EP1074393B1 - Jam-clearing device for a feeder of a franking machine - Google Patents

Description

Field of the art

The present invention relates exclusively to the field of mail processing and more particularly relates to a deburring device for an inkjet type franking machine.

Prior art

It is well known that, for various technical reasons, stuffing phenomena can occur in franking machines. However, these problems are more or less critical depending on the architecture of the machine and in particular the possibility of access to the transport path of mail items.

In current machines, such as those presented in patent applications French N ° 99 00492 and No. 99 00493 as well as in the application EP-A-0 724 234 of the plaintiff, the design imperatives both technical (need for a compact and secure machine) that economic (the postal imprint is a monetary value and the machine must have a reasonable cost) do not allow the full opening of the machine and its articulation in two distinct parts, as it may have existed on some older machines. In addition, the operating rates of these machines are becoming higher, it is imperative that any jamming problem is resolved very quickly, ie directly by the user without any recourse to a technician of the company or the After Sales Service of the builder or licensor of the franking machine.

Object and definition of the invention

The present invention therefore aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a stripping device that facilitates access to the stuffing area to remove the mail or articles that have accumulated there. An object of the invention is also to make this intervention particularly easy both for an immobilized envelope but remained visible in the transport path only for a label stuck in the rollers of this path and invisible from the outside of the machine.

These aims are achieved by a device for stripping mail items held in the transport path of a mail processing machine, the transport of mail items being ensured by several sets of drive rollers distributed throughout. of this transport path and of which at least two sets of rollers are arranged, with respect to the forward direction of the mailpieces, respectively upstream and downstream of printing means of the postal impression, characterized in that it comprises a manual control assembly for, in a first unclogging position, partially releasing the transport path of the mail items by simultaneously lowering the upstream and downstream drive rollers and for, in a second unclogging position, releasing the transport path of the mail items by substantially complete removal of all the drive rollers.

Thus, depending on the nature of the stuffing, the operator will make an almost total or partial withdrawal of the device for transporting mail items. This operation is particularly fast and requires no specialist intervention.

The series of drive rollers are each mounted on a common axis whose ends are fixed to two parallel walls forming flanges and movable in translation under the action of said manual control assembly. These parallel walls each comprise at one end a guide tip for cooperating with a slot in a body of the mail processing machine to provide a refocusing function.

Preferably, the displacement of the flanges is obtained by means of rollers that can move in slides of the body of the mail processing machine. This movement of the wheels on the slides is limited by end stops so as to prohibit a total withdrawal of the drive rollers.

The manual control assembly comprises two parallel longitudinal members whose first ends are joined by a handle operable directly by an operator, the second free ends of these two side members, held by a spacer, each terminating in a stop lug intended to cooperate with each other. with a fixed part secured to said flange walls.

The longitudinal longitudinal members comprises a ramp intended to cooperate by sliding with an integral connecting shaft in its displacement of the upstream and downstream drive rollers. Advantageously, this ramp comprises three cam portions with decreasing slopes.

The flange walls and supports of the drive rollers are held in an initial printing position by a disengageable locking mechanism. Preferably, this disengageable locking mechanism comprises a tray portion in permanent contact with a flexible unlocking blade which is an integral part of the handle. It also comprises a fork-shaped element incorporating said tray portion and which is hinged against a spring means on a connecting shaft mounted between said flange walls and having two locking hooks for cooperating with openings of centering practiced in the body of the machine.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de la partie inférieure d'un dispositif de transport d'une machine à affranchir comportant un dispositif de débourrage selon l'invention,
• la figure 1A est une vue de détail illustrant des fentes de recentrage du dispositif de transport de la figure 1,
• la figure 2 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 1 avec le dispositif de débourrage dans une première position de dégagement partiel du chemin de transport des articles de courrier,
• la figure 3 est une vue de détail illustrant le mécanisme de verrouillage du dispositif de débourrage,
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessous du dispositif de la figure 2, corps du dispositif de transport ôté, et
• la figure 5 montre le dispositif de débourrage dans une seconde position de dégagement complet du chemin de transport des articles de courrier.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following description, given by way of non-limiting indication, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of the lower part of a transport device of a franking machine comprising a stripping device according to the invention,
• FIG. 1A is a detailed view illustrating recentering slots of the transport device of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the stripping device in a first position of partial clearance of the transport path of mailpieces,
• FIG. 3 is a detailed view illustrating the locking mechanism of the stripping device,
• FIG. 4 is a view from below of the device of FIG. 2, the body of the transport device removed, and
• Figure 5 shows the stripping device in a second position of complete clearance of the transport path of the mail items.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

The present invention finds particular application in mail processing machines, especially in franking machines provided with transport devices such as those described in the patent applications. French N ° 99 00492 and No. 99 00493 of the plaintiff.

