Abstract: In a mailing machine, having a removable postage meter with a rotatable printing drum and printing die there is an inking apparatus included with the mailing machine. The inking apparatus has a ink supply cartridge which engages an ink transfer roller mounted in a frame of the inking apparatus. A cam member operatively associated with the transfer roller prevent ink contamination of the postage meter when the meter is installed or withdrawn from the mailing machine.

Abstract: A disposable inking cartridge in combination with a housing for transferring ink to a secondary surface, including a housing having a pair of sidewalls, each of the sidewalls having a locating guide, wherein the locating guide includes at its trailing end a leg forming an acute or perpendicular angle therewith, an applicator roller rotatably mounted in the housing for transferring ink to a secondary surface, and a disposable inking cartridge lockingly mountable in the sidewalls of the housing.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns an ink supply device for use in a labeling machine. The ink supply device includes at least one inking roller. Guide slots formed in the side plates of the frame of the labeling machine guide the inking roller to roll over the printing surface of a printing head. Guide rollers that support the inking roller are received in the guide slots. In another embodiment, there are additional bearing plates attached at both ends of an inking roller. These plates are engageable with the lower end surfaces of the printing head. In other embodiments, two inking rollers are provided. Each inking roller is biased and guided in a different way. Springs may bias both rollers toward the print surface, or may bias only one roller. The rollers main embodiment may be guided to vertically shift over the print surface by the guide slot in the frame.

Abstract: An ink supply device for inking the types of a hand labeler device, usually including at least two inking rollers which are rotatable over the type surfaces of a printing head; these ink rollers are removably held in an ink roller assembly which is, in turn, removably held in a movable holder; guide grooves in the side walls of the hand labeler frame guide the ink rollers over the type surfaces; roller cartridge frames are attached removably to the ink roller assembly for holding the ink rollers; retaining projections formed on at least one of the cartridge frames retain it in the holder and the projections act as knobs for attachment and removal of the corresponding cartridge frame, thus facilitating replacement of the ink rollers.

Abstract: A printer unit for selectively printing on documents fed between a matrix printer and a rotatable inked platen. The platen is actuably movable between a retracted position and an advanced print position. The document while being printed upon is moved at the same speed as the velocity of the periphery of the rotating platen. The document feed is limited by a feed control roller cooperating with a pressure roller. The feed control roller is coaxial with the rotatable platen and is adapted to move therewith between the retracted position and the print position. A solenoid is provided to move the feed control roller and platen between the two positions. The documents are permitted to pass through the print station unimpeded when the roller platen and feed control roller are retracted.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing apparatus having a print head and an inking mechanism for inking the print head. The inking mechanism comprises an ink roller, an inker body or carrier for the ink roller and structure for movably mounting the inker body. The ink roller is rotatably mounted to the inker body by mounting means including a pair of mounting members. The inker body has a pair of undercut slots and the mounting members have respective flanges received in the slots. Each mounting member is shown to have a resilient member or finger engageable with a respective shoulder on the inker body to lock the mounting member to the inker body. The inking mechanism has means for preventing its disconnection from the printing apparatus while the inking mechanism is in cooperation with the print head, but the inking mechanism can be removed and replaced with a new inking mechanism having a new ink roller while the inking mechanism is out of cooperation with the print head.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying markings to packed articles transported by a conveyor is provided with a stamp, which is laterally expulsed when an article passes by. The stamp comprises a holder and a printing head connected with the holder by at least one spring. The lateral movement of the holder is interrupted by an abutment in the driving mechanism before the printing head reaches the article, after which the printing head is shot out by the kinetic energy so as to hit the article. The printing head engages an ink pad in the intervals between successive printing operations. The ink pad is attached to the bottom of an ink container by means of a bearing ring and is made of a hard porous material. The printing head is provided with a resilient ring tightly engaging the edge of the bearing ring when the printing head lies against the ink pad. Thus, a suction occurs when the printing head leaves the ink pad, whereby the ink is drawn into the ink pad from the container.