Abstract: A selected drill or driver bit [“d—d bit”] (i) is at a first time selected from a magazine and mounted to a rotary tool, normally an electric drill, and (ii) is at a later time removed from the tool and returned to the same magazine, each in a one-handed operation totally without manual contact with any of the drill or driver bit, a holder of the d—d bit, or any chuck of the tool. Coaction is realized between (i) a d—d bit holder having a sliding sleeve releasibly holding a d—d bit, and (ii) a d—d bit dispenser having multiple bores of complex interior contour each relieved to one side in a complex contour defining a side entrance and extraction channel. The d—d bit holder (and its mounted d—d bit) is (i) entered downward into a bore of the d—d bit dispenser, and (ii) plunged full to the bottom, whereupon (iii) the d—d bit is released while (iv) the d—d bit holder is withdrawn upward through the channel.

Abstract: A vending machine for dispensing flat items includes a housing having a removable collection pan with a pan bag, a door with display windows, a coin slide mechanism extending through the door and a folder slide mounted on the inside of the door. The folder slide releasably retains either a tower or a shipping/dispensing box for holding a column of the flat items to be dispensed through a slot in the door.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (20) for accumulating articles (28) can include a dispensing of the articles with a rotating, metering drum (40) for movement to a first conveyor (50). The metering drum (40) has an entry end (86) and an exit end (88), and in a particular aspect, the metering drum (40) can be configured such that a rotation of the metering drum overcomes a static friction which would inhibit a movement of the articles (28) downstream through the metering drum. In another aspect the metering drum (40) can include at least one lug member (90) which is positioned and attached inside the metering drum at the exit end (88) of the metering drum. In further aspects, a ramp member (43) can be configured to extend an operative distance into the volume of the metering drum, and can be spaced away from an inside wall surface of the metering drum by a selected offset distance.

Abstract: A package arrangement is provided. The package arrangement in general includes a blister pack having a backing construction secured thereto. In preferred arrangements, a removable header is provided. The backing construction preferably includes a flexible film having resealable pressure sensitive adhesive on a side thereof, by which the backing portion is secured to the blister pack. A portion of the backing construction is formed as a hinged cover portion, by two cuts, preferably parallel, extending through the backing construction portion and overlapping a selected section of the blister pack. In a preferred arrangement, each cut terminates at a stop structure.

Abstract: A carton with an improved dispenser at one of the carton which preserves the integrity of the carton when the carton is opened by permitting a bottom end flap attached to the bottom panel to remain in place and also a portion of each side end flap that is adjacent to the bottom end flap. This dispenser may also provide a safety net for the first container that is automatically dispensed when the carton is opened.

Abstract: A tubular golf ball-dispensing container holds multiple golf balls for individual distribution. The container includes a biased lid for selectively loading and unloading of golf balls. A spring loaded compression system presses the stack of golf balls into the lid for continuous dispensing of individual balls. Upon removal of a ball from the container, the biased lid closes and the next ball is forced into the dispensing cup in the lid. The container may be attached to other gold equipment including golf bags, golf carts, and pull carts. With the addition of a support structure, the container may stand alone, a usefully configuration for use at a driving range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vending machine of the single vend type for dispensing newspapers, magazines, or other items. The machine generally includes a housing having a discharge opening, and a storage area having an inclined surface upon which a plurality of articles are stacked. A movable gate adjacent the storage area retains the articles therewithin. Upon insertion of a proper coin total into the machine, a drive device moves the gate downwardly until an uppermost article in the stack passes through the gate and is dispensed. The dispensed article, upon passing through the gate, actuates a switch to cause the drive device to reverse and move the gate upwardly a distance above the uppermost article in the stack, such that even if the machine is shaken, jostled, or tilted, the uppermost article in the stack is retained by the gate.

Abstract: A thin, plastic dispenser for discharging toothpicks, and/or mints through distinct discharge passages in the dispenser. The dispenser has a body comprising a first housing and a second housing that are aligned and snapped together to form the body of the dispenser. A well is defined in the body for storing toothpicks, and a first discharge passage is provided in the well. A larger chamber is defined in the body for storing mints, and a second discharge passage is provided in the chamber. Locking levers, integrally formed with one of the housings, normally seal the discharge passages in the well and the chamber. When the user wishes to discharge a toothpick and/or mint, the manually engages a locking lever and pivots same about its hinge line to expose the adjacent discharge passage. The contents of the well and/or chamber can then be discharged, through the exposed discharge passages vacated by the movement of the locking lever.

Abstract: A pill delivery and packing apparatus having a feeder tube for delivering pills is provided. The feeder tube has a helical delivery chute that extends between an inlet side and an exit side of the tube. The delivery chute has a helical inner contour and a rectangular cross section that corresponds to the shape of the pills. The helical delivery chute is configured such that each of the pills rotates while proceeding through the delivery chute, whereby such rotation of the pills prevents jamming of the pills in the delivery chute. Independently extendable pins are used to alternately block and open the delivery chute, thus providing an escapement mechanism for dispensing pills. The tube also has an outer surface defining a helical outer contour that guides a rotatable tray on which pills are disposed. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a container for dispensing individual paper products that includes a housing having side walls defining an interior area for receiving a plurality of paper products, wherein one of the side walls defines a slot. The housing further includes a means for urging paper products having a first portion external to the housing and a second portion extending through the slot into the interior area of the housing. The container may be included in a system for dispensing individual paper products that further includes a cartridge containing paper products within the container. The cartridge defines a dispensing opening and a second slot wherein the second portion of the means for urging paper products extends through the second slot into the interior area of the cartridge to contact the paper products and urge the paper products toward the dispensing opening.

