EP0062376A1 - Device for setting the value of a franking machine, and method to operate the device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for adjusting an electromechanical postage machine (11) comprises a motor (21) driving a driving shaft (23). On the shaft (23) there are arranged mutually independent control groups (28), each associated with a different decade (43) of an input electronic register (42). Each control group is connected mechanically, by means of a transmission (16), to a roller of numerals (13) of a rotary stamp (12) and with an input (14) of an adding mechanism (15). To each control group (28) a coupling mechanism (29) is associated for establishing or breaking a connection between the control group and the driving shaft (23), as well as a blocking wheel (30) which may be blocked by an electromagnetic stopping device (46). Each stopping device (56) is controlled by the "zero" position of a reversible counter (51) which, at the beginning of the adjusting process, takes the input value coming from the associated decade (43) and counts down at the rate of a pulse generator (35) arranged on the driving shaft (23). In the course of an adjusting cycle, the motor (21) rotates in the reverse direction forpositionning the rollers of numerals (13) on "zero" and in the foward direction for adjusting the rollers of numerals (13) on the desired input values. The stopping devices (56) then block the blocking wheels (30) according to the input values, and the coupling mechanisms (29) break the connection with the driving shaft (23).

Description

The invention relates to a device for automatically setting an electromechanical postage meter in accordance with the input values of an electronic input register, the postage meter having a structure corresponding to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a method for operating said device.

Electromechanical franking machines of today's type generally have setting levers or wheels for setting the franking values, which can be set manually in ten different latching positions corresponding to the setting values "O" to "9". The setting levers or wheels are each coupled to a mechanical setting gear, which is composed of gear wheels and / or racks. Each of these gears is used to set a numerical roller in the rotor stamp to the desired value in one work step, and to actuate a display and the input mechanism of at least one balancing device for summing the franking amounts. The balancing system is generally protected against unauthorized manipulation.

There is an increasing need for more extensive automation in the mail order business than was previously possible with the manually adjustable electromechanical franking machines. For large postal customers, for example, the franking value for each mail item is to be determined automatically and this value is automatically transferred to the franking machine of a franking machine. This task requires either completely new franking machines or, if the tried and tested electromechanical franking machines continue to be used, an automatically acting input mechanism for the franking machine.

From the German published documents 25 38 374 and 27 21 257 devices for setting a franking machine are known in which motor actuations occur instead of the setting lever. In one case, it is a single stepper motor that successively shifts the various adjustment gears in series by a varying number of steps. In the other case, each adjustment gear is separate. In the other case, each setting gear is assigned its own stepper motor. In both cases, the stepper motors are relatively large and thus prevent a compact design. It can be said that the task is solved satisfactorily in terms of function, but not in terms of size and price. In addition, the setting is relatively slow when working in series.

Another automatic setting device for setting franking machines is known from the Swiss patent specification 621 295. Here, each setting gear has a rack, which with the help of four scanning detectors is scanned for its location. The side of each rack facing the detectors is designed in such a way that the detectors are controlled in a code-like manner. Their output signals correspond to the position or position of the rack. This device certainly fulfills its purpose, but hardly seems optimal in terms of price and usability.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple, compact and reliable setting device for the automatic setting of an electromechanical franking machine. This object is achieved by a device as defined by the characterizing part of claim 1. Special designs of the device are specified in the subsequent claims. Finally, the last two claims specify methods for operating the device.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to two figures, for example.

• 1 shows a combined electrical and mechanical block diagram of the setting device and the franking machine.
• Fig. 2 shows a drive axle and a clutch in an exploded view.

Fig. 1 shows a combined electrical and mechanical block diagram of the device. The electrical active connections are represented by single-dash arrows and the mechanical active connections by double-dash arrows.

11 represents an electromechanical franking machine of conventional design. It includes, among other things, at least one balancing unit 15 for adding up the accumulated franking amounts and a rotor stamp 12. The latter prints the postal items to be franked, for example letters, as they pass through the franking machine 11 with a franking imprint. The franking amount that was previously set when the machine 11 was set by rotating digit rollers 13 in the rotor stamp 12 appears in this. Depending on the type of franking machine, there may be three, four or more such digit rolls 13.

