Modular apparatus for preparing articles to be mailed
OwnerMarvin H. Nollinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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, a label or a stamp to an envelope or sheet of material being driven by the postage meter base.
Claims16
A modular apparatus for preparing sheets of material to be mailed, said apparatus comprising:
- a postage meter base having a motor, feed means operatively connected to said motor for sequentially feeding the sheets of material relative to said base and a driver operatively connected to the motor and projecting from said postage meter base;
- a postage meter head removably engageable with the postage meter base, said postage meter head including adjustable printing means driven by said driver of said base for sequentially printing indicia on the sheets of material driven by the postage meter base;
- and
- at least one applicator head removably engageable with the postage meter base upon removal of the postage meter head therefrom, said applicator head being engageable with the driver of the postage meter base for selectively applying adhesive backed applications to the sheets of material driven by the postage meter base, said applicator head comprising means for storing a strip of adhesive backed applications, means for selectively advancing said strip such that a leading application in said strip is in a position to be engaged by one said sheet driven by the postage meter base, and means for bursting said strip at a location for severing said leading application from said strip and enabling said application to be adhesively attached to said sheet of material driven by the postage meter base.
A postage stamp applicator for applying adhesive backed stamps to sheets of material, said stamp applicator being usable with a postage meter having a base with a motor and having a postage meter head removably attached to said base, feed means operatively connected to said motor for sequentially feeding the sheets of material along a feed path adjacent said base and a driver operatively connected to the motor and projecting from the postage meter base, the stamp applicator removably engageable with the postage meter base upon removal of a postage meter head therefrom comprising:
- means for storing a unitary strip of adhesive backed stamps, means for selectively advancing said strip such that a leading stamp in said strip is in position to be engaged by one said sheet driven by the postage meter base, and means for bursting said strip at a location adjacent said leading stamp and enabling said leading stamp to be adhesively attached to one said sheet of material driven by the postage meter base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.