| 摘要 |
An apparatus and method for providing indicia on articles or packages, which indicia is an indication of such variables as identification, destination, weight, cost, postage or a combination of such variables. In one form, an article or container is disposed on a weighing device, such as a scale, and the weight of the article which is indicated when the scale balances, is automatically applied as a bar code, numerical indication or other form of indicia to a select portion of the surface of the article. The indicia may be printed by means of selectively operated printing wheels, an ink jet, a laser or electron beam marking device or other means which operate through an opening in the platform of the scale or from a location at the side of the scale. Xerographic or electrostatic printing means may also be employed, which is located within an opening in the scale platform or at the side of the scale and which is projected or propels particles to print indicia against a select portion of the article or container in accordance with information which was derived from a computer, manual keyboard input, speech synthesized electronic circuitry or other means.
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