Automatic postage meter date setter

An automatic date setting apparatus for a postage meter is disclosed which may be attached to the housing of a postage meter. The apparatus includes solenoids that drive linkage segments which are engageable with the gear train of the meter date indicator. Each solenoid is in electrical connection with a timing device to be enabled periodically thereby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In certain instances, one of the requirements of a postage meter imprint is 
that the date be included as part of the meter impression to indicate when 
a letter or package is mailed. Some type of means is usually provided for 
manually setting a postage meter date printer, as is shown in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 2,687,692, 2,708,403 and 2,762,298. Although only the date is usually 
shown, at times additional information may be desirable such as whether 
the letter or package was marked in the A.M. or P.M. or the exact time of 
day within fifteen minutes. It obviously would be desirable to provide 
automatic or remote means for changing the date and time indicators of a 
postage meter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An apparatus for automatically setting the date printer on a postage meter 
is provided that utilizes solenoids that are connected to a timing 
mechanism. The apparatus is housed in a unit which may be attached to a 
postage meter. Transfer wheels are provided that engage drive gears of the 
postage meter date printer. Means is provided for removing the transfer 
wheels from engagement with the drive gears when the apparatus is 
inoperative and for placing the transfer wheels in engagement with the 
drive gears when the date is to be changed. Each transfer wheel is in 
engagement with a solenoid through appropriate linkage members, whereby 
upon actuation of its associated solenoid, the transfer wheel may be 
rotated while in engagement with its associated drive gear to thereby 
rotate the latter. After the date has been changed, the transfer wheels 
once more are removed from the drive gears.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, a portion of a postage meter is shown 
generally at 10 including a shaft 12 upon which a plurality of drive gears 
14 are mounted for rotation thereabout. The drive gears 14 are part of a 
drive train which is operative to rotate print wheels and corresponding 
setting indication wheels which allow one to see the date set, of the type 
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,687,692 and 2,762,298. Since the gear train of 
this type is well known in the art, it will not be described in detail. An 
example of a postage meter 10 which may be utilized is the Model 5300 
marketed by Pitney-Bowes, Inc., the assignee of the instant invention. The 
postage meter 10 is usually attached to a postage meter machine 15 that 
may provide drive or power to the postage meter 10. An example of a 
postage meter machine 15 is Model 5600 marketed by Pitney-Bowes, Inc. 
An apparatus for automatically setting the date on a postage meter 10 is 
shown generally at 16 and includes a base or housing 18 which supports 
various components. The base 18 may be attached to the postage meter 10 in 
any convenient manner such as by bolts 20. Integral with the base is a cam 
member 22, the cam member having a cam surface 24. A solenoid 26 is 
secured to the base 20 in any convenient fashion and has extending 
therefrom a plunger 28. A connection link 30 is pivotally connected to the 
plunger 28 by a pin 32 which extends through both of these members 28, 30. 
The connection link 30 has a surface 34 that engages and is in geometrical 
conformity with the cam surface 24 and an eyelet member 35 integral 
therewith at the upper portion thereof. A U-shaped brace 36 is secured to 
or integral with the base 18 and receives therein a laterally-extending 
pivot shaft 38. Supported by the pivot shaft 38 are a pair of opposed side 
plates 40 that are an integral part of a frame member 41. A pivot 42 
extends outwardly from one of the side plates 40. A linkage 44 is mounted 
on the pivot 42 and receives a pin 46 therein which connects the linkage 
44 to the connection link 30. One end of a spring 48 is received within 
the eyelet member 35 and the other end of the spring is supported by the 
shaft 38 to bias the connection link 30 to the left as shown in FIGS. 2 
and 3. 
A portion 50 of the frame member 41 extends downwardly as seen in FIGS. 2 
and 3 and has an opening 52 therein that provides access to various 
components of the setting apparatus 16. The frame member 41 has another 
opening 54 therein. Located at the top of and integral with the frame 
member 41 are a pair of opposed support braces 56 that receive a shaft 58 
therein. Mounted on the shaft 58 for rotation thereabout are a plurality 
of transfer wheels 60, the number of transfer wheels being equal to the 
number of drive gears 14. Pivot 62 is received within the support braces 
56 and mounted thereon are a plurality of segment gears 64, there being an 
equal number of segment gears and transfer wheels 60. An equal number of 
solenoids 66 is mounted on the frame portion 50, each solenoid having a 
plunger 68 extending therefrom. A linkage member 70 is attached to each of 
the plungers 68 as by a pin 72 extending through both members. The upper 
end of each linkage member 70 is aligned with a respective segment gear 64 
and attached thereto by another pin 74. Each linkage member 70 also has an 
eyelet member 76 which receives one end of an extension spring 78, the 
other end of each spring being supported upon a shaft 80 supported between 
the side plates 40. Another extension spring 82 extends from the frame 
member 41 to the base 18. 
A lead 84 extends from each solenoid 26, 66 to a timing means 86. The 
timing means 86 may be of any convenient type which would periodically 
send a pulse to one or more selected solenoids. Timing means 86 of this 
type are well known in the art and will not be described in detail. An 
example of commercially available timing means is series MK 50250N digital 
clock marketed by Mostek Corp. of Carrollton, Texas. FIG. 4 shows a 
representation of the type of system that may be utilized in conjunction 
with the automatic date setter 16. Referring now to FIG. 4, the solenoids 
26, 66 are shown collectively at 83 and the lead 84 is electrically 
connected to the timing means or clock control 86. The clock control 86 in 
turn is electrically connected to a power source 88, a display and clock 
set 90 and a trip inhibitor 92. The solenoids 83 mechanically engage as 
described above a dater 94 which would be part of the postage meter 10 and 
a date indicating wheel unit 96, the latter also being in electrical 
connection with the clock control. Alternatively, the leads 84 may be 
connected to a manually operated switch thereby allowing the solenoids 26, 
66 to be enabled manually. 
