Abstract: A system that uses a digital postage meter or Postal Security Device to add information to the indicia that indicates that the mail piece has already been scanned. This information will inform the scanner and a human that the postage paid for, as indicated in the indicia, has been used. The foregoing is accomplished by printing a scanner readable data field in the indicia or in the vicinity of the indicia that indicates the mail piece was received. Human readable data is also printed in the indicia or in the vicinity of the indicia that indicates the mail piece was received. For instance, the word "VOID" may be written in coded form and/or in human readable form. Information regarding the canceling of the indicia is transmitted to a data center.

Abstract: A permit mail metering system that preprints the non-variable portion of an indicia. The pre-printed portions may be printed with a fluorescent and phosphorescent ink, while other pre-printed portions may be printed using standard colored or black inks. The postal indicia also includes an encrypted code for added security. Some variable printed portions may be printed with a fluorescent and phosphorescent ink, while other variable portions may be printed using standard colored or black non-luminescent inks.

Abstract: A buckle accumulator including an input feed system, an output feed system located downstream in a path of travel from the input feed system, a receiving space located adjacent the path of travel between the input feed system and the output feed system, and a deflector. The input feed system feeds a plurality of sheets one at a time in a path of travel into the buckle accumulator. Each of the plurality of sheets has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The output feed system feeds a stack of sheets out of the buckle accumulator. Generally, the lead edge for each of the plurality of sheets is substantially unrestrained between the input feed system and the output feed system. The receiving space accepts the plurality of sheets one at a time to create the stack. The deflector is mounted in proximity to the receiving space for selectively actuating between a first position out of contact with a first sheet previously accumulated in the receiving space and a second position in contact with the first sheet.

Abstract: Mailing machine including a transport apparatus for feeding a mailpiece in a path of travel, a printer module including a first array of print elements and a second array of print elements and a control system in operative communication with the transport means and the printer module. The first array of print elements are positioned substantially transverse to the path of travel for printing a first portion of a postal indicia while the second array of print elements are substantially parallel to the first array of print elements and located downstream in the path of travel from the first array of print elements for printing a second portion of the postal indicia.

Abstract: A separator assembly operative to separate and feed individual documents from a storage tray of an inset feeder apparatus. The separator assembly including an adjustment assembly configured to adjustably position the separator roller relative to the separator stone. The separator assembly further includes a leverage assembly configured to raise the separator roller from an adjusted position to a height suitable for clearing a paper jam and to return the separator roller to the adjusted position relative to the separator stone. The leverage assembly and adjustment assembly both having respective operator actuated mechanisms positioned atop one of the first and second side portions of the feeder apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing the direction of travel of a flat article being conveyed seriatim along a paper path without changing the orientation of the flat article with respect to a first direction of travel. The apparatus includes a deck having an upstream end for receiving a flat article being conveyed along a paper path in a first direction and a registration wall upstanding on the deck and spaced from the upstream end, the registration wall having a longitudinal axis defining a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. A drive assembly is operatively coupled to the deck in proximity to the registration wall and is operative to seize a first leading edge of a flat article traveling in the first direction on the deck and convey the flat article in the second direction such that the leading edge of the flat article abuts against the registration wall.

Abstract: An inserter is disclosed having an insertion station and a feeding mechanism for feeding an envelope to the insertion station with the bottom edge of the envelope leading and the envelope flap in an open position and trailing, envelope opening mechanism at the insertion station and sheet feeding mechanism. A sensor detects the leading edge of the envelope as it is fed to the insertion station and, in response, causes the envelope opening mechanism to open the envelope after its arrival at the insertion station. The sensor also detects whether the envelope flap, when the envelope is waiting at the insertion station, is not in its open position and, when this is the case, it terminates operation of the envelope feeding mechanism and sheet feeding mechanism for the next envelope and sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets from a sheet stack, having a feed deck for supporting the sheet stack and a pair of spaced apart parallel guide rails on the feed deck for receiving the sheet stack between the guide rails. A sheet feeding assembly is mounted in proximity to a sheet feeding end of the feed deck and is operative to feed individual lowermost sheets from the sheet stack, the sheet feeding assembly including a continuously rotating feed drum having an inner and outer circumference and a plurality of suction openings and a vacuum assembly received in the inner circumference of the feed drum and having at least one rotating cylinder coupled to a vacuum source and movable between an actuated position for drawing air downward through the portion of the feed drum extending above the planar surface of the feed deck and a default position preventing the drawing of air through the feed drum when a vacuum is applied to the at least one rotating cylinder.