The digit rolls 13 are independent of one another. They are each connected via an independent gear 16 made of gears and racks to an input device to be described later and to one of the inputs 14, for example an adjustable planetary gear, of the balancing mechanism 15.

The gears 16, like the numerical rollers 13 and the inputs 14, are largely identical and independent of one another.

A total of four mutually equivalent and mutually independent units are shown in FIG. 1. As already mentioned, more or fewer units could also be present.

The device described below is used to drive the gear 16 of the franking machine 11 (instead of conventional, manually operated levers or setting wheels). An electric motor 21 controlled by a motor controller 26 rotates a drive axle 23 via a reduction gear 22, which may include a slip clutch. A separate drive group 28 is arranged on this drive axle 23, each of which comprises a clutch 29, a blocking wheel 30, for each gear 16 , a drive wheel 31 and a timing disk 32. On the drive shaft 23, a clock generator 35 is additionally attached, which essentially consists of a clock disk and associated scanners, which emit clock signals on the lines 36 and 37, in such a way that each setting position of the digit rolls 13 has a clock signal or a pulse Line 36 corresponds.

The clutches 29 serve to effect and to release a non-positive connection between the drive axle 23 and the various drive groups 28. The drive wheels 31, for example gearwheels, are each directly coupled to the assigned gearboxes l6.

42 is an electronic input register. Its number of decades 43 corresponds to the number of digit rolls 13 in the rotor stamp 12. The input register 42 takes over the desired franking amounts electronically as input values. The transfer takes place either serially from a manually operated electronic keyboard 45 or in parallel from a franking determination device 41, which consists, for example, of a postal scale and an assigned computer.

1 shows, for example, the franking amount 0165, which amount can be displayed by a visual display. The use of a BCD code (binary coded decimal) is recommended for storage.

With each decade 43 of the input register 42, two down counters 51 and 60 are connected via a line 52. On the basis of a command signal on a line 48, these counters take over the respective content of the assigned decade 43. Subsequently, they count downwards, namely clock signals still to be described. Each counter emits a signal when the counter is at "zero". The output circuits of the down counters 51 excite electromagnetic detents 56 assigned to all counting positions other than "zero". In the "zero" position, they switch them off. The detents 56 are, for example, electromagnetically actuated pawls which interact with the associated blocking wheels 30. In the de-energized state at Counting position "zero", the pawls fall into the teeth of the blocking wheels 30 and block them and the drive wheels 31 and gears 16 coupled to them.

The outputs of the down counter 60 are connected to the inputs of an AND logic 53, the output 55 of which is connected to the motor controller 26. Another input of the AND logic 53 is connected to the output of an up counter 57, which emits a signal when the counter is at "nine".

The output of the clock generator 35 is connected via a line 36 to the counting inputs of all down counters 51 and of the up counter 57. A line 37 connects the clock generator 35 to the motor controller 26. The counting input of each down counter 60 is finally connected to the signal output of a scanner. This scanner belongs to the clock disk 32, which is assigned to the down counter. Eggs through this disc generates corresponding clock signals or pulses when rotating the setting positions of the digit rollers 13.

1 works as follows. An input value, for example the number 165, is entered serially into the input register 42 via the keyboard 45. The input process is started by pressing the S key on the keyboard 45. This begins, triggered via line 48, with the parallel one Acceptance of the input values from the decades 43 of the input register 42 into the assigned down counters 51 and 60. All detents 56, whose assigned down counter 51 are therefore no longer at "zero", now tighten and thus release their pawl from the assigned blocking wheels 30. Simultaneously With these processes, the motor 21 starts, triggered by the start signal on line 49, in the reverse direction of rotation and sets the drive shaft 23 in motion via the gear 22.

Depending on whether or not the clutches 29 have a non-positive connection between the drive axle 23 and the driven wheels 31 and thus with the gears 16, the gears are moved or not moved. At some point during the reverse run, however, a force-fit connection is established for each transmission 16 in such a way that each transmission 16 reaches its starting position, which corresponds to the digit roller setting “zero”. Since the numbered rollers 13 generally have different input values, the manufacture or reading of the frictional connection takes place at the different clutches 29 at different times. This is described in more detail below.

