Abstract: Apparatus and method for dispensing non-round, flexible, elastic, flanged containers from a nested stack of such containers are disclosed. The sidewalls of the bottommost container are compressed, preferably at the corners, causing the remainder of the stack of containers to move vertically upward, and a separator is inserted into the gap created between the flange of the bottommost container and the flange of the penultimate container. The bottommost container is then dispensed from the remaining containers. In the preferred embodiment, a rotor assembly is used. It comprises a separator blade, a wiper blade, and a top support disc, which are concentrically, fixedly mounted on the shaft of the assembly. The assembly further comprises a squeezer wheel, which provides the required tray compression and is rotatably and eccentrically mounted with respect to the rest of the assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for dispensing flexible, elastic flanged containers from a nested stack of such containers. In that apparatus and method, the sidewall of the bottommost container is compressed causing the remainder of the stack of containers to move vertically upward and a separator is inserted into the gap created between the flange of the bottommost container and the flange of the next-to-the bottommost container. Thereafter, the bottommost container is dispensed from the remainder of the stack of containers. In the preferred embodiment, compression is provided by a set of cammed spacemaker blades.