PARTIAL CANCELLING MACHINE FOR LETTERS

Abstract: A partial cancelling machine for letters, wherein individual letters (15, 20) are carried by feed rolls and delivered between a marker roll (22) and its counterroll (13) for marking. Said machine comprises a set of friction-coated feed rollers (4-6) and a sorting roll (14) which is positioned on the opposite side of the travelling path of a letter and rotates in the direction opposite to that of feed rollers, a letter conveying path between a die-hub for marking an object and its counter-roll (13), as well as piling means (24-26), the area of the set of feed rollers (4-6) and the forward part of said conveying path being provided with an array of photocells (16-19) as well as with an additional photocell (21) upstream of die-hub (22), in the travel direction.

Description: Partial cancelling machine for letters The present inventio relates to a partial cancelling machine for cancelling letters, wherein individual letters are forwarded by feed rolls and thus delivered between a cancelling roll and its counter-roll. Partial cancelling means that the stamp only covers a certain area of the upper right-hand corner of a letter instead of extending over the entire length of a letter as it is with continuous cancelling machines. The prior art letter cancelling machines were all doing continuos cancelling which can be readily effected by means of a continuously rotating cancelling roller. When the international letter standard was revised to meet e.g. the requirements set by automatic assortment, one of the changes was to shift the sender*s name from the lower left-hand corner of a letter to the upper left-hand corner thereof. Furthermore, there is an area reserved in the upper central portion of a letter for markings involved in the handling of a letter. A stamp extending over the e ' ntire length of a letter would mess up such areas. Several manufacturers have nowadays also partially cancelling marker models. However, it has been proven a technically difficult problem to develop partial cancelling machines that would be sufficiently fast, reliable and fulfil the present noise standards. If compared with continuous cancelling machines, the partial cancelling machines are hampered by the following problems: - letters must be completely separated from each other in order to facilitate cancelling of every letter. In continuous cancelling machines, the letters may be allowed to partially overlap each other - a die-hub must be actuated and stopped for each letter. The former requisition sets special requirements for a sorting mechanism as for the feeding and re-stacking of letters. Both requisitions together make it difficult to attain sufficient cancelling speed. The quick start¬ ing and stopping of mechanical elements further create noise problems. High speeds require special equipment for identification of letters for controlling the cancelling operation. In a device of the invention the above drawbacks have been eliminated as set forth in the characterizing sections of the annexed claims. The most significant advantages gained by the invention can be considered to be the high cancelling speed and accuracy obtained, rapid and highly accurate sorting feed of letters, newspaper clippings and other mail regardless of the operator's work experience. The machine is capable of effecting the feed without un¬ necessary intervals, which also means accurate re-stack¬ ing regardless of the length of a letter. * The invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawing which shows diagrammatically in plan view the operating and constructional principle of a machine according to the invention. A bundle 3 of likeways placed letters is positioned flat-ended upon a feeding table against a backing board 2 with postage stamps facing a feed roller 4. When positioned this way, the impression at the cancelling stage meets the letter at a proper height. This is followed by releasing a.feeding table 3 which was so far locked at the end of said table. The feeding table urges the bundle of letters by the action of a spring against a set of friction-surfaced feed rollers 4, 5 and 6. Feeding table 3 can also be pushed amnually and even left in its locked position and feed the letters into the machine by gently pushing the bundle at the feed rollers (arrow 8). Rollers 4, 5 and 6 are coupled together by means of a cogged belt 7. Transmission ratio is such that the rollers have equal peripheral speeds. After positioning the bundle, the machine is started. As a drive motor (not shown) has reached its normal speed of rotation, the set of feed rollers starts rotat¬ ing provided that the feed-actuating switch is in 0N- position. This switch can be used to stop or start the feed during operation of the machine. In the course of their running, the surface speeds of said feed rollers -SL, are equal to the speeds of /lat belts 9 and 10 convey¬ ing a letter for cancelling.. The set of friction- " coated feed rollers pushes a letter pressed thereagainst on to a conveying path formed between rolls 11 and 12 and also belts 9 and 10. The direction of rotation of a sorting roll 14 is opposite to the passage of a letter and that roll prevents two or more letters from passing simultaneously between the belts. Roll 14 is spring-loaded against roller 6 in a manner that roll 14 is movable according to the thickness of a letter. The spring action is adkjustable and,- moreover, the basic roll position is adjustable since the friction surface wear requires resetting from time to time. A spring urges a roll 12 against a drive roll 11. Thus, the action can be transmitted to a set of rollers 12- 13 and to belt 10. When the set of feed rollers has managed to push the leading edge of a letter 15 between a photogate sensor 19, the letter proceeds along carried by belts 9 and 10. In order to prevent the following letter 20 from overlapping with the preceding one, said photogate orders feed rollers 4, 5 and 6 to stop. Hence, the letter between said belts proceeds along but the next letter in a pile does not join it. When the trailing edge of said first letter 15 passes the leading edge of the following letter 20 (location ' varies), the first of photogates 16, 17, 18 or 19 recognizes this incident. This is when a set of feed shafts starts up and letter 20 sets off. The set of feed ' rollers rotate again as long as the leading edge of. letter 20 lands between photogate 19. The cancelling operation has a certain maximum freq¬ uency. This is why the feed may not deliver letters at a rate higher than said frequency. Such overspeed- ing could be considered when handling short letters. As the leading edge of a letter has reached photogate 19, a control is applied to secure a period of certain duration during which the feed is not actuated even if one of the photogates had recognized a letter spacing. The cancelling operation is set off by a photogate sensor 21. As the leading edge of letter 15 passes the photogate, the control electronics receive an impulse and after a presettable delay a die-hub 22 starts rotating. This delay serves the purpose of obtaining a cancelling mark in a desired location in the travel direction of a letter. A die-hub 22, with about half of its cylinder face removed as a segment, pushes by its marking surface a letter against a counter-roll 13. At the same time, the ink applied to said marking surface passes on to a letter and produces a stamp impression. Thereafter, said die-hub 22 stops in its initial posit¬ ion where it does not press upon a letter (cylinder face removed) and thus allows said letter to proceed freely. Hence, said die-hub 22 rotates once around its axis per each letter. The trailing end 23 of a bundle piling up on a receiving table is pushed by pairs of cams 24 and 25 which work simultaneously with die-hub 22.. Their basic position is shown in the figure. As soon as die-hub 22 sets off, also the follower cams 24, 25 start rotating around their respective axes. As the pair of cams 24 is push¬ ing the bundle, the leading edge of an oncoming letter is already on the receiving table. The pair of cams .25 rotates circa 60 in arrears and pushes the bundle a bit later. The follower cams ensure the clear pass¬ age for an oncoming letter into the bundle and to be conveyed by a roller 26 up to a stopper 27. The trail¬ ing edges of piled-up letters cannot turn in front of a letter. Upon completing a cycle, said follower cams stop in their initial position simultaneously with the die-hub. A support plate 28 is loaded by a constant force in the direction opposite to arrow 29. As it keeps piling up, said bundle works its way onto the table along teflon belts 30 and pushed by cams 24 and 25 as well as roller 26. The support plate holds the bundle upright. According to a letter format to be cancelled or marked. said stopper plate 27 is adjustable in the direction of arrow 31. The adjustment must be preset in order to leave the trailing end of a bundle of letters within the active range of follower cams. Two positions are generally sufficient: in the position closest to roller 26 it is possible to mark letter formats Cβ, C65 and C5 simultaneously and in the position farthest away it is possible to mark letter formats C65, C5 and C4 simultaneously. The above description deals with a letter cancelling machine. However, its constructional and principle " solutions can be applied within the scope of the in¬ vention e.g. to counting of money, printing and applic¬ ation of an adhesive. In such applications, a die-hub is removed and replaced with a desired additional element, e.g. a counter, impression roller or an adhesive application device. Naturally it is quite possible to use such additional elements also together with a die-hub.

