U.S. patent number 3,823,666 [Application Number 05/351,137] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-16 for value dispensing mechanisms.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pitney-Bowes, Inc.. Invention is credited to Walter J. Hanson.
United States Patent |
3,823,666 |
Hanson |
July 16, 1974 |
VALUE DISPENSING MECHANISMS
Abstract
A postage meter having a mechanism which is rotatable to print a
postage impression of a selected value. A mechanism for setting the
postage value is provided, and is assembled with the printing
mechanism for rotation therewith. This setting mechanism includes
selector wheels which are coaxially rotatable, and setting bars
which are longitudinally translatable in response to rotation of
the selector wheels. Economic accountability is assured by postage
registers having four drivable decimal orders, and input pinions
for each such order. The setting mechanism has four adjustable
register-driving gear clusters which are normally disengaged from
the register pinions, but engage them during printing. Mechanisms
are provided for choking the register, and for clamping the choke
devices to provide positive register locking when the driving gear
clusters are disengaged from the pinions. The setting bars comprise
an assembly of individual bar members, pairs of which are connected
together for joint translation. The bars are nested in a unique
way, and are formed with respective gear tooth racks which adjust
the register-driving gear clusters and set the numerical value of
the postage printing wheels. Rectification is accomplished by pawls
which engage the setting bar racks, and have a mutually
interlocking relationship with a shutter disk. This interlock
operates either to disable the meter trip mechanism, and thus
prevent postage printing operation, when the setting bars are not
in rectified position; or to lock the setting bars during a postage
printing cycle. A deadlock latch, which acts as an intermediate
link between the shutter disk and trip mechanism, also blocks the
trip mechanism when the descending postage balance is low, or the
register compartment access door is open.
Inventors: |
Hanson; Walter J. (Old
Greenwich, CT) |
Assignee: |
Pitney-Bowes, Inc. (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
26784345 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/351,137 |
Filed: |
April 16, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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91800 |
Nov 23, 1970 |
3731068 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
101/91; 101/45;
235/58P; 235/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07B
17/00508 (20130101); G07B 2017/00548 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07B
17/00 (20060101); B41j 007/09 () |
Field of
Search: |
;101/45,90,91,95,99,110
;235/58P,6P,6AP,101 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pulfrey; Robert E.
Assistant Examiner: Coven; Edward M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Soltow, Jr.; William D. Scribner;
Albert W. Wittstein; Martin D.
Parent Case Text
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 91,800 filed Nov. 23,
1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,068.
Claims
The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a value dispensing device of the type having variable
numerical value dispensing means, and a value setting assembly
including selector means and bar means which are longitudinally
translatable in response to said selector means and which have a
toothed rack thereon; the improvement comprising:
pawl means arranged to nest between said rack teeth when said bar
means is in at least one predetermined position;
means pivotally mounting said pawl means whereby to rotate into and
out of nested engagement with said teeth;
means including a lockable and releasable trip mechanism operative
to drive said value dispensing means when said trip mechanism is
released;
and shutter means movable to release said trip mechanism and
engaging with said pawl means in a manner (1) to prevent such
movement of said shutter means when said pawl is out of said nested
engagement, and (2) to prevent movement of said pawl means out of
said nested engagement when said shutter means moves to release
said trip mechanism.
2. A device as in claim 1 wherein: said shutter means is formed
with a pawl-receiving opening aligned with said pawl means; said
pawl means, when not nested between said teeth, projecting into
said pawl-receiving opening in position to engage said shutter
means upon trip-mechanism-releasing movement thereof; said shutter
means is arranged so that said trip-mechanism-releasing movement
thereof moves said pawl-receiving opening out of engageable
alignment with said pawl means and interposes the body of said
shutter means to block rotation of said pawl means; and said pawl
means is arranged so that, when the body of said shutter means is
so interposed, said pawl means is locked in nested engagement with
said teeth whereby to prevent the movement of said bar means which
is required to operate said setting means, whereby a change of
value setting cannot be accomplished during operation of said
dispensing means.
3. A device as in claim 2 wherein: said shutter means has a locking
surface; said device further comprising deadlock means pivotable
between positions for engaging with and disengaging from said
shutter locking surface, said deadlock means when in said engaging
position blocking said movement of said shutter means whereby to
prevent operation of said value dispensing means.
4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said trip mechanism comprises:
sensing means which moves toward said deadlock means during
operation of said trip mechanism, said sensing means motion being
effective, if said deadlock means is not blocked, to drive said
deadlock means from said shutter-engaging to said disengaging
position thereof, whereby to release said shutter means and allow
said trip mechanism to operate said value dispensing means.
5. A device as in claim 3 further comprising: a blocking member
arranged for movement from a deadlock means unblocking position to
either of two positions for blocking said deadlock means in said
shutter-engaging position thereof whereby to prevent operation of
said value dispensing means; first means for moving said blocking
means to a first one of said blocking positions; and second means
for moving said blocking member to a second one of said blocking
positions.
6. A device as in claim 2 wherein said value dispensing means
comprises a driven gear affixed thereto for rotation therewith
about said first axis, said device comprising means including a
drive gear driving said driven gear whereby to drive said value
dispensing means through said operating rotation, said setting
means being assembled with said driven gear, said shutter means
being movably mounted on said driven gear for moving said
pawl-receiving opening out of alignment with said pawl means and
locking of said pawl means in nested position by said shutter
means.
7. A device as in claim 6 wherein said rotating value dispensing
means comprises a carriage slideably supporting said bar means,
said driven gear being mounted on said carriage whereby said value
dispensing means rotates in response to said driven gear.
8. A device as in claim 6 further comprising means for moving said
shutter means relative to said driven gear to assume said
pawl-locking position at a predetermined phase of said value
dispensing rotation.
9. A device as in claim 8 wherein said shutter moving means
comprises a spring biasing said shutter means into said
pawl-locking position, said deadlock means in its engaging position
blocking said spring-driven movement of said shutter means, and
releasing said shutter means for such movement when driven out of
its shutter engaging position by said trip mechanism.
10. A device as in claim 8 further comprising means for locking
said shutter means in pawl-locking position relative to said driven
gear during value dispensing rotation thereof.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein said shutter means is mounted
for rotation into pawl-locking position coaxially with, and
relative to, said driven gear, said device further comprising a
lost motion coupling between said shutter means and said driven
gear allowing sufficient relative rotation therebetween at the
start of said value dispensing rotation for pawl-locking to take
place, and means locking said shutter means and driven gear
together for joint rotation during value dispensing operation.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein said shutter locking means
comprises gear teeth on the periphery of said shutter means
arranged to mesh with said drive gear after said initial rotation
of said shutter means permitted by said lost motion coupling,
whereby said shutter means and driven gear thereafter maintain a
fixed angular relationship with each other, through joint meshing
with said drive gear, during said value dispensing rotation.
13. In a value dispensing device of the type having value
dispensing means, means including a motor for driving said value
dispensing means through an operating cycle, a switch for starting
and stopping said motor, a trip mechanism for closing said switch
to start a value dispensing cycle and re-opening said switch at the
conclusion of said cycle, and secured means for setting and
registering the numerical value to be dispensed; the improvement
comprising:
means responsive to said secured means for blocking operation of
said trip mechanism.
14. A device as in claim 13 wherein: said trip mechanism comprises
an operating control and trip means movable in response to said
operating control for closing said motor switch; said trip means
includes sensing means movable during operation of said trip means;
and said blocking means comprises deadlock means responsive to said
secured means for blocking said movement of said sensing means
whereby to prevent operation of said trip means.
15. A device as in claim 14 further comprising: shutter means
movable to release said sensing means from blocking engagement with
said deadlock means, means biasing said shutter means to perform
said releasing motion, said deadlock means being positioned to
block said releasing motion of said shutter means, and said sensing
means motion being effective, if said deadlock means is not
blocked, to drive said deadlock means out of
shutter-blocking-position whereby to release said shutter means,
whereby said shutter means then releases said sensing means from
said deadlock means to permit operation of said trip mechanism to
drive said value dispensing means.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to value dispensing mechanisms generally,
and in particular to postage meters.
THE PRIOR ART
Dispensing mechanisms usually include some means for dispensing a
tangible article or printing an impression of some value, and a
trip mechanism for triggering a cycle of dispensation. In addition,
for dispensing mechanisms such as postage meters, which generally
operate on a pre-paid rather than a coin-operated basis, there must
also be a mechanism of economic accountability, usually a numerical
register, to keep a cumulative record of value dispensed over many
operating cycles. There must also be some means for selecting the
value to be dispensed in each operating cycle, and setting means
for guaranteeing that there will be a numerical input which
depletes the register by an amount corresponding to the value
dispensed.
