Abstract: A sheet feeder including a rotateable feed roller for feeding sheets in a path of travel and retarding apparatus operatively coupled with the feed roller for forming a nip therebetween; wherein the retarding apparatus rotates along with the feed roller when a single sheet is in the nip and the retarding apparatus does not rotate when a plurality of sheets are in the nip.

Abstract: An apparatus has a transport mechanism for transporting mailpieces to a printing and weighing station. The apparatus also includes a weighing device; a printing mechanism operatively associated with the weighing device to form the printing and weighing station; a carriage assembly moveably mounted in the apparatus, the printing mechanism removeably supported on the carriage assembly to move therewith between the printing and weighing station and at least a second station; and structure to transfer complete support of the printing mechanism from the carriage assembly to the weighing device during movement of the printing mechanism into the printing and weighing station.

Abstract: Apparatus for accumulating sheets of material. The apparatus includes: a housing; a continuous web of sheet material supported by the housing; a device to advance the continuous web; a device to sever the continuous web into strips of a desired length; and a device for accumulating a strip or a plurality of strips into a single collation, wherein the plurality includes one or more strips of a given length and only one strip of a variable length equal to or less than the given length.

Abstract: An apparatus for ensuring proper registration of a mailpiece in a feed path of a postage meter prior to printing includes a printing mechanism; detecting structure which detects first and second edges of the mailpiece in the feed path, the detecting structure initiating printing by the printing mechanism on the mailpiece at times when the first and second edges are concurrently detected in the feed path by the detecting structure and inhibiting printing by the printing mechanism at times when the first and second edges are not concurrently detected in the feed path by the detecting means. A method accomplishes the function of the apparatus.

Abstract: A counterbalance device for a mail processing system includes a cover; a base; a support arm fixedly mounted to one of the cover and the base and articulately mounted to the other of the cover and the base such that the cover and the base pivot relative to each other; a device for counterbalancing the one of the cover and the base to create a predetermined force profile throughout a full range of pivoting movement of the one of the cover and the base from a closed position to a fully opened position relative to the other of the cover and the base. The predetermined force profile represents the net force acting on the one of the cover and the base at each point in the full range of pivoting movement.

Abstract: A mailing machine is disclosed in which a digital printing device, preferably of the ink jet type, is mounted for movement between one of two printing positions, in one of which the printing device will print a postage indicia direction on envelopes being fed through the mailing machine, and in the other of which the printing device prints the postage indicia on a strip of tape which is extracted from the mailing machine and affixed to an envelope which is incapable of being fed through the mailing machine. There is also a third position for the printing device which is a maintenance position to which the printing device is moved after each or some other predetermined number of printing cycles for the purpose of cleaning the ink ejecting portion of the printing device and/or maintaining a suitable high ink solvent vapor atmosphere adjacent to the ink ejecting portion of the printing device.

Abstract: A flat bed printing mechanism for a postage meter is disclosed which includes a flat printing die, a platen mounted beneath the printing which is movable toward and away from the printing die to as to bring the image area of a mail piece disposed over the platen into printing contact with the printing die. The platen supports a resilient pressure pad which contacts the mail piece, and there is a resilient means interposed between the upper surface of the platen and the lower surface of the pressure pad to support the pressure pad in spaced relationship with the upper surface of the platen so that the pressure pad is free to move both linearly and angularly with respect to the platen when the platen moves upwardly to press the mail piece against the printing die, to cause the plane of the upper surface of the pressure pad to conform to the plane of the image area of the mail piece as the platen pushes the image area of the mail piece upwardly toward the printing die.

Abstract: The drive system for a mailing flat bed postage printing apparatus includes a postage meter cartridge having an indicia plate mounted in the base of the printing apparatus. An inking system is included for inking the indicia plate. The inking system includes a drive motor mounted to the base in driving communication with a first shaft rotatively mounted in the base. A cam is mounted to the first shaft having a cam surfaces. An ink tray is positionable by a linkage system wherein the linkage system includes cam followers in communication with the cam surface to position the ink tray in response to the rotational position of the cam. A platen is reciprocally positionable between a first and print position in the base. The cam is rotated in a first range wherein the cam surface positions the linkage system and a second range of rotation wherein the linkage system is in a dwell mode.

Abstract: An automatically settable date printing apparatus adapted particularly for use in postage meters which print an indicia on envelopes as they are fed seriatim past a rotary printing drum in the postage meter in which a plurality of print wheels print the day, month and year successively for each day. The apparatus includes a date print wheel assembly having individual print wheels for printing the unit day, the decade day, the month and the year for any given date. A drive wheel assembly includes a plurality of independent drive wheels for driving the date print wheels an appropriate amount, the drive wheel which is connected to the unit day print wheel being the sole source of input drive for the other drive wheels which rotate the other date print wheels by an appropriate amount through transfer components on the drive wheels.

Abstract: A simplified low cost, low wear, sheet registration and feeding system for laterally (side) registering a sheet without frictional drive slippage against the sheet and while maintaining feeding control in the primary forward feeding direction of the sheet. The sheet may be fed both forward and laterally (towards a side guide edge for side registration) utilizing only multiple sheet-engaging rotatable ellipsoidal rollers angularly mounted around the periphery of a fixed angle rotating hub member. The sheet-engaging rollers rotate with the hub member to so feed the sheet, but are also rotatable about their own, different, axes of rotation, which axes are parallel to the forward feeding direction of the sheet and the side guide to allow the sheet-engaging rollers to roll after side registration is achieved to prevent excessive lateral feeding force and undesirable slippage, smearing and/or wear.

Abstract: An apparatus in which lateral movement of a moving belt is controlled so that the belt moves in a pre-determined path. The apparatus includes at least one rotatably mounted roller having an elastic membrane entrained thereabout. The coefficient of friction between the elastic membrane and the roller is low so as to form a low friction interface therebetween. A pair of opposed, spaced flanges constrain the belt. As the belt moves in a lateral direction, one of the flanges engages a side edge of the belt to prevent lateral movement thereof. When the side edge of the belt engages the flange, the elastic membrane slips on the roller when the force applied on the side edge of the belt is greater than the maximum frictional force between the roller and the elastic membrane, in the direction of lateral movement of the belt.