Claims: Claims 1. A partial cancelling machine for letters, wherein individual letters (15, 20) are carried by feed rolls and delivered between a marker roll (22) and its counter- roll (13) for marking, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said machine comprises a set of friction-coated feed rollers (4-6) and a sorting roll (14) which is positioned on the opposite side of the travelling path of a letter and rotates in the direction opposite to that of feed rollers, a letter conveying path between a die-hub for marking an object and its counter-roll (13), as well as piling means (24-26), the area of the set of feed rollers (4-6) and the forward part of said conveying path being provided with an array of photo¬ cells (16-19) as well as with an additional photocell (21) upstream of die-hub (22) in the travel direction. 2. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in claim , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said array of photo¬ cells (16-19) comprises a plurality of photogate sensors, the first (16) being positioned within the area of the trailing roller (6) of said set of feed rollers and the last photogate sensor (21) being posit¬ ioned at the start of said conveying path, with one or more photocells (17, 18) adaptable between these cells (16, 19). 3. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said array of feed rollers {4-6) comprises a plurality of cooperating rollers which have equal peripheral speed. 4. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that OMH _ said conveying path consists of conveyor belts (9, 10), positioned on either side of the travelling path and running on rolls (11-13, 26). 5. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said conveyor belts (9, 10) are slat belts. 6. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said roll (11) is a drive roll against which a spring-loaded roll (12) is pressed. 7. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said piling means comprise at least one rotating cam-wheel (24, 25) mounted above the trailing end of the conveying path and adapted to cooperation with die-hub (22) . 8. A letter cancelling machine as set forth in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the marking surface is positioned on the periphery of die-hub (22) , a segment section or sections being removed from that peripheral area of die-hub (22) which is not covered by said marking surface. Pg—

Inventors: VUOTO VAEINOE, VUOTO, VAEINOE
Applicants: FBM TEOLLISUUS OY, FBM-TEOLLISUUS OY
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B41K3
IPC codes: B65H3, B65H7