US2521023A - Interlock structure for postage - Google Patents

Description

P 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 29, 1940 IN VE N TORS COMMODORE D. RYAN FRANK P. .SAGE'R DEC. HARRY L. SAGE/"i EX. ERNEST R. BERGMARK HERSCHEL L.ATHEPTON Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES INVENTOR COMMODORE D. RYAN FRANK P. SAGE/Q DEC. HARRY L. SAGER EX. ERNEsT R. BERG/MARK HERSCHEL L. ATHERTON Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April {29, 1940 12 Sheet s-Sheet 3 IN VE N TORS COM/V100 ORE D. R YA N FRANK P. SAGE/Q DEC. HARRY L. SAGER EX.

ERNEST R.5ERGMARK HERSCHEL L.ATHERTON mm amfim ma Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN El AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 COMMODORE D. RYAN FRANK F. AGE/Q DEC. HARRY L. sAGER EX. ERNEST R. BERG/MARK HERSCHEL L. ATHERTON p 1950 c. D. RYAN El AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed A ril 29, 1940 ERNEST k. BERGMAR'K HERSCHEL L.A7'HERTON Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN El AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29; 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS COMMODORE 0. RYAN FRANK F2 SAGER 05c. HARRY L. SAGE/Q EX. ERNEST R. BERGMARK BY HERSCHEL L.ATHERTON p 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet '7 IN VENTOR5 COMMODORE D. RYAN FRANK P. SAGER DEC HARRY L.SAGER 5x. ERNES T R. BERG/MARK HER$ CHEL 1.. ATHERTON BY MA 7M P 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 WWW.

was we 7 INVENTORS COMMODORE 0. RYAN FRANK SAGER DEC. HARRY L. SAGER EX. ERNEST R.BERGMARK. HERSCHEL L. ATHERTON 'llllmgggm illllmllllll Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1940 12 Shee.ts$heet 9 INVENTORS COMMODORE D. RYAN FRANK R. SAGER DEC; HARRY L. SAGER EX. ERNEST R. BERGMARK BY HERSCHEL L. ATHERTON Sept 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29; 1940 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 ur; "i 5 1 i /I' i I" fur /NVENTOR5 OMMODORE CIRYAN FRANK P. SAGER DEC.

EX. ERNEST R- BERG/MARK HERSCHEL L.ATHERTON Sept. 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES M/VENTORS COMMODORE 0. RYAN FRANK P- :M GER 05c. HARRY L. SAGER EX. ERNEST R. BERG/MARK. HERSCHEL 1. ATHER TON Sept. 5, 1950 c. D. RYAN ET AL 2,521,023

' INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed April 29, 1940 v 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 i a I 1 F 4 c) m|||||||||||||||||m IN VE N TORS COMM ODQRE 0. RYAN FRA N/r R 5A GER 050 HA RRY L. SAGER EX.

ERNEST RBERGMAEK g HERSCHEL L.,4 THE/If TON Patented Sept. 5, 1950 INTERLOCK STRUCTURE FOR POSTAGE 'f PRINTING MACHINES Commodore D. Ryan, Los Angeles, Calif., Frank- P. Sager, deceased, late of Alhambra, Calif., by

Harry L. Sager, executor, Alhambra,

and

Herschel L. Atherton and Ernest R. Bergmark, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Commercial Controls, Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 29, 1940, Serial No.

332,305. Divided and this application December 1, 1944, Serial No. 566,070

3 Claims. (Cl. 10191) This invention relates to a mail treating machine, and more particularly to an envelope sealing mechanism therefor, together with locking mechanism to prevent fraudulent use of the postage printing device incorporated in such machine.

A mail treating machine, to be commercially acceptable, should, among other things, be capable of sealing and stamping envelopes at a high rate of speed in order to be capable of handling a large amount of mail in a relatively short time. In spite of such high speed operation, however, it is of utmost importance that the envelopes not only be securely sealed to prevent tampering of the contents thereof, but also that .the postage printing mechanism, i. e. the postage meter, be so locked during the stamping and sealing operations as positively to preclude the taking of fraudulent impressions from the printing die.