In operation, the automatic date setter 16 would be normally in the mode of 
operation as shown in FIG. 3, i.e., the transfer gear 60 would be 
disengaged from the drive gear 14 of the postage meter 10. At the time a 
date change is to be made, a signal is sent to the solenoid 26 and the 
plunger 28 is pulled downwardly to a position as shown in FIG. 2, to 
overcome the spring 48 and render the linkage 44 and connection link 30 
parallel to one another. With the pulling down of the plunger 28, and the 
corresponding movement of linkage member 30 and linkage 44, the pivot 42 
will be pulled downwardly thereby pulling the side plates 40 downwardly 
and rotating the same about the shaft 38 in a clockwise direction as seen 
in FIGS. 2 and 3 overcoming spring 82. With this movement, the transfer 
wheels 60 will be moved into engagement with the drive gears 14. The cam 
member 22, in combination with the connection link 30 acts as a helper 
lock to maintain the date setter 16 in the position as shown in FIG. 2. 
The interaction of the abutting surfaces 24, 34 lock the connection link 
30 and linkage 44 in the extended position so that any separating force 
present from the interaction of the drive gears 14 and transfer wheels 60 
will be resisted. It will be appreciated that such a helper lock may not 
be required and is shown only as an optional feature. 
Subsequent to the engagement of the drive gears 14 and transfer wheels 60, 
one or more of the solenoids 66 will receive a signal whereby the plunger 
68 of the enabled solenoid would be pulled downwardly. Upon this pulling 
down of the plunger 68 the spring 78 is overcome and the linkage member 70 
pulled downwardly. With this downward pulling of the linkage member 70, 
the segment gear 64 is rotated about the shaft 62 and the transfer wheel 
60 is in turn rotated. Upon rotation of the transfer wheel 60, the drive 
gear 14 will be rotated thereby actuating the gear train of the postage 
meter 10 to change the associated date wheel therein. As soon as the 
signal is sent to the solenoid 66 and upon completion of rotation of the 
drive gear 14, the solenoid 26 is disabled and the reverse takes place, 
i.e. the plunger 28 will be pushed upwardly, the surface of the linkage 
member 34 will slide on the cam member 24 to be pushed outwardly with the 
cooperation of the spring 48, until such time as the plunger 28 has been 
extended in full length. Upon the occurring, the other solenoid 66 will be 
disabled and will be returned to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
The invention thus far has been shown and described as comprising two 
units, the postage meter 10 and the postage meter automatic date setter 16 
which is attached to the postage meter. It will be appreciated that these 
two units may be combined in a single unit, i.e., a postage meter having 
automatic date changing means of the type described herein. Additionally, 
the number of functions may be expanded to include time changes as well as 
date changes. 
The correct pulse train for a given date change is determined by a pulse 
chart and incorporated into the logic of the timing means 86. For example, 
the simplest date change would be from one day to another, such as May 1 
to May 2 and would be one pulse supplied to a solenoid 26 to engage the 
drive gear 14 and transfer gear 64 and one pulse to one of the solenoids 
66-1 to pivot one segment gear 64 thereby rotating its associated gears 
14, 64. The selection of solenoids, the reduction of voltage and the time 
delays would also be encompased in the circuitry. The least number of 
pulses being two, the greatest number would be for the date change from 
Feb. 28 to March 1. This change would have the units solenoid 66-1 pulse 
five times; 9, 0, -, -, 1; the tens solenoid 66-2 pulse two times; 3, - ; 
and the months solenoid 66-3 pulse once from February to March and the 
engaging solenoid 26 the required times. 
The date setter 16 may be designed to be operated either on battery pack 
and be self-contained or to operate on a line voltage power pack and a 
five volt logic supply battery. The self-contained system would 
automatically set the date even though the meter 10 is detached from the 
mailing machine 15. An alternative would be to use a smaller battery to 
drive the logic and a 12V power supply to power the solenoids 26, 66. The 
smaller battery would drive the logic, keep the date, and be modular with 
the postage meter 10. The power pack could be modular with the mailing 
machine 15. When the postage meter 10 is separated from the mailing 
machine 15, the clock would continue to run keeping track of the date 
changes missed by storing the proper number of pulses for each solenoid to 
set the correct date when the postage meter 15 is returned to a "plugged 
in" mailing machine 15. If a power failure occurs, the same technique 
would be used to reset the electronic and the mechanical date. The amount 
of storage is optional since the number of bits per any given date change 
is minimal. 
This concept will actuate solenoid 26 each time a pulse for a date setting 
function is originated and will not disengage until the date setting is 
fully completed. Conversely the date setting function shall not disengage 
until solenoid 26 is deactivated and the transfer wheels are clear of the 
drive gears 14. This type cycling ensures that the date changers are 
returned in an actuated mode so as not to disturb the date "setting" and 
also puts less of a heat load on the solenoid 26. The gear separating 
forces are counteracted by a mechanical "helper lock", which is only 
effective with an energized solenoid 26.