Abstract: This application describes clutch mechanisms for use in a steering control system, e.g., a steering control system used to steer a trolling motor for a boat. Such clutch mechanisms can reduce and avoid damage to the steering control system (e.g., a steering motor) when the system is subjected to unusually large impact loads (e.g., when the trolling motor or boat contacts an obstruction). The clutches described in this application can be used to decouple the steering control system from a steering shaft (or other drive mechanism) upon application of a large impact load, thus reducing damage to and increasing the lifespan of such system. In some cases, the clutch is a ball and spring mechanism. In other cases, the clutch is a slip tooth mechanism.

Abstract: A web press, in particular a variable format book web press, variable format newspaper web press, or variable format periodical web press, has printing units having printing devices or groups of printing devices for applying ink to a paper web. The printing devices or groups of printing devices are constructed without rotating impression cylinders and are designed to apply ink to the paper web in a noncontacting manner.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a printing press including a plurality of print units and, optionally, a folder. Each print unit has one or more cylinders, a motor for driving the cylinders; an encoder for providing a cylinder position signal, a controller coupled to the encoder, the motor, a bus which interconnects each of the controllers and an input port for designating the controller as either master or slave. Any one of the controllers is selectively set as a master controller and the remaining controllers are set as slave controllers. The master controller generates a control signal based on a signal from the input port and outputs the control signal to the motor via the output port and to the slave controllers via the bus. Each of the slave controllers outputs a signal on the respective output port based on the received control signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printer including a transverse tension sensor for detecting that a sheet being discharged has deviated in a paper width direction orthogonal to a discharging direction. The conveyance of the sheet is stopped based on a detection signal of the transverse tension sensor.

Abstract: A method for providing a print job manifest includes querying a press database containing data corresponding to print jobs recorded on a web. A print job manifest is generated according to the press database. The print job manifest is recorded on the web so that at least a portion of the manifest is located generally adjacent to a loose end of the web when the web is wound to form a roll.

Abstract: A marking unit having a writing device that marks a material web which can be wound up onto a core by a winding device to form a reel, the marking device having a signal generator that is operatively connected to the core of the winding device. Depending on the rotation of the core, the signal generator outputs a clock signal to the writing device for marking the material web.

Abstract: A web-fed press is provided. The web-fed press includes a reel carrier and a plurality of printing units arranged one after another for printing a printing material with a static printed image. The web-fed press includes a folder superstructure that is arranged after the printing units and a folding unit arranged after the folder superstructure. An imprinting unit for individualizing the static printed image with, in particular, changing text and/or image constituents is integrated into the web-fed press in the region of the folder superstructure.

Abstract: The present invention is an automated arrangement for applying strip material to a web belt. One purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to the known problem of securing material to an organic photoconductor (“OPC”) belt material in an automated manufacturing environment. Usually, material is applied to an OPC belt by hand. Hand application of strip material is time-consuming, costly, and prone to inaccurate placement on the OPC belt. The extra time taken to apply the strip material by hand increase the OPC belt's exposure to light, which can damage the OPC material. Furthermore, pulling the strip by hand can deform the strip because of excessive force used to pull the strip before application. Thus using an automated, controlled process to apply material minimizes damage to the belt and strip, resulting in higher yield of belts and strips per spool.

Abstract: There is provided a method for restraining deformation of a nip roll, in which polygonal deformation of nip rolls that are in contact with each other is restrained, so that vibration produced by the deformation is decreased. The diameter ratio between the first and second nip rolls 1 and 2 is set at a value different from 1, by which both of the numbers of polygon sides of the rolls 1 and 2 are prevented from becoming integers or values close to integers. Thereby, polygonal deformation of nip rolls that are in contact with each other, so that vibration produced by the deformation is decreased.

Abstract: A shunt track is provided in a transport device for drawing in a length of material through the use of a drawing mechanism which is guided by the track. The shunt track includes a first guide section with one end that is selectively alignable with a second or a third guide section. A second end of the first guide section is fixed in place.

Abstract: The image subject to be transferred is applied in preformatted form to at least two printing formes in the form of segment-like image data in a row and column arrangement, in such a way that a first portion of information from each segment of the image subject (information (a) with appropriate index features) is provided on a first printing forme, and a second portion of information from the corresponding segment of the image subject (information (b) with appropriate index features) is provided on a second printing forme. As a result of synchronous rolling of the printing-forme cylinders, the portions of information are assembled to form complete information (<a,b> with the respectively combined index features) for each segment of the image subject on the printed page.