Machines of this character usually include what might be termed a power unit, which supports and drives the meter. The meter is usually of such a character that when it is in normal or rest position, i. e. when the value printing die is in its rest position at the beginning of the printing cycle, the die is inaccessible whether the meter is on or off at the power unit, andaccordingly not available for fraudulent use. When, however, the die is in the printing position, during its cycle of operation, it would be available for fraudulent use were it possible to detach the Other objects will In the drawing, wherein we have shown one embodiment of our invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating the retractable sealing roller; 1

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and illustrative of the relation between the final sealing roller and the printing drum;

Figure l is a section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 corresponds generally to Figure 3, except that Figure 5 includes a portion of the tape feeding device and illustrates the manner in which the pressure roller is automatically released to swing to its retracted position, as shown in dotted lines, when the tape feeding device is moved to its operative feeding position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmental sectional View taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 8, to show the manner in which the meter is mounted on the power unit just prior to clamping the meter into its operative position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, which shows a meter locked in its operative position on the power unit;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to the section shown in Figure 2, showing the right-hand end of the machine from which the end cover plate has been removed, and showing in greater detail the meter locking mechanism shown in dotted lines in Figures 6 and '7, and also showing the mechanism which releases the sealing roller for movement into its retracted position when the meter is unlocked from the I power unit;

Figure 11A is a fragmentary vertical section taken through the meter substantially along the line I lA--l IA of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a composite view illustrating one of the meter interlocks by which the clutch tripping mechanism is disabledwhen the meter is removed from the power unit;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the meter lock in its unlocked position;

and,

Figure 14 is similar to Figure 13, but illustrates the meter lock in its locked position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views of the drawing. f

This application is a division of the co-pending application of Frank P. Sager et al.', SerialNo.

P 332,305, filed April 29, 1940 which issued on March 6, 1945 as Patent No. 2,371,070. The said a 3 Sager et a1. a pnaauon discloses a mail treating machine which is an all purpose machine, i. e. a machine readily adjusted to treating all types or classes of mail matter, including first, second and third class mail, registered mail and parcel post, and for printing any one of a wide range of postage values for all oftheabove classes of mail matter in parcel post. i The {manners capable of treating the above classes of. mail matter at high speed and under fullcontrol and protection against waste of postage'or unauthor ized use and may be easily and conveniently aujusted to seal and stamp, or stamp without sealing, or seal without stamping envelopes of various lengths, widths and thicknesses,

The description to follow will, accordingly, be directed primarily to the final sealing and ejecting mechanism which receives envelopes siibseguent to the printing operation, and seals and ejects them into fa suitable receptacle; to a lockiijfg 'iri'echanis'fnby which the control mechanism the-powerunit islocked whenthe-meter is uriigsckeii for removal from the power unit; and'to an 'irifter-lock'device 'bywhich the meter is locked anther-1e power unit during the printing cycle to prevent removal thereof for fraudulent use. I ik'sshown "in Figure 1, the machine includes generally the following major elements and instrumentalities which, for"convenierme, are identified by the general reference numeralspreceding each: I511, frame structure; til, feding ate ie i 52, 's'trip'per conveyor feeding system for "the mail matter; F 1, envelope "flap moistening device; I55, power plant ahd'driving mechanism; F56, tape f eedin'g'fi'evice P5 'Limet'er l '5" 8,ink feeding mechanism-meme rneter, 311i, fin'a 'salingandejectiii'g device.

neraljthe operation of themachiha' wheh 'ajHJuSted tNsaland 'stahip erivelopesfis as follows: A stack of envelopes [66 "isplaced' within fe'c'lihg hoppe a andi's fed therefromoneby t e "bye, "feeding device "(not 'sho'wn) through stripper 152 "which assures=-de1iver or the envelopes individually to conveyor I53. The c'o'nvyor" anwers't e envempesto the'- prin'tingdrum of meter T5! jwhich Stamps the proper postage value oh theenvelope delivers it to the-final sealing and ejecting dev ce 3l0. Thishevice "se- "emer -"presse theiInoiste'neil *fl'apbf the envelope gainstthe envelope'backto assuref-a 'tigm seal theihetween, and delivers th'e "sealed "and stamped envelope i'nto 'a receiving epper generally indicated at 311. shown in Figure 3, the sealing and ejecting device-3' l'fi includes "a driven rubper tired roller33 8 carried by a shaft 339 journalediha bracket 3'43 suitably fastened to the leit "side cover'plate 34! 'of fra'me 'il fifl (neared). "Referring back to Figure 3,}thernach'ine isprdvifded with a platen 3'29 rotatably' ount'ed'fonashaft 32 6jdisposed below the printing -drufnfi33'2 "f the "meter. Shaft326 (Figurefcarries a step uiley 24 4, while shaft 33fi has-fas tehed thefeto "akpt'rlley 34 3,pulleys244 and fffl "being con'nec By a driving belt 34-4. Shaft ---32s is ar'ivn b'y powerunit of the machine, and accordinglyfthis shaft, "through the medium of new 54 "Eli ves s t. 9. a d' ce d n l the n 338 'over which the enxielopes passas green in Figure 3. Thus,'when anenveliipe is' delivered ol ler to roller 33B byplaten 32 9,the advance offft lie "envelopeis continued,subsequent toits p sing from between plate'nf329 fan'd printingdriiin 332 roller 339 which finally je'cts the eiw idse "intore'ceivi'ng 'msppersir (Figural) shown 4 in Figure 2 we preferably provide a belt tightenrag roller 3 which is mounted on *the underside of an envelope supporting plate 336, and which acts to maintain sufiicient tension in the "driving belt 344.

