Abstract: A gown dispenser system has a plurality of gowns, each having a back region, the gowns folded and stacked back region facing up, such that, pulling on the back region of a gown on top of the stack removes that gown from the stack and exposes the back region of the next gown in the stack, an enclosure containing the stack of gowns, the enclosure having an opening exposing the back region of the gown at the top of the stack, enabling a user to grasp the exposed back region and pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, exposing the next gown in the stack. Gowns are drawn from the enclosure one-at-a-time, at need.

Abstract: Provided is a tablet guiding path adjusting apparatus that adjusts a tablet guiding path adjusting mechanism in the tablet cassette, comprising a rotor rotatably equipped within a cassette body and having a tablet guiding path for receiving at least one of tablets received within the cassette body and guiding to a discharging orifice of the cassette body; a partition member for entering the tablet guiding path and being located between a tablet at the lowest part and a tablet at the upper side thereof; and tablet guiding paths adjusting mechanisms configured to adjust at least either dimension of the depth and width of the tablet guiding path to the rotor; wherein the tablet guiding path adjusting apparatus engages with engaging parts of the tablet guiding path adjusting mechanisms to operate the tablet guiding path adjusting mechanism, and adjusts a dimension of the tablet guiding path in accordance with the shape or size of tablets received within the cassette body.

Abstract: A vacuum diverter defined by a housing or hollow body having a first end, a second end, a plurality of sides, and an opening formed in one of the plurality of sides. A valve flap is disposed within the hollow body and moveable between a first position and a second position. The valve flap is supported by a shaft that extends across a cavity defined by the housing and which is rotationally supported by the housing such that the shaft and valve flap can be removed from the housing in a crossing direction relative to an axis of rotation of the shaft. Rotation of the shaft effectuates rotation of the valve flap relative to the cavity to selectively fluidly connect the discrete vacuum flow passages defined by the housing.

Abstract: A medical dispensing system with dispensing and pathway components, each of which includes a plurality of dispensers and pathways, respectively. The dispensing and pathway components are controlled to minimize contamination between the items being dispensed. Both the dispensing and pathway components have arcs around which the dispensers and pathways are arranged.

Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceuticals is provided. The storage container includes a housing, which encloses a receptacle chamber having a guide section, wherein an inner wall of the guide section defines a circular-cylindrical guide chamber. A singulating unit is arranged in the guide section of the housing having a central axis of rotation. The singulating unit has a main section and multiple projections, wherein each projection has two end sections and a middle section. One pharmaceutical duct is formed between each two end sections of adjacent projections, wherein the middle sections of the projections are recessed and one or both end sections of each projection bear on the wall of the guide section. Gaps between the singulating unit and the inner wall allow pharmaceutical dust to fall through to avoid pharmaceutical dust formed during singulation causing increased friction between the singulating unit and the wall of the storage container.

Abstract: A pill bottle which is locked has a chute for the exit of pills therefrom. Within the chute or the walls of the pill bottle (or both) is a chemical such as an opioid antagonist or another which is designed to destroy the physiological and/or medicinal effect of the pill or pills held there-within. The chemical can further be transparent and become colored upon contact with the pills. In this manner, the pills can be dosed and only exit at pre-defined times and pre-defined amounts and tampering with the bottle results in destruction of the pills.

Abstract: A system for dispensing oral consumables includes a mobile device and an oral consumables dispenser attached to the device. The dispenser can include a retractable holder for storing the oral consumables. As mobile electronic devices and their associated accessories are carried by most people for lengthy periods throughout the day, the system for dispensing oral consumables can facilitate timely consumption of oral consumables.

Abstract: A gown dispenser system has a plurality of gowns, each having a back region, the gowns folded and stacked back region facing up, such that, pulling on the back region of a gown on top of the stack removes that gown from the stack and exposes the back region of the next gown in the stack, an enclosure containing the stack of gowns, the enclosure having an opening exposing the back region of the gown at the top of the stack, enabling a user to grasp the exposed back region and pull the topmost gown from the enclosure, exposing the next gown in the stack, and an interface mechanism attached to the enclosure, enabling the enclosure to be suspended on a substantially vertical surface, with the opening facing outward from the substantially vertical surface. Gowns are drawn from the enclosure one-at-a-time, at need.