In any case, the clutches 29 are designed such that they cannot block the drive axle 23 during the resetting process. Should this happen for any reason, the slip clutch in the reduction gear 22 prevents the motor 21 from blocking and thus damaging it.

The motor 21 runs backwards until it is ensured that all the gears 16 are completely reset and are thus in the starting position. This is reported by a signal from the clock generator 35 via the line 37 to the engine control 26. As a result, the running direction of the motor 21 is reversed. Via the drive shaft 23, the clutches 29 and the drive wheels 31, the gears 16 are now moved forward in the setting direction. At the same time, the clock generator 35 begins to output clock signals on the line 36 and the clock disks 32, depending on their movement, impulses to the associated down counters 60. As a result, all the down counters 51 and 60 count down step by step and the up counter 57 go up.

As soon as one of the counters 51 reaches the counting position "zero", or if it is already at "zero" from the beginning, the pawl of the associated locking device 56 falls into the rest position. This blocks the associated blocking wheel 30 and the gear 16 coupled to it. However, this does not interrupt the rotation of the drive axle 23. Rather, the clutch 29 in question is released, as a result of which its non-positive state is reached and the rotation of the drive axle 23 is not hindered. The motor 21 runs until it is ensured that the highest setting value "nine" could have been reached. For this purpose, the up counter 57 is used, which in its count position "nine" emits a stop signal on line 54. For reasons of safety and monitoring, the stop signal is combined in AND logic 53 with the output signals of backwash counter 60.

When the entire device is working properly, the backwash counters 60 count completely in parallel with the assigned down counters 51. At the end of the setting process, they are thus on "gauze" and the stop signal from line 54 is passed on to the motor controller 26 by the AND logic 53 via line 55 , which then stops the motor 21. The setting process is now complete.

If for some reason one of the down counters 60 is not at "zero" when the stop signal appears on line 54, for example because a gear 16 is jamming and the associated clock disk 32 is therefore not emitting the correct number of pulses, then this stop signal triggers the on or Repeat the setting process several times. If the repetitions do not lead to a correct setting either, the triggering of the printing process of the franking machine 11 is blocked and an alarm is given.

In the simplest case, the clutches 29 for effecting and releasing a non-positive connection between the drive axle 23 and a drive wheel 31 in each case can be slip clutches, the holding torque of which is greater than the torques to be used to move the gear 16.

Fig. 2 shows in the manner of an exploded view, a further clutch, which has improved properties compared to a normal slip clutch.

23 is the drive axle, which has a longitudinal groove 71. For each drive group 28 comprising clutch 29, blocking wheel 30, drive wheel 31 and timing disk 32, drive axle 23 has two annular grooves 72 and 73, by means of which the position of group 28 on axle 23 is determined. 76 is a first locking ring which is inserted into the annular groove 72. Subsequently, a coil spring 77 is placed on the drive shaft 23, which keeps the clutch under tension in the assembled state. This is followed by a drive plate 79, which has a nose 80 in its bore, with which the plate 79 is held in the longitudinal groove 71 of the drive shaft 23 in an angle-stable manner. 81 and 82 are two cams which are arranged radially opposite one another on one side of the disk 79. Their distances from the center of the disk 79 are of different sizes. Viewed in the same direction of rotation, each cam has on one side a ramp 83 indicated in black. On the other hand, each cam has a sharp edge 84. This is illustrated in FIG. 2a by means of a view through the driving disk 79 along a section indicated by the arrow A.

85 is a drive plate _' which is rigidly connected to the drive wheel 31, as well as the blocking wheel 30 and the timing disk 32, which are hidden by the drive wheel 31 in the exploded view. This connection consists, for example, in that the drive plate 85 made of metal has a nose on its outer edge, with which it is inserted in a recess of the drive wheel 31 made, for example, of plastic and secured against rotation. 2b shows the drive plate 85 and the rigidly connected elements 31, 30 and 32 in section, wherein they and the drive plate 79 have the same axis line 86. The drive plate 85 has depressions 87 and 88, which are modeled on the cams 81 and 82 of the drive plate 79 in a bas-relief manner and interact with these cams. The last part of the coupling again consists of a locking ring 90 which is inserted into the annular groove 73 after the spring 77 has previously been compressed.

