EP0202486B1 - Label dispenser and franking machine fitted with this dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to automatic label dispensers taken from a continuous ribbon mounted in a roll, intended in particular to equip label printing machines of different length, and also relates to franking machines equipped with such distributors. .

In a known manner, the ribbon can be initially incised, the segments between incisions constituting successive labels. This ribbon is carried by a support strip from which the labels are easily detachable one after the other. In franking machines equipped with a label dispenser using this type of franking tape, the support strip is intermittently driven to feed successive labels which it carries under the print head. After printing the labels a separating element releases them from the support strip.

The labels taken from such a ribbon are of unique length given by the pitch between the initial incisions of the ribbon. They cannot therefore be dimensioned to define, on request, short labels intended to receive in existing postage meters the printing of only postage information (postage stamp and in general postage date) and long labels intended to receive this same postage information and additional information such as an advertising flame for example.

To avoid this drawback, the continuous postage tape can be cut progressively to the length of the desired labels. In corresponding automatic dispensers, the ribbon is intermittently driven to release a first or second desired length of ribbon which, before or after printing, is cut by a knife so that the appropriate successive labels are delivered. Different cams can selectively release one or other of the two lengths of ribbon, depending on the impression to be produced. This selection is ensured by an external control of the distributor, carried out by an operator in correspondence with the impression to be made.

In these latter label dispensers, the selective tape drive mechanisms are often complex and bulky; they must also be associated with means assigned to maintaining the tape and to means assigned to driving the labels when those These are taken from the ribbon before printing. In addition to the mechanical complexity of these distributors, there is also a lack of reliability.

Document GB-A-2 143 356 discloses a distributor of tickets taken from a continuous ribbon and delivered on demand, being printed during their delivery. This dispenser comprises, mounted on a tape and label guide path, first rollers coupled to a first drive motor, second rollers coupled to a second drive motor, a knife between the first and second rollers, tape or ticket presence detectors downstream of the knife, and third discharge rollers for each ticket, downstream of the second rollers, and coupled to a third motor. In this dispenser, a first of these detectors is at a distance from the knife equal to the length of the tickets; it controls the stopping of the first and second motors when the end of the ribbon is at its level, as well as the actuation of the knife. The withdrawn ticket remains in a rest position, it will only be removed during a ticket request which causes the drive of the second and third motors.

In this same dispenser, a second of these detectors is assigned to the detection of evacuation of the ticket from its rest position, it then controls the drive of the ribbon to the first detector for the collection of a new replacement ticket, in waiting for a new request, the one issued.

In this dispenser, there are also provided two rolls of tape for the change of one detected empty by the other.

This structure in which a ticket is precut on a ribbon before any request and issued as of this request, with during its issuance its replacement by a new precut ticket, does not allow a choice to be made between different desired ticket lengths.

Document FR-A-1 600 861 also discloses a label dispenser selectively supplying short or long labels to a franking machine with a print head equipped with fixed means for printing a stamp on short labels. and long and retractable means of printing an advertising flame on only long labels. According to this document, the dispenser has a manually operated push button, coupled to a crank rod having two possible coupling modes with the ribbon advance mechanism, for the advance in correspondence of a short label length or a long label length in relation to the knife. This same crank rod actuates, in correspondence in opening or closing, a microswitch inserted in the supply circuit of an electromagnet for controlling the advertising flame printing means.

The object of the present invention is to provide a label dispenser, intended in particular to equip franking machines, of considerably reduced complexity and of very reliable operation avoiding the above drawbacks.

The present invention therefore relates to a label dispenser ensuring the removal of labels from a continuous ribbon for printing, comprising a ribbon guide path, a knife mounted on the path, intermittent tape drive means mounted on said path relative to said knife to ensure, simultaneously downstream and upstream of the knife, maintaining the tape and its drive at a given feed rate, tape and label detection cells, mounted downstream of the knife on the path and one of which is called the first cell is at a distance from the knife equal to the length of first labels called short labels and assigned to the detection of an initial position of the tape on its path, means for controlling said drive means and said knife connected to said cells, and means for ejecting each label removed, at a discharge speed greater than said advance speed, mounted downstream of the first cell and separated from the drive means by a distance less than the length of the short labels, characterized in that said control means comprise an input receiving a signal for selecting said short labels or second labels said to be long to take as well as a signal for detecting the knife's rest position delivered by a rest sensor and trigger in correspondence distribution sequences of the desired label, from the detection signal of said position i nitial of the ribbon and of the signal for detecting the knife's rest position, and in that it further comprises a second of said cells mounted at a distance from the knife equal to the length of said long labels and assigned to the detection of 'an additional advance of the ribbon on its way, from said initial position, before actuation of the knife, for the removal of each desired long label.

