US3780310A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for detecting unprepared postage stamps
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-21
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Granted: 1973-12-18
•
Expires: 1992-03-21
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed an optical arrangement for detecting regular, non-specially-prepared postage stamps for machines which accordingly face or orient the articles for automatic sorting. Detection is limited to the serrated edges common to all existing stamps, which serrations may easily be made into a code. A light source is arranged to impinge radiation at an acute angle relative to the direction of document travel. Thereby the sides of the serrations parallel to this direction are highly illuminated. A photoelectric sensor receives the train of light pulses emitted by the sides of the stamp serrations, which are fed to an amplifier and on to a pulse counting circuit, which serves to operate a deflector.
Inventors
- 👤 H Hudler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:52
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/10; B07C3/14; B07C1/00; B07C1/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Apparatus for detecting normal, serrated, unprepared postage stamps on documents moving in a given direction, comprising light source means arranged for emitting a single beam of light radiation obliquely directed at an acute angle along the direction of travel of the documents and highly illuminating the sides of the serrations only which are associated to a side of the stamps which is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the documents, photoelectric sensing means stationarily arranged relative to the moving documents for receiving the light emitted by said sides of said serrations, which received light is in the form of a train of pulses corresponding to the serrated stamp parallel edges moving relative to the light source beamed radiation, threshold amplifying means coupled to said sensing means, said amplifying means being arranged to have an optimum gain in a range which is adjustable to include the frequency of the serrations passing said sensing means, and first means coupled to said amplifying means for receiving the output of the latter and deriving therefrom a control output signal which characterizes the positional orientation of the stamp on its associated document.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Apparatus for detecting normal, serrated, unprepared postage stamps on documents moving in a given direction, comprising light source means arranged for emitting a single beam of light radiation obliquely directed at an acute angle along the direction of travel of the documents and highly illuminating the sides of the serrations only which are associated to a side of the stamps which is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the documents, photoelectric sensing means stationarily arranged relative to the moving documents for receiving the light emitted by said sides of said serrations, which received light is in the form of a train of pulses corresponding to the serrated stamp parallel edges moving relative to the light source beamed radiation, threshold amplifying means coupled to said sensing means, said amplifying means being arranged to have an optimum gain in a range which is adjustable to include the frequency of the serrations passing said sensing means, and first means coupled to said amplifying means for receiving the output of the latter and deriving therefrom a control output signal which characterizes the positional orientation of the stamp on its associated document.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said photoelectric sensing means includes at least one photoelectric cell provided with a slit having a longitudinal axis which is parallel to the illuminated sides of the serrations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said photoelectric sensing means includes at least one photoelectric cell directed to receive said light pulse train, a pair of cylindrical lenses having longitudinal axes which are arranged at an angle of 90* to each other and extend, respectively, parallel and at right angles to the illuminated sides of the serrations, and an aperture plate disposed proximate said photoelectric cell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said photoelectric sensing means includes a plurality of photoelectric cells arranged in a row, said cells having in the direction of travel a predetermined spacing (d) from one another which is an integral multiple of the pitch of the stamp serrations, and further including selective amplifier means coupled to said plurality of photoelectric cells and having a plurality of amplifier channels, and selector circuit means coupled to said selector amplifier means for connecting only that amplifier channel which carries the useful output to said first means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said threshold amplifying means is designed such that the transit time thereof is substantially one-half of the time for a moving stamp to pass said photoelectric sensing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first means is comprised of a timer arrangement which includes a rectifier and an integrating resistance-capacitance circuit for initiating a controlled output only when a received output from said amplifying means, as derived from an input to the latter which is sufficient for an initiation, has been maintained for a predetermined adjustable time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first means is comprised of a pulse counting circuit for initiating a controlled output when the photoelectric sensing has resulted in the generaTion of a predeterminable adjustable number of pulses after the threshold voltage of said amplifying means has been reached.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light source means is arranged such that the output angle formed by the light rays with the direction of document travel is adjustable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said photoelectric sensing means is rotatable about its optical axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the angle included by the optical axis of said photoelectric sensing means with the plane of document travel is predeterminably adjustable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-17 | 1977-06-18 | 1977-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-06-18 | 1981-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-17 | 1985-06-18 | 1985-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |