Abstract: A mail sender processes batches of mail each of which is accompanied by a statement summarizing the type and number of mail pieces sent and amount of postage for each batch. During processing, each mail piece is identified by a unique number for security purposes.

Abstract: A system for processing batch mail in which the need for on-site inspection is unnecessary. The mail sender purchases postage from a central station thereby authorizing him to send mail equal to the amount of postage purchased.The mail sender processes batches of mail each of which is accompanied by a statement summarizing the type and number of mail pieces sent and amount of postage for each batch. The 10 statement contains data that allows mail payment verification.

Abstract: A wicking apparatus for supplying moisture to a sheet document. The apparatus includes: a housing; a reservoir secured to the housing for storing a supply of water; a wicking unit secured to the housing, the unit having a lower, inclined surface, an inlet leading to the inside of the unit, and an interior channel leading from the inlet to the inclined surface; a wicking material situated on the inclined surface and adjacent the interior channel, the wicking material extending beyond the inclined surface; a device for urging a sheet document into contact with the wicking material; and a device for supplying water under pressure to the wicking material.

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and apparatus for 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 comprise 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 improved brushless motor apparatus has a first housing section which defines a generally cylindrical chamber enclosed by first and second end walls. A first rotor section is rotatively mounted in the chamber. The chamber has a plurality of formed stators winding in line communication with a first coupler. The rotor having a second rotor section extending beyond said second end wall to which a actuation disk is detachably mounted. The actuator disk has magnetized on one face a commutator ring and a encoder ring. A driver board is detachably mounted to the second end wall and has fixably mounted thereto a second coupler mating with the first coupler. A plurality of commutator sensors are aligned opposite to the commutator ring and a plurality of encoder sensors are aligned opposite the encoder ring. The driver board has mounted to its second face a third coupler and a driver circuit in electronic communication with the commutator and encoder sensors, and the second coupler and the third coupler.

Abstract: A locking arrangement is disclosed for a machine, such as a postage meter, which includes a rotatable member (12) which rotates when the machine performs an operating cycle and a mechanical or electromechanical register (22; 20) for being incremented or decremented in response to operation of the machine. The arrangement includes a clutch (24) arranged between a fixed structure or member (28) and the rotatable member (12) the clutch being operable to engage or release said fixed structure or member. Means (60; 78) are associated with the registers (22; 20) for actuating the clutch to prevent rotation of the rotatable member (12) when the register displays a predetermined value.

Abstract: A printing cartridge adapted for use with thermal transfer printing apparatus. The cartridge includes a frame defining first and second printing stations, a ribbon supply spool, and a ribbon take-up spool, both of the spools being rotatably mounted on the frame. The ribbon has a backing layer and an ink donor layer and is guided in a feed path extending from the supply spool through the first and second printing stations, again through the first station, then to the take-up spool. The frame of the cartridge is adapted to receive a thermal printing head for engaging the ribbon at each of the first and second printing stations. The feed path has a first leg extending from the supply spool, through the first printing station, to the second printing station; a second leg extending through the second printing station to the first printing station; and a third leg extending through the first printing station to the take-up spool.

Abstract: A postage meter accounting system is provided having a user terminal which interfaces with and controls an electronic postage meter. The user terminal is also connected to an integrated circuit card read-write unit for receiving user, administrator, service and/or program integrated circuit cards. The user terminal activates and permits use of the meter upon presentation of a valid user card, storages postage meter use information and transmits the postage meter use information to the user card for storage in a user card transaction table. The postage meter use information stored in the user terminal and in user card memory may be accessed for later reference on a user terminal display and/or printer. Preferably, an administrative computer is provided for periodically receiving all postage meter use information from the user cards or, alternatively, directly from the user terminal to generate one or more postage meter use accounting reports.

Abstract: An envelope drive assembly for assuming displacement control over an envelope along a deck supported on a support assembly including a drive means for receiving the envelope traversing the deck and assuming displacement control over the envelope. The drive means has a shaft having a drive roller fixably mounted centrally around a portion of the shaft such that a radial portion of the drive roller extent into an opening in the deck. A motor drive is provided for rotating the shaft. A support member having at least one biasing roller rotatively mounted thereto is positioned radially opposite the drive roller. The support member is pivotally mounted and biased such that the biasing roller is biased against the drive roller. A processor controls the drive motor. A sensor is provided for sensing the presence of the leading and trailing edge of the envelope in the nip area of the biasing roller and drive roller and informing the processor thereof.

Abstract: The reverse belt drive assembly is mounted to an envelope feeding apparatus. The envelope feeding apparatus includes a deck along which sheet member is caused to traverse by a drive assembly. The reverse belt drive assembly includes a first frame pivotally mounted to the apparatus above the deck and drive assembly. The first frame rotatively supporting a plurality of first and second rollers such that respective ones of the first and second rollers are in longitudinal spaced apart relationship. A first endless belt extends around respective ones of the first and second rollers. A second frame is pivotally mounted to the first frame. The second frame rotatively supporting a plurality of third rollers axially aligned to the first rollers and a plurality of fourth rollers, respective one of the third and fourth rollers being in longitudinal spaced apart relationship and having a second endless belt extending around respective ones of the third and fourth rollers.

