Abstract: Postal franking apparatus in which both semi-permanent and variable information to be printed onto an envelope is stored electrically in a memory and is read out to form printing control signals for controlling a thermal printer containing thermally activable inking means at a printing station into which the envelope is placed. The thermal printer is in the form of an elongate conductive plate having a large plurality of electrical connections along its length to which are fed the printing control signals in synchronized relationship to passage of the envelope, the plate being of sufficiently high resistivity that only localized areas thereof are heated by the currents associated with the control signals, and ink is applied to the envelope only at the heated localities.

Abstract: An inking mechanism for franking or price stamping machines having a printing drum, includes a common housing having an ink storage trough formed therein, an ink application roller, an inking roller and an ink transport roller each being disposed in the common housing, a friction wheel connected to the ink application roller, the friction wheel being driven by the printing drum for driving the ink application roller, the inking roller having a cylindrical surface being contacted along the entire width thereof by the ink application roller for driving the inking roller, two friction rings connected to the ink transport roller, the ink transport roller being partially disposed in the ink storage trough and being driven by the inking roller through the friction rings, the ink transport roller accumulating a wedge-shaped ink quantity from the ink storage trough between the ink transport roller and the inking roller when the ink transport roller is rotating, and a wiper contacting the inking roller down stream of

Abstract: Device for individually separating sheets from a stack thereof by means of a band-shaped adhesive carrier extending from a supply roller over guide rollers to a wind-up roller, action of the adhesive carrier being adaptable to characteristics of the sheet surface by selection of various guide-roller profiles, including an adhesive head and a drum mounted on a disk so as to afford both angular displacement as well as rotation of the adhesive head, the disk forming an inner bearing ring of the drum for feeding the sheets, the adhesive head having a side mounting plate, one of the guide rollers projecting in use beyond the side mounting plate of the adhesive head and beyond the drum, at a location of adhesion between the adhesive carrier and a sheet to be individually separated from a stack thereof.

Abstract: An envelope or letter closing device of a postal article processing machine, includes a moistening device having a holding plate, a feeder mechanism disposed upstream of the moistening device in travel direction of the letters or envelopes for feeding the letters or envelopes to the moistening device, and a device for lifting the flaps of the envelopes or letters, the lifting device including a compressed air issuing device with an outlet opening, and a sensing device disposed in the feeder mechanism and connected to the compressed air issuing device, the sensing device causing the compressed air issuing device to issue an air stream from the outlet opening upon sensing letters or envelopes passing by for lifting the flaps of unsealed envelopes or letters and conducting the flaps below the holding plate for moistening.

Abstract: Device for locking and aligning a printing numeral roll and a control cylinder for internal counters in franking and value stamping machines, including a printing cylinder shaft, a shaped part disposed on the printing cylinder shaft, a toothed shaped part gear supported on the shaped part, a control cylinder shaft opposite the printing cylinder shaft, a toothed control disc gear being fixed on the control cylinder shaft and having a concave recess formed in the periphery thereof in which the shaped part gear is freely rotatable in a rest position, an extension disposed on the control disc gear, the control cylinder being rotatably supported on the extension, sprockets disposed on the control cylinder being settable by rotation of the shaped part gear in the rest position, a rack at least partially disposed in the printing cylinder shaft for setting the numeral roll in the rest position, the teeth of the control disc gear being engageable with the teeth of the shaped part gear for locking the control cylinder

Abstract: Weighing device, including a load table for supporting a load, a parallel motion system formed of transverse links for moving the load table, a vertical rod for supporting a load on the load table, a cross piece, a vibrating string being suspended from the vertical rod and the cross piece, and four magnet systems being disposed on the vertical rod for exciting the string to vibrations at higher frequency.

Abstract: Setting device for denominations in franking and value stamping machines, including a movable lever having edges being radially curved in a given mutual relationship, pins along which the radially curved edges are guidable, a non-rotatable control disc gear, first and second mutually engageable gears mounted on the lever, a fixed control cylinder, sprockets disposed on the fixed control cylinder, a printing cylinder, a gear being disposed on the printing cylinder and rotatable by the second gear, and a value printing numeral roll being disposed on the printing cylinder, movable by the printing cylinder gear and adjustable by the sprockets, the first gear being devolvable in steps defined by the given relationship on the fixed control cylinder and the non-rotatable control disc gear when the curved edges of the lever are guided along the pins for generating a planetary drive and thrust onto the second gear to set the denominations on the numeral roll.

Abstract: Electronic control for franking machines such as postage meters and stamping machines having a printing device, a postage value printing selection device, a total postal charge storage register and a settable subtracting value counter, including a microprocessor, a volatile main memory for storing data and non-volatilesemiconductor memories for storing data and the number of writing cycles performed, the memories being connected to the microprocessor, a line voltage power supply, supply capacitors disposed in the power supply, a switch controlled by the microprocessor for connecting the non-volatile memories to the supply capacitors of the power supply exclusively in the event of an interruption of the line voltage to cause the non-volatile memories to take over data stored in the main memory, and a register connected to one of the non-volatile memories for preventing the exceeding of a predetermined number of writing cycles of the one non-volatile memory after the power supply resumes.

Abstract: Electronically controlled indicator and testing device for the denominational printing of franking machines, including a numerical display, a microprocessor for setting values or assigned characteristics in the numerical display, a device for sequentially visualizing all numerals in the numerical display after the franking machine is turned on, a program memory, a main memory, a data memory, and an exchangeable memory each connected to the microprocessor, a printing mechanism, a selectable option printing drum, an electro-mechanical device cooperating with the microprocessor for setting denominations in the printing mechanism and option printing drum, an electronic setting tester independent of the electro-mechanical device for comparing set values in the printing mechanism and option printing drum with the set values or assigned characteristics in the numerical display and for releasing an option print only if the set values agree, a key for triggering an additional run of all numerals of the numerical displ

Abstract: Device for indicating types of mail for an option printing cylinder in franking machines, including side plates disposed on the option printing cylinder, another printing cylinder supported between the side plates in the option printing cylinder, a toothed cylinder gear connected to the other printing cylinder, a device for setting different types of printing upon rotation of the other printing cylinder, a first shaft at least partially disposed in the option printing cylinder, a setting gear rotatably supported on the first shaft, internal and external gearing formed on the setting gear, a second shaft at least partially supported in a hole formed in the first shaft, a gear being fastened on the second shaft and having teeth meshing with the internal gearing formed on the setting gear, and a gear segment having teeth meshing with the teeth of the cylinder gear to rotate and set the other printing cylinder upon rotation of the setting gear.

Abstract: Device for interlocking a stack of writing material having perforations formed therein along a margin thereof, the perforations formed in the writing material being aligned in the stack thereof so as to form respective through-bores extending from opposite marginal surfaces of the stack that are disposed adjacent to and on both sides of a back surface of the stack, includes two binding strips of identical construction, each of the binding strips having a first portion engageable with the back of the writing-material stack for covering at least part thereof, and a second portion engageable with and covering a respective one of the opposite marginal surfaces of the stack, each of the binding strips further having stringing rods and sleeves extending from the respective second portion thereof, the rods and sleeves being disposed in mutually alternating sequence and having a mutual spacing corresponding to the spacing of the aligned holes formed in the stack of writing material, the rods being formed with outer d