Abstract: In a mail processing machine having a receive deck for receiving a stack of mail items for printing, jogging means for jogging the stack of items against a reference wall, selection means for extracting mail items for printing one by one from stack of items, and print means for printing a postal imprint on the selected mail item, a jogging device is provided that includes an external strip slidably mounted on a moving slideway and having a jogging flat mounted at the terminal end thereof, a brake-forming friction shoe secured to the stationary slideway and mounted between the stationary slideway and the moving slideway, and a resilient element having one end connected to the moving slideway and its other end connected to the external strip in order to cause the external strip to back off automatically through a determined distance from the moving slideway once the jogging flap has been brought into contact with the stack of mail items.

Abstract: A feed module for feeding envelopes into a mail handling machine, which feed module comprises envelope conveyor means for conveying said envelopes through the feed module, separator means for selecting said envelopes one-by-one, moistener means for moistening a flap of the envelope selected in this way, and closure means for pressing the envelope closed and for ejecting it from the feed module, said closure means comprising two superposed extractor rollers, each of which has a respective ribbed portion that is made of a hydrophobic material and that extends over a width corresponding to at least the width of a print zone in which the postal imprint is to be printed.

Abstract: In a feeder of a mail handling machine, a conveyor device is provided that includes a plurality of a drive members controlled by a suitable drive mechanism and designed to pass through a mail item receiver bed of said feeder, and each of said drive members is constituted by a cylindrical wheel provided with a set of straight teeth formed by a plurality of teeth between which there are interposed a plurality of independent small rollers having axes perpendicular to the axis of the wheel.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine comprising a reception plate for receiving, in the form of a stack of items, the mail items to be printed, a jogging means for jogging this stack of items against a reference wall, a selection means for extracting the mail items to be printed from this stack of items one by one, and a printing means for printing a postal stamp on the selected mail item, an anti-skew device is provided, comprising a plurality of pivoting levers which are each positioned at a defined distance from the reference wall and a first end of which extends through an orifice made in the reception plate, in order to form, above the plate, a removable lateral obstacle for the mail items. These defined distances each correspond to a width of envelope of different format.

Abstract: A feeder module for feeding envelopes into a mail handling machine, which feeder module has, from upstream to downstream relative to a direction of advance of the mail items, a tray for receiving a stack of envelopes, a device for selecting said envelopes one-by-one, a separator having an active separation zone formed by a sharp cutting portion for separating the envelop flaps from the envelope bodies, and a moistener for moistening the flaps separated in this way.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for moistening envelope flaps, comprising a reservoir of liquid, means for pumping this liquid and, disposed transversely with respect to a direction of advance of the envelopes and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane for supporting these envelopes, means for spraying on the envelope flaps a part of the liquid pumped from the reservoir of liquid. This inclination of the spray means corresponds to the angle of inclination of the flaps of envelopes with folded down flaps.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine comprising a reception plate for receiving, in the form of a stack of items, the mail items to be printed, a jogging means for jogging this stack of items against a reference wall, a selection means for extracting the mail items to be printed from this stack of items one by one, -and a printing means for printing a postal stamp on the selected mail item, an anti-skew device is provided, comprising a plurality of pivoting levers which are each positioned at a defined distance from the reference wall and a first end of which extends through an orifice made in the reception plate, in order to form, above the plate, a removable lateral obstacle for the mail items. These defined distances each correspond to a width of envelope of different format.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine having a receive deck for receiving a stack of mail items for printing, jogging means for jogging the stack of items against a reference wall, selection means for extracting mail items for printing one by one from stack of items, and print means for printing a postal imprint on the selected mail item, a jogging device is provided that includes an external strip slidably mounted on a moving slideway and having a jogging flat mounted at the terminal end thereof, a brake-forming friction shoe secured to the stationary slideway and mounted between the stationary slideway and the moving slideway, and a resilient element having one end connected to the moving slideway and its other end connected to the external strip in order to cause the external strip to back off automatically through a determined distance from the moving slideway once the jogging flap has been brought into contact with the stack of mail items.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for moistening envelope flaps, comprising a reservoir of liquid, means for pumping this liquid and, disposed transversely with respect to a direction of advance of the envelopes and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane for supporting these envelopes, means for spraying on the envelope flaps a part of the liquid pumped from the reservoir of liquid. This inclination of the spray means corresponds to the angle of inclination of the flaps of envelopes with folded down flaps.

Abstract: A moistening system suitable for mail handling systems comprises a moistening member mounted vertically on a water reservoir from which it is fed with water and on which it has a projecting part. The reservoir is mounted with the moistening member below the path, the length of the reservoir substantially corresponding to the width of the path. The reservoir is divided along its length into independent individual departments into which the moistening member dips.

