Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2068625
l3ackaround of the Invention
This invention is generally concerned with letter processing
apparatus including an inking cartridge and more particularly with
a mailing machine including a removably mountable, disposable
inking cartridge.
In U. S . Patent ~lo. 4, 440, 083 for a Disposable Inking Cartridge
issued April 3, 19~~4 to Clinton E. Hopper and assigned to the
assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed a disposable
inking cartridge which is constructed and arranged to be removably
connected to a mailing machine. The inking cartridge includes an
ink roller, known i:n the art as a reservoir roller. The mailing
machine includes a rotary postage printing drum and includes an ink
impregnated roller known in the art as a transfer roller. The
reservoir roller is disposed in rolling engagement with the mailing
machine's transfer roller when the cartridge is connected to the
mailing machine. A:nd, when the mailing machine is operated, the
printing drum rotates into engagement with the transfer roller for
transferring ink frc>m the reservoir roller to the transfer roller,
and from the transfEsr roller to the printing drum.
A
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2~~86~5
As shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,697,517 for Inking
Apparatus For A Mailing Machine, issued October 6, 1987 to
Arnold Fassman and assigned to the assignee of the present
invention, there is disclosed a mailing machine which
includes a base, and includes an inking cartridge and
postage meter which are removably connectable to the base.
The inking cartridge includes an ink impregnated roller,
known in the <~rt as a reservoir roller, and the base
includes an ink impregnated roller known in the art as a
transfer roller. When the inking cartridge is connected to
the base, the reservoir roller is disposed in rolling
engagement with the transfer roller and, assuming the
postage meter :is mounted on the base, when the mailing
machine is operated, the meter's printing drum rotates into
engagement with the transfer roller for transferring ink
therefrom to t:he printing drum as the reservoir roller
replenishes the ink supply of the transfer roller. In order
to locate the postage meter in sufficiently close proximity
to the transfer roller to permit the transfer of ink
therefrom to the printing drum, the meter and base are
complementarily configured for guiding the meter to a
predetermined position on the base wherein the meter is
disposed in close proximity to the transfer roller. As a
result, in the course of mounting the meter on the base, it
is substantially impossible to prevent the meter from
contacting the ink transfer roller and smearing ink
therefrom on to the meter. To cure this problem, Fassman
discloses the provision of a cam member, coaxially connected
to and pivotab7Le about the opposite end journals of the
transfer roller, which has cam surfaces radially extending
beyond the outer periphery of the ink transfer roller. In
the course of mounting the meter on the base, the meter
engages and moves the cam, and thus the transfer roller,
away from the mater to prevent ink from the transfer roller
from being smeared on to the meter.
Since the ink transfer roller is a component of the
mailing machine, when the inking cartridge is replaced to
provide a new reservoir roller, old residual ink carried by
2o6a625
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the ink transfer roller is mixed with ink from the new reservoir
roller when it is transferred to the printing drum. Accordingly,
the Hopper inking system is limited to providing replacement inking
cartridges having reservoir rollers which are impregnated with the
same color of ink as previously used in the system. Further, the
Hopper inking system is generally limited to utilization of a
disposable ink having the same chemical formula as the ink
previously used in the system, in order preclude the possibility
of a chemical reaction between new reservoir roller ink and the old
transfer roller ink. Moreover, the Hopper inking system does not
account for aging, or wear and tear, of the ink transfer roller,
which may result in unevenly transferring ink to the printing drum,
or smearing ink thereon, whether or not a new reservoir roller is
provided. And, customers have been found to be disappointed when
a new reservoir roller is provided, due to not receiving an
immediate significant enhancement of the quality of printing
provided by the printing drum, inasmuch as the volume of residual
ink impregnating the transfer roller is normally substantially
reduced prior to tht= provision of the new reservoir roller and is
only gradually increased thereafter as the new reservoir roller is
used.
Accordingly:
an object of t:he invention is to provide an improved inking
system for use in lE=tter processing apparatus;
another object is to provide a disposable inking cartridge
removably mountable in a mailing machine;
another object is to provide a disposable inking cartridge
which includes both a reservoir roller and a transfer roller; and
another object is to provide a mailing machine including a
removably mountable inking cartridge.
