Tape feed for postage meter

A method of feeding tapes from a tape receptacle mounted in a postage meter and having a slot therein for access to a tape in said receptacle by the envelope feed system of the postage meter which includes a set of upper and lower drive belts comprising:

• moving said receptacle toward one of the drive belts in said upper set until said one belt extends into said slot and engages a tape and pulls the leading edge of the tape from the receptacle through a tape discharge slot into the envelope feed system;
• and
• moving said receptacle away from said one drive belt so that said one belt is out of contact with a tape in the receptacle when the leading edge of said tape is gripped by said envelope transport system.

A tape feed for a postage meter having a housing with an envelope transport system therein which includes upper and lower drive elements for transportation an envelope through the postage meter, said tape feed comprising:

• a receptacle for holding a plurality of tapes and having a downstream wall with a slot therein and a tape discharge opening, said receptacle being mounted in said housing for movement between a first position wherein said receptacle is spaced adjacent one of said upper drive element with said drive element out of engagement with a tape in said receptacle and a second position wherein said receptacle is positioned so that portion of said drive element extends into said slot and engages a tape in said receptacle and moves said tape from said receptacle through said discharge opening into said envelope transport system;
• and
• a receptacle mover for moving said receptacle between its first and second positions.

A method of feeding tapes from a tape receptacle mounted in a postage meter and having a slot therein for access to a tape in said receptacle by the envelope feed system of the postage meter which includes a set of upper and lower drive elements comprising:

• moving said receptacle toward one of the drive elements in said upper set until said one belt extends into said slot and engages a tape and pulls the leading edge of a tape from the receptacle through the tape discharge slot into the envelope feed system;
• and
• moving said receptacle away from said one drive element so that said one belt is out of contact with a tape in the receptacle when the leading edge of said tape is gripped by said envelope transport system.