Abstract: A removable, adjustable product magazine for use in an article dispensing system includes a central support member including a back wall connected to a base, first and second sidewalls, and a follower. The central support and the sidewalls cooperatively define a product compartment having a front opening. The sidewalls include fastener slots for connecting the follower to one of the sidewalls. Advancement of the follower adjusts the depth of the compartment. Each of the sidewalls has front, rear, and bottom flanges for retaining products within the magazine, connecting the sidewalls to the back wall and base. The base and backwall have fastener slots for adjustable connection of the sidewalls, thereby enabling adjustment of the width of the compartment. The sidewall front flanges terminate above the base to provide a product exit port. The back wall includes an ejector port for providing access to an ejector cylinder to expel product units.

Abstract: A medicine feeder that causes no axial rotation beyond control during fitting between transmission mechanisms includes a medicine storing device and a drive device. The medicine storing device includes a container and discharge mechanism. The container stores medicines. The discharge mechanism is rotationally driven to discharge medicines from the container, and includes a first transmission mechanism with a fitting portion. The drive device rotationally drives the discharge mechanism when the medicine storing device is brought into a cooperation enabling position, and includes a second transmission mechanism. When the fitting portion of the first transmission mechanism and the fitted portion of the second transmission mechanism are fitted with each other, the drive device can rotationally drive the discharge mechanism of the medicine storing device. The fitted portion is supported to be displaceable in the axial direction of a drive shaft, and moved by an energy storing member.

Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. The feed chute has an outlet and controllable aperture. A vibrating plate is disposed proximate the outlet. A drive mechanism is connected to the vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto. The drive mechanism has a mechanism for abruptly stopping the vibration of the vibrating plate. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the feed chute, and the drive mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention is a pill dispensing method and apparatus wherein a first rotor rotates pills about a rotation axis along a first part of a spiral path at a first rotational speed whereupon the pills move spirally away from the rotation axis. A second rotor receives the pills from the first rotor and rotates the pills about the rotation axis along a second part of the spiral path at a second, greater rotational speed whereupon the pills move spirally away from the rotation axis toward a discharge chute which dispenses the pills into a pill bottle or a storage container.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles in a packaging machine comprises a hopper the lower portion of which is equipped with at least one mouth for dispensing rod-shaped articles, subdivided by a plurality of walls substantially vertical and parallel to each other in a plurality of substantially vertical channels positioned side by side horizontally, each of which is designed to accommodate internally a stack of rod-shaped articles reciprocally superposed; at a position and at a level immediately above that of the upper edge of each of the substantially vertical walls there being positioned a substantially cylindrical roller or rod oscillating in both directions about its axis parallel to the axes of the rod-shaped articles for facilitating the entry in the channels; each roller has the relative axis offset laterally in a horizontal direction relative to the upper edge of the substantially vertical wall below and adjacent to it, and the upper edges of the walls relative to each channel of each mouth of

Abstract: The unit for supplying and inserting products (2) to and into container elements (3, 3A) advancing along a line of a packing machine (M) comprises a flat element (8) provided with a through-slit (10), and a disc (4) affording through-holes (6). The unit (1) is positionable with respect to the line of the packing machine (M) such that the slit (10) is arranged above the container elements (3, 3a). Products (2) are supplied onto the disc (4) which products (2) are to be inserted in the container elements (3, 3a), each through-hole (6) being of such a size as to be able to receive and house internally thereof a product (2). The disc (4) is mounted above the flat element (8) such that the products (2) housed in the through-holes (6) rest on the flat element (8).

