In a machine including driving apparatus and structure for sensing a sheet fed to the machine; an improvement comprising: a rotary timing cam; an actuating member movable into and out of locking engagement with the cam; a source of supply of d.c. power; a first circuit connected across the power supply and including a solenoid and a trip switch actuatable for energizing the solenoid; a second circuit connected across the power supply and including a d.c. motor and a motor switch actuatable for energizing and deenergizing the motor; and the trip switch actuated in response to the sensing structure sensing a sheet fed to the machine, and the driving apparatus causing the actuating member to move out of locking engagement with the cam and actuate the motor switch for energizing the motor to drive the cam when the solenoid is energized.

In a mailing machine including a postage meter, wherein the postage meter includes rotary printing structure for printing indicia on a sheet fed to the machine, and the machine includes apparatus for driving the printing structure, wherein the driving apparatus includes a drive gear, the driving apparatus includes a locking member movable into and out of locking engagement with the drive gear, the driving apparatus includes an actuating member for moving the locking member, and wherein the machine includes trip structure for sensing a sheet fed to the machine, an improvement comprising: a source of supply of d.c. power; a first circuit connected across the power supply and including a solenoid and a trip switch actuatable for energizing the solenoid; a second circuit connected across the power supply and including a d.c. motor and a motor switch actuatable for energizing and deenergizing the motor; and the trip switch actuated in response to the trip structure sensing a sheet fed to the machine, and the driving apparatus causing the actuating member to move the locking member out of locking engagement with the drive gear and actuate the motor switch for energizing the motor to drive the drive gear when the solenoid is energized.

A mechanism for encoding continuously moving documents. Documents are transported between a plurality of fixed dies and a plurality of electronically controlled hammers. An ink bearing ribbon is interposed between the documents and the fixed dies and is momentarily transported at the same velocity as the documents. As the documents traverse the plurality of fixed dies, the electronically controlled hammers are cycled, in a selected sequence and at selected positions, to provide the desired encoding. In those applications wherein the cycle time of the electronically controlled hammers is too slow to allow identical encoding in adjacent positions, a second plurality of fixed dies and electronically controlled hammers may be located adjacent to the first plurality or interspersed among the first plurality of fixed dies.

A printing apparatus having a paper positioning plate swingably supported and having two positions in operation. The first position temporarily stops the carrying of an edge of a paper sheet by engaging the edge. The second position allows the paper sheet to be freely carried. The portion of the paper positioning plate which engages the edge of the paper sheet is curved as an arc having its axis on the axis of swing of the paper positioning plate. Thus, the swinging motion of the paper positioning plate does not create a strong frictional force at the edge of the sheet of paper and hence no paper particles are produced.

In a machine including rotary structure for printing indicia on a sheet fed to the machine, wherein the machine includes apparatus for driving the rotary printing structure, wherein the driving apparatus includes a drive gear having a home position, wherein driving apparatus includes a locking member movable into and out of locking engagement with the drive gear when the drive gear is in its home position, and wherein the machine includes trip structure for sening a sheet fed to the machine, an improvement comprising: an actuating member for moving the locking member into and out of locking engagement with the drive gear; apparatus for controlling the actuating member, the controlling apparatus including resilient structure for urging the actuating member to move the locking member into and out of locking engagement with the drive gear; and the trip structure including structure for normally latching the controlling apparatus for preventing the resilient structure from moving the actuating member to move the locking member out of locking engagement with the drive gear, and the latching structure unlatching the controlling means for permitting the resilient means to move the actuating member for moving the locking member out of locking engagement with the drive gear when the trip structure senses a sheet fed to the machine.