Here is what marcophilie.org has to say about the open triangles:
http://www.marcophilie.org/x/x-tri-i.html[scroll down the left frame for the open triangle, and if you are at all interested in cancels, prepare to be lost in that site for a few hours]
I take it to mean that the triangle was found in different sizes and was used to cancel the postage due stamps.
Here is how I think this worked, though I'm always happy to be corrected.
The UPU required a "T" mark on short-paid international mail. You'll commonly see French covers with the "T" in a triangle. A postage-due stamp would be affixed, and then canceled when the recipient had paid the shortage. It would make sense to repeat the triangle shape in the cancel for the postage due stamp.
Again, if someone can flesh that out or correct it, have at it.