Abstract: The tablet cassette includes a division block installed to be rotated by a drive motor to discharge tablets introduced from above through transfer passages indented in an outer circumferential surface thereof. Each of the transfer passage includes a separation recess for downward transfer of the tablets, a lower end of which is blocked by a prop, and a supply recess along which the tablets having passed through the separation recess are moved on the outer circumferential surface of the division block to thereby be discharged downward via rotation of the division block. The tablet cassette further includes a bottom ring provided around a lower end of the division block to transfer the tablets located in the separation recess into the supply recess via rotation of the division block.

Abstract: A singulating disc, carried by a housing, has a plurality of openings around its periphery. The disc rotates vertically through a pickup chamber of a hopper carried by the housing. A vacuum is pulled through the openings by a pump which is connected to the disc. Items are placed in the hopper and, via gravity, fall to the bottom of the hopper where they contact the periphery of the rotating disc. The vacuum at the openings attaches an item and holds it while the disc rotates. At the top of the discs rotation, a diverter directs the item into a path depending on the results of a fragment detection and/or counting mechanism. Items that are allowed to pass by the diverter are scraped off the disc into another path by a scraper. Negative pressure is used to singulate and count a multitude of sizes and shapes of items with no calibration. Retractable paddles, a vacuum management system, and RFID tags may be incorporated.

Abstract: Provided is a rotary type tablet dispenser in which drugs can move along a guide track. The tablet dispenser includes a main body having a space part in which tablets are accommodated and including a guide track formed upward from a bottom part along an inner wall in a spiral shape to guide movement of the tablets accommodated in the space part, a vibration part configured to vibrate the main body to move the tablets accommodated in the space part of the main body upward along the guide track, and a tablet conveyance assisting member configured to move along the guide track and convey some of the tablets which cannot be conveyed along the guide track to an upper part of the main body. Accordingly, the tablets can be smoothly conveyed along the guide track by the tablet conveyance assisting member.

Abstract: This invention relates to a test sensor cartridge assembly that dispenses test sensors individually while shortening the distance of the lateral movement required to eject the sensor. A stationary gear rack is affixed to a surface with a moveable gear rack positioned parallel to the stationary gear rack. The moveable gear rack is adapted to engage the test sensor. A gear is positioned between and contacts the stationary gear rack and the moveable gear rack. The lateral movement of the gear in a first direction generates rotational movement by the gear. Both the lateral and rotational movement move the moveable gear rack laterally in the first direction. The lateral movement of the gear rack in the first direction ejects a test sensor from a test sensor cartridge.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting, sorting, counting and consolidating an unorganized pool of solid or semi-solid articles such as pills for dispensation. Specifically, the articles are extracted from inside a bin using attraction points on a transport substrate and sorted into containers in finite quantities. The system consists of several components, preferably including a torque source, a counter and a vacuum source, which are uniquely integrated onto a single end-effector to reduce cost and redundancy by servicing several bins. Further, the system presents a method of attracting and carrying pills using negative vacuum pressure, gravity and centrifugal force. This centrifugal force holds articles to the local attraction points and is provided by the spinning of the transport substrate. Pills are collected from the bin or plenum at the local attraction points, counted, cleaved from the local attraction points and guided to a container or vial.

Abstract: A vending machine housing assembly includes a housing body having plural sides assembled one to the next in an end-to-end angular relationship so as to provide the housing body with a polygonal cross-sectional configuration. Each side define a wall portion and a corner portion in a one-piece construction in which the corner portion is rigidly and integrally connected to the wall portion and has an arcuate cross-sectional configuration determining the angular relationship between the sides of the housing body. The housing assembly also has an upper collar and a lower base respectively disposed above and below the housing body and having polygonal cross-sectional configurations like that of the housing body, and elements interconnecting and fixedly clamping the housing body between the upper collar and lower base to provide the housing assembly as a rigid construction.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing disk-shaped objects (such as caps for pharmaceutical vials) of two different sizes comprises: first and second dispensers, the first dispenser containing objects of a first size, and the second dispenser containing objects of a second size, each of the dispensers configured to dispense the objects one at a time through an outlet in a predetermined orientation; a first outlet channel having an inlet disposed adjacent the outlet of the first dispenser; a second outlet channel having an inlet disposed adjacent the outlet of the second dispenser; and a common chute fed by the first and second outlet channels. In this configuration, the apparatus can provide objects of two different sizes to a common location (such as a closure securing station).

