EP0432604A1 - Franking machine with integrated conveyor - Google Patents

Franking machine with integrated conveyor Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0432604A1
EP0432604A1 EP90123077A EP90123077A EP0432604A1 EP 0432604 A1 EP0432604 A1 EP 0432604A1 EP 90123077 A EP90123077 A EP 90123077A EP 90123077 A EP90123077 A EP 90123077A EP 0432604 A1 EP0432604 A1 EP 0432604A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conveyor
pulleys
head
driving
franking
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP90123077A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0432604B1 (en
Inventor
Jean-Claude Haroutel
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Quadient Technologies France SA
Original Assignee
Neopost Technologies SA
Alcatel Satman SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
Application filed by Neopost Technologies SA, Alcatel Satman SA filed Critical Neopost Technologies SA
Publication of EP0432604A1 publication Critical patent/EP0432604A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0432604B1 publication Critical patent/EP0432604B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00266—Man-machine interface on the apparatus
    • G07B2017/00274—Mechanical, e.g. keyboard
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00483—Batch processing of mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00524—Printheads
    • G07B2017/00548—Mechanical printhead

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to high-speed franking machines. It relates in particular to franking machines with integrated conveyor which ensures a high speed drive of the franking plies and directly feeds the franking head.
  • this type of franking machine is mounted at the outlet of an automatic mail processing installation or includes a letter storage store equipped with destacker.
  • the carrier is thus supplied by a stream of letters separated from each other which are transmitted progressively to the franking head.
  • These franking machines have a fixed base carrying the conveyor and on which the franking head is mounted, at the end of the conveyor.
  • the head is generally removable on this base. It is connected to the base for signal exchanges with the base.
  • the franking head essentially comprises a rotary printing drum, means for accounting for financial values and associated control circuits.
  • Drive means are mounted in the base and coupled to the conveyor and the head; they train from the same common motor, giving the letters the same speed of advance along the conveyor and under the franking head.
  • the carrier's training is provided continuously; that of the head is ensured for each franking cycle, to which corresponds a rotation on a single turn of the head, through a clutch controlled by a position detection of each letter on the conveyor.
  • the conveyor preferably includes an endless conveyor and a set of pressure rollers associated with the conveyor.
  • the conveyor and the roller assembly have an elastic clearance, one relative to the other for the advance between them of letters having variable thicknesses.
  • the conveyor In some franking machines with integrated conveyor, the conveyor consists of a smooth belt stretched over a set pulleys.
  • the belt has good adhesion on the pulleys and in particular on the driving pulley; the end pulleys are fitted with flanges to hold the belt in place on their rims.
  • These machines have the advantage of being noisy.
  • they do not allow easy obtaining of a drive of the letters along their conveyor which remains entirely satisfactory, due to the modifications of the adhesion of the belt on the pulleys, in time, as with the conditions. of operation, in particular of feed speed and letter thicknesses.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a franking machine with an integrated conveyor, which has the advantages of the preceding machines without having the disadvantages.
  • the rollers 13A and 13B and needles 14 of the conveyor 3 are fixed while the conveyor 4 is resiliently biased on a support 17.
  • This support 17 is itself fixed by a hinge pin 17A on the rear side part and also locked in position.
  • the counter-roller 15 has elastic play in the base.
  • Means for driving the machine are also housed in this base. They have been globally shown in 18. They comprise a common engine for the whole machine and, in addition, a clutch for the franking head. These drive means are coupled to the rollers 13 and 16, to the conveyor 4 and to the printing drum which they drive, as shown diagrammatically by the coupling link 18A with one of the aforementioned rollers. Given the elastic mounting of the conveyor 4 on its support 17 and the articulation of this support around the axis 17A, it is simply specified that the coupling link of the drive means 18 with the conveyor 4 is a flexible connection or gimbal.
  • the conveyor 3 is driven continuously, once the machine is started; that of the printing drum, on the other hand, is ensured for its rotation on a single turn at each franking cycle, through the clutch. A detection of successive letters arriving near the head controls this clutch and triggers the franking cycle, for each letter.
  • the conveyor 3, with an endless conveyor 4 and rollers 13A, 13B and associated needles 14, is described in detail with particular reference to FIG. 2, as regards its constitution overall and in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 with regard to the conveyor 4.
  • the support 17 has been shown without its front lateral flange, for a clearer representation of the conveyor.
  • the conveyor 4 is constituted by an endless belt, designated by the same reference 4. Its inner face 4A is grooved; it has over its entire width a continuous toothing 40, with multiple V-shaped teeth identical to each other.
  • This belt is mounted tensioned on a driving pulley 20 and a driven pulley 21 adapted to the belt.
  • the driving pulley 20 has a rim having a series of circular grooves 22, which is complementary to the continuous toothing 40 of the belt, over the entire length of this toothing.
  • the driven pulley is for its rim having only a limited series of circular ribs 23 for part of the between teeth of the toothing 40. These ribs 23 are complementary to the between-teeth, but in a much smaller number than that of between - teeth. It is shown with its adjacent ribs 23 and in the only middle part of the rim of the pulley 21, for as many successive inter-teeth of the only middle part of the toothing 40.
  • Intermediate pulleys 25 are mounted on the support 17, between the pulleys 20 and 21. Unlike the pulleys 20 and 21, these intermediate pulleys are smooth.
  • the pulleys 20, 21 and 25 have their rim of length corresponding to the width of the belt; they are without terminal flanges.
  • the belt has its continuous toothing 40 formed of 18 teeth all fitting into the complementary periphery of the pulley 20, the pulley 21 on the other hand only has 3 ribs centered on its median part on which the only middle part of the toothing of the belt.
  • the belt 4 is resiliently biased towards the rollers 13A, 13B and the needles 14 by its two end driving pulleys 20 and driven 21 and the intermediate pulleys 25, which are individually resiliently mounted on the support 17 of the conveyor.
  • This elastic mounting is carried out identically for the driving and driven pulleys 20 and 21.
  • Each of these pulleys 20 and 21 is mounted at the end of a pair of arms, 26A or 26B depending on the pulley, which are articulated opposite on a support axis 27A or 27B secured to the support 17.
  • a spring 28A or 28B urges each pair of arms to put the corresponding pulley in a low limit position towards the roller 13A or 13B.
  • a window 29 in the support 17 allows the vertical movement of the axis of the pulley 20, according to the thickness of the letters.
  • the elastic mounting of the intermediate pulleys 25 is provided directly, for each of them, by a clearance given to the axis 25A of the intermediate pulley considered in a vertical window 30 corresponding to the support 17 and a spring 31 urging it in the low position.
  • intermediate pulleys 25 are of slightly smaller diameter than that of the pulleys 20 and 21, taken at the bottom of the grooves which they present. They individually bias the belt 4 towards the needles 14.
  • the belt 4 has a flat outer face. In the low position of the pulleys 20, 21 and 25 and in the absence of a letter between it and the rollers 13A, 13B and needles 14, the outer face of this belt is stretched and rubs against these rollers and needles.
  • this belt 4 is made of two materials with different characteristics, giving it good grip on the one hand on the pulleys 20 and 21 and on the other hand on the letters.
  • it is constituted by an initial belt 41 grooved on one side, which is the inner face of the belt 4, and receiving on its other side an outer coating 42 specific for the drive of the letters by friction against her.
  • the belt 4 is driven without sliding and well held in place on the driving pulley 20, it is also well held in place on the driven pulley 21 by the limited number of ribs in its middle part, regardless of the reactions of these pulleys and intermediate pulleys at the passage of letters at their level.
  • the driven pulley has no braking effect on the driven belt.
  • the 25 smooth and diameter intermediate pulleys slightly reduced compared to the previous ones have no harmful effect on the belt drive.
  • these pulleys and in particular the intermediate pulleys operate the franking machine without impact of the longitudinal teeth of the inner face of the belt on their rims and therefore with a low and very low noise level compared to previous machines. .