*Coopera'ting with roller 338 (Figures 3 and 4) are a pair of spring-weighted pressure rollers, the first ofjwhich may be referred to as a creasing roller 346 (Figure 4) and the second of which may be referred to as a sealing roller 313i. 7 lhe creasing roller 3% is relatively narrow in width 'to engage only the flap edge of the envelope and press it against rubber roller 338 to complete the creasingand assist in the sealing of the flap. Sealing roller 347 is'o'f greater width and firmly presses the envelope against rubber roller 338 to press the moistened flap of the envelope against the body thereof to eiiect the final sealing. This roller organization also operates to eject the treated in'ail matter from the machine.

To prevent sealing roller 3 3-7 from-contacting the newly printed stamp on the envelope and thereby smearing the impression, "portion 348 thereof is of 'sufiiciently reduced diameter to clear the newly printed stamp.

flr'ea'sin'g roller "3% is'swingablymounted with rel'at1on to-the main sealing roller $33 to'provide fbrilifie'rentthicknesses of mail matter passing between these two-rollers. Thus, creasing roller 336 is 'rotatablymounted in the bifurcated free end of a hinge plate 349 the bifurcationsof the plate "being bent to :form vertical bearingflanges 350. An-axle carried by bearing flanges'35ll, rotatably supports creasing roller 3%. The lefthand'end of swing -pl'ate3 l9,-as viewedin Figure 4, isg-bent to form a' pair of spaced verticalfianges 352 for'hingedly mounting this end of the plate to a-hinge'pi'n 353, which pin is-smnported ina bracket'354(seealso-Figure 3).

A-"torsionspring 355 (Figure 4) encircles hinge pin 353=and acts between the hinge plate and bracket to :yieldingly urge creasing roller 3 16 'agaihst--sealing rol-ler 338. The innermost of the two bearing flanges *350 is flanged rearwardly 'Withthesealing roller so as not to wear unduly ordeform the'rubber' surface of the sealing roller. 7 Asimilartype 'ofhinge'plate359 is provided for swinga'bly"supporting roller 3 from bracket '354, the hinge plate being provided at its "free end with spaced bearing flanges 36% for pivotally supporting a roller shaft 36 l 'on "which roller 3M 'fis mounted. The "otherend of' hinge plate "359 has 'a pair of integral flanges 'ttz whlchr ivot- "ally inountthaplate on hingefpin sfiii. A torsion "spring 363 s'u'r'rounols hinge pin 3'53 betwe'en flanges 362 and acts "between "the plate arid lo'racl iet fifl 'to yieldingly urge roller 3% toward the main sealing roller 338. Roller "3 l 'i is maim taihe'd in'the 'sarne' clearance relation -with respctto main seann roner sss, as 'describedi'for creasingrol'le'r "34 3, by" providing hinge: plate 35 9 withanf'offset'liig "364 "which overlies, so as to st =upon, the upper surface of creasing roller "hinge plate 359. this 'lug' overlies hinge -'pla'te 359, it does not prevent roller 341 froin-bei'ng Iift'ed *due' to irregularities of themail' matter independently of the creasing roller a lt. i