In such a meter, it is quite a complicated task to design a
suitable mechanism which will effect the proper setting of the
postage printing wheels and guarantee that a corresponding input
will be made to the register; and to design a trip mechanism which
will insure that only a single cycle of postage printing can take
place for each register input, and that operation is impossible
except under conditions of numerical rectification. Finally, it is
essential that the security of the register be guaranteed by
suitable interlocks responsive to the register compartment access
door, and that the postage printing mechanism be disabled when the
register balance reaches a minimum numerical level equal to the
maximum amount of postage that can be dispensed in a single
operating cycle. The latter feature guarantees that the amount of
postage dispensed can never exceed the remaining credit.
Previous postage meter designs which achieved all these objectives
have tended to be complicated and expensive, while those which were
simpler and less expensive all had one or more shortcomings. In
particular, the "cluster gear" type of meter (described in detail
below) is relatively economical; but the previous examples of this
design left considerable room for additional design
sophistication.
THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a postage meter which adopts the
"cluster gear" approach, but carries it out more successfully than
in the past. In particular, the present cluster gear meter provides
improved solutions to the problems of register security,
rectification, and trip interlocking, as well as specific
improvements in the setting mechanism and rotating carriage
therefor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a postage meter embodying this
invention, with the protective cover broken away for clarity of
illustration.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sub-assembly comprising the
postage printing and setting mechanisms of that meter.
FIGS. 3 through 6 respectively are perspective views of the postage
setting mechanisms for each of the four driveable numerical orders
of the register of that meter.
FIGS. 7 and 8 comprise a series of sequential sectional views
illustrating the operating progression of the register driving
mechanism of that meter. These sections are both taken along lines
7--7 of FIG. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the sub-assembly of FIG. 2.
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the same sub-assembly, seen
from the plane indicated by lines 10--10 of FIG. 9, looking in the
direction of the arrows.
FIGS. 11A through 11C are vertical sections, with parts broken away
for clarity of illustration, showing the trip and lock-out
mechanisms of this postage meter in consecutive and/or alternative
operating conditions.
FIGS. 11D and 11E are views similar to FIGS. 11A through 11C, but
limited to the register lock-out mechanism.
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view, with parts broken away for
clarity of illustration, of the trip mechanism of FIGS. 11A through
11C.
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the register choking, clamping and
antireverse mechanism of this postage meter.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the lines 14--14 of FIG. 1,
looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the same
mechanism as FIG. 13.
FIGS. 15A through 15C are fragmentary top plan views, correlated
with FIGS. 11A through 11C respectively, of the meter rectifier
mechanism, illustrating its cooperation with the shutter disk.
FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the setting
mechanism carriage of this meter.
FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17--17 of FIG. 13,
looking in the direction of the arrows.
And FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along lines 18--18 of FIG.
16, looking in the direction of the arrows.
The same reference characters refer to the same elements throughout
all the views of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In General. FIG. 1 provides an overall view of a postage meter 30
embodying this invention. In general terms, it comprises a housing
31, a rotary postage printing mechanism 32, and a rotating
impression roller 34 therebelow which cooperates therewith to
imprint postage upon an envelope E or other postage-receiving
object. The envelope is inserted into a printing slot 36 defined by
the printing mechanism 32 above it and the impression roller 34
below. The motion of the envelope E engages a trip finger 38 which
in turn operates a trip mechanism generally designated 40. The
function of this trip mechanism is to switch on the power to an
electric motor 42 having an output shaft 44 to which is affixed a
cooling fan 46. When the power is switched on, the motor and shaft
drive reduction gearing 48, an output shaft 50 and a drive gear 52
secured to the output shaft. The gear 52 drivingly engages a gear
54 which is secured to a carriage 144 supporting the postage
printing mechanism 32 and a setting mechanism 60. The latter
mechanism includes manual postage selection means 58 mounted at the
front end of the carriage, and a plurality of register-driving gear
clusters 62 mounted on the rear end of the carriage. The carriage
144 is mounted for rotation in response to gear 54 and about an
axis 56, by means of a rear shaft 64 journaled upon a rear frame
plate 66, and a forward shaft 68 journaled by means of a flanged
bushing 69 upon a front frame plate 70. Both frame plates 66 and 70
are upstanding from a meter floor 67.
As is conventional in postage dispensing meters, the register 74
contains a numerical record of the descending postage credit
balance, and also the ascending cumulative total of postage
dispensed over the entire life of the meter 30. The register
comprises several numerical orders, which in the U.S. monetary
system represent different decimal places; i.e., the register
contains numerical display wheels 76.1 through 76.7 representing,
for example, tenths of cents through thousands of dollars
respectively. Through conventional Geneva gearing, each of these
numerical orders is connected to those above it for decimal
carries.
The rotation of carriage 144 about axis 56 drives printing
mechanism 32 through its postage printing cycle. Such carriage
rotation, which starts from the position of FIG. 7 and proceeds as
indicated in FIG. 8 (see arrow 78), also causes the register
driving gear clusters 62 to engage register input pinions 72 and
thus alter the contents of numerical register 74. For example, a
selected one of several gear segments 94 of cluster 62.1 moves into
driving engagement with the input pinion 72.1 of the first register
order 74.1, as seen in FIG. 8. That pinion 72.1, which is rotatably
mounted on a shaft 87, drives another pinion 73.1 which turns on a
stub shaft 85 and is integral with a gear 75.1. The latter meshes
with a pair of gears 77.1 and 79.1 which are rotatable on shafts 81
and 83 respectively, and which drive the ascending and descending
portions of register 74 respectively. The stub shaft 85 is affixed
to one of the register frame plates 317 (see FIG. 13). In a similar
manner, the other cluster gears 62.2 through 62.4 drive the other
driveable register orders 74.2 through 74.4 by means of their
respective input pinions 72.2 through 72.4.
The Setting Mechanism. The "cluster gear" type of register driving
mechanism, which is simpler and more economical than various other
approaches, is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,306,499 of F. J. Rouan. In
that design, and in the present one, the postage printing mechanism
32 is operable upon rotation about a horizontal axis; and the
setting mechanism 60 is rotatable therewith and includes the
cluster gears 62 which engage the register input pinions 72 during
that rotation, to accomplish the register input function. It
follows that the register driving clusters 62 are engaged with the
register pinions 72 only during a portion of the postage dispensing
cycle. At all other times the register 74 is disengaged therefrom,
and in the prior art Rouan meter this left the register in a
floating, insecure condition.
As in the prior art, each cluster 62 of the present meter comprises
a plurality of the gear segments 94, each having different numbers
of teeth, and the value of the register input is selected, to
correspond to the amount of postage dispensed, by rotating these
clusters 62 about their respective shafts 96 to present different
segments 94 to the register pinons 72. In the cited Rouan patent,
however, the setting mechanism responsible for rotating these
clusters consisted of a direct gear sector and pinion connecting
manual selector levers to the clusters. The geometry of that
arrangement was such that only two numerical orders of the register
could be set from manual selector members placed in side-by-side
relationship. Since it is a highly desirable operator convenience
feature to have the selector members for all decimal orders in
side-by-side relationship, the prior art mechanism was effectively
limited to two settable orders; and, as a result the postage meter
could dispense no more than $0.99 per postage impression.
Another problem with the prior art meter just described is that it
contained no provision for rectifying the setting mechanism; i.e.,
setting it precisely at some quantized numerical level
corresponding to an allowed amount of postage, and not allowing it
to slip into some indeterminate or intermediate position between
allowed postage levels.
In a U.S. patent application co-pending with this one, (Ser. No.
91,680, filed Nov. 23, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3682378) inventions
are disclosed and claimed which represent improvements in several
respects over the meter disclosed in the cited Rouan patent. One
such feature of that application is the broad concept of using a
translatable bar mechansim for connecting a set of coaxially
rotatable postage selectors 80 to rotate the register driving
clusters 62, thus selecting the appropriate gear segment 94 to
correspond with the amount of postage.
The present application discloses the same postage meter mechanism
as the co-pending application just mentioned, but claims different
aspects of that mechanism. So far as the translatable bar type of
setting mechanisms is concerned, for example, the present invention
carries that approach significantly further, by designing each
translatable bar 98 as an assembly of at least two separate bar
members 100 and 102 connected together for joint translation, thus
simplifying the manufacturing problems. In addition, separate rack
means 104, 110 and 126 are formed on the various bar members for
engagement with pinions 128, 112 and 90 of the cluster gears 62,
postage printing wheels 96 and manual postage selector wheels 80
respectively.
For a full appreciation of these aspects of the invention, the
reader's attention is directed first to FIG. 2, which provides a
detailed view of the printing and setting mechanisms mounted on the
rotatable carriage 144. (The direction of carriage rotation is
indicated by arrow 78 in FIG. 2.) To select the desired amount of
postage, the setting mechanism 60 comprises selection mechanism 58
which is partially enclosed in a housing 89 and includes notched
finger disks 80.1 through 80.4 to which are secured postage
read-out number wheels 82.1 through 82.4 respectively. Each finger
disk 80 and its associated number wheel 82 are integrally molded of
a plastic material, and rotatably mounted upon a horizontal
selection mechanism shaft 84 journaled between the two arms of a
U-shaped bracket 86 (see also FIG. 9) on the carriage 144. Each
finger disk and number wheel assembly 80, 82 has integrally molded
therewith a respective one of the selector pinions 90.1 through
90.4, which drive the setting mechanism 60, causing it to perform
two related functions. The first of these functions is to set the
type wheels 95 of printing mechanism 32 into position to print the
selected amount of postage; and the second is to adjust the
displacements which the register driving gear clusters 62 impart to
their respective register input pinions 72.