A
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another object is to provide a mailing machine, which
includes a postage meter removably connectable thereto, with
an inking cartridge which includes a transfer roller and
includes structure which is engaged by the meter for moving
the inking cartridge, and thus the transfer roller, away
from the meter when the meter is mounted on, and dismounted
from, the machine.
Summary Of The Invention
A mailing machine comprising a rotatable drum including
a printing die peripherally extending therefrom, means for
intermittently rotating the drum to move the printing die in
a predetermined circularly-extending path of travel, a
receptacle, and an inking cartridge removably mountable in
the receptacle and comprising: a generally
rectangularly-shaped hollow housing having opposed side
walls and having an edge wall extending between the side
walls, the walls defining an aperture formed in the housing;
a reservoir roller impregnated with printing ink and
rotatably connected to the side walls so as to extend
therebetween: a transfer roller impregnated with printing
ink and rotatably connected to the side walls so as to
extend therebetween and be accessible via the housing
aperture: the reservoir and transfer rollers respectively
dimensioned for rolling engagement with each other to cause
ink from the reservoir roller to be transferred to the
transfer roller,, and the transfer roller dimensioned for
disposition in t:he path of travel of the printing die when
the cartridge is mounted in the receptacle to permit
engagement by the printing die for transferring printing ink
from the transfer roller to the printing die.
Brief Description of the Drawings
As shown in the drawings wherein like references
numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout
the several views:
2~~~6~5
Fig. 1 is a partially fragmented, partially exploded,
perspective view of a mailing machine comprising a removably
mountable inking cartridge, including a transfer roller, and
a removably mountable postage meter, including a printing
5 drum having a printing die;
Fig. 2 is .a partially fragmented, exploded, perspective
view of the mailing machine of Fig. 1, showing the inking
cartridge and a receptacle for removably receiving the
cartridge;
Fig. 3 is a partial elevation view of the mailing
machine of Fig. 1, showing the printing die disposed out of
engagement with the transfer roller of the inking cartridge;
and
Fig. 4 is a partial elevation view of the mailing
machine of Fig. 1, showing the printing die rotating in
engagement with the transfer roller of the inking cartridge.
Fig. 5 is a partial elevation view of the mailing
machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage meter disposed out of
engagement with the inking cartridge;
Fig. 6 is a partial elevation view of the mailing
machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage meter engaging the
cartridge in the course of mounting the meter on, or
dismounting the meter from, the mailing machine; and
Fig. 7 is a partial elevation view of the mailing
machine of Fig. 1, showing the postage meter mounted on the
mailing machine's base.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
As shown in Fig. 1, the letter processing apparatus in
which the invention is incorporated comprises a mailing
machine 10 which generally includes a base 12, having a
housing 14, and a postage meter 16. For removably mounting
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the meter 16 on the base 12, the base 12 includes a
plurality of posts 18 and the meter 16 includes a like
number of apertures 20, which are respectively dimensioned
for engagement with, and disengagement from, one another for
guiding and pos~.tioning the meter 16 relative to the base 12
in the course of mounting and dismounting the meter 16.
When mounted on the base 12, the postage meter 16 forms
therewith a slc>t 22, through which letters 24, including
sheets, mailpie<:es, envelopes and cards, and the like, are
fed to the machine 10, either by hand or by means of
suitable feeding apparatus 26, for feeding thereby in a
downstream path of travel 28. The base 12 additionally
comprises aligning structure including a registration fence
30 against which an edge of a given letter 24 is normally
urged when fed t.o the mailing machine 10. Further, the base
12 includes structure for sensing letters 24 fed to the
machine 10, including a trip lever 34 which extends upwardly
through a housing aperture 36 and into the path of travel 28
of letters 24 fed to the machine 10.
