U.S. patent number 3,770,945 [Application Number 05/242,851] was granted by the patent office on 1973-11-06 for parcel postage metering system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pitney-Bowes, Inc.. Invention is credited to Daniel F. Dlugos, Gerald C. Freeman, Peter N. Piotroski.
United States Patent |
3,770,945 |
Dlugos , et al. |
November 6, 1973 |
PARCEL POSTAGE METERING SYSTEM
Abstract
A parcel postage metering system includes electromechanical
apparatus for positioning the various digit selector arms of a
postage meter in accordance with the corresponding digits of the
postage, held in an output register, applicable to a parcel as
determined on the basis of its weight and destination. A motor
drives the various digit selector arms through individual clutches,
and the instantaneous digit positions of the arms are separately
compared with the corresponding postage digits in the output
register. As comparisons are achieved, the associated clutches are
disengaged leaving the arms in appropriate postage digit selection
positions.
Inventors: |
Dlugos; Daniel F. (Huntington,
CT), Freeman; Gerald C. (Norwalk, CT), Piotroski; Peter
N. (Stamford, CT) |
Assignee: |
Pitney-Bowes, Inc. (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
26804539 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/242,851 |
Filed: |
April 10, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
107223 |
Jan 18, 1971 |
3692988 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
377/17; 101/93;
377/39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01G
19/005 (20130101); B07C 1/00 (20130101); G07B
17/00661 (20130101); G01G 19/4148 (20130101); G07B
2017/00701 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B07C
1/00 (20060101); G01G 19/00 (20060101); G01G
19/40 (20060101); G01G 19/414 (20060101); G07B
17/00 (20060101); G06m 003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/92EA,92CA,92H,61.9R,92MP ;101/93C |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Robinson; Thomas A.
Assistant Examiner: Thesz, Jr.; Joseph M.
Parent Case Text
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 107,223 filed Jan. 18,
1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,988.
Claims
Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is:
1. Apparatus for positioning the various postage digit selector
arms of a postage meter to postage digit positions according to the
corresponding postage digits of a postage value held in an output
register of a postage metering system, said apparatus comprising,
in combination:
A. units digit, tenths digit and hundredths digit clutches, each
having input and output shafts;
B. a motor continuously drivingly rotating said clutch input shafts
during a positioning cycle;
C. links interconnecting the respective output shafts of said
clutches to the units, tenths, and hundredths postage digit
selector arms of the postage meter, whereby to reciprocate the
various postage digit selector arms through their various digit
positions so long as their respective clutches are engaged;
D. separate position encoders coupled to each said clutch output
shaft for providing digital readouts of the absolute digit
positions of the associated postage meter digit selector arms as
they are moved through their various digit positions;
E. separate comparator means for continuously comparing the digital
readouts of the postage digit positions of the various postage
digit selector arms with the corresponding postage digit held in
the output register, and, as comparisons are achieved, electrically
signalling the appropriate clutches to disengage their input shafts
from their output shafts, whereby to stop the various postage digit
selector arms at the postage digit position called for by the
corresponding postage digits held in the output register; and
F. gating means electrically connected to each said comparator
means for signalling the postage meter to execute a print cycle
upon disengagement of all of said clutches.
2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, which further includes
separate detent means carried on each said clutch output shaft,
each said detent means operating to properly angularly orient its
associated clutch output shaft for the appropriate selector arm
digit position upon clutch disengagement.
3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, which further includes a crank
interconnecting each said link to its respective clutch output
shaft.
4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, which further includes means
providing a lost motion connection between each said link and its
respective postage digit selector arm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There have been a number of proposals for parcel postage systems to
be used in the processing of parcels for mailing or shipping. A
comprehensive or universal system must be sufficiently flexible to
handle a number of variables which are involved in mailing or
shipping parcels. The weight of each parcel must be determined with
reasonable accuracy and speed. The distances between the original
and the various parcel destinations must be determined in order to
identify the appropriate postal zone for each parcel. Then, the
postage applicable to each parcel must be determined on the basis
of its weight and destination or postal zone. Having determined the
applicable postage, a postage meter or the like is then set up and
controlled to issue a stamp imprinted with that postage; the stamp
being adhered to the parcel.