Each of these register driving gear clusters 62 comprises a hub 92
on which are formed nine different angularly spaced gear segments
94.1 through 94.9 containing one through nine gear teeth
respectively, and corresponding to the numerical values one through
nine which the selection mechanism 58 can assign to each of four
decimal orders. In addition, there is a space 94.0 between each
pair of gear segments 94.1 and 94.9, which corresponds to the
assignment of zero value to a particular decimal order.
The hubs 92 are mounted for rotation about vertical shafts 96 in
response to the setting mechanism 60. Such rotation determines
which of the gear segments 94.1 through 94.9, or the space 94.0, is
presented to the associated register input pinion 72. When the
space 94.0 is thus selected, there is a zero input to the
associated register order; and when one of the segments 94.1
through 94.9 with progressively increasing numbers of gear teeth is
selected, the input to the associated register order corresponds to
selection of postage levels one through nine respectively.
The first four decimal orders 76.1 through 76.4 of register 74 are
the ones which are driveable by respective gear clusters 62; the
remaining register orders 76.5 through 76.7 changing only in
response to conventional Geneva gearing (not shown) upon receiving
decimal carries from lower orders. As a result, the postage level
may be manually set in four separate decimal orders, employing the
selector members 80.1 through 80.4, and the meter 30 is able to
print four decimal orders of postage, for which the printing
mechanism 32 comprises four decimal order print wheels 95.1 through
95.4 respectively.
The setting mechansim 60 comprises a connecting linkage including
four bar assemblies 98.1 through 98.4 which are responsive to the
four selector pinions 90.1 through 90.4 respectively. In FIGS. 3
through 6 it is seen that these bar assemblies comprise rather
complicated shapes which are simplified for manufacturing purposes
by dividing them into respective front and rear bar members 100 and
102, and using respective fastening screws 124 to unite each pair
of bars for translation as a unit.
The front bars 100.1 through 100.4 respond to the selector pinions
90 and set the type wheels 95 of postage printing mechanism 32.
They are formed with respective toothed racks 104.1 through 104.4
which engage the selector pinions 90.1 through 90.4 respectively.
In addition, the front bars are formed with print wheel drive
branches 106.1 through 106.4 respectively bent at an angle thereto.
Branch 106.4 slants somewhat upwardly from bar 100.4, while the
other branches 106.1 through 106.3 extend sidewardly from bars
104.1 through 104.3 respectively at angles of about 90.degree., and
have extensions which are slanted slightly upwardly.
The slanted branch 106.4 and each of the slanted extensions of
branches 106.1 through 106.3 extend into interleaved relationship
(see FIG. 10) with the four decimal order postage printing wheels
95.1 through 95.4, and broaden out to form toothed racks 110.1
through 110.4 respectively. The racks 110 drive pinions 112.1
through 112.4 respectively, each of which is formed integrally with
an associated one of the postage printing wheels 95.1 through 95.4
respectively; all the print wheels and their pinions being
rotatably mounted upon a common shaft 114 (FIg. 10) which is
non-rotatably affixed to a print mechanism housing 116 (see FIG. 1)
in a manner which is conventional in the postage meter art. Thus,
as the operator of the postage meter manually rotates the disks 80
to select the amount of postage indicated by the numerals on the
read-out wheels 82, the selector pinions 90 and selector racks 104
translate the bar members 100 longitudinally, causing the print
racks 110 to rotate the print pinions 112 and print wheels 95 into
printing positions which correspond to the postage selected.
The rear bar members 102 each perform three functions: setting the
gear clusters 62; rectification of the setting mechanism 60; and
slidably mounting the bar assemblies 98 on the carriage 144.
So far as setting the gear clusters 62 is concerned, the bars 102.1
through 102.4 are formed with toothed rack tabs 126.1 through 126.4
respectively bent at right angles thereto, which engage pinions
128.1 through 128.4 respectively, secured to gear cluster hubs 92.1
through 92.4 respectively. When any one of the bar assemblies 98 is
longitudinally translated, such motion causes the rack tab 126
thereof to rotate the associated pinion 128 and gear cluster 62
about its shaft 96, thus selecting the angular position of the
cluster. This in turn presents a particular gear segment 94 of the
cluster to its register input pinion 72, i.e. the segment with the
number of registerdriving teeth which is appropriate to the
particular postage level desired for the particular decimal
order.
Rectification. The co-pending application mentioned above
represented an improvement over the earlier Rouan cluster gear
patent in that means were provided for rectifying the setting
mechanism. One result was that the print wheels were set precisely
in various positions each corresponding to an allowed quantum of
postage, and were not allowed to assume intermediate, numerically
indeterminate positions. But even more importantly in a cluster
gear type of meter, it also rectified the angular positions of the
cluster gears; otherwise it would have been possible for two
consecutive gear segments of any one cluster to pass on opposite
sides of their associated register input pinion, without engaging
that pinion at all. In that patent application, the rectifying
mechanism claimed was one in which rectifying pawls were
resiliently biased into nested engagement with position-determining
teeth formed on any appropriate member of the setting
mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention rectification is
accomplished specifically by providing a special toothed rectifying
rack 132 on each of the translatable bar assemblies 98, and the
resiliently biased rectifying pawls (designated 134) act directly
on those racks. The advantage of this approach is that the
rectifying action takes place close to the register driving cluster
gears 62, and thus reduces backlash in the positioning of those
gears.
The rear bar members 102.1 through 102.4 are formed with respective
right angle dog-leg bends 102a from which are folded respective
right angle flanges 130.1 through 130.4. These bar flanges 130 have
two functions, one of which is rectification. They are formed with
toothed rectifying racks 132.1 through 132.4 respectively, which
cooperate with respective rectifying pawls 134.1 through 134.4. One
pair of odd-numbered pawls 134.1 and 134.3 are in superposed
relationship and are pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the
carriage 144 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 16) by a single fastener 136.1,
and the other pair of even-numbered pawls 134.2 and 134.4 are
similarly superposed and mounted on the lower surface of the
carriage by fastener 136.2. Each of these pawls 134 is formed with
a tooth 138 which nests between the teeth of the associated
rectifying rack 132 when the associated bar assembly 98 is in one
of its rectified positions, or rides over those teeth 132, rotating
the associated pawl 134 about its fastener 136, when the associated
bar assembly is between rectified positions.
The Rotating Carriage. The co-pending patent application mentioned
above claims a carriage which is arranged to form an elongated
cavity within which register-driving cluster gears are rotatably
mounted, and bar means are mounted for translation whereby to
rotate the cluster gears. The present invention carries that
concept further, specifically providing a carriage 144 the rear of
which comprises a pair of upper and lower confronting plates 146
and 148 respectively for rotatably mounting the cluster gears 62
and slidably mounting the bar means 98, and the front of which
comprises the housing 89 in which the postage selection mechanism
58 is rotatably supported on bracket 86. The space between the
plates 146 and 148 constitutes a rear cavity 150 within which the
bar means 98 are housed, the interior of housing 89 constitutes a
front cavity 88 in which the selection mechanism 58 is contained,
and the bar means 98 extend longitudinally forward from rear cavity
150 into front cavity 88 to engage the postage selection mechanism
58.
The carriage 144 also comprises a four-pronged forked frame member
152 (FIGS. 1, 15A and 16) at the forward end of the cavity 150, to
which the upper and lower plates 146 and 148 are secured by
fasteners 330; and a disk 154 (FIGS. 1, 2, 13 and 14) to which
these plates are secured at the rear of cavity 150, by means of
tabs 156 and fasteners 157. The carriage members 146, 148, 152 and
154 thus form a strong rectangular frame to support the bars 98 and
cluster gears 62 within rear cavity 150.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 16, the front wall of the
four-pronged member 152 is formed with a circular passageway
opening 152a surrounded by a hollow cylindrical shaft 68, which is
integral with the front wall of member 152 and projects forwardly
therefrom. A smaller diameter sleeve 71 is secured to the rear wall
116b of print mechanism housing 116, and projects rearwardly
therefrom into the interior of the hollow shaft 68 to mount the
housing 116 (and the print mechanism 32 therein) upon the pronged
member 152. Two hollow roll pins 65 (cylindrical pins rolled from
sheet stock) pass through diametrically opposite radial openings 63
formed in the shaft 68 and sleeve 71, to secure the shaft and
sleeve together. These pins are squeezed prior to insertion in the
holes 63, and then expand for a friction fit therein. In addition,
set screws 61 are threaded into tapped holes 59 which are formed on
opposite sides of frame member 152 and sleeve 71 at 90.degree.
displacements from holes 63, thus forming a more rigid assembly.
