Abstract: A coin operated vending machine delivers single newspapers and/or similar articles from the upper end of a stack of articles out a vending slot. A roller engages the article and moves it part of the way out the slot so that it can be grasped by the customer and pulled the remaining distance. An actuator, such as the access door used on vending machines currently in the field, is linked with the roller to revolve it in a dispensing direction, but the motion transmission mechanism for the roller does not transmit rotation in the opposite direction and permits the roller to revolve independently of the motion transmission mechanism.