In these transport devices, and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the training of mail items in the transport path of the machine is generally provided by several series of stacked drive rollers succeeding one another throughout of this transport path, at least a first series of rollers 10 being arranged at the input of the transport device to ensure in cooperation with a die (not shown) a selection of the mail items and at least two other series of rollers 12, 14 (Also known as upstream and downstream rollers) being disposed on both sides of means 16 for printing the postal impression to ensure precise guidance during printing. Each series of rollers is mounted on a common axis 100, 120, 140, both of which ends are attached to two parallel walls 18, 20 forming vertical support flanges of the transport device.

When mailpieces are not in direct contact with these different drive rollers, they rest on a mobile table 22 of the transport device advantageously provided with a pivoting cradle 24 and whose vertical displacement is synchronized with the lowering of these drive rollers.

In addition, in order to better distribute the pressure exerted on the mail items, in particular according to the different thicknesses of these articles, and to reduce shocks on the downstream drive rollers, the lowering of these two series of upstream rollers 12 and downstream 14 is synchronized by means of two pairs of articulated levers, respectively 26, 28, having two mutually interengaging tooth sectors, and whose respective pivoting is coupled (in a substantially proportional manner and in the ratio of the toothed sectors) to the displacement of the series of rollers to which the lever is closely associated. Indeed, each lever, which can pivot about a hinge axis 260, 280 secured to the flanges 18, 20 of the transport device, comprises at one end a gripping element which engages with an associated connecting shaft 262 , 282, of axis parallel to the common axis 120, 140 of the upstream drive rollers 12 and downstream 14, and whose displacement exactly follows that of the common axis to which it is secured.

According to the present invention, the entire transport device (with its drive rollers and mobile table) is movable in translation, between an initial printing position and a final unclogging position, by means of rollers 30a. 30b, mounted on the two parallel vertical flanges 18, 20 of the device support, and which can respectively move in slides 32a, 32b of the body 34 of the franking machine, so that the transport device can be extracted almost entirely from the franking machine end of stroke 36a, 36b however limit the movement of the rollers on the slideways so as to prohibit a total withdrawal of the transport device), through an opening 38 formed in its rear part (relative to the direction of advance of mail items). Each of the flanges 18, 20 is provided at its front end with a guide tip 40a, 40b intended to cooperate at the end of return stroke (thus in the printing position) with a slot 42a, 42b made in a body part 34, one of these two slots 42a ensuring by a portion precisely adjusted to the corresponding guide tip a refocusing function of the transport device (see Figure 1A). In the printing position, the flanges 18, 20 are then positioned against the body 34 of the franking machine and push back spring means, for example compression leaf springs 44a, 44b.

The transport device is moved in the body of the franking machine by means of a manual control assembly 46 provided with a handle 48 acting on a disengageable locking mechanism 50.

The manual control assembly 46 is in the form of a bottomless drawer with essentially two parallel longitudinal members 52, 54 whose first ends are joined by the handle 48, the second free ends of these two longitudinal members being held parallel by a spacer 49 and each ending with a stopper lug 56, 58 for cooperating with a fixed portion 60 integral with the flanges 18, 20. In an intermediate zone, between these first and second ends, the longitudinal members each have a ramp 62, 64 advantageously to three cam portions with decreasing slopes, respectively strong 62a, 64a, 62b, 64b and weak 62c, 64c, which cooperate by sliding with the first connecting shaft 262 associated with the series of upstream rollers 12. Two axes ( or two pairs of guide rollers 66, 68 mounted between the support flanges 18, 20 and preferably arranged near the two ends of the longitudinal members pe Furthermore, they can be added to perfect the guiding of these longitudinal members during the movement of the transport device in the machine.

The disengageable locking mechanism 50 comprises a substantially fork-shaped piece of lifting, the tray handle 70 is in permanent contact with a flexible release blade 72 which is an integral part of the handle 48, and whose two teeth, parallel and flat, are articulated on a connecting shaft 74 against a spring means, for example two return springs 76, 78. Each of these two teeth comprises in the lower part a locking latch pin 80, 82 and which, by cooperating with a centering aperture 84, 86 of the body of the franking machine, ensures the maintenance of the transport device in the initial printing position. In this position, the flanges 18, 20 are in contact with the body 34 and push the compression leaf springs 44a, 44b.

The cleaning operation is carried out as follows. In normal operation (Figure 1), the transport device is housed completely in the body (also called "base") of the franking machine in an initial position for printing the postal imprint, the handle 48 being then simply flush and the leaf springs 44a, 44b being compressed. The drive rollers and the moving table are in a high position and the first link shaft 262 is in contact with the steep cam portion 62a, 64a of the longitudinal members 52, 54.

If a jam occurs, the operator will first pull the handle 48 (Figure 2) to partially release the transport path of mail items. The longitudinal members 52, 54 fixed to this handle move as a result of the descent of the first connecting shaft 262 (which follows the slope imposed by the ramp 62, 64) as well as the simultaneous lowering of the upstream drive rollers 12 and downstream drive rollers 14, by means of the articulated levers 26, 28. Indeed, the two articulated levers cooperate mutually so that a pivoting of the first lever associated with the upstream rollers in a determined direction of rotation causes a pivoting of the second lever associated with the downstream rollers in a opposite direction of rotation. The successive decrease of the slopes of the cam portions can modulate the tensile force exerted on the handle (high initially and then lower). When the lugs forming abutments 56, 58 come into contact with the fixed partition 60, the longitudinal members are found immobilized in a first unclogging position. In this intermediate position, the first connecting shaft 262 is in an extreme low position in contact with the low-slope cam portion 62c, 64c and the upstream and downstream rollers 12, 14 also arranged in a low position (as well as the movable table 22) release the transport path to a determined height h sufficient for the operator to pass his hand between the drive rollers (Figure 2). This position is therefore particularly suitable for envelopes immobilized in the transport path and relatively easy to access.