The U-shaped bracket 86, which supports the selection mechanism 58,
is secured by fasteners 332 to the front wall 116a of housing 116
(FIG. 9), and its two arms project forwardly therefrom. The
selector housing 89 is also mounted on the front wall of housing
116. The entire carriage 144 is mounted for rotation about axis 56
by means of the shaft 64, which protrudes rearwardly from disk 154
and is journaled on the rear frame plate 66, and hollow shaft 68
which is journaled within shouldered bushing 69. The bushing in
turn is supported upon the front frame plate 70. Opening 152a and
the hollow interiors of shaft 68, bushing 69, sleeve 71 and housing
116 define a continuous axial passageway through which the bar
assemblies 98 pass from the rear cavity 150 to the front cavity
88.
Mounting of the Setting and Rectifying Mechanisms on the Carriage.
The second function of the bar flanges 130 is to mount the bar
assemblies 98 slidably on the carriage 144. As best seen in FIG. 7,
but with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6 and 9 also, the underside
of carriage plate 146 is formed with a wide, shallow channel 158
which is elongated in the direction parallel to axis 56, and
slidably receives an upper pair of odd-numbered bar flanges 130.1
and 130.3 in superposed relationship. These flanges are retained
within the channel 158 by means of a rivet 160 which is driven
upwardly into the carriage plate 146 through a pair of slots 162.1
and 162.3 formed in both flanges 130.1 and 130.3 respectively. The
rivet has an enlarged head overlapping the edges of the slots 162,
to prevent vertical escape of the flanges. Similarly, the upper
surface of carriage plate 148 is formed with a wide, shallow
channel 164 which slidably receives a lower pair of even-numbered
bar flanges 130.2 and 130.4 in superposed relationship. These
flanges are also retained within the channel 164 by means of
another headed rivet 166 which is driven downwardly through
respective slots 162.2 and 162.4 thereof into the lower carriage
plate 148. The heads of rivets 160 and 166 are not tight against
the bar flanges 130, so as to avoid binding their sliding movement;
while the width of slots 162 is greater than the outside diameter
of the rivet shafts for the same reason. The slots are sufficiently
elongated to permit each bar assembly 98.1 through 98.4 to move
through a full ten numerical setting positions in response to the
postage selection mechanism 58.
FIG. 7 reveals that the upper and lower carriage plates 146 and 148
are provided with sockets which receive the opposite ends of shafts
96 for rotatably mounting the cluster gears 62 within the cavity
150, so that the selected one of the gear segments or spaces 94.0
through 94.9 can be brought into driving alignment with the
associated register input pinion 72. Pinions 128 are provided to
rotate each gear cluster 62 in this manner, each pinion being
located at one end of its associated shaft 96 and hub 92, adjacent
to one of the carriage plates 146 or 148, where it is conveniently
engageable by the associated bar rack 126 for rotating the cluster
gear in response to translation of the associated bar assembly
98.
As best seen in FIG. 9, odd-numbered alternate cluster gears 62.1
and 62.3 are located on one side of the carriage 144, and drive
their respective register input pinions 72.1 and 72.3 during a
first half of the carriage rotation (as illustrated for cluster
gear 62.1 in FIGS. 7 and 8). Even-numbered alternate cluster gears
62.2 and 62.4, on the other hand, are located on the opposite side
of the carriage, and thus drive their respective pinions 72.2 and
72.4 during the second half of such rotation.
The carriage frame member 152 serves many subsidiary functions. In
order to keep the rectifying pawls 134 resiliently biased into
engagement with their associated rectifier rack teeth 132, a pair
of leaf springs 168 (FIGS. 1 and 15) are secured on opposite sides
of the frame member 152 by machine screws 170. Each leaf spring is
fork-shaped to form pairs of independently flexing tines 172.1,
172.3 (extending upwardly) and 172.2, 172.4 (extending downwardly),
which engage respective projections 140.1 through 140.4 of
respective rectifying pawls 134.1 through 134.4. Note that the
upper and lower surfaces of frame member 152 receive the rectifying
pawl fasteners 136.1 and 136.3, respectively; and the side surfaces
thereof receive the leaf spring fasteners 170. In addition, the
unique upper and lower pronged configuration of member 152 allows
the right angle dog-leg bends 102a of bar members 102.1 and 102.3
to reach upwardly through the upper bifurcation thereof, and those
of the other two bar members 102.2 and 102.4 to reach downwardly
through the lower bifurcation; so that their flanges 130 engage
respectively with rectifying pawls 134.1 and 134.3 atop the frame
member 152, and 134.2 and 134.4 below the frame member.
Interrelationship Among the Bar Assemblies. The shape of each bar
assembly 98 is complicated by the requirement that it perform five
functions simultaneously: driven engagement with one of the
selector pinions 90; driving engagement with one of the print wheel
pinions 112; rectifying engagement with one of the pawls 134;
driving engagement with one of the cluster pinions 128; and
slidable mounting of the bar assembly itself upon one of the rear
carriage plates 146 or 148. The design is further complicated by
the fact that only the selector pinions 90 and cluster pinions 128
are located with the carriage cavities 88 and 150 respectively and
are thereof adjacent to the path of translation of the main bar
members 100 and 102 respectively; whereas the print wheel pinions
112 are displaced sidewardly therefrom, and the rectifying pawls
134 are located above and below the carriage frame member 152. The
problem of print wheel pinion engagement is solved by providing the
forward bar members 100 with the sidewardly extending branches 106
which bring the toothed racks 110 into proximity with print wheel
pinions 112, while the problem of rectifying pawl engagement is
solved by providing the vertically extending right angle dog-leg
bends 102a, as previously described. Despite their intricately
branched shapes, however, the bar assemblies 98 must be
translatable independently of each other, without any interference
between the various bends 102a and branches 106, in order that the
four register orders 74.1 through 74.4 be settable independently.
For the same reason, moreover, the flanges 130 and racks 126 must
avoid mutual interference while performing their respective
functions of slidably mounting the bar assemblies 98 on the
carriage plates 146 and 148, and driving the cluster pinions 128.
In order to avoid such mutual interference, the various parts of
the bar assemblies 98.1 through 98.4 are folded, interleaved and
slidably nested with each other in a unique way which is one of the
novel features of this invention.
As seen in FIG. 9, the forward bar members 100.1 through 100.4 of
each assembly 98 are arranged in parallel, side-by-side (and
therefore non-interfering) relationship within the selector cavity
88. The two lower order bars 100.1 and 100.2 are positioned below,
and the two higher order bars 100.3 and 100.4 above, the axis of
rotation of the shaft 84. Consequently, as seen in FIG. 10, the two
lower order selector racks 104.1 and 104.2 engage their respective
pinions 90.1 and 90.2 from below, while the two higher order
selector racks 104.3 and 104.4 engage their respective selector
pinions 90.3 and 90.4 from above. As a result, the bar assemblies
98.1 and 98.2 are driven rearwardly by their respective pinions
90.1 and 90.2, from the forward limiting positions of these bar
assemblies illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 5 respectively. Similarly,
the bar assemblies 98.3 and 98.4 are driven forwardly by their
respective pinions 90.3 and 90.4, from the rearward limiting
positions of these bar assemblies illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 3
respectively. To accommodate these differing directions of bar
assembly motion, slots 162.3 and 162.4 extend rearwardly from their
respective rivets 160 and 166, while slots 162.1 and 162.2 extend
forwardly therefrom. Note also that the direction of rotation of
the respective cluster gears 62 and print wheels 95 depends on the
direction of translation of their bar assemblies 98.
The described vertical displacement of bar members 100 from each
other permits their respective sidewardly extending,
print-wheel-driving branches 106 to overlie one another within the
print wheel housing 116, to avoid mutual interference. Thus, as
seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lowermost of these members is the
lowest order branch 106.1; which is bent from the lower edge of bar
100.1, one of the two lower bars 100 (see also FIG. 6). The next
one above is the second order branch 106.2, which achieves a
spaced, overlying, non-interfering relationship to branch 106.1 by
being bent from the upper edge of the other lower bar 100.2 (see
also FIG. 5). The next one above that is the third order branch
106.3 which achieves a spaced overlying, non-interfering
relationship to branch 106.2 by being bent from the lower edge of
the bar 100.3 (see also FIG. 4), one of those positioned above bars
100.1 and 100.2. Finally, the fourth order branch 106.4 achieves a
spaced, overlying, non-interfering relationship with branch 106.3
by being bent from the top edge of the other upper bar 100.4 (see
also FIG. 3).