Abstract: A Kalman filter algorithm is used for estimation in a feedback control system for a moving web. Matrices of the Kalman filter algorithm are solved with reduced computational complexity. One of the matrices is solved as a diagonal matrix for both state prediction and covariance and another matrix for gain is solved merely as a vector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing images. An ink jet printhead forms an image on a transfer roller for transfer to a substrate. The substrate can be an envelope and the image can be a postal indicia. Portions of the image can be interleaved during successive revolutions of the transfer roller to increase the horizontal and/or vertical resolution of the image. A mechanism is provided to deflect the substrate away from the transfer roller after the image is printed so that formation of a new image can begin before the substrate has cleared the print station.

Abstract: A mailing machine is disclosed in which a digital printing device, preferably of the ink jet type, is mounted for movement between one of two printing positions, in one of which the printing device will print a postage indicia direction on envelopes being fed through the mailing machine, and in the other of which the printing device prints the postage indicia on a strip of tape which is extracted from the mailing machine and affixed to an envelope which is incapable of being fed through the mailing machine. There is also a third position for the printing device which is a maintenance position to which the printing device is moved after each or some other predetermined number of printing cycles for the purpose of cleaning the ink ejecting portion of the printing device and/or maintaining a suitable high ink solvent vapor atmosphere adjacent to the ink ejecting portion of the printing device.

Abstract: An postage printer including a print drum for printing a postage indicia having a fixed portion and a variable portion, the print drum including a first print surface and a second print surface, the postage printer comprising: an ink jet print head for printing the variable portion of the postage indicia on the second print surface; a print head cap; mechanism for bringing the ink jet print head and the print head cap into a capped relationship and a spaced apart relationship; wherein the ink jet print head prints while the ink jet print head and the print head cap are in the spaced apart relationship and the print drum passes between the print head and the print head cap.

Abstract: A mailing machine is disclosed in which a digital printing device, preferably of the ink jet type, is mounted for movement between one of two printing positions, in one of which the printing device will print a postage indicia direction on envelopes being fed through the mailing machine, and in the other of which the printing device prints the postage indicia on a strip of tape which is extracted from the mailing machine and affixed to an envelope which is incapable of being fed through the mailing machine. There is also a third position for the printing device which is a maintenance position to which the printing device is moved after each or some other predetermined number of printing cycles for the purpose of cleaning the ink ejecting portion of the printing device and/or maintaining a suitable high ink solvent vapor atmosphere adjacent to the ink ejecting portion of the printing device.

Abstract: A mailing machine is disclosed having an elongate feed deck, means for feeding envelopes along the feed deck, and a postage meter mounted in the mailing machine and having a printing mechanism disposed in juxtaposition with the feed deck so as to print postage indicia on successive envelopes as they are fed along the feed deck. The mailing machine includes a tape feeding and cutting apparatus mounted above the feed deck and adjacent to the postage meter on the side thereof opposite to the direction of feed of envelopes along the feed deck for feeding successive finite lengths of tape to the postage meter for printing of postage indicia on a portion thereof and for cutting and ejecting the printed portion of the finite length of tape from the mailing machine. The tape feeding and cutting apparatus is constructed and arranged so that all of the tape storing, feeding, severing and ejecting mechanisms of the apparatus are all positioned entirely one one side of the postage meter.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is a tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus for a mailing machine which has a feed deck for envelopees and a postage meter for printing postage indicia on successive envelopees as they are fed along the feed deck. The tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus is mounted in the mailing machine above the feed deck and adjacent to the postage meter on the side thereof opposite to the direction of the feed of envelopees for feeding successive finite lengths of tape to the postage meter for printing of postage indicia on a portion thereof and for cutting and ejecting the printed portion of the finite lengths of tape from the mailing machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus for a mailing machine which has a feed deck for feeding envelopes therealong and a postage meter for printing postage indicia on successive envelopes as they are fed along the feed deck. The tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus is mounted in the mailing machine above the feed deck and adjacent to the postage meter on the side thereof opposite to the direction of the feed of envelopes for feeding successive finite lengths of tape to the postage meter for printing of postage indicia on a portion thereof and for cutting and ejecting the printed portion of the finite lengths of tape from the mailing machine. The apparatus includes a tape holding assembly and means for pivotally mounting the tape holding assembly for movement between a normal operating position and an operator accessible position to facilitate loading and threading of a fresh roll of tape.