The postage meter 16 (Fig. 1) comprises printing
structure 40 including a rotary printing drum 42 having a
conventional postage printing die 44 peripherally extending
therefrom, and having other conventional structure (not
shown) extending' therefrom, for engaging respective letters
24 beneath the drum 42 and feeding the letters 24 downstream
in the path of travel 28 as the printing die 44 prints
postage indicia thereon. In addition, the meter 16 includes
a shaft 46, extending from the drum 42, and a drive gear 48,
mounted on the shaft 46 for rotation thereof and thus of the
printing structure 40.
For protecaing the printing structure 40 from
inadvertent damage occasioned by handling the postage meter
16, the meter :16 preferably includes guard structure 45
which is conventionally connected to the meter 16 beneath
and laterally to one side of the printing structure 40. The
guard structure 45 preferably includes an elongate rod 47,
having the opposite ends thereof suitably fixedly secured to
_ 7 _
~~~~~,~5
the meter 16. The rod 47 extends substantially parallel to
the drum drive shaft 46 and is radially spaced from and
beneath the drum 42. In addition, the guard structure 45
includes an elongate, generally rectangularly-shaped, shield
member 49, having a longitudinally extending marginal edge
portion thereof which is conventionally wrapped about the
rod 47 for connection thereto. As thus constructed and
arranged the shield member 49 laterally extends from the rod
47 and beneath t:he printing structure 40.
The base 1:? (Fig. 1) includes an input feed roller 50,
known in the aria as an impression roller, and a shaft 52 on
which the imprescsion roller 50 is mounted for rotation. The
shaft 52 is pre:Eerably resiliently connected to the housing
for movement itoward and away from the drum 42, as
hereinafter discussed, to permit the impression roller 50 to
yieldably extend upwardly through the housing aperture 36,
and into the path of travel 28, for urging respective
letters 24 into printing engagement with the printing die
44. The base 12 additionally includes a conventional
ejection roller 54, which includes a cylindrically-shaped
outer member 56 and a coaxially-extending coil spring 57
having one end connected thereto. And the base 12 includes
an drive shaft F~8, extending coaxially of the roller 54, on
which the outer roller member 56 is rotatably mounted and to
which the other- end of the spring 57 is connected for
transmitting drive to the outer roller member 56 and thus to
the roller 54.
For resiliently connecting the impression roller 50
(Fig. 1) to they housing 14, the base 12 may include any
suitable structure 60, such as a pair of parallel-spaced,
interconnected, pivot arms 62 having one end thereof
conventionally rotatably connected to the ejection roller
shaft 58 as by means of bearings 64, one of which is shown,
and having the other ends resiliently connected to the
housing 14, by means of a depending spring 66, and provided
with bearings 68 for rotatably supporting the impression
roller shaft 52. As thus constructed and arranged, when the
_ g _
impression roller 50 is urged downwardly, the shaft 52 is
lowered against the resilient force exerted by the spring 66
to provide a variable gap between the drum 42 and impression
roller 50, to accommodate mixed thickness letters 24. And,
the spring 66 resiliently urges the impression roller 50
upwardly against the downward force exerted by a given
letter 24 fed beneath the drum 42, for urging the given
sheet 24 into painting engagement with the printing die 44.
To further accommodate feeding mixed thickness letters 24
through the machine 1.0, the postage meter 16 preferably
includes a suit<~ble idler roller 70, conventionally mounted
for rotation on a shaft 72 which is suitably resiliently
mounted to yie:ldably support the roller 70 above the
ejection roller 54 for receiving therebetween mixed
thickness letters 24.
In addition, the base 12 (Fig. 1) includes an
intermittently operable system 80 for driving the drum drive
gear 48, and thus the drum 42, the impression roller shaft
52, and thus the impression roller 50, and the ejection
roller shaft 58,, in timed relationship with one another in
response to movement of the trip lever 34 by a letter 24 fed
to the machine :LO. The driving system 80 includes suitable
control structure 82 and trip structure 84, which are
respectively conventionally connected to the housing 14.
