Zip code to postnet conversion printing device

In a device for manually marking a POSTNET bar code corresponding to a desired postal ZIP code on an article, the improvement comprising:

• a housing having an upper portion provided with a first window at an uppermost edge thereof for display of a selected series of decimal digits on respective faces of a set of digit wheels therethrough, and a lower portion provided with a second window at a lowermost edge thereof for positioning a corresponding series of bar code segments on respective faces of a set of bar code wheels therethrough;
• a first set of digit wheels rotatably mounted concentrically in parallel with each other on a first axle extending horizontally in a widthwise direction in said upper portion of said housing, each digit wheel being individually rotatable and having a plurality of faces spaced over a circumference thereof marked with decimal digits, said first set having a number of wheels for at least a corresponding number of digit positions of a desired postal ZIP code,
• a second set of bar code wheels rotatably mounted concentrically in parallel with each other on a second axle extending horizontally in said lower portion of said housing in parallel with said first axle and associated in paired relation with respective ones of said digit wheels, each bar code wheel being individually rotatable and having a plurality of faces spaced over a circumference thereof provided with bar code segments corresponding to the decimal digits of the associated digit wheel,
• a set of linkages each of which couples a respective digit wheel for rotation in tandem with its associated bar code wheel, such that rotation of a given digit wheel to select a decimal digit face at a display position of the digit wheel proximate said first window at said upper portion of said housing results in like rotation of the associated bar code wheel to position the corresponding bar code segment face at a printing position of the bar code wheel proximate said second window at said lower portion of said housing, wherein each pair of associated digit and bar code wheels have respective sprockets attached on the same sides thereof coupled by a respective one of said linkages, and
• means for marking the selected bar code segments positioned by rotation of the associated digit wheels at said second window on an article, and further
• wherein the faces of a first wheel in a first position of said bar code set have bar code segments provided thereon which includes first frame bars.

In a device for manually marking a POSTNET bar code corresponding to a desired postal ZIP code on an article, the improvement comprising:

• a housing having an upper portion provided with a first window at an uppermost edge thereof for display of a selected series of decimal digits on respective faces of a set of digit wheels therethrough, and a lower portion provided with a second window at a lowermost edge thereof for positioning a corresponding series of bar code segments on respective faces of a set of bar code wheels therethrough;
• a first set of digit wheels rotatably mounted concentrically in parallel with each other on a first axle extending horizontally in a widthwise direction in said upper portion of said housing, each digit wheel being individually rotatable and having a plurality of faces spaced over a circumference thereof marked with decimal digits, said first set having a number of wheels for at least a corresponding number of digit positions of a desired postal ZIP code,
• a second set of bar code wheels rotatably mounted concentrically in parallel with each other on a second axle extending horizontally in said lower portion of said housing in parallel with said first axle and associated in paired relation with respective ones of said digit wheels, each bar code wheel being individually rotatable and having a plurality of faces spaced over a circumference thereof provided with bar code segments corresponding to the decimal digits of the associated digit wheel,
• a set of linkages each of which couples a respective digit wheel for rotation in tandem with its associated bar code wheel, such that rotation of a given digit wheel to select a decimal digit face at a display position of the digit wheel proximate said first window at said upper portion of said housing results in like rotation of the associated bar code wheel to position the corresponding bar code segment face at a printing position of the bar code wheel proximate said second window at said lower portion of said housing, wherein each pair of associated digit and bar code wheels have respective sprockets attached on the same sides thereof coupled by a respective one of said linkages, and
• means for marking the selected bar code segments positioned by rotation of the associated digit wheels at said second window on an article, and further
• wherein each set includes twelve wheels for accomodating five-digit, nine-digit, and eleven-digit ZIP codes, and the twelfth wheel's bar code segments has last frame bars.

A device for manually marking different types of POSTNET bar codes corresponding to desired types of postal ZIP codes on an article, comprising:

• first means provided with selecting means for selecting digit elements in twelve digit positions, the twelve digit positions encompassing any selected series of digit positions of lesser number corresponding to a desired type of ZIP code,
• second means provided with converting means for converting the digit elements selected by said first means into corresponding bar code elements of twelve bar code segments, the twelve bar code segments encompassing the conversion of any selected series of digit positions for a desired type of ZIP code into a corresponding bar code output,
• linkage means coupling said first means to said second means such that selection of digit elements for the digit positions of a desired postal ZIP code by said first means results in conversion to the corresponding bar code elements for the bar code segments by said second means, and
• marking means for marking the corresponding bar code elements converted by said second means as a bar code output on an article,
• wherein said twelve digit positions are defined as a series of correspondingly numbered digit positions, said twelve bar code segments are defined as a matched series of correspondingly numbered bar code segments, each of said twelve digit positions includes twelve digit elements selectable for that digit position including ten decimal digit elements, an extra element, and a blank element, each of said twelve bar code segments include twelve bar code elements matched to the twelve digit elements selectable for the respective digit position, and wherein:
• (a) the first bar code segment matched to the first digit position includes a beginning frame bar provided with the bar code elements for the corresponding decimal digit elements;
• (b) the seventh bar code segment includes an ending frame bar for a five-digit ZIP code as the extra element;
• (c) the eleventh bar code segment includes an ending frame bar for a nine-digit ZIP code as the extra element;
• (d) the twelveth bar code segment matched to the twelveth digit position includes an ending frame bar provided with the bar code elements for the corresponding decimal digit elements for use as the ending frame bar of an eleven-digit ZIP code,
• whereby said device is usable for marking the POSTNET bar codes corresponding to five-digit, nine-digit, and eleven-digit postal ZIP codes.