Label dispenser and a franking machine equipped with said dispenser

In combination, a franking machine and a label dispenser, said label dispenser selectively dispensing labels of different length from a continuous tape, said dispenser comprising a cutter and intermittent drive means for intermittently driving the tape, said drive means and cutter being mounted on a tape guide path, said dispenser further including control means for controlling said intermittent drive means and said cutter, said franking machine comprising a print head fitted with first means for printing postage information and second means for printing additional or "slogan" information, together with a slogan control lever, said lever being coupled to said second means and being operable between a first position in which no slogan is printed and a second position in which a slogan is printed, the improvement wherein:

• said label dispenser intermittent drive means include means mounted relative to the cutter suitable for insuring that said tape is held stationary or driven at a given tape advance speed at points located both upstream and downstream from said cutter, said dispenser further including a first photoelectric cell for detecting the leading end of the tape on its guide path at an initial position which is located at a distance downstream from said cutter which is no greater than the length of the shortest selectable label, said first and second cells being mounted downstream from said cutter at respective distances equal to different label lengths, said first and second cells being connected to said control means, said dispenser further including ejector means ejecting each cut-off label at an injection speed greater than said tape advance speed, said ejector means being mounted downstream from at least said first cell and being separated from said intermittent drive means by a distance which is less than the length of the shortest label, and wherein said franking machine further comprises a detector for detecting a position of said slogan control lever, said detector being connected to said label dispenser control means to deliver an automatic select signal for selecting short labels or long labels depending upon said detected position.