Tape storage apparatus for mailing machine

A tape storage apparatus for use with a mailing machine having means for printing postage indicia on a discrete portion of a strip of tape of indefinite length which is fed along a tape path extending through the mailing machine by tape feeding means mounted within the mailing machine, said tape storage apparatus comprising:

• A) a base adapted to be connected to the mailing machine adjacent to an entrance to the tape path extending through the mailing machine,
• B) a substantially vertically oriented guide means extending upwardly from said base,
• C) tape holding means for holding a roll of tape and having means defining a tape path extending from the roll of tape to a tape exit location from said tape holding means,
• D) means mounting said tape holding means for movement along said guide means between a lowermost position in which said tape holding means is inaccessible in the mailing machine, and an uppermost position in which said tape holding means becomes accessible for replacement of a roll of tape and for threading the tape along said tape path and into the entrance to the tape path in the mailing machine,
• E) releasable latching means for normally latching said tape holding means in said lowermost position, and
• F) means for moving said tape holding means upwardly toward said uppermost position when said latching means is released, whereby said tape holding means is normally maintained in a position in which the tape roll is situated for feeding of tape along said tape path in said tape holding means and into the tape path extending through the mailing machine and can be moved to a position in which the tape roll becomes accessible for replacement of the tape roll and for threading of tape along said tape path in said tape holding means into the tape path extending through the mailing machine.