AUTOMATIC MAIL HANDLING DEVICE

Abstract: A coin-freed mail handling device which provides the functions of letter transmitting, weighing, postage calculating, automatic stamping, sorting and recording. Therefore, the device is able to operate continuously and automatically with no human intervention. The device includes an automatic transmitting mechanism, an automatic postage handling and marking section, mail sorting mechanisms, means for identifying and changing coins and a microcomputerized controller for centralizing control so that ordinary mail, express mail and air mail can be sorted.

Description: Traditionally, for sending mail, it is necessary either to buy postage stamps to stick on the mail items or to arrange for the mail to be weighed by service personnel in the post office and then buy the exact amount of postage stamps (or postage labels) to stick on the mail items before posting them. Both methods have disadvantages, for example, with the first method, mail can be sent with insufficient postage, and it is necessary to purchase postage stamps and physically stick them to mail items, and in the second case, a lot of the sender's time tends to be wasted. After collecting mail from mail boxes, postmen are required to handle sophisticated jobs such as picking out overweight mail, stamp cancellation and sorting etc. manually. A self-service post counter has previously been designed which accepts coins and franks mail automatically without the need to stick on postage stamps. Recently, it has been proposed to connect an electronic weigher and a postage marking machine having a microcomputer to a self-service post counter. Although the resulting machine provides the functions of weighing, calculating postage, and recording, it is necessary for dating to be done by hand and also the whole system must be operated by labour. Furthermore, it is not possible to simplify the dropping mail procedure. Thus, the disadvantages of wastage of time and labour and the possiblity of human error still exist. US-A-4 024 380 discloses an automatic mail handling device including a microcomputer controller for calculating and indicating postage in dependence on weight and classification data of a mail item. US-A-3 689 155 (Figs. 11 and 12) teaches an automatic mail handling device comprising a charge calculator and a scale onto which a mail matter is dropped through an insertion opening; the mail matters processed are counted and sorted. US-A-3 451 517 is concerned with an automatic mail handling device which records running totals of the amounts collected for each type of postal service. However, none of the available prior art documents suggests an automatic mail handling device including means operable by a user for causing the return of a mail item to the user, or means for conveying a mail item to a weighing station. The present inventor has carried out research and has developed a virtually automatic post counter to match the developing trend of computerisation. In accordance with the invention, there is provided an automatic mail handling device including a housing, a coin identifying and changing device, and a microcomputer controller, and having an inlet for mail items, means, for example a button, operable by a user for causing the return of a mail item to the user, means for conveying a mail item to a weighing station, means to enable a user to select a desired mail classification, means for calculating the appropriate postage for a mail item, in dependence upon the weight and mail classification thereof, indicating means for indicating to a user the weight of and postage due on a mail item, means, for example a coin, banknote, or credit card slot, for receiving a payment token from a user, means for verifying the said payment token against the postage due on a mail item, means for franking mail items automatically on verification of the said payment, means for sorting mail items in accordance with their classification and means for enabling the output from the device of total of numbers of items and postage amounts for each mail classification. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate similar parts, and in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of the counter housing of an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 2 is a right side view of the internal construction in an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 3 is a left side view of the internal construction in an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view of automatic transmission mechanisms of an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 5 is an automatic postage franking section of the device of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the whole system of an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 7 is an operatio n flow chart of an automatic counter according to a preferred embodiment of this invention. Figure 8 is an operation flow chart of an automatic post counter using a magnetic card instead of coins. Referring now to Figure 1, a device according to the invention includes a front door, a rear door, a right side upper door, and a right side lower door. The interior of said housing is partitioned into chambers which are available for use by post office personnel and maintenance personnel. A face panel (11) is provided with a mail inlet/outlet (111), a slot (18), a refund button (181), mail classification select button (115-119), a mail return button (110), indicator light (101-104), and signal means (112-114) to be operated by the user. An instruction plate (13) is located at the right middle portion of the front door and a coin return slot (12) is located at the left side on the middle part of the front door for giving change and refunds. A mail receiving time table (15) is located beneath middle portion of the front door. Four movable wheels (16) are mounted at the bottom of said housing and two of them located in the front are provided with a braking device for resisting movement. An automatic on/off device (17) is located at the bottom of said housing, and controls a fluorescent lamp (21) (shown in Figure 2) so that said automatic post counter is able to be operated all day long. Referring to Figure 4, an automatic transmission mechanism (24) for letters includes a stepping motor (242) which is located at the upper portion of said automatic transmission mechanism and is arranged to cause rotation of drive rollers (243) through pulleys (2412) and belt (2413). A driven roller (2411) rotates with said driven roller (243) by friction to move letters forward or backward. Said belt (2413) can be adjusted to be tight or loose by belt tensioning arm (2414). Said driven roller (2411) can be adjusted upward or downward automatically to adapt to the thickness of mails. Three photo interrupters (241), (247), (248) are provided to detect the arrival, dropping, location and weighing respectively of letters. Two solenoids 246 are provided to control the upward and the downward movements of a swing plate (249) with a four bar linkage so as to position mail items on a weighing surface (245) for obtaining their exact weight. Said weighing surface (245) is also used as support surface for items and assists in their rapid movement. The lower part of said mechanism is provided with an electronic weighing machine (19), in which a load cell is used as a weight sensor. The weighing range for said weighing machine (19) is flexible and its accuracy is up to 0.1 gram. Appropriate circuitry is provided to produce an output from the load cell to an RS232 interface to the microcomputer controller, which is arranged to zero the scale automatically. The whole mechanisms are run by statements in the microcomputer controller. Figure 5 illustrates the automatic postage marking machine incorporated in the device according to the invention. The marking machine includes a mark stepping motor (254) which is located at the lower part of said automatic postage marking machine is used to drive rollers (255) for moving mail items (the operation is similar to that of the automatic transmission mechanism 242, 243). A roller (251) is located at the middle part of said automatic postage marking machine and is provided with two sets of number wheels (252). A first one of these two sets of number wheels (252) is rotated by a stepping motor (253). The second set of number wheels is used for dating, both number wheels for printing year and month are provided with one row, and number wheels for printing day have two rows of number wheels, and also they are rotated by a date stepping motor (253) respectively. Surfaces on the rollers can carry postage marks date stamp figures and advertising logos. Roller (251) is rotated by a direct current motor (258) to provide ink for st amping. An ink pump (256) in front of said roller (251) is provided to deliver ink to ink roller (257). Thus roller (251) is inked while rotating. The device also includes a printer (259) for recording and printing the date, accumulated mail quantity, postage, and machine series number etc. A switch (22) (referring to Figure 2) is used to control said printer (259). The whole operation of said automatic postage machine are controlled by statements of the microcomputer controller. The device according to the invention also incorporates a mail sorting machine. Referring to Figure 2, a chute (27) is provided with two solenoids (271) to control two swing plates (272). These two solenoids (271) are operated by the microcomputer controller (31). By operating swing plates (272) mail items can be directed into three different mail boxes (28), (29), (30) which are for ordinary mail, express mail, and air mail respectively. The device illustrated also includes an automatic coin identifying and changing device. Referring to Figure 3, a coin identifying means (32) is able to distinguish coins of various values. The upper part of said device is a coin guide rail (36) for distinguishing coins inserted. The lower part of said device is provided with a small coin rail (39), medium coin rail (40), large coin rail (41) and a return coin rail (41). The device is arranged to detect the number of coins entering coin box (35) and for enabling easy calculating and recording. The inlet of coin box is designed as "Y" type and locked to prevent coins stolen by others. The rear part of said device is provided with changing means (33) which is able to deliver change via a chute (38) to coin return opening (12) on operation of motor (331). Chute (38) is provided with a photo interrupter (45) to detect the amount of change given. Four counters (34) are also located at the rear part to indicate the total numbers of coins entering the coin box and the amount of change given. Said device is operated under the control of the microcomputer. The microprocessor employed is an 8085 with associated program in EPROM, and this is used to control the automatic post counter, postage calculating the automatic change of date. An I/O card for the processor is provided with a photo electric connection to avoid interference by distortion information. The controller is also programmed so as to be capable of detection of internal errors in the apparatus and is able to display an appropriate out of order signal on the face panel. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate an operating flow chart for the operation sequence of a device as described above. The "power source" indicating light (101) on the face plate (referring to Figure 1) is on whilst a plug (43) (referring to Figure 3) is connected to an alternating current socket and indicates that mail can be accepted by the automatic counter. When a mail item is inserted into the inlet/outlet slot, the photo interrupter (241) of the transmission mechanism (24) (referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4) immediately senses this and the "working" indicating light (102) on the face panel (referring to Figure 1) is turned on. The stepping motor (242) (referring to Figure 4) then rotates forward to drive the driving roller (243) so as to bring the inserted mail item to the weighing surface (245). Photo interrupter (247) senses this and stops the stepping motor (242). Solenoid (246) then draws the swing plate with four bar linkage (249) down to the locating position. Photo interrupter (248) senses this and causes electronic machine (19) to start weighing. The weight indicating means (112) on the face panel (11) (referring to Figure 1) shows the weight of the mail item. One of the mail classification select buttons (115-119) is then depressed. If the button lights and a buzzing sound is produced this signifies that the input signal is effective. At this moment, the postage indicating means (113) shows the required amount of postage. Coins are then inserted into the coin slot (18), and enter the coin identification means (32) by way of the rail (36) (referring to Figure 3). Coins enter the appropriate