Abstract: Apparatus for loading friable nuclear fuel pellets into a sintering boat from a pellet press which ejects newly made pellets. An inclined pellet chute (preferably a tube) receives the ejected pellets and discharges them against a first resilient brush which reflects the pellets downwardly to a second resilient brush. The brush tips are spaced apart such that a pellet moving downward along the second brush contacts the flexible brush tip of the first brush before dropping off the second brush (preferably with near-zero velocity) into the sintering boat.

Abstract: A dispenser for vials having a body and a captive cap includes a plurality of elongate tubes mounted on a support structure such that the axis of the tubes is generally vertical. An elongate slot extends from the top of each tube to the bottom thereof. Each slot has a non-vertically aligned offset near the bottom thereof. The vials include a body which is received in the tubular member so as to nest with other vial bodies and a cap which is hingedly connected at a neck to the vial body. The slot is substantially smaller than both the diameter of the vial body and cap, but slidably receives the neck. In this manner, the bodies are received within the tubular member and the caps extend outwardly therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing and dispensing bags includes a container having an interior cavity featuring at least one pair of mutually opposed longitudinal members disposed along the interior surfaces of elongate sides of the container. The members in part define opposed compartments whereby bags may be positioned within the cavity and retained by the members for storage and/or selective removal from the container.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for relatively flat packets such as individually packaged non-prescription drugs is disclosed. A housing having openings in the top and front walls thereof receives a plurality of vertically disposed magazines. The magazines each comprise a packet receiving tray member and a removable sleeve which partly encloses the tray member. An opening in the magazine is provided by the cooperation of an opening in a wall of the sleeve and the tray member. A liner is disposed in the tray member depending from the wall of the tray member and engaging the inner rear wall of the tray member. A shelf depends from the magazine opening at the lower end of the opening. An optional laterally disposed extension is provided at the bottom of the housing.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser in which a vertically elongated housing has a screw at a rear end thereof whose lower portion is free from a screwthread. Fork-shaped rear edges of trays carrying articles to be dispensed are lowered by rotation of the motor-driven screw until they reach the thread-free portion whereupon the tray is dropped to the bottom of the housing at which an access opening is provided and to allow articles on the trays to be removed while the trays accumulate at the bottom of the housing.

Abstract: A card and pamphlet dispenser or vendor box comprising a rather flat vertically elongated box with a rearwardly sloping bottom wall spaced slightly from the rear wall of the box to define a transverse slot through which the cards or pamphlets may be withdrawn singly; the vendor box further comprises a mounting structure or hanger having a rear plate, a spacer plate, and two flanges which are adapted to engage a variety of common supports so that the box may be mounted from them.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved for dispensing solid members, such as electrical connectors, having extended rigid projections inserted in a penetrable flexible substrate sheet material. The apparatus for dispensing the solid members includes a rotatable drum having a solid surface. The sheet material containing the solid members is pulled across the drum surface by a frictional drive roller, thereby pulling the sheet material radially inwardly past the solid projections, creating a gap between the solid members and the sheet material. Wedge-like finger members are inserted in the gap, to complete removal of solid projections from the sheet material, thereby releasing the solid members for slideable movement along the finger members to a remote work station.

Abstract: A pill container having a body with a cavity for receiving a pill formed therein, a cover slidably arranged on the body to cover the cavity being retained in cavity covering position by the mating arrangement of the body and cover, the cover being further arranged to be moved by engagement of the cover with the teeth of a user, and movement of the body inwardly of such user's mouth to position the cavity therewithin permitting a pill to drop from the cavity, into the user's mouth as the pill will provide the necessary reaction sought.

Abstract: By providing planar, auxiliary rail segments, each of which, in the stand-by state, protrudes into the commodity passageway with an upwardly-inclined posture and is pivotable to a downwardly-inclined posture upon impact from an article to be stored, the kinetic energy of the article as it proceeds down the rack is dissipated in changing the position of the auxiliary rail segment and damage to the article to be stored and any already-stored articles which is may encounter is prevented. The auxiliary rail segment may be spring biased and/or loaded to produce the desired amount of energy dissipation at each rail segment.

