Franking machine
US5408416A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 1994 |
| Grant date | Apr 18, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00645
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A machine for printing a postage stamp for application to a mail item includes a a thermal printer to print the stamp on a tape of thermally sensitive paper. The speed of feeding of the tape is controlled to be uniform to synchronize with the operation of the printer. The printer is non-secure and accounting for the value of postage charge printed on the stamps is accomplished by machine reading of the stamps by the Postal Authority. The stamp printing machine generates an accumulated value of postage charge for a series of stamps printed and then prints, on the same tape, a label including an indication of user account and accumulated value, the value preferably being in encoded form.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.