Abstract: Translatable registration apparatus in an envelope turning machine. The apparatus includes: a deck for transporting a plurality of envelopes from an upstream location to a downstream location; a translatable carriage mounted to the deck and adjustable for upstream and downstream movement to accommodate different size envelopes; a yoke pivotably mounted at its upstream end to the carriage, the yoke having a stopping finger projecting upwardly at its downstream end; a solenoid located beneath the finger and mounted to the carriage; and a device engaging the solenoid and the yoke for moving the finger up above the deck and down below the deck, wherein, when the solenoid raises the finger above the deck, the stopping finger is locked in a raised position with no pressure bearing on the solenoid.

Abstract: An integrated circuit card includes a microprocessor, a memory and input and output devices. The card stores information regarding a parcel. The card is secured to the parcel and serves as a label. The card includes a liquid crystal display that displays a bar code.A similar integrated circuit card stores manifest data regarding a group of parcels. The card containing the manifest data is delivered to a carrier together with the group of parcels.

Abstract: Apparatus for singulating documents seriatim. The apparatus includes: a frame; a device for feeding documents from an upstream position to a downstream position; a separating roller rotatably mounted in the frame; a lower, take-away roller rotatably mounted in the frame situated downstream of the separating roller; and a pivotable housing pivotably mounted in the frame. The housing includes an upper, take-away roller situated above and adjacent the lower, take-away roller, and a separating stone situated above and adjacent the separating roller.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a dictation system of the type having a central voice message store for receiving and storing messages dictated by an author and for selectively playing back stored messages for transcription. The apparatus functions to transmit to particular recipients certain ones of the stored voice messages which are identified as priority messages. These priority messages are supplied to desired voice mailboxes which are used to temporarily store and transmit voice mail messages to designated recipients.

Abstract: A method of adjusting inserting apparatus capable of inserting a plurality of documents into envelopes of varying size. The method includes locating an envelope with an open flap on a template having a plurality of scales thereon for determining whether or not the inserting apparatus can accommodate the size of the envelope placed on the template and for adjusting a plurality of adjustable mechanical elements of the inserting apparatus in order to process the envelope placed on the template, and adjusting the mechanical elements in accordance with the readings on the scales.

Abstract: A computerized system for displaying menu selections, and a touch switch comprising an array of reflective sensors paralleling the menu selections for highlighting a menu choice in response to a user touch, cooperating with a spacebar type switch paralleling the array for depression by the user to execute the highlighted function.

Abstract: An inking device for a postage meter in a high speed mailing machine is disclosed in which the inking device has an ink reservoir containing an ink pad, and a cover member to secure the ink pad in the reservoir. The reservoir is formed as a generally rectangular tray having a flat bottom wall and upstanding front, rear and side walls, and includes a plurality of elongate upstanding ribs covering most of the area of the bottom wall for supporting an ink pad and for defining ink flow channels between the ribs. There are also relatively short upstanding ribs disposed around the other sides of the tray, and all of the ribs have upwardly inclined portions adjacent the front, rear and side walls against which a cover member presses to compress that portion of the ink pad which overlies the inclined portions of the ribs.

Abstract: In a material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and structure directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprises a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations.

Abstract: An integrated records management system having the capability to record and transcribe dictation. The system is particularly useful for the prompt and efficient management of patient's medical records. The system includes a digital dictation sub-system with a number of dictation input units and a number of transcription output units. The dictation system receives dictation jobs corresponding to reports, and particularly medical reports and stores them as voice files for later output for review of transcription. Job records containing information about the dictation jobs is transmitted to a database server which manages and maintains a database of medical records. The transcription output terminals together with word processing stations connected to the data base server form work stations for transcriptionists.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides for automatically controlling positioning of a moistening nozzle relative to an envelope flap being moved therepast at high speed. The invention has particular application as an envelope flap moistener in a high speed mailing machine. Envelopes are moved to and past the nozzle at a speed of at least about 65 inches per second along a given path with the flap extending from the envelope in an opened configuration thereof. A sensor attached to the nozzle senses the location of the edge of the flap within about 0.2 inch of the nozzle upstream thereof a plurality times as the flap moves to and past the nozzle. The nozzle is then positioned to track the flap edge in accordance with sensing of the envelope flap. The nozzle may be pre-positioned by a lower bandwidth servo system having an envelope sensor located further upstream of the tracking sensor. A higher bandwidth servo loop controls tracking of the nozzle in response to the tracking sensor.

Abstract: A system for processing mail pieces such as letter mail wherein the mail and the mail data are certified during such processing is provided. Information relative to the anticipated weight and thickness of each mail piece is supplied to a processor from a central computer. During processing the weight and thickness of each mail piece is measured, and if there is a difference between the actual determination and the anticipated parameters, the information is fed back to the computer so that corrections can be made for future processing. In addition, print quality of the mail is determined with regard to accuracy of addresses and readability.

