Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems Ag

Kurt Nast

Christian Gillieron

Christian Moy

Stefan Etter

Daniel Fluckiger

Erwin Berger

Martin Muller

Philippe Chollet

Ernest Muchenberger

A date-setting method for use in a postage meter having date wheels includes the steps of setting the date wheels, printing a date on a mail piece, requesting an input indicating whether the date printed on the mail piece is correct, receiving a response in the negative, receiving information indicative of the date printed on the mail piece, resetting the date wheels, logging a record indicative of the negative response and the resetting action, printing another date on a mail piece, requesting an input indicating whether the date printed on the mail piece is correct, receiving a response in the negative, receiving information indicative of the date printed on the mail piece, resetting the date wheels, logging another record indicative of the negative response and the resetting action; and annunciating the records indicative of negative responses. Another date-setting method for use in a postage meter having date wheels capable of printing a date on a mail piece includes the steps of setting at least one date wheel, waiting until after the first time that postage has been printed on a mail piece subsequent to the setting of a date wheel, and thereafter, requesting an input indicating whether the date printed on the mail piece is correct.

System for setting date wheels in a postage meter

A postage meter has a secure housing, an accounting register within the secure housing, and a print rotor the rotation of which defines a paper path. The rotor axle is formed of two halves, and within the two haves is a lengthwise cavity along which setting racks are capable of axial movement. The racks engage with print wheels at one end and are accessible to the main body of the postage meter at the other end. Each rack engages with its value wheel in a rack-and-pinion engagement. The axle halves are made of plastic and they snap together. The racks slide within grooves, and are held in place with pins. The axle has journal bearings and a thrust bearing defining its movement relative to the secure housing. A worm gear in the housing engages a worm wheel in the rotor to bring about rotation of the rotor for the printing of postage.

Postage meter with hollow rotor axle

A postage meter has the print rotor and platen within a single secure housing, with a letter detection lever along the paper path downstream from the rotor. The letter detection lever is in a spring-loaded coupling relationship with the trigger that triggers franking. If a letter remains in the meter due to a paper jam, the detection lever continues to be actuated and the spring-loaded coupling keeps the trigger in the triggered position. The meter further comprises a platen carrier moving the platen toward and away from the rotor; when the rotor is in its home position a radial cam on the rotor and cam follower keep the carrier away from the rotor. When franking of a letter begins and the rotor begins to rotate, the rotor cam releases the cam follower, permitting the carrier to move up in spring-loaded relation toward the rotor. A letter stopper is in the paper path downstream from the rotor and helps to align the letter so that the postage imprint is optimally oriented on the letter. The trigger includes an enclosure containing a free-moving mass; the weight is constrained from radial and axial movement relative to the trigger pivot. The trigger is balanced in two axes in the plane in which it rotates, thus it has no net moment (or minimal net moment) about its pivot. The mass and the enclosure shape are selected to damp movement of the trigger as it returns to its home position after it is triggered.

Postage meter with improved paper path

Postage meter

Growing community of inventors

Bern, Switzerland

Kurt Nast