Abstract: Device for unjamming mail items retained in the transportation path of a mail handling machine, the mail items being transported by several series of drive rollers distributed all along this transportation path and at least two series of rollers (12, 14) of which are placed, with respect to the direction of advance of the mail items, respectively upstream and downstream of means (16) for printing the postal imprint. This device comprises manual control means in order, in a first position, to partly clear the transportation path for the mail items by simultaneously lowering the upstream and downstream drive rollers, and in order, in a second position, to completely clear the transportation path for the mail items by completely withdrawing all of the drive rollers.

Abstract: A device for offsetting a postage imprint in a mail-handling machine, the device comprising detection means for detecting an edge of a mail item, print means for printing a postage imprint on the mail item, and monitoring and control means connected firstly to said detection means and secondly to said print means so as to control printing of said postage imprint on said mail item as a function of a predetermined standard offset &Dgr;0 on the basis of the detection of said edge of the mail item, the detection means for detecting an edge of the mail item comprising means for retarding the detection of the edge of the mail item as a function of the thickness of the mail item, which thickness is determined using said detection means for detecting an edge of a mail item.

Abstract: A moistening system suitable for mail handling systems comprises a moistening member mounted vertically on a water reservoir from which it is fed with water and on which it has a projecting part. The reservoir is mounted with the moistening member below the path, the length of the reservoir substantially corresponding to the width of the path. The reservoir is divided along its length into independent individual departments into which the moistening member dips.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead for a franking machine for printing a postage imprint on an item to be franked, which item is displaced relative to the head in a movement direction, said printhead including: a plurality of nozzles disposed in two rows extending transversely to the direction of movement and mounted in respective modules which are mutually offset transversely and lengthwise relative to the direction of movement and which are spaced apart from each other by a distance D in said direction; a first mechanism for moving one module in a direction transverse to the movement direction; and a second mechanism for moving the other module through an angle relative to the direction transverse to the movement direction, which angle is determined so that during printing one end nozzle of one row coincides with one end nozzle of the other row.

Abstract: A mail processing machine including a base, a mail item feed station and a station for storing said items after processing in the base, said base including a printhead adapted to print postage imprints on mail items from a magazine of the feed station and conveyor rollers for transporting said items along a transport path of said base to a magazine of the storage station, control means, display means and processing means being additionally provided for controlling said machine, and the transport path of the base of the machine is inclined at a particular angle to the horizontal, in the range a few degrees, preferably 10.degree., to a few tens of degrees, preferably 30.degree..

Abstract: An ink reservoir for feeding a print module of a print head of a postage meter, the reservoir being integrated in said print head and including intermediate storage means for containing a determined main volume of ink having a central zone of symmetry S, means for bringing the ink to the intermediate storage means from an ink supply situated in a base of the postage meter, and suction means for taking ink from the intermediate storage means and feeding it to the print module, wherein the reservoir further comprises means for defining a free surface of the ink at a distance from said zone of symmetry, and wherein the suction means penetrates into the intermediate storage means in the vicinity of said central zone of symmetry in such a manner that the suction means remains continuously immersed in the volume of ink whatever the inclination of the reservoir.

Abstract: A device for capping at least one ejection nozzle of a removable ink jet print head of a postage meter, the device including protection means for protecting the ink contained in the nozzle against drying out, the device protection means being mounted on support means capable of moving between a first position in which the protection means are retracted inside the print head and a second position in which the protection means cover the ejection nozzle(s) completely, said displacement being performed automatically while said head is being extracted from a base of a postage meter in which it is incorporated.The support means are U-shaped, having two parallel arms interconnected at one end by a link element receiving said protection means, and wherein they are capable of pivoting about a common axis secured to a frame of the device.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning the outer surfaces of a row of ejection nozzles integrated in at least one print module of an ink-jet print head of a postage meter having a base including a cleaning member for wiping the ink ejection surfaces, the cleaning member being mounted on a support member which is movable, by actuating a drive member which is linked to a connecting-rod and crank system, between a first position in which the cleaning member is remote from the print module and a second position in which the cleaning member has wiped the outer surfaces of the ejection nozzles. The cleaning member is mounted on one end of a sweeping hinged lever and include a compensating support member, having respective springs, each carrying a set of independent wiping brushes, in order to transform the initial circular movement of the support member into a rectilinear movement of the brushes in contact with the ejection surfaces of the print module.

Abstract: The feed system is constituted by an ink reservoir and a peristaltic pump. The reservoir has a wall defining a chamber for containing ink and a flexible hose communicating between the inside and the outside of the chamber. The flexible hose has a portion of its length placed outside the chamber against the wall, serving as the suction duct for the peristaltic pump, and constituting a product that is discardable after the ink in the reservoir has been consumed.

Abstract: The feed device includes a platform (9) adapted to receive at least one mail item (4; 4A, 4B) laid flat on it and a plurality of rollers (10) each having a flat (10B). Said rollers are mounted to rotate under the platform to occupy alternately a first position in which they remain below the platform and a second position in which they project above the platform. A weight sensor (30) is mounted under the platform to carry it, said sensor being responsive to vertical displacement of the platform to deliver a signal (C) indicative of the load applied to it when the rollers are all substantially in said first position.