Abstract: A coin-operated vending machine includes a magazine which stores small boxes or packages of items one on top of the next in columns or stacks arranged in a circumferential row thereof and a dispensing mechanism operable to effectively dispenses such small boxes or packages of items one at a time from a selected one of the stacks thereof. The vending machine also includes a one-way indexing mechanism operatively adapted to limit rotation movement of the magazine to only one rotational direction and a reciprocal locking mechanism capable of coacting with the dispensing mechanism to lock the magazine in a stationary position when a lowermost package is received in the dispensing mechanism from the selected one of the stacks.

Abstract: A product combining individual novelty candy dispensers and health and beauty dispensers into a single device. In one embodiment a lip balm dispenser is combined with a breath spray dispenser into a single product. In another embodiment, a lip embodiment a lip balm dispensers is combined with a candy dispenser into a single product. In a third embodiment, a candy dispenser, breath spray dispenser and lip balm dispenser are all combined into one product.

Abstract: A packaging for galvanic cells including a carrier; a rotatable insert arranged on the carrier, wherein the rotatable insert has blisters to accommodate a plurality of the galvanic cells and the carrier has an opening to withdraw one of the cells from the insert; and a cover, arranged such that the insert is arranged between the carrier and the cover, the carrier and the cover being sealed together such that the insert is free to rotate, wherein the cover has an opening to accommodate the insert, and the carrier has a securable tab that allows withdrawal of one of the cells from the insert.

Abstract: A medication dispensing cart has a pull-out drawer, and a conveyor that transports a number of removable medication bins within the cart, one at a time, to the position of the drawer. An on-board processor controls operation of the bin conveyor mechanism whose pathway can be a serpentine (folded) loop. The drawer slide engages the bin located at the drawer position, and the bin can be pulled forward from said conveyor and pushed back onto the conveyor. The bins can be lifted out when the drawer is opened. A 2-D bar code symbol or other machine-readable code, positioned on the bin, contains data identifying the contents of the bin and the associated patient. A reader device reads the coded symbol and transfers data for that bin to an on-board processor. The processor keeps track of the bins on the conveyor, as well as their contents. Pusher arms on the drawer assist in pushing the bin out when the drawer is opened and in returning the bin onto its carrier when the drawer is closed.

Abstract: An automatic document feed apparatus includes a document tray having a document positioning surface extending along a transporting direction. A main roller receives a document from the document tray by rotating in the transporting direction. A return roller is pressed against the first roller and rotates in a direction opposite to the transporting direction with a constant torque. Further, a skew-corrective roller which rotates in the transporting direction is provided to prevent skewing of the document in cooperation with the second roller and the document positioning surface.

Abstract: A tablet feeder of the type in which tablets in a storage case are discharged by rotating a rotor. The tablet feeder can prevent tablets, which are about to be discharged by slight rotation of the rotor, from being inadvertently discharged when the storage case is mounted on or dismounted from a support base. The storage case is detachably mounted on the support base. The rotor is mounted in a bottom portion of the storage case so as to be rotatable about a rotary shaft, and is coupled to a motor through rotary gears at its bottom end. A plurality of small magnets are provided on the outer circumference of the bottom portion, and small magnets are provided at a plurality of locations on the outer circumference of the rotor at predetermined intervals.

Abstract: An electronic chip component feeder is provided to prevent continued supply of electronic chip components for mounting which have surface discolorization, deteriorated electrode solderability, or cracks or chips produced by chip collisions. The electronic chip component feeder includes plural feeding units arranged in an array. Each feeding unit has a hopper for holding a plurality of components of a particular kind, and a guide path by which components are transferred from the hopper to a dispensing location. At the dispensing location, the components are picked up by a sucking chuck and then transferred to a substrate for mounting thereon. The plurality of feeding units are capable of being reciprocated in unison so that the dispensing location for the feeding units are successively moved to a fixed position. The electronic chip component feeder further includes a counting unit for counting the number of movements of the each feeding unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for picking the top or the bottom sheet, as desired from a stack of sheets of documents to be scanned using opposed rollers or other members which apply differing amounts of frictional force to opposite faces of the sheet to be picked. The opposed rollers each have substantially the same coefficient of friction and are selectively rotated each in the same direction of rotation but with different torques to apply differential frictional forces to pick the desired sheet from the top or the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coin operated vending machine for individual golf ball or similarly sized product, includes a rotating carousel for holding stacks of product within a housing with an enclosed main display compartment and a slide assembly for dispensing product from the carousel into a dispensing area. A carousel including a plurality of vertical guides for containing a stacked array of individual golf ball units therein, is rotatably supported within the main display compartment such that each of the guides is selectively positional in vertical alignment over a drop hole below the slide assembly, the drop hole being sized and configured to receive an individual, lower most product unit dropped from the aligned guide.