Abstract: Computer controlled numbering of consecutive business forms is provided for both computer controlled presses and in the form of a retrofit unit for conventional rotary presses. The retrofit unit includes a disk provided with radially oriented metallic strips of predetermined locations on the disk, and mounted on a suitable shaft of the press. The disk cooperates with a stationary transducer mounted, for example, on a stationary press wall to send signals to the control unit to fire the printer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making booklet type labels having at least one printed inner sheet includes apparatus for printing and assembling three webs which includes the provision of folding stations to enable a single web to be immediately and continuously folded after printing to produce one more inner label portions making up the booklet sheets. The press includes vertically stacked web support drums with associated printing stations wherein one of the drums is reversible to enable the simultaneous printing of two webs by the stack assembly including the printing of one web on both sides.

Abstract: A tape advancing system for advancing a tape past a printing device in a mailing machine selective draws one of two tapes, from a supply reeled and presents the selected tape for postage indicia printing. The tape system includes, a first motor for selectively advancing a first one of a plurality of tapes and a second motor for moving the selected tape to a printing position. The tapes are advanced past the printing device in a parallel, facing relationship. The selected tape is exposed for imprinting by the printing device. The tape is moved into a printing position only when it is desired to imprint tape. At other times, the tapes are clear of printing device thereby permitting the printing device to imprint envelopes delivered by an envelope transport.

Abstract: A process for printing a successive row of numbers of bar code 2/5 interleaved provides that the narrow bar/wide bar printing ratio is set at 2:1. A code field is divided into narrow bar areas and the latter are in each case assigned alternately to two different printing units. The printing units exhibit, in the bar areas assigned to them, adjustable printing forms in all bar combinations. The code is printed in exact register by the two printing units in succession.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing a single image at a time in a flexographic printing environment. The present invention utilizes a flexographic plate cylinder which has been modified by forming a groove in its circumference. The groove extends partially around the circumference of the cylinder, leaving an area approximately equal to the area of a single flexographic plate. A belt having a plurality of flexographic plates mounted thereon is entrained about the printing cylinder coincident with the groove and raised area. The groove prevents transfer of the flexographic image to a film passing between the impression cylinder and printing cylinder. Only when the raised area is adjacent the impression cylinder will an image be transferred from a flexographic plate. In addition, only the plate over the raised area is inked when the flexographic belt passes an anilox inking roller. This prevents the accumulation of ink on plates that are not used for image transfer on a particular rotation of the belt.

Abstract: A meter base drive assembly (4) is a part of a postage meter base (2), to which a postage meter is mounted. The assembly includes envelope drive (62), a tape dispenser (86) and a print head drive (84) mounted to a base frame (12). The drive assembly includes a motor drive (6), pivotally mounted (10, 14) to the frame, which drive a pulley (8) in a first rotary direction. First, second and third driven pulleys (16, 18, 56) are operably coupled to the envelope drive, print head drive tape dispenser respectively. A dual pulley (20), including first and second ppulley element (28, 53), is pivotally mounted (34, 36; 102, 104) to the frame. One side (30) of a first drive belt (26) engages the drive pulley and the second driven pulley. The second side (32) of the first drive belt engages the first pulley element. A second drive belt (52) engages the second pulley element and the second driven pulley so that the first and second driven pulleys are rotated in opposite rotary directions.

Abstract: A flexographic printing machine, especially for flexographic web printing, has at least one printing unit. Such a printing unit comprises an endless printing band drawn on round a back-up cylinder and a tension roller, an impression cylinder, an engraved roller transferring the ink to the printing cylinder or to the printing belt, and an ink drier. A paper web runs through all the printing units.In each printing unit, the bearings of the impression cylinder are fastened rigidly to the machine frame, whereas the bearings of the back-up cylinder and those of the tension roller are arranged displaceably on it, a tension rod keeping a distance (a) between the back-up cylinder and the tension roller constant.

Abstract: The tape module for mounting in a mailing machine includes a tape track supported by a support means such that the tape track is supported in a generally cantilevered manner. A tape positioning means selectively positioning the support means in a first position and in a second position longitudinally removed from the first position. A tape feed means for selectively feeding one of a plurality of imprinting tapes to and through the tape track such that the fed imprinting tape resides within the tape track when the tape track is in the second position.

