"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth--all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
Lee deForest, American radio pioneer ; 1957
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 4870516 | Portable dictating machine A tape drive system for a dictating machine, particularly a portable dictating machine of a size suitable to be held in one hand. The dictating machine has a compartment which receives a tape cassette having a pair of reels, and a pair of driving spindles... | 09/26/1989 |
| 4864924 | Printwheel detent disengaging apparatus A printwheel detent disengaging mechanism enables low-torque high-speed automatic printwheel setting. In the engaged position spring-loaded ball in a rotatable shaft bears on a detent ball disposed in a bore in a sleeve surrounding the shaft to cam the de... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4865139 | Inker module for a modular mailing machine The inking module includes a plurality of first links extending horizontally and parallel. One end of the first links are fixably mounted to an ink pad tray, the other end of the first links having formed thereat a tilting surface. A drive means causes th... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4864505 | Postage meter drive system A mailing machine for mounting of a suitable postage meter thereon includes means for initiating a postage meter print cycle. The postage meter includes a shutter means which will prevent full execution of the postage meter print cycle if not properly ena... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4864521 | Multiranging scale with blanking of rate display According to the invention, a multiranging scale which operates in two weighing modes, a high range mode and a low range mode, and which displays not only weight but rate and/or charge information associated with mailing or shipping an article, is inhibit... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4864432 | Signal monitoring system with failsafe back-up capability A multichannel communications recorder with capability to display channel activity, failsafe back-up, and a unique identification code; and apparatus for securing access to the recorder. The recorder is formed from modular elements configurable into a lar... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4864506 | Postage meter recharging system A recharging system for a postage meter includes automatic telephone communication with a remote accounting center which utilizes touch-tone (DTMF) signals on the postage meter users telephone line to enable automatic recrediting of the descending registe... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4862375 | Magnetic power coupler for a vault cartridge A vault cartridge having a data storage means for the storage of data therein. The cartridge has a size and a shape which is adapted for insertion within a vault receptacle coupled to a host system. The vault receptacle has a primary portion of a magnetic... | 08/29/1989 |
| 4862386 | Apparatus for preparing a letter Apparatus for preparing a letter, including a stationery item. The apparatus includes a structure for printing and for providing a signal representative of letter data corresponding to information having a format. The information includes a plurality of p... | 08/29/1989 |
| 4859038 | Non-volatile memory display cell An electrolytic display cell includes two plates, one of which is covered by a semi-transparent electrode. The display is obtained by connecting the electrode to a source of potential of a first polarity and the erasing by connecting the electrode to a so... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4860025 | Thermal transfer printing process In printing apparatus of the type which includes a ribbon having a backing layer and an ink donor layer supported on the backing layer, wherein the apparatus includes a first thermal printhead for transfer printing a first ink pattern from the ink donor l... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4860339 | Programmable telephone/dictation terminal and method of operating same A programmable telephone/dictation terminal that can be disposed in any one of several different modes of operation including, but not limited to, dictating information onto a recorder, communicating over a telephone network, recording incoming messages r... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4858525 | Postage meter having a worm gear drive and guiding sleeve This invention relates to a postage meter having a plurality of worm gears for adjusting the rotational position of postage print wheels. Each worm gear selectively moves a rack which is an engagement with a postage print wheel so as to provide rotational... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4857910 | Bit-map CRT display control An apparatus and method for controlling a bit-mapped CRT raster display where a processor stores a bit-map of a CRT display frame in a buffer memory as strings of data words representative of bit-maps for single scan lines of the display. Associated with ... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4857942 | Apparatus for processing irregularly-shaped letters in a thermal printer In apparatus for thermally transferring ink from a ribbon, having backing and ink donor layers, to a letter, wherein the apparatus includes a frame, a thermal printhead and a printhead backing roller, there is provided an improvement for urging a ribbon a... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4858138 | Secure vault having electronic indicia for a value printing system A value printing system is disclosed which provides for storing the indicia to be printed within a secure vault module. The vault module also provides for securely maintaining the system accounting data. Coupled to the vault module is a host module which ... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4858174 | Electronic postage meter control system employing a membrane switch mechanism An electronic postage meter employs a membrane switch mechanism. The postage meter is of the type having a mechanism for printing postage and accounting circuits for accounting for postage printed by the printing mechanism. A membrane switch is coupled be... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4858213 | Display for modular dictation/transcription system A display for providing visual indications of the lengths of recorded messages, the positions of recorded instructions and the present relative location of a record medium. Three separate arrays are provided for these indications, respectively. Each recor... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4856602 | Apparatus and method of weighing articles based upon harmonic motion Apparatus and method of determining the mass of an article by the shift of the period of oscillation of a flexibly mounted tray. An article whose mass is to be determined is placed upon the tray which is caused to oscillate and the period of harmonic moti... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4856604 | Apparatus and method of determining the authenticity of weight obtained from a vibrating tray scale Apparatus and method of determining the authenticity of a signal indicative of the mass of an article being weighted. The article is placed upon the platform, and the platform is caused to oscillate and the period of harmonic motion is measured. One of or... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4855756 | Thermal transfer printing apparatus including means for controlling printing on irregularly-shaped letters In apparatus for thermally transferring ink from a ribbon, having backing and ink donor layers, to a letter, wherein the apparatus includes a frame, a thermal printhead, structure connected to the frame for controlling the printhead, and a roller, wherein... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4855920 | Postage accounting device A device applicable for processing batch mail which eliminates the need for on-site inspection. A mail sender purchases postage value and stores the amount purchased in the memory of the accounting device. The mail sender processes batches of mail and red... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4855607 | Apparatus for aligning a moving substrate and a read or write head An apparatus for aligning a moving substrate and a read or write head includes independently controllable rollers for deskewing the sensed skew of a moving substrate and a read or write device that is translatable in a direction fixed with respect to the ... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4853952 | Method and apparatus for visual indication of stored voice signals A system for storage and forwarding of voice signals. The system includes apparatus for storage and retrieval of voice signals and telephone-like station sets for access to the stored signals. The station sets also include a display and the system transmi... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4853961 | Reliable document authentication system A system for reliably authenticating a document includes a device having a decryption key therein that, upon application to information provided by a user, reveals not only a plain text message indicating the source of the authentication but, in addition,... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4852334 | Envelope opening apparatus Apparatus for separating the front and back walls of an envelope. The apparatus includes a supporting frame; a device mounted on the supporting frame for holding an envelope having a back wall, a front wall, and a flap extending from the back wall but not... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4853869 | System and method for processing a letter for bulk mailing A system is provided for processing a letter for bulk mailing. The system includes structures for printing and for supplying stationery items. In addition, the system includes a computer. The computer includes input structure for receiving letter data cor... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4853865 | Mailing system with postage value printing capability A system for processing batch mail in which a mail sender processes batches of mail each of which includes a statement containing data that allows mail payment verification. Included in this data is the balance of postage value after processing the mail.... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4853864 | Mailing systems having postal funds management A system for processing batch mail in which the need for on-site inspection is unnecessary. The mail sender purchases postage from a central station thereby authorizing him to send mail equal to the amount of postage purchased. The mail sender processes b... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4853523 | Vault cartridge having capacitive coupling A portable data storage module, or vault cartridge, having a data storage device and a plurality of conductive members which are disposed beneath an insulating outer surface of the module. In conjunction with corresponding conductive members in a host dev... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4852786 | Tape module for a modular mailing machine The tape module for mounting in a mailing machine includes a tape track supported by a support means such that the tape track is supported in a generally cantilevered manner. A tape positioning means selectively positioning the support means in a first po... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4852482 | Automatic printwheel setting system A printwheel setting mechanism suitable for automatic daters or other printwheel units comprises a verge drive for each printwheel and a solenoid travelling on a carriage which is selectively positionable actuating any one of the verge drives. The verge d... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4852479 | Postage meter having a worm gear drive This invention relates to a postage meter having a plurality of worm gears for adjusting the rotational position of postage print wheels. Each worm gear selectively moves a rack which is an engagement with a postage print wheel so as to provide rotational... | 08/01/1989 |
| 4851937 | Apparatus for securing access to a communications recorder A multichannel communications recorder or logger. The recorder is formed from modular elements which may be configured into a large number of selectable configurations. In each configuration one or more record decks is controlled by a control module which... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4852013 | Stationery item processing apparatus Apparatus is provided for processing a stationery item. The stationery item has a code identifying an addressee of the stationery item. The apparatus includes printing and feeding structures. The feeding structure includes instrumentalities for normally f... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4848492 | Transporting and drive mechanism for a weighing scale Transport and drive apparatus and method for use in determining the weight of an article. An article whose mass is to be determined is transported upon the plan of a weighing scale by a combination of rollers attached to the tray and drive rollers receive... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4849736 | Magnetic marker having a rectangular configuration for electronic article surveillance A magnetic marker is disclosed having characteristics that lend the marker to being useful in the field of theft detection using electronic article surveillance techniques. The marker has a magnetic member that is formed in a rectangular configuration. Wi... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4849884 | Mailing and accounting system A system for mailing bulk mail pieces in which credit rating is relied upon instead of security to assure payment of the mail. A mailer user sends a batch of mail to the post office which is accompanied by a statement sheet indicating the number of mail p... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4849918 | Weighing instrument having adaptive breakpoints A weighing instrument is provided with two sets of breakpoints; "generic breakpoints" which fall at the midpoint of successive display intervals, and "postal breakpoints" which fall at or near one of the two successive display intervals. Under "normal" ci... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4848062 | Method of delivery of replacement units and return of replaced units A mailer for the delivery of the replacement units and the return of replaced units. Preferably the units include electronic components such as PROM's mounted on printed circuit boards. A replacement unit is held within the mailer by a restraint in a posi... | 07/18/1989 |