Abstract: A merchandise game of chance visually displays a commercially acceptable variety and number of prizes retained in magazines, some of which run along generatrices of a conical rotating body. A second set of magazines is interleaved with the first set of magazines at the base of the body so that prizes in a lower portion of each of the second set of magazines are visible to the player. When a player pushes a button, the rotating body slows to a halt and dispenses a prize if the magazine holding that prize is adjacent a delivery chute. In one version of the game a dummy magazine is used to display the smallest and least valuable prizes. If the dummy magazine is adjacent the chute when the conical surface stops, an equivalent small prize is delivered to the player from a dispensing hopper. The game is housed within a narrow enough enclosure to permit it to be moved through a conventional swinging door.

Abstract: A multiple product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet and having a plurality of compartments of varying size which pass by at least one access door. The access door is mounted in the cabinet for sliding movement to allow access to a compartment aligned with the access door. The door is motorized so that it will open and close automatically once activated by slight movement of its handle. The size of the compartment aligned with the door when it is opened is known by the control circuit and the motor moves the door only far enough to allow access by a customer to that compartment.

Abstract: A dispenser for consecutive dispensing of tablets in a fixed order comprising a cylindrical body defining along its periphery a number of juxtaposed vertical chutes each accommodating a number of tablets piled on edge radially oriented in the body, a cup shaped dispensing part comprising a bottom plate having an upstanding cylindric wall and forming a stop at the lower end of the chutes. An opening in the cylindric wall allows a tablet on edge to pass from the outside of the cup into the inner space thereof. Above the opening a protrusion extends radially outwards from the cylindric wall into the space between a tablet abreast of the opening and a possible overlying tablet in the chute, and a wall adjacent to the opening extends into the lower ends of the chutes. A detent mechanism makes the body and dispensing part stepwise unidirectionally rotatable in relation to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically creating a simulated mosaic controllably discharges tile pieces onto plate material and secures the tile pieces in place such that the plates with the tile pieces are freestanding permitting the plates themselves to be an ordered arrangement of sections of the mosaic once cemented to the substrate. Many different forms may be had for the plate material, including ones that are pressure or heat activatable to bond with the tile pieces or ones that are mechanically connectable.

Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.

Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into allignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary magazine distributor apparatus (16) comprising a plurality of vertical channels (20) containing piles of respective different articles (6). The apparatus is arranged in order to dispense automatically articles selected by a buyer and which may have different prices. The rotary magazine (16) is provided with a powered driving system (24). A powered distribution mechanism (30) occupies a stationary location under the magazine and comprises an ejection finger (34) intended to push horizontally the lower article of the pile. A side casing (10) contains an electronic unit which controls all the distribution functions on the basis of information received from an electronic coiner, from a selection keyboard (15) and from stationary detectors (43) indicating the position of the magazine, the identity of the channels (20) and the presence of articles (6) in the channels.