Abstract

The franking machine has an integrated conveyor ensuring supply of mail envelopes to a franking head. It is characterised in that the conveyor comprises an endless belt (4), with a ribbed inner face defining a continuous toothing (40), over its whole width, received on a driving pulley (20) exhibiting a series of grooves (22) which are complementary to the toothing and on a driven pulley (21) exhibiting ribs (23) which are complementary to the inter-tooth spaces of the toothing but fewer in number than the number of spaces.

Description

La présente invention concerne les machines à affranchir de haut débit. Elle porte en particulier sur des machines à affranchir à transporteur intégré qui assure un entraînement à vitesse élevée des plis à affranchir et alimente directement la tête d'affranchissement.The present invention relates to high-speed franking machines. It relates in particular to franking machines with integrated conveyor which ensures a high speed drive of the franking plies and directly feeds the franking head.

De manière courante, ce type de machines à affranchir est monté en sortie d'une installation de traitement automatique de courrier ou comporte un magasin de stockage de lettres équipé en dépileur. Le transporteur est ainsi approvisionné par un flot de lettres séparées les unes des autres qui sont transmises au fur et à mesure à la tête d'affranchissement.Currently, this type of franking machine is mounted at the outlet of an automatic mail processing installation or includes a letter storage store equipped with destacker. The carrier is thus supplied by a stream of letters separated from each other which are transmitted progressively to the franking head.

