Abstract: An electro-mechanical latch apparatus is provided for selectively and sequentially moving and locking a latch member into a desired position, and then unlocking and returning said latch member to its original position, by energizing an electrical pulse means in contact with said latch apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for printing games such as poker hands on two-piece frustoconical containers with four cards up and one down on the container sidewall and a hole card or draw card on the bottom of the container. The sidewalls are formed from blanks printed in a sequence by four, five, six and seven-around printing cylinders, all of which impress one card identity indicia on each printed cup blank on a strip of stock passed through the array of cylinders. A strip of bottom blanks each bearing a single card identity are printed in sequence by an eleven-around printing cylinder and the sidewall blanks and bottom blanks are assembled in the printed sequence to provide at least 4,620 cups all bearing poker hands with no two cups bearing identical hands. None of the card identity indicia on the several rolls is repeated. A total of thirty-three different indicia is used in the present method and apparatus.

Abstract: A printing control system includes a printing mechanism having settable print members. A gear is rotatably mounted and operably connected for selectively setting the print members. The gear is connected to control inhibiting the printing mechanism from being energized to print. The gear may also be connected to control inhibiting the selective setting of the print members.

Abstract: A printer has a set of display wheels and print wheels on a common shaft for individual coupling to that shaft so that one display wheel and one print wheel at a time is rotationally adjusted, the selection of the wheel pair depends upon the axial disposition of the shaft. Particular structure is provided to hold wheels not to be turned in that fashion.

Abstract: A postal meter includes a postal meter assembly adapted to be driven from a base, for in turn driving the drum of a settable printing mechanism. The meter has an electronic accounting system with a register, and means setting the register during the printing cycle. A mechanical latch is positioned to stop rotation of the gear assembly at a home position if an electronic accounting has not occurred during the previous printing cycle. The gear assembly further includes a cam surface for driving the mechanical latch to this position following initiation of a printing cycle. A detent has a tooth selectively engageable with a pair of notches on the lever corresponding to the two lever positions, the detent being displaced in one case by a cam surface of the gear assembly and in the second case by a lever system responsive to the operation of the accounting system.

Abstract: A low cost postage applicator includes postage printing wheels which can be manually set by thumbwheels accessible through an access opening in a housing. Encoders provide electrical signals representative of the position of each printing wheel. The housing is depressed toward a letter or package to be imprinted. During an initial part of the depression stroke, an inking roller is drawn across the printing wheel face, the access opening is misaligned with the thumbwheels to prevent further setting changes and a contact switch is closed to enable a microcomputer to read and compare the printing wheel settings with the contents of an electronic descending register. If adequate postage is available and if a letter sensing switch indicates that a letter or package is in place, the microcomputer releases a mechanical interlock to allow the housing to be depressed into a printing position in which the printing wheels contact the letter or package.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for random segment imprinting of alphanumerical designations and other symbols on cartons, cases, and the like. The imprinter includes a control logic module, a rotating print cylinder, and an ink cartridge. It permits rapid automatic substitution of designations without interrupting the printing process.

Abstract: High speed printing endorsing apparatus of modular construction capable of automatically printing both fixed and variable information simultaneously upon items fed to said apparatus in a continuous uninterrupted stream of items. Differential gearing and a wrap spring clutch in combination with a cam and follower concentric with the main drive shaft of the apparatus provide means for automatic item batch consecutive number advance by means of relative motion between the cam the printing apparatus. The item batch printing device is demountably removable permitting alteration of the fixed information while the vertical position of the batch printing relative to the item information field format is alterable at will. Automatic means is provided for loading and unloading the print head inking assembly against the print head so as to avoid any bleeding of the inking mechanism when not in use.

Abstract: Printing wheels carried by a printing drum which is driven in rotation dug one cycle are manually set at the desired prepayment values for the purpose of franking postal envelopes, parcels and wrappers. Intermediate stopping of the machine can be effected if necessary on completion of a first part of the cycle prior to printing. Electronic means are provided for the acquisition of the prepayment value during the first part of the cycle, for the detection of fault conditions during operation, for the inhibition of the intermediate stopping means, and for transferring the prepayment value from the acquisition means to means for recording the total prepayment values.

