Abstract: An impact printer has a type drum, a plurality of hammers, a type drum gear secured to a shaft of the type drum, and a gear train including a drive gear and an intermediate gear engaged with the drive gear and type drum gear for driving the type drum. A lever is provided to rotate about a shaft of the drive gear. The intermediate gear is rotatably supported on the lever at one end thereof, and a spring is provided for urging the lever in the direction that the intermediate gear engages with the type drum gear. The rotational direction of the type drum gear is such that the rotation of the type drum gear causes the intermediate gear to revolve around the drive gear to brake the type drum.

Abstract: A printing mechanism is described comprising a housing (12, 14) in which a plurality of type carriers (20) are disposed which are in a drive connection with coaxially disposed setting wheels (16) each having a center bore. In a space formed by the center bores of the setting wheels a setting shaft (42) is axially displaceable and rotatable. By axial displacement the setting shaft can be brought into a drive connection with each of the setting wheels. On the setting shaft an actuating knob (48) is disposed with the aid of which said shaft can be displaced and turned. In the housing a display indicator means (26, 27, 29) is disposed displaceably parallel to the setting shaft; said means is connected to the setting shaft in such a manner that the latter turns relatively thereto but can be displaced axially only jointly therewith. The display indicator means makes it possible to recognize the type carrier which can be adjusted in the respective axial position of the setting shaft.

Abstract: The invention features a high speed thermal printing mechanism having a dichotomized printing sequence. The thermal printing mechanism is particularly useful for printing postal values and indicia upon postage tape in a variable and fixed format, respectively. The variable information can be imprinted by a thermal head under the influence of a microprocessor. The fixed information can be imprinted by an etched thermal print screen.

Abstract: In a postage meter, an auxiliary printing device is included for printing additional information on a mail piece relating to the type of mail being processed. The postage meter is of the flat printing type and a multi-faced printing member containing the additional information to be printed is mounted adjacent the standard postal printing mechanism. Each of the faces of the printing member may contain postal information to be printed and the appropriate information may be selected by rotating a handle attached to the member. A detent means aligns the selected printing face with the rest of the postage meter printing die. The detent means may be manually released from the printing member to remove the member from the postage meter.

Abstract: A mechanism for encoding continuously moving documents. Documents are transported between a plurality of fixed dies and a plurality of electronically controlled hammers. An ink bearing ribbon is interposed between the documents and the fixed dies and is momentarily transported at the same velocity as the documents. As the documents traverse the plurality of fixed dies, the electronically controlled hammers are cycled, in a selected sequence and at selected positions, to provide the desired encoding. In those applications wherein the cycle time of the electronically controlled hammers is too slow to allow identical encoding in adjacent positions, a second plurality of fixed dies and electronically controlled hammers may be located adjacent to the first plurality or interspersed among the first plurality of fixed dies.

Abstract: In an intaglio printing method, the steps of providing a novel intaglio inking plate having a surface and means for producing different prescribed patterns of shallow depressions therein, producing a first prescribed pattern of depressions in said surface, filling said depressions with ink, transferring ink from the pattern of filled depressions to a transfer surface, altering the surface to provide a second pattern of shallow depressions therein and then repeating the step of filling the depressions with ink and transferring an ink pattern to a transfer surface.

Abstract: A value selection system for a postage meter includes a plurality of print wheels rotatably mounted within a print drum. The print drum is coupled to be driven to rotate such that selected print elements on each of the print wheels are moved to imprint a postage value on a mail piece or other postage imprint receiving surface. The print wheels are selectively positioned by a print wheel value selection mechanism which is operable to set the print wheels during any time within a printing cycle except when the actual imprint is being impressed. The mechanism is operable to move the print wheels when the print drum is at rest and when the print drum is in motion. The position of the print wheels and the print drum may be monitored to account for the printing of postage by the meter.

Abstract: A printing position adjusting mechanism is disclosed for use in a printer of the type in which a printing head is carried on the leading end portion of a yoke and the row of types of the printing head is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the yoke. The printing position adjusting mechanism includes an externally threaded adjusting ring, which is screwed into the internally threaded hole formed in the front frame plate of the yoke, and its leading end face abuts the opposed leading end face of the yoke. This causes the printing head to be moved longitudinally of the yoke, thereby to adjust the printing position thereof relative to the yoke. For fixing the printing head at a desired printing position to the yoke, an internally threaded hole is formed in the leading end face of the yoke, and a fixing screw is inserted into a center hole through the adjusting ring and extends into the threaded hole in the yoke.

Abstract: A marking apparatus is provided having a wheel with a plurality of radial slots for receipt of stamps having marking indicia thereon. An internal axially rotatable disc has a cam engageable with the stamp ends causing selected ones to protrude from the wheel periphery. A slot in the disc receives a lateral extension from each stamp for retaining them in retracted position. A segment of the slot adjacent the cam curves radially outward to allow the stamp contacted by the cam to slide outward and protrude from the wheel.

