GB895627A - - Google Patents

Abstract

895,627. Stamp-cancelling machines; feeding sheets. PITNEY-BOWES Inc. Dec. 14, 1959 [Dec. 31, 1958], No. 42464/59. Classes 100(1) and 100(2) [Also in Group XXX] A stamp cancelling machine comprises a feed table and a receiving table both of which support letters on their longitudinal edges, and means between the tables which advances letters from the feed table to the receiving table and simultaneously inverts each letter on a longitudinal axis. 'The machine has two cancelling units 10, 11 through each of which letters can be fed in a vertical position, stamps on either side of the letters adjacent to the lower edges thereof being sensed by devices 17, 18 and cancelled by dies 15, 16. Letters are fed from a stack 23a and through the cancelling unit 10 by belts 13. Gates 19 at the delivery end of the belts 13 are controlled by the sensing devices 17, 18 and if a stamp on a letter has been cancelled the gates deflect the letter into one of two stacking compartments 20, 21. If no cancellation has been made the letter is directed out of the unit 10 between feed rollers 22. Thereafter the letter passes through a device 12 which inverts it and is then fed through the cancelling unit 11 which functions in the same way as the unit 10; any letters directed out of the unit 11 between the feed rollers 22 have received no cancellation and are formed into a stack 25a. The device 12 has a base plate 26 on which are mounted a feed table 28 and a receiving table 39. A pair of posts 29 and a. pair of posts 30 are mounted on the base plate and carry at their top ends pulleys 31, 32 respectively which support an endless rubber or like belt 33 of circular cross-section, one or both of the pulleys being driven. The belt 33 is so disposed about the pulleys that the sections 33a, 33b travel in substantially the same direction and contact each other over a helical line. Additional guide pulleys 35, 36 are provided for the belt sections 33a, 33b. A letter L deposited on the feed table 28 by the rollers 22 is fed into the nip of the belt sections 33a, 33b which grip it about its longitudinal median line, if it is of normal size, and advance it towards the pulleys 32, the letter being inverted in the course of such advance owing to the helical line contact of the belt sections. The posts 30 are no longer than the posts 29 so as to allow for the inversion of a letter L<SP>1</SP> which is taller than normal. At the delivery end of the belt 33 the letter is gripped between two pairs of inclined rotating brushes 40, 41 which move it forwards and downwards until its lower edge contacts the receiving table 39 and its leading edge enters the nip of the belts 13 of the cancelling unit 11.