiment of the present invention, each support member includes a cam track therein and each of the arms include a cam follower adapted to ride in the cam track. In another embodiment, each support member includes a cam follower extending therefrom and each of the arms include a cam track adapted to receive the cam follower such that the follower can ride in the cam track.

Abstract: In a tape recording machine having a capstan drive system for driving the tape, an improved slip clutch for allowing the take up reel to be driven at a variable rotational speed while the capstan is driven at a uniform rotational speed. The slip clutch includes a driven spindle, a plastic member fixedly secured to the top of the driven spindle, the member having a lower, elongate cylindrical portion and an upper, outwardly extending flange defining a downwardly facing shoulder and an upwardly facing cam surface, and a substantially annular, plastic hub frictionally engaging the cylindrical portion of the plastic member and having an interior diameter slightly smaller than the external diameter of the plastic member cylindrical portion.

Abstract: A weighing device is disclosed which comprises a frame, a pan element for supporting a load to be weighed, a channel member connected to the pan for retaining a plurality of weight elements in a vertically movable manner, a motor supported within the frame, a shaft member operatively connected to and extending from the motor and a plurality of support members having top end portions adapted to receive and lift one of the weight elements. Two arms are secured to the shaft member and each extends in a direction toward the support members. A switch is provided for energizing the motor when the pan is depressed by a load. The motor turns the shaft member and guides each of the arms alternately into contact with successive support members in a step-by-step manner and thereby lift a corresponding number of the weights substantially equal to the weight of the load.

Abstract: A postage meter includes a printer adapted to print postage and a computer coupled to the printer to account for postage printed by the printer. A power supply is coupled to the computer for energizing the computer to operate. The power supply includes a winding adapted to energize the power supply when magnetic flux is caused to pass through the winding. The power supply further includes a magnetic circuit for coupling magnetic flux to the winding. A housing encloses the postage meter power supply, postage meter computer and postage meter printer. The housing includes a portion adapted to allow the passage of magnetic energy into the interior thereof to energize the magnetic circuit.The postage meter may operate in conjunction with a mailing machine. The mailing machine is adapted to engage the postage meter and includes a power supply system which energizes the mailing machine.

Abstract: An electronic postal meter system is separated into a meter unit and an input/output control unit. The two units are linked by a communications link which preferably uses light transmitting fibers to transmit data and instructions. The meter unit is used to process and store only that data which pertains to the critical accounting functions of the meter or to the control of the printer driven by the electronics control within the meter unit. Less critical functions, such as zip-to-zone conversions, are restricted to the less secure control unit. By restricting the meter unit to highly critical data and by enclosing only the meter unit in a secure housing, the overall security of the meter system is enhanced. Novel failure detect circuitry for a printer setting detector array and a novel event-indicating signal generator circuit are disclosed. The significant routines employed in the operation of the meter system are described.

Abstract: Conveying apparatus for embossing machines for producing printing plates for address printing machines or for identification means made out of sheet metal or plastic material. The embossing machine conveying apparatus is capable of moving the printing plates in two directions which are perpendicular to each other. One of these directions is the direction required for character embossing within a print or read line and the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first, is in the direction of line spacing.

Abstract: A postage meter indicia plate that has openings therein for the purpose of receiving the print wheels of the postage meter print head. The surface of the plate is covered with a elastomeric material so as to facilitate printing but has a metallic portion exposed in this elastomeric material for including identification markings. A locking mechanism is also provided so that the indicia plate cannot be removed from the postage meter without complete disassembly of the latter.

Abstract: An electrostatic copier having a control system wherein switches are used to detect conditions that would lead to paper jams. Such jams could result from sheets that are too short to be conveyed or as a result of overlong originals being copied during a copy cycle of an electrostatic copier of the coated paper type having an automatic document feeder. Circuitry is provided to re-sequence the system if copy paper is in transmit at the time of a power failure and the copy paper is located in a position that would result in a jam or an overlong copy sheet if the copier were to operate from a start mode.

Abstract: An improved agitating device in a developing apparatus for use in an electrophotocopying machine, wherein the developing apparatus includes a sump for holding a two-component developing material made up of a marking constituent and a magnetic carrier constituent, and a hopper for holding and dispensing the marking constituent to the sump. The improved agitating device agitates the marking constituent held in the hopper, and includes a straight section of wire rotatable through the marking constituent in the hopper, and a compression spring surrounding and hanging on the straight section of wire.

Abstract: A bursting apparatus for separating sheets in a continuous intermittently perforated form web is disclosed. The apparatus includes a feed roller, a burst roller and a bursting device, said bursting device disposed between said feed roller and said burst roller and comprising two horizontally positioned cone sections wherein their base portions are adjacent to each other and are encircled at least in part by a bursting ring, said bursting ring having a portion extending beyond said cone base portions in at least a portion of its outer periphery.

