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US 5,314,567 AGranted
Modular apparatus for preparing articles to be mailed
OwnerMarvin H. Nollinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerMarvin H. Nollinventor
Estimating the term…
A modular assembly of components is provided for various aspects of high volume mailing. The modular system of components includes a postage meter, having a base with a driving motor and a head driven by the driving motor and operative to apply selected postage to a piece of mail. The postage meter head can be selectively removed from the postage meter base. The modular systems of components further includes at least one accessory selectively mountable to the postage meter base and capable of being driven thereby. The accessory may include an applicator for applying a closure tab or label to an envelope or sheet of material being driven by the postage meter base. A closure tab applicator may be operative to move a closure tab into a position to be contacted by a sheet of material, such that momentum of the sheet of material causes the closure tab to wrap around and close the folded sheet. An alternate accessory may be a label applicator for applying a label to an envelope or sheet being driven by the postage meter base.
A modular apparatus for preparing sheets of material to be mailed, said apparatus comprising:
A tab applicator for securing opposed edges of folded sheets of material for mailing, said tab applicator being usable with a postage meter having a base with a motor, feed means operatively connected to said motor for sequentially feeding sheet material along a feed path adjacent said base and a driver operatively connected to the motor and projecting from the postage meter base, the tab applicator removably engageable with the postage meter base upon removal of a postage meter head therefrom including storage means for storing a plurality of adhesively backed closure tabs, delivery means driven by the driver of the base for sequentially delivering said tabs into said feed path for engagement by a folded sheet fed through the feed path by the feed means, and former rollers adjacent said feed path and downstream from said closure tab for securing said closure tab around the edges of said folded sheet fed by said feed means.
A label applicator for applying adhesive backed labels to sheet material, said label applicator being usable with a postage meter having a base with a motor, feed means operatively connected to said motor for sequentially feeding sheet material along a feed path adjacent said base and a driver operatively connected to the motor and projecting from the postage meter base, the label applicator removably engageable with the postage meter base upon removal of a postage meter head therefrom including storage means for storing a plurality of adhesively backed labels, delivery means driven by the driver of the base for sequentially delivering said labels into a position adjacent said feed path for engagement with sheet material passing through the feed path, and at least one roller adjacent said feed path and downstream from said labels for securely affixing said label to said sheet material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.