There are other factors or variables which a truly universal system
should be equipped to handle. For example, the United States Post
Office offers various classes of parcel post service, such as
surface parcel post and air parcel post, each with different
postage rate schedules based according to weight and postal zone.
Also, there is United Parcel Service which offers parcel shipping
services. It would thus be desirable to have a system which can be
selectively controlled to compute postage or shipping charges for
each of these different services.
In addition, there are factors such as insurance, special handling,
special delivery, etc. which are often times desired and preferably
should be capable of system implementation. Also, the special
situation involving the computation of postage or shipping charges
for oversize parcels should be considered in the design of a
universally flexible parcel postage system.
When dealing with United Parcel Service, there are special shipping
situations which require an additional charge, such as when
shipping from west to east. Moreover, United Parcel Service (UPS)
does not have authorized land routes between a number of
geographical locations and must resort to so-called "drop
shipping," which presents a special shipping charge situation. In
some areas UPS has different rate schedules for intrastate and
interstate shipments. All of these various situations should be
accounted for.
Heretofore, some of the proposed parcel postage computing systems
have been essentially "special purpose" and thus inflexibe machines
adapted to handle only a single class of postal service. Attempts
to provide "general purpose" machines have resulted in extreme
complexity; such systems being unwieldy from both the operator
standpoint and the servicing standpoint.
From a practical standpoint, such systems cannot operate without
human intervention. At the very least, an operator must be on hand
to determine the postal zone of each parcel destination. This
determination must then be introduced into the system as an
operator input. Other operator inputs manifesting selections of
service, class of service, insurance, etc., are called for if the
system is to be applicable to diverse mailings. An oversize parcel
situation must also be entered into the system by the operator if
the correct postage is to be computed. Thus, operational simplicity
is a most important consideration in the design of a truly flexible
parcel postage system if the use of highly skilled and thus highly
paid operating personnel is to be avoided.
It is accordingly and object of the present invention to provide
electromechanical apparatus for positioning the postage digit
selector arms of a postage meter in accordance with the postage
determined by an automated parcel postage metering system.
A further object is to provide apparatus of the above character
which is fast, reliable, and accurate.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part
appear hereinafter.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided apparatus for
interfacing an electronic postage metering system with a
conventional mechanical postage meter. Separate position encoders
translate the digit positions of the various postage digit selector
arms of the postage meter into coded digits which are compared with
the corresponding postage digits stored in the system postage
output register. The postage digit selector arms are separately
driven through their various digit positions, and as each assumes
the digit positions corresponding to the associated digits in the
postage register, they are decoupled from their respective drives.
When all have been positioned to set up a digit by digit comparison
with the postage held in the postage register, the postage meter is
triggered to issue a postage imprinted stamp.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,
combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the
scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a parcel postage metering system
incorporating the apparatus of with the invention;
FIG. 2 is an overal functional block diagram of the parcel postage
metering system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of one end portion of one of the
links interconnecting the postage digit selection apparatus of FIG.
3 and the postage meter of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a detailed logic block diagram of the postage data
handling portion of the postage digit selection apparatus;
Like reference notations refer to corresponding parts throughout
several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, a parcel
postage system, such as disclosed in detail in the above-noted U.S.
Pat. No. 3,692,988, includes a console, generally indicated at 10,
which contains, among other things, electronic circuitry for
processing weight and postage data. Parcel weight data is obtained
from a scale, generally indicated at 12, incorporated in console
10, while postage data is primarily obtained from a memory drum,
generally indicated at 14 and also accommodated within the console.
