[0001] This invention is generally concerned with letter processing apparatus including
an inking cartridge and more particularly with a mailing machine including a removably
mountable, disposable inking cartridge.
[0002] This Application is based on copending U.S. Patent Applications Serial Nos. 07/703,316
for a Mailing Machine Having A Disposable Inking Cartridge, and 07/703,306 for a Mailing
Machine Including Movable Inking Cartridge. The attention of the reader is drawn to
our further, copending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/703,315 for an Inking
Cartridge.
[0003] In U.S. Patent No. 4,440,083 for a Disposable Inking Cartridge, there is disclosed
a disposable inking cartridge which is constructed and arranged to be removably connected
to a mailing machine. The inking cartridge includes an ink impregnated roller, known
in the art as a reservoir roller. The mailing machine includes a rotary postage printing
drum and includes an ink impregnated roller known in the art as a transfer roller.
The reservoir roller is disposed in rolling engagement with the mailing machine's
transfer roller when the cartridge is connected to the mailing machine. And, when
the mailing machine is operated, the printing drum rotates into engagement with the
transfer roller for transferring ink from the reservoir roller to the transfer roller,
and from the transfer roller to the printing drum.
[0004] As shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,697,517 for Inking Apparatus For A Mailing Machine,
there is disclosed a mailing machine which includes a base, and includes an inking
cartridge and postage meter which are removably connectable to the base. The inking
cartridge includes an ink impregnated roller, known in the art as a reservoir roller,
and the base includes an ink impregnated roller known in the art as a transfer roller.
When the inking cartridge is connected to the base, the reservoir roller is disposed
in rolling engagement with the transfer roller and, assuming the postage meter is
mounted on the base, when the mailing machine is operated, the meter's printing drum
rotates into engagement with the transfer roller for transferring ink therefrom to
the printing drum as the reservoir roller replenishes the ink supply of the transfer
roller. In order to locate the postage meter in sufficiently close proximity to the
transfer roller to permit the transfer of ink therefrom to the printing drum, the
meter and base are complementarily configured for guiding the meter to a predetermined
position on the base wherein the meter is disposed in close proximity to the transfer
roller. As a result, in the course of mounting the meter on the base, it is substantially
impossible to prevent the meter from contacting the ink transfer roller and smearing
ink therefrom on to the meter. To cure this problem, there is disclosed the provision
of a cam member, coaxially connected to and pivotable about the opposite end journals
of the transfer roller, which has cam surfaces radially extending beyond the outer
periphery of the ink transfer roller. In the course of mounting the meter on the base,
the meter engages and moves the cam, and thus the transfer roller, away from the meter
to prevent ink from the transfer roller from being smeared on to the meter.
[0005] Since the ink transfer roller is a component of the mailing machine, when the inking
cartridge is replaced to provide a new reservoir roller, old residual ink carried
by the ink transfer roller is mixed with ink from the new reservoir roller when it
is transferred to the printing drum. Accordingly, the Hopper inking system is limited
to providing replacement inking cartridges having reservoir rollers which are impregnated
with the same color of ink as previously used in the system. Further, the Hopper inking
system is generally limited to utilization of an ink having the same chemical formula
as the ink previously used in the system, in order to preclude the possibility of
a chemical reaction between new reservoir roller ink and the old transfer roller ink.
Moreover, the Hopper inking system does not account for aging, or wear and tear, of
the ink transfer roller, which may result in unevenly transferring ink to the printing
drum, or smearing ink thereon, whether or not a new reservoir roller is provided.
And, customers have been found to be disappointed when a new reservoir roller is provided,
due to not receiving an immediate significant enhancement of the quality of printing
provided by the printing drum, inasmuch as the volume of residual ink impregnating
the transfer roller is normally substantially reduced prior to the provision of the
new reservoir roller and is only gradually increased thereafter as the new reservoir
roller is used.
[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a mailing machine
comprising a rotatable drum including a printing die peripherally extending therefrom,
means for intermittently rotating the drum to move the printing die in a predetermined
circularly-extending path of travel, a receptacle, and an inking cartridge removably
mountable in the receptacle and comprising: a generally rectangularly-shaped hollow
housing having opposed side walls and having an edge wall extending between the side
walls, the walls defining an aperture formed in the housing; a reservoir roller impregnated
with printing ink and rotatably connected to the side walls so as to extend therebetween;
a transfer roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the side
walls so as to extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing aperture; the
reservoir and transfer rollers being respectively dimensioned for rolling engagement
with each other to cause ink from the reservoir roller to be transferred to the transfer
roller, and the transfer roller being dimensioned for disposition in the path of travel
of the printing die when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle to permit engagement
by the printing die for transferring printing ink from the transfer roller to the
printing die.
