Abstract: The conveying and off-loading apparatus, used in machines for the automatic selection and distribution of products, comprises a conveyor for transporting individual products from examination stations to discharge stations along a path, including an elongate flexible closed-loop belt and a plurality of rollers distributed on the conveyor. The rollers have axes extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor, and adjacent rollers define between one another elongated holders for individual products. Forks rotatably support the rollers on the chain and are adapted to allow small vertical oscillations of the rollers, as the weight of the product and its holder is lifted from the chain and transferred to a level section of the ramp associated with a weighing device at an examination station. The forks are mounted along the chain and oscillate about an axis parallel to the path. The rollers are selectively tiltable for off-loading a product from the conveyor at one of the discharge stations.

Abstract: A control arrangement for an automatic vending machine includes a price memory device for preliminarily storing selling prices of commodities, a coin signal output section for outputting coin signals upon insertion of coils, a sum calculating device for calculating a sum of inserted coins in response to the coin signals, a difference calculating device for calculating a difference between the sum of the inserted coins and the selling price, a device for calculating the required number of coins for change by dividing the difference by the sum of coins of the same denomination, and a device for judging vendibility at the selling price based on whether or not the required number of coins for the change is present. In this way, the vendibility of all commodities may be determined according to their selling prices without successively subtracting the value of change to paid out for each increment of selling price, and prior to the actual vending of the commodity.

Abstract: A device for stacking sheets, especially sheets of paper that arrive overlapped. The device has a layoff platform that can be raised and lowered, a separating mechanism that is positioned behind the stack, that can be raised and lowered, and that can be introduced into the vicinity of the top of the stack, especially between the uppermost sheet and the incoming stream of overlapping sheets, two compression jaws that are positioned at different heights at the rear of the stack, that can be raised and lowered, and that can be inserted into gaps created by the separating mechanism, and an auxiliary stacking platform that is positioned at the rear of the stack, that can be raised and lowered, and that can be introduced into the vicinity of the layoff platform immediately below the lower compression jaw. The object is to provide a device that is of particular advantage with respect to design.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining a plurality of serially supplied sheets into a set, depending on markings carried by the sheets and read by a reader, and discharging a set to a further handling station, such as an inserting machine. The leading edge of the first sheet of a set, and successively the remaining part of the sheet, is deflected out of its plane of transport, preferably downwardly and through about 180.degree., into a new plane of transport, in which the sheet is arrested in a flat condition. Each subsequent sheet of a set is similarly deflected and displaced into a position overlying the preceding sheet, and after thus completing the set, it is discharged. At choice, a set can be discharged with the leading edges being the edges that were the trailing edges during the supply of the sheets, or with one of the feed side edges of the sheets in leading position.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus, a member, supporting at one end thereof a rotatable pressure roller, is mounted turnably at the other end thereof on an input shaft driven by a motor. This member is coupled to the input shaft via a friction generating mechanism which generates a friction force. This friction force allows the rotatable pressure roller to be pressed with an optimum pressure onto a sheet to be fed.

Abstract: Two stacks of sheets are supported by a tray, one stack resting directly on the tray and the other stack being on top of the first stack. The two stacks of sheets are separated by a stack separation roller that rests on the top of the first stack of sheets and is engageable by an edge of the second stack of sheets to thereby offset the stacks of sheets. Sheets are fed seriatim from the bottom of the first stack until all sheets of the first stack are removed. When the first stack of sheets has been fed from the tray, the separation roller is raised and the second stack of sheets is moved to the position previously occupied by the first stack. Then the second stack of sheets is fed seriatim from the tray.

Abstract: A sheet collating machine includes feed-up devices (7) disposed at bins (1) and having driven feed-up wheels (8), the feed-up devices being pivotal between a lowered position in which the feed-up wheels engage stacks (2) of paper sheets and a raised position in which the wheels are disengaged from the stacks. A conveying path (3) is defined by a plurality of conveyor and press rollers (4), along the upper side of which a corresponding number of backing rollers (6) are disposed, and a conveyor belt (5) runs between the rollers. A sensor (12) is actuated by a spring member (11) which extends crosswise over the conveyor path when no sheet protrudes between the press roller and the belt, and the spring member is lifted from its contact with the sensor when a sheet passes the latter. When no sheet is advanced within a predetermined period the sensor furnishes a signal to a control device which automatically causes a drive device to lift the feed-up device to its raised position.

Abstract: A coin operated device and method of using such a device which requires a threshold number of coins to activate its operation. Once operation is stopped, however, there is provided a time window, during which the deposit of fewer than the threshold number of coins may restart the device.

Abstract: A token handling device transmits, using an electromagnetic carrier, data, clock pulses and power to a token. The token transmits data by varying the degree of absorption of the carrier in synchronism with the clock pulses. These data transmissions are detected by a receiver in the token handling device, the sensitivity of which is adjusted each time a token is received. The token could be used in transactions in place of coins, or alternatively could be used for identification purposes in other areas. Data stored by the token could be used to change the way in which the token handling device operates. The token handling device may for example form a vending machine, and the token could be used to alter the pricing of goods vended thereby. The token handling device may be combined with a coin validator, in which case there is preferably a common path from an entrance slot for carrying both the tokens and the coins to appropriate testing apparatus.