Abstract: An earplug dispenser (10) includes a container (12), a cover (14), and a rotatable member (16). The container (12) is adapted to hold a quantity of earplugs (18) to be dispensed, and has a downwardly opening mouth (20). The cover (14) is attached to the container (12) to close the downwardly opening mouth (20). The rotatable member (16) is carried in the cover (14) for rotation about a vertical axis (22). The cover (14) has a base (24), a dispensing port (26) extending through the base (24), and a facing cylindrical surface (28A) extending up from the base (24) and centered on the vertical axis (22). The rotatable member (16) has a plurality of conduits (29) extending vertically through the rotatable member (16), with each conduit (29) adapted to receive an earplug (18) from the container (12) and align one at a time with the dispensing port (26) to allow an earplug (18) carried in the conduit (29) to be dispensed downwardly through the dispensing port (26).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accurately and repeatably depositing edible particulates on edible products. A dual-drum rotary feed system accurately meters an amount of edible particle for each edible product with a first rotary drum while a second rotary drum deposits the edible particulates onto or within the edible product. The dual-drum rotary feeder can comprise replaceable drums wherein drums can be quickly removed and replaced for cleaning, sanitization and to adjust processing conditions such as, for example, changes in production rates and/or product size.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting, sorting, counting and consolidating an unorganized pool of solid or semi-solid articles such as pills for dispensation. Specifically, the articles are extracted from inside a bin using attraction points on a transport substrate and sorted into containers in finite quantities. The system consists of several components, preferably including a torque source, a counter and a vacuum source, which are uniquely integrated onto a single end-effector to reduce cost and redundancy by servicing several bins. Further, the system presents a method of attracting and carrying pills using negative vacuum pressure, gravity and centrifugal force. This centrifugal force holds articles to the local attraction points and is provided by the spinning of the transport substrate. Pills are collected from the bin or plenum at the local attraction points, counted, cleaved from the local attraction points and guided to a container or vial.

Abstract: A medicine storing and dispensing apparatus includes: a cap container (501) storing a plurality of caps (2) for closing openings of vial bottles (3) and having a plurality of slits (508) formed on the bottom surface thereof; a plurality of cap stirring members (502) protruding from a rotating shaft (509) and extending inside a cap container (501) through the slits (508); and a cap pathway (503) which continues to the cap container (501), has a clearance allowing only one cap (2) to pass through, and which is inclined downward so as to align the passing caps (2).

Abstract: A device for singulating open-ended objects includes: a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended objects, the housing having an open lower end; an outer ring positioned below the housing; a drum positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall and a plurality of wings that extend radially outwardly from the wall to contact the outer ring, the hub, wings and outer ring forming a plurality of gaps; a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing; and a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum about an axis of rotation. The presence of the wings can enable the device to singulated caps more consistently.

Abstract: A vending machine with adjustable merchandise receiving hole comprises a body; a tank and a rotary disk; a stop plate being installed between the tank and the rotary disk; the stop plate having a notch corresponding to and above the output hole of the tank; a lifting unit being formed by a base and a lifting seat; the base being locked to a bottom of the tank; the base being installed with a buckle; a spring being installed between the buckle and the base; the lifting seat having at least one supporting rod; the supporting rod being formed with a recess for buckling with the buckle; an upper end of the supporting rod extending into the tank to be pivoted to a bottom of the stop plate; at least one reduced hole seat capable of being installed upon the receiving hole of the rotary disk.