Preferably, the drive means consist of two rollers mounted upstream and downstream of the knife respectively and coupled to the same ribbon advance motor, the roller downstream of the knife being mounted on a free wheel.

The present invention also relates to a franking machine comprising said label dispenser, characterized in that it further comprises a print head equipped with first means assigned to the printing of a franking stamp , second means assigned to printing additional information, known as an advertising flame, and a control lever, said advertising lever, coupled to the second means and actuable in a first position for controlling the non-printing of flame advertising and in a second position for the advertising flame printing control and a position detector of said advertising lever connected to said control means for delivering an automatic selection signal between short label and long label to said distributor.

According to another characteristic, the position detector forms an opto-electronic transmitter / receiver head mounted at a distance from the lever and the lever carries a mirror.

In the franking machine, means for driving the print head are coupled to the means for ejecting the label taken from the ribbon and a third ribbon detection cell triggers the printing of the label.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings. In these drawings
FIG. 1 represents a preferred embodiment of the label dispenser according to the invention,
- Figure 2 schematically shows a franking machine equipped with this label dispenser.

In FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a distributor of short and long labels has been illustrated. Samples taken on demand from a continuous ribbon 1 mounted in a roll 2. The distributor is formed on a plate 3. The roller 2 of ribbon is kept free to rotate on an axis 4 carried by the plate. The ribbon coming from the roll is inserted into a pre-guiding chute 5 then into a guide chute 6 formed in a manner as such conventional on the edges of the plate. In the pre-guide chute 5, the ribbon is inserted directly by the operator. The guide trough 6 defines a path for guiding the ribbon and the labels, accessible to the operator for possible cleaning; it simply has a flap 7 for access to the ribbon ensuring its guidance upon introduction. This guide path for the ribbon and the labels will also be designated below by the reference assigned to the guide chute.

This guide path 6 is fitted upstream downstream, a first drive roller 10, on the terminal part of the flap 7, then a knife 11 and a second drive roller 12, au- beyond the flap 7. The two rollers 10 and 12, distant from each other, have their axes at the rear of the plate 1 coupled to one another and to the same drive motor 13 shown in dotted lines and said ribbon advance motor. The coupling between the rollers has simply been shown diagrammatically by the broken line connections 14, between the axes of the rollers and the axis of the drive motor 13, in order to avoid overloading, in this figure. Each of these drive rollers 10 and 12 is associated with a counter-roller 15 or 16, as the case may be. These counter-rollers are carried by the plate. The counter-rollers are mounted to rotate freely on their and are elastically urged under pressure against the drive roller which corresponds to them, inside the chute 6 having suitable windows for their effect. Each roller ensures when it is rotated according to the arrow indicated, the drive at the same speed V1 of the ribbon or of the label being as appropriate, as will be seen below, between it and its counter roller. To ensure proper operation of the short and long label dispenser, the the most downstream drive roller 12 is mounted on a free wheel shown in 17.

The knife 11 interposed on the guide path 6 between the two drive rollers 10 and 12 has a rotary blade 18 and a fixed blade 19 defining a cutting point 20 on the fixed blade. The rotary blade has its axis coupled, at the rear of the plate 3, to a motor 21 for actuating the knife, shown in dotted lines. A gear train shown diagrammatically by a dashed line connection 22 ensures this coupling and allows the rotary blade to be driven according to the arrow indicated, when the motor 21 is controlled. The rotary blade, which defines on the fixed blade, in the guide chute 6 having other windows suitable for their purpose, the cutting point 20 of the ribbon during the drive of the rotary blade on the other hand allows the free passage of the ribbon between it and the fixed blade when it is kept at rest .

Advantageously, the drive rollers 10 and 12 are separated from each other by a distance close to the length of the short labels and the knife 11 is positioned relatively close to the drive roller 10 furthest upstream on this path. mistletoe 6.