[0007] Thus, there are advantageously provided an improved inking system for use in letter
processing apparatus; a disposable inking cartridge removably mountable in a mailing
machine; a disposable inking cartridge which includes both a reservoir roller and
a transfer roller; and a mailing machine including a removably mounted inking cartridge.
[0008] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a mailing machine
comprising:
a. a base;
b. a postage meter mountable on and dismountable from the base;
c. the base and meter respectively including means for guiding the meter in a path
of travel out of a predetermined position on the base when dismounting the meter therefrom;
and
d. a disposable inking cartridge comprising:
i. a generally rectangularly-shaped hollow housing movably connected to the base,
the housing having opposed side walls and having an elongate perimeter edge wall extending
between the side walls, each of the side walls including an arcuately-shaped cam surface
oppositely spaced from the cam surface of the other side wall, the cam surfaces and
edge wall defining a substantially arcuately-shaped aperture formed in the housing;
and
ii. a transfer roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the
side walls so as to extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing aperture,
the cam surfaces being located in the path of travel of the meter for engagement thereby
to move the housing out of the path of travel and carry therewith the transfer roller
as the postage meter is dismounted from the base.
[0009] Thus there is advantageously provided a mailing machine, which includes a postage
meter removably connectable thereto, with an inking cartridge which includes a transfer
roller and includes structure which is engaged by the meter for moving the inking
cartridge, and thus the transfer roller, away from the meter when the meter is mounted
on, and dismounted from, the machine.
[0010] There now follows a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, by way
of example, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a partially fragmented, partially exploded, perspective view of a mailing
machine comprising a removably mountable inking cartridge, including a transfer roller,
and a removably mountable postage meter, including a printing drum having a printing
die;
Fig. 2 is a partially fragmented, exploded, perspective view of the mailing machine
of Fig. 1, showing the inking cartridge and a receptacle for removably receiving the
cartridge;
Fig. 3 is a partial elevation view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the printing
die disposed out of engagement with the transfer roller of the inking cartridge; and
Fig. 4 is a partial elevation view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the printing
die rotating in engagement with the transfer roller of the inking cartridge.
Fig. 5 is a partial elevation view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage
meter disposed out of engagement with the inking cartridge;
Fig. 6 is a partial elevation view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage
meter engaging the cartridge in the course of mounting the meter on, or dismounting
the meter from, the mailing machine; and
Fig. 7 is a partial elevation view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage
meter mounted on the mailing machine's base.
[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, the letter processing apparatus according to the invention comprises
a mailing machine 10 which generally includes a base 12, having a housing 14, and
a postage meter 16. For removably mounting the meter 16 on the base 12, the base 12
includes a plurality of posts 18 and the meter 16 includes a like number of apertures
20, which are respectively dimensioned for engagement with, and disengagement from,
one another for guiding and positioning the meter 16 relative to the base 12 in the
course of mounting and dismounting the meter 16. When mounted on the base 12, the
postage meter 16 forms therewith a slot 22, through which letters 24, including sheets,
mailpieces, envelopes and cards, and the like, are fed to the machine 10, either by
hand or by means of suitable feeding apparatus 26, for feeding thereby in a downstream
path of travel 28. The base 12 additionally comprises aligning structure including
a registration fence 30 against which an edge of a given letter 24 is normally urged
when fed to the mailing machine 10. Further, the base 12 includes structure for sensing
letters 24 fed to the machine 10, including a trip lever 34 which extends upwardly
through a housing aperture 36 and into the path of travel 28 of letters 24 fed to
the machine 10.
[0012] The postage meter 16 (Fig. 1) comprises printing structure 40 including a rotary
printing drum 42 having a conventional postage printing die 44 peripherally extending
therefrom, and having other conventional structure (not shown) extending therefrom,
for engaging respective letters 24 beneath the drum 42 and feeding the letters 24
downstream in the path of travel 28 as the printing die 44 prints postage indicia
thereon. In addition, the meter 16 includes a shaft 46, extending from the drum 42,
and a drive gear 48, mounted on the shaft 46 for rotation thereof and thus of the
printing structure 40.