Abstract: An automated personal pill dispenser has at least two chambers, each for holding a supply of pills. A feed mechanism is associated with each of the chambers and is operable selectively to feed an incremental number of pills from a respective one of the chambers. A programmable controller is coupled to control and operate the feed mechanism to dispense pills from the chambers. The controller has a timer, a memory and an input means. The controller is operable programmably, by the user and/or by remote input from a smart card, PDA or network, for example with access to data from a pharmacy including instructions and warnings. The programming presets at least one of a time and a number of pills to be dispensed from each of said chambers. The controller operates an alarm to alert the user and operates the feed mechanism to feed pills from the chambers at the preset time and number, also detecting the user's access to obtain the dispensed pills.

Abstract: A dispenser (10) for dispensing medical items (68, 70, 72) includes dispenser modules (28, 30) movably mounted thereon. The dispenser modules are selectively operative to dispense medical items therefrom into a path (54) which is connected to a delivery area (20) of the dispenser. The dispenser and the dispenser modules therein are configured to provide security against unauthorized access thereto. However an authorized user is enabled to readily access the dispenser modules and the medical items therein by unlocking a lock (22), opening a door (16) and extending the dispenser modules through an opening (18). With the dispenser modules in the extended position the medical items therein may be replenished. Alternatively, the dispenser modules may be disconnected from the dispenser and replaced with substitute dispenser modules.

Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing plastic bags and process for manufacturing the same. The container includes a front panel extending from the top of the container to the bottom of the container and having a substantially smooth surface with no sharp bents. The container includes a funnel-shaped aperture for facilitating insertion of the plastic bags into the container in a compact and collapsed form. The container has a flat profile that allows the container to be mounted to a vertical surface in a space-saving manner and that helps minimize entanglement as more bags are inserted into the container. The container also includes an access opening for dispensing the plastic bags.

Abstract: A system is provided for delivering fasteners to a work station. The system includes at least one fastener storage device than has at least one storage tube. The system additionally includes at least one fastener spacer that is adapted to properly orient at least one fastener stored in the storage tube. The system further includes at least one unloading mechanism that includes at least one extractor catcher. The unloading mechanism is adapted to remove the spacer and the fastener from the storage tube in a single operation.

Abstract: A destacking device for rolled cone-like structures with or without sleeves, and in particular for ice-cream wafer cones, has at least one gripper for the cones, with the jaws of the gripper that come into contact with the cones being made of an elastic material that conforms to the shape of the cone-like structures.

Abstract: An article retrieving container in which a novel container for storing articles such as confectionery allowing the articles to be retrieved one by one merely by a cover opening operation is provided, including a container body (3) and a cover body (5) installed on the container body (3), the container body (3) further including an article storage part (21) for storing a plurality of articles (X) such as the confectionery and an article retrieval part (37) having a communication part (41) with the article storage part (21) and an opening for retrieving the articles (X) to the outside, the cover body (5) rotatably installed on the container body (3) further including an article retrieving means (23) for retrieving the articles one by one installed on the inside thereof, whereby the article retrieving means (23) can retrieve the articles (X) by the opening operation of the cover body (5).

Abstract: A system for dispensing items includes a dispenser, a sensing unit, a plurality of container chutes, and a plurality of diversion chutes. The dispenser comprises a plurality of dispensing paths for dispensing the items. The sensing unit measures a physical characteristic of each of the dispensed items. The plurality of container chutes directs each of the dispensed items, the measured physical characteristic of which is within a predetermined range of physical characteristics, to containers. The plurality of diversion chutes diverts each of the dispensed items, the measured physical characteristic of which is greater than or less than the predetermined range of physical characteristics, away from the containers.

Abstract: A web burster/inserter assembly receives a continuous supply of coupons in the form of a web where the forwardmost coupon is attached to the following coupon. The web burster/inserter separates individual coupons from the web and directs the coupons to a desired location. A ram may be used to effectuate the separation. The web burster/inserter is capable of being used with coupons of varying thickness such as plastic prizes and game pieces.

Abstract: A mail processing device includes a reorientation arrangement that, when the mail processing device is in a first position, is configured to sequentially receive mail items from an upstream process and reorient each item such that the top side of a particular item from the upstream process becomes the bottom side of the item when placed in a downstream process. The device also includes a receiving arrangement configured to receive mail items from the upstream process and guide the mail items into the reorientation arrangement. The device also includes a controller that is programmed to cause the reorientation arrangement to reorient a mail item in response to the detection of the mail item by a sensor. The controller is further programmed to cause the mail item to be moved toward the downstream process after each mail item is reoriented.

Abstract: Lottery tickets are dispensed to the public for sale by providing a flat blank of a foldable cardboard material which can be erected to form a disposable container shaped to receive only the fan folded stack of the tickets. An opening in a front wall is formed with a horizontal dispensing slot and a vertical slot. The outside of the container is printed with the same game graphics as the tickets. The container is dedicated only to the particular game and can be used as a single use dispensing container for unusual shape tickets or for promoting new games.