The trip structure 84 is suitably connected between the trip
lever 34 and control structure 82 for providing conventional
input thereto indicative that a letter 24 has been fed to
the machine 10. The drive system 80 also includes a motor
86, which is conventionally connected to the control
structure 82 for operation thereof in response to
conventional input from the trip structure 84, and which has
an output shaft: 88. In addition, the drive system 80
includes a pinion gear 90, mounted on the output shaft 88,
and a drive gear 92, mounted on the ejection roller shaft
58. Further ths: drive system 80 includes a drive gear 94,
which is conventionally rotatably connected to the housing
14, as by means of a shaft 95 suitably rotatably connected
thereto, and ~~rotrudes upwardly therefrom through an
- 9 -
,, ~o~~s~5
aperture 96 foamed in the housing 14 for disposition in
meshing engagement with the drum drive gear 48 when the
postage meter 16 is mounted on the base 12. Moreover, the
drive system 80 includes a drive gear (not shown), which is
conventionally :fixedly attached to the drive gear 94, and a
gear belt 98 looped thereabout and about the pinion gear 90
for transmitting motor drive from the pinion gear 90 to the
drive gear 94, and thus to the postage meter drum 42. Still
further, the drive gear 92 is disposed in meshing engagement
with the gear belt 98 for transmitting motor drive therefrom
to the drive ge~~r 92, and thus to the ejection roller shaft
58. The drive system 80 also includes a driven gear 100
mounted on the ejection roller shaft 58, a drive gear 102
mounted on the impression roller shaft 52, and a gear belt
104 which is looped about the gears, 100 and 102, for
transmitting moi~or drive from the ejection roller shaft 58
to the impression roller shaft 52, and thus to the
impression roller 50.
In operation, when a letter 24 (Fig. 1) is fed to the
base 12, an edge thereof is urged into engagement with the
registration fence 30 for guiding the letter 24 downstream
in the path of i:ravel 28, into the slot 22 between the base
12 and postage meter 16, and thus into engagement with the
trip lever 34. The force exerted by the letter 24 against
the trip lever 34 causes the lever 34 to move. Whereupon,
the trip structure 84 causes the control system to energize
the motor 86 for rotating the postage printing structure 40
through a single revolution. Upon energization of the motor
86, the motor c~utpu.t shaft 88 drives the pinion gear 90,
thereby driving the gear belt 98 for rotating the ejector
roller shaft 58,, impression roller 50 and postage printing
structure 40. A,s the impression roller 50 feeds the letter
24 downstream in the path of travel 28 beneath the drum 42,
the printing die 44 rotates through a predetermined
circularly-extending path of travel 106 and into engagement
with the letter 24, followed by cooperating with the
impression roller 50 to feed the letter 24 therebetween and
to the ejection and idler rollers, 56 and 70, as the
- to - ~~~8~~'S
printing die 44 prints postage indicia on the letter 24.
Thereafter, the ejection roller 56 also feeds the letter 24
downstream in the path of travel 28, and, in addition,
stores excess energy in the ejection roller spring 57 until
the upstream, toailing edge of the letter 24 is released due
to the drum 42 rotating out of engagement with the letter
24. Whereupon, the excess energy stored in the ejection
roller spring 5'7 rapidly rotates the outer roller member 56
in engagement with the letter 24, for ejecting the letter 24
from the machinEa 10.
According to the invention, the base 12 (Fig. 1) and
thus the mailing machine 10, also includes a receptacle 110,
formed in the housing 14, and a disposable inking cartridge
112, removably mountable in the receptacle 110.
The receptacle 110 (Fig. 2) is preferably an elongate,
substantially vertically oriented slot-like cavity defined
in the housing 14 by mean of a lower wall 114, and by means
of a rear wall 116 and oppositely facing side walls 118
which respectively extend upwardly from the lower wall 114
and define an open upper end 120, opposite the lower wall
114, and a front opening 122, opposite the rear wall 116.
The lower wall 114 preferably includes a T-shaped channel
124 formed the~:ein, including a laterally-extending front
portion 126,, intersected by an elongate,
rearwardly-extending, rear portion 128, having a pair of
elongate oppositely facing side surfaces 130. In addition,
the lower wall 114 includes a pair of elongate,
parallel-spaced,, horizontally-extending base surfaces 132,
from which the channel side surfaces 130 downwardly extend.