Ces machines à affranchir sont à base fixe portant le transporteur et sur laquelle est montée la tête d'affranchissement, en bout du transporteur. La tête est en général amovible sur cette base. Elle est raccordée à la base pour des échanges de signaux avec la base.These franking machines have a fixed base carrying the conveyor and on which the franking head is mounted, at the end of the conveyor. The head is generally removable on this base. It is connected to the base for signal exchanges with the base.

La tête d'affranchissement comporte essentiellement un tambour rotatif d'impression, des moyens de comptabilisation de valeurs financières et des circuits de commande associés.The franking head essentially comprises a rotary printing drum, means for accounting for financial values and associated control circuits.

Des moyens d'entraînement sont montés dans la base et couplés au transporteur et à la tête ; ils assurent leur entraînement à partir d'un même moteur commun en donnant une même vitesse d'avance aux lettres le long du transporteur et sous la tête d'affranchissement. L'entraînement du transporteur est assuré en permanence ; celui de la tête est assuré pour chaque cycle d'affranchissement, auquel correspond une rotation sur un seul tour de la tête, à travers un embrayage commandé par une détection de position de chaque lettre sur le transporteur.Drive means are mounted in the base and coupled to the conveyor and the head; they train from the same common motor, giving the letters the same speed of advance along the conveyor and under the franking head. The carrier's training is provided continuously; that of the head is ensured for each franking cycle, to which corresponds a rotation on a single turn of the head, through a clutch controlled by a position detection of each letter on the conveyor.

Le transporteur comporte de préférence un convoyeur sans fin et un ensemble de rouleaux de pression associés au convoyeur. Le convoyeur et l'ensemble de rouleaux présentent un jeu élastique, l'un relativement à l'autre pour l'avance entre eux de lettres ayant des épaisseurs variables.The conveyor preferably includes an endless conveyor and a set of pressure rollers associated with the conveyor. The conveyor and the roller assembly have an elastic clearance, one relative to the other for the advance between them of letters having variable thicknesses.

Dans certaines machines à affranchir à transporteur intégré, le convoyeur est constitué par une courroie lisse tendue sur un ensemble de poulies. La courroie présente une bonne adhérence sur les poulies et en particulier sur la poulie menante ; les poulies terminales sont équipées de flasques pour le maintien en place de la courroie sur leur jante. Ces machines ont l'avantage d'être peu bruyantes. Par contre, elles ne permettent pas l'obtention aisée d'un entraînement des lettres le long de leur convoyeur qui reste entièrement satisfaisant, du fait des modifications de l'adhérence de la courroie sur les poulies, dans le temps, comme avec les conditions de fonctionnement, notamment de vitesse d'avance et d'épaisseurs des lettres.In some franking machines with integrated conveyor, the conveyor consists of a smooth belt stretched over a set pulleys. The belt has good adhesion on the pulleys and in particular on the driving pulley; the end pulleys are fitted with flanges to hold the belt in place on their rims. These machines have the advantage of being noisy. On the other hand, they do not allow easy obtaining of a drive of the letters along their conveyor which remains entirely satisfactory, due to the modifications of the adhesion of the belt on the pulleys, in time, as with the conditions. of operation, in particular of feed speed and letter thicknesses.

Dans d'autres machines à affranchir à transporteur intégré, pour assurer un entraînement sans glissement du convoyeur, celui-ci est constitué par une courroie crantée tendue sur un ensemble de poulies à jante rainurée en correspondance. Si ces machines permettent un entraînement des lettres qui reste satisfaisant, elles sont par contre excessivement bruyantes.In other franking machines with integrated conveyor, to ensure a drive without sliding of the conveyor, the latter is constituted by a toothed belt stretched over a set of pulleys with grooved rim in correspondence. If these machines allow a letter drive which remains satisfactory, they are however excessively noisy.

La présente invention a pour but de réaliser une machine à affranchir à transporteur intégré, qui présente les avantages des machines précédentes sans en présenter les inconvénients.The object of the present invention is to provide a franking machine with an integrated conveyor, which has the advantages of the preceding machines without having the disadvantages.