Abstract: This invention relates to circuitry for non-impact printers that use light emitting diodes (LED's) to produce an image on a photoconductor and for controlling the output of each LED of a light emitting diode array that is part of the printer. A binary weighted duty cycle control is used to obtain substantial uniformity in the light emitted from each LED. The binary cycle is time related so that through use of a four-bit code, sixteen outputs are available which yield sixteen periods during which an LED may be enabled.

Abstract: In apparatus including framework adapted for removably mounting the apparatus in operating relationship with respect to a postage meter having a lever movable between a plurality of postage value selecting positions, wherein the apparatus includes a base having an aperture formed therein which is dimensioned to permit movement of the lever within the aperture when the apparatus is mounted in its operating relationship; there is provided structure for movably connecting the base to the framework for movement between a first position and a second position. The structure includes at least one spring interconnecting the base and framework for urging the base into the first position, the base being manually movable from the first position to the second position, and the aperture including a portion thereof dimensioned for permitting passage of the lever through the base when the base is disposed in the second position.

Abstract: A circuit for testing a segment of a digital display comprising a segment of a digital display having a cathode filament for conducting electrical current and for emitting electrons, and detecting means connected to the cathode filament for detecting electrical current flow across it. Also provided is a method for testing the proper operation of characters or digits of a digital display.

Abstract: An envelope flap sealing device in a mailing machine, including a moistener separator blade, a moistening brush attached to and located downstream of the separator blade, at least one pair of feed rollers for transporting envelopes past the moistening brush, a pivotable, deflecting baffle situated intermediate the feed rollers and the separator blade, and a cam operatively connected to the deflecting baffle for pivoting the baffle about its downstream end whereby the upstream end of the baffle is translatable between a raised position and a flat position, wherein the raised position guides an envelope flap under the moistening brush to thereby seal the flap and the flat position causes the envelope flap to pass over the moistening brush and not be sealed.

Abstract: An Edge Printing Device is utilized adjacent to the exposure station of a document reproducing apparatus having an auxiliary document handling apparatus mounted over the exposure station. The documents, moving over the exposure station drive a friction roller which in turn rotates an indicia roller so that supplemental information thereon is copied simultaneously with the image on the moving document. The supplemental information is produced on an edge portion of the copy sheet, in an area beyond the lateral dimensions on the copy sheet.

Abstract: A postage meter for use in a remote meter resetting system has data entered by a user of a selected, variable amount of postage in preparation for funding the postage meter with that amount. A unique combination is generated by the meter which varies as they function of signals generated within the postage meter and of the selected, variable postage amount entered into the postage meter. The meter also generates a unique user accessible authorization code which is employed by the user when communications are established with a remotely located data center. The unique authorization code is dependent upon the number of times the meter has been reset and on the other conditions within the meter. The data center computes and provides to the user a combination to be entered into the meter. The externally generated combination received from the data center is entered by a user into the postage meter. The meter generated combination and externally generated combinations are compared within the meter.

Abstract: A non-impact printer in which a source of image information such as a computer, facsimile machine, word processor or the like provides image information to an image transfer device which transfers the image to a moving image receiving surface for printing of the image as hard copy. A motion encoder senses the motion of the image receiving surface and creates a digital timing signal representative of the motion. A logic circuit selectively delays the input of the image information signal to the image transfer device in response to digital timing signal to synchronize motion of the image receiving surface with transfer of the image to the image receiving surface.

Abstract: An electronic postage meter includes a memory protection circuit. The memory protection circuit prevents the inadvertent writing of spurious data into memory locations in the nonvolatile memory during a power down cycle. The memory protection circuit works in conjection with a WRITE voltage terminal associated with the nonvolatile memory. Means couple a first voltage source providing a predetermined polarity voltage to the WRITE voltage terminal when a predetermined power condition exists such that the nonvolatile memory is enabled to have data written into memory locations. When the predetermined power condition does not exist, the means utilize a second different voltage source to change the voltage level at the WRITE voltage terminal to insure that data is not written into the memory locations.

Abstract: An external, reciprocating platen carriage mounted upon an electrophotographic copying machine has a document cover pivotally mounted on the rear elongated portion of the carriage assembly. The document cover has a retaining pocket which extends substantially along a major portion of its longest mounting side, and laterally a relatively short portion of its width. The pocket includes ends which prevent documents which are placed upon the uppermost surface of the cover from sliding off the cover due to abrupt terminal motion of the platen carriage.