Abstract: A device for setting the prepayment values of printing wheels in a machine or franking mail envelopes and wrappers comprises in the case of each printing wheel a mechanical planet-wheel transmission system in which an eccentrically mounted pinion is in mesh with a ring-gear within a franking drum. The ring-gear is rigidly fixed to an annular sliding disc which is freely rotatable on the drum and coupled thereto by means of a clutch. A retractable stop is capable of maintaining the clutch in the disengaged position as soon as the drum begins its movement of rotation for one revolution. The angular amplitude of rotation is predetermined in response to the position of a unit for controlling the prepayment value setting of the printing wheel considered.

Abstract: An endorser for use in document processing apparatus is provided with a matrix wire printer for printing variable information on documents as they are transported at a controlled speed along a transport path forming part of an endorsing station, and with a rotatable ink stamp driven by a controlled speed motor for printing fixed information on the documents in predetermined relationship with the variable information. A rotatably mounted endorser head assembly comprised of a velocity control member and an interrupted curvilinear platen, in addition to the ink stamp, is drivably rotated by the controlled speed motor to initially intercept and decelerate a document entering the endorsing station, and to thereafter print the fixed and variable information on the document. Deceleration of the document is accomplished by the velocity control member of the endorser head assembly in cooperation with a first biased back-up roller.

Abstract: Apparatus for counting and endorsing documents and more particularly tickets dimensioned within the preferred range from 1 inch by 2 inches to 2 inches by 5.5 inches and in the thickness range from 2 mils to 14 mils. The stack of tickets is placed in an in-feed hopper and is engaged by an eccentric bottom feed picker to drive preferably the bottom-most document toward a drive wheel and stripper wheel assembly to permit documents to pass only in single file beyond the stripper device. The documents are fed in single file between cooperating belts until they are picked up by acceleration means which abruptly accelerates the documents to provide a gap therebetween suitable for counting purposes.The documents are driven into a stacker wherein they are stacked in the same order in which they were loaded into the in-feed hopper. A stacker arm provides pressure on the building stack which pressure is continually reduced as the stack increases in height to assure a smooth stacking operation.

Abstract: Sheets upon which the entire text on a printing form mounted on a printing drum is to be printed are fed to the printing drum via a sheet infeed transport path. Cards upon which only portions of the text are to be printed are fed to the printing drum via a card infeed transport path. One transport path is located above the other. The sheets are individually fed, in the transport direction of the sheet infeed transport path, from a stack of sheets into the sheet infeed transport path. The cards are individually fed, in a direction transverse to the transport direction of the card infeed transport path, from card containers located to the side of the card infeed transport path into the card infeed transport path.

Abstract: An electronically controlled embossing machine for embossing alpha-numeric characters on flexible sheets such as, for example, plastic or metal credit cards or nameplates. Embossing is accomplished by two constantly rotating embossing wheels which carry radially movable embossing molds about their peripheries. One embossing wheel carries male or projecting embossing molds; the second wheel carries matching female or intaglio embossing molds. Selection of a certain character via a keyboard, or by electrical signals from any data source, causes the appropriate male and female molds to be moved radially outwardly on each wheel by mechanical mold cam levers. A flexible sheet, such as a plastic credit card blank, interposed in the bite of the two embossing wheels, is embossed by the radially extended embossing molds in a rolling-squeezing process.

Abstract: A mail franking machine comprises a totalizing device having electronic ms for recording at least a predetermined number of lower-order digits of the total printed franking values. An electronic recording counter receives values to be recorded from a decade counter the stages of which are set by a shift register and pulse generator under the control of an order counter and a synchronizing circuit actuated by a pulse transmitter connected to a printing drum of the machine. The shift register receives signals in succession from sensing elements selectively actuated during rotation of the printing drum in dependence upon the set positions of adjustable printing wheels on the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically actuating manually operable selector elements, such as the type which normally are found on a manually operable postage meter. A carriage is provided and is movable between an initial, start position and an end position. Plural actuator elements are coupled to and movable with the carriage. These actuator elements are positioned in operable relation with the selector elements and are selectively energized while the carriage moves between its start and end positions to correspondingly activate the selector elements. When used in the environment of a postage meter, the selective energization of the actuator elements thereby conditions the postage meter to provide a corresponding indication of postage. Reset apparatus resets the carriage following the selective energization of the actuator elements.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a plurality of movable flexible endless belts incorporated in a plate drum which are aligned side by side, each of the endless belts being provided with spaced printing type on its outer peripheral surface and arranged side by side in at least on row within the plate drum. The endless belt has power transmitting means including an electromagnetic clutch which is coupled to a slip ring segment for feeding current to the clutch. A plurality of slip ring segments are arranged on substantially concentric circular lines. Every time each of the belts is displaced by a distance corresponding to one spacing between adjacent type, the displacement is detected as an electric pulse by a detecting means. A selected type can be brought to a specified position by the use of means for selectively determining the duration of energization of the electromagnetic clutch based on the detection effected as above.