Abstract: A drum-type vending machine for vending articles, particularly snack-size candy, comprises a housing, a rotary drum mounted within the housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the drum, the drum including a plurality of vertical bins for holding articles, and a dispensing mechanism in the form of a coin slide and a candy dispensing chute, the coin slide being selectively operable with the bins for dispensing a bottom-most candy from a selected one of the bins. Each of the vertical bins comprises wire members for retaining articles in the stack, the position of the wire members being radially adjustable for maintaining the candy in a preferred orientation in the stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for forming a buffer store of articles, including stackable or restable articles such as cups, plate-or disc-shaped objects, or covers. The apparatus includes supply means for feeding the articles, at least one storage tube for receiving the articles, and discharge means for discharging the articles. The bottom end of the storage tube is selectively connectable to the supply means and the discharge means. Preferably, the storage tube is supported by a pivotable suspension so that it can be swung between a first position proximate to the supply means and a second position proximate to the discharge means.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser for the sale/exchange of video cassettes/compact ds and similar. The products are housed on a rotary drum inside respective peripheral radial compartments arranged side by side in two concentric rings of the same diameter and occupying the same radial position. Drive means controlled by electronic control means provide for selectively rotating the drum by a given number of fractions of a turn equal to half the circumference of each compartment, so as to selectively position the compartments facing two withdrawal slots formed through a panel on the dispenser parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, which slots are offset heightwise by an amount substantially equal to half the circumference of the compartments.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing, dispensing and keeping track of articles, such as keys, has a plurality of compartments for the articles arranged in a cylindrical array, with openings, one for each compartment, being arranged on the surface of the cylinder. The apparatus is in a protective cabinet or housing. An access port arrangement is moveable in a slot in the cabinet parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and means are provided for rotating the cylinder and for moving the access port mechanism so that the access port can align with a selected one compartment to permit access to that compartment only at any one time. Control means, such as a computer, controls the rotating and the access port moving means so that, by identifying each article by a unique value, and dedicating an individual compartment to each separate article, the compartment specific to that article is accessed as required. A hierarchical access system for persons using the apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A novel way to package and dispense small batteries which provides easy installation and removal of batteries from small electronic devices is described. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery dispensing and removal apparatus for simple inserting and removing of batteries from hearing aids. The battery dispensing and removal apparatus is reusable and stores used batteries for recycling or disposal.

Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartment on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.

Abstract: A system from which a customer may rent and return videocassettes. The system has a plurality of vending machines for dispensing and receiving videocassettes including a carousel rotated about a horizontal axis and having bins for storage of videocassettes and access doors for dispensing and receiving videocassettes. A computer controlled positioning system scans a barcode ring affixed to the carousel and an aperture detector counts the passage of apertures in a ring about the carousel for determining the position of the carousel. The control computer also maintains an inventory database which tracks inventory in the bins by scanning barcodes affixed to the each videocassette and viewable via an opening at each bin location.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically dispensing cones and the like, contained in piled-up condition and in upside-down position inside a plurality of container tubes. A carrousel revolves stepwise over a plane above which the cones rest and slide. A pair of stationary circular guides is positioned between the carrousel and the resting/sliding plane. A first cone of each cone stack is fed and made advance. The pair of guides are provided with respective inclined planes acting on the peripheral edges of the second cone of each cone stack to separate the first cone from the overhanging cone stack while the first cone falls by gravity into a dispensing station.

Abstract: A vending machine has a carousel containing several rotatable trays stacked one above another. The trays carry and present for vending selected items, such as food and merchandise. The carousel is contained in a housing or canister and is part of an integrated assembly with a coin container. The carousel is filled at a central depot rather than at the site where the machine is installed for use by customers. The customer locations have the cabinet of the machine. Fixed in the cabinet is a drive mechanism for the carousel and locating and guide members which enable integrated assemblies to be removed from the cabinet and fresh assemblies, with the carousel trays loaded at the central depot, to be installed in place of the removed assemblies. The coin box when empty is equipped with a mechanism which is set to enable coins to drop into the container and is automatically reset so as to close the opening when the assembly is removed from the cabinet.

Abstract: A multiple-product merchandizing machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currancy in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing areas of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.

Abstract: A magazine for targets to be thrown from a throwing device having a rotatable throwing arm mounted for rotation with a shaft is disclosed. The magazine comprises a stationary plate having a transfer opening therein and a holding member for holding a plurality of columns of targets. The columns are supported by this stationary plate except at the transfer opening. An indexing mechanism selectively rotates the holding member about the shaft in synchronism with the throwing arm so that when one of the columns passes over the transfer opening, the lowermost target in the column passes through the opening and onto the throwing arm. The indexing mechanism is arranged to arrest movement of the holding member relative to the shaft in a position where the targets cannot pass through the opening. A restraining mechanism prevents all but the lowermost target in each column from passing through the transfer opening, as the columns pass above the transfer opening.

Abstract: An improved medication dispenser station is provided for controlled access storage of medications and other pharmaceuticals in a medical facility, such as a hospital or the like. The dispenser station comprises a housing with a plurality of normally locked drawers which have been preloaded with selected pharmaceutical items. A control unit on the housing is programmed to unlock the drawers one at a time to permit access to the contents thereof, with such access being contingent upon keyboard entry of a predetermined access code and other selected information sufficient to generate an access record. In a preferred form, each drawer includes multiple compartments containing multiple pharmaceutical items in a presorted array.