When the machine is adjusted to print postage indicia upon gummed tape, it is desirable to automatically retract the creasing and pressure rollers 346 and 341 to the broken line position shown in Figure 5, and for this purpose bracket 354 is hinged to the supporting bracket 340 by a pin 365. A latch member. 366 is pivotally mounted on bracket 354 by a hinge pin 361, and is provided with a latch notch 368 (see also Figure 3) engaging a latch plate 369 (Figure securely fastened on the inner face of the main supporting bracket 340. In order to yieldingly maintain the latch member in latching relation with plate 369, a compression spring 310 is interposed between a latch finger 3H and a suitable bore formed in the main supporting bracket 340. The latch member is notched as shown at 312, and a stop pin 313 carried by bracket 354 cooperates with notch 312 to limit the swinging motion in either direction of latch member 366. The latch member is utilized to support a guide plate 314 which operates to guide the envelopes or other mailing matter from platen 329 to the final sealing and ejecting device 3I0. Guide plate 314 is preferably formed as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

A retracting spring 315 (Figure 5) is mounted within a hole 316 drilled in bracket member 354. The end of spring 315 which engages the inner end of bore 316 is enlarged to frictionally bind the spring within the bore while the free end of the spring extends a short distance beyond bracket 354 to engage the main supporting bracket 340 when bracket 354 is in its latched position and acts upon release of latch member 366 to supply the force necessary to swing bracket member 354 to the retracted position shown in broken lines in Figure 5. In Figure 5 the free end of the retracting spring 315 is shown projecting from bracket member 354 when swung to its retracted position.

The sealing and ejecting device 3I0 is manually returned to its normal operating position, but may be tripped automatically to swing to its retracted position, as shown in Figure 5, upon removal of the meter, or when the tape feeding device is shifted from its non-printing to its printing position in a manner later to be described.

As described in detail in the above-noted Sager et a1. application, the machine is provided with a tape feeding device manually shiftable into and out of operative position by the handle i56 (Figure 1) and this tape feeding device is formed as an integral part of the machine. As will be described in detail, manipulation of the tape feeding device to its operative position automatically causes the retracting of the sealing and ejecting device 3I0 (Figure 5) to its broken line position. As described in the said Sager et a1. application, the tape feeding device includes the mechanism shown in Figure 5 herein, which is operated upon rotation of a shaft 66I upon manipulation of the tape feeding device. Rotation of this shaft rocks an arm 666 which, in turn, causes a link 143 to rise. Connected to this link is a bearing 19I which is also raised when the tape feeding device is lifted into printing position. This bearing 'I9I, upon lifting of the tape feeding device into printing position, engages latch member 366 and lifts the latch until it is released from its latch plate 369, whereupon frame 354 swings to its broken line position in the manner previously described. Thus it appears that when the tape feeding device is raisedv to its operative position, it automatically releases the sealing and ejecting device 3I0 from its operative position so that the device may be retracted into its inoperative position, as this portion of the machine is of no utility during the operation of the tape feeding device, i. e. when the machine is adjusted to print postage on the tape.

.As pointed out hereinabove, it is also desirable that the sealing and ejecting device 3I0 (Figure 1) be retracted to its inoperative position when the meter I51 is unlocked. To this end, it will be necessary to describe certain portions of the meter, a detailed description of which is set forth in the above-noted Sager et a1. application.

The meter is, in general, a rectangular structure and its operating parts are entirely enclosed and protected by suitable covers and housings. As shown in Figure 1, the meter is provided with a handle 919 to enable the meter to be conveniently installed on and removed from the power unit.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the bottom surface of the meter is provided with a forward positioning and locking pin 983, and two spaced rear positioning and locking pins 984 and 985 (see also Figure 6). Each of these pins is provided with an annular locking groove 986 (Figure 11) by means of which the meter is positioned and locked in driving registry with the power unit portion of the machine.

The power unit is :provided with a meter supporting plate 910 (Figures 6 and 8) which plate at its forward end is mounted on the upper surface of a meter supporting bracket I62. The bracket is provided with bosses 981 to which supporting :plate 91!] is securely fastened by screws 988. The rear end of plate 910 is securely fastened to suitable blocks 989 which are, in turn, fastened to a bracket I63 (Figure 6). Metering supporting plate 910 is provided, as shown in Figure 6, with three spaced openings 992, 993 and 994, which openings are more or less egg-shaped, and through which three meter locking pins 983, v93:1 and 985 extend when the meter is mounted on the power unit.