Elle a donc pour objet une machine à affranchir comportant :

  • un transporteur à courroie sans fin tendue entre une poulie menante et une poulie menée et à contre-partie de pression associée, assurant l'entraînement de plis de courrier à affranchir,
  • une tête d'affranchissement,
  • une base fixe portant ledit transporteur et ladite tête, avec ladite tête montée en bout du transporteur pour recevoir directement les plis du transporteur,
  • des moyens d'entraînement du transporteur et de la tête logés dans la base, donnant une même vitesse d'avance aux plis le long du transporteur et sous la tête,
    caractérisée en ce que ladite courroie sans fin est à face intérieure rainurée définissant une denture continue à dents multiples sur sa largeur, en ce que ladite poulie menante comporte une série gorges circulaires complémentaire de la denture continue et dans laquelle s'encastrent les dents respectives de la denture, et en ce que ladite poulie menée présente des nervures circulaires complémentaires mais en nombre restreint par rapport aux entre-dents de ladite denture continue.
    Les caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention apparaîtront clairement au cours de la description donnée ci-après d'un exemple de réalisation illustré dans les dessins ci-annexés. Dans ces dessins :
  • La figure 1 est une vue schématique d'ensemble en perspective de la machine à affranchir à transporteur intégré selon la présente invention,
  • la figure 2 est une vue en élévation montrant le transporteur, sans le flasque support avant, de la machine selon la figure 1,
  • les figures 3A et 3B sont des vues de dessus à échelle agrandie de la partie A et de partie B de la figure 2, avec la poulie concernée partiellement coupée,
  • la figure 4 est une vue à échelle agrandie de la courroie du transporteur selon la figure 2, représentée coupée.
    La machine à affranchir à transporteur intégré représentée dans la figure 1 est d'organisation générale qui est en tant que telle connue. Elle comporte :
  • un magasin de stockage 1, pour recevoir une pile de lettres à affranchir,
  • un ensemble de dépilage 2, monté sur la face avant du magasin de stockage qu'il équipe en dépileur, pour délivrer les lettres séparées unitairement,
  • un transporteur 3, à convoyeur sans fin 4, décrit plus en détail ci-après, recevant les lettres séparées les unes des autres du magasin équipé en dépileur,
  • une tête d'affranchissement 5, du type à tambour rotatif d'impression 5A, recevant les lettres directement de transporteur 3,
  • une base fixe 6, portant le magasin 1 et le transporteur 3, tous deux montés fixes sur la base, et portant la tête d'affranchissement 5, de préférence montée amovible.
La base 6 est à plate-forme supérieure horizontale 7 et à partie latérale arrière 8, saillante sur la plate-forme. La plate-forme définit le plan d'avance des lettres dans la machine. Un couvercle 9 ferme la machine ; il présente des fenêtres convenables non référencées, pour un clavier 10 et un écran d'affichage 11 montés sur la tête d'affranchissement et pour un ensemble de commande 12 à écran et clavier de la machine.It therefore relates to a franking machine comprising:
  • an endless belt conveyor tensioned between a driving pulley and a driven pulley and with associated pressure counterpart, ensuring the mail plies to be franked,
  • a franking head,
  • a fixed base carrying said conveyor and said head, with said head mounted at the end of the conveyor to directly receive the folds of the conveyor,
  • means for driving the conveyor and the head housed in the base, giving the same speed of advance to the folds along the conveyor and under the head,
    characterized in that said endless belt has a grooved inner face defining a continuous toothing with multiple teeth over its width, in that said driving pulley comprises a series of circular grooves complementary to the continuous toothing and in which the respective teeth of the teeth, and in that said driven pulley has complementary circular ribs but in limited number with respect to the inter-teeth of said continuous toothing.
    The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear during the description given below of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings. In these drawings:
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic overall view in perspective of the franking machine with integrated conveyor according to the present invention,
  • FIG. 2 is an elevation view showing the conveyor, without the front support flange, of the machine according to FIG. 1,
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are top views on an enlarged scale of part A and part B of FIG. 2, with the pulley concerned partially cut off,
  • Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the conveyor belt according to Figure 2, shown cut.
    The franking machine with integrated conveyor shown in Figure 1 is of general organization which is as such known. It involves :
  • a storage store 1, to receive a stack of letters to be franked,
  • an unstacking assembly 2, mounted on the front face of the storage magazine which it equips in unstacker, for delivering the letters separated individually,
  • a conveyor 3, with an endless conveyor 4, described in more detail below, receiving the letters separated from each other from the store equipped with destacker,
  • a franking head 5, of the rotary printing drum type 5A, receiving the letters directly from the carrier 3,
  • a fixed base 6, carrying the magazine 1 and the conveyor 3, both mounted fixed on the base, and carrying the franking head 5, preferably removably mounted.
The base 6 has a horizontal upper platform 7 and a rear lateral part 8, projecting from the platform. The platform defines the plan for advancing letters in the machine. A cover 9 close the machine; it has suitable windows which are not referenced, for a keyboard 10 and a display screen 11 mounted on the franking head and for a control assembly 12 with screen and keyboard of the machine.