Abstract: An improved napkin dispenser. The dispenser includes an upright container having a napkin dispensing mouth shaped, contoured and dimensioned such that an empty tabletop napkin holder can be inserted into the napkin dispensing mouth and filled with a fresh supply of napkins.

Abstract: A package for a stack of rectangular, plate-shaped parts, such as electronic components, comprises a tubular container having a rectangular internal cross section corresponding to the parts to be packed. The interior of the tubular container has a recess at each corner so that the parts cannot jam or block during passage through the container.

Abstract: Material handling apparatus in which a rectangular laminar fixture for a segment of film is provided with asymmetrically positioned recesses. The fixtures are adapted to be loaded into, stored in, and removed from a magazine provided with projections around which the recesses of the fixture stored in the magazine slidably fit. Only fixtures having the correct orientation with respect to the magazine can be stored within the magazine. The recesses of the fixtures and the projections of the magazine prevent a fixture stored in the magazine from changing its orientation.

Abstract: A multi-size pill dispenser comprises an enclosing cabinet within which are formed a plurality of horizontally juxtaposed pill containing hoppers. Each hopper terminates downwardly in a square opening through which the pills can drop by gravity. A slide is reciprocal below each hopper and includes a triangularly shaped window, portions of which can be urged into registry beneath the hopper opening. An adjustable stop is provided to limit the forward movement of the slide relative to the hopper opening whereby the area of the slide triangular window which can be pulled into registry below the hopper opening can be precisely controlled to regulate both the size and number of pills that can be dispensed from each hopper upon each reciprocation of a slide. By adjusting the forward limit of travel of each of the slides, various sizes and types of pills or other articles can be dispensed, one at a time, from the plurality of hoppers.

Abstract: A feed and storage track which will hold DIP devices of three different widths in aligned rows, such as during treatment in an environmental chamber, and which will facilitate precise individual feed of the devices to a handling or testing station. The track has three rails with spacings to fit the three sizes of DIP devices straddling specific pairs of rails. A three pronged input head is adjustably mounted on one end of the track to feed DIP devices from a standard storage sleeve onto the appropriate rails.

Abstract: A storage space is defined by a wall which in its lower portion is provided with an inclined surface, which protrudes into the storage space. Claws are adapted to support superimposed platelike articles in the storage space. A pivoted pressure-applying lever is disposed opposite to the wall and arranged to clear the lowermost articles and to apply pressure to the second platelike article from below in the storage space so as to retain the second platelike article from below and to support platelike articles superimposed thereon in the storage space. The claws and the pressure applying lever are disengageable from the platelike articles in the storage space in alternation to effect a delivery of successive superimposed platelike articles from the storage space.

Abstract: A device for transforming a toothpick container of the type that includes a cylindrical receptacle in which the toothpicks are marketed and that has external threads on the open end portion that are removably engaged by an internally threaded cap into a dispenser from which a single toothpick is ejected when the receptacle is disposed in a downwardly inclined position.

Abstract: An automatic vending machine for delivering stackable containers having edible product therein. A container discharge station--especially for cones--is provided with at least one stack of containers disposed in a position vertically above an arm for clampingly engaging the containers and movement of the containers below a product dispensing nozzle and into a delivery chamber. The cones are dropped one at a time from the one or more stacks through an opening in a plate into operative engagement with the arm. A guide structure is located vertically between the at least one container stack and the arm, guiding the dropping of the containers into association with the arm so that the containers will not be misaligned or inverted during dropping and will be positively guided into operative association with the arm.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading contact pins into a loading fixture, the pins in two or more rows, has a magazine for holding pins in a plurality of vertically stacked rows. Automatic insertion members push pins from the magazine into the loading fixture. The number of pins, and disposition of the pins, in a row can be predetermined by a template. The pins are swaged at a position intermediate the ends and thus do not stack level in the magazine. The magazine is provided with a stepped formation so as to offset the effect of the swage and provide for pins to be horizontal at the levels at which they are to be inserted into the loading fixture. Small rings of solder can be positioned on the pins prior to insertion in the board.

Abstract: A lightweight, portable, compact, elongate dispenser capable of holding a number of toothpicks in a confined space in a clean and sanitary condition, with the dispenser when it is slowly rotated on its longitudinal axis causing one of the toothpicks to be engaged in a dispensable position, and by a further manual operation the engaged toothpick being dispensed without physically touching the balance of the toothpicks.

