Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing tickets from strips of tickets, wherein each ticket is separable from a respective strip of tickets along a separation line. The apparatus has infeed drive rollers rotatably mounted adjacent respective infeed idler rollers, and infeed drive motors are connected to respective infeed drive rollers. A separator shaft having helical blades mounted thereon is rotatably supported adjacent the infeed drive rollers, and a separator motor is connected to the separator shaft for rotating the helical blades. Exit drive rollers are rotatably mounted adjacent respective exit idler rollers; and an exit drive motor connected to the exit drive rollers and operable to rotate the exit drive rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing items from a pack of items wherein the pack of items has parameters associated therewith such as pack size, an item dimension and an item price. The apparatus includes an item dispenser, a cash acceptor, input and output devices, and a controller. The controller has an item load table for storing data corresponding to the parameters associated with the pack of items. Thus, the parameters in the item load table can be displayed by the output device in lieu of the parameters being manually entered.

Abstract: A lottery gaming system and associated method utilizes the internet along with an instant game lottery. The need to maintain jurisdictional and age control for the sale of lottery tickets is maintained while limiting the payment options, since most lottery jurisdictions do not permit payment for lottery tickets on credit. Additionally, the frequency and excitement typically offered by pair-mutuel type play is offered in an internet-based system. Instant game lottery tickets are sold from a standard ITVM or the like. Each lottery ticket includes a unique serial number in a bar code or other format. Upon the purchase of the ticket, the ticket's bar code is read by the ticket dispensing terminal and transmitted to a central computer system for recording and access to remaining play data. In addition to the instant game available on the lottery ticket, the ticket includes an access code or internet address for subsequent interactive internet-based play.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for a lottery ticket or other article dispenser system includes a direct drive coupled to a drive mechanism such as a motor and feed and discharge rollers. The feed and discharge rollers transport a stream of articles such as lottery tickets which are serially joined together along lines of weakness such as perforations or the like. Coupling the feed and discharge rollers to the common drive mechanism reduces and minimizes the need for calibration and setup for the operation of the dispenser system. Additional features of the invention include a rack and spur gear arrangement for movement of the burster wheel across the path of the tickets and platens arranged and configured in the burster system to improve the bursting quality and operation.

Abstract: The dispenser dispenses tickets such as instant-winner lottery tickets from a strip in which the individual tickets are delineated by perforation lines. The dispenser includes a separator to tear the tickets apart before issuing them from the machine. The separator preferably is rotary and has a dull helical blade which rotates to contact the ticket strip adjacent a perforation line, and presses against the strip to tear the tickets apart along the perforation line at a point which progresses across the strip along the perforation line. Preferably, a bar code reader is provided for reading codes on tickets in the dispensing machine. The bar code reader is used in reading information from the tickets to initialize the dispenser control system and in accounting for the sale of tickets, and in the verification of winning tickets being sold. A game is provided in which the concept is that a jackpot is built up using the detection of each ticket sold.

Abstract: An item dispensing system having an item dispenser, a controller and a fault store for storing fault thresholds and faults. A true state of a fault is stored in the fault store in response to an operating state of the item dispensing system being equal to the fault threshold, and an alarm is generated in response to the true state of the fault. The fault thresholds can represent operating states that normally lead to the item dispensing system going out of service, for example, a low dispenser inventory. The item dispensing system is connected to a communications link and a computer and the alarm is provided to the computer to facilitate a servicing of the item dispensing system. A method or operating such an item dispensing system and associated network is also provided.

Abstract: An item dispensing system has a plurality of item dispensers at different retail locations. The item dispensers have processors for collecting data relating to the items dispensed. A host computer in electrical communications with processors in the item dispensers receives and stores the data relating to the items dispensed. A client computer in electrical communications with the host computer then receives the data relating to the items dispensed. Thus, the invention provides for the reporting of data relating to the items dispensed to a client computer via a host computer that collects the data from the item dispensers. The client computer is also capable of providing data to the item dispensers via the host computer. The invention is further applicable to a configuration which has a plurality of different client computers associated with different client systems, for example, different states. Thus, the invention is particular useful in reporting client item sales.

Abstract: An item dispensing system having modular and distributed components that are suitable for use at POS counter. Item dispensing units are placed beneath the counter and are electrically connected by a cable to a retailer keypad and display which, in turn, is electrically connected by a cable to a customer keypad and display. A panel having images representing the available games to be played is applied to the top of the counter surface. Thus, a customer can easily pay for and select items to be purchased. Items are automatically dispensed, collected by the retail clerk and provided to the customer.

Abstract: An item dispensing system having modular and distributed components that are suitable for use at a POS counter. Item dispensing units are placed beneath the counter and are electrically connected by a cable to a stand-alone retailer keypad and display which, in turn, is electrically connected by a cable to a stand-alone customer keypad and display. Thus, a customer using the customer keypad and display selects items to be purchased. A clerk uses the retailer keypad and display to accept payment for the items and authorizes the dispenser to dispense the items.

Abstract: An improved lottery ticket dispenser includes a burster wheel having a cylindrical contact surface. The improved burster wheel provides for an increased range of operation so that greater misalignment between the perforation or line of weakness between adjacent tickets in a fanfold stream and the path of the burster wheel can be accommodated while still providing a reliable and effective separation of the adjacent tickets along the line of weakness.