[0013] For protecting the printing structure 40 from inadvertent damage occasioned by handling
the postage meter 16, the meter 16 preferably includes guard structure 45 which is
conventionally connected to the meter 16 beneath and laterally to one side of the
printing structure 40. The guard structure 45 preferably includes an elongate rod
47, having the opposite ends thereof suitably fixedly secured to the meter 16. The
rod 47 extends substantially parallel to the drum drive shaft 46 and is radially spaced
from and beneath the drum 42. In addition, the guard structure 45 includes an elongate,
generally rectangularly-shaped, shield member 49, having a longitudinally extending
marginal edge portion thereof which is conventionally wrapped about the rod 47 for
connection thereto. As thus constructed and arranged the shield member 49 laterally
extends from the rod 47 and beneath the printing structure 40.
[0014] The base 12 (Fig. 1) includes an input feed roller 50, known in the art as an impression
roller, and a shaft 52 on which the impression roller 50 is mounted for rotation.
The shaft 52 is preferably resiliently connected to the housing for movement toward
and away from the drum 42, as hereinafter discussed, to permit the impression roller
50 to yieldably extend upwardly through the housing aperture 36, and into the path
of travel 28, for urging respective letters 24 into printing engagement with the printing
die 44. The base 12 additionally includes a conventional ejection roller 54, which
includes a cylindrically-shaped outer member 56 and a coaxially-extending coil spring
57 having one end connected thereto. And the base 12 includes an drive shaft 58, extending
coaxially of the roller 54, on which the outer roller member 56 is rotatably mounted
and to which the other end of the spring 57 is connected for transmitting drive to
the outer roller member 56 and thus to the roller 54.
[0015] For resiliently connecting the impression roller 50 (Fig. 1) to the housing 14, the
base 12 may include any suitable structure 60, such as a pair of parallel-spaced,
interconnected, pivot arms 62 having one end thereof conventionally rotatably connected
to the ejection roller shaft 58 as by means of bearings 64, one of which is shown,
and having the other ends resiliently connected to the housing 14, by means of a depending
spring 66, and provided with bearings 68 for rotatably supporting the impression roller
shaft 52. As thus constructed and arranged, when the impression roller 50 is urged
downwardly, the shaft 52 is lowered against the resilient force exerted by the spring
66 to provide a variable gap between the drum 42 and impression roller 50, to accommodate
mixed thickness letters 24. And, the spring 66 resiliently urges the impression roller
50 upwardly against the downward force exerted by a given letter 24 fed beneath the
drum 42, for urging the given sheet 24 into printing engagement with the printing
die 44. To further accommodate feeding mixed thickness letters 24 through the machine
10, the postage meter 16 preferably includes a suitable idler roller 70, conventionally
mounted for rotation on a shaft 72 which is suitably resiliently mounted to yieldably
support the roller 70 above the ejection roller 54 for receiving therebetween mixed
thickness letters 24.
[0016] In addition, the base 12 (Fig. 1) includes an intermittently operable system 80 for
driving the drum drive gear 48, and thus the drum 42, the impression roller shaft
52, and thus the impression roller 50, and the ejection roller shaft 58, in timed
relationship with one another in response to movement of the trip lever 34 by a letter
24 fed to the machine 10. The driving system 80 includes suitable control structure
82 and trip structure 84, which are respectively conventionally connected to the housing
14. The trip structure 84 is suitably connected between the trip lever 34 and control
structure 82 for providing conventional input thereto indicative that a letter 24
has been fed to the machine 10. The drive system 80 also includes a motor 86, which
is conventionally connected to the control structure 82 for operation thereof in response
to conventional input from the trip structure 84, and which has an output shaft 88.
In addition, the drive system 80 includes a pinion gear 90, mounted on the output
shaft 88, and a drive gear 92, mounted on the ejection roller shaft 58. Further the
drive system 80 includes a drive gear 94, which is conventionally rotatably connected
to the housing 14, as by means of a shaft 95 suitably rotatably connected thereto,
and protrudes upwardly therefrom through an aperture 96 formed in the housing 14 for
disposition in meshing engagement with the drum drive gear 48 when the postage meter
16 is mounted on the base 12. Moreover, the drive system 80 includes a drive gear
(not shown), which is conventionally fixedly attached to the drive gear 94, and a
gear belt 98 looped thereabout and about the pinion gear 90 for transmitting motor
drive from the pinion gear 90 to the drive gear 94, and thus to the postage meter
drum 42. Still further, the drive gear 92 is disposed in meshing engagement with the
gear belt 98 for transmitting motor drive therefrom to the drive gear 92, and thus
to the ejection roller shaft 58. The drive system 80 also includes a driven gear 100
mounted on the ejection roller shaft 58, a drive gear 102 mounted on the impression
roller shaft 52, and a gear belt 104 which is looped about the gears, 100 and 102,
for transmitting motor drive from the ejection roller shaft 58 to the impression roller
shaft 52, and thus to the impression roller 50.
