Device for triggering a postage meter machine

Abstract

The apparatus comprises two levers (80, 81), which are rotatable around rigid axles (86, 87). Added to this is a third rigid axle (85), which carries the one lower infeed roller (21.2). The upper infeed roller (21.1) is supported at a lever (80) and is springingly pressed against the lower infeed roller (21.2). The apparatus permits letters to be postage metered run in direction of the arrow (52) and thereby press the two infeed rollers (21.1, 21.2) apart from each other up to a maximum width D. In operation one lever (80) carries a bolt (95) at an arm (94), where the bolt (95) engages into a curved slot (98) of the other lever (81). The bolt (95) freely moves in the curved slot (98) between zero and a with of, for example, 3 mm. In case of a larger width, the bolt (95) impacts at the edge of the slot and presses the other lever (81) in direction of the dashed illustrated deflection position. Other lever (81) has a release hole (99). The release of the postage meter machine occurs by the release fork (22), which is rotatably attached in an elongated hole (99) of the other lever (81). The respective release point in time is shifted based on the deflection of this lever (81), whereby the imprints of the postage meter stamp occurs later in case of thick letter envelopes, as compared to thin letter envelopes. This effects an improvement of the imprint quality on the letter envelopes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.