Abstract: A method and system for authenication of communications. More particularly the subject application discloses a method and apparatus whereby a third party may validate that a communication is an authentic communication from a second party sent with the authorization of a first party. For example, the third party may be a postal service, the second party may be a mailer, and the communication may be a postal indicia showing that a mail piece has been properly franked. The first party and the second party share an encryption key, or a series of keys. The first party also has a second encryption key which the third party has the ability to decrypted. In the subject invention the first party encrypts a key shared with the second party with the first party's second key and transmits this to the second party. The second party then uses its copy of the key to encrypt information and appends its encrypted information to the message received from the first party and transmits all this to the third party.

Abstract: A bursting apparatus and method for conveying a web of sheet material having successive transverse lines of weakening along a longitudinal path from an upstream position to a downstream position and for separating the web along a transverse line of weakening.

Abstract: A mailing machine base includes a postage meter insertable and removable from a receptacle means, said receptacle means being mounted within said base and a tape feed assembly positioned between a home position and a second position. A tape frame assembly includes a first frame section including feed means for receiving a tape and causing said tape to displace in said tape track and gear means for driving said feed means, said tape track being fixably mounted to said first frame section at one end and aligned to receive tape from said feed means.

Abstract: A mail handling machine includes a mechanism for serially transporting along a main path sealed and unsealed close-flapped envelopes, some of which may be mis-sealed. The machine also inlcudes a mechanism for opening the flaps of the unsealed close-flapped envelopes. The flap opening mechanism includes a shaped blade pivotally mounted on the machine and located along the main path. There is also a shaped portion of a deck that includes a fixed guide edge located along the path and downstream of the blade. The blade strips open the flaps of the unsealed envelopes. A member is hingedly mounted to the trailing edge of the blade. The member is biased so as to obstruct the gap between the blade and the guide edge to prevent opened flaps from entering the gap.When a mis-sealed envelope engages the blade, causing the blade to move pivotally, the shaped portion cams up the member, which contacts the mis-sealed envelope and urges it out of engagement with the blade.

Abstract: An ink dispensing device is disclosed wherein the ink releasing member comprises two layers that serve different purposes. The layer which contacts a printing font is made of a porous material that has an open pore size of less than 30 microns and a porosity of 40% to 85%. The second layer is adjacent to the contact layer and is made from an elastic foam with larger pore size, in the range of 80 microns to 1000 microns and a porosity of greater than 70%. The second layer is impregnated with ink and acts as a reservoir for the first layer, the latter serving as a metering member.

Abstract: A power stacker for collecting delivered articles such as envelopes from a mailing machine is comprised of a support housing having a deck fixably mounted along the housing. A registration wall is fixably mounted to the housing and extending generally perpendicular relative to the deck. A stack wall is slidably mounted to the housing at one end of the deck and has a reclined surface extended generally upwardly from the deck, the stack wall being slidably mounted to the housing such that the stack wall can be horizontally displaced relative to the deck. Support rods are provided for providing article support between the deck and displaced stack wall as well as between the registration and displaced stack wall. Threaded hubs are provided for causing the delivered articles to be collected against the stack wall and assume a generally parallel stacked orientation generally parallel to the reclined surface.

Abstract: A rechargeable ink pad having particular use with solution ink. The ink pad has a bottom layer of porous polychloroprene latex foam with pore sizes of 200.mu. to 500.mu. and a top layer of polyethylene foam with pore sizes of 10.mu. to 20.mu.. The two layers are secured to one another by a fusible web adhesive. A method of customizing the porous polychloroprene latex layer to obtain desired properties by felting has been discovered. Such felting renders the finished porous polychloroprene latex foam suitable for controlled ink flow required for printing purposes.

Abstract: Apparatus for turning an envelope, including: a housing; a transport deck secured to the housing for transporting an envelope from an upstream location to a downstream location, the deck including a device for moving the envelope; a vertically extending spindle located beneath the deck, the spindle being rotatable and reciprocable and having an upper end capable of extending above the transport deck; a device for raising and rotating the spindle; and a clamping arm assembly rotatably mounted to the housing situated above the transport deck, the clamping arm assembly having a device for applying a light, downward bias on the envelope against the upper end of the spindle, and a device for applying additional pressure to the envelope after the spindle is raised.

Abstract: An electronic postage meter is disclosed which includes a plurality of print devices each individually settable to a desired position so that the print devices may print a desired postage value; a plurality of d.c. motors, one for each of the plurality of the print devices, a different one of the d.c. motors being coupled to a different one of the print devices for setting the respective print device to a respective desired position; actual position sensing means for providing signals related to the actual positions of the print devices; and a microcomputer coupled to the d.c. motors and to the actual position sensing means. The microcomputer in response to signals from the actual position sensing means, a desired postage value and programming of the microcomputer sequentially controls the d.c. motors to set the print devices to respective desired positions for printing the desired postage value.