Dans la base 6 sont montés deux rouleaux 13A et 13B et de très petits rouleaux intermédiaires dits aiguilles 14, appartenant au transporteur 3, un contre-rouleau 15 pour le tambour rotatif 5A de la tête d'affranchissement et un ou des rouleaux tels que 16 pour l'ensemble de dépilage 2. Ils affleurent sur la face supérieure de la plate-forme. Les rouleaux 13A et 13B et aiguilles 14 du transporteur 3 sont fixes alors que le convoyeur 4 est sollicité élastiquement sur un support 17. Ce support 17 est lui-même fixé par un axe d'articulation 17A sur la partie latérale arrière et par ailleurs verrouillé en position. Le contre-rouleau 15 présente quant à lui un jeu élastique dans la base.In the base 6 are mounted two rollers 13A and 13B and very small intermediate rollers called needles 14, belonging to the conveyor 3, a counter-roller 15 for the rotary drum 5A of the franking head and one or more rollers such as 16 for the unstacking assembly 2. They are flush with the upper face of the platform. The rollers 13A and 13B and needles 14 of the conveyor 3 are fixed while the conveyor 4 is resiliently biased on a support 17. This support 17 is itself fixed by a hinge pin 17A on the rear side part and also locked in position. The counter-roller 15 has elastic play in the base.

Des moyens d'entraînement de la machine sont également logés dans cette base. Ils ont été globalement schématisés en 18. Ils comportent un moteur commun pour l'ensemble de la machine et, en plus, un embrayage pour la tête d'affranchissement. Ces moyens d'entraînement sont couplés aux rouleaux 13 et 16, au convoyeur 4 et au tambour d'impression qu'ils entraînent, ainsi que schématisés par la liaison de couplage 18A avec l'un des rouleaux précités. Compte tenu du montage élastique du convoyeur 4 sur son support 17 et de l'articulation de ce support autour de l'axe 17A, on précise simplement que la liaison de couplage des moyens d'entraînement 18 avec le convoyeur 4 est une liaison souple ou à cardan.Means for driving the machine are also housed in this base. They have been globally shown in 18. They comprise a common engine for the whole machine and, in addition, a clutch for the franking head. These drive means are coupled to the rollers 13 and 16, to the conveyor 4 and to the printing drum which they drive, as shown diagrammatically by the coupling link 18A with one of the aforementioned rollers. Given the elastic mounting of the conveyor 4 on its support 17 and the articulation of this support around the axis 17A, it is simply specified that the coupling link of the drive means 18 with the conveyor 4 is a flexible connection or gimbal.

L'entraînement du transporteur 3 est assuré en permanence, une fois la machine mise en marche ; celui du tambour d'impression est par contre assuré pour sa rotation sur un seul tour à chaque cycle d'affranchissement, à travers l'embrayage. Une détection des lettres successives arrivant à proximité de la tête commande cet embrayage et déclenche le cycle d'affranchissement, pour chaque lettre.The conveyor 3 is driven continuously, once the machine is started; that of the printing drum, on the other hand, is ensured for its rotation on a single turn at each franking cycle, through the clutch. A detection of successive letters arriving near the head controls this clutch and triggers the franking cycle, for each letter.

Le transporteur 3, à convoyeur sans fin 4 et à rouleaux 13A, 13B et aiguilles 14 associés, est décrit en détail en se référant plus particulièrement à la figure 2, en ce qui concerne sa constitution globale et aux figures 3A, 3B et 4 en ce qui concerne le convoyeur 4. Dans la figure 2, le support 17 a été représenté sans son flasque latéral avant, pour une représentation plus claire du transporteur.The conveyor 3, with an endless conveyor 4 and rollers 13A, 13B and associated needles 14, is described in detail with particular reference to FIG. 2, as regards its constitution overall and in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 with regard to the conveyor 4. In FIG. 2, the support 17 has been shown without its front lateral flange, for a clearer representation of the conveyor.

Le convoyeur 4 est constitué par une courroie sans fin, désignée par la même référence 4. Sa face intérieure 4A est rainurée ; elle présente sur toute sa largeur une denture continue 40, à dents multiples en V identiques les unes aux autres. Cette courroie est montée tendue sur une poulie menante 20 et une poulie menée 21 adaptées à la courroie.The conveyor 4 is constituted by an endless belt, designated by the same reference 4. Its inner face 4A is grooved; it has over its entire width a continuous toothing 40, with multiple V-shaped teeth identical to each other. This belt is mounted tensioned on a driving pulley 20 and a driven pulley 21 adapted to the belt.