coin box (35) through rail (39-41) and trigger photo interrupter (46-48), which senses a signal and causes the counter to total the value of the inserted coins. An indicator (114) (referring to Figure 1) on the face panel shows the value of coins inserted. Non-permitted coins are returned via coin return opening (12) and chute (37). Coins inserted may be returned by way of changing device (33) and chute (38) to coin return opening (12) to enable change to be given. The photo interrupter (450) on chute (38) senses a signal during the changing procedure and the counter totals the amount of change given. After sufficient coins have been received, the solenoid (246) (referring to Figure 4) is released and the four bar linkage swing plate moves upperward to the original place. Stepping motor (242) rotates forward to bring mail into the postage marking section (25) (referring to Figure 2). The postage marking machine is controlled by the microcomputer controller after sufficient payment has been received and the stepping motor (253) (referring to Figure 5) rotates the postage and date number wheel (252) in the roller (251) to indicate the appropriate postage and date. When mail items are moved in by means of the stepping motor (254) rotating the driving roller (255), the roller (251) will rotate to ink the ink roller (257) and to frank the mail items. The above operations are carried out sequentially and swiftly. The mail items move continuously into the mail sorting section (27) (referring to Figure 2). The mail sorting section operates to sort mail entering the machine. The solenoid (271) lifts the swing plate (272) so that mail can move into different mail boxes (28-30). At this moment, the weight and postage indication on the face panel is removed and the "working" indicating light is extinguished, to indicate that the process is finished. When insufficient coins are inserted or the sender changes his mind, the return mail button (110) (referring to Figure 1) on the face panel can be pressed. This causes the button to illuminate, and a buzzer to sound. In this case, the stepping motor (242) will rotate in reverse to return the item mail and payment to the user. Otherwise, the original mail item and coins will be returned automatically after 30 seconds. If it is desired to list the quantity and value in various postage categories switch (22) is operated, and the printer (259) (referring to Figure 5) prints out an appropriate list. All the above components are mounted in a single housing. At least in its preferred embodiment, this invention provides a microcomputerised automatic post counter which is able to receive mail, weigh mail, calculate and receive postage, change, stampmark, sort mail, classify and count mail, memorize and record postage income, and so on. By microcomputer control, which can automatically carry out all operations in the post counter within about ten seconds, advantages such as timne saving, labour saving and accuracy become feasible. In the device illustrated, an electronic weighing machine is used to weight mail during movement and to calculate the postage automatically so that problems of inadequate postage caused by overweight mail or senders' misunderstanding suitable postage may be avoided. It is also easy to revise the compute program to adapt to new postage rates. Furthermore, postage and date stamping are completely controlled by the microcomputer so that it can be operated automatically and it is not necessary to employ postage stamps or postage marking labels by hand. A printer is used to record automatically the classification and the quantity for mail, and a counter is used to record cumulatively the amount of postage, coins received and changed so that changing jobs become easier. The device is able to return mail and coins if the sender happens to have insufficient coins after inserting coins or if the sender should change his mind and desire to withdraw the mail. It should of course be understood that the above described embodiment of this invention is only an example, and various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of this invention as defined by the claims (Articles 84 and 69 (1) EPC).

Claims: An automatic mail handling device including a housing and a microcomputer controller, and having an inlet (111) for mail items, means (110) operable by a user for causing the return of a mail item to the user, means (24) for conveying a mail item to a weighing station (19), means (115) to enable a user to select a desired mail classification, means for calculating the appropriate postage for a mail item, in dependence upon the weight and mail classification thereof, indicating means (112) for indicating to a user the weight of and postage due on a mail item, means (18) for receiving a payment token from a user, means for verifying the said payment token against the postage due on a mail item, means (25) for franking mail items automatically on verification of the said payment, means (272) for sorting mail items in accordance with their classification and means (259) for enabling the output from the device of totals of numbers of items and postage amounts for each mail classification. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means (18) for receiving a payment token comprises an opening for depositing coins and/or an opening for depositing banknotes, and/or means for receiving a magnetically coded card. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein means (33, 12) are provided for returning change to a user. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including means (259) for providing a printed postage receipt. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including means to enable the entry by a user of a code associated with the destination of a mail item, and for marking a corresponding code on the mail item. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weighing station comprises a plate (249) over which mail items are caused to pass, means (247) for detecting the passage of a mail item over the plate, and means (246) for removing a support from the plate to cause the plate to drop on to a weighing device (19). A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein means (259) are provided for enabling the printing out of details of mail handled in various categories.

Inventors: SHENG-JUNG, WU
Applicants: SHENG-JUNG, WU
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G07F17
IPC codes: G07B17, G07F17, B07C1