Abstract: Article retrieval equipment (1) having a portion used by customers arranged at the front of a device body and a portion used by sales persons arranged at the rear of the device body and particularly suitable for use while the sales persons and customers are positioned face-to-face with each other, comprising an article storage chamber (3) for storing articles (A) and a control room (5) for storing a power transmission means (95) and a coin selector (100), wherein a rotary disk (36) for feeding the articles (A) to an article outlet (72) is fitted to the bottom wall (6) of the article storage chamber (3), the article outlet (72), an operation part (81) for rotating the rotary disk (36), and a coin inlet (102) are formed at the front of an equipment body (2), a controlling opening (60) for controlling the power transmission means (95) and allowing a coin storage case (115) to be withdrawn and an access opening (16) for accessing the articles (A) in the article storage chamber (3) are formed at the rear of the eq

Abstract: The invention promotes a smooth agitation and efficient transport of coins by setting the rotation direction of the agitator in the same direction as the rotary disc to move a center of rotation of the agitator to a location where most coins are collected.

Abstract: The present invention is a vibratory sheet jogger which is used to jog and separate sheets of paper such as bank checks so that the sheets of paper and/or bank checks can be aligned. To achieve this result, a vertically jogging motion of a sheet tray is generated from a mechanical combination of an eccentric pulley assembly driven by a DC motor and a slotted ring comprising a slotted bore affixed to the sheet tray of the jogger. Specifically the combination includes a ball bearing with the eccentric pulley inserted into the slotted bore of the slotted ring, wherein the height of the slotted bore matches the outside diameter of the ball bearing, and the length of the slotted bore is larger than the diameter of the ball bearing.

Abstract: A tablet cassette for a medicine packing machine is disclosed. The tablet cassette for a medicine packing machine includes a cassette for accommodating tablets and having a passage formed at one side of a lower end thereof, a cassette support with which the cassette is detachably coupled on the upper surface of the cassette support and which has an inclined passage communicated with the passage in one side thereof, and a discharge driver provided in the cassette and the cassette support. The discharge driver includes a conic rotating body provided in the cassette and having divisional protrusions on the outer circumference thereof, and a driving motor provided in the cassette support to rotate the rotating body in a forward direction and to rotate the rotating body in a reverse direction when tablets are lodged such that an overload is generated.

Abstract: A product-on-demand delivery system for an agricultural machine having a main hopper arrangement wherein each outlet nozzle of the main hopper nozzle manifold is connected to plural product hoses that are each in communication with an auxiliary product hopper of an application unit. The nozzle manifold includes an inlet for receiving pressurized air, and an outlet nozzle allowing air with entrained seed or product to exit the main hopper. The outlet nozzle includes a splitter portion, such as a Y-shaped fitting, having a single splitter inlet and two splitter outlets. The single splitter inlet is coupled to a nozzle portion of the outlet nozzle and the two splitter outlets are coupled to two product hoses that are each coupled to a respective application unit. An internal divider wall extends through the nozzle portion and partially through the splitter portion from the splitter inlet to the splitter outlets.

Abstract: A merchandise output device of a vending machine comprises a machine body; a groove body in the machine body; a rotary disk and a rotary disk and a guide plate installed above the rotary disk and being an approximate right-angled triangular plate. The guide plate is obliquely installed above the rotary disk corresponding to the upper side of the outlet at the bottom of the groove body. A first right angle side of the guide plate is obliquely installed to a first wall of the groove body. A first apex between the first right angle side and the hypotenuse is placed near an upper side of the rotary disk. The second right angle side is horizontally installed to a second wall of the groove body adjacent to the first wall. A second apex between the second right angle side and the hypotenuse is placed higher than the first apex.

Abstract: A dispensing system dispensing items includes a dispensing station and a first conveyor for transporting containers to the dispensing station. The dispensing station includes a dispenser for dispensing items to the containers, a mechanism for spacing the containers to a predetermined pitch, a transfer wheel for removing the containers from the first conveyor, a star wheel for receiving the containers from the transfer wheel and for transporting the containers in synchronization with the dispenser, and a turret for removing the containers from the star wheel.