[0017] In operation, when a letter 24 (Fig. 1) is fed to the base 12, an edge thereof is
urged into engagement with the registration fence 10 for guiding the letter 24 downstream
in the path of travel 28, into the slot 22 between the base 12 and postage meter 16,
and thus into engagement with the trip lever 14. The force exerted by the letter 24
against the trip lever 14 causes the lever 14 to move. Whereupon, the trip structure
84 causes the control system to energize the motor 86 for rotating the postage printing
structure 40 through a single revolution. Upon energization of the motor 86, the motor
output shaft 88 drives the pinion gear 90, thereby driving the gear belt 98 for rotating
the ejector roller shaft 58, impression roller 50 and postage printing structure 40.
As the impression roller 50 feeds the letter 24 downstream in the path of travel 28
beneath the drum 42, the printing die 44 rotates through a predetermined circularly-extending
path of travel 106 and into engagement with the letter 24, followed by cooperating
with the impression roller 50 to feed the letter 24 therebetween and to the ejection
and idler rollers, 56 and 70, as the printing die 44 prints postage indicia on the
letter 24. Thereafter, the ejection roller 56 also feeds the letter 24 downstream
in the path of travel 28, and, in addition, stores excess energy in the ejection roller
spring 57 until the upstream, trailing edge of the letter 24 is released due to the
drum 42 rotating out of engagement with the letter 24. Whereupon, the excess energy
stored in the ejection roller spring 57 rapidly rotates the outer roller member 56
in engagement with the letter 24, for ejecting the letter 24 from the machine 10.
[0018] According to the invention, the base 12 (Fig. 1) and thus the mailing machine 10,
also includes a receptacle 110, formed in the housing 14, and a disposable inking
cartridge 112, removably mountable in the receptacle 110.
[0019] The receptacle 110 (Fig. 2) is preferably an elongate, substantially vertically oriented
slot-like cavity defined in the housing 14 by mean of a lower wall 114, and by means
of a rear wall 116 and oppositely facing side walls 118 which respectively extend
upwardly from the lower wall 114 and define an open upper end 120, opposite the lower
wall 114, and a front opening 122, opposite the rear wall 116. The lower wall 114
preferably includes a T-shaped channel 124 formed therein, including a laterally-extending
front portion 126, intersected by an elongate, rearwardly-extending, rear portion
128, having a pair of elongate oppositely facing side surfaces 130. In addition, the
lower wall 114 includes a pair of elongate, parallel-spaced, horizontally-extending
base surfaces 132, from which the channel side surfaces 130 downwardly extend. The
rear wall 116 includes a vertically-extending lower portion 136, having a rectangularly-shaped
aperture 138 formed therein. In addition, the rear wall 116 includes an upper portion
140, which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the lower portion 136 to the receptacle's
upper open end 120, and has a slot 142 formed downwardly and rearwardly therein. The
opposed side walls 118 each include a substantially L-shaped channel 144 formed therein,
having a vertically extending leg 146 defined by oppositely facing side surfaces,
148 and 150, and having a horizontally extending leg 152 defined by an upper, horizontally-extending,
lip surface 154 and by one of the lower wall base surfaces 132. In addition, each
of the opposed side walls 118 includes a stop surface 156 which vertically extends
between the lip and base surfaces, 154 and 132.
[0020] The cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) generally includes a hollow housing 164 having rotatably
mounted therein an ink impregnated reservoir roller 166 (Fig. 3) and an ink impregnated
transfer roller 168. The housing 164 (Fig. 2) is preferably an elongate, upright,
generally rectangularly-shaped, structure, having opposed, upright side walls 172,
and having an elongate perimeter edge wall 174 which extends between the side walls
172. The rollers, 161 and 168 (Fig. 3) respectively extend between the side walls
172, are rotatably connected thereto and are disposed in rolling engagement with one
another. The edge wall 174 (Fig. 2) includes upper and lower edge portions, 175 and
176, and includes oppositely spaced front and rear edge portions, 178 and 180, extending
between the upper and lower edge portions, 175 and 176. And, the front edge wall portion
178 has a generally rectangularly-shaped aperture 182 formed therein via which the
transfer roller 168 is peripherally accessible. As thus constructed and arranged,
when the cartridge 112 (Fig. 4) is mounted in the receptacle 110, the transfer roller
168 is disposed for rolling engagement by the postage printing die 44 as the die 44
rotates into engagement with respective letters 24 in the path of travel 28.