As will be seen, memory drum 14 has two separate memory banks; one
storing a postage rate schedule and the other storing a zip code to
postal zone conversion table. The data stored on memory drum 14 is
optically encoded as opaque and transparent binary bits which are
sensed by optical readout stations. As seen in FIG. 1, a light
emitter 16 shines light through the postage rate memory bank
peripheral portion of the memory drum 14 to a receiver 18,
consisting of an array of suitable photosensors such as
phototransistors. Similarly, the zip to zone memory bank peripheral
portion of the memory drum is read out using a light emitter 20 and
a receiver 22. Memory drum 14 is rotated by a motor 24 and an
interconnecting belt drive 25.
It will readily occur to those in the art that other forms of data
memories may be employed in the system of the present invention.
For example, the postage and zone data may be optically encoded on
one or more transparent discs. Moreover, suitable data memories may
be provided in the form of magnetically encoded discs and drums, or
even magnetic core matrices, although it is preferred to use a
cyclical memory wherein the data is revolved passed readout
stations, thus simplifying accessing from a component
standpoint.
The console 10 also includes a control panel, generally indicated
at 26 in FIG. 1, which contains a plurality of mode keys
selectively depressed by an operator to initiate various system
operating modes to be described. The control panel also includes
numerical entry keys accommodating the manual input of data
pursuant to the invention. Space is also provided in the control
panel 26 to accommodate a display panel 26b where data is
displayed; such data being system derived postage and weight data,
as well as data entered from the control panel 26.
The console 10 is electrically linked to electromechanical postage
selection apparatus, generally indicated at 30. The selection
apparatus, as will be seen, is mechanically linked to a postage
meter 32 of known construction, such as a Pitney-Bowes 5,300 Series
Postage Meter. Parcel postage data derived at the console on the
basis of the parcel weight is fed to the selection apparatus 30,
which operates to mechanically position the various postage digit
selector arms, jointly indicated at 33 in FIG. 1, by way of
interconnecting links, jointly indicated at 34, so as to set up the
postage meter 32 for the proper postage. The postage meter is then
signaled to issue a stamp printed with the value of the postage
received from console 10.
At this point, it should be pointed out that the system of the
present invention is applicable to United States Post Office parcel
post service and United Parcel Service (UPS). As is well known, a
parcel can be sent either by parcel post (PP) or UPS. Thus, when
reference is made to determining the applicable postage, this is
intended to mean either the postage charged by the Post Office or
the shipping charges applicable to the parcel if sent by UPS. Each
service has its own rate schedule determined on the basis of the
parcel weight, and, generally speaking, the distance the parcel is
to be sent, and, in fact, the present invention contemplates
storing both rates schedules on memory drum 14.
In practice, parcels would be separated into groups depending upon
whether they are to be sent by PP or UPS. One group of parcels, for
example, those to be sent by Parcel Post would be successively
weighed on a scale 12 to obtain the parcel postage stamps from
postage meter 32; the postage values being automatically deducted
from a prepaid postage amount entered by postal officials. The
parcel postage meter 32 would then be removed; the cover 31 being
opened and the links 34 readily disconnected from the postage digit
selector arms 33. A UPS meter is substituted, and the console 10 is
conditioned to determine the shipping charges for the parcels to be
sent by UPS.
Alternatively, separate selection apparatus 30 and mechanically
interlinked meters 32 can be provided for each service. They would
be separately electrically linked to the console and would be
individually selected from the control panel 26 by the operator
according to which service is to be employed, either PP or UPS, for
each parcel being weighed on scale 12.
OVERALL SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
The basic operation of the system of FIG. 1 will be more readily
understood from the system block diagram seen in FIG. 2. With the
exception the postage meter 32 and the electromechanical selection
apparatus 30, all of the components seen in FIG. 8 are functionally
and physically located within console 10. When a parcel is placed
on scale 12, its mechanical response is coupled to a scale encoder
36 adapted to convert the parcel weight into a proportional number
of pulses which are accumulated in a counter 40. As will be seen,
counter 40 is an up/down pulse counter, enabling it to accurately
follow the scale response as it oscillates about and ultimately
settles down to a final weight reading.