Abstract: A stacking device includes an infeed table for batches destined to be assembled in a layer to be placed on a pile, and a conveying device for moving the layer over the pile and for supporting the layer above the pile. The conveying device includes an arrangement for releasing the layer to allow the layer to set on the pile.

Abstract: A locking device for a shopping trolley which includes a pair of locking levers which normally secure one end of a key which is chained to an adjacent trolley but which are operable to release the key upon insertion of a deposit coin and which levers retain the coin until the key is reinserted within the lock.

Abstract: A coin payout apparatus in a gaming device. The apparatus includes a coin hopper and a coin guide connected to the hopper for successively delivering coins in edge-to-edge relationship. A rotary arm is pivotally provided at the coin guide and has one end rotatably providing a coin ejector roller. The rotary arm is normally biased toward the coin in the coin guide by a biasing member. A supplemental coin ejecting member is provided at a position confronting the ejector roller. When the maximum diameter portion of the coin passes through the space defined between ejector roller and the supplemental coin ejecting member, the coin is urgedly discharged by the biasing force of the biasing member.

Abstract: A linear magazine for storing and automatically dispensing objects (10) disposed in stacks or in lines within juxtaposed bins (1) includes an extractor cartridge (20) associated with each bin and co-operating with a cog belt (50) which is common to all of the bins. The invention is applicable to dispensing cassettes, books, cigarettes, spare parts, etc.

Abstract: A coin sorter having a rotatable disc includes a brake mechanism for stopping rotation of the disc in response to a predetermined number of counted coins. The disc is driven through a gear train by an electric motor. The brake mechanism includes an electromagnetic actuating assembly and an armature mounted on the shaft of a motor. Upon energization of the actuating assembly, the armature is drawn into contact with the actuating assembly to provide a braking pressure which halts rotation of the motor and the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for separating returnable beverage containers from non-returnable beverage containers includes a V-shaped receptacle (20) for receiving the container (C), an access door (36) and an exit door (38). A downwardly sloping ramp (56) guides the container (C) from the receptacle (20) to a pair of rollers (52, 54) for rotating the container (C). First (60) and second (62) panels extend laterally outwardly and upwardly of the rollers (52, 54) for continuously guiding the container (C) back onto the rollers (52, 54) during rotation. A sweeper arm (70) moves in a path above the rollers (52, 54) to eject the container (C) rearwardly toward a pair of deflection gates (78, 79) for directing the container (C) to either an accept station (64) where the container (C) is crushed or a reject station (66) where the container (C) is returned to the operator.

Abstract: This paper feeding mechanism comprises a first spring for biasing a stack of paper against a belt for driving one or two sheets of paper from the stack toward a gap which is slightly larger than the width of one sheet of paper, and a second spring for flattening the selected sheet or sheets against the belt just prior to entering the gap. The belt is held solidly in position by a backing Teflon block to form one side of the gap, and a sharp edge that is positionally adjustable forms the other side. The sharp edge is rounded slightly to compensate for the possibility of mechanical inaccuracies, and the second spring presses the paper against the belt just prior to the knife edge for more reliable operation with stiff paper.

Abstract: Each interfaced loader and metering hopper combination of a newspaper assembling system includes improvements for producing ridges in the newspapers at various states where separation of the newspapers from one another is required. The ridges enhance separation by stiffening the newspaper and reducing the area of contact and thereby the friction between them. At the receiving region of the loader, an arrangement of parallel side and central conveyors, wherein the central one is at a higher level than the side conveyors, produces ridges when the newspapers in a stack are fanned back into a stream. A pair of superimposed center conveyors and inclined laterally located arms produce ridges in the newspapers as they are discharged one at a time from a discharge region of the loader into a receiving zone in the hopper.

Abstract: Sheet handling apparatus for separating sheets from a stack and transporting, registering and deskewing individual separated sheets, includes a single endless narrow width belt movably supported around at least two support rolls defining a path for sheet separation/feeding station through a sheet transport run to a sheet registration station. The single narrow width belt has at least one raised frictional contact element on its outer run for frictional engagement with a sheet to separate a sheet from a sheet separation station and transport it across an imaging platen to a registration station, single frictional contact element provides a single pivot about which a sheet may pivot when it reaches the registration stop member to be deskewed. In an alternative embodiment the device is used simply for transporting, registering and deskewing sheets.

Abstract: In a procedure for feeding two limp workpiece sheets intended to be treated together and/or connected with each other and positioning them with respect to each other, it is provided to clamp them in a planar suspended position in clips of trolleys guided by rails. They are moved by the trolleys to scan their contours in a scanning station and to align them relative to each other in an alignment station. The alignment position of the workpiece sheets is fixed through a coupling device, which acts upon clip holders on the trolleys and can be moved together with them. This simultaneously connects the trolleys assigned to each other in pairs into a structure moving as a unit. The workpiece sheets are subsequently guided in their fixed alignment position to a treatment or processing station.

Abstract: Machine for automatic rental of video cassettes. Cassettes are stored in a drum like magazine (32) and are made available at a dispensing slot (20, 22) after a user has identified himself by introducing a personal into a slot (12) and entered a unique personal code number on a keyboard (16) which the user also employs to enter the selection from the available video cassettes. On returning the cassette, the user again identifies himself and the machine verifies by reading a bar code that the hired film has been returned.