The co-spring washer 79 and the driving washer 85 are pressed against one another by the helical spring 77. The cams 81 and 82 lie in the mutually assigned recesses 37 and 88, as a result of which there is a latching connection which is non-positive in one direction of rotation due to the edges 84 of the cams 81, 82 and the recesses 87, 88. In the opposite direction of rotation, the positive connection is weaker due to the ramps 83. Therefore, if the driving disk 85 is blocked in this forward direction of rotation by means of the blocking wheel 30 connected thereto, while the driving disk 79 continues to rotate, the ramps 83 slide against one another, the coil spring 77 is compressed somewhat more and the locking connection of the disks 79 and 85 is released. At the end of the process, the cams 81 and 82 slide with a relatively low frictional force on the drive plate 85. This state corresponds to the non-positive connection.

• - Der Einstellzyklus kann - anstatt wie beschrieben mit der Nullstellung der Ziffernrollen 13 zu beginnen - ausgehend von der "Null"-Position mit der Ziffernrollen-Einstellung beginnen und nach erfolgtem Frankiervorgang mit der Nullstellung der Ziffernrollen 13 enden. Dies kann vorteilhaft sein, wenn es auf rasches Arbeiten ankommt.
• - Die Kupplungen 29 können als elektromagnetische Kupplungen ausgebildet sein, die in geeigneter Weise angesteuert werden. Als rein mechanische Kupplung ist auch eine Kugelrast-Kupplung denkbar.
• - Mit dem Triebrad 31 muss nicht unbedingt ein Blockierrad 30 starr gekoppelt sein. Es ist ohne weiteres möglich, die Getriebe 16 dadurch zu blockieren, dass eine Arretierung auf ein anderes Rad oder eine Zahnstange des Getriebes einwirkt.

The following variants can be mentioned for the device for setting a franking machine, this list being only by way of example and not exhaustive:

• - Instead of starting with the zeroing of the digit rolls 13 as described, the setting cycle can start with the digit roll setting starting from the "zero" position and, after the franking process has ended, end with the zeroing of the digit rolls 13. This can be advantageous if you need to work quickly.
• - The clutches 29 can be used as electromagnetic clutches be formed, which are controlled in a suitable manner. A ball detent coupling is also conceivable as a purely mechanical coupling.
• - A blocking wheel 30 does not necessarily have to be rigidly coupled to the drive wheel 31. It is easily possible to block the transmission 16 by a locking mechanism acting on another wheel or a toothed rack of the transmission.

To ensure that the gears 16 are not damaged, stops can be provided on the drive groups 28, which limit the rotation of the drive group in both directions of rotation and serve, for example, to absorb the forces which occur when the slip clutch slips.

• - The motor 21 should be an electric motor reversible in the direction of rotation, for example a DC motor. If the motor is not reversible in the direction of rotation, the motor can be connected to the drive axis 23 by a suitable reversing gear, which likewise results in alternating directions of rotation for this axis.
• - The scanners of the clock disks 32 and / or the clock generator 35 can be designed as light barriers. However, it is possible to use any other scanner.
• - The electronics described can be varied in a variety of ways. An important variation is that instead of the discrete modules mentioned, a program-controlled microprocessor is used, which interacts with memories for recording the input values and the control program.

