Abstract: There is disclosed herein a dispensing mechanism for use in gumball machines which includes coin-receiving and gumball-delivering mechanisms that permit dispensing of gumballs when the coin-receiving mechanism is operated with a coin therein, and prevent dispensing when no coin is present. These mechanisms are suitable for manufacture from plastic and the coin-receiving mechanism includes a rotatable coin-receiving element having an axially-extending, anti-reversing abutment shoulder which cooperates in preventing reverse rotation of the element. A coin slot engaging dog is also provided which engages the trailing edge of the coin slot when the coin-receiving element is rotated forwardly with no coin in the slot, thereby preventing dispensing. When a coin is in the slot, the dog is disabled and forward rotation of the coin-receiving element is permitted which permits dispensing of a gumball.

Abstract: The invention provides an arrangement for delivering to a work table a workpiece to be machined on that table and for removing the workpiece after it has been machined. The arrangment includes three endless conveyors in a line, of which a central, non-driving conveyor is fixedly mounted on the table between an upstream conveyor and a downstream conveyor. The upstream conveyor and the downstream conveyor are mounted on frames separate from the table and are designed for displacement between a position in which they are both remote from the central conveyor and a position in which they are both adjacent the central conveyor. The upstream and downstream conveyors rotate the central conveyor when in their adjacent position. Retractable retaining means position the workpiece received on the central conveyor and hold it on the work table throughout the entire machining operation. Means are provided for lowering the central conveyor from the workpiece during the machining operation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a control apparatus for machines designed to operate on a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a programming element consisting of a disc which has concentric tracks of varying transparency or reflectance; an optical scanner comprising an emitter unit emitting light beams to the programming element and a receptor unit for the light beams which have been transmitted or reflected; drive means for rotating the disc by the relative displacement of a tool and the workpiece; and an electric circuit connected to the receptor unit and to a motor for controlling the speed of rotation of the motor as a function of the intensity of the signal given by the receptor unit. The apparatus is applicable in particular to machines for working on plates, pieces of glass or plastics material, for example window panes, plate glass or lenses.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp fitting which includes a sheet metal base having a pair of inwardly-directed flanges and a flexible plastic diffuser having outwardly-directed flanges which cooperate with said inwardly-directed flanges to hold said diffuser in relation to said base.

Abstract: A unitary load retainer or restrainer system for a vehicular load carrying container or the like, including a supporting sheet of material suspended from a horizontal rod that rides in tracks so that the restraining system may be moved fore and aft within the container as desired, the supporting sheet material being provided with a plurality of horizontally extending slots that receive load restraining belts having fasteners at either end that are connectable to openings in logistic rails that extend along the interior of the container, the slots in the supporting sheet of material permitting vertical adjustment of the horizontal belts to accommodate for different locations of the logistic rails within different vehicular containers, there being also provided means for loosely holding the belts within the slots so that the belts may not be inadvertently removed from the supporting sheet of material and lost, there being also provided a draw strap having a plurality of slots that receive the belts and a portio