Abstract: A printing machine which has a printing cylinder (1) having automatically incremented numbering barrels (2) includes drive means (40-45) which normally maintain the printing cylinder in speed and phase synchronization with a train of documents on a web (11). The drive means is operable to decelerate the printing cylinder and then to cause the printing cylinder to regain its normal operating speed so that the web overtakes the printing by a selected distance before the next printing nip is formed.

Abstract: A franking machine has a control lever (7) which is operable between a first position and a second position to cause a slogan to be printed or not to be printed respectively. When said franking machine is being fed with labels, the label selector selects a short label or a long label depending on whether the label is to receive a slogan. The label selector comprises an emitter (E) and a receiver (R) which are mounted in an opto-electronic detector head (41) at a distance from said lever (7) and which are coupled to each other by means of a mirror (42) mounted on the lever (7), but only when the lever is in one of its two specified positions.

Abstract: Chassis for postage metering machines having a printing-cylinder shaft supported by ball bearings, including a base plate, a U-shaped frame carried by the base plate and formed with two similarly shaped legs having holes formed therein for accommodating the ball bearings of the printing-cylinder shaft, a peripheral edge defining the holes being formed with incisions for receiving therein means for adjusting the ball bearings in said holes, pivotable retaining brackets fastened to the legs, and two rods connecting the legs to one another at an open part of the U-shaped frame for mutually bracing the legs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand labelling apparatus with the aid of which pressure-sensitive labels adhering to a carrier tape can be imprinted, dispensed and applied to articles. For this purpose the apparatus comprises in the front region of its housing a printing mechanism which is driveable by an operating lever and to which the carrier tape with the pressure-sensitive labels adhering thereto is fed by a feed means likewise driveable by the operating lever. In every operating cycle the printing mechanism imprints one pressure-sensitive label which is then further fed by the feed means with the carrier tape to a peel edge at which the imprinted label detaches from the carrier tape and moves into a dispensing position in which it is ready for application to an article.

Abstract: A hand labeller having a plurality of rotatable print wheels with selectable print types disposed on the periphery of each print wheel and a selector spindle for positioning selected print types at a printing zone of the print wheels. The selector spindle includes a reduced diameter portion which engages and slides in an arcuate slot in the labeller housing if (a) the spindle is fully pushed into the print wheels and (b) the labeller is operated to rotate the print zone of the print wheels to a label printing position. If the spindle is not fully pushed in, a large diameter portion of the spindle will engage the arcuate slot, the latter portion being too large to enter the slot whereby the print zone of the print wheels is inhibited from rotation to the label printing position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing mechanism for printing bar codes on pressure-sensitive labels adhering to a carrier tape. The printing mechanism includes a print wheel on which a plurality of type rings rotatable about a common axis relatively to each other are mounted. The carrier tape with the pressure-sensitive labels adhering thereto is pressed with the aid of a pressure roller against the print wheel. To enable the bar codes to be printed to be read without error with electrooptical reading devices, high requirements are made of the printing quality of the bar codes as regards uniformity and contrast. To meet these requirements the type rings comprise a cylindrical peripheral surface on which bar code types of resilient material are formed with which an inking means is in contact; the pressure roller is rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the axis of the type rings and consists of non-resilient material.

Abstract: In a hand labelling apparatus for printing and dispensing labels from a label strip including a carrier tape where the labels are adhered to the tape, a tape feed mechanism for stepwise feeding the label strip in a forward direction to a peel edge at which point the labels are substantially separated from the carrier tape, a printing mechanism having changeable type where the distance between the printing zone of the printing mechanism and the peel edge exceeds the length of each of the labels, a return member for feeding the label strip in a return direction opposite to the forward direction, an operating lever pivotable between a rest position and a working position where the operating lever is connected to the return member and the tape feed and printing mechanisms so that, during movement of the operating lever from the rest position to the working position, the return member feeds the labels in the return direction to the print zone where one of them is printed, a return stop member for disabling the ret

Abstract: A combination strip reel and printing apparatus and method for printing a headband strip includes a frame with a reel holder and strip tension maintaining dancer tubes positioned in the strip feed path on each side of a printing mechanism. The printing mechanism is an interval printer with a plate wheel and an impression wheel which swings the strip in and out of printing contact with the plate wheel in response to the operation of start and stop switches selectively positionable relative to the plate wheel. The plate wheel turns at a constant speed and the impression wheel and arms holding the impression wheel and the strip move to alternately start and stop rotation of the impression wheel. The arms swing the strip and impression wheel into and out of printing engagement with the plate wheel. The printing interval is completely adjustable between the circumferential length of the plate wheel and the length of a selected character on the plate wheel.

