Abstract: The device comprises a magazine for a stack of sheets, a sheet-extracting head which can be connected to a vacuum source and is rotatably mounted on a turntable which carries a number of columns, and means for counting the number of revolutions performed by the turntable. A first safety device indicates whether the sheet-extracting head has taken more than one sheet and a second safety device checks whether the extracting head has in fact taken at least one sheet. A circular sector of the first safety device is pivotally mounted on the extracting head. The radius of the sector is equal to the distance between its geometrical axis and the cylindrical surface of the next column increased by a value between the thickness of a single sheet to be counted and the sum of thicknesses of two sheets.

Abstract: A franking machine having a locating operation applied to one out of ten tinct positions of value setting components, with five transducers provided for delivery of 5-bit coded activation information zones which makes it possible to check the accuracy of the information collected by the transducer.

Abstract: Printing wheels carried by a printing drum which is driven in rotation dug one cycle are manually set at the desired prepayment values for the purpose of franking postal envelopes, parcels and wrappers. Intermediate stopping of the machine can be effected if necessary on completion of a first part of the cycle prior to printing. Electronic means are provided for the acquisition of the prepayment value during the first part of the cycle, for the detection of fault conditions during operation, for the inhibition of the intermediate stopping means, and for transferring the prepayment value from the acquisition means to means for recording the total prepayment values.

Abstract: A device for setting the prepayment values of printing wheels in a machine or franking mail envelopes and wrappers comprises in the case of each printing wheel a mechanical planet-wheel transmission system in which an eccentrically mounted pinion is in mesh with a ring-gear within a franking drum. The ring-gear is rigidly fixed to an annular sliding disc which is freely rotatable on the drum and coupled thereto by means of a clutch. A retractable stop is capable of maintaining the clutch in the disengaged position as soon as the drum begins its movement of rotation for one revolution. The angular amplitude of rotation is predetermined in response to the position of a unit for controlling the prepayment value setting of the printing wheel considered.