[0021] For guiding manual insertion of the inking cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) into the receptacle
110, each of the side walls 172 includes an elongate, upright, generally rectangularly-shaped
ridge 184 formed therein, substantially midway between the front and rear edge portions,
178 and 180, so as to extend laterally outwardly of the housing 164. Each of the ridges
184 has opposed, elongate, upright, parallel-spaced, front and rear guide edges, 186
and 188, and has an upper guide edge 190 extending transversely between the front
and rear guide edges, 186 and 188. In addition, each of the ridges 184 has a V-shaped,
downwardly pointing, lower guide edge 192, extending between the front and rear guide
edges, 186 and 188, for visually indicating the direction of insertion, and guiding
insertion, of the housing 164, and thus the cartridge 112, into the receptacle 110.
The cartridge 112 additionally includes spring structure 192 comprising an elongate,
generally rectangularly-shaped, leaf spring 194, which is fixedly connected to or
integrally formed with the housing 164 and has a free end 196. Preferably, the leaf
spring 192 is integrally formed with the upper edge wall portion 175 of the housing
164 so as to extend outwardly thereof and downwardly therefrom, alongside of the rear
edge wall portion 180, to permit resilient movement thereof toward and away from the
housing's rear edge wall portion 180. And, the free end 196 of the spring 192 includes
a latch portion 198 extending transversely therefrom.
[0022] Assuming the cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) is oriented relative to the receptacle 110 for
insertion therein, the housing's opposed, lower, pointed, ridge edges 192 are oriented
downwardly, and the housing's ridge edges, 186 and 188, are respectively vertically
aligned with the receptacle's vertically oriented channel leg surfaces, 150 and 148.
When the housing 164 is thus aligned with the receptacle 110, the free end 196 of
the leaf spring 192 is located vertically above the inclined upper portion 140 of
the receptacle's rear wall 116. As the cartridge 112 is gradually inserted into the
receptacle 110, the ridge edges, 188 and 186, slidably engage the receptacle surfaces,
148 and 150, and the leaf spring 192 engages the receptacle's upper, inclined, rear
wall portion 140 which gradually incrementally urges the leaf spring 194 towards housing's
rear edge wall portion 180, causing energy to be gradually stored in the leaf spring
192 until the leaf spring's latch portion 198 slidably engages the receptacle lower
rear wall portion 136. Thereafter, as the cartridge 112 is further lowered into the
receptacle 110, the spring 192 releases sufficient energy to cause the latch portion
198 (Fig. 3) to be resiliently urged into the receptacle's lower rear wall portion
aperture 138, for latching engagement therewith, to hold the cartridge 112 within
the receptacle 110 against vertical movement out of the receptacle 112.
[0023] For further holding the cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) in the receptacle 110 and for guiding
forward and rearward movement of the housing 164 within the receptacle 110, the housing
164 includes the aforesaid upper guide edges 190, and, in addition, the lower edge
wall portion 176 of the housing 164 includes an elongate ridge 200 formed therein
which is generally U-shaped in transverse cross-section. The ridge 200 longitudinally
extends between the front and rear edge portions, 178 and 180, of the edge wall 174
and is located substantially midway between the opposed side walls 172. Moreover,
the ridge 200 extends downwardly and outwardly of the housing 164, and has opposed,
longitudinally-extending, side surfaces 252. When the cartridge 112 is sufficiently
lowered into the receptacle 110 (Fig. 3), the housing's upper ridge edges 190 slidably
engages the receptacle's upper lip surfaces 154, and the housing's lower edge portion
176 is disposed in sliding relationship with respect to the receptacle's base surfaces
132. Whereupon the cartridge leaf spring 192 releases sufficient stored energy to
cause the leaf spring 192 to resiliently urge the housing 164 forwardly within the
receptacle 110 until the housing's front edge portion 178 is urged into engagement
with the receptacle's stop surfaces 156.
