Value selection and printing apparatus including a security device
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Malin, Pasquale Cuozzo, Stephen Rigo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A value selection and printing apparatus includes a printing device having a printing wheel; a movable rack gear operatively engaged with the printing wheel such that at times when the rack gear moves along a normal linear operative path of travel the printing wheel is repositioned, the rack gear including a stress concentration area where the rack gear deforms when subjected to a force sufficient to disassociate the printing wheel from the rack gear; and a device, interfering with the deformed rack gear, for preventing the deformed rack gear from traversing the normal linear operative path.
Claims12
A value selection and printing apparatus comprising:
- a printing device including a printing wheel;
- first and second end stops connected to said printing device;
- and
- a rack gear having first and second parts and being moveable along a normal path of travel between said first and second end stops such that said first and second parts of said rack gear are respectively adapted to be positioned beyond said first and second end stops, said rack gear being operatively engaged with said printing wheel to reposition said printing wheel at times when said rack gear moves along said normal path of travel;
- wherein said rack gear includes a first weakened area such that at times when a force sufficient to disassociate said printing wheel from said rack gear is exerted against said printing wheel, said rack gear deforms at said first weakened area preventing one of said first and second parts from being positioned beyond a corresponding one of said first and second end stops.
A value selection and printing apparatus comprising:
- a printing device including a printing wheel;
- a movable rack gear operatively engaged with said printing wheel such that at times when said rack gear moves along a normal linear operative path of travel said printing wheel is repositioned, said rack gear including a stress concentration area where said rack gear deforms when subjected to a force sufficient to disassociate said printing wheel from said rack gear;
- and
- means, interfering with said deformed rack gear, for preventing said deformed rack gear from traversing said normal linear operative path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.