La poulie menante 20 est à jante présentant une série de gorges circulaires 22, qui est complémentaire de la denture continue 40 de la courroie, sur toute la longueur de cette denture. La poulie menée est quant à elle à jante ne présentant qu'une série limitée de nervures circulaires 23 pour une partie des entre dents de le denture 40. Ces nervures 23 sont complémentaires des entre-dents, mais en nombre nettement moindre que celui des entre-dents. Elle est montrée avec ses nervures 23 adjacentes et dans la seule partie médiane de la jante de la poulie 21, pour autant d'entre-dents successives de la seule partie médiane de la denture 40.The driving pulley 20 has a rim having a series of circular grooves 22, which is complementary to the continuous toothing 40 of the belt, over the entire length of this toothing. The driven pulley is for its rim having only a limited series of circular ribs 23 for part of the between teeth of the toothing 40. These ribs 23 are complementary to the between-teeth, but in a much smaller number than that of between - teeth. It is shown with its adjacent ribs 23 and in the only middle part of the rim of the pulley 21, for as many successive inter-teeth of the only middle part of the toothing 40.

Des poulies intermédiaires 25 sont montées sur le support 17, entre les poulies 20 et 21. Contrairement aux poulies 20 et 21, ces poulies intermédiaires sont lisses.Intermediate pulleys 25 are mounted on the support 17, between the pulleys 20 and 21. Unlike the pulleys 20 and 21, these intermediate pulleys are smooth.

Les poulies 20, 21 et 25 ont leur jante de longueur correspondant à la largeur de la courroie ; elles sont sans flasques terminaux.The pulleys 20, 21 and 25 have their rim of length corresponding to the width of the belt; they are without terminal flanges.

Dans la réalisation donnée, la courroie a sa denture continue 40 formée de 18 dents s'encastrant toutes dans la périphérie complémentaire de la poulie 20, la poulie 21 ne présente par contre que 3 nervures centrées sur sa partie médiane sur lesquelles s'encastrent la seule partie médiane de la denture de la courroie.In the given embodiment, the belt has its continuous toothing 40 formed of 18 teeth all fitting into the complementary periphery of the pulley 20, the pulley 21 on the other hand only has 3 ribs centered on its median part on which the only middle part of the toothing of the belt.

La courroie 4 est sollicitée élastiquement vers les rouleaux 13A, 13B et les aiguilles 14 par ses deux poulies terminales menante 20 et menée 21 et les poulies intermédiaires 25, qui sont individuellement montées de manière élastique sur le support 17 du convoyeur.The belt 4 is resiliently biased towards the rollers 13A, 13B and the needles 14 by its two end driving pulleys 20 and driven 21 and the intermediate pulleys 25, which are individually resiliently mounted on the support 17 of the conveyor.

Ce montage élastique est réalisé identiquement pour les poulies menante et menée 20 et 21. Chacune de ces poulies 20 et 21 est montée en bout d'une paire de bras, 26A ou 26B selon la poulie, qui sont articulés à l'opposé sur un axe support 27A ou 27B solidaire du support 17. Un ressort 28A ou 28B sollicite chaque paire de bras pour la mise de la poulie correspondante dans une position basse limite vers le rouleau 13A ou 13B. Une fenêtre 29 dans le support 17 permet le débattement vertical de l'axe de la poulie 20, selon l'épaisseur des lettres.This elastic mounting is carried out identically for the driving and driven pulleys 20 and 21. Each of these pulleys 20 and 21 is mounted at the end of a pair of arms, 26A or 26B depending on the pulley, which are articulated opposite on a support axis 27A or 27B secured to the support 17. A spring 28A or 28B urges each pair of arms to put the corresponding pulley in a low limit position towards the roller 13A or 13B. A window 29 in the support 17 allows the vertical movement of the axis of the pulley 20, according to the thickness of the letters.

Le montage élastique des poulies intermédiaires 25 est assuré directement, pour chacune d'elles, par un jeu donné à l'axe 25A de la poulie intermédiaire considérée dans une fenêtre verticale 30 correspondante du support 17 et un ressort 31 le sollicitant en position basse.The elastic mounting of the intermediate pulleys 25 is provided directly, for each of them, by a clearance given to the axis 25A of the intermediate pulley considered in a vertical window 30 corresponding to the support 17 and a spring 31 urging it in the low position.

En outre en regard de cette figure 2, on voit que les poulies intermédiaires 25 sont de diamètre légèrement inférieur à celui des poulies 20 et 21, pris au fond des gorges qu'elles présentent. Elles sollicitent individuellement la courroie 4 vers les aiguilles 14.In addition with regard to this FIG. 2, it can be seen that the intermediate pulleys 25 are of slightly smaller diameter than that of the pulleys 20 and 21, taken at the bottom of the grooves which they present. They individually bias the belt 4 towards the needles 14.