[0024] Assuming the cartridge 112 (Fig. 3) is mounted in the receptacle 110, as the postage
printing structure 40 (Fig. 4) rotates into engagement with a letter 24 fed therebeneath,
the drum 42 carries the printing die 44, in the circularly-extending path of travel
106 thereof, into engagement with the cartridge's transfer roller 168. In response
to the printing die 44 engaging the transfer roller 168, the die 44 urges the housing
164 out of engagement with the receptacle stop surfaces 156 and rearwardly within
the receptacle 112, against the forwardly directed resilient force 209 exerted by
the leaf spring 194. Thus the spring 194 resiliently urges the transfer roller 168
into engagement with the printing die 44 for transferring ink thereto from the transfer
roller 168. And, in response to the printing die 44 rotating out of engagement with
the transfer roller 168, the leaf spring 194 resiliently urges the housing 164 forwardly
within the receptacle 110 and back into engagement with the receptacle's stop surfaces
156. As the housing 164 is thus reciprocably moved within the receptacle 110 in response
to the printing die 44 engaging and disengining the transfer roller 168, the housing's
opposed ridge edges 190 slidably move against the receptacle's upper lip surfaces
154, and the housing's lower edge portion 176 slidably moves against the receptacle's
lower wall base surfaces 132, for guiding movement of the housing 168 within the receptacle
110.
[0025] For manually removing the cartridge 112 from the receptacle 110 (Fig. 2), the housing's
upper edge wall portion 174 has formed therein or marked thereon, an arrow 210 which
directionally extends away from the housing's front edge wall portion 178 and towards
the housing's rear edge wall portion 180, for visually indicating the direction in
which the housing 164 is to be moved within the receptacle 110 for removing the cartridge
112 therefrom. In addition, the outer surface 212 of the housing's front edge wall
portion 178 and the outer surface 214 of the leaf spring 192, each have formed therein
a plurality of parallel-spaced, transversely-extending, ridges 216, which are serrated
in transverse cross-section, to facilitate simultaneously manually grasping the housing
164 and leaf spring 192, and then resiliently urging the leaf spring latch portion
198 toward the housing's rear edge wall portion 180, for releasing the leaf spring
192 from the receptacle's lower rear wall aperture 138, and slidably moving the housing
164 rearwardly within the receptacle 110 until the housing's opposed upper ridge edges
190 are rearwardly moved out from beneath the receptacle's lip surfaces 154. Whereupon
the cartridge 112 may be manually vertically raised out of the receptacle 110 for
removal therefrom.
[0026] For mounting the postage meter 16 (Fig. 1) on the base 12, the postage meter apertures
20 and mailing machine base posts 18 are respectively aligned with each other and
the postage meter 16 is vertically lowered, in the path of travel 21 defined by the
apertures 20 and posts 18 to the predetermined position 17 thereof on the base 12.
As shown in Fig. 5, when the cartridge 112 is mounted in the receptacle 110, the cam-shaped
portions 173 thereof are located in the path of travel 21 of the postage meter 16.
In addition, the meter guard structure 45 is located in the meter's path of travel
21. As the postage meter 16 is lowered onto the base 12 (Fig. 6) the shield member
49, is lowered into engagement with the cartridge's cam surfaces 175. And, in response
to the shield member 49 engaging the cam surfaces 175, the shield member 49 urges
the housing 164 out of engagement with the receptacle stop surfaces 156 and rearwardly
within the receptacle 112, against the forwardly directed resilient force 209 exerted
by the leaf spring 194. As a result, since the transfer roller 168 is carried by housing
164 therewith, the transfer roller 168 is urged out of the path of travel 21 of the
postage meter 16 in response to the guard structure 45 engaging the cartridge 116.
Thus the guard structure 45 prevents ink from the transfer roller 168 from being smeared
onto the postage meter 16 as the postage meter 16 is mounted on the base 12. As shown
in Fig. 5 when the postage meter 16 lowered onto the base 16 the guard structure 45
is disposed of engagement with the cam surfaces 175 and the leaf spring 194 has resiliently
urged the housing 164, and thus transfer roller 168, toward the printing die 44 to
permit ink to be transferred from the roller 168 to the printing die 44 when the printing
die 44 rotates into engagement with the transfer roller 168. Thus the leaf spring
194 resiliently urges the housing 164 forwardly within the receptacle 110 and back
out into engagement with the receptacle's stop surfaces 156 in response to the guard
structure 45 disengaging the cam surfaces 175. As the housing 164 is thus reciprocably
moved within the receptacle 110 in response to the guard structure 45 engaging and
disengaging the cam surfaces 175, the housing's opposed ridge edges 190 slidably move
against the receptacle's upper lip surfaces 154, and the housing's lower edge portion
176 slidably moves against the receptacle's lower wall base surfaces 132, for guiding
movement of the housing 164 within the receptacle 110.