The operator, upon reading the parcel address destination,
determines the appropriate postal zone on the basis of the distance
between his geographical location and the parcel destination. The
operator enters the postal zone by depression of the appropriate
key of a numerical entry keyboard 26a included in control panel 26
(FIG. 1). This zone entry is supplied by connection 42 and a
multiplexer or switch 44 to a zone register 46. Prior to the entry
of a zone from numerical entry keyboard 26a, the operator presses a
mode key Z included in a mode key group 54, which has as one of its
functions the conditioning of multiplexer 44 to route the keyboard
zone entry through to zone register 46. The zone digit entry held
in zone register 46 conditions a zone selector 50 to effect
appropriate zone entry into the postage memory 52 which, as
previously noted, comprises one of the memory banks carried by
memory drum 14 (FIG. 1). In physical terms, zone entry into the
postage memory 52 is effective by selecting one of a plurality of
phototransistors, or the equivalent, included in the receiver array
18 generally illustrated in FIG. 1. As will be subsequently
described, the postage memory 52 includes a series of side by side
zone channels in which postage data is serially recorded by parcel
weight. Thus, the zone selector 50 effects selection of the
appropriate phototransistor of the receiver array 18 which is
aligned with the channel of the postage memory 52 assigned to the
particular zone entered into the zone register 46 from the keyboard
26a.
The next operator function, and in most situations the only
remaining operator function required for each parcel, is to depress
a postage request key PR included in mode key group 54 in control
panel 26. This generates an input over lead 55 to a sequencer 56
which operates to organize the system operating functions pursuant
to determining the applicable parcel postage.
Since the appropriate zone has already been entered into zone
register 46, thereby accessing postage memory 52 for all postage
data, regardless of parcel weight, for that particular zone, the
sequencer 56 generates a signal RD LBS over lead 57 to an
input/output register 58. This signal conditions register 58 for
acceptance of the appropriate postage data read from the postage
memory 52 over connection 59 to a serial to parallel converter 60
and thence over connection 61 and multiplexer 62 to the
input/output register. As will be described, the postage data is
stored and read out from postage memory in serial binary coded
decimal, while the input/output register 58 is designed to accept
the postage data in serial digit, parallel bit fashion. Thus, the
serial to parallel converter 60 is necessary to accept the digit
bits serially from postage memory 52 and successively pass the bits
of each postage digit in parallel to the input/output register 58.
The memory 52 also includes a postage clock bit channel which is
read out to provide postage clock pulses POST CLK over lead 63 to
converter 60 for synchronizing the serial to parallel
conversion.
Having accessed the postage memory 52 for the appropriate zone, it
now remains to further access the postage memory for the
appropriate parcel weight, held in up/down counter 40, in order to
obtain the applicable postage for entry into input/output register
58. To this end, the postage memroy is provided with a pound clock
pulse channel in which are recorded a series of pound clock bits
located in predetermined relation to the stored postage data. These
pound clock pulses LB CLK, read out during each revolution of the
drum memory 14 (FIG. 1), are applied over lead 64 to an address
counter 66. The pound clock pulse count accumulating in address
counter 66 is continuously compared in a comparator 68 with the
parcel weight stored in the up/down counter 40 supplied over
connection 69. When a comparison is reached between the pulse
counts in address counter 66 and up/down counter 40, comparator 68
generates a compare signal COMP over lead 70 to the sequencer 56.
Due to the arrangement of the postage data in postage memory 52,
the generation of compare signal COMP signals that the postage data
applicable to the parcel weight registered in the up/down counter
40 is about to be read out to the serial to parallel converter 60.
The sequencer circuit 56, in response to the compare signal COMP
generates a read postage command signal RD POST over lead 72 to the
serial to parallel converter 60. This signal conditions the
converter 60 to perform the serial to parallel bit conversion on a
digit by digit basis for the next four postage digits read from the
postage memory 52. The four bits of each postage digit are
assembled and then transferred in parallel, digit by digit, to the
input/output register 58. Each postage digit is shifted into the
input/output register in response to an enter postage signal ENT
POST generated over lead 74.