La courroie 4 est à face extérieure plane. En position basse des poulies 20, 21 et 25 et en l'absence de lettre entre elle et les rouleaux 13A, 13B et aiguilles 14, la face extérieure de cette courroie est tendue et frotte contre ces rouleaux et aiguilles.The belt 4 has a flat outer face. In the low position of the pulleys 20, 21 and 25 and in the absence of a letter between it and the rollers 13A, 13B and needles 14, the outer face of this belt is stretched and rubs against these rollers and needles.

Avantageusement, les faces intérieure et extérieure de cette courroie 4 sont en deux matériaux de caractéristiques différentes, lui donnant une bonne adhérence d'une part sur les poulies 20 et 21 et d'autre part sur les lettres. Comme représenté dans la figure 4, elle est constituée par une courroie initiale 41 rainurée sur une seule face, qui est la face intérieure de la courroie 4, et recevant sur son autre face un revêtement extérieur 42 spécifique pour l'entraînement des lettres par friction contre elle.Advantageously, the inner and outer faces of this belt 4 are made of two materials with different characteristics, giving it good grip on the one hand on the pulleys 20 and 21 and on the other hand on the letters. As shown in Figure 4, it is constituted by an initial belt 41 grooved on one side, which is the inner face of the belt 4, and receiving on its other side an outer coating 42 specific for the drive of the letters by friction against her.

La courroie 4 est entraînée sans glissement et bien maintenue en place sur la poulie menante 20, elle est également bien maintenue en place sur la poulie menée 21 par le nombre limité de nervures de sa partie médiane, ceci quelles que soient les réactions de ces poulies et des poulies intermédiaires au passage des lettres à leur niveau.The belt 4 is driven without sliding and well held in place on the driving pulley 20, it is also well held in place on the driven pulley 21 by the limited number of ribs in its middle part, regardless of the reactions of these pulleys and intermediate pulleys at the passage of letters at their level.

La poulie menée n'apporte aucun effet de freinage sur la courroie entraînée. De même les poulies intermédiaires 25 lisses et de diamètre légèrement réduit par rapport aux précédentes restent sans effet nuisible sur l'entraînement de la courroie. En outre, ces poulies et en particulier les poulies intermédiaires assurent un fonctionnement de la machine à affranchir sans choc des dents longitudinales de la face intérieure de la courroie sur leurs jantes et donc avec un niveau de bruit faible et très réduit par rapport aux machines antérieures.The driven pulley has no braking effect on the driven belt. Likewise the 25 smooth and diameter intermediate pulleys slightly reduced compared to the previous ones have no harmful effect on the belt drive. In addition, these pulleys and in particular the intermediate pulleys operate the franking machine without impact of the longitudinal teeth of the inner face of the belt on their rims and therefore with a low and very low noise level compared to previous machines. .

Claims (4)

Machine à affranchir comportant : - un transporteur à courroie sans fin tendue entre une poulie menante et une poulie menée et à contre-partie de pression associée, assurant l'entraînement de plis de courrier à affranchir, - une tête d'affranchissement, - une base fixe portant ledit transporteur et ladite tête, avec ladite tête montée en bout du transporteur pour recevoir directement les plis du transporteur, - des moyens d'entraînement du transporteur et de la tête logés dans la base, donnant une même vitesse d'avance aux plis le long du transporteur et sous la tête,
caractérisée en ce que ladite courroie sans fin (4) est à face intérieure rainurée définissant une denture continue (40) à dents multiples sur sa largeur, en ce que ladite poulie menante (20) comporte une série gorges circulaires (22) complémentaire de la denture continue et dans laquelle s'encastrent les dents respectives de la denture, et en ce que ladite poulie menée (21) présente des nervures circulaires (23) complémentaires mais en nombre restreint par rapport aux entre-dents de ladite denture continue (40). Franking machine comprising: - an endless belt conveyor tensioned between a driving pulley and a driven pulley and with associated pressure counterpart, ensuring the mail plies to be franked, - a franking head, a fixed base carrying said conveyor and said head, with said head mounted at the end of the conveyor to directly receive the folds of the conveyor, - means for driving the conveyor and the head housed in the base, giving the same speed of advance to the folds along the conveyor and under the head,
characterized in that said endless belt (4) has a grooved inner face defining a continuous toothing (40) with multiple teeth over its width, in that said driving pulley (20) comprises a series of circular grooves (22) complementary to the continuous toothing and in which the respective teeth of the toothing are embedded, and in that said driven pulley (21) has circular ribs (23) complementary but in limited number compared to the between-teeth of said continuous toothing (40) . Machine à affranchir selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que lesdites nervures (23) forment une série de nervures adjacentes, dans la seule partie médiane de ladite poulie menée (21) pour autant d'entre-dents successifs de la partie médiane de la courroie (4).Franking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said ribs (23) form a series of adjacent ribs, in the single middle part of said driven pulley (21) for as many successive inter-teeth of the middle part of the belt (4). Machine à affranchir selon l'une des revendications 1 et 2, caractérisée en ce que lesdites poulies menante et menée (20, 21) sont à bords sans flasque.Franking machine according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said driving and driven pulleys (20, 21) have edges without flange. Machine à affranchir selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3 et comportant, en outre, dans le transporteur, des poulies intermédiaires pour ladite courroie, avec lesdites poulies menante, menée et intermédiaires sollicitées élastiquemenent vers ladite contre-partie de pression, caractérisée en ce que lesdites poulies intermédiaires (25) sont des poulies lisses et de diamètre sensiblement inférieur à celui des poulies menante et menée (20, 21).Franking machine according to one of claims 1 to 3 and further comprising, in the conveyor, intermediate pulleys for said belt, with said driving, driven and intermediate pulleys elastically biased towards said pressure counterpart, characterized in that that said intermediate pulleys (25) are smooth pulleys and of diameter substantially smaller than that of the driving and driven pulleys (20, 21).
EP19900123077 1989-12-08 1990-12-03 Franking machine with integrated conveyor Expired - Lifetime EP0432604B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8916249A FR2655752B1 (en) 1989-12-08 1989-12-08 POSTAGE MACHINE WITH INTEGRATED CONVEYOR.
FR8916249 1989-12-08