Abstract: A label printer of the type employing a stencil covered cylinder in which the stencil may have any one of plural arcuately spaced apart indicias cut therein separately printed therefrom. The label printer includes means for indexing the printing cylinder to any one of two or more positions for the optional printing of the separate contents of any one of the arcuately spaced apart portions of the stencil on the same machine.

Abstract: The printing form on the printing drum of the machine bears an image in the form of a multi-line text. A counterpressure element can be moved to an operative position to effect transfer of the whole text onto whole-page sheets or transfer of individual lines or line groups to smaller-format cards or slips. The counterpressure element is moved by an activatable moving unit. A sheet feeding unit is activatable for feeding whole-page sheets to the printing location. A card feeding unit is activatable for feeding smaller-format cards to the printing location. A diverting unit is activatable for diverting printed whole-page sheets directly to the delivery station and smaller-format cards to a branch path in which they are turned over and then deposited at the delivery station in the printing sequence. A marking unit is activatable for providing routing markings on the various sheets and cards.

Abstract: In this full duplex card reader/printer, a transport mechanism carries a card first past a read head at a constant rate and then incrementally past a printer. Under microprocessor control a message is printed on the card which is responsive to data read from the same card. A first transducer associated with the drive transport mechanism provides "read sprocket" pulses that are utilized by the microprocessor to ascertain the presence under the read head of a card data column. Stepping of the card past the printer is enabled by the microprocessor when a responsive message is ready for printing. As the card is stepped to each new print position, a "move sprocket" pulse is transmitted to the microprocessor. The microprocessor then compares the next message character with the character available for printing, as indicated by a set of pulses supplied from the printer. When these are the same, the microprocessor generates a command to print the character.

Abstract: For sequentially setting independently-rotatable spur gears which are coupled to print wheels in a postage meter, a yoke carrying a selectively-driven master gear is shifted along an axis parallel to the common axis of the adjacent gears. A rack attached to the yoke is driven by a pinion gear on a stepping motor shaft. The yoke is spring-biased to a disabled position in which the spur gears are mechanically locked into position by tooth troughs on the yoke surface. A print interlock mechanism permits printing only when the yoke is held in an enabled position against the force of the biasing spring.

Abstract: The printing machine includes a cyclically moving printing member having a printing surface, particularly a rotating printing roller carrying a lithographic printing form, and an inking arrangement for inking the printing surface. A counterpressure member is mounted for movement into an operative position in which it presses towards the inked printing surface so as to press an item to be printed against the inked printing surface. A feeding arrangement feeds an item to be printed into the space intermediate the printing surface and the counterpressure member. A synchronizing arrangement is coupleable to the cyclically moving printing member by a controllable coupling device so as to be driven by the cyclically moving printing member. When so coupled and driven, it is operative for causing the counterpressure member to move into operative position in synchronization with the movement of the printing member.

Abstract: A setting mechanism for a postage meter for use in a continuous mail sorting and postage imprinting system which automatically weighs and meters each piece of mail. The system is designed to rapidly handle a large quantity of mixed mail. Mixed mail is continuously and synchronously fed in seriatim along a continuous feed path. Unsealed envelopes have their flaps wetted and sealed. All the envelopes are stopped at a weighing station where they are weighed, and the postage corresponding to their particular weight is computed. The determined postage value is used to continuously reset a postage meter which imprints the required postage upon each envelope as it arrives at a metering station. The actuator banks of the meter are controlled by stepper motors. The metering and weighing functions of the system are synchronized such that the postage meter will imprint the proper postage upon each piece of mail, despite the fact that several envelopes may be simultaneously in transit along the feed path.

Abstract: A document imprinter, especially for labels, tickets, tags, and the like, including a rotary printing unit having several banks of printing means and corresponding respective setting mechanisms therefor the latter including viewing windows arranged so that the various windows for the different banks of printing wheels are all readable by the operator in a single angular home position of the rotary printing unit.