This same guide path 6 is also equipped, downstream of the drive rollers 10 and 12, with a first cell 25 and a second cell 26 each ensuring a detection of arrival at their level from the end of the ribbon. 1. These detection cells are photoelectric cells, they are each associated with a photoelement 27 or 28 disposed on the opposite edge of the guide path having windows, or transparent, at these levels. The first detection cell 25 is disposed at a distance from the fixed blade of the knife 11, defining the cutting point 20 of the ribbon, equal to the length of the short labels. It is assigned to the ribbon position detection for picking up a short label and also defines an initial position of the ribbon in its guide path. The second detection cell 26 is at a distance from the fixed blade of the knife equal to the length of the long labels. It is used to detect the correct position of the tape for picking up a long label.

Taking into account the relative arrangement of the drive rollers 10 and 12 and the knife 11, which has been chosen so preferential and illustrated, the first cell 25 is positioned downstream of the roller 12 but relatively close to this roller. The second cell 26 is simply distant from the first to translate the difference in length between long and short labels.

The guide path further has, downstream of the two detection cells 25 and 26, an ejection roller 30, intended to ensure the evacuation of the labels taken from the tape. A counter roller 31 is mounted to rotate freely on its axis and resiliently urged under pressure against the ejection roller 30 associated therewith. This roller and counter-roller are partially inserted in the guide path 6 and cooperate with each other through suitable windows of this path. They are mounted close to the second detection cell 26 and at a distance from the drive roller 12, the most downstream of the two drive rollers, less than the length of the short labels. This arrangement, enabled by the fact that the difference in length between the desired long and short labels is less than the length of the short labels, ensures that each short label is permanently maintained between at least one of the rollers 12 and 30 and their counter-roller , when the label is removed. This ejection roller has its drive axis coupled to the rear of the plate 3 to a drive motor 32 independent of the motor 13 for advancing the ribbon. This motor 32 has been shown in dotted lines, its coupling with the axis of the ejection roller 31 is illustrated in dashed lines at 33. It permanently drives the ejection roller 30 in the direction of the arrow indicated on the roller and gives the labels an evacuation speed V2 greater than the speed V1 of advance of the ribbon.

The evacuation speed V2 is advantageously synchronous with that of the printing head of the franking machine that this distributor equips. Under these conditions, as shown schematically in this figure where we sketched at 35 a printing drum and at 36 the printing counter-roller of the printing head of such a machine, the drive motor 32 of the roller 30 of ejection is that ensuring the drive of the printing counter-roller 36; the link 37 indicated between this motor and the printing counter-roller and the link 33 reflect the synchronous drive of the ejection roller 30 and the printing counter-roller 36 of the franking machine.

The guide path 6 of the dispenser terminates, just downstream of the ejection roller 30, tangentially on the periphery of the printing counter-roller 36 where it defines the output for supplying labels to the label dispenser. An additional guide flap, not shown, can be mounted on this label outlet, to guide them in their application against the printing counter-roller. Between the output of the label dispenser on the printing counter-roller 36 and the ejection roller 30, a third photosensitive cell 40 for detecting label passage and its associated photoelement 41 are mounted on the path of guide 6. This cell 40 ensures the arrival of a label at its level the printing triggering of the printing head of the franking machine, by controlling the rotation, according to the arrow indicated, of the drum printing 35. This printing command and the corresponding means, not belonging to the present invention and being as such known, are not described.

For the correct operation of the label dispenser and its synchronism with the print head, the knife 11 is associated with a rest position detector. This detector is as such known, it comprises for example as well as simply shown diagrammatically opposite the connection 22 with the motor 21, an optical fork 45, carried by the chassis of the machine and having on its branches a photo detection cell -electric 46 and a photo-element 47, in which is movable a disc 48 with a notch 49 mounted on the axis of connection of the movable blade to its motor 21. The cell, coupled to the photo-element through the notch when the knife is at rest, allows the location of this position before the command of the knife and for the knife drive stop.

Also, for proper operation of the device, the ribbon pre-guiding chute 5 is equipped with a cell 50 associated with a corresponding emitter element 51, assigned to detecting the end of the ribbon or empty roll in the distributor. This cell 50 plays the role of distributor inhibition control circuit.