Claims (11)

1. Device for automatically setting an electromechanical franking machine (11) according to the input values of an electronic input register (42), - The franking machine (11) in its rotor stamp (12) has several mutually independent digit rolls (13) as an adjustable franking stamp, - Each of these digit rolls (13) being assigned to a decade (43) of the input register (42), - Wherein each digit roller (13) with an independent gear (16) of gears and racks is coupled for their adjustment and - Drive means and controls assigned to them are provided for actuating the gears (16), characterized, - That the drive means consist of a motor (21) and a drive axle (23) driven by it, which axle is assigned to all the transmissions (16) and whose direction of rotation is reversing, - That each transmission (16) via a clutch (29) for effecting and releasing a non-positive connection with the drive axle (23) is coupled, and - That each gear (16) is assigned locking means which, depending on the respective input value of the assigned decade (43), allow the gear (l6) to be blocked in a setting position corresponding to this input value. 2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized,
that an electric motor (21) which is reversible in the direction of rotation and which is connected to the drive axle (23) via a reduction gear (22) serves as the drive means. 3. Device according to claim 1,
characterized,
that an electric motor which is not reversible in the direction of rotation and which is connected to the drive axis (23) via a reversing gear serves as the drive means. 4. The device according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the clutches (29) are slip clutches. 5. The device according to claim 1,
characterized, - That the drive shaft (23) has a longitudinal groove (71), - That each clutch (29) comprises at least one drive plate (79), a drive plate (85) with a flanged drive wheel (31) and a pretensioned spring (77) for compressing the drive and drive plate, - That the drive plate (79) has a nose (80) and two mocks (81, 82), which nose (30) lies in the longitudinal groove (71) and which cams (81, 82) are arranged radially opposite one another on the one pane side, but at different distances from the pane center, - That the driving plate (85) on its side facing the driving plate (79) has two depressions (87, 88) corresponding to the cams (81, 82) in bas-relief, and - That the cams (81, 82) and the depressions (87, 88), seen in the uniform direction of rotation, each have a ramp (83) on one side and an edge (84) on the other side (FIG. 2) . 6. The device according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the locking means assigned to each transmission (16) are composed of a position indicator indicating the respective drive axis position, a coincidence indicator for determining the correspondence between the input value of the assigned decade (43) and the position indicator specification, and an electrically operated locking for blocking and unblocking of the transmission (16) based on the signals of the coincidence indicator. 7. The device according to claim 6,
characterized, - That the position indicator is designed as a clock generator (35) rigidly connected to the drive axis (23) at an angle. for outputting clock signals which correspond to the setting positions of the transmission (16), - That each coincidence indicator is designed as a down counter (51) for taking over the respective input value from the assigned decade (43), for counting down with the clock signals of the clock generator (35) and for emitting a signal which deviates from the one at the counter reading "zero" all other meter readings, - And that the locking means are formed from an electromagnetic, by the signal of the associated down counter (51) actuated pawl (56) and from a driving wheel (85) connected to the blocking wheel (30), in which the pawl (56) can interlock . 3. Device according to claim 6,
characterized,
that the position indicator is a clock disk-operated indicator, which is designed together with the coincidence indicator as a microprocessor-controlled unit. 9. Device according to claims 1 to 7,
characterized, - That each drive plate (85) is connected to a clock disc (32) and a generator coupled to it for delivering clock pulses which correspond to the setting positions of the transmission (16) to an assigned down counter (60), - That each down counter (60) is designed to accept the respective input value from the assigned decade (43), to count down with the clock pulses of the clock disc (32) and to emit a signal which deviates from the one at the counter reading "zero" all other meter readings, - That an up counter (57) is provided, which counts the clock signals of the clock generator (35) and emits a signal at the count position "nine", - That the inputs of an AND logic (53) are connected to the outputs of the down counter (60) and the up counter (57) - And that the AND logic (53) is designed so that it has a second output signal for the "nine" signal of the up counter (57) and matching signals "zero" of all down counters (60) and a non-matching signal "zero" delivers. 10. A method for operating the device according to claim 1, characterized in that - That each adjustment process comprises at least three sub-curtains, namely the transfer of the input values from the input register (42) into the locking means, - A reverse run of the drive axle (23) for resetting all digit rollers (13) an initial position corresponding to the input value "zero" - And a forward run of the drive axle (23) for simultaneous setting of all digit rollers (13), the locking means of each gear (16) blocking in the setting position that corresponds to the respective assigned input value. 11. The method according to claim 10,
characterized,
that the rotation of the drive shaft (23) in both directions of rotation is greater than the rotation required to shift the gearbox (16) by nine setting positions.

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