Abstract: A stamp having a fixed text as well as an interchangeable text comprises a base member having a recess in the under side thereof to receive a printing member for the fixed text. The interchangeable text, for instance date indications, is obtained by means of separate stamp units, each having in its upper portion a handle portion and an indication of the text of the stamp in question and in its lower end the printing member for said text and is insertable in a through opening of the base member. The stamp unit and the base member further have interengaging means to lock or latch each stamp unit in a position in which the printing surface of said stamp unit is in level with the printing surface of the fixed stamp.

Abstract: A stamp pad applicator consisting of an oblong plate with a plurality of openings into which an applicator handle may be inserted. Removably attached under the plate are a plurality of sections together matching the oblong plate. Midway in each section an opening is aligned with the oblong plate openings. A magnet is attached to the bottom of the applicator handle. A magnetically attractable flat plate is fastened to the outside of each section and removably attachable on the flat plates are portions of flexible magnetic rubber tape capable of being cut into various shapes by scissors or knife. The magnet on the handle, by insertion in an oblong and section opening, magnetically engages the back of a flat plate and pushes that section partially out for stamping. Another magnet is optionally fastened in each section opening against each flat plate with this magnet and the magnet on the handle having the same magnetic pole facing each other thereby repelling the section forward when the handle is inserted.

Abstract: A stamp carrier on which a plurality of elastomeric stamps are mounted for the marking of lumber and other products. In a stamping operation, an appendage of the carrier flexes to assure desired presentation of the stamp to the surface. The carrier is of molded construction and utilizes resilient materials of different hardness to avoid distortion of the stamp when the latter is applied other than in a true manner to the product.

Abstract: Combinations of signs in a series of a predetermined number of combinations are printed in an irregular sequence by means of printing plates supplied one at a time to a printing station. The sequence of the plates is changed from one print of the series to the other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embossing diffraction gratings on a record medium is disclosed. The diffraction gratings are embossed on a strip of aluminized plastic which is later imbedded in a record medium like a "credit card" for use in a security system which utilizes data recorded in the form of diffraction gratings and data recorded in magnetic stripes on the card. The apparatus utilizes embossing masters in the form of "type bars" or grating bars which are selectively indexed to an embossing station where the embossing takes place under controlled heat and pressure conditions. A special method or layout scheme is used in laying out the embossing masters on the grating bars.

Abstract: A magazine type printing head for a printing machine having at least one two part chamber with a stack of typeface carrying slugs in each part. The head has means which move an upper slug from a stack in one part of the chamber to the second part and then moves a lower slug in the second part to a printing position in the first part of the chamber. The printing head has particular application in a hot stamping machine where means to heat the slugs are provided. A dye carrying foil is conveyed adjacent the typeface of the slug or slugs in the printing position. A movable support retains an article to be stamped and presses the article together with the foil against the typeface.

Abstract: A serial printer is provided with a multi-position flexible membrane printing element with columns and rows of print characters disposed coplanarly in spaced apart relationship therein, the flexible printing element being differentially positionable along an X and a Y axis to bring selected print characters into printing alignment with an actuatable hammer, the differential positioning of the printing element being effectuated by a rotatable crank and quadrilateral linkage means in association with a pair of position sectors and a pair of spur gears coupled to the quadrilateral linkage, the pair of position sectors being variably positionable by a first and second plurality of actuatable sector limit stops.

Abstract: There are disclosed method and apparatus for selectively printing human readable characters and a machine readable code on record members in the form of tickets, tags or labels. A disclosed method of printing relates to selective printing using one or more printing bands and coupling driving means with each band to drive each printing band a predetermined distance to a position at which the type element corresponding to the selected indicium is moved to the printing zone. This method can be carried out using one type of print head with printing bands which are automatically, individually, and selectively moved or shifted to a printing zone to print the selected indicia. Another disclosed method is used to selectively position printing members of the bar-type to print bar codes.

Abstract: A supplemental printer is mounted piggy-back fashion atop a conventional high speed chain printer or other form of computer output printing equipment; and prints, upon the same print-out sheet as the high speed printer, information generated by the same electronic digital computer to which the high speed printer responds. The supplemental printer is capable of printing postage or other special indicia not easily incorporated into the print symbol repertoire of the high speed printer. In order to make the supplemental printer operate rapidly enough to be compatible with electronic data processing equipment, its print impression is divided into parts printed by individual type segments, each actuated by its own individual print solenoid. Some of the segments are equipped with solenoid-actuated variable numerical print modules for the purpose of printing postage or other variable numerical information.