When mounting the meter on its supporting plate 910, its three locking pins are entered into the larger end of the three openings 992, 993 and 994, and means are provided for shifting the meter until its pins engage the smaller ends of said openings. The meter is provided with a positioning pin 995 (Figures 6, '1 and 10) which extends through an elongated openin 996 (Figure 6) formed in plate 910 against which pin a meter positioning and locking lever 991 engages during the rotation of said lever about its pivot pin 998 to shift the meter from its mounting position, as shown in Figure 6, to its locked operative position, as shown in Figure '1.

The means for operating the meter positioning and locking lever 991 includes a crank handle 999 (Figure 6) pivotally mounted on bracket I63 by a :pivot bolt I990. As shown in Figure 8, a crank arm I005 has one end connected to pivot bolt I000 and the other end connected by means of a gooseneck I009 to a connecting rod I002. The forward end of rod I002 is pivotally connected to the meter positioning and locking lever 991 by a ball joint I003. This ball joint may include a ball-likev member I904 slidably mounted on the connecting rod in position to engage a semi-sphericalsurface I005 formed on lever 991.

compression spring llwii is interposed between Still referring to Figure 12, meter supporting plate 910 has secured thereto a sleeve I560 within which a plunger I559 is slidably mounted, the

plunger being provided with an annular groove I 56I and the sleeve with a screw I56Ia, the point of which enters the plunger groove to limit the extent of vertical movement of the plunger. The lower portion of sleeve I566 has a longitudinal slot through which extends arm I563 of a lever generally indicated at I564. The lower end of plunger I559 is rounded and engages the free edge of lever arm I563. Lever I564 is pivotally connected to a bracket I565 by a pin I566 the bracket being secured to the front face of bracket I53 (see Figure 9) in any suitable manner. Referring back to Figure 12, lever I564 includes an arm I561, connected to the upper end of a control link I 566 (Figure 9) by a pivot pin I569. The intermediate portion Of the control link is swingably supported from bracket I565 by a link I516 pivoted at its ends respectively to bracket I565 and link I 568. The lower end of control link I568 has a horizontally extending foot I513 which overlies a floating pin link 593, as shown in Figure 9. A compression spring I514 is interposed between link I516 and a bar I515 projecting rearwardly from bracket I565 and securely fastened therein by a taper pin I516. A spring retaining pin I511 extends upwardly from link I516 through the spring I514 to prevent it from buckling, the upper end of the spring being confined within a hole I518 formed in bar I515. Screw threaded through the forward end of bar I515 is a stop screw I519 for limiting the clockwise rotation of lever I554, as viewed in Figure 9. This stop screw is securely fastened in its adjusted position by a lock nut I569.

The position of the parts just described in Figure 9 illustrates these parts as they would appear when the clutch tripping mechanism in the power unit is conditioned for normal operation. When the meter is locked by its key looking device II4 (Figure 1) this key locking device operates to release lever I564 (Figures 9 and 12) for clockwise rotation, as viewed in Figure 9, under the influence of compression spring I514.

Clockwise rotation of lever I564 depresses control link I568 so that its foot I513 engages pin 593 to force the forward end of a link 592 to which the pin is connected downwardly until a shoulder 605 thereon is well below the contact surface 606 of a trip lever 549' With these parts in this position, an attempt at actuation of the tripping mechanism for clutch 526 which drives the meter, either by the envelope tripping mechanism or the manual tripping mechanism described in the said Sager et a1. application, will not result in tripping the clutch, as shoulders 665 and 666 are sufi'iciently separated so that movement of link 592 to the left will not result in clockwise movement of trip lever 549. Without such movement of the trip lever, clutch 526 will not engage. Hence, it may be seen that locking of the meter through locking mechanism I5I 4 (Figure 1) effectively prevents purposeful or inadvertent engagement of clutch 526.

When the meter is unlocked by means of lock I5I4, as described above, lever I564 (Figure 9) is rocked counterclockwise to lift control lever foot I513 and thereby permit the forward end of floating link 592 to return to its normal operative position wherein its shoulder 605 can engage shoulder 666 on the clutch tripping lever 549. Hence the tripping operation is effected manually or by reason of the passage of an envelope through 10 the'machine, movement of link 592 thereby to the left will result in clockwise movement of tripping lever 549 to effect engagement of clutch 526 and accordingly cause the meter to be driven,

From the above, it follows that whenever the meter is locked by lock I5I4 the lock not only operates to lock the meter against rotation but simultaneously therewith renders the power unit tripping mechanism inoperative, thereby making it impossible to trip the meter clutch into operation while the meter is locked. It follows that upon release of the meter key lock I5I4, the driving mechanism of the meter is released, and at the same time the clutch tripping mechanism of the power unit is returned to its operative condition. For a more detailed description of the clutch tripping mechanism, reference is made to Figure 33 of the above-noted Sager et a1, application.