When the last of the four postage digits, in the illustrated
embodiment of the invention, has been assembled in parallel bit
fashion and shifted into the input/output register 58, the serial
to parallel converter 60 generates a postage entered signal PST ENT
over line 78 to a postage ready logic circuit 80. Prior to receipt
of this signal the postage ready logic circuit 80 provides a
postage not ready signal POST RDY over lead 82 to the sequencer 56
effective to enable the various sequence control functions of the
sequencer. When the postage not ready signal POST RDY goes false in
response to receipt of the postage entered signal POST ENT,
signifying that the postage has been fully entered into the
input/output register 58, the sequencer 56 is effectively
disabled.
Assuming that no additional postage over and above the postage
value held in the input/output register is applicable to the
particular parcel on scale 12, the postage ready circuit 80
generates a ready enter signal RDY ENT which is supplied over lead
84 to the electromechanical postage selection apparatus 30. This
apparatus then looks at the postage digits registered in the
input/output register 58 communicated over connection 85 and
operates to mechanically position the postage digit selector arms
33 of postage meter 32 accordingly via the interconnecting links,
diagrammatically indicated at 34 in FIG. 2. After all the postage
levers have been approximately positioned by the selection
apparatus 30, an execute signal EXEC issues over lead 87, signaling
the postage meter to execute a print cycle and issue an
appropriately imprinted postage stamp which may then be applied to
the parcel. After the postage meter 32 has issued the stamp, it
issues a cycle complete signal O which is fed back over lead 89 to
the console for the purpose of resetting the console components
preparatory for the next parcel.
In some of the cases, it is contemplated that the operator will not
be supplied with the postal zone of the parcel destination, but
will be able to readily obtain the zip code of the parcel
destination typically recorded on the parcel address. In these
cases, the operator enters the first three digits of the zip code
into the input/output register 58 via numerical keyboard 26a and
multiplexer 62. It is only when key Z is depressed preparatory to a
direct zone entry, that the keyboard is connected by multiplezer 44
to the zone register 46.
With the entry of a zip code into the input/output register and the
depression of the postage request key PR, the sequencer 56
initiates a zone search through a zip to zone memory 90, included
as the other memory bank carried by memory drum 14 (FIG. 1). As
will be seen, the zip-zone memory 90 includes a zip clock bit
channel, with each zip clock bit storage position aligned with a
binary coded decimal zone storage position. As will become
apparent, the zip-zone memory is specially encoded on the basis of
the geographical location of each particular system installation,
since the applicable postal zone in each case is determined by the
distance to the parcel destination. These zip clock bits are read
as zip clock pulses ZIP CLK from the zip-zone memory 90 during each
memory drum revolution and are fed over lead 92 to sequencer 56
during a zone search. These zip clock pulses are gated through as
add clock pulses ADD CLK over lead 93 to the input/output register
58.
As will be seen, the input/output register is adapted not only as a
binary coded decimal (BCD) digit shift register, but also as a BCD
counter. Thus, each zip clock pulse ZIP CLK gated through as an add
clock pulse ADD CLK to the input/output register increments the zip
code number registered therein by one. The input/output register is
incremented until it overflows, i.e., goes from 999 to 000. When
overflow occurs, the input/output register 58 generates a read
store zone signal RD STR ZONE on output lead 95 to zone register
46. The zone register responds by accepting and holding the zone
number coincidentally read from the zip-zone memory 90 and supplied
over connection 97 and multiplexer 44.
From this general description, it is seen that by serially
arranging the zone data in the zip-zone memory 90 in accordance
with the distance between the various zip code designated
geographical locations and the system installation location, where
the zone data is located in the memory by counting up to the
compliment of the zip code held in the input/output register, the
appropriate zone can be entered into the zone register 46 from the
zip-zone memory 90, thereby effecting a zip to zone conversion.
