Tamper-resistant postage meter

In a postage meter of the type having a plurality of value wheels with indicia thereon indicative of the postage, the value wheels rotatable in planes disposed parallel to each other, the wheels formed with respective gear portions, the wheels settable by a setting means engageable with the gear portions, the setting means comprising a plurality of racks corresponding to respective ones of the value wheels, the racks moving along substantially parallel guide rods to engage with and rotate the value wheels, the improvement comprising reinforcing beams corresponding to respective ones of the guide rods, each beam disposed substantially parallel to its respective guide rod, a portion of each rack lying between its respective guide rod and respective beam.

A postage meter having a plurality of value wheels with indicia thereon indicative of the postage, the value wheels rotatable in planes disposed parallel to each other, the wheels formed with respective gear portions, the wheels settable by a setting means engageable with the gear portions, the setting means comprising a plurality of racks corresponding to respective ones of the value wheels, the racks moving along substantially parallel beams to engage with and rotate the value wheels, wherein each beam, taken on a cross section perpendicular to its length, the cross section defining a first dimension lying within a plane parallel to the planes of the wheels, and a second dimension perpendicular thereto, is characterized in that the first dimension is greater than the second dimension.

A postage meter comprising a main body and a rotor rotatable relative to the main body for imprinting postage indicia on a mail piece, the main body shaped to provide a secure housing for the postage meter, the meter further comprising a processor operative to control the postage meter, the meter further comprising a cover movable between a first position in which a user has access to the rotor and a second position in which the user has no access to the rotor, the meter further comprising a switch disposed with respect to the cover to generate a signal indicative of the cover being in the first position, the signal made available as an input to the processor, the secure housing further characterized in that the switch is within the secure housing whereby the user is substantially unable to affect the generation of the signal indicative of the cover being in the first position.

A postage meter comprising a main body and a rotor rotatable relative to the main body for imprinting postage on a mail piece, the rotor further comprising value wheels with indicia thereon for printing the postage, the main body shaped to provide a secure housing for the postage meter, the meter further comprising a processor operative to control the postage meter, the meter further comprising a cover movable between a first position in which a user has access to the rotor and a second position in which the user has no access to the rotor, the rotor rotatable to angles at which the value wheels are accessible to a user if the cover is open, movement of the cover constrained by a latch having a first position in which the cover is released and a second position in which the cover is held closed and cannot be opened by the user;

• the latch having cam follower means disposed between the latch and an axial face of the rotor;
• The face of the rotor shaped to define a cam, the cam shaped to engage the cam follower thereby holding the latch in the second position at the rotor angles at which the value wheels are accessible if the cover is open.

A postage meter comprising a main body and a rotor rotatable relative to the main body for imprinting postage indicia on a mail piece, the main body shaped to provide a secure housing for the postage meter, the meter further comprising a processor operative to control the postage meter, the meter further comprising a cover movable between a first position in which a user has access to the rotor and a second position in which the user has no access to the rotor, the meter further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the cover such that the cover can move from the second position to the first position only if the actuator is actuated, the actuator operatively coupled to and actuable by the processor, the secure housing further characterized in that the actuator is within the secure housing whereby the user is substantially unable to open the cover except upon actuation by the processor of the actuator.

A postage meter comprising a main body and a rotor rotatable relative to the main body for imprinting postage indicia on a mail piece, the rotor further comprising user-adjustable date wheels for printing a date on the mail piece, the main body shaped to provide a secure housing for the postage meter, the meter further comprising a processor operative to control the postage meter and an internal clock indicative of the date, the meter further comprising a cover movable between a first position in which a user has access to the rotor and a second position in which the user has no access to the rotor, the meter further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the cover such that the cover moves from the second position to the first position if the actuator is actuated.

A postage meter having a main body and a print rotor that rotates relative to the main body to print postage on a mail piece, the print rotor containing a plurality of value wheels with indicia thereon indicative of the postage, the wheels formed with respective cogs, the wheels settable by a setting means having cog teeth engageable with the cogs, the main body shaped to define a secure housing, the rotor having a home position at which setting of value wheels is performed within the secure housing, the rotor movable away from the home position for printing of postage, the rotor movable to at least one position at which the value wheels are not within the secure housing.

