US4898093A — Franking machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 222 words

A franking machine of the type having a control unit, said machine comprising: a franking head (2) fixed to one end of a main shaft (1) of said machine, franking value printing wheels (3) mounted in said head and which mesh with a meshing tooth system (28) of racks (4) guided in the main shaft (1) and which, in addition to the meshing tooth system (28), have a driving tooth system (29) and a position sensing tooth system (31), electromagnets (16, 17) being provided to move an associated driving push rod (5, 6) into engagement with the driving tooth system 29 of one of said racks (4), retaining pawls (44, 44', 45, 45') provided to prevent the rearward movement of said racks and at least one position sensing pawl (19, 20) provided to sense, by engagement into the position sensing tooth system, the correct position thereof, wherein the position sensing pawl (19, 20) is linked to an electromagnet (26) to be engaged and disengaged with respect to the position sensing tooth system in a position of the main shaft (1) in which the printing wheels (3) are adjusted, a sensor (80) indicating to the control unit the position of said position sensing pawl (19, 20) said engagement and disengagement of said position sensing pawl occuring while said main shaft is at rest.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 222 words

A franking machine of the type having a control unit, said machine comprising: a franking head (2) fixed to one end of a main shaft (1) of said machine, franking value printing wheels (3) mounted in said head and which mesh with a meshing tooth system (28) of racks (4) guided in the main shaft (1) and which, in addition to the meshing tooth system (28), have a driving tooth system (29) and a position sensing tooth system (31), electromagnets (16, 17) being provided to move an associated driving push rod (5, 6) into engagement with the driving tooth system 29 of one of said racks (4), retaining pawls (44, 44', 45, 45') provided to prevent the rearward movement of said racks and at least one position sensing pawl (19, 20) provided to sense, by engagement into the position sensing tooth system, the correct position thereof, wherein the position sensing pawl (19, 20) is linked to an electromagnet (26) to be engaged and disengaged with respect to the position sensing tooth system in a position of the main shaft (1) in which the printing wheels (3) are adjusted, a sensor (80) indicating to the control unit the position of said position sensing pawl (19, 20) said engagement and disengagement of said position sensing pawl occuring while said main shaft is at rest.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 92 words

A franking machine according to claim 1 wherein the position sensing pawls (19, 20) embrace the main shaft (1) and during the franking action of the latter are kept engaged with the position sensing tooth system (31) by means of control elements (61, 62) riding in a control path (59) of a control wheel (49), wherein the position sensing pawls (19, 20) are pivotable by said electromagnet (26) against the tension of a spring (65) in said position of the machine main shaft (1) in which the printing wheels (3) are adjusted.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

A franking machine according to claim 2, wherein the position sensing pawls are connected in articulated manner by in each case one arm to a multi-arm release lever, the pull armature of the electromagnet being fixed to one lever arm of the release lever.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

A franking machine according to claim 2, wherein the release lever has a signal arm, in whose pivoting range is provided said sensor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

A franking machine according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the at least one position sensing pawl is controlled synchronously with the movement of the driving push rods.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

A franking machine according to claim 1, wherein said sensor indicates the neutral position of said racks to the franking machine control unit, after all retaining pawls have been moved out of engagement with the driving tooth system by a release mechanism.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 72 words

A franking machine according to claim 1, wherein a release mechanism is provided for moving all the retaining pawls out of engagement with the driving tooth system, which is provided with a bow-shaped member connecting in articulated manner two of the push rods, so that through the simultaneous power supply to the electromagnets provided to move an associated driving push rod, said bow-shaped member engages spreading elements arranged between said retaining pawls.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

A franking machine according to claim 7, wherein the spreading elements are formed by two spreading legs, which are pivotably mounted in scissor-like manner about a joint bolt fixed to the machine main shaft, a spreading member fixed to the bow-shaped member being movable into the spread-out position between said spreading legs.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 66 words

The franking machine of according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetically driven push rods have two push rods, a bow-shaped member articulated to the two push rods, each push rod having its own electromagnet so that thruogh the simultaneous application of power to two electromagnets said bow-shaped member engages spreading elements arranged between the retaining pawls so as to move them away from their associated rack.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 43 words

The franking machine according to claim 9, wherein the spreading elements are formed by two spreading legs which are pivotally mounted together in a scissor-like manner, the bow-shaped member being movable into and out of engagement with one end of said spreading elements.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 182 words

A postage franking machine of the type having a control unit, said franking machine comprising: a main shaft; a franking head fixed to said main shaft; franking value printing wheels mounted on said franking head; racks disposed longitudinally of the main shaft, each one of said racks having a meshing tooth system for engaging with an associated printing wheel, a driving tooth system and a position sensing tooth system; electromagnetically driven push rods for engagement with the driving tooth system of said racks; electromagnetically operated retaining pawls disposed to selectively prevent the rearward movement of said racks; at least one position sensing pawl disposed for engagement into the position sensing tooth system; means for engaging and disengaging the at least one position sensing pawl from said position sensing tooth system when main shaft is in a position in which the printing wheels are adjusted said engagement and disengagement of said position sensing pawl occuring while said main shaft is at rest; and a sensor responsive to the position of said position sensing pawl for providing a sensing signal to the control unit.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 182 words

A postage franking machine of the type having a control unit, said franking machine comprising: a main shaft; a franking head fixed to said main shaft; franking value printing wheels mounted on said franking head; racks disposed longitudinally of the main shaft, each one of said racks having a meshing tooth system for engaging with an associated printing wheel, a driving tooth system and a position sensing tooth system; electromagnetically driven push rods for engagement with the driving tooth system of said racks; electromagnetically operated retaining pawls disposed to selectively prevent the rearward movement of said racks; at least one position sensing pawl disposed for engagement into the position sensing tooth system; means for engaging and disengaging the at least one position sensing pawl from said position sensing tooth system when main shaft is in a position in which the printing wheels are adjusted said engagement and disengagement of said position sensing pawl occuring while said main shaft is at rest; and a sensor responsive to the position of said position sensing pawl for providing a sensing signal to the control unit.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 71 words

The franking machine as claimed in claim 11, further including a control wheel having a control path therein and wherein said position sensing pawls include control elements which ride in said control path, said position sensing pawls embracing the main shaft and which, during the franking action of the latter, are kept in engagement with the position sensing tooth system by means of said control elements riding in said control path.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

The franking machine of claim 12, wherein said means for engaging and disengaging include a spring for urging said position sensing pawls into engagement with said main shaft and electromagnetic means for urging said position sensing pawls out of engagement with said position sensing tooth system.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 37 words

The franking machine according to claim 13, wherein the position sensing pawls are articulated to each other and further including a multi-armed release lever which is articulated to said position sensing pawls and to said electromagnetic means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

The franking machine according to claim 14, wherein said multi-armed lever includes a signal arm whose pivoting range is within the range of said sensor.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

The franking machine according to claim 11, wherein the movement of at least one of the position sensing pawls is controlled synchronously with the movement of said driving push rod.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The franking machine of claim 11, wherein said sensor indicates a neutral position of the racks to said control unit when all retaining pawls have been moved out of engagement with the driving tooth system.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-05	1993-08-07	1994-02-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-05	1997-08-07	1998-02-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-05	2001-08-07	2002-02-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Franking machine

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