The read store zone signal RD STR ZONE on output lead 95 is also
supplied to the sequencer 56 to indicate that the appropriate zone
has been located and entered into the zone register 46 and that a
search of the postage memory 52 for the applicable postage may now
be performed in the manner previously generally described.
Occasionally, the system of the present invention may be called
upon to determine the postage applicable to an oversized package.
Under both the PP and UPS rate schedules, the postage applicable to
an oversized package is determined as follows. If the oversized
package is less than an established minimum weight, 25 pounds for
UPS and 10 pounds for PP, the applicable postage is determined on
the basis of the established minimum weight. However, if the
oversized parcel weights more than the established minimum weight,
the applicable postage is determined by its actual weight.
Still referring to FIG. 2, when the operator determines that a
parcel placed on scale 12 is oversized, an oversize key O/S is
depressed, conditioning an oversize logic circuit 100 over lead
102. During the searching of the postage memory 52 for the
applicable postage, the accumulating count of the pound clock
pulses LB CLK read from the postage memory 52 into the address
counter 66 is applied over connection 104 to the oversize logic
circuit 100, as well as the comparator 68. The oversize logic
circuit also receives the compare output COMP from comparator 68.
As will be seen, the count content of the address counter 66 is
continuously decoded to detect when it is incremented to the
established minimum pound value. Until this minimum pound value is
reached in the search of the postage memory 52, the oversize logic
circuit 100 supplies a signal O/S over lead 106 to the sequencer
56, in effect telling the sequencer to disregard the compare signal
COMP issuing from the comparator 68 over lead 70, which would occur
if the oversized package weighs less than the established minimum.
In this case, when the address counter increments to the
established minimum weight value, the oversize logic circuit 100
supplies a read minimum pounds signal RD MIN LBS over lead 108 to
the sequencer 56, which responds by issuing the read postage signal
RD POST over lead 72 to the serial to parallel converter 60. The
postage applicable to the established minimum weight is thus
entered into the input/output register.
On the other hand, if the established minimum weight value is
achieved in the address counter 66 before a compare signal COMP
issues from comparator 68, the oversize logic circuit 100 is
converted to its inoperative state as though it had not been
conditioned in the first instance by oversize key O/S. The
disabling effect of the signal O/S is removed, and the sequencer
awaits the receipt of the compare signal COMP from comparator 68
pursuant to retrieval from the postage memory 52 of the postage
value based on the actual weight of the oversized parcel.
In certain situations dealing with the UPS system, a nominal
additional postage charge is required in shipping parcels between
certain locations. These special situations can be conveniently
handled in accordance with the present invention by providing
recorded flag bits in the zip-zone memory 90 which are read out as
flag pulses into the postage ready logic 80 over lead 109 under the
control of the read store zone signal RD STR ZONE at the same time
that the zone is read into the zone register 46. After the postage
applicable to the parcel weight has been located in the postage
memory 52 and entered into the input/output register 58, the
postage ready logic 80 determines whether it received one or more
flag pulses over lead 109 from the zip-zone memory 90 at the time
the proper zone was located and entered into the zone register 46.
If flag pulses had been received, the postage ready logic circuit
80 is conditioned to accept over connection 111 from the zip-zone
memory 90 uniquely coded bits in effect designating the amount of
additional postage to be added to the postage already registed in
the input/output register 58. The postage ready logic circuit 80
generates an add clock gate pulse ADD CLK GATE over lead 112 to the
sequencer 56 effective to gate through to the input/output register
a predetermined number of zip clock pulses ZIP CLK as add clock
pulses ADD CLK to the input/output register 58. The input/output
register is thus incremented accordingly so as to register the
original postage plus the additional postage.
The various entries into the input/output register 58, such as zip
code numbers and postage are displayed at the display panel 26b. In
addition, a key No. in group 54 may be depressed to condition the
display panel to display the parcel weight in the up/down counter
40 communicated over connection 113.
For a detailed description of the operation of the system of FIG.
2, reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,988, whose
disclosure is specifically incorporated herein by reference.