The rear wall 116 includes a vertically-extending lower
portion 136, having a rectangularly-shaped aperture 138
formed therein. In addition, the rear wall 116 includes an
upper portion 140, which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly
from the lower portion 136 to the receptacle's upper open
end 120, and ha:a a slot 142 formed downwardly and rearwardly
therein. The opposed side walls 118 each include a
substantially L-shaped channel 144 formed therein, having a
- 11 - ~'~~~~~5
vertically extending leg 146 defined by oppositely facing
side surfaces, 148 and 150, and having a horizontally
extending ls:g 152 defined by an upper,
horizontally-extending, lip surface 154 and by one of the
lower wall base surfaces 132. In addition, each of the
opposed side w<~lls 118 includes a stop surface 156 which
vertically extends between the lip and base surfaces, 154
and 132.
The cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) generally includes a hollow
housing 164 having rotatably mounted therein an ink
impregnated re;servair roller 166 (Fig. 3) and an ink
impregnated transfer roller 168. The housing 164 (Fig. 2)
is preferable an elongate, upright, generally
rectangularly-shaped, structure, having opposed, upright
side walls 172, and having an elongate perimeter edge wall
174 which extends between the side walls 172. The rollers,
161 and 168 (F:ig. 3) respectively extend between the side
walls 172, are rotatably connected thereto and are disposed
in rolling engagement with one another. The edge wall 174
(Fig. 2) includes upper and lower edge portions, 175 and
176, and includes oppositely spaced front and rear edge
portions, 178 and 180, extending between the upper and lower
edge portions, 175 and 176. And, the front edge wall
portion 178 has a generally rectangularly-shaped aperture
182 formed therein via which the transfer roller 168 is
peripherally accessible. As thus constructed and arranged,
when the cartridge 112 (Fig. 4) is mounted in the receptacle
110, the tran:~fer roller 168 is disposed for rolling
engagement by ithe postage printing die 44 as the die 44
rotates into engagement with respective letters 24 in the
path of travel 28.
For guiding manual insertion of the inking cartridge
112 (Fig. 2) ini~o the receptacle 110, each of the side walls
172 includes an elongate, upright, generally
rectangularly-shaped ridge 184 formed therein, substantially
midway between the front and rear edge portions, 178 and
180, so as to e:~ctend laterally outwardly of the housing 164.
- 12 -
_.
Each of the ridges 184 has opposed, elongate, upright,
parallel-spaced, front and rear guide edges, 186 and 188,
and has an upper guide edge 190 extending transversely
between the front and rear guide edges, 186 and 188. In
addition, each of the ridges 184 has a V-shaped, downwardly
pointing, lower guide edge 192, extending between the front
and rear guide edges, 186 and 188, for visually indicating
the direction of insertion, and guiding insertion, of the
housing 164, and thus the cartridge 112, into the receptacle
110. The cartridge 112 additionally includes spring
structure 192. comprising an elongate, generally
rectangularly-slZaped, leaf spring 194, which is fixedly
connected to or integrally formed with the housing 164 and
has a free enf. 196. Preferably, the leaf spring 192 is
integrally formed with the upper edge wall portion 175 of
the housing 164 so as to extend outwardly thereof and
downwardly therefrom, alongside of the rear edge wall
portion 180, to permit resilient movement thereof toward and
away from the housing's rear edge wall portion 180. And,
the free end 196 of the spring 192 includes a latch portion
198 extending transversely therefrom.
Assuming 'the cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) is oriented
relative to ths: receptacle 110 for insertion therein, the
housing's opposed, lower, pointed, ridge edges 192 are
oriented downwa:rdly, and the housing's ridge edges, 186 and
188, are respectively vertically aligned with the
receptacle's vertically oriented channel leg surfaces, 150
and 148. When the housing 164 is thus aligned with the
receptacle 110, the free end 196 of the leaf spring 192 is
located vertically above the inclined upper portion 140 of
the receptacle's rear wall 116. As the cartridge 112 is
gradually inseri~ed into the receptacle 110, the ridge edges,
188 and 186, s:lidably engage the receptacle surfaces, 148
and 150, and the leaf spring 192 engages the receptacle's
upper, inclined, rear wall portion 140 which gradually
incrementally urges the leaf spring 194 towards housing's
rear edge wall portion 180, causing energy to be gradually
stored in the leaf spring 192 until the leaf spring's latch
- 13 -
~~~~~~5
portion 198 slidably engages the receptacle lower rear wall
portion 136. ~~hereafter, as the cartridge 112 is further
lowered into the receptacle 110, the spring 192 releases
sufficient energy to cause the latch portion 198 (Fig. 3) to
be resiliently urged into the receptacle's lower rear wall
portion aperture 138, for latching engagement therewith, to
hold the cartridge 112 within the receptacle 110 against
vertical movement out of the receptacle 112.