In the event that the driving mechanism of the meter or power unit should become jammed or stuck during the operating cycle of the machine, we have provided emergency means for releasing the meter from the power unit under such circumstances. As shown in Figures 6, 7, 11 and 11A, meter supporting plate 916 (Figure 11A) is provided with a disc I61I journaled in a suitable bore I612 extending through the supporting plate so that the free surf-ace of the disc is flush with the top surface of the plate. This disc is provided adjacent its lower surface with a flange against which the heads of rivets I613 bear to support the disc in its proper operating position. Thus the flanged portion of disc I61I is retained between the heads of rivets I613 and the bottom surface of the meter supporting plate 910.

In order to assemble disc I61 I, its flanged portion is provided with two notches I614 (Figure 7) positioned to register with the heads of rivets I613 in order to permit the disc to be inserted into bore I612 when the disc is turned to an extreme in,- operative position. The disc has an arm I615 provided. with a right angled end portion I 616 which is secured to a post I611 by a headed locking pin I618 which extends through aligned bores formed in the post end portion I616 of the arm. Post I611 is securely riveted to the under surface of plate 910. The end of pin I 618 has a hole therein through which a wire I 619 is passed. The ends of this wire are fastened together by means of a lead seal I686 which is app d y an fi a of the post oifice department.

A conical depression I68I (Figure 11A) is provided in the upper surface of disc I=61I eccentric to the axis of rotation thereof to receive the point I669 of a plunger I651 when the meter is locked in its operative position.

During the removal of the meter from the power I unit the tapered surfaces of plunger point I669 and conical depression I68I will cam the plunger upwardly against the tension of its spring I658. This upward movement of the plunger causes bellcrank' I662 to rotate about its pivot counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 11A, and as the meter driving mechanism is in its rest position, the looking finger I664 of the bellcrank lever may enter a locking disc notch I666 to lock the meter. However, should it be attempted to remove the meter from the power plant while the driving mechanism of the meter is in some other position than its normal rest position, the end of locking finger.

I664 will engage the periphery of the locking disc in which notch I666 is formed, thereby preventing the camming of the end of plunger I658 from the conical depression I 68I. As a result of this,

'11 themeter cannot be removed from the machine until the parts are returned to their rest position. When the parts are in this position, it is impossi ble to gain access to the printing die of the meter,

and accordingly the making of fraudulent impres- 1 and withdraw the pin from endv I679 of disc arm I615. This permits rotation of the disc by means of manipulating arm I615 while simultaneously actuating the metering locking crank handle 999 to permit the pointed end I669 (Figure 11A) of plunger I658 to travel during the movement of the locking and positioning. pins along their respective slots until the pins are free of their respective locking members, whereupon the meter may be lifted from the power plant. 7

Itis important to prevent operation of the power unit meter driving mechanism during such time as the meter is being mounted on the power plant or removed therefrom, in order to prevent possible injury to either the power plant, meter or both. To this end, the meter positioning and locking lever 991 (Figure 6) is provided. with an arm I9I5 having an upturned finger portion I9 I 6, the upper end of which. is inclined to providea cammed surface I9I'I, as shown in Figure 9A. Cam surface I9II is arranged to cooperate with a similarly inclined cam surface I9I9 formed on the forward end of lever I 564 to lift the forward end of this lever in the manner shown in Figure 9A, when the meter positioning and locking lever 99'! is moved to its meter releasing position, as shown in this figure, and also in Figure 6. Lifting of the forward end of lever I564 effects rotation of the lever clockwise, as viewed in Figure 9, to render the clutch tripping mechanism inoperative, as heretofore described.