In addition, for loading the dispenser and in particular the proper insertion of the ribbon into the guide chute 6, a manual control, indicated by the arrow 53 associated with the advance motor. of the ribbon 13, allows the start of the kneader 13 and the drive of the rollers 10 and 12 for the advancement of the ribbon in the chute.

In Figure 2, there is schematically illustrated a franking machine coupled to the dispenser of Figure 1 for its control. In this FIG. 2, the franking machine proper is only illustrated by the printing drum and its printing counter-roller, both designated by the preceding references 35 and 36, the label dispenser conforming to that of Figure 1 is designated by the reference 60, the guide chute for the labels to be printed is designated by the previous reference 6 which was assigned to it.

The drum 35 is carried by a shaft 62 and driven in rotation along the arrow 63, during a print command.

It carries a first engraved printing plate 64, called a franking plate; this first curved plate 64 is fixed on the periphery of the drum. Means for printing the postage amount and in general of the date, for example of the type with internal printing wheels of the drum and adjustable in position or of the type with ink jet printing device controlled in synchronism with the drum, not shown, associated with it, for printing through suitable windows that it has corresponding indications of postage.

The printing drum 35 also carries a second engraved printing plate 65 mounted retractably on its periphery. This second printing plate 65, called the advertising flame plate, is intended for the optional printing of additional fixed information, such as an advertising flame for example. This advertising flame plate is linked by a set of articulated rods symbolized by the connection in dashed lines 66 to a control lever 67. The control lever 67, called the advertising lever, is mounted at the end of the printing drum 35 and is actuable by an operator in a first position, given in dotted lines, for which the advertising flame plate 65 is put in the retracted position also illustrated in correspondence in dotted lines, and in a second position, given in solid lines, for which the plate flame advertising 65 is placed in the not retracted position or printing given in correspondence in solid lines.

A flat 68 on the printing drum makes it possible to define a rest position of the drum and the location of this rest position. It is in this rest position of the drum that the advertising lever 67 is placed in one of its first and second positions for controlling the positioning of the advertising flame plate.

Advantageously, although not shown, guide means, of the end ball type, resiliently biased are provided on the rear face of the lever 67 and two cylinder imprints connected by a groove in an arc of a circle are provided in the end face of the drum so that the first and second positions of the lever are stable positions.

The printing counter-roller 36 rotated on its axis 71, according to arrow 72, is mounted under the printing drum 35, and like the drum 35, is supported by the chassis not shown of the machine. The counter-roller 36 is in practice elastically urged to cooperate effectively with the drum during printing; when the print head is at rest, the flat part 68 of the drum faces the counter-roller, leaving a relatively wide interval between them.

In the franking machine, a table 74, called the envelope printing table, defines the path for guiding and driving envelopes between the printing drum 35 and the printing counter-roller 36. The envelopes are driven according to arrow 75 between the drum and the counter-roller; once the printing is done, they are evacuated according to arrow 76.

In the franking machine, a chute 77 defines the guide and the output of the printed labels. A part 78 with window ensures, between the inlet and outlet ducts 6, the guiding only by their edges of the labels on the upper part of the counter-roller facing the printing drum then driven.

This franking machine with its label dispenser 60 is further equipped with a selector 80 between short and long labels and a general control circuit 81 controlling the picking and distribution of labels, on demand, and their impression.

The label selector 80 is mounted relative to the advertising lever 67 to constitute a position detector remote from this lever. It comprises a transmitter E and a receiver R mounted relative to the lever 67 so as to be coupled to one another only when the lever is in one chosen from its two possible positions, advantageously the first position.

In FIG. 2, this transmitter and this receiver are mounted remotely from the lever in the same opto-electronic detection head, E / R transmitter-receiver, incorporating or connected to amplification and processing circuits of the electrical output signal. of the receiver. The lever carries, meanwhile, a reflective mirror 82 receiving the light from the transmitter and returning it to the receiver when the lever 67 is in said first position, for which the advertising flame printing plate 65 is in position retracted or no printing.

The detection head 80 is mounted under the envelope printing table 74, in which it is provided, a window 83 transparent to light rays, on the path of the light radiation emitted by the head and reflected back by the mirror. This trajectory is illustrated in 84; it is in the figure substantially perpendicular to the mirror for this first position of the lever. A support 85 fixed on the head 80 ensures the maintenance of the head 80 on the chassis of the machine.

