Franking machine

Claim 1

A franking machine including electronic microprocessor means; a program memory storing at least one program; said microprocessor means being operable in a franking operation to carry out accounting and control functions under the control of said program; a data memory connected to said microprocessor means to store data relating to usage of the franking machine in franking operations; input means connected to the microprocessor means to input a required postage value to the microprocessor means; said microprocessor means being operative in said franking operation to output a feed signal and to output print signals representing a franking impression including said required postage value to be printed; a buffer memory to receive and store said print signals representing the franking impression including said required postage value to be printed; a plurality of heatable elements, selected ones of said elements being heated in response to said print signals stored in said buffer memory; feeding means for feeding a mail item along a feed path extending adjacent to and spaced from said heatable elements; drive means responsive to said feed signal to drive said feeding means to feed the mail item along said feed path past said heatable elements; an endless belt having a plurality of apertures extending though the thickness of the belt; an ink reservoir; belt drive means to guide and drive the belt around a closed path in which the apertures pass successively through ink in said reservoir to fill the apertures with ink and between the plurality of heatable elements and the mail item fed along the feedpath; and said heating of said selected elements being effective to eject ink droplets from those ones of said apertures adjacent said heatable elements onto said mail item fed along said feed path by said feeding means to print said franking impression including said required postage value on said mail item.