Abstract: A method for recording a variant information and a steady information onto a recording medium, wherein the variant information and an identification information for designating the steady information which is to be recorded later are first recorded, and the identification information is then read to select a desired steady information from a plurality of pieces of stored steady information in accordance with the read identification information, and finally, the selected steady information is recorded on the recording medium. An apparatus for effecting the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: An inexpensive apparatus is provided for printing and dispensing a series of special individualized pressure sensitive labels. The dispenser apparatus includes replaceable storage, such as a cassette or a small floppy disc for storing a series of related addresses, for example, and a full keyboard for providing input to the replaceable memory, together with control circuitry. A cassette of blank pressure sensitive labels mounted on a web is provided, and this web is fed past a photocell, under a printhead and then past a peeling blade which, in one mode, dispenses labels through a slot, with the extension of the labels through the slot being detected by a light and photocell pair which in this mode controls label printing and advancing. In accordance with another mode, the peeling blade from which the labels are dispensed may be disabled, and a set of labels prepared and stored on the takeup reel of the apparatus.

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: A document imprinter, especially for labels, tickets, tags, and the like, having an elastomeric platen with an outermost thin sleeve which is harder than the underlying platen material thereby resulting in sharper printing. The sleeve is preferably of a material which is smooth and glossy and non-adherent to adhesives, thus minimizing undesired transfer to the platen of adhesive from the web to be imprinted.

Abstract: A fabric shademarker of the type which is mounted on a fabric spreading machine and which prints identifying indicia such as numerals on the reverse side of the fabric as it is spread, layer by layer, on a spreading table and which is characterized by the improvement of means for synchronizing the rotation of the printing and impression cylinders and further in that the impression cylinder has raised pads spaced along its circumferential surface which mate with corresponding raised characters on the printing cylinder so that tension, which would otherwise be introduced along the longitudinal edges of the fabric web which is being spread because of the unequal friction exerted on the fabric by the impression and printing cylinders, is equalized due to the fact that the slack portions of the fabric web drape between the raised pads on the impression cylinder and the taut portions of the fabric web span the chord between the circumferentially adjacent raised pads on the impression cylinder with the net tension t

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a machine for printing indicia on a moving web. The web may consist of a long relatively narrow carrier strip having rows of tax stamps or decals formed thereon, and the machine prints indicia in the form of code symbols on each stamp. The stamps are arranged on the carrier strip in rows which extend longitudinally or in the direction of the length of the strip, and the strip is moved longitudinally through the machine during the printing operation. In the described example of the invention, a plurality of such rows are provided, the rows being laterally spaced across the width of the web, and the laterally adjacent stamps are arranged in laterally extending straight lines. The machine prints a group of symbols on each stamp, and the symbols are the same for every stamp on a given length of the web.

Abstract: An apparatus for encoding a magnetic recording medium in the form of discrete labels such as may be removably adhered to a carrier web includes a mechanism for transporting the medium past a magnetic record and playback head. As the tape passes the playback head, the data previously recorded thereon by the record head is played back and verified. If the playback signal is not verified, the label associated therewith is marked, such as by punching a section from the label, and is thereafter differently processed. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a means for removing encoded labels from the carrier web and automatically positioned the removed labels at a dispensing slot. Alternatively, the encoded labels, either verified or not-verified (or both) may be rewound onto the carrier web.

Abstract: A combined printer and cutter for simultaneously cutting and printing on a record media such as a paper tape for a customer receipt, including a stationary knife blade and a rotary knife blade which, upon rotation, severs the tape therebetween. Rocker arms are provided for rotating the rotary knife through its cutting operation and to drive the print head from a position against an ink source to a position against the record media simultaneously performing the cutting operation so as to print a trademark or other indicia on the record media concurrently therewith. The stationary knife is itself the printing platen and the rocker arms are mounted on the rotary knife so that all forces involved in oscillating the rotary knife and rotating the print head are taken by this relatively large shaft.

Abstract: A textile shade marker for imprinting identifying indicia such as numerals, on the reverse side of each layer of fabric as the fabric is laid out in a multiple layer stack on a cutting table preparatory to the cutting thereof into garment panels, the marker consisting of a frame carrying printing wheels having series of indicia printing elements on the peripheries thereof, and which are rotated by movement of the fabric in engagement therewith, and mechanism for applying ink only to a selected printing element, whereby all of said printing elements engage the fabric but only the selected element imprints its image thereon.