When the lever 67 is in this first position of non-printing of an advertising flame, by the coupling between the transmitter and the receiver produced by the mirror 82, the head delivers on its output a short label selection signal. When the lever 67 is on the other hand in the advertising flame printing position, given in solid lines, the signal delivered by the head reflects the absence of coupling between the transmitter and the receiver; this signal on the output of the head 80 constitutes the signal for selecting a long label.

In the embodiment described, the label selector is mounted to ensure remote detection of the position of non-printing of an advertising flame of the lever 67 for which the distributor issues a short label. Detecting this precise position rather than the other is particularly advantageous. Indeed, in the event of a possible failure of the head, its output signal will translate a long label selection command, this even if the lever is in the first position for which the advertising flame plate is retracted. The opposite choice, consisting in carrying out the detection of the other position of the lever, would lead, on the other hand, in the event of a possible failure of the head, to the selection of a short label and then to a possible transfer of the advertising flame to the counter roller if such a failure of the detection head occurs.

The control circuit 81 is essentially produced in the form of a logic circuit for processing the signals which it receives or in the form of a microprocessor. Its possible embodiments are not illustrated or described below, they will be easily deduced by any person skilled in the art from the input signals that this circuit receives and those of output that it delivers and from the functions that he realizes, which are specified below with regard to the operating mode of the dispenser according to FIG. 1 in the franking machine which he equips.

The control circuit 81 has an input 86, actuated by the operator to bring the label dispenser 60 into operating conditions during a label request. It receives on an input 87, the detection detection signal in the rest position of the printing drum and on an input 88 the output signal of the position detection head 80 of the advertising lever 67. In this control circuit 81, means make it possible to take into account the short or long label selection signal only when the printing drum is in the rest position and only when there is a request for distribution of a label to be printed. These means provide sampling or level detection of the label selection signal which will only be taken into account just before the sequence for controlling the label removal from the continuous ribbon.

The removal of a label of defined length is first of all conditioned by the circuit 81, from the detection signal of the ribbon in its initial position, given by the cell 25 and applied to an input 90, and from the detection signal of the knife in its rest position given by cell 46 and applied to an input 91. The presence of these last two signals triggers the distribution sequences of the desired label to be printed.

For the removal of a short label and its printing the sequences are as follows:
- Cutting of the ribbon by the knife 11, the motor 21 of which is actuated by the signal on a control output 92, for rotation of its movable blade on one complete revolution and stopping in the rest position.
- Drive of the ribbon and the short sectioned label, by the rollers 10 and 12 driven by the ribbon advance motor 13, controlled by the signal on a control output 93 of the circuit 81, until the appearance of the new end of the ribbon opposite the detection cell 25; simultaneously, during this advance of the ribbon, the short label initially taken between the roller 12 and its roller 16 also advances at the speed V1 of the ribbon, then is taken between the ejection roller 30 permanently driven and its counter-roller 31 while it is still held between the roller 12 and the counter roller 16; thanks to the freewheel mounting of the roller 12, this label is then removed at the speed V2 higher than V1 by allowing it to be offset from the new end of the ribbon to be detected by the cell 25.
- Triggering of the print head, by rotation of the drum 35 controlled by the signal on an output 95, in response to the detection signal for passage of the label opposite the cell 40, received on an input 96.

For the removal of a long label and its printing the same sequences indicated above are preceded by an additional tape advance sequence. This additional advance sequence before cutting the ribbon is triggered by the long label selection control signal present on the input 87 of the control circuit 81. This long label selection signal causes the motor 13 to be controlled. in advance of the ribbon, until its end appears opposite the detection cell 26 connected to an input 97 of the circuit 81.

The control circuit 81 also receives on an inhibition input 99 the end of ribbon signal in the dispenser detected by the cell 50. This inhibition signal blocks the the label dispenser and the print head. The appearance of this inhibition signal will advantageously give rise to a particular light or sound signaling and to the ejection of the tape residue.

As appears from the description and the operation given above, the dispenser is of very low mechanical complexity. Its simple ribbon and label guide path and the advance movement of the ribbon and labels under control of the control circuit gives it very high reliability.

It is also particularly easy to load and unload the ribbon and has accessibility to possible cleaning. In addition, in the franking machine, it makes it possible to carry out in an easy, simple and reliable manner an automatic command for selecting between short and long labels.

