System for generating machine readable codes to facilitate routing of correspondence using automatic mail sorting apparatus

A method of encoding correspondence bearing a human readable postal code to facilitate routing of the correspondence to a destination address by automatic mail sorting apparatus, said method comprising the steps:

• (a) marking a piece of mail with an easily machine readable first code, said first code being generated from and corresponding to the human readable postal code of the destination address;
• (b) machine reading the first code;
• and
• (c) printing a machine readable second code corresponding to the first code and the human readable postal code of the destination address in a location and format utilized by the particular automatic mail sorting apparatus.

An apparatus for printing coding markings on an envelope, in accordance with machine readable pre-printed marks relating to a human readable destination address on an item of correspondence, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a read station and a print station, and a conveyor for transporting the envelope there between, along a conveyor line;
• (b) means for determining displacement of the envelope along said conveyor line and for producing signals indicative of said displacement;
• (c) said read station including an optical sensor, which is effective to produce a series of electrical signals in response to reading the machine readable pre-printed marks;
• (d) computing means coupled to said read and print stations, which accepts said signals of displacement of the envelope through said stations and controls said read and print stations;
• (e) means for transmitting said electrical signals from said optical sensor to the computing means;
• (f) means for producing a sequence of spaced pulses from said electrical signals, said computing means transmitting said pulses to said print station;
• (g) said print station including at least one signal-control printer, which, during normal operation of the apparatus, remains at a fixed print-point at said print station;
• (h) and said printer being effective to print a marking on the envelope as the envelope passes said print-point, and to print a series of such marking son the passing envelope in spaced-apart sequence in accordance with said pulses received from said computing means;
• (i) said means for determining displacement of the envelope including a print station displacement counter at said print station, and a read station displacement counter at said read station, each of said displacement counters being coupled to said computing means and generating said signal indicative of the displacement of a passing envelope relative to each respective station, and said computing means utilizing said displacements for controlling said read and print stations;
• (j) each of said displacement counters comprising a transducer, said transducers producing said signals corresponding to the displacement of a passing envelope, and said computing means including means for correlating said displacement signals with said electrical signals received from said optical sensor, the correlation such as to insure that the spacing and positioning of the coding marking sprinted by said printer correspond to the pre-printed marks as read by said optical sensor;
• (k) wherein the envelope has a window, and the pre-printed marks are upon the item of correspondence readable through the window, and the window has a leading edge;
• and
• (l) the apparatus includes means for disabling said electrical signals produced by said optical sensor, in respect of a particular passing envelope, until after the leading edge of the window of that envelope has passed said optical sensor.

An apparatus for printing coding markings on an envelope in accordance with machine readable pre-printed marks relating to a human readable destination address on an item of correspondence, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a read station and a print station, and a conveyor for transporting the envelope there between, along a conveyor line;
• (b) means for determining displacement of the envelope along said conveyor line means and for producing signals indicative of said displacement;
• (c) said read station including an optical sensor, which is effective to produce a series of electrical signals in response to reading the machine readable pre-printed marks;
• (d) computing means coupled to said read and print stations, which accepts said signals of displacement of the envelope through the stations, and controls said read and print stations;
• (e) means for transmitting said electrical signals from said optical sensor to said computing means;
• (f) means for generating a sequence of spaced pulses from said electrical signals and said computing means transmitting said pulses to said print station;
• (g) said print station including at least one signal-control printer, which, during normal operation of the apparatus, remains at a fixed print-point at said print station;
• (h) said printer being effective to print a marking on the envelope as the envelope passes said print-point, and to print a series of such markings on the passing envelope in spaced-apart sequence in accordance with the pulses received from said computing means;
• (i) wherein the envelope has a window and the window includes a pane of transparent material, through which the pre-printed marks are readable;
• (j) during normal operation of the apparatus, said optical sensor remains at a read point at said read station the read point being fixed in the longitudinal sense relative to said conveyor line;
• (k) said read station includes means for compressing a zone of the pane of transparent material against the item of correspondence;
• and
• (l) said compressed zone comprises at least that portion of the pane that lies momentarily at the read point as the envelope passes the read point.

An apparatus for printing coding markings on an envelope in accordance with machine readable pre-printed marks relating to a human readable destination address on an time of correspondence, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a read station and a print station, and a conveyor for transporting the envelope there between, along conveyor line;
• (b) means for determining displacement of the envelope along said conveyor lien and for producing signals indicative of said displacement;
• (c) said read station including an optical sensor, which is effective to produce a series of electrical signals in response to reading the machine readable pre-printed marks;
• (d) computing means coupled to said read and print stations, which accepts said signals of displacement of the envelope through said stations, and controls said read and print stations;
• (e) means for transmitting said electrical signals from said optical sensor to said computing means;
• (f) means for producing a sequence of spaced pulses from said electrical signals, said computing means transmitting said pulses to said print station;
• (g) said print station including at least one signal-control printer, which, during normal operation of the apparatus, remains at a fixed print-point at said print station;
• (h) said printer being effective to print a marking on the envelope as the envelope passes said print-point, and to print a series of such markings on the passing envelope in spaced-apart sequence in accordance with the pulses received from said computing means;
• (i) wherein the apparatus includes a fixed conveyor trays, the arrangement being such that as the envelope runs on the tray, the pre-printed marks facing upwards;
• (j) said optical sensor is positioned above the tray;
• (k) the apparatus includes means for mounting said optical sensor for up/down movement;
• and
• (l) the apparatus includes means for raising said optical sensor, said means for raising being operatively responsive to the presence of an envelope passing along the tray.

An apparatus for printing coding marking son an envelope in accordance with machine readable pre-printed marks relating to a human readable destination address on an item of correspondence, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a read station and a print station, and a conveyor for transporting the envelope there between, along a conveyor line;
• (b) means for determining displacement of the envelope along said conveyor line and for producing signals indicative of said displacement;
• (c) said read station including an optical sensor, which is effective to produce a series of electrical signals in response to reading the machine readable pre-printed marks;
• (d) computing means coupled to said read and print stations, which accepts said signal of displacement of the envelope through said stations and controls said read and print stations;
• (e) means for transmitting said electrical signals from said optical sensor to said computing means;
• (f) means for producing a sequence of spaced pulses from said electrical signal, said computing means transmitting said pulses to said print station;
• (g) said print station including at least on signal-control printer, which, during normal operation of the apparatus, remains at a fixed print-point at said print station;
• (h) said printer being effective to print a marking on the envelope as the envelope passes said print-point, and to print a series of such markings on the passing envelope in spaced-apart sequence in accordance with the pulses received from said computing means;
• (i) means for applying tension to the passing envelope, as the envelope passes through said read station;
• (j) said means for applying tension comprising two separate drive means for conveying the envelope through the apparatus, positioned on leading and one trailing with respect to said read station, said leading drive means being operated at a slower speed than said trailing drive means.