If the clear space does not appear to be sufficient to access the blocked article, for example when it is necessary to remove a label that is difficult to locate in this transport path, the operator will then in a second time release in full the transport path by proceeding to a complete withdrawal of all the drive rollers 10, 12, 14. For this, and as shown in Figure 3, it raises with the fingers the flexible release blade 72. This action causes the tilting of the fork around the connecting shaft 74 and the raising of the locking hooks 80, 82, which releases the transport device which only needs to roll on its slides especially as the springs With the blades 44a, 44b being relaxed, a starting pulse is given to the displacement of the transport device. The complete displacement is then effected by pulling on the handle 48 until the rollers 30a, 30b come to a standstill on the end stops 36a, 36b (FIG. 5). In this second terminal unstacking position, the operator can then recover the immobilized label and once this is done, push back the transport device with the handle so that it returns to the initial position. printing. The ramp 62, 64 traversed in the opposite direction will allow the drive rollers and the movable table back to resume their original high positions through the intermediate position of unclogging, the final guidance of the transport device being ensured by the action in the recenter slot.

Thus, with the structure of the invention, the stripping operation is carried out very simply, if necessary in two successive steps which correspond respectively to an easy immediate intervention (for example in the case of a visible envelope) and to a intervention less immediate but still relatively relatively easy (case of a label not visible).

Claims (11)

1. A device for unjamming mail items retained in the transportation path of a mail handling machine, the mail items being transported by several series of superposed drive rollers distributed all along this transportation path, one first series of rollers (10) of which is placed at the entry of said transportation path and at least two other series of rollers (12, 14) that are placed, with respect to the direction of advance of the mail items, respectively upstream and downstream of means (16) for printing the postal imprint, the bottom rollers of said series of drive rollers being each mounted on a common spindle (100, 120, 140), the ends of which are fastened to two parallel walls forming side panels (18, 20), the device being characterised in that it comprises a manual control unit (46) that has means for simultaneously lowering the bottom drive rollers of said series of upstream and downstream rollers in a first unjamming position in which the transportation path for the mail items is partly cleared and means for completely withdrawing all of the bottom drive rollers forming the first and the other two series of rollers in a second unjamming position in which the transportation path for the mail items is completely cleared.
2. The unjamming device according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for lowering said bottom drive rollers include at least two pivoted levers (26, 28) having two toothed sectors in mutual engagement.
3. The unjamming device according to claim 1, characterised in that each of said parallel walls forming side panels has at one end a guiding point (40a, 40b) intended to engage in a slot (42a, 42b) made in part of the body (34) of the mail handling machine so as to fulfill a realignment function.
4. The unjamming device according to claim 1, characterised in that said parallel walls forming side panels and supports for the drive rollers are able to move translationally by means of castors (30a, 30b) which can move along slideways (32a, 32b) in the body (34) of the mail handling machine.
5. The unjamming device according to claim 4, characterised in that the movement of the castors along the slideways is limited by end-of-travel stops (36a, 36b) so as to prevent complete withdrawal of the drive rollers.
6. The unjamming device according to claim 1, characterised in that said manual control unit comprises two parallel beams (52, 54), the first ends of which are joined together by a handle (48) directly actuable by an operator, the free second ends of these two beams, held in place by a brace (49), each terminating in a stop-forming lug (56, 50) intended to engage in a fixed part (60) fastened to said walls forming the side panels.
7. The unjamming device according to claim 6, characterised in that said longitudinal beams include a ramp (62, 64) intended to engage by sliding with a linkage shaft (262) integral in its movement with the upstream and downstream drive rollers (12, 14).
8. The unjamming device according to claim 7, characterised in that said ramp comprises three cam portions with decreasing slopes (62a, 62b, 62c; 64a, 64b, 64c).
9. The unjamming device according to claim 1, characterised in that said walls forming the side panels and supports for the drive rollers are held in an initial printing position by a disengagable locking mechanism (50).
10. The unjamming device according to claim 9, characterised in that said disengagable locking mechanism comprises a part forming a ledge (70) in permanent contact with a flexible unlocking blade (72) which forms an integral part of the handle (48).
11. The unjamming device according to claim 10, characterised in that said disengagable locking mechanism includes an element in the form of a fork which is incorporated into said part forming a ledge and which can pivot against a spring means (76, 78) on a linkage shaft (74) mounted between said walls forming the side panels and having two locking hooks (80, 82) intended to engage in alignment openings (84, 86) made in part of the body (34) of the machine.

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