Abstract: A dispenser for delivering any one of three different quantities of uncooked spaghetti or the like elongated rod-like pasta elements. The dispenser consists of an elongated container with a removable lid having a central round opening and a series of rings of progressively decreasing diameter removably fitted within said round opening and within one another. A closing cap is removably fitted within the ring of smallest diameter. The rings may be selectively open for choosing the size of the opening required for the metering of the required portion of pasta. The pasta is discharged by turning the container upside down. When the cap is in closed position, the pasta is stored in the container in a hygienic manner. The lid is of arcuate shape to facilitate delivering of pasta.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cooler chest and dispenser structure including a can or object dispenser assembly releasably mounted in a cooler chest assembly. The cooler chest assembly has a main container body with a lid member connected to the main container body and operable in a conventional manner to provide access thereto. One endwall of the main container wall is provided with a rectangular opening that is covered with an access door assembly. The access door assembly includes a door member movable from opened to closed conditions relative the rectangular opening. The can dispenser assembly includes the access door assembly; a dispenser container structure; and a dispenser drawer structure connected to the dispenser container structure and positioned adjacent the access door assembly to dispense a can or similar object therethrough.

Abstract: A display container for rounded articles, particularly confectionery articles such as toffees, dragees or chocolates, in the form of a helical chute constituted by a web having a transverse flange turned several times around a support pillar projecting up from a base; the flange has two recesses at the bottom end next to the base to facilitate removal of the bottom article, which is held in a pocket formed between a radial abutment wall and the end of the web which is stopped slightly short of the base, the flange continuing to the abutment wall.

Abstract: In machines for vending liquids into cups, a cup guide and a cup stabilizing flapper are used to place the cup in position to receive the selected liquid. A flapper retractor apparatus is connected to the vending machine sliding door so that when a user opens the door to remove a filled cup, the cup flapper is simultaneously moved aside by the flapper retractor so that the filled cup may be more easily removed.

Abstract: A dispensing carton for relatively flat, rectangular articles comprises elongate side walls of generally rectangular disposition closed by end walls. Dimensions of the side walls are such that the articles in stacked array assume an angular disposition in the carton. An endmost article is presented at and partially protrudes through a dispensing slot provided in a side wall of the carton. Removal of the article through the slot permits the succeeding adjacent article to drop and tilt into position partially protruding through the slot.

Abstract: A dispenser for elongate thin flexible articles that are stacked within a cartridge package is comprised of a cartridge holder to be vertically positioned and having a front access door and interior projections whereby a cartridge may be placed in the holder with the door open and maintained in a predetermined vertical position within the holder after the door is closed. The cartridge is provided with an opening at its lower end and the holder is provided with an opening at its lower end shaped to prevent the removal of an article unless it is gripped and flexed to conform to the opening.

Abstract: A coin-operated machine for vending and dispensing generally flat semi-rigid packets of irregular contour such as those used to package individual size servings of powdered drinks, cocoa, coffee, fruit drinks, etc., dehydrated broths and soups, and the like. The dispenser is especially adapted for use in locations such as offices, employee lunchrooms, school lunchrooms, and the like. The machine is characterized by a reciprocable coin-actuated slide bar provided with a friction member for engaging the lowermost packet in an overlying vertical magazine holding a plurality of packets in stacked relation for gravity feed operation. Deposit of a coin prevents engagement of a locking pawl with the slide bar and permits extension of the slide bar by pulling on an external handle to engage a packet of commodity and discharge it from the machine. The slide bar is spring biased for automatic retraction. Each machine includes one or more dispensing stations.

Abstract: A magazine into which a plurality of fixtures holding integrated circuit chips can be inserted serially by a machine and from which the fixtures can be removed serially by a machine. The fixtures are loaded through an opening in the bottom of the magazine and are removed from the magazine through the same opening. The magazine provides protection to the fixtures and chips held by the fixtures during storage and handling encountered in the typical manufacturing environment for electronic systems. The magazine facilitates automating the processes of accumulating fixtures holding integrated circuits of a given type and of assembling in one magazine the desired number of fixtures holding integrated circuit chips of the appropriate types preparatory to mounting the chips on a multilayer substrate.