For further holding the cartridge 112 (Fig. 2) in the
receptacle 110 and for guiding forward and rearward movement
of the housing 164 within the receptacle 110, the housing
164 includes tree aforesaid upper guide edges 190, and, in
addition, the lower edge wall portion 176 of the housing 164
includes an elongate ridge 200 formed therein which is
generally U-shaped in transverse cross-section. The ridge
200 longitudinally extends between the front and rear edge
portions, 178 and 180, of the edge wall 174 and is located
substantially midway between the opposed side walls 172.
Moreover, the ridge 200 extends downwardly and outwardly of
the housing 164, and has opposed, longitudinally-extending,
side surfaces 2.52. When the cartridge 112 is sufficiently
lowered into the receptacle 110 (Fig. 3), the housing's
upper ridge edges 190 slidably engages the receptacle's
upper lip surfaces 154, and the housing's lower edge portion
176 is disposed in sliding relationship with respect to the
receptacle's base surfaces 132. Whereupon the cartridge
leaf spring 192; releases sufficient stored energy to cause
the leaf spring 192 to resiliently urge the housing 164
forwardly with:Ln the receptacle 110 until the housing's
front edge porition 178 is urged into engagement with the
receptacle's stop surfaces 156.
Assuming the cartridge 112 (Fig. 3) is mounted in the
receptacle 110, as the postage printing structure 40 (Fig.
4) rotates into engagement with a letter 24 fed
therebeneath, the drum 42 carries the printing die 44, in
the circularly-extending path of travel 106 thereof, into
engagement with the cartridge's transfer roller 168. In
- 14 - ~~~~~~~J
response to the printing die 44 engaging the transfer roller
168, the die 44 urges the housing 164 out of engagement with
the receptacle stop surfaces 156 and rearwardly within the
receptacle 112, against the forwardly directed resilient
force 209 exerted by the leaf spring 194. Thus the spring
194 resiliently urges the transfer roller 168 into
engagement with the printing die 44 for transferring ink
thereto from the transfer roller 168. And, in response to
the printing die 44 rotating out of engagement with the
transfer roller 168, the leaf spring 194 resiliently urges
the housing 164 forwardly within the receptacle 110 and back
into engagement with the receptacle's stop surfaces 156. As
the housing 1E>4 is thus reciprocably moved within the
receptacle 110 in response to the printing die 44 engaging
and disengininc~ the transfer roller 168, the housing's
opposed ridge edges 190 slidably move against the
receptacle's upper lip surfaces 154, and the housing's lower
edge portion 1'76 slidably moves against the receptacle's
lower wall base surfaces 132, for guiding movement of the
housing 168 within the receptacle 110.
For manually removing the cartridge 112 from the
receptacle 110 (Fig. 2), the housing's upper edge wall
portion 174 has formed therein or marked thereon, an arrow
210 which directionally extends away from the housing's
front edge wall portion 178 and towards the housing's rear
edge wall porti~~n 180, for visually indicating the direction
in which the housing 164 is to be moved within the
receptacle 110 for removing the cartridge 112 therefrom. In
addition, the outer surface 212 of the housing's front edge
wall portion 178 and the outer surface 214 of the leaf
spring 192, each have formed therein a plurality of
parallel-spaced, transversely-extending, ridges 216, which
are serrated in transverse cross-section, to facilitate
simultaneously manually grasping the housing 164 and leaf
spring 192, and then resiliently urging the leaf spring
latch portion 198 taward the housing's rear edge wall
portion 180, for releasing the leaf spring 192 from the
receptacle's lower rear wall aperture 138, and slidably
CA 02068625 2003-02-26
- 15 -
moving the housing 1.64 rearwardly within the receptacle 110
until the housing's opposed upper ridge edges 190 are
rearwardly moved out from beneath the receptacle's lip
surfaces 154. Whereupon the cartridge 1.12 may be manually
vertically raised out of the receptacle 110 for removal
therefrom.