[0027] When the postage meter 16 (Fig. 7) is mounted on the base 12, the meter apertures
20 (Fig. 1) and base posts 18 are disposed in alignment with one another and the postage
meter 16 is located in the predetermined position 17 thereof on the base 12. For dismounting
the postage meter 16 from the base 12 the meter 16 is vertically raised in the path
of travel 21 defined by the apertures 20 and posts 18, out of the position 17 thereof
on the base 12. Whereupon, the guard structure 45 (Fig. 6) engages the cam surfaces
175 and laterally moves the cartridge housing 164 out of engagement with the receptacle
stop surfaces 156 and rearwardly within the receptacle 110, against the force 209
exerted by the spring 194. And, as the postage meter 16 is further vertically moved
away from the base 12, the guard structure 45 (Fig. 5) is moved out of engagement
with the cam surfaces 175. Whereupon, the leaf spring 194 laterally moves the cartridge
housing 164 forwardly within the receptacle 110 and into engagement with the receptacle
stop surfaces 156.
[0028] There is described herein an improved inking cartridge and a mailing machine including
a disposable inking cartridge.
1. A mailing machine comprising:
a. a rotatable drum including a printing die peripherally extending therefrom;
b. means for intermittently rotating the drum to move the printing die in a predetermined
circularly-extending path of travel;
c. a receptacle; and
d. an inking cartridge removably mountable in the receptacle and comprising:
i. a generally rectangularly-shaped hollow housing having opposed side walls and having
an edge wall extending between the side walls, the walls defining an aperture formed
in the housing;
ii. a reservoir roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the
side walls so as to extend therebetween;
iii. a transfer roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the
side walls so as to extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing aperture,
the reservoir and transfer rollers being respectively dimensioned for rolling engagement
with each other to cause ink from the reservoir roller to be transferred to the transfer
roller, and the transfer roller being dimensioned for disposition in the path of travel
of the printing die when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle to permit engagement
by the printing die for transferring printing ink from the transfer roller to the
printing die.
2. A mailing machine according to Claim 1, wherein each of the opposed side walls includes
an elongate ridge portion laterally-extending therefrom for guiding removable mounting
of the cartridge in the receptacle.
3. A mailing machine according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the edge wall includes
opposed upper and lower portions, the edge wall including a side portion extending
between the upper and lower portions, the cartridge including a spring extending from
the housing and alongside of the side portion thereof for exerting a resilient force
against the housing when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle, and the printing
die urging the housing against the force exerted by the spring when the printing die
is in engagement with the transfer roller, whereby the transfer roller is resiliently
urged against the die for transferring thereto printing ink from the transfer roller.
4. A mailing machine according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the edge wall is slidably
disposed in engagement with the receptacle when the cartridge is mounted therein.
5. A mailing machine according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the receptacle includes
a pair of opposed upright side walls respectively having a substantially L-shaped
channel formed therein which oppositely faces the channel formed in the opposed receptacle
side wall, each of the channels having a substantially vertically-extending leg and
a substantially horizontally-extending leg, and the opposed cartridge ridge portions
are slidably movable within the opposed vertically-extending channel legs for guiding
insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle.
6. A mailing machine according to Claim 3; or Claim 4 or Claim 5 when dependent on Claim
3; wherein the receptacle includes an upright rear wall having an aperture formed
therein, the spring being disposed in the rear wall aperture when the cartridge is
mounted in the receptacle for latching engagement with the receptacle rear wall.
7. A mailing machine according to Claim 3; or any of Claims 4 to 6 when dependent on
Claim 3, wherein the housing is reciprocally movable within the receptacle in response
to engagement and disengagement of the transfer roller by the printing die.
8. A mailing machine according to Claim 4; or any of Claims 5 to 7 when dependent on
Claim 4; wherein the receptacle has a lower wall, the housing edge wall including
a lower portion thereof disposed in sliding engagement with the receptacle lower wall
when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle.