The rear bars 102.1 through 102.4 are connected to their respective
front bars 100.1 through 100.4, extending rearwardly therefrom in
relatively closely spaced, parallel, side-by-side (and therefore
non-interfering) relationship, as seen in FIG. 9. Close spacing is
necessary to permit these bars to pass through the interior
openings of print housing 116, sleeve 71, bushing 69, shaft 68 and
frame member 152 (see FIG. 16). Such spacing is achieved by
securing the third and fourth order rear bar members 102.3 and
102.4 directly to their respective front bar members 100.3 and
100.4 (see FIGS. 4 and 3 respectively), so that the third and
fourth order bar assemblies 100.3, 102.3 and 100.4, 102.4 are
essentially co-linear. The first and second order rear bar members
102.1 and 102.2, in contrast, are laterally offset from their
respective front bar members 100.1 and 100.2 (and thus brought into
proximity with the third and fourth order bars 102.3 and 102.4) by
being secured to their respective front bar branches 106.1 and
106.2 (see FIGS. 6 and 5 respectively), instead of directly to
their respective front bar members 100.1 and 100.2.
At the point where the rear bar members 102 are enclosed by the
four prongs of frame member 152, they divide into a first group of
two bars 102.1 and 102.3 formed with respective upwardly extending
dog-leg bends 102a (see FIGS. 6 and 4 respectively), and a second
group of two bars 102.2 and 102.4 formed with respective downwardly
extending dog-leg bends 102a (see FIGS. 5 and 3 respectively). As
previously noted, the upwardly extending dog-legs 102a pass through
the upper bifurcation of the four-pronged frame 152, and the
downwardly extending ones pass through the lower bifurcation
thereof. The respective flanges 130.1, 130.3 and 130.2, 130.4 are
formed at the upper and lower extremities of these dog-legs 102a
respectively, above and below the frame member 152 respectively, so
that their respective rectifying racks 132.1, 132.3 and 132.2,
132.4 are positioned to engage respective rectifying pawls 134.1
and 134.3 mounted on the upper surface of the frame member 152, and
134.2 and 134.4 mounted on the lower surface thereof.
A non-interfering relationship is preserved here by making the
dog-leg 102a of bar 102.1 rise somewhat higher than that of its
companion bar 102.3 in the upper group, and its flange 130.1
somewhat broader than flange 130.3. Then, as seen in FIG. 4, the
angle formed by elements 130.3 and 102a of bar 102.3 is nested in
the interior of the angle formed by elements 130.1 and 102a of bar
102.1; so that the two upwardly-reaching dog-legs 102a of these
bars are in side-by-side relationship, and flange 130.1 overlies
flange 130.3, all in non-interfering relationship. In addition,
rectifying pawl 134.1 overlies rectifying pawl 134.3 atop the frame
member 152, so that these pawls engage racks 132.1 and 132.3 of
flanges 130.1 and 130.3 respectively.
Below the frame member 152 the same approach is employed, by making
the downwardly extending dog-leg 102a of bar 102.4 extend somewhat
lower than that of its companion bar 102.2 in the lower group, and
its flange 130.4 somewhat broader than flange 130.2. Then, as seen
in FIG. 3, the angle formed by elements 130.2 and 102a of bar 102.2
is nested in the interior of the angle formed by elements 130.4 and
102a of bar 102.4; so that their downwardly reaching dog-legs 102a
are in side-by-side relationship, and flange 130.4 underlies flange
130.2, all in non-interfering relationship. In addition, the
rectifying pawl 134.4 underlies rectifying pawl 134.2 beneath the
frame member 152, so that these pawls engage racks 132.4 and 132.2
of flanges 130.4 and 130.2 respectively.
FIGS. 3 and 4 also reveal that at the very rear, the bars 102 are
so proportioned that their cluster gear driving racks 126 are also
paired in overlying relationship, with rack 126.1 over rack 126.3
at the top of the carriage 144 (see also FIG. 7), and rack 126.2
over rack 126.4 at the bottom, in non-interfering relationship.
The Register Control Mechanisms. As in the Rouan patent cited
above, the register driving gear clusters 62 here are disengaged
from the register pinions 72 except during the postage printing
cycle. The device of the previously mentioned co-pending patent
application represented an improvement over the Rouan patent in
that it provided means for positively retaining the register in its
current numerical condition whenever the gear clusters were
disengaged. One example of such means is a plurality of special
Geneva assemblies, one for each cluster gear segment 94 of each
driveable register order, which are correlated with the position of
the last tooth of that gear segment 94 in such fashion that a
positive Geneva lock is imposed upon each numerical order of the
register at all times, except when the segment 94 is performing its
register input function. A quick calculation shows that such an
approach requires 40 different precision-machined Geneva lock
mechanisms, at prohibitive cost, crowded into a small space.
In accordance with the present invention, however, register control
is accomplished far less expensively by resiliently biased choke
pawls arranged to yield when register driving is in progress, and
means arranged to clamp the choke pawls positively when register
driving is not in progress, so as to provide positive register
locking. Anti-reverse pawls are also provided, as are biasing
springs and mounting shafts for the choke pawls, the latter serving
various additional functions in connection with the clamping
mechanism and the anti-reverse pawls.
The register driving gear clusters 62 are disengaged from their
associated register input pinions 72 of register 74 (as seen in
FIG. 7) at any time when a cycle of the trip mechanism 40 is not in
progress. Any particular gear cluster 62 is also disengaged from
its particular register input pinion 72 during the portion of any
trip cycle when that pinion has not yet been engaged by, or has
already been disengaged from, the selected gear segment 94 of its
respective cluster 62; or throughout the entire trip cycle in the
event that the toothless region 94.0 of the particular gear cluster
62 is selected, for zero input to the associated register
order.
In order to prevent free floating of the register drive train at
such times, the pinions 73 of each register order are engaged (see
FIG. 13 and 14) by choke pawls 314.1 through 314.4 which are
rockably mounted upon respective shafts 316.1 and 316.2, and which
nest between the teeth of the pinions 73 of register orders 74.1
through 74.4 respectively. Such engagement is illustrated, for the
first order pawl 314.1 and pinion 73.1, in FIGS. 7 and 14. The
choke pawls 314.1 through 314.4 are biased into nested engagement
by means of respective coiled torsion springs 318.1 through 318.4
which surround the shafts 316. Springs 318 each have one end 318a
bearing downwardly upon the associated choke pawl 314, and the
opposite end 318b pressing upwardly against a special shelf
extension 320b formed on each associated one of four clamping arms
320.1 through 320.4. The shafts 316 are journaled on meter frame
plate 66 and register frame plates 317. The clamping arms 320 are
all formed with respective hubs 320a; the hubs of arms 320.1 and
320.3 being secured to shaft 316.1, and those of arms 320.2 and
320.4 being secured to shaft 316.2, for rotation therewith. The
springs 318 react against the arms 320 to bias the choke pawls 314
into nested engagement with the register pinions 73. When the gear
clusters 62 and pinions 72 drive the register gear train however,
the springs 318 and pawls 314 yield resiliently. (Compare the
position of pawl 314.1 in FIG. 7 with its position in FIG. 8). This
allows the choke pawls 314 to ratchet over the pinions 73 so that
register inputs can be accomplished.
During the time that the gear clusters 62 engage the register input
pinions 72, a pair of cam followers 322.1 and 322.2, which are
secured to respective shafts 316.1 and 316.2 for rotation
therewith, ride within dwell recesses 325 and 324 respectively
formed on separate cam tracks on the periphery of the disk 154
which comprises the rear element of carriage frame 144. When the
cam followers 322 are in the dwell recesses, hubs 322a formed on
the cam followers and secured to shafts 316.1 and 316.2
respectively rotate the shaft in the proper directions to lift the
clamping arms 320, allowing the choke pawls 314 to yield and
ratchet over pinions 73 as described.
At all other times, however, the cam followers 322 ride on the high
cam surface 326 of carriage member 154, as seen in FIGS. 13 and 14.
As a result, the cam followers 322 rotate their respective shafts
316 in the directions to cause their respective arms 320 to clamp
downwardly against their respective choke pawls 314, thus keeping
the pawls positively locked against their respective register
pinions 73, and preventing any movement whatever of the associated
order of register 74. Thus the arms 320 lock the register 74 and
positively prevent drift at all times except during the register
input portion of the operating cycle.
Springs 318, by reacting against the choke arms 320, serve a dual
function: not only do they bias the pawls 314 resiliently into
engagement with the pinions 73 as described; but they also act as
return springs for the assemblies of the clamping arms 320, shafts
316, and cam followers 322, keeping the latter pressed against the
cam surfaces 324, 325 and 326 of disk 154.