Abstract: A postage metering system includes a plurality of printer modules connected as part of a network and operating as clients on the network. Postal security devices (PSDs) are coupled the clients. Each PSD is local to the coupled client functioning as a host to the PSD and remote to the other of the plurality of clients. The PSD includes unique identification, postal value storage and a digital signature generator. The clients function as a postage metering network wherein a client requests evidence of postage payment from a remote PSD for concluding postage metering transactions. Each of the clients determines which of the remote PSDs are available for metering transactions on the network by broadcast messages and requests. In one embodiment, a broadcast request for the identity of remote PSDs whose host is logged onto the network is sent over the network by a client when the client logs onto the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing mail pieces by a mailer for mailing by a postal facility utilizes a manifesting system to evidence payment by the mailer to the postal facility for the cost of the mailing. A discrete batch of mail is identified, and each piece in the batch is weighed in succession by a scale which includes a first data processing means and a first data base, and the weight is entered in the first data base, optionally together with other information that is pertinent to the cost of mailing. A first printer collocated with the scale prints a unique number for each mail piece.

Abstract: An ink jet printing system includes a user interface for communicating messages between the ink jet printer and an operator and controller in operative communication with the user interface. The controller disables printing of certain information other than a test pattern in response to a predetermined event, generates a random message, prints a test pattern in response to a predetermined event, incorporates the generated random message within the test pattern, receives an indication of the random message from the operator, compares the received random message with the generated random message, and if the received random message equals the generated random message, enables printing of certain information other than the test pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for canceling mailpieces includes structure for transporting the mailpieces through the apparatus; a printing device; a device for detecting the presence and location of a postage indicium on a first one of the mailpieces, the postage indicium having a machine readable portion; and a controller, operatively in communication with the printing device and the detecting device, for receiving detection data from the detecting device and for causing the printing device to print a postage indicium cancellation mark on the first mailpiece relative to the postage indicium such that the postage indicium cancellation mark does not degrade the readability of the machine readable portion. A method corresponds to operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: A postage metering system includes a plurality of printer modules operatively connected as part of a network and operating as client printer modules on the network. A postal security device (PSD) is coupled directly to a local one of the client printer modules. The PSD includes unique identification, postal value storage and a digital signature generator. The client printer modules function as a postage metering network wherein a one of the client printer modules remote to the PSD requests evidence of postage payment from the PSD through the local client printer module for concluding postage metering transactions. The local client printer module function as a stand-alone meter when requests for evidence of postage payment from the PSD are initiated at the local client printer module.

Abstract: A system controls the downloading of images from a portable device into a postage meter so that the downloaded images can be subsequently printed by the postage meter. The portable device is useable in conjunction with a fixed number of meter serial numbers and can be used for downloading of images into any meter until the fixed number has been met and accounted for by the portable device. At this point in time, the portable device is only capable of downloading the image into the specific meters that previously had the images downloaded from the portable device.

Abstract: A postage meter printer for printing a postage indicia with authentication information. The printer has two printheads. One printhead is supplied with an ink that has the characteristic of being readable by an optical character reader and the second printhead is supplied with a second ink that includes a fluorescent ink. The printer is of a size such that both printheads are able to print in an area prescribed by the postal service as the area to be occupied by a postage indicia.

Abstract: A postage metering system includes a plurality of meter printers operatively connected as part of a metering network and operating as client meter printers on the meter printer network. At least one postal security device (PSD) is coupled to at least one of the client meter printers (local client meter printer). The PSD includes unique identification the ability to store postal value and generate digital signatures. The client meter printers function as a postage metering network wherein a client meter printer other than the local client meter printer (remote client meter printer) requests evidence of postage payment from the PSD for concluding a postage metering transaction. The local client meter printer functions as a meter server and the remote client meter printer functions as a meter client on the postage metering network. The remote client meter printer initiates a postage metering transaction in the PSD by sending a request for evidence of postage payment to the local client meter printer.

Abstract: A management librarian for shipping carriers is configured to access a registry containing carrier identifiers corresponding to the carriers and module identifier corresponding to carrier rate modules. The carrier rate modules contain item rating instructions arranged to rate the item for a respective carrier from among the carriers. The carrier management librarian is also configured to load into the executable space of a client application a selected carrier rate module corresponding to the selected carrier based on module identifiers accessed in the registry. An entry point for the item rating instructions is identified, based on an associated module identifier corresponding to the selected carrier.