Pitney Bowes Inc.

Norman R Lilly

Gerald C Freeman

Flavio M Manduley

James A Salomon

James A Fairweather

Donald T Dolan

Thomas M Lyga

Gary S Jacobson

Wesley A Kirschner

Roger J Ratzenberger, Jr

Yakup J Igval

Neil F Baldino

Donald Surprise

Steven A Supron

Anthony Chiappetta

David Privin

Robert P Rebres

Paul M Kasarauskas

Aaron D Smith

M James Marin

Theresa Bartick

Michael E Field

Kenneth A Teran

Anthony W Chiappetta

An inserter system includes a pre-fold accumulator subsystem in which plural sheets are collected before folding and insertion into an envelope. A divert gate is at the upstream side of the pre-fold accumulator to selectively downwardly divert sheets fed in a reverse direction from the pre-fold accumulator. Positioning of the divert gate is controlled by a mechanism that couples the divert gate and a drive shaft that drives a sheet drive belt component of the pre-fold accumulator.

Inserter system divert gate actuated by pre-fold accumulator drive shaft

The sheet capacity of a pivoting feed head is combined with a complimentary pivoting design for the paper tray lift, such that a large total capacity of sheets is attained within a compact space, while allowing the lifting mechanisms to be located outside of the perimeter of the paper tray.

Method to accommodate a large capacity of sheets in a feeder mechanism

A method and an arrangement for feeding shingled media item includes a tray for supporting a stack of shingled media items. The tray has an exit area and each of the media items has a bottom edge. A feeder separates and feeds media items from the shingled stack of media items. The tray is connected to the feeder with a first and a second cavity formed at the exit area of the feed tray and the front of the feeder such that media items moved from the tray into the feeder are supported on a portion of the media item bottom edge. A rail structure is attached to the surface for supporting the media items bottom edge adjacent the media item exit area. The feeder may include a separator roller and a feed roller positioned with respect to the first and the second cavity such that the media items are moved from a media item shingle orientation upstream of the separator roller and the feed roller to a media item feed orientation down stream of the separator roller and the feed roller with said media item side edges out of contact with the feed head guide surfaces.

Shingle mode media item feed arrangement

A media item feed tray with an exit area for media items includes a sled moveable toward and away from the feed tray exit area. A biasing surface is mounted to the tray and extends away from the feed tray exit area. A spring member is mounted on the moveable sled and is connected to the biasing surface such that when the moveable sled is moved away from the feed tray exit area energy is stored in the spring member. The biasing surface may be a shaped rail with a cam surface and the moveable member may include a cam follower which engages the shaped rail cam surface. A first cam section and a second cam section can be provided with the moveable sled urged toward the feed tray exit area when the cam follower engages the shaped rail first cam surface section and urged away from the feed tray exit area when the cam follower engages the shaped rail second cam surface section. A mechanism can be provided for locking the sled from movement and with a sled front face which can be positioned to facilitate loading of media items into the feed tray and positioned for media item feeding operation.

Shingle media item feed tray with spring loaded self locking sled

A method and device for improving the efficiency of a postage meter by using a sensing to detect the edges of an incoming envelope in order to initiate a multi-speed profile for transporting the envelope with different speeds through the postage meter. With the multi-speed profile, the postage meter is allowed to have sufficient time to process mail related data and provide mail related data to a print head before the envelope reaches a print zone where the print head starts printing an indicia on the envelope.

Method and device for improving the efficiency of a postage meter

A system and method for managing overflow of moistening fluid in a mailing machine is provided. An overflow pipe is provided in the reservoir, positioned over a sump located beneath the reservoir. The top of the overflow pipe in the reservoir is located slightly above the moistening fluid normal operating level in the reservoir. In the event the level of the moistening fluid rises above the normal operating level to a point above the top of the overflow pipe, the moistening fluid will flow through the overflow pipe and into the sump. The sump contains an absorbent material to absorb any moistening fluid that flows into the sump, thereby preventing the moistening fluid from sloshing out of the sump if the mailing machine is moved. The moistening fluid absorbed by the absorbent material will eventually evaporate, thereby preventing any leakage of the moistening fluid from the mailing machine.

System and method for managing overflow of moistening fluid in a mailing machine

A connection device is provided for meshing of gears on disparate modules, such as those that form a mailing machine. A tongue having a rack can extend from a first module into a cavity formed in the second module. A spur gear is mounted to the second module and can engage the rack of the tongue received into the cavity. A mechanism controls movement of the first spur gear. The mechanism can include a drive gear meshed with the first spur gear and concentrically mounted on one end of a drive shaft with a worm gear mounted concentrically on an opposing end of the drive shaft. Rotation of the worm gear causes the spur gear and the drive gear to rotate and cause movement in the rack received into the cavity and separate or bring together the modules as a result of the movement in the rack.