Abstract: A multiple-product merchandising machine having a cylindrical drum mounted within a cabinet. The drum is divided into a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which is divided by a plurality of vertical walls into separate compartments from which the product can be dispensed. These compartments can be brought into alignment with access doors associated with each level and the doors, which are normally maintained locked, can be opened upon the insertion of adequate currency in the machine to remove the product. The access door locking system prevents more than one door from being opened at one time. The drum is rotatable in either direction by a reversible motor. A viewing area is provided in the front of the machine which allows a prospective customer to see the product as it passes by. The drum is divided into sections with opaque walls which prevent viewing from the viewing area of more than half of the compartments on a shelf when the drum is in its rest position.

Abstract: A countertop snack vendor in which a drum having a plurality of groups of circumferentially spaced article-receiving compartments is mounted within a cabinet for rotary movement around a generally horizontal axis with the groups disposed respectively behind normally locked elongated transparent doors, each of which spans a plurality of compartments of its associated group to afford a potential customer a view of a large number of articles. Each door is freed upon the deposit of money in the vendor for limited movement from a normally closed position to an open position at which a single compartment of the associated group is accessible.

Abstract: A food vending machine having a selection station, a magazine for a plurality of refrigerated or unrefrigerated portioned food items, a heating apparatus, a serving station and a conveying apparatus between the magazine and reheating apparatus. The magazine is disposed in a supply cabinet (11) which is separable from a serving cabinet (12) containing the reheating apparatus, the serving station (21) and the conveying apparatus in order to improve the hygenic operation of the vending machine (10), while simultaneously reducing the refrigeration demand and increasing the serving speed.

Abstract: A cap dispenser includes a carousel cap magazine holding a number of cap stacks and a cap delivery assembly for dispensing individual caps on demand. A drive assembly actuates the cap delivery assembly to dispense a cap and indexes the magazine when a low supply of caps are within the cap delivery assembly to supply cap stacks thereto.

Abstract: An ejecting assembly is provided, which comprises an ejector guide and an ejector which is reciprocable along the ejector guide in ejecting and return directions. An element is provided which is movable past all of the juxtaposed storage columns for holding merchandise and adapted to interengage with the ejecting assembly and to control the reciprocation of the ejector.

Abstract: The following specification discloses a parts handling and storage system that can be directed toward the handling and storage of electronic components. The storage portion comprises a movable cabinet on wheels having a plurality of elongated tubular members or channels that receive components or parts along the length thereof. The tubular members or channels are driven on a linked basis parallel to each other by a gear movement and chain drive. In this manner, the channels themselves in their linked relationship form a chain of axially elongated links. Each respective channel or tubular member can be indexed at a given point for exposing the parts therein, so that they can be moved therealong into an adjacent track or channel or other handling means. The storage cabinet and tubular channel members when combined with an extended track can be associated at the end of the track with a second storage cabinet for receiving the parts after they have been processed from the first storage cabinet.

Abstract: This invention refers to a novel container for articles to be dispensed one at a time and comprises two receptacles, one within the other, each having an opening in its respective wall, and the openings when aligned, allow the articles contained within the inner receptacle to be emitted one at a time. Particularly, the invention relates to a novel container especially for dispensing small articles such as pills, lozenges, tablets, capsules, troches, pearls and the like.

Abstract: A vending apparatus which includes a rotatable dispensing member having a plurality of separate storage compartments for storing a plurality of items to be dispensed in a predetermined manner is disclosed. A stop member is provided to disable the operation of the vending apparatus upon depletion of all of the items in any of the storage compartments from which an item is selected.

Abstract: A button selector feed for button sewing machines which has a button clamp plate with a button feed slot through which a driver is movable to advance a button into association with the sewing apparatus, comprises a button selector which is mounted on the clamp plate adjacent the feed slot. The button selector has a fixed part with a button delivery slot overlying the feed slot and a movable part which is movable relative to the feed part and which contains a plurality of button feed channels defined therein, each accommodating a stack or a supply of a button of a particular type. The movable part is movable, for example, rotatable, relative to the fixed part so as to position a selected one of the feed channels into alignment with the feed slot.