Postage printing apparatus having a movable print head and a variable speed drum rotation

摘要

A postage meter printing apparatus for applying postage indicia to a mailpiece having a cyclically operating drum for feeding the mailpiece through the postage meter. The periphery of the drum has an aperture therein. Structure is provided for maintaining the mailpiece against the drum as the mailpiece is fed by the drum and for cycling the drum at a low rotational speed during a part of the cycle when a low-speed printing process is taking place and high rotational speeds during a higher speed printing process and of the remainder of the cycle thereby providing means for obtaining maximum overall cycle speeds while accommodating the low-speed requirements of the slower printing process. A matrix print head for the low-speed process is located internal to the drum having a printing position and a non-printing position, the print head is automatically placed adjacent the mailpiece through the aperture in the drum to its printing position when the aperture is between the print head and mailpiece. Structure is also provided to activate the print head when it is in its printing position.