POSTAGE SELECTION APPARATUS
The electromechanical postage digit selection apparatus 30, seen
generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, is shown in detail in 3 through 7. It
will be recalled from the general description of FIGS. 1 and 2 that
the postage digit selection apparatus is mechanically
interconnected to the settable postage digit arms 33 of postage
meter 32 by links 34 and operates to position the postage digit
arms to the corresponding postage digit values registered in the
input/output register 58.
Referring first to FIG. 4, the postage digit selection apparatus 30
includes a motor 500 supported by a frame casting 502. The output
shaft 504 of motor 500 carries a gear 506 which meshes with a gear
508 keyed on an elongated jack shaft 510, best seen in FIG. 3. Jack
shaft gear 508 engages gears 512 and 514 respectively mounted on
the input shafts 516 and 518 of clutches 520 and 522. The other end
of jack shaft 510 carries a gear 524 which engages a pair of gears
526 and 528 respectively mounted on the input shafts 530 and 532 of
clutches 534 and 536.
Output shaft 527 of clutch 522 extends coaxially through input
shaft 518, which is in the form of a sleeve, and beyond both sides
of the clutch body and carries at one end a crank 529. This crank
is pivotally connected to one end of link 34a, which is pivotally
connected at its other end to the hundredths digit selector arm 33
of the postage meter 32. Similarly, the output shaft 521 of clutch
520 carries at one end a crank 523 which is pivotally connected to
one end of link 34b. The other end of link 34b is pivotally
connected to the tenths digit selector arm 33 of the postage meter
32. One end of output shaft 535 of clutch 534 carries a crank 537,
which is pivotally connected to one end of the units digit
selection link 34c, while one end of output shaft 539 of clutch 536
carries a crank 541 pivotally connected to the one end of the tens
digit selection link 34d.
It will be appreciated that the various clutch output shafts and
jack shaft 510 are journalled by laterally spaced vertical
extensions 503 of the frame casting 502.
Still referring to FIG. 3, the other end of output shaft 527 of
clutch 522 is adapted to mount an encoder disc 550 rotating with
the output shaft in a plane between a light source 550a and a
receiver 550b. Disc 550 is encoded in binary coded decimals with
the numbers 0 through 9 around its periphery and is angularly
oriented on output shaft 527 so as to provide a digital readout of
the digit positions of the hundredths postage digit selector arm
33, as positioned by crank 529 and link 34a. Similarly, output
shaft 521 mounts an encoder disc 552 which is read out by a light
source 552a and receiver 552b to provide a digital readout of the
digit positions of the tenths postage digit selector arm, as
positioned by crank 523 and interconnecting link 34b. In the same
manner, encode discs 554 and 556 provide digital readouts of the
digit positions of the units and tens postage digit selector arms
of the postage meter 32.
Each of the clutch output shafts carries a detent disc which serves
to ultimately angularly orient the clutch output shafts to the
various postage digit positions. In practice, these detent discs
serve as course positioning means for the postage digit selector
arms 33 of the postage meter; the internal detent mechanism of the
postage meter serving as the final, precise digit positioning means
for the various postage digit selector arms. Thus, as seen in FIGS.
3 and 4, output shaft 527 carries a detent disc 560 which is formed
with an annular array of detents 560a, as best seen in FIG. 4. The
detents 560a are engaged by a pawl 560b to ultimately angularly
orient the crank 529 and link 334a for the various hundredths
postage digit positions. Similarly, output shaft 521 carries a
detent disc 562 formed having an array of detents 562a which are
engaged by pawl 562b to ultimately orient crank 523 and link 34b
for the various tenths postage digit positions. In the same manner,
putput shafts 535 and 541 carry detent discs 564 and 566,
respectively, which are engaged by pawls 564b and 566b to
ultimately orient their associated cranks and links for the various
units and tens postage digit positions.