The present invention has been described with regard to the illustrated embodiment. Of course, this embodiment cannot constitute a limitation of the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. It is thus obvious that the means specific to the printhead are only to be considered generally insofar as they make it possible to explain the operation of the dispenser in the franking machine which it equips. With regard to the label selector, it is also obvious that the arrangement of the transmitter and the receiver in the same opto-electronic head, although advantageous, cannot constitute a limitation to the mode of remote detection of the position of the control lever for printing or not printing an advertising flame.

Similarly, with regard to the label dispenser, the illustrated embodiment, although preferential, has been given only by way of example. In particular, it will be noted that in the label dispenser the ribbon is driven and maintained on either side of the knife to ensure its advance as well as that of the label removed and that the means of evacuation of the label removed must be separated from the positive upstream drive means by a distance less than the length of the short labels. To respect this last condition, the evacuation means can no longer be placed after the tape advance detection cells. on the length of the short labels and that of the long labels, but between these two cells. These evacuation means will then no longer be permanently driven but, through a controlled clutch, after the ribbon has been cut and for the duration of the evacuation of the label.

Claims (6)

1. A label dispenser ensuring the picking up of labels on a continuous tape (1) for being printed on, comprising a tape guide path (6), a knife (11) mounted along the path (6), means (10, 12, 31) for intermittantly driving the tape mounted along the path (6) relative to said knife (11) for holding the tape simultaneously downstream and upstream from the knife and for driving it at a given speed of advance, cells (25, 26) for detecting the tape (1) and the labels, these cells being mounted downstream from the knife (11) on the path (6), one cell, referred to as first cell (25) , being disposed at a distance from the knife (11) equal to the length of the first labels, referred to as short labls, and assigned to the detection of an initial position of the tape (1) on its path, means (81) for controlling said drive means (10, 12, 13) and said knife (11) connected to said cells (25, 26) , and means (30, 32, 36) ejecting each cut-off label at an evacuation speed greater than said advance speed, said means being mounted downstream from the first cell and being separated from said drive means (10, 12, 13) by a distance shorter than the length of the short labels, characterized in that said control means (81) comprise an input (88) adapted to receive a signal for selecting either said short labels or second labels, referred to as long labels, to be picked up, as well as a signal detecting the rest position of the knife (11) delivered by a rest detector (45, 46, 47), and to trigger correspondingly sequences for dispensing the desired label on the basis of the signal for detecting said initial tape position and the signal for detecting the rest position of the knife, and in that the dispenser further comprises a second one (216) of said cells (25, 26) mounted at a distance from the knife (11) equal to the length of said long labels and assigned to the detection of a supplementary advance of the tape along the path, from said initial position, prior to the operation of the knife, for picking up each desired long label.
2. A label dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that said intermittently driving means (10, 12) are mounted on either side of the knife and are coupled to a common drive motor (13), and said ejection means are disposed at a smaller distance from the intermittently driving means than the length of the short labels of and are coupled to an independent ejection motor (32).
3. A franking machine, comprising a label dispenser in accordance with claims 1 and 2, coupled to said head for its supply with labels, characterized in that the machine further comprises a print head coupled to a drive means and fitted with first means (64) assigned to the printing of a franking stamp, second means (65) assigned to the printing of a supplementary information, referred to as advertizing slogan, and a control lever, referred to as advertizing lever (67) , coupled to the second means (65) and intended to be placed in a first position of non-printing of the advertizing slogan or in a second position of printing the advertizing slogan, and a detector (80) for sensing the position of said advertizing lever (67), said detector being connected to said control means (81) of the dispenser, the output signal of which constitutes said signal of selecting between short labels and long labels of said dispenser (60).
4. A franking machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said lever position detector (80) comprises a transmitter and a receiver in a common opto-electronic transmitter/receiver head mounted remotely from the advertizing lever (67) , and that said advertizing lever (67) carries a mirror (82) for coupling said transmitter and receiver for the first position only of the lever.
5. A franking machine according to anyone of the claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said ejection means (30, 32, 36) of the label dispenser are coupled to print head the drive means (32), for their synchronized driving.
6. A franking machine according to anyone of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that it comprises, disposed between said ejection means (30, 32, 36) of the label dispenser and said print head, a third cell (40) assigned to the detection of each label delivered and adapted to trigger the driving of said head for printing on said label.

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