It was noted previously that one bank of register driving gear
clusters 62.1 and 62.3 on one side of carriage 144 engages the
register pinions 72 during a first half of the carriage rotation,
and a second bank of gear clusters 62.2 and 62.4 on the other side
of the carriage engages the register pinions during a second half
of its rotation. With reference to FIGS. 14, in which arrow 78
indicates the direction of carriage rotation, it will be seen that
the dwell recess 325 (reaching from ramp 325a to ramp 325b) and
dwell recess 324 (ramps 324a to 324b) are so phased that a first
one of the cam followers 322.1 engages the dwell recess 325 during
the phase of carriage rotation when gear clusters 62.1 and 62.3 are
effective, and the second cam follower 322.2 engages the dwell
recess 325 during a subsequent phase of the rotation, when the gear
clusters 62.2 and 62.4 are effective. Moreover, to prevent
overdriving of the register 74, the shut-off ramps 324b and 325b
are phased to relock the register the instant the last tooth of the
driving segment 94 of the respective gear cluster 62 disengages
from its respective register input pinion 72.
In addition to mounting the choke pawls 314, clamping arms 320 and
springs 318, shafts 316.1 and 316.2 also mount respective register
antireverse pawls 328.1 and 328.2 rotatably thereon (see FIGS. 13
and 17), and have respective coil springs 330.1 and 330.2 wrapped
around the shafts. One end of each spring engages and reacts
against a nearby frame member 317, and the other end engages and
biases its associated pawl 328 into anti-reverse relationship with
an associated register pinion 73, as shown for pawl 328.1 and
pinion 73.4 in FIG. 17.
The Trip Interlocks. The postage meter of this invention employs
the electric motor 42 (FIG. 1) to drive the carriage 144 through a
rotary operating cycle and a switch 174 (FIG. 12) to turn the motor
on and off. The trip mechanism 40 closes the switch in response to
the insertion of the postagereceiving object E to start a postage
printing cycle, and re-opens the switch at the conclusion of that
cycle. Switch closing and re-opening trip mechanisms have been
employed in postage meters in the past (as for example in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,310,139 of C. W. Buckley), but never in conjunction with a
rotatable, variable increment gear cluster mechanism for driving
the register. The present invention not only brings together the
rotating gear cluster concept of the Rouan patent with the
switching trip mechanism concept of the Buckley patent; it also
provides a unique and advantageous method of cooperation between
the two, featuring interaction between the rectifying pawls 134, a
shutter disk 260, and the trip mechanism 40. This interaction is
such that the rectifier pawls 134 have a double-acting mutually
interlocking relationship with the shutter 260, which prevents the
trip mechanism from operating the postage meter if rectification is
not accomplished, and also locks the rectifier pawls 134 and
setting mechanism 60 during operation of the meter. In addition,
the shutter 260 is related to the trip mechanism 4o by means of a
deadlock latch 254 which performs various register security
functions. Specifically, the latch serves to lock up the trip
mechanism 40 and prevent operation of the meter if the register
goes below the minimum credit level or if the register compartment
access door is open.
As seen in FIG. 11A, the output spindle 50 and driving gear 52
rotate the carriage 144 by means of the driven gear 54, which
surrounds shaft 68 and is secured to the carriage frame 152 by
machine screws 153 (see FIG. 16). This occurs when the trip
mechanism 40 closes the electrical switch 174 in series with the
motor power supply line. The switch has an operating button 176
which is engaged by upward motion (arrows 177, FIG. 12) of a switch
actuator lever 178. That lever is integral with a cam follower 230
and a stop pawl 220 to form a three-armed crank which is mounted
upon a trip mechanism shaft 180 and is rotatable relative thereto.
When this three-armed crank 178, 220, 230 is rotated clockwise
relative to the shaft (as seen from the viewpoint of FIG. 12), it
causes actuator 178 to close switch 174.
Such crank rotation is induced by a trip pawl 196 which is secured
to shaft 180 by a tri-lobing and therefore rotates with that shaft
in response to motion of the trip finger 38 (arrow 187) when the
hooked upper tip 38a thereof is engaged by the envelope E or other
postage-receiving object. The trip finger is rockably mounted upon
a trip driver 182 by means of a U-shaped supporting bracket 186
which is secured to a shaft 188 journaled upon a hub 182a formed
upon the driver 182. A spring 192 is tensed between the trip
mechanism shaft 180 and a depending tab 186a of bracket 186 to
maintain a driving coupling between the trip finger 38 and the
shaft driver 182 under normal operating conditions. As a result,
the force exerted on the trip finger 38 by the envelope E normally
does not cause the finger 38 and bracket 186 to rotate about shaft
188. Instead, finger 38, bracket 186 and shaft 188 move the driver
182, causing it to rotate shaft 180 in the direction indicated by
arrow 181.
As the shaft 180 rotates in that direction, trip pawl 196 rotates
therewith and engages a surface 200a formed on a limiting pawl 200.
The pawl 200 is rotatably mounted, by means of a hub 200b formed
integrally at the lower end thereof, on a stub shaft 210 extending
from switch actuator 178. A coiled torsion spring 218 is wrapped
around the hub 200b; and one end 218a thereof engages an extension
178a of switch actuator 178, while the other spring end 218b is
hooked over the pawl 200 to bias it angularly about shaft 210 until
actuator surface 178b is engaged by the undersurface 216a of a stop
member 216 formed integrally upon the hub 200b of pawl 200. When
the pawl 200 is held in place by spring 218 and the three-armed
crank 178, 220, 230 rotates in response to pawl 196, the limit of
that motion is achieved (as seen in FIG. 11C) when limiting pawl
200 strikes the surface of a dwell recess 202. That recess is part
of a cam track 204a formed on a gear 204 secured to the output
spindle 50 by means of threaded nuts 206 and washers 208.
Thereafter, the trip finger 38 cannot be driven any further by
envelope E without tensing spring 192. Consequently, in its
displaced position, the curved tip 38a of the trip finger normally
serves as a temporary stop element for the envelope E, defining the
position thereof at which postage printing begins.
Before a trip cycle begins, stop pawl 220 of the three-armed crank
178, 220, 230, is in position (see FIG. 11A) to engage a stop
surface 222 of a cam track 224 formed on the drive gear 52. (In
fact, this position of the stop pawl 220 stops the rotation of the
gear 52 at the end of the previous trip cycle.) But during a trip
cycle, as the three-armed crank 178, 220, 230 rotates in response
to trip pawl 196, the stop pawl 220 swings clear of stop surface
222 as seen in FIG. 11C, and thus permits rotation of drive gear
52, allowing the cycle to proceed. It is shortly after such pawl
release occurs, and just before the envelope E reaches the printing
position described above, that the switch actuator 178 strikes
button 176 and closes the motor switch 174. The motor then drives
gears 52 and 204 in the direction indicated by arrows 201, and the
trip cycle proceeds.
Just prior to printing, recess 202 rotates past the limiting pawl
200, after which that pawl is engaged instead by cam track 204a, to
kick the pawl 200 angularly in the direction away from shaft 50,
and out of its operating position. In order to perform this motion,
pawl 200 rotates about shaft 210 against the bias of coil spring
218, and raises the stop member 216 from surface 178b. Once the
pawl 200 is thus kicked out of operating position, it is no longer
engaged by trip pawl 196. In this way the three-armed crank 178,
220, 230 is decoupled from trip pawl 196 and shaft 180, in
preparation for the return of the three-armed crank to its initial
position later on, when it is time to re-open the motor switch
174.
Such crank release is postponed, however, so long as surface 226 of
cam track 224 holds the stop pawl 220 radially outwardly. This
retains the three-armed crank 178, 220, 230 in the angular position
to keep switch actuator 178 raised, and thus the motor switch 174
closed, for one complete rotation of the gears 52 and 204.
Gear 204, it should be noted, is formed with teeth 204b to drive a
conventional auxiliary train (not shown) leading to conventional
envelope ejector rollers (not shown) and impression roller 34. Gear
52, moreover, is formed with a one-tooth gap 52a to facilitate
timing during assembly.
The decoupling of pawls 196 and 200, as described above, serves the
additional purpose of permitting further rotation of shaft 180. As
postage printing takes place, the envelope E is fed forward by
rotation of the print drum 32 (FIG. 1) in cooperation with the
impression roller 34. This motion of the envelope causes the trip
finger 38 and shaft 180 to rotate further in the direction of arrow
187, beyond the position of FIG. 11C. The trip finger 38 then
enters a groove 34a formed in the impression roller 34, releasing
the envelope for additional printing advance and subsequent
ejection. Thereafter trip finger 38 is held down in the groove 34a,
keeping the trip shaft 180 and trip pawl 196 in tripped position,
as long as the envelope E continues to pass over the impression
roller 34 and the trip finger tip 38a.
When envelope ejection is complete, and the trailing edge of
envelope E passes trip finger tip 38a, then the trip finger 38 and
trip shaft 180 are released. The trip shaft is then restored to its
initial position by a tension spring 240, reacting against a
sensing link 234. As the shaft returns, the outer tip of trip pawl
196 strikes, and rides along, a curved surface 200c of limiting
pawl 200, rocking the limiting pawl counter-clockwise about shaft
210, against the urging of spring 218, until such displacement of
pawl 200 permits pawl 196 to slip under surface 200a, thereby
re-engaging pawls 196 and 200 for the next trip actuation. Once
pawl 196 slips under surface 200a, spring 218 returns pawl 200
clockwise to its initial position. Only after pawls 196 and 200
have thus been re-engaged can the trip mechanism start a new
cycle.
