Print drum for a postage meter
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsRaymond L. Bannister, Frederick C. Close, Peter J. Loeber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A print drum for a postage meter has a drum structure provided with a plurality of recesses in its periphery. One of these recesses accommodates a print wheel assembly and at least some of the other recesses are provided with axially extending means whereby imprinting dies can be slid in and out. The movement in and out of the recesses is in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the print drum.
Claims15
A print drum for a postage meter, comprising:
- a drum structure defining a drum longitudinal axis, an outwardly facing print region and a plurality of recesses within said printing region,
- a print wheel assembly housed within said drum structure having means for remotely adjusting the print wheels of said assembly,
- longitudinal guide means associated with said recesses,
- at least one imprinting die constructed for sliding movement on said longitudinal guide means in and out of one of said recesses in a direction substantially parallel to said print drum axis, and
- resilient biassed detent means for releasably locking the imprinting die in its printing position within the respective drum recess.
An imprinting die for use with a print drum of a postage meter, the die having walls of a configuration and a position such that the die can be slid in a longitudinal direction of the drum into and out of a recess in the drum, the die also including resilient detent means for cooperating with associated means on said drum releasably to lock the die in said drum.
A postage meter comprising a print drum including a drum structure defining a drum longitudinal axis, an outwardly facing printing region and a plurality of recesses within said printing region,
- a print wheel assembly housed within said drum structure having means for remotely adjusting the print wheels of said assembly,
- longitudinal guide means associated with said recesses,
- at least one imprinting die constructed for sliding movement on said longitudinal guide means in and out of one of said recesses in a direction substantially parallel to said print drum axis, and
- resilient biassed detent means for releasably locking the imprinting die in its printing position within the respective drum recess, data input means for inputting data relating to the monetary amount to be franked, and counting means for storing a cumulative total of the monetary amount franked.
A print drum structure for the print drum of a postage meter, the structure comprising:
- an imprinting-die-retaining structure defining a longitudinal axis and having a plurality of walls extending radially from the axis;
- said walls defining between themselves a plurality of recesses each having longitudinal guide means for receiving imprinting dies in a direction substantially parallel to the drum axis;
- and
- detent means associated with each recess for releasably locking the imprinting die.
A print drum for a postage meter, the print drum comprising:
- an imprinting-die-retaining structure having a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of walls extending radially from the axis;
- said walls defining recesses between themselves for receiving imprinting dies;
- longitudinal guide means on said walls;
- a plurality of imprinting dies slidingly movable on said longitudinal guide means in and out of said recesses in a direction substantially parallel to the drum axis and being releasably-lockable therein;
- and
- said plurality of imprinting dies, when mounted respectively in the recesses of the imprinting die retaining structure, forming the print drum periphery which includes an outwardly facing print region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.