Rotation of the mete positioning and locking lever 99! (Figure 6) operates to position and lock the meter in correct operating alignment with the power unit, and upon completion of this operation, theinclined cam surface I9II (Figure 9) carried by the locking lever, moves to permit rotation of lever I564 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 9, thereby returning the clutch operating mechanism to an operative condition as also previously described.

removal from the power unit. To'this end a trip lever I! 9 (Figures 6, 7 and 8) is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends by means of a pin I920 (Figure 6) on a bracket I92 I- secured to the meter supporting frame I62 (Figure 8) by means of screw I922. Lever I9I-9 is provided at its rear end with an inclined cam surface I923 disposed intermediate to stop surfaces I924 and I925 for cooperation with a cam plate I 926 (Figure 8) secured to positioning and locking lever 991 by screws I92I (Figure 7). As shown in Figure 8, the trip lever stop surface I925 will engage the positioning lever cam plate I926 when the meter is locked in its operative position. With the trip lever so positioned, the forward end of said lever directly underlies latch member 366 (Figure 3) of the sealing and ejecting device 3") when the bracket 354 is in its operative position,

Rearward movement of crank handle 999 (Figure 6) to unlock the meter from the power plant rotates lever 99'! clockwise, as viewed in Figure '7, whereupon its cam plate I926 engages the inclined cam surface I923 of the trip lever, causing' said lever to rotate clockwise, as viewed in Figure 8. This movement lifts the forward end of trip lever I9I9, and as a result lifts bracket latch 336 (Figure 3) to release the bracket for movement to its retracted position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. When the crank handle 999 (Figure 6) has been moved to its rearmost position to unlock the meter for removal, locking lever 99? will have carried its cam plate I926 (Figure 8) into engagement with the trip lever stop surface I924, and will thereby maintain the trip lever in its tripping position to prevent relatching of the sealing and ejecting bracket 354 (Figure 5) in its operative position. This mechanism accordingly automatically releases bracket 354 of the sealing and ejecting device out of the way to prevent possible damage to such mechanism while removing or mounting the meter on the power plant.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter here- Hereinbefore we have described the construction and operation of the final sealing and eject ing device 3! (shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5) and it was pointed out during this description how bracket 3 54 ofthe device is latched in its operative position, and the manner in which the bracket is automatically unlatched during the lifting of the tape feeding mechanism into printing position to permit the bracket to swing from its full line to its broken line position, as shown in Figure 5. Bracket 354 of the sealing and ejecting device 3I9should be in its operative position, as shown in Figure 1, when printing stamps on envelopes or upon sealing of such envelopes.

The meter positioning and locking mechanism heretofore described is provided with means for automatically unlatching bracket 354 to permit the bracket to swing from its operative to its inoperative position when the meter is released for inbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

.We claim:

1. In a mail treating machine, in combination, a power unit having a meter supporting platform, a meter unit having a base plate adapted to rest on said platform when the meter unit is detachably installed thereon, cooperating formations on said'platform'and base plate for holding said meter unit in position thereon, manually operable means on one of said units and engageable with a portion of the other of said units for effecting relative movement between said units to effectuate the holding relation of said cooperating formationssaid manually operablemeans being on said power unit and including a lever, and a pin extending from said meter into a slot formed in the platform of said power unit and in the path of said lever so that upon operation of said manually operable means said lever is swung against said pin to move said meter relative to said power unit.

2. In a mail treating machine, in combination, a power unit adapted to detachably support a meter, manually operable meter locking means on said powerunit, an ejecting and sealing roller unit. means pivotally mounting said roller unit on said power unit for movement into and out of operative position, means for latching said roller unit in operative position, and means operated by said manually operable means upon operation thereof into unlocking po sition for unlatching said roller unit to permit retraction thereof to its inoperative position.

3. In a mail treating machine having a removable meter, and a pair of opposed final sealing rollers one of which is retractable; means for locking the removable meter in operative position on the machine, and means operated during the actuation of said locking means to release the meter for removal for causing the retractable sealing roller to be retracted.

COMMODORE D. RYAN. HARRY L. SAGER, Executor of the Estate of Frank: P. Sager, De-

ceased.

HERSCHEL L. ATHERTON. ERNEST R. BERGMARK.

14 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 753,207 Pitney Feb. 23, 1904 1,273,793 Pitney July 23, 1918 1,326,496 Gray Dec. 30, 1919 1,561,795 Pitney Nov. 17, 1925 1,657,279 Pitney Jan. 24, 1928 1,658,572 Pitney Feb. 7, 1928 2,045,543 Lawrence June 23, 1936 2,079,704 Finfrock et a1. May 11, 1937 2,120,373 Rast June 14, 1938 2,141,119 Wheeler et a1. Dec. 20, 1938 2,187,456 Komusin Jan. 16, 1940' 2,303,793 Pearson et a1. Dec. 1, 1942 2,371,070 Sayer et a1. Mar. 6, 1945

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