During the trip cycle, the angular displacement of the three-armed
crank 178, 220, 230 causes cam follower 230 to be interposed within
a dwell recess 228b of another cam track 228 formed on gear 52. But
at the end of the trip cycle the dwell recess 228b gives way to
camming surface 228a of track 228, striking cam follower 230 and
rocking the entire three-armed crank back into its initial position
to lower the switch actuator 178 and thereby re-open the motor
switch 174, which terminates the trip cycle. After the switch
opens, the motor spindle 50 and gear 52 coast until the gear 52
reaches a dead stop when stop pawl 220 re-engages surface 222, as
seen in FIG. 11A. A conventional friction clutch (not shown) is
included in the drive train to decouple the motor from this abrupt
stop.
The sequence of events just described occurs only if there is no
reason to prohibit the trip cycle from proceeding. There are,
however, various conditions under which a postage meter must not
print a postage impression; i.e. when the door to the compartment
which houses register 74 is open; when the descending credit
balance in the register 78 is less than the maximum amount of
postage which can be dispensed in a single trip cycle ($9.99-9/10
in this specific example); and when the setting mechanism 60 is not
rectified. Nonrectification has two serious consequences. First, it
is possible for the postage printing wheels 95 to be indeterminate,
intermediate printing position; and second, the register driving
gear clusters 62 can also be in indeterminate, intermediate
positions, so that neither of two adjacent gear segments 94 is
properly positioned to engage its associated register input pinion
72, resulting in no input to the register 74. Accordingly, means
are provided for locking up the trip mechansim 40 upon the
occurrence of any of the described conditions.
The trip mechanism 40 includes sensing link 234 which is pivotally
mounted by means of a shaft 236 upon a mounting block 238 which is
secured to the trip mechanism shaft 180 by tri-lobing, for rotation
therewith. Tension spring 240 is anchored at one end to an opening
242 formed in the mounting block 238, and at the other end is
hooked through an opening 244 formed in the sensing link 234. As a
result, the sensing link 234 is biased clockwise (as seen in FIGS.
11A and 12) about the shaft 236 by the spring 240. Its motion in
that direction is limited, however, because the sensing link
extends upwardly through a slot 67a formed in the meter floor 67,
and is pulled against one edge of that slot by the spring 240. A
pin 246 projects from the upper end of the sensing 234, and the
slot 67a is too narrow to permit downward withdrawal of the pin
246. As a result, the sensing link must remain in position to block
the slot 67a, preventing the insertion of a tool therethrough for
tampering with the meter.
The location of the sensing link mounting shaft 236 is eccentric
relative to the trip mechanism shaft 180. Therefore, as the shaft
180 rotates (arrow 181) in response to the envelope E and trip
finger 38, the sensing link 234 must rise, as indicated by arrow
235 in FIG. 12. That link, however, is formed with an upwardly
facing shoulder 248 which engages a lug 252 bent from a deadlock
latch member 254. The deadlock latch 254 is rotatably mounted upon
a shaft 256 journaled in the upstanding frame plate 70 (FIG. 1);
and is biased thereabout in the clockwise direction (as seen in
FIG. 11) by a tension spring 266, one end of which is anchored by
any conventional means (not shown) to the frame plate 70, and the
other end of which is hooked into a depending ear 268 of the
deadlock latch. As the link 234 is driven upwardly in response to
the cycle-starting rotation of the trip mechanism shaft 180, the
shoulder 248 pushes upwardly against the lug 252, rotating the
deadlock latch 254 counterclockwise about its shaft 256 (as seen in
FIG. 11) and against the urging of spring 266. But the latch 254
can only move from the initial position seen in FIG. 11A to the
position seen in FIGS. 11B and 11C, in which the depending ear 268
strikes the meter floor 67, preventing further deadlock latch
displacement. This small amount of deadlock latch motion does not
permit enough upward motion of the sensing link, and concomitant
rotation of shaft 180, to initiate an operating cycle of the trip
mechanism 40.
If nothing occurs to release the sensing link 234 from the deadlock
latch 254, the pressure of the envelope E against the trip finger
38 is ineffective to initiate a trip cycle, because the trip pawl
196 never rises high enough to engage pawl 200 and move the motor
switch actuator 178. If the user nevertheless forces the envelope E
against the trip finger 38, the only result will be to stretch the
spring 192 and rock the trip finger 38 and its supporting bracket
186 about the shaft 188, without displacing the trip mechanism
shaft 180 beyond the point permitted by deadlock latch 254.
The only way in which the sensing link 234 can be disengaged from
the deadlock latch 254 is for it to be cammed in the direction of
arrow 255 in FIG. 11C by a lug 258 which is struck at right angles
from shutter disk 260. The shutter disk is a substantially circular
sheet metal member which is situated in front of, and in
confronting relationship to, the driven gear 54, and is rotatably
mounted upon the shaft 68. Counter-clockwise rotation of the
shutter disk, as seen in FIG. 11C (arrow 261), causes the lug 258
to strike slanted surface 262 of the link 234, thus rotating the
link about its shaft 236 against the urging of spring 240, until
the link surface 248 is released from the lug 252 of deadlock latch
254. The slot 67a formed in the meter floor 67 is sufficiently
elongated to permit such movement of the sensing link.
In order to perform the described sensing link releasing movement,
the shutter disk 260 is biased by a torsion spring 270 which is
coiled around the shaft 68, and has one end 270a hooked into the
interior of one of the roll pins 65 (see FIGS. 11A and 16) and the
other end captured within a notch 258a formed in the shutter disk
lug 258. Angular motion of the shutter disk 260 in response to the
spring 270 is limited by spacers 336 surrounding the machine screws
153 which project through the driven gear 54 and are threaded to
the frame member 152 (see FIG. 18). The spacers 336 pass loosely
through arcuately elongated slots 276 formed in the shutter disk
260, forming a lost motion coupling between the disk 260 and gear
54. Washers 338 retain the disk 260 on the spacers 336, and also
clamp spacers 336 and gear 54 in place upon frame member 152.
There are, however, three conditions, any one of which can prevent
the shutter disk 260 from responding to spring 270, and thus
rotating to release the sensing link 234 from deadlock latch 254.
For one thing, as seen in FIG. 11A, the deadlock latch 254 itself
is formed with a shoulder 264 which initially engages the lug 258,
to prevent counter-clockwise rotation of the shutter disk 260. The
effect of spring 266, moreover, is to urge the deadlock latch into
engagement with lug 258. Consequently, the only way that the
shutter disk can be released is to rotate the deadlock latch 254 to
the limit of its counter-clockwise motion about shaft 256, and
against the urging of the spring 266. As seen in FIG. 11C, such
motion of the deadlock latch, although insufficient to release the
sensing link 234 directly, does cause the shoulder 264 to move out
from under the lug 258, until it no longer blocks counterclockwise
rotation of shutter disk 260. The shutter disk then escapes
angularly to the position illustrated in FIG. 11C, and in doing so
releases the sensing link 234 from deadlock latch 254.
Of the three blocking conditions referred to above, two interfere
with shutter disk release by blocking this releasing movement of
the deadlock latch, and the third does so by restraining the escape
of the shutter disk itself. Specifically the "counter door open"
and "low register" conditions are the ones which block the deadlock
latch 254, holding it in position to prevent release of the shutter
disk 260.
A lockout comb 298 is normally in the position illustrated in FIG.
11A, wherein a lug 300 formed thereon lines up with a slot 302 in
an arm 254a of the deadlock latch 254. Such alignment of the lug
300 and slot 302 permits the lug to enter the slot as seen in FIGS.
11B and 11C whenever the sensing link 234 rises and thus rotates
the deadlock latch 254 counter-clockwise about its shaft 256.
The register 74 is housed in a compartment provided with an access
door 278 (FIG. 11D) mounted on a conventional hinge mechanism (not
shown) for opening and closing motion to control access to the
register compartment. On the side of the register 74 is mounted a
vertically floating door link 284 which is formed with a depending
foot 288 and a pair of upstanding tabs 290. A machine screw 282
extends loosely through a vertically elongated slot (not shown) cut
through the link 284, and is threaded to a portion 75 of the frame
of the register 74. The screw 282, together with a rod 292 which is
mounted on the register frame and extends between the tabs 290,
serves to mount the link 284 for vertical motion. A tension spring
294, which is anchored at its upper end to the rod 292 and
connected at its lower end to a pin 293 on the link 284, biases the
link upwardly to the upper limit of its movement, reached when rod
292 engages the crotch between tabs 290. But when the door 278 is
closed, a link operator abutment 296 strikes the tabs 290 and
drives the link 284 downwardly against the urging of spring
294.