For mounting the postage meter 16 (Fig. 1) on the base
12, the postage meter apertures 20 and mailing machine base
posts 18 are respectively aligned with each other and the
postage meter 16 is vertically lowered, :in the path of
travel 21 defined by the apertures 20 and posts 18 to the
predetermined position 17 thereof on the base 12. As shown
in Fig. 5, when the cartridge 112 is mounted in the
receptacle 110, the cam-shaped portions 173 thereof are
located in the path of travel 21 of the postage meter 16.
In addition, the meter guard structure 45 is located in the
meter's path of travel 21. As the postage meter 16 is
lowered onto the ba se 12 (Fi.g. 6) the shield member 49, is
lowered into engagement with the cartridge's cam surfaces
175. And, in response to the shield member 49 engaging the
cam surfaces 175, the shield member 49 urges the housing 164
out of engagement with the receptacle stop surfaces 156 and
rearwardly within the receptacle 112, against the forwardly
directed resilient force 209 exerted by the leaf spring 194.
As a result, since the transfer roller 168 is carried by
housing 164 therewith, the transfer roller 168 is urged out
of the path of travel 21 of the postage meter 16 in response
to the guard structure 45 engaging the cartridge 116. Thus
the guard structure 45 prevents ink from the transfer roller
168 from being smeared onto the postage meter 16 as the
postage meter 16 is mounted on the base 12. As shown in Fig.
5 when the postage meter 16 lowered onto the base 12 the
guard structure 45 .i.s disposed of engagement with the cam
surfaces 175 and the leaf spring 194 has resiliently urged
the housing 164, and thus transfer roller 168, toward the
printing die 44 to permit ink to be transferred from the
roller 168 to the printing di.e 44 when the printing die 44
rotates into engagement with the transfer roller 168. Thus
16 - ~~'~Z~~~JS
the leaf spring 194 resiliently urges the housing 164
forwardly with:Ln the receptacle 110 and back out into
engagement with the receptacle's stop surfaces 156 in
response to the guard structure 45 disengaging the cam
surfaces 175. ~As the housing 164 is thus reciprocably moved
within the receptacle 110 in response to the guard structure
45 engaging and disengaging the cam surfaces 175, the
housing's opposed ridge edges 190 slidably move against the
receptacle's upper lip surfaces 154, and the housing's lower
edge portion 176 slidably moves against the receptacle's
lower wall base: surfaces 132, for guiding movement of the
housing 164 within the receptacle 110.
When the postage meter 16 (Fig. 7) is mounted on the
base 12 , the meaer apertures 2 0 ( Fig . 1 ) and base posts 18
are disposed in alignment with one another and the postage
meter 16 is located in the predetermined position 17 thereof
on the base 12,. For dismounting the postage meter 16 from
the base 12 the meter 16 is vertically raised in the path of
travel 21 defined by the apertures 20 and posts 18, out of
the position 17 thereof on the base 12. Whereupon, the
guard structure 45 (Fig. 6) engages the cam surfaces 175 and
laterally moves the cartridge housing 164 out of engagement
with the receptacle stop surfaces 156 and rearwardly within
the receptacle 110, against the force 209 exerted by the
spring 194. ,~lnd, as the postage meter 16 is further
vertically moved away from the base 12, the guard structure
45 (Fig. 5) is moved out of engagement with the cam surfaces
175. Whereupon, the leaf spring 194 laterally moves the
cartridge housing 164 forwardly within the receptacle 110
and into engagement with the receptacle stop surfaces 156.
In accordance with the objects of the invention there
has been described an improved inking cartridge and a
mailing machine: including a disposable inking cartridge.