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EP0432604A1 true EP0432604A1 (en) 1991-06-19
EP0432604B1 EP0432604B1 (en) 1994-06-08

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Cited By (5)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5121916A (en) * 1991-03-06 1992-06-16 Pitney Bowes Inc. Article of manufacture for use in letter processing apparatus
GB2261404B (en) * 1991-10-08 1995-03-15 Mannesmann Ag A printer
US5740728A (en) * 1996-09-23 1998-04-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mailing machine
EP0972645A1 (en) * 1998-07-16 2000-01-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Belt drive arrangement
EP1431925A3 (en) * 2002-12-19 2006-06-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Transport mechanism for a mailing machine and method to register a mail piece in a mailing machine

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DE19823359C1 (en) * 1998-05-15 1999-10-07 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Apparatus for printing on items of postage esp. a franking or addressing machine

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US3980174A (en) * 1975-10-10 1976-09-14 Dynaloc Corporation Closed loop ribbed belt/grooved pulley conveyor system
FR2341075A1 (en) * 1976-02-16 1977-09-09 Renault SPEED REDUCER, ESPECIALLY FOR DRIVING A PROPELLER
GB2005622A (en) * 1977-10-11 1979-04-25 Pitney Bowes Inc A movable imprinting deck for a postage meter system
DE3229061A1 (en) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-16 Ruhrkohle Ag, 4300 Essen Belt band conveyor with guide elements

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DE1290748B (en) * 1960-03-09 1969-03-13 Hennequin Maurice Franking machine
US3980174A (en) * 1975-10-10 1976-09-14 Dynaloc Corporation Closed loop ribbed belt/grooved pulley conveyor system
FR2341075A1 (en) * 1976-02-16 1977-09-09 Renault SPEED REDUCER, ESPECIALLY FOR DRIVING A PROPELLER
GB2005622A (en) * 1977-10-11 1979-04-25 Pitney Bowes Inc A movable imprinting deck for a postage meter system
DE3229061A1 (en) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-16 Ruhrkohle Ag, 4300 Essen Belt band conveyor with guide elements

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5121916A (en) * 1991-03-06 1992-06-16 Pitney Bowes Inc. Article of manufacture for use in letter processing apparatus
EP0502743A2 (en) * 1991-03-06 1992-09-09 Pitney Bowes, Inc. An article of manufacture for use in letter processing apparatus
EP0502743A3 (en) * 1991-03-06 1995-02-01 Pitney Bowes Inc An article of manufacture for use in letter processing apparatus
GB2261404B (en) * 1991-10-08 1995-03-15 Mannesmann Ag A printer
US5740728A (en) * 1996-09-23 1998-04-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mailing machine
EP0831428A3 (en) * 1996-09-23 2000-05-24 Pitney Bowes, Inc. Mailing machine
EP0972645A1 (en) * 1998-07-16 2000-01-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Belt drive arrangement
US6123473A (en) * 1998-07-16 2000-09-26 Hewlett-Packard Company Belt drive arrangement for a printhead carriage
EP1431925A3 (en) * 2002-12-19 2006-06-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Transport mechanism for a mailing machine and method to register a mail piece in a mailing machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0432604B1 (en) 1994-06-08
FR2655752A1 (en) 1991-06-14
FR2655752B1 (en) 1992-12-31

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