In a postage meter of the type having a plurality of value wheels with indicia thereon indicative of the postage, the value wheels rotatable in planes disposed parallel to each other, the wheels formed with respective cogs, the wheels settable by a setting means engageable with the cogs, the setting means comprising a plurality of racks corresponding to respective ones of the value wheels, the racks moving along substantially parallel guide rods to engage with and rotate the value wheels, the improvement comprising reinforcing beams corresponding to respective ones of the guide rods, each beam disposed substantially parallel to its respective guide rod, a portion of each rack lying between its respective guide rod and respective beam.

A postage meter having a plurality of value wheels with indicia thereon indicative of the postage, the value wheels rotatable in planes disposed parallel to each other, the wheels formed with respective cog wheel portions, the wheels settable by a setting means engageable with the cogs, the setting means comprising a plurality of racks corresponding to respective ones of the value wheels, the racks moving along substantially parallel beams to engage with and rotate the value wheels, wherein each beam, taken on a cross section perpendicular to its length, the cross section defining a first dimension lying within a plane parallel to the planes of the wheels, and a second dimension perpendicular thereto, is characterized in that the first dimension is greater than the second dimension.

A postage meter comprising a main body and a rotor rotatable relative to the main body for imprinting postage indicia on a mail piece, the main body shaped to provide a secure housing for the postage meter, the meter further comprising a processor operative to control the postage meter, the meter further comprising a cover movable between a first position in which a user has access to the rotor and a second position in which the user has no access to the rotor, the meter further comprising a switch disposed with respect to the cover to generate a signal indicative of the cover being in the first position, the signal made available as an input to the processor, the secure housing further characterized in that the switch is within the secure housing whereby the user is substantially unable to affect the generation of the signal indicative of the cover being in the first position;

• the meter further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the cover such that the cover can move from the second position to the first position only if the actuator is actuated, the actuator operatively coupled to and actuable by the processor, the secure housing further characterized in that the actuator is within the secure housing whereby the user is substantially unable to open the cover except upon actuation by the processor of the actuator.

A postage meter having a main body and a print rotor, the rotor having print wheels bearing indicia indicative of postage amounts, the rotor having a shaft about which the rotor rotates, said rotor having a home position, the shaft having a groove, said rotor and shaft within a secure housing;

• said rotor further comprising at least one rach rack axially slidable within said groove, said at least one rack having a plurality of teeth, said teeth being at least ten in number;
• said meter further comprising at least one pinion corresponding to said at least one rack and engaging said rack, said pinion having pinion teeth;
• said meter further comprising detent lock means mechanically coupled with said shaft and with said pinion, said detent lock means contained wholly within said secure housing, whereby said pinion is locked when said rotor is away from its home position.

A postage meter having a descending register and a print rotor within a secure housing, said register having a stored value, said meter also having a base supplying motive power thereto, said rotor rotating on a shaft within the secure housing, said shaft in geared relation to a gear in the base, said base further comprising a motor in operative angagement with said base gear, said descending register having at least one mechanical output indicative of said value reaching a predetermined threshold, said at least one output coupled with said base gear to block rotation of said base gear when said output indicates said value having reached said threshold, said meter further comprising an ear on said shaft, lever means operatively coupled with said at least one output and with said shaft to impede rotation of said shaft upon contact between said ear and said lever means.

A postage meter having a descending register and a print rotor within a secure housing, said register having a stored value, said meter also having a base supplying motive power thereto, said rotor rotating on a shaft within the secure housing, said shaft in geared relation to a gear in the base, said base further comprising a motor in operative engagement with said base gear, said descending register having at least one mechanical output indicative of said value reaching a predetermined threshold, said at least one output coupled with said base gear to block rotation of said base gear when said output indicates said value having reached said threshold, said meter further comprising an ear on said shaft, lever means wholly within said secure housing and operatively coupled with said at least one output and with said shaft to impede rotation of said shaft upon contact between said ear and said lever means.

A postage meter comprising a print rotor contained within a secure housing, said rotor rotating on an axis and having a home position and having a diameter, said housing further comprising a hinged cover with an inside surface toward said rotor, said cover having a closed position preventing access to said rotor, said cover hinged along a pivot parallel with said axis, said rotor further comprising a radial cam, said cover comprising a cam follower formed on said inside surface, said cam follower disposed to engage said radial cam, said cam shaped such that when said rotor is out of said home position, said cam follower holds said cover in said closed position, said cam follower distant from said pivot by at least one-third the diameter of the rotor.