Abstract: A postage meter recharging system is provided wherein an authorized value card center maintains a customer account of available postage funds. Upon confirmation of a meter access code the value card center debits the customer account and authorizes issuance of an integrated circuit value card bearing in memory a meter combination code and an appropriate amount of postage meter funds. The value card is inserted into the value card read-write unit of a postage meter terminal and, upon confirmation of the proper meter combination code, transfers at least a portion of the postage meter funds from the value card to the postage meter vault.

Abstract: A buckle chute folder for folding a plurality of paper sheets. The folder includes: a buckle chute; a pair of folding rollers downstream of the buckle chute; a curved paper guide downstream and adjacent the folding rollers for changing the direction of the folded sheets as they exit the folding rollers; and a pair of exit rollers downstream of the paper guide. One of the exit rollers has a fluorinated ethylene propylene sleeve whereby neither of the exit rollers feeds a paper sheet forming a part of the plurality of paper sheets ahead of any other of the paper sheets forming the plurality of paper sheets.

Abstract: A dictation system having two or more recording units, each selectively operable as a dictation unit or a transcription unit, and including a selector for selecting a respective unit for recording or transcription. A unit selected for recording dictation is enabled if a record medium therein is ready, or initialized, for recording; otherwise the unit is enabled for transcription. While one unit operates to record dictation, the other may operate simultaneously to transcribe previously recorded dictation. In a system having at least three recording units, at least two are identified with respective, particular identities and the third is designated a spare recording unit. After a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded on any one of the identified recording units, further dictation destined for that identified unit is recorded on the spare unit, and the identity of the spare unit is charged over to be equal to the identity of the recording unit for which dictation had been intended.

Abstract: The network is particularly useful in office communications. The network includes a plurality of transceiver units, each of which can be used as a telephone, or as a dictation terminal, or optionally as an automatic telephone answering machine. The network includes a personal computer for performing various communications and communication control functions. A private branch telephone exchange ("PBX") can be included. Preferably, each transceiver unit includes a visual display for displaying messages. Messages can be sent from the computer to the transceiver units, or from one transceiver unit to another. The messages can be pre-set standard messages, or messages created uniquely. A telephone or PBX operator may send messages through the network reporting missed telephone calls, thus avoiding the need for written notes or other memoranda. The personal computer is used to send, forward, store and log messages. It can do telephone call accounting.

Abstract: The front feeder for a high speed machine for handling mixed mail, including a nudger drive assembly for advancing the mail pieces while maintaining registration and for fluffing a stack of mail contributing to preshingling of the mail as it is advanced downstream, angled decks and a back prop for a guideless hopper region, a tamper subsystem for maintaining registration of flapped envelopes, and structure configured to guide one envelope flaps along a slot for downstream sealing purposes.

Abstract: In a mail-handling machine for processing mixed mail, a flap-stripper for opening the flap of an unsealed envelope is mounted for rotation to intercept and detect a mis-sealed envelope to avoid jamming the machine. A deflecting finger with a small idler roller pushes down on the envelope before it reaches the flap-stripper.

Abstract: A material processing apparatus for collating and feeding documents, comprising a plurality of document feeding modules, each of the modules including a source of documents, a queuing station, means for feeding documents from the source to the queuing station control means, and sensing means for sensing the position of a document within the module, a data link interconnecting adjacent modules, means for appling a collation signal to the control means for defining a collation operation in the module, the control means responsive to a arrival of documents at the queuing station in accordance with the collation signal for providing a ready signal, first and second modules positioned adjacent one another, the second being in a downstream location from the first module, the second module control means providing to the first module control means its the ready signal indicating the second module is ready to receive the document collation, the first module control means responsive to its ready signal and to the secon

Abstract: The belt tensioning apparatus is comprised of a generally elongated housing having a first section and a second section. The second sections includes a lengthwise slot formed therein. A slide member having a roller rotatively mounted at one end and a tab formed at the other end is slidably mounted in the housing such that the slide member tab is located in said slot. A spring is mounted in the housing second section for applying a biasing force on the tab.

Abstract: The network is particularly useful in office communications. The network includes a plurality of transceiver units, each of which can be used as a telephone, or as a dictation terminal, or optionally as an automatic telephone answering machine. The network includes a personal computer for performing various communications and communication control functions. Preferably, each transceiver unit includes a visual display for displaying messages. The computer stores and retrieves information regarding appointments that the users of the network may have. Daily, weekly and monthly appointment calendars are provided for every user of the network. The user is given a reminder message through the network at a predetermined time prior to the appointment. Appointment schedules for current, prior and future time periods can be viewed.

Abstract: A material processing system for collating and feeding documents as collations for insertion into an envelope, comprising first and second feeding modules, and an insertion module, each of the feeding modules including document position sensing means and a controller, each of the feeding module controllers responsive to a first signal for creating a collation of documents and generating a second signal indicative of the collation, the second signal indicating an error condition in the collation when the sensors indicate non compliance with the first signal, means for passing the second signal from each feeding module controller to the insertion module, a rejection station positioned in the insertion module, the insertion module including a base controller, the base controller connected to the feeding module controllers and responsive to a collation error condition in the second signal for activating the reject station and rejecting the collation.