Abstract: A dispenser is provided comprising a housing, a plurality of storage trays, a retriever module, a user interface, and a controller in communication with the user interface. The controller is operative to cause the retriever module to move towards a selected storage tray in response to a selection signal. Further, a dispensing module is provided comprising a housing arranged to permit insertion of the housing into an existing storage system.

Abstract: The system includes a buffer magazine connected to each riveting machine and comprising a bundle of tubes, each of which contains a certain amount of preoriented rivets or like fasteners deliverable one-by-one to the riveting machine, and a stationary main feed station for supplying all of the buffer magazines with rivets. Each buffer magazine contains the entire inventory of rivets used by the riveting machine and quickly satisfies any request for rivets from the riveting machine. The floor-mounted main feed station is activated when the level of rivets in a tube of a buffer reaches a minimum level.

Abstract: An improved carousel apparatus for use in carousel-type magnetic tape library systems and the like, including a cylindrical magazine carried by a rotatable turntable. The turntable includes a sprocket wheel that is engaged by a drive belt or chain connected to a stepper motor affixed to a rotatable base plate. Affixed to the sprocket is a shutter plate having a plurality of notches in its perimeter for detection by an optical-indexing sensor. The apparatus also includes a carousel-indexing sensor and a cartridge-in-carousel and cartridge-orientation sensor. Disposed within the central cavity of the carousel magazine unoccupied by cartridges is a cartridge-onloading/offloading mechanism which is rotatably mounted concentric with the carousel turntable.

Abstract: A food storage and delivery device is formed of a reservoir for food items, a holding and transferring section situated adjacent to the reservoir, an ascending section for moving the holding and transferring section, and a controlling section for controlling the device. After positioning the holding and transferring section to one side of the storage and delivery sections at a predetermined vertical level by means of the ascending section based on a delivery command, the food item is delivered from the storage and delivery section to the holding and transferring section to hold the food item temporarily. After positioning the holding and transferring section to a vertical level corresponding to a delivery portion, the temporarily held food item is delivered to the delivery portion. The food items can be automatically and quickly delivered.

Abstract: A mechanical system opens a selected drawer in a multiple-drawer cabinet. The drawers are arranged in rows and columns. A selected drawer is unlatched by moving a rod which has protruding fingers, only one of which is positioned to engage a latch in a column of drawers. When the rod moves longitudinally, the selected drawer becomes unlatched. The unlatched drawer can open only to a distance determined by a cable which unwinds from a drum and passes around a pulley attached to the drawer. Thus, by controlling the rotation of the drum, the system can be programmed to open the drawer only to a distance which exposes the first non-empty compartment in the drawer. A computer controls the selection and opening of the drawers. The computer keeps a record of which compartments of each drawer have been emptied. Each time a drawer is opened, it is opened to the next non-empty compartment, allowing access to one and only one compartment in the drawer.

Abstract: A storage and dispensing device for storing plastic shopping bags and holding them ready for retrieval, comprises a tube 12 of cloth fabric having an entry opening 14 at the top and a dispensing opening 16 at the bottom. The tube has a drawstring 18 around the entry opening and an elastic band 20 sewn in a hem around the dispensing opening.

Abstract: An automatic prescription dispensing system includes a housing or frame having a plurality of pill dispenser units mounted therein, a plurality of vial supply assemblies at one end of the housing, and a filled vial offload carousel at an opposite end. A vial manipulator assembly is mounted on the housing to enable translational movement of a vial manipulator frame vertically and horizontally and pivoting about a vertical axis to retrieve vials from the supply assemblies, fill the vials at the dispenser units, and deposit the filled vials onto the carousel. The vial manipulator frame includes spring loaded grippers to engage and carry the vials and a drive motor and gear for meshing with dispenser unit gears to operate the dispenser units. The system includes a controller including an interface for coupling to the printer port of a pharmacy host computer printer port for intercepting drug name and quantity data for a prescription which was directed to a prescription label printer.

Abstract: A general purpose system for the storage and retrieval of articles having nested sets of rotatable platters or of various perimeters such that each set fits inside the perimeter of the next larger sized platter. All platters have storage positions or bins in which articles are stored. Bins are positioned so that one side is adjacent to the perimeter of the platter. All platters are mounted so that a part of their perimeter is adjacent to the perimeter of the platter on which they are mounted. This arrangement makes all storage positions available at the edge of the largest or main platter by rotating a subset of the smaller platters. The main platter can be rotated to a serving window making all storage positions on the platter available at the serving window. The geometry of the circular arrangement make the number of storage positions on a main platter vary with the square of the radius of the main platter whereas the time it takes to fetch a storage location varies with the radius.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser for ice cream cakes having a taking unit mounted in a shop window on a movable structure with respect to the product being dispensed. The unit includes a shovel on a structure movable in three orthogonal directions.

Abstract: A method for automatically dispensing items from shelves includes the steps of orienting magazines for a particular type of item horizontally in multi-tier shelves in such a way that removal openings in the respective bottom side face walls of the item type magazines are horizontally aligned, assigning to each magazine tier at least one item pusher, simultaneously removing from the respective tiers the items belonging to a particular requisition order, collecting them in a collecting device, depositing them on or in a conveying device, and transporting them to merchandise delivery sites. The apparatus for facilitating use of the method includes a multi-tier shelf with item type magazines on each tier, an item pusher on each tier, and a conveyor for conveying the items removed from the magazines to transport apparatus.

Abstract: A hiring and vending slot-machine, in particular for video cassettes, has a cupboard-like housing, two superimposed storage compartments arranged within the housing for the boxes containing the video cassettes, a computer-controlled cassette transporting device that can move vertically and horizontally between both compartments, receive and transport the cassette boxes to and from a determined storage container or input/output shaft in the housing. Reading means read the cassette identification codes and an operating field is provided outside the housing for selecting the desired cassette, requesting or delivering cassette: The operating field has an input keyboard and a display. A cassette transporting carriage (46) can move horizontally or vertically along horizontal or vertical guide-ways in the housing (10) and be shifted into the vertical or horizontal direction within the horizontal or vertical guide-ways.