Module latching mechanism for mailing machine

A mailing machine has an envelope transport device extending longitudinally therethrough and a digital ink jet printing device located adjacent the downstream end of the transport device. Due to the criticality of the spacing between the upper surface of an envelope and the discharge nozzles of the ink jet print head, the envelopes passing through the mailing machine must have their upper surfaces registered with a fixed plane that extends in spaced relationship with the nozzles. The mailing machine includes a flap closing device having fixed and movable elements that can accommodate variations in thickness of the envelopes extending from the registration plane downwardly within a fixed range so that the flap closing device can simultaneously close the flaps of both thin and thick envelopes passing through the mailing machine in a mixed stream.

Mailing machine having envelope closing and sealing device

Mailing machine for feeding a mailpiece and printing a postal indicia thereon. The mailing machine includes: a drive assembly for feeding the mailpiece in a path of travel, a printer located adjacent to the path of travel to define a print station, the printer for printing the postal indicia on the mailpiece as the mailpiece is fed through the print station; a wall parallel to the path of travel for registering a top edge of the mailpiece; a shield located in the print station for registering a top surface of the mailpiece, the shield having a suitable opening to allow the printer to print on the top surface of the of the mailpiece; and a guide assembly for biasing the top surface of the mailpiece against the shield. The guide assembly including a first support rail including a first top guide surface and a second top guide surface vertically spaced apart from the first top surface, the first support rail spaced apart transverse to the path of travel from the wall and a device for biasing the first support rail upward so that the mailpiece is fed between the shield and the first support rail as the mailpiece is fed through the print station so that a first type of mailpiece having a width greater than a threshold value contacts the first top guide surface and a second type of mailpiece having a width less than the threshold value contacts the second top guide surface.

Guide and support structure for a mailing machine

A load cell supporting member includes a central portion formed to receive a load cell and to protect a load cell from overloading. A plurality of arms extends radially from the central portion. The supporting member is a single, integral piece of said material. A weighing scale includes a first supporting member, a load cell supported by the first supporting member. The scale also includes a second supporting member, that is identical to the first and supported by the load cell and is identical to the first supporting member. The second supporting member supports a scale platform. Another weighing scale includes three identical supporting members and the load cells. A first supporting member supports a first load cell. The first load cell supports a second supporting member, which supports a second load cell. The second load cell supports a third supporting member. The third supporting member supports a scale platform.

Load cell supporting member and weighing scale incorporating the same

A load cell supporting member includes a central portion formed to receive a load cell and to protect a load cell from overloading. A plurality of arms extends radially from the central portion. The supporting member is a single, integral piece of said material. A weighing scale includes a first supporting member, a load cell supported by the first supporting member. The scale also includes a second supporting member, that is identical to the first and supported by the load cell and is identical to the first supporting member. The second supporting member supports a scale platform. Another weighing scale includes three identical supporting members and two load cells. A first supporting member supports a first load cell. The first load cell supports a second supporting member, which supports a second load cell. The second load cell supports a third supporting member. The third supporting member supports a scale platform.

A label printing system. The system includes a computer output printer of the type having a platen roller, a bail rod assembly and a tractor feeder, together defining a web path. A separator rod is attached parallel to the bail rod and introduces a separation angle into the web path. Labels attached to a web of released material are peeled by the separation angle after printing. Variable information is printed on a label being processed and the web is advanced to print fixed information on the next label; moving the printed label over the separator rod and peeling it from the web. A thin edge is left attached to facilitate retrieval by the operator of the printed label. A shipping manifest system including the subject label printer is also disclosed.

Label printing system for a computer output line printer

A mailer for the delivery of the replacement units and the return of replaced units. Preferably the units include electronic components such as PROM's mounted on printed circuit boards. A replacement unit is held within the mailer by a restraint in a position such that an address for a customer to whom the replacement unit is to be delivered affixed to the replacement unit is visible through a window in the mailer. Insertion of a replaced unit into the mailer causes the restraint to release the replacement unit and secure the replaced unit in such a position that no address is visible through the window. Accordingly, the mailer would be returned to the vendor whose address is imprinted on the mailer with no need for further effort on the part of the customer. In one embodiment of the disclosed invention, where the units are PROM modules mounted on printed circuit boards, when the replaced unit is partially inserted into the mailer the mailer may then be used as an extraction tool to remove the replaced unit from an edge connector, and when the replaced unit is fully inserted into the mailer the mailer maybe used as an insertion tool to insert the replacement unit into the edge connector.

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Monroe, CT, United States of America

Norman R Lilly