Thermal ribbon cartridge transport in a postage meter thermal printer

Claim 1

In an electronic postage meter of the type including accounting means and means for inputting postal data, the improvement comprising thermal printing means for printing postal value along with other indicia, said printing means including: (a) a thermal print head which includes a plurality of thermal heating elements operative to receive voltage pulses for heating thereof to a predetermined temperature; (b) a tape drive means for moving an impression receiving tape past the individual elements of the print head during a print cycle; (c) a thermal transfer ribbon transportation means, said transportation means including a removable cassette including a housing for holding spools of thermal transfer ribbon, means for driving one of said spools for taking up said transfer ribbon, said tape drive means including movable drive rollers, said drive rollers being positioned at a first position during the print cycle for driving said tape and at the end of each said print cycle said drive rollers being moved into a position wherein said transfer ribbon may be easily threaded into position adjacent to the thermal head.