Abstract: A printing device including a printing station for printing on labels which may be in visually and machine readable formats, comprises rotatable typewheels and pressure rollers which can be brought into engagement for printing on the label while advancing it through the printing station. Drive means coupled to the typewheels and pressure rollers continually rotate the wheels and rollers at the same peripheral speed during and after engagement.

Abstract: A document encoding system transmits an incoming document at a high transport speed. When the document is received at an encoding station it is first stopped and registered and then retransmitted for encoding at a relatively low speed, the exact value being dependent on whether MICR or OCR encoding is used. After characters are encoded on the document the trailing edge is detected and the document is caused to accelerate to the high transport speed where it is transmitted for further processing.In a second alternative embodiment, information relating to character field positions is used to transmit the document at the relatively low speed when encoding and at a heightened speed when otherwise in the encoding station but not encoding.In a third alternative embodiment, the document is received by the encoding station on the fly at the high transport speed. It is advanced at that speed until decelerated to the relatively low speed at the first encoding position.

Abstract: A postage meter is disclosed which features a rotatable printing drum. The print wheel(s), registers, and postage value selector are all supported by the drum to provide a reduction in parts. The postage meter is more reliable due to the reduction of parts, as well as being more compact and less costly to manufacture. The print wheel(s) of the meter are offset from a valid print position when the drum is in a rest position, in order to provide protection against "wiping off". The postage value selector is easily operable by the postage meter user and is conveniently disposed for ease of access.

Abstract: A rotary copying machine adjustable for a full page printing respectively line printing of sheets from a printing form on a rotatable printing drum has a device for moistening the sheets to be printed, and wherein the stroke of a piston pump for supplying liquid to the moistening device is automatically adjusted depending on whether the copying machine is adjusted for printing of a full page or for printing a section, i.e., one or a plurality of lines of a page.

Abstract: A copying apparatus capable of both-side printing comprises automatic feed means, copy medium transport means, change-over guide means shiftable between a first position for one-side printing and a second position for both-side printing, and copy medium stop means for stopping and holding the copy medium at a predetermined position when it has been directed to the automatic feed means by the change-over guide means in its second position.

Abstract: A rotary printing roller supports a printing form and a rotary counter-pressure roller is adjacent the printing roller. One of the rollers is movable to and from a printing position in close proximity to the other roller to define with the same a printing line. A plurality of cams are provided which are selectably shiftable into and out of connection with an arrangement which effects movement of the movable roller to and from the printing position. Depending upon which of the cams is associated with this arrangement, sections of different width of the printing form will pass through the printing line as the printing roller turns through an angle dependent upon the respective cam. The cams are moved to the position cooperating with the aforementioned arrangement by means of electromagnets which are selectively energizable, and are restored to their starting position by the arrangement which displaces them mechanically.

Abstract: Duplicating equipment is provided for printing on both faces of the same sheet or, in the alternative, making two impressions on the same face (e.g., in different colors) by means of two printing heads. Both printing heads are served with masters from a single supply point, the masters being fed in proper order and attached to the master cylinder of the appropriate printing head automatically. In one form of the invention, the single master supply point takes the form of a single master maker and converter.

Abstract: A setting mechanism for sequentially setting the print wheels in a postage printing device. The setting mechanism is electrically controlled so as to interface the postage printing device with a computerized or electronic postage system. The setting mechanism comprises a main rotatable driving gear which is slidable upon a splined shaft so as to individually, operatively engage a plurality of print wheel driving racks in a sequential fashion. A setting linkage connected to the main driving gear positions the gear into individually engaging with a plurality of rotatable shafts individually driving each of the print wheel driving racks. A stepper motor is connected to the splined shaft which turns the splined shaft, and which in turn rotatably drives the main drive gear. The setting linkage is actuated by means of a pair of solenoids.

Abstract: A label applying turret having label support pads, a label marker and a pressing platen for pressing the label against the marker. The marker is mounted on the turret to rotate therewith and faces outwardly against the inwardly facing side of the label. In one embodiment a label gripping platen is aligned with the marker so that its action in gripping the label to the turret concurrently imposes die marking pressure on the label. In another embodiment a roller platen is mounted externally of the turret and presses the labels against the die marker.This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 381,184 filed July 20, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,388, which was a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 223,204 filed Feb. 3, 1972, now abandoned.