Abstract: A blister packaging machine comprises a forming station in which a plurality of cup-shaped depressions can be formed into a bottom sheet, a filing station, in which a product can be filled into the cup-shaped depressions, and a downstream sealing station, in which a cover sheet can be sealed onto the bottom sheet. The filling station comprises a brush box disposed above the bottom sheet, in which several rotatably driven roller brushes are disposed parallel to each other. The roller brushes are connected to a rotary drive which is received in a drive gearbox disposed next to the brush box. A magnetic coupling is thereby provided for transmitting a drive motion of the rotary drive to the roller brushes through a wall of the drive gearbox.

Abstract: A control system for regulating a dispenser that includes a feeder bowl and a plurality of dispensing paths is disclosed. The control system includes a control unit for controlling a rotation drive for rotating the dispensing paths, a feeder bowl vibration device for vibrating the feeder bowl, and at least one dispensing path vibration device for vibrating the dispensing paths, such that the feeder bowl receives a plurality of items and supply the items uniformly to each of the dispensing paths, and the dispensing paths dispense the items singularly.

Abstract: A tablet feeder that is simple in construction and yet capable of accurately preventing drawbacks from occurring due to jamming of medicine or the like. A motor (6) installed on a case support block (3) is driven to rotate a rotor (9) disposed in a medicine receiving case (1) through a plurality of gears. The tablets received in the medicine receiving case (1) are held in the pockets (10) of the rotor (9) and are moved to a discharge section (11) to discharge tablets therefrom. The gearing is composed of a driving gear (7) connected to the rotary shaft of the motor (6), and a driven gear (13) meshing with the driving gear (7). Installed in either of the power transmission paths extending from the motor (6) to the rotor (9) through the two gears (7, 13) is a power cut-off section (15, 17) that cuts off the power from the motor (6) when a force of a predetermined value or above acts on the rotor (9).

Abstract: A mechanism for dispensing earplugs is provided, including a container for storing the earplugs, the container having at least one container opening through which the earplugs are dispensed, a shutter assembly located at the container opening, the shutter assembly having at least one shutter opening formed therein, and a funnel member attached to the shutter assembly for guiding dispensed earplugs to an operator. The shutter assembly of the present invention moves to bring the shutter opening into alignment with the container opening thus allowing the earplugs to pass from the earplug container, through the shutter assembly, into the dispensing flange, and to the operator.

Abstract: The oral medication delivery device provides patient access to medications prescribed to be available on an as-needed basis, but with a minimum time intervals between doses. The required time interval between drug accessibility is programmed into the device when the medication tray carrying the multiple doses is loaded into the device. The device allows access to a single dose of the medication after each minimum time interval has elapsed. When the drug dose is removed from the device, the medication tray locks until the next minimum time interval has elapsed.

Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus can sequentially dispense coins through a passageway to a discharge location. A coin sensor unit can be operatively mounted to monitor the movement of coins along the coin passageway to provide an output signal representative of movement of the coins through the passageway. A comparator circuit can compare the output signal with a predetermined threshold value and when the alarm signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it can activate a control circuit for activating an alarm signal indicating an abnormal condition in the coin dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: A ball feeding device for a for connection to a separate and independent ball propelling machine, such as those used to propel softballs, tennis balls, and baseballs. The preferred embodiment includes a lower chute connected to the feed port of a ball machine. Balls are delivered to the lower chute from a hopper through a feed port comprising of a tumbler casing of a hollow tube formation having an entry hole on its open upper end and a feed hole on its open lower end. The casing has a tumbler hole on its wall leading to the feed port. A tumbler sleeve is positioned in the tumbler hole and axial extends perpendicular to the path of the feed port. The tumbler sleeve has a ring gear around its circumference. The tumbler sleeve also has a semicircular sleeve extension, having an inner and outer wall which extends a predetermined distance into the feed port and obstructs the passage of balls though the port. The upper end of the casing is placed within the exit hole of the hopper.