When the register compartment door 278 is open, on the other hand,
the abutment 296 no longer clamps down the link 284. Instead, the
biasing spring 294 raises that link as indicated by arrow 301,
causing a lever 334 to actuate a conventional register locking
mechanism (not shown), and also causing the foot 288 to engage a
finger 304 formed on the lockout comb 298, and pull upwardly
thereon. The lockout comb is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 306
journaled in one of the upstanding register frame plates 317 (FIGS.
1 and 13), permitting the comb to rotate clockwise (from the
viewpoint of FIG. 11D) in response to the force exerted by the foot
288. Accordingly, when the register compartment door 278 is open,
the lug 300 of lockout comb 298 lines up, as illustrated in FIG.
11D, with a surface of deadlock latch arm 254a above the slot 302.
Consequently lug 300 interferes with arm 254a, preventing the
counter-clockwise rotation of deadlock latch 254 which is required
to release the shutter disk 260. This constitutes the interlock
which senses an open condition of the register compartment door
278.
Register sensing fingers 308 are formed at the upper end of the
lockout comb 298, and normally ride on the circular outer surface
of the wheels of register 74, as seen in FIG. 11A. When the
register 74 is in a low credit balance condition, however, these
fingers drop into a series of slots 310 formed in the register
wheels, as seen in FIG. 11E. This permits the lockout comb 298 to
rotate counter-clockwise about its shaft 306, under the influence
of a tension spring 311, one end of which is anchored in a
conventional manner to one of the upstanding register frame plates
317 and the other end of which is hooked into a lug 312 formed on
the lockout comb 298. As a result, the lug 300 is now aligned with
a surface of arm 254a below the slot 302, as seen in FIG. 11E. Thus
the low credit balance condition of register 74 also blocks the arm
254a, again preventing the counter-clockwise rotation of deadlock
latch 254 which is required for trip release.
To recapitulate briefly, the lockout comb 298 is biased by tension
spring 311 toward a first extreme position (see in FIG. 11E), in
which the sensing fingers 308 fall into slots 310 upon the
occurrence of a low credit balance condition in the register 74.
When there is an adequate credit balance in the register, however,
the fingers 308 ride on the external surface of the wheels of
register 74, thus maintaining the comb 298 in an intermediate
position (FIG. 11A) and tensing the spring 311. If the register
compartment door 278 is open, the link 284 and foot 288 rotate the
comb 298 to the opposite extreme (see in FIG. 11D), producing
further elongation of the spring 311. Either extreme position of
the lockout comb 298 will block movement of the deadlock latch 254
and prevent escape of the shutter disk 260, thus precluding
operation of the trip mechanism 40. Only the middle position of the
lockout comb 298 (seen in FIG. 11A) will line up lug 300 with slot
302, permitting the rotation of deadlock latch 254 (seen in FIG.
11B) which is necessary to release shutter disk 260 (as seen in
FIG. 11C). Then the shutter disk can escape to disengage the
sensing link 234 from the deadlock latch lug 252, and permit
operation of the trip mechanism 40.
As seen in FIG. 15A, which is correlated in time with FIG. 11A, the
tabs 142 of all four rectifier pawls 134.1 through 134.4 project
forwardly through respective windows 54a and 54b formed in the
driven gear 54. The tabs 142 of the upper pawls 134.1 and 134.3
protrude through window 54a and those of the lower pawls 134.2 and
134.4 through window 54b. Similar windows 260a and 260b
respectively aligned therewith are formed in the shutter disk 260.
When the pawls 134 have their respective rectifier teeth 138 in
nested engagement with their respective setting bar racks 132, as
seen in FIGS. 15A and 15C, the tabs 142 thereof do not extend into
the shutter disk windows 260a and 260b. This permits the angular
movement of the shutter disk 260, relative to the driven gear 54
(see FIG. 15C), required for the shutter disk to escape and
disengage the sensing link 234 from the deadlock latch 254. But
when any one or more of the four rectifier pawls 134 is rotated
about its fastener 136 (as seen in FIG. 15B) by a non-nested
relationship between its rectifying tooth 138 and the associated
bar rectification rack 132, indicating an unrectified condition of
the associated setting bar assembly 98, then the blocking tab 142
thereof extends forwardly into the associated shutter disk window
260a or 260b, and prevents the escaping movement of shutter disk
260. The result is seen in FIG. 11B, which is correlated in time
with FIG. 15B; even though the rise of the sensing link 234 has
removed the deadlock latch 254 and its shoulder 264 from blocking
engagement with the shutter disk tab 258, the disk is unable to
escape in the counter-clockwise direction due to the engagement of
one or more tabs 142 with an edge of one of the shutter disk
windows 260a or 260b. It is only when the pawl teeth 138 of all the
pawls 134 are in nested engagement with their associated rectifying
teeth 132, and all the locking tabs 142 are therefore retracted
from the shutter disk windows 260a and 260b, that the shutter disk
260 can escape as seen in FIGS. 11C and 15C.
The amplitude of escaping motion permitted the shutter disk 260 by
screws 153, spacers 336 and the arcuately elongated slots 276 is
sufficient to move windows 260a and 260b angularly out of alignment
with all four rectifying pawl tabs 142. Once that happens, the
rectifying pawls 134 can no longer rotate out of nested engagement
with the rack teeth 132, because instead of the windows 260a and
260b, the body of the shutter disk 260 is then interposed in front
of the tabs 142 as illustrated in FIGS. 11C and 15C. Thus there is
a mutually blocking relationship between the rectifier pawls 134
and the shutter disk 260. Not only do the rectifier pawls 134 block
escape of the shutter disk when the setting mechanism 60 is not
rectified; but the disk also blocks movement of the rectifier pawls
out of nested engagement with the rack teeth 132 once the disk has
escaped to trigger a trip cycle, and so long as the rectifier pawls
134 are thus locked with their teeth 138 in nested engagement with
racks 132, it is impossible to move the setting bars 98. The
setting mechanism 60 is therefore ineffective to change the print
wheel and gear cluster setting during a trip cycle.
In order to retain the shutter disk 260 in this pawl-blocking
position relative to driven gear 54 during a trip cycle, the disk
is formed with gear teeth 260c around part of the periphery thereof
which mesh with driving gear 52, and a toothless gap 260d occupies
the remaining portion of the periphery. Before the escape of the
shutter disk 260 (see FIG. 11A), the most closely approaching teeth
of driving gear 52 are stored in the shutter disk gap 260d, and
thus do not engage teeth 260c thereof. This permits the disk to
perform its angular escape (arrow 261, FIG. 11C) free of
interference from gear 52. But the escaping motion of disk 260 then
causes the first tooth 260c thereof to slip past a notch 52b (see
FIG. 12) on one tooth of gear 52, to establish a one-tooth mesh
therebetween. Then, when the motor turns on and the driving gear 52
rotates, the direction of its rotation (see arrow 201) is such as
to mesh successively more teeth until full engagement is achieved.
Such engagement is then sustained until near the end of the trip
cycle. Consequently driven gear 54 and shutter disk 260 both mesh
with, and are driven by, the driving gear 52 during rotation of the
carriage 144, with the result that disk 260 is angularly fixed in
relation to gear 54 during that time. Thus the disk cannot change
its position to free the rectifier pawls 134 and the setting
mechanism 60.
After the postage dispensing operation has been concluded, however,
the expulsion of the envelope E by the ejection rollers frees trip
finger 38, allowing trip shaft 180 to rotate back to its initial
position, lowering sensing link 234, and allowing spring 266 to
restore deadlock latch 254. Consequently, as driven gear 54 and
shutter disk 260 conclude one full rotation together, and the teeth
of drive gear 52 then disengage from the gear teeth 260c of the
shutter disk by re-entering the toothless gap 260d, the deadlock
latch 254 is again in blocking position, and the shutter disk tab
258 rotates in re-engagement therewith, causing the shutter disk
260 to be displaced angularly relative to the driven gear 54 and
thus re-cocking the spring 270 and re-latching the shutter disk for
the next trip release.
Conclusion. It will now be appreciated that the postage meter of
this invention provides an improved setting bar assembly in which a
complicated bar shape is achieved by connecting individual bar
members together, and racks are distributed over the individual bar
members for engaging various pinions and pawls, and in which
complicated multifunction bar shapes are slidably nested in
non-interfering fashion, plus specific improvements in a rotating
carriage to mount the setting mechanism. The invention also
provides a rectifying mechanism which acts directly on the setting
bars, and therefore minimize backlash relative to the cluster
gears, and which also interacts with a switching type trip
mechanism through various interlock members in a manner to block
operation of either the trip mechanism or the setting mechanism.
The trip mechanism is also blocked by these interlock members in
response to certain insecure conditions involving the credit
register; and the invention provides additional register security
features in the form of resilient register choking, positive
clamping, and anti-reverse mechanisms.
Since the foregoing description and drawings are merely
illustrative, the scope of protection of the invention has been
more broadly stated in the following claims; and these should be
liberally interpreted so as to obtain the benefit of all
equivalents to which the invention is fairly entitled.
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