Abstract: A method and apparatus print multifarious postage information on mailing media in an entirely variable manner so that any one of postage or postal permit information, or return address, and graphics, may be changed on the fly and printed in an appropriate location adjacent the top edge of a piece of mailing media such as an envelope. The method may be practiced at a rate of at least 100 pieces of mailing media per minute, and can be practiced to print media having variable thickness ranging from single thickness sheets or labels to stuffed envelopes. The apparatus is very simple comprising an ink jet printer with at least one ink jet head, a feeder which feeds mailing media pieces one at a time into printing position with the ink jet heads, and an external computer (that may have an optical sensor for sensing the leading edge of the media associated therewith) which controls the ink jet printer and feeder.

Abstract: An addressing machine has separator blocks which cooperate with feed rollers to insure proper one-at-a-time feeding of media elements (e.g. envelopes) to a printer within the machine housing. The optimum feed gap between the separator blocks and rollers corresponds to the thickness of the particular envelopes being handled, and is quickly and positively adjusted using a pivoted lever having first and second locking cam surfaces spaced from each other by a release cam surface, the lever pivoted to a mounting block fixed to a front face of the housing which the separator blocks slide with respect to in guided movement. The cam surfaces act through a spring plate which has an opening frictionally receiving the mounting block, and having upwardly tapered ends and a bulge in the middle for engaging the cam surfaces.

Abstract: An envelope feeding and printing assembly providing for the individual, lengthwise feeding of envelopes and enabling printing thereon while said envelopes are in motion, including a plurality of print heads and a platen for imprinting the envelopes, an envelope storage bin for holding a stack of envelopes prior to printing and having a gate with a driven feed roller and a control surface defining an envelope nip leading from the bin to the print head array, transport rollers to carry envelopes from the gates to the platen, timing control means to produce timing signals corresponding to the speed of the transport rollers, envelope position sensors to sense the leading and following edges of envelopes passing through said transport rollers and to produce control signals corresponding to envelope position, and a controller to receive the timing and control signals and to control the feed roller and to control the "start time" and speed of printing of the print heads, so that envelopes may be printed seriatim and

Abstract: A structure for printing at least four elongated address lines allows maximum efficiency in the grouping together of print heads used for the printing. One print head is provided for each of the address lines, and the print heads are mounted so at least two of the print heads overlap each other, the overlapping print heads not being those for consecutive address lines. This means the print heads are positioned so that they are not in sequence with the numbers of the lines being printed. Transport rolls are mounted at either end of the print head with no other transport rollers or transporting structures between the print heads, and an electronic controller varies the time each of the print heads starts to print to correspond to the spacing of that print head so that all the lines may be printed with an aligned margin.

Abstract: Letter quality addressing is possible at production speeds. A feeding and transport system positively feeds discrete media elements to be addressed (such as envelopes) past a number of print heads in a positive manner to maintain consistent and proper alignment of the printed text on the media elements. First and second feed rollers feed the media elements to a pair of pinch rollers, the operation of the first roller being interrupted once a media element reaches a predetermined position. A normally non-rotatable selector bar with O-rings mounted at axially spaced positions therealong are associated with the second feed roller. An adjustment mechanism is provided for not only adjusting the selector bar relative the second feed roller to accommodate media of different thickness, but also to adjust the position of the O-rings relative to the second feed roller.

Abstract: Letter quality addressing is possible at production speeds. A feeding and transport system positively feeds discrete media elements to be addressed (such as envelopes) past a number of print heads in a positive manner to maintain consistent and proper alignment of the printed text on the media elements. First and second feed rollers feed the media elements to a pair of pinch rollers, the operation of the first roller being interrupted once a media element reaches a predetermined position. A selector bar with abrasive strips is associated with the second feed roller. The pinch rollers feed the media elements onto endless transport belts, with transport wiper plates disposed on top of the belts to hold the media elements in contact with the belts. The transport wipers comprise plates mounted by levers at opposite ends in such a way that an element may easily move under a plate, but is held tighter by the plate as it moves along it.

Abstract: An envelope feeding assembly providing for the individual, lengthwise feeding of envelopes and enabling printing thereon while said envelopes are in motion, including an envelope storage bin for holding a stack of envelopes prior to printing and having a gate with a driven feed roller and a control surface defining an envelope nip leading from the bin to the print head array, transport rollers to carry envelopes from the gate to the platen, envelope position sensors to sense the leading and following edges of envelopes passing through said transport rollers and to produce control signals corresponding to envelope position, and a controller to receive the timing and control signals and to control the feed roller and to control the "start time" and speed of printing, so that envelopes may be printed seriatim and lengthwise while continuously moving.