Abstract: A document transport apparatus which also provides for the quick release of a jammed document to facilitate its removal from the associated document track. First and second pinch rollers are mounted on a planar member which is moved, resiliently, into engagement with their associated first and second drive rollers. Slotted mounting members are used to mount the opposed ends of the planar member to one upstanding wall of the document track and to enable the planar member to move in a plane which is parallel to the document feeding direction. An operating lever is used to move the planar members with the pinch rollers thereon between engaged and disengaged positions with regard to associated drive rollers.

Abstract: Two sensors (2, 3) are placed opposite each other against the rim of the coin (5). By this, a signal, corresponding to the diameter of the coin (5) is produced and a drive (18/19, 23/24) is driven which moves two support members in order to support a coin between them (13), the diameter of which corresponds to the distance between the sensors (2, 3) in a position that is centered to a test coil (10) of an inductive coin testing device.

Abstract: The Mechanism has a platform which has a coin chute formed thereon, and which rotatably journals a slotted plate. In opposite 180.degree. positions a plate slot aligns with the coin chute, there being two of such slots. Each slot has an abutment which, when the slot is aligned with the coin chute, is engageable by a spring-biased pawl to prevent rotation of the plate if no coinage, or inadequate coinage has been passed through the chute to occupy the chute-aligned slot. A second pawl engages reliefs formed in the plate to hold the plate in a position in which a slot is aligned with the chute, and a spring-loaded arm, pivotably coupled to the platform, also positions the plate for coinage reception. An arcuate wall fixed to the platform, and circumjacent the plate, guides coinage to a bottom portion of the Mechanism.

Abstract: A bottom vacuum corrugation feeder includes a vacuum chamber with a bi-level support surface that support a plurality of apertured belts. The bi-level support surface has a series of raised members on a portion of its surface that corrugate the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets that are supported on a stacking tray. The stacking tray inclues raised members on its stack support surface that allow the venting of air from an air knife positioned in front of the sheet stack for separating the bottom sheet in the stack from the remainder of the stack. Recesses are included in the stack support surface of the stacking tray in order to reduce vacuum leak around the front edge of the sheet stack.

Abstract: This bill validator accumulates bills between a pair of spaced parallel stationary members forming an entrance of a bill accumlating box and a bill compressing plate provided in the bill accumulating box. A push member is disposed in the vicinity of the entrance of the accumulating box. This push member is actuated by a reciprocating mechanism to push a bill positioned at the entrance into the accumulating box and thereby add this bill to a stack of accumulated bills. Constant springs are provided in association with the bill compressing plate. These constant springs enclose a bill accumulating space in the accumulating box with their winding shafts being pivotably connected on the accumulating box and their taken out ends being fixedly secured to the bill compressing plate. The constant springs urge the bill compressing plate to the entrance of the accumulating box with a constant pressing force.

Abstract: This gift certificate has information recorded thereon for identifying a total face value vendible by the gift certificate and a predetermined base amount equal to or smaller than the total face value. The information recorded on a deposited gift certificate is read by a reading device. A validation device validates the total face value and the base amount of the deposited gift certificate in response to the read information. A vending permission judgement device prohibits, in reponse to an output of the validation device, at least vending of an article to which a vend price below the base amount has been assigned. By virtue of this arrangement, a purchaser of an article from a vending machine by using a gift certificate is not forced to make purchase of the entire total face value but has only to make purchase above the base amount in which case a change preferably is paid out.

Abstract: A guard for the mounting flange of a vertical type coin slide includes a hardened steel face and a rearwardly extending, integral, peripheral flange. The face of the guard includes a shaped opening to receive the slide of the coin slide therethrough. The opening includes a plurality of transversely spaced slots with a respective plurality of protective fingers therebetween. The protective fingers overfit and protect the softer metal dividers of the mounting flange to prevent breakage. A plurality of slotless mounting bolts secure the guard to the coin slide mounting flange in a manner wherein all exposed bolt parts are protected from tampering.

Abstract: A parking meter anchor includes a mounting bolt extending from a vault chamber of the parking meter head through a tapered mounting base extending therefrom and into an interior of a hollow post. An anchor nut is received on the mounting bolt and carries toothed expansion wedges which are held against an inside of the post by tapered surfaces of the mounting base and by radially extending tongues on the anchor nut.

Abstract: A paper feeding device for feeding paper to a printer wherein the paper is advanced by a paper feed motor and a print head prints on the paper while the paper is supported by a platen. The feeding device includes a paper stacker for storing a stack of paper sheets, a feed roller which is disposed for contact with a top sheet of the paper stack for feeding the top sheet when the roller is rotated, a first paper path for directing the top sheet from the paper stacker to the printer, a second paper path for directing another sheet of paper to the printer without passing the feed roller, a transmission mechanism disposed between the feed roller and the paper feed motor for transmitting a rotary motion of the paper feed motor to the feed roller, and a cut-off mechanism disposed in the transmission mechanism which is manually operated to a cut-off position in which the feed roller is operatively disconnected from the paper feed motor.