Abstract: A round-shaped article dispensing device, including a dispensing barrel and a guide member. The dispensing barrel is provided with a discharge hole that is selectively opened and closed by a door. The guide member is disposed in the dispensing barrel and is provided with a guide slit that is slanted and extended from the interior of the dispensing barrel to the discharge hole. The guide slit may be spirally formed along the wall of the guide member.

Abstract: A modular article dispensing unit for an automatic vending machine includes an article compartment for accommodating articles with a rotatably mounted rotary body at the dispensing opening of the article compartment for the removal and discharge of individual articles from the article compartment. The rotary body has at least one recess which in a removal position is filled with an article from the article compartment and delivers the article after a predetermined rotary movement in a dispensing position. Arranged in the interior of the article compartment is at least one motion member which is set in motion prior to and/or during each rotary movement of the rotary body.

Abstract: The large-capacity coin dispensing apparatus of the present invention is directed to increasing the coin storage capacity of a hopper-type coin dispensing apparatus using a rotary disc to dispense coins one at a time. The coin storage capacity of the hopper-type coin dispensing apparatus is limited by the storage capacity of a hopper used to supply coins to the rotary disc. To increase coin storage capacity, the present invention uses a first tank to supply coins to the rotary disc and a second tank to hold a large supply of coins. As the coins in the first tank are depleted, coins are transported from the second tank to the first tank using a conveyor. The addition of the second tank increases coin storage capacity and reduces the frequency at which coins have to be loaded into the large-capacity coin dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: A dispenser for elongated rod-like articles. The dispenser has a housing which has a trap chamber rotatable cylinder wherein the trap gravitationally captures from the bottom of a pile, one at a time, one of the rod-like articles and arcuately moves it by means of the cylinder to a downwardly facing position from whence the rod-like article falls onto a chute. The housing is loaded from a cartridge which contains the rod-like articles and is inserted on top of the housing when in use. The cylinder is constructed of a plurality of spaced apart discs each of which has a radially extending notch in alignment with one another to thereby define an elongated trap for the rod-like articles to be dispensed.

Abstract: A particulate object conveying device is provided, and the conveying device includes a stagnating portion. A rotor has an outer circumference having a plurality of grooves formed equidistantly about the outer circumference, the grooves being of a size and shape to hold a single one of the particles of predetermined size. The rotor rotates within the stagnating portion. A discharge path is provided for discharging the particles from the rotor.

Abstract: A bulk vending machine having: a housing having a storage bin to store items; a dispensing mechanism attached to the storage bin to dispense the items, the dispensing mechanism having an opening; a flexible member secured to the dispensing mechanism to assist in ejecting the items through the opening; and a cover disposed around the flexible member to prevent the items from being damaged or breaking open.

Abstract: A device is used to separate foreign objects from a mass of coins between a coin intake and a coin lifting device in a coin sorting and/or counting machine. The device has a perforated drum (13; 33), which is rotatable around its longitudinal axis, is open at its respective ends and is connected at a first end to the coin intake and at a second end to the coin lifting device. The machine also has a driving device (15, 16:35) for rotating drum.

Abstract: A medicament dispensing cell for use in an automatic dispensing machine includes a housing defining a medicament storage section, a discharge section leading to an outlet, a passage between the sections, a rotatable platen and a dispensing assembly for dispensing medicament in single file from the storage section to the discharge section. A pair of resilient, spacing fingers extend from the outboard wall of the discharge section and are positioned to guide medicament units around the distal end thereof in order to space medicament units during rotation of the platen.

Abstract: The front face (20) of a disc (21) has a plurality of coin capturing pegs (22) spaced apart around its periphery. When the disc is rotated in a hopper, the pegs (22) capture coins and raise them to a dispensing point. The disc (21) cooperates with a wiping arm (25) having a pair of protrusions (26 and 27) arranged to locate the grooves (23 and 24) to provide a barrier which prevents coins from getting between the disc (21) and the arm (25).