9. A mailing machine according to Claim 5; or any of Claims 6 to 8 when dependent on
Claim 5; wherein the ridge portions are disposed within the horizontally-extending
channel leg portions for guiding sliding movement of the housing within the receptacle
in response to engagement and disengagement of the transfer roller by the printing
die.
10. A mailing machine according to Claim 5; or any of Claims 6 to 9 when dependent on
Claim 5; wherein the receptacle includes a pair of upright stop surfaces against which
the housing is urged by the spring when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle.
11. A mailing machine comprising:
a. a base;
b. a postage meter mountable on and dismountable from the base;
c. the base and meter respectively including means for guiding the meter in a path
of travel out of a predetermined position on the base when dismounting the meter therefrom;
and
d. a disposable inking cartridge comprising:
i. a generally rectangularly-shaped hollow housing movably connected to the base,
the housing having opposed side walls and having an elongate perimeter edge wall extending
between the side walls, each of the side walls including an arcuately-shaped cam surface
oppositely spaced from the cam surface of the other side wall, the cam surfaces and
edge wall defining a substantially arcuately-shaped aperture formed in the housing;
and
ii. a transfer roller impregnated with printing ink and rotatably connected to the
side walls so as to extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing aperture,
the cam surfaces being located in the path of travel of the meter for engagement thereby
to move the housing out of the path of travel and carry therewith the transfer roller
as the postage meter is dismounted from the base.
12. A mailing machine according to Claim 11, wherein each of the opposed side walls includes
a ridge portion laterally-extending therefrom, and each of the ridge portions includes
an edge thereof for guiding said movement of the housing.
13. A mailing machine according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, including a receptacle formed
in the base, the cartridge being removably mounted in the receptacle for movably connecting
the housing to the base, the edge wall including opposed upper and lower portions,
the edge wall including a side portion extending between the upper and lower portions,
the cartridge including a spring extending from the housing and alongside of the side
portion thereof for exerting a resilient force against the housing when the cartridge
is mounted in the receptacle, and the postage meter urging the housing against the
force exerted by the spring when the postage meter engages the cam surfaces, whereby
the the housing and thus the transfer roller is urged away from the meter against
the force exerted by the spring as the meter is dismounted from the base.
14. A mailing machine according to any of Claims 11 to 13, wherein the side walls are
slidably disposed in engagement with the base when the cartridge is connected thereto.
15. A mailing machine according to any of Claims 11 to 14 including a receptacle formed
in the base, the receptacle including a pair of oppositely facing upright side walls,
each of the receptacle side walls including a substantially horizontally-extending
channel formed therein which oppositely faces the channel formed in the oppositely
facing receptacle side wall, and the housing being slidably movable within the channels
for guiding movement thereof within the receptacle when the postage meter engages
the cam surfaces.
16. A mailing machine according to Claim 13; or Claim 14 or Claim 15 when dependent on
Claim 13; wherein the receptacle includes an upright rear wall having an aperture
formed therein, the spring being disposed in the rear wall aperture when the cartridge
is mounted in the receptacle for latching engagement with the receptacle rear wall.
17. A mailing machine according to Claim 15; or Claim 16 when dependent on Claim 15; wherein
each of the side walls includes a ridge extending therefrom and into an opposite one
of the receptacle channels for guiding reciprocal movement of the housing within the
receptacle in response to engagement and disengagement of the cam surfaces by the
postage meter.
18. A mailing machine according to Claim 13; or any of Claims 14 to 17 when dependent
on Claim 13; wherein the receptacle has a lower wall, and the housing edge wall includes
a lower portion thereof disposed in sliding engagement with the receptacle lower wall.
19. A mailing machine according to Claim 13; or any of Claims 14 to 18 when dependent
on Claim 13; wherein the receptacle includes oppositely facing side walls, each of
the receptacle side walls including a channel formed therein and oppositely facing
the channel formed in the other receptacle side wall, and the opposite channels guiding
movement of the housing within the receptacle in response to engagement and disengagement
of the cam surfaces by the postage meter.
20. A mailing machine according to Claim 13; or any of Claims 14 to 19 when dependent
on Claim 13; wherein the receptacle includes a pair of upright stop surfaces against
which the housing is urged by the spring when the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle,
the housing being slidably movable out of engagement with the stop surfaces in response
to engagement of the cam surfaces by the meter, and the housing being slidably movable
into engagement with the stop surfaces in response to disengagement of the cam surfaces
by the meter.