Abstract: Coin dispensing apparatus comprises a rotary disc 25 mounted on a baseplate 22 so as to rotate through coins in a hopper 1. Individual coins pass through holes 25 into coin receptacles between projections 8. The disc is rotated by a motor 4 through a reduction gear 6 and a drive gear 5. Coins 27, 28 in the receptacles are swept into engagement with a spring loaded finger 10 against the spring bias until they become aligned with an outlet 14. The spring bias then urges the coins outwardly through the outlet. The apparatus has particular application to amusement machines with payout.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for stacking sheets conveyed continuously at a stacking point. With the assistance of a separating member (6, 7), which can be introduced into a natural gap between the upper side of a stack and the sheets conveyed in an overlapping manner, in the conveying direction from the rear side of the stack (4), two gaps are created one after the other, into which clamping jaws (9, 10) arranged at different heights can be inserted. By clamping the wad of sheets (13) located between the inserted clamping jaws (9, 10), with simultaneous lowering of the stack of sheets (4), a larger gap is created below the wad of sheets (10), into which an auxiliary stacking platform (11), located directly below the lower clamping jaw (9), can be introduced. Since the sheets of the wad of sheets are held by the clamping jaws (9, 10), there is no danger that sheets may slide due to the formation of a "bow wave" at the front edge of the auxiliary stacking platform (11), as it is inserted.

Abstract: An electronic upgrading mechanism for upgrading a mechanical timing device comprising an electrical coin sensing mechanism which is installed abutting a coin carrier mechanism of a mechanical timing device for detection of actuation of a clock winding lever in communication with a coin carriage of the coin carrier mechanism; wherein the actuation of the clock winding lever is caused by a coin placed in the coin carriage wound into primary contact with alternative abutting cam surfaces such abuttal thereof providing an electrical contact with the electrical coin sensing mechanism, having at least one compatible contact thereon, each contact dedicated to the denomination of a coin; wherein the electrical coin sensing mechanism communicates with a programmable electronic digital timing control and display device which is installed within an upgraded mechanical timing device thereby replacing clocking and flagging mechanisms of the mechanical timing device.

Abstract: A bill accumulating wheel is disposed downstream of a bill conveying passage. A sensor detects the passage of the bill through a predetermined position in the conveying passage and a sensor generates a signal indicating the passage of each blade of the accumulating wheel through a predetermined position. The accumulating wheel is driven at a speed calculated by data obtained from the sensors so that the bill does not collide against the blade of the accumulating wheel.

Abstract: A scrap metal collection system having apparatus for separating ferrous from non-ferrous material for which the weight exceeds a pre-determined amount and separating metallic materials from non-metallic materials. The resulting material remaining after these separations is typical aluminum cans. The cans are compacted by a crushing apparatus weighed and distributed in a storage area. Coins are returned to the operator of the apparatus determined by the weight and rounded to the nearest penny for the cumulative weight. Apparatus is disclosed for determining the excessively heavy material by allowing the excessively heavy material to fall and impact a plate. The separation of ferrous material has been implemented in a manner to avoid jamming of the conveyor belt. The distribution is of the compacted material in the storage compartment. Other improvements in the apparatus and in the control of the apparatus relative to prior scrap metal collection systems are described.

Abstract: A vending machine control apparatus has a product delivery motor home circuit and a DC power supply modulated in response to varying line voltage and/or load by a pulse width modulation circuit. The modulated DC power signal supplies power to one or more DC product delivery motors in a vending machine. Each product delivery motor has an associated switch which passes pulses, resulting from the modulation of the power supply, when the delivery motor is in its home position. A simple motor home detection circuit detects these pulses, and preferably a microprocessor control circuit connected to the detection circuit determines that a home condition exists.

Abstract: An enclosed newspaper vending machine has a double front door with a paper access door mounted in a security door carrying coin actuated release mechanism for the paper access door and a key operated pin lock fits within a surrounding guard on the front of the security door for locking engagement with a rod or pin extending forwardly from an interior wall of the enclosure.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a vending machine comprises a refrigerated storage chamber mounted over a microwave oven which contains a conveyor. The arrangement is such that containers of food released through apertures in the floor of the storage chamber may fall vertically into the oven and may be discharged laterally by the conveyor once heating is complete.

Abstract: A reverse vending machine for comminuting plastic containers includes devices for identifying different sizes of container and bar codes at various locations on the container without manipulating the container. A container is dropped from a pivotable cradle end first and is physically engaged on diametrically opposite sides substantially simultaneously and forced into a mechanism for cutting the container into strips and then for cutting the strips into small pieces. The presence of the container, and the state and operation of the shredding apparatus, customer door, coin supply, and storage bins are continually monitored with appropriate action taken during operation.

Abstract: A device for dispensing conical objects to form a stream of generally horizontal side-by-side conical objects with alternate conical objects having one orientation and intervening conical objects having the reversed orientation. The stacks having a first orientation have release cams driven from a common cam shaft while the intervening stacks have release cams driven from a common cam shaft, the timing of the two cam shafts being such that the conical objects are released successively starting from stack and ending at stack.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of controlling the dividing of a paste composition from the dispensing cavities in a carrier in which floatable pistons in the cavities regulate the amount of paste composition which is discharged from the respective dispensing cavities. The stroke of each piston in its respective cavity is controlled in an operative state to regulate the amount of paste composition discharged from each cavity and each piston is selectively locked in its respective cavity in an inoperative state to prevent discharge of paste composition from the respective cavity.