The operation of the postage selection apparatus 30 can best be
appreciated from a description of FIG. 7. As long as the system is
turned on, motor 500 of the postage selection apparatus 30 (FIG. 4)
is energized to supply continuous drive to the input shafts of the
various clutches of FIG. 3. The various clutches are initially
conditioned such that their input shafts are drivingly coupled to
their output shafts, and the various cranks are continuously
rotated. The links 34 interconnecting the cranks and the postage
digit selector arms 33 cause the selection arms to continuously
move back and forth through their various postage digit positions.
As seen in FIG. 7, the digital readout of the positions of the
hundredths postage digit selector am is supplied to a comparator
570 for comparison with the hundredths digit held in input/output
register 58. Similarly, the digital readout of the positions of the
tenths digit selector arm is applied to comparator 572 for
comparison with the tenths digit in input/output register 58. The
digital readout of the positions of the units postage digit
selector arm is fed to comparator 574 for comparison with the units
digit in the input/output register while the digital readout of the
tens postage digit selector arm digit positions is compared with
the content of the tens digit register 150 of the input/output
register in a comparator 576.
The outputs of these comparators are supplied as one input to
separate AND gates 571, 573, 575 and 577. The other input to each
of these AND gates is the ready enter signal RDY ENT, which issues
from the postage ready logic 80 when it is determined that the
postage value stored in the input/output register is the final
value to be issued by the postage meter 32.
As the postage digit selection arms 33 are moved to the postage
digit positions called for by the corresponding postage digits held
in the input/output register, AND gates 571, 573, 575 and 577
supply outputs to the various clutches effective to disengage their
input shafts from their output shafts. Thus, as the hundredths
postage digit selector arm moves to the digit position
corresponding to the hundredths postage digit stored in the
hundredths digit register 156 of the input/output register 58,
comparator 570 generates an output which passes through AND gate
571 to disengage clutch 522. Output shaft 527 is decoupled from
input shaft 518 of clutch 522, and crank 529 and link 34a are
ultimately positioned by pawl 560b acting on detent disc 560.
However, the ultimate and precise positioning of the hundredths
postage digit selector arm is achieved by the internal detent
mechanism of the postage meter 32. The tenths, units and tens
postage digit selector arms 33 of the postage meter 32 are
ultimately positioned in accordance with the digit contents of the
tenths, units and tens postage digits stored in the input/output
register 58 in the same manner. It will be noted that the positions
of the postage digit selector arms are carried out concurrently and
independently of each other, thus permitting rapid postage setting
of the postage meter 32.
When all of the postage digit selector arms 33 have been
positioned, AND gate 580 is enabled to pass an execut signal EXEC
over lead 87 (see also FIG. 2), commanding the postage meter to
execute a print cycle and issue a stamp with the postage value held
in the input/output register imprinted therein. At the conclusion
of the postage meter operating cycle, the cycle complete signal O
issues to be fed back to the console to clear the various
flip-flops, registers and counters preparatory for the next system
operation.
As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the forward end of each link 34 is formed
having an elongated slot 582 which accommodates a laterally
extending pin 584 carried at the upper end of each postage digit
selector arm 33. A latch 586 pivotally mounted on a pin 588,
carried adjacent the forward end of each link 34, engages the side
of the postage digit selector arm 33 opposite pin 584 so as to
maintain the pin captive in slot 582. By virtue of this
arrangement, there is provided a lost motion connection between the
links 34 and their associated postage digit selector arms 33,
thereby enabling the internal detent mechanism of the postage meter
to take over from the final positioning of the postage digit
selector arms from the various detent discs 560, 562, 564 and 566
of the postage digit selection apparatus 30.
Arm 586 at the forward end of each link 34 is biased downwardly
into engaging relation with the postage digit selector arm 33 by a
spring 590. The arm 586 is readily pivoted upwardly, as indicated
in phantom in FIG. 5 to facilitate disconnection of the links from
their associated postage digit selector arms 33, thus freeing the
upper portion of the postage meter 32 for removal from its base
when it becomes necessary to obtain additional prepaid postage at a
local post office.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it
is intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
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