US4938129A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mailing machine including improved impression roller
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
•
Filing: 1989-09-28
•
Granted: 1990-07-03
•
Expires: 2009-09-28
Abstract
Abstract In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and apparatus for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding apparatus includes shaft structure on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, there is provided an improved impression roller. The impression roller comprises: two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the shaft structure; two annularly-shaped outer member made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the shaft structure, each of the disc members dimensioned such that the width thereof is half the width of an outer member, and each of the disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof. Preferably, each of the disc members is not more than substantially one-eighth of an inch in width.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph F. Miciukiewicz
- 👤 Alfred J. Santilli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 14:44
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B17/00467; G07B2017/00516; G07B2017/00524
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the shaft means; b. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and c. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the shaft means, each of said disc members dimensioned such that the width thereof is half the width of an outer member, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the shaft means; b. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and c. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the shaft means, each of said disc members dimensioned such that the width thereof is half the width of an outer member, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein each of said disc members has a larger outer diameter than that of an outer member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein each of said disc members is frictionally mounted on said shaft means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein each of said disc members is rotatably mounted on said shaft means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of disc apertures is a first plurality thereof, said circular line is a first circular line, and each of said disc members including a second plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a second circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said second apertures of each disc member are each located between two adjacent first apertures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the shaft means includes means for retaining the inner, outer and disc members in place against lateral movement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the width of each disc member is not more than substantially one-eighth of an inch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement according to claim 5, wherein said first plurality of apertures are each circularly-shaped, and said second plurality of apertures are each triangularly-shaped.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
215 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. the shaft means including a shaft and an elongate cylindrically-shaped arbor having an inboard end and an outboard end, the arbor fixedly connected to the shaft, the arbor having a predetermined longitudinal length, b. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the arbor and having an end thereof aligned with the inboard end of the arbor; c. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and d. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the arbor, each of said disc members having a larger outer diameter than that of an outer member, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
215 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. the shaft means including a shaft and an elongate cylindrically-shaped arbor having an inboard end and an outboard end, the arbor fixedly connected to the shaft, the arbor having a predetermined longitudinal length, b. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the arbor and having an end thereof aligned with the inboard end of the arbor; c. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and d. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the arbor, each of said disc members having a larger outer diameter than that of an outer member, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement according to claim 10 , wherein each of said disc members has a larger outer diameter than that of an outer member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improvement according to claim 10, wherein each of said disc members is frictionally mounted on said arbor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improvement according to claim 10, wherein each of said disc members is rotatably mounted on said arbor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of disc apertures is a first plurality thereof, said circular line is a first circular line, and each of said disc members including a second plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a second circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said disc members are independently compressible against resilient energy stored therein when a force is exerted thereon by a sheet fed between the drum and roller, whereby each disc member independently of the other disc members tends to urge the upper surface of the sheet into printing engagement with the drum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 10, wherein the width of each disc member is not more than substantially one-eighth of an inch.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement according to claim 14, wherein said first apertures of each disc member are each circularly-shaped, and said second apertures of each disc member are each triangularly-shaped and located between adjacent circularly-shaped apertures.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the shaft means; b. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and c. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the shaft means, each of said disc members dimensioned such that the width thereof is not more than substantially one-eighth of an inch, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a mailing machine including an impression roller, a postage indicia printing drum overhanging the impression roller, and means for rotating the impression roller and drum in timed relationship with one another for feeding a sheet beneath the drum and in printing engagement therewith, wherein the feeding means includes shaft means on which the impression roller is mounted for rotation therewith, an improved impression roller comprising: a. two annularly-shaped inner members made of a soft resilient material, the inner members coaxially mounted side by side on the shaft means; b. two annularly-shaped outer members made of a hard resilient material, the outer members coaxially mounted on the inner members; and c. four annularly-shaped disc members made of a hard resilient material, the disc members coaxially mounted on the shaft means, each of said disc members dimensioned such that the width thereof is not more than substantially one-eighth of an inch, and each of said disc members including a plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein each of said disc members has a larger outer diameter than that of an outer member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein each of said disc members is frictionally mounted on said shaft means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein each of said disc members is rotatably mounted on said shaft means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of disc apertures is a first plurality thereof, said circular line is a first circular line, and each of said disc members including a second plurality of apertures formed therethrough at equidistantly spaced intervals along a second circular line extending coaxially thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein said second apertures of each disc member are each located between two adjacent first apertures.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement according to claim 18, wherein the shaft means includes means for retaining the inner, outer and disc members in place against lateral movement.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement according to claim 22, wherein said first plurality of apertures are each circularly-shaped, and said second plurality of apertures are each triangularly-shaped.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US700513A
Cited
US896000A
Cited
US875528A
Cited
US998510A
Cited
US1463801A
Cited
US1600841A
Cited
US2374194A
Cited
US4470349A
Cited
US4425694A
Cited
US4583272A
Cited
US4903591A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-02 | 1994-01-01 | 1994-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-02 | 1998-01-01 | 1998-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-02 | 2002-01-01 | 2002-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |