Abstract: An apparatus for enabling a user to follow a detailed schedule for taking a plurality of medicines/supplemdents at various times. The apparatus includes a set of containers, one for each medicine, a release mechanism for each container and a computer programmed to open any one of its containers at a time according to the schedule of events. An event is defined as taking of a dosage at a scheduled time. An “alert” signal alerts the user to prepare for each event. A “take” signal indicates that the dosage has actually been taken, A warning signal; is activated after a ‘take period indicating that the user has not taken his dosage. A form is initally filled out by the user listing “events” according to the schedule. Events shown on the screen are underlined as they occur and the daily form with underlines of executed events is saved as a history with later evealuation. A “fresh” form (without uderlines) is programmed to appear with the days date to start the next day's program.

Abstract: A media dispenser module for an ATM is provided which has a secure locking mechanism. The media dispenser module may include a casing that is separatably coupled to a discharge portion for media, including a media mounting portion, on which discharged media is mounted, and an opening portion for withdrawing the media mounted on the media mounting portion. A door moving device moves a door along a plane made by the opening portion, and a pair of catching portions are formed on both sides of the media mounting portion. A locking mechanism engages the catching portions when the door completely closes the opening portion so as not to open the door.

Abstract: Dispensable objects are loaded into a portable case for transport to a dispensing site by connecting a reload controller with a case to be reloaded. Latchable and unlatchable object retainers arrayed in the case are relatched, and the reload controller is activated to respond to a reloading request to unlatch some of the retainers in locations suitable for receiving reloaded objects. A person then reloads the chosen objects in the array locations opened up by the unlatched retainers and relatches those retainers. The controller then acts upon another reloading request to unlatch more retainers in locations suitable for receiving additionally loaded objects, as the loading sequence repeats.

Abstract: A media dispenser module includes: a casing mounted in a mounting unit of a media dispenser apparatus and having an opening accessible from outside and a door for opening and closing the opening; a media mounting unit installed inside the casing so that media is dropped from a first position where the media is maintained in a mounting state and rotated to a second position where the media is retrieved into a media retrieval box coupled to the casing; a driving unit installed at a side wall of the casing and moving the media mounting unit; a media sensing unit for sensing whether there is media on the media mounting unit; and a controller for controlling opening and closing of the door and the driving unit according to a signal of the media sensing unit.

Abstract: A pill sorting apparatus is provided and includes a system for retrieving pills from a container and then dispensing those retrieved pills to a bin where they can be administered to a patient by a healthcare professional. The pill sorter includes a sorting mechanism that prevents excess pills from being delivered to the bin marked for patient delivery and instead, an automated system directs the excess pills to a bin where the pills are collected for return to the pill source.

Abstract: A bill arranger is provided that includes a loader for loading bills and feeding the bills one by one; a conveyer for conveying the bills fed from the loader; a discriminating device for discriminating the bills conveyed by the conveyer; a plurality of stackers for stacking the bills, which are conveyed by the conveyer, so that the bills can be removed; an operating device for selecting one of sorting process modes which defines a method of sorting the bills loaded in the loader; a controller for delivering the bills, which are fed from the loader, to one of the stackers, by the conveyer, based on the results of the discrimination by the discriminating device, according to the sorting process mode selected by the operating device; and guides, provided in the stackers, which are movable by the weight of the stacked bills delivered into the stackers from the conveyer.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for randomly dispensing objects, such as chocolate candies, a kit of parts, and a method for playing games, or educational exercises. that utilizes the random dispenser apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing having a substantially hollow interior portion for holding a plurality of the objects and a dispensing opening dimensioned to allow a single object to be dispensed. An object sorter is provided for aligning the objects for individual dispensing through the dispensing opening of the housing. Finally, an actuator is provided for individually dispensing the single object from the object sorter through the dispensing opening of the housing. In operation, the objects are held within the housing and are randomly aligned within the object sorter such that a user will not know which of the objects will be dispensed when the actuator is actuated. The objects are then dispensed through the dispensing opening in the housing when the actuator is actuated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a commissioning system (1) with at least one high-speed automatic machine (2) which comprises at least one article shelf (3) with article shafts (4) which are adjacently and essentially vertically arranged, preferably in a slightly slanted manner, and which can be accessed from the front. Articles which are to be commissioned can be stored in said article shafts, whereby a shelf control unit (5) can travel and which is assigned to the article shelf can be positioned at each article shaft (4) and stores articles in said article shaft. According to the invention, the spatially moveable shelf control unit (5) is equipped with an article handling unit (6) which stores the articles of the same type or dimensions in a stacked manner without the use of a magazine, whereby an article stack (7) which is to be stored in. Simultaneously handled without a separate article stack magazine or receptacle by the shelf control unit.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer timed-locked medication container, which includes a container for holding medication. The container includes sidewalls, a partially open front, a back, a bottom, a top, at least one section extending from the partially open front to the back. Each section is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of compartments and each of the compartments is sized and shaped to hold at least one unit of medication. Each compartment has sidewalls, a bottom, a front, a back, opening-locking means for opening and locking at least one unit of medication in the compartment. When medication is due to be dispensed, an alarm will sound. Upon pressing a medication release button, the scheduled compartment will be opened and the medication will be accessible. If the medication button has not been sounded within a preselected time period, a message will be generated, either internally or through the Internet, on non-compliance.

Abstract: A bill arranger is provided that includes a loader for loading bills and feeding the bills one by one; a conveyer for conveying the bills fed from the loader; a discriminating device for discriminating the bills conveyed by the conveyer; a plurality of stackers for stacking the bills, which are conveyed by the conveyer, so that the bills can be removed; an operating device for selecting one of sorting process modes which defines a method of sorting the bills loaded in the loader; and a controller for delivering the bills, which are fed from the loader, to one of the stackers, by the conveyer, based on the results of the discrimination by the discriminating device, according to the sorting process mode selected by the operating device.

Abstract: A drawer operating system for controlling a plurality of elongated drawers having a sliding direction, each drawer terminated by a front end and a rear end and partitioned by walls into a plurality of bins consecutive with one another along the sliding direction for holding various dispensable items, the drawers housed in an array in a cabinet, each drawer arranged to move independently between a closed position and graduated, progressively opened positions to allow access to one or more bins and the contents stored therein, the system for each drawer including a monitor for tracking the length of opening of the drawer on its immediately preceding excursion, a drive train responsive to the monitor for controlling the drawer from a fully closed and locked position to an open position exposing an item-filled bin flexible, non-stretchable first device for interconnecting the drawer and the drive train to control the increment of bin exposed in the drawer, and the second control device, including a keyboard for i

Abstract: A mechanical system opens a selected drawer in a multiple-drawer cabinet. The drawers are arranged in rows and columns. A selected drawer is unlatched by moving a rod which has protruding fingers, only one of which is positioned to engage a latch in a column of drawers. When the rod moves longitudinally, the selected drawer becomes unlatched. The unlatched drawer can open only to a distance determined by a cable which unwinds from a drum and passes around a pulley attached to the drawer. Thus, by controlling the rotation of the drum, the system can be programmed to open the drawer only to a distance which exposes the first non-empty compartment in the drawer. A computer controls the selection and opening of the drawers. The computer keeps a record of which compartments of each drawer have been emptied. Each time a drawer is opened, it is opened to the next non-empty compartment, allowing access to one and only one compartment in the drawer.

Abstract: A pill dispenser with means is provided for alerting a user when medication must be taken. The dispenser includes a housing having a top face with at least one compartment formed therein and a lid having a first orientation for allowing access to the corresponding compartment and a second orientation for precluding access thereto. A real time clock is situated within the interior space of the housing for tracking a present time. Memory is included for storing a plurality of medication time. Further provided is a selector mechanism including a plurality of buttons for allowing the entering and storage of a plurality of medication times within the memory by a user. A plurality of alarm mechanisms are included and adapted to alert a user upon the actuatin thereof. Finally, a control mechanism is included for actuating at least one selected alarm mechanism upon the matching of the present time and at least one of the medication times within the memory.

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 disposal unit for sanitary towels comprises a housing (100) which supports a bag (1) for receiving the used towels. A door (4) is mounted to the housing, in use the door being opened for access to the bag. The unit includes a heat sealing device (8) operable when the door is in the closed position to seal hermetically the mouth of the bag. The door may be pivotally mounted at its lower edge to the housing in which case the means for supporting the bag are arranged to support the bag with the mouth of the bag located towards the top of the door. A control circuit may activate the heat sealing device for a predetermined period of time and also activate a solenoid which locks the door closed.

Abstract: A programmable size and price-setting mechanism for use in a vending machine has a plurality of n access doors aligned horizontally across a front of the vending machine, each of which access doors has a locked condition denying access therethrough and an unlocked condition allowing access therethrough, and each of which is selectably activatable between the locked and unlocked condition. There are a plurality of horizontal shelves each of which has a plurality of partitionable areas corresponding in size to a corresponding one of the n access doors, such that each shelf is selectably partitionable into a plurality of up to n product holding areas. A conveyor mechanism is provided for selectably moving each horizontal shelf into a vending position adjacent to the access doors so that each one of the n partitionable areas is adjacent to a corresponding one the n access doors. A sensor detects which of the plurality of shelves is positioned adjacent to the plurality of n access doors.

Abstract: A variable doorstop selectively determines the opening distance of an access door of a merchandising machine, the access door being mounted in channels of the merchandising machine to be slidable between an open position wherein the access door permits access to a compartment aligned therewith and a closed position wherein access to the compartment is restricted. The doorstop comprises a hinge assembly including at least one hinge. Each hinge has a backing plate for mounting the hinge on the merchandising machine and at least one abutment plate. The at least one abutment plate is rotatable about a pin of the hinge to selectively pivot the abutment plate from a non-engagement position in which the abutment plate is positioned away from the path of the access door to an engagement position in which the abutment plate is in the path of the access door.

Abstract: A subassembly for use in a computerized medicine dispensing station is disclosed. The station has a cabinet for housing openable drawers in stacked arrangement containing dispensable pharmaceutical items. The subassembly includes a drawer having a base plate, side walls, and a front panel defining an interior compartment. The drawer can be inserted into the cabinet. The interior compartment of the drawer is divided into subcompartments, each subcompartment defined by spaced apart side walls and a curved rear wall. Each subcompartment contains a movable magazine mounted therein for racetrack-like movement therein between the spaced apart side wall and the curved rear wall. The magazine includes individual open cups for containing single dispensable pharmaceutical items therein. The front panel has an aperture which is normally closed and locked.

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: An apparatus is provided for delivering assembly and machining expendable materials or tools. The apparatus has an internal continuous mechanism with different compartment rows arranged in rotary manner and to move past a removal door row. An embodiment having relatively stationary compartments and movable doors to align with a selected compartment is also disclosed. An inputting keyboard for the positioning of the particular compartment row in front of the removal door row also controls the unlocking of a door in the door row associated with the selected compartment. The delivery unit is connected by means of a long-range transmission means to a data processing unit, which records the removal of the materials and optionally initiates reloading, billing, etc.

Abstract: A system for the controlled dispensing and storing of medication and more particularly, a programmable system with medication dispensing modules having a dedicated programmable processor to dispense medication, according to patient requirements that are programmed into the system. The modules incrementally dispense unit doses of medication in a highly controlled manner for a particular patient. The programmable processor of each module is independently capable of receiving and storing information about the respective type, quantity and medication information of each of the unit doses of medication loaded onto an assigned shelf of the module. The information in the programmable processor is automatically updated when a unit dose of medication is dispensed from the module so that the programmable processor contains information about the remaining inventory in the module at any given time.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for pairing drugs corresponding to a prescribed treatment with a given patient including marking of arm bands or other identification devices with the patient's identification data, permanently attaching the identification device to the patient, retrieving a drug corresponding to the prescribed treatment and verifying its agreement with the drug administration data stored on the identification device, introducing the drug into a container which is previously marked with the patient identification data and drug administration data and closing the container. The process further includes moving the container to a drug delivery station at the patient location and verifying agreement of the data marked on the container with that stored on the identification device of the patient.

Abstract: Improvements in a snow cone making machine including a retaining collar which interacts with a cone cup to prevent relative movement with respect to each other; an automatic cone cup dispenser having opposing forceps for extracting cone cups singly from a cup canister; and a scanning activation system for reading a product code on the cone cup to activate the preparation of a snow cone.

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: The apparatus is provided for delivering assembly and machining expendable materials or tools. It comprises an internal continuous lift mechanism with different compartment rows arranged in rotary manner to move past a removal door row. An inputting keyboard for the positioning of the particular compartment row in front of the removal door row also controls the unlocking of door in the door row associated with the selected compartment.The delivery unit is connected by means of a long-range transmission means to a data processing unit, which records the removal of materials and optionally initiates reloading, billing, etc.

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: 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: Automatic dispensing apparatus for articles, comprising an outer casing (1), a sliding door (6) movable vertically on associated slide guides (7) fixed to the outer casing, there being provided below the sliding access door a movable wall (11), equipped along its lower edge with a hinge (12) in engagement with the outer casing (1), equipped with blocking devices (13) with associated drive structure (21, 22), movable between a closure position which interferes with the sliding of the sliding door and an opening position which does not interfere with said door.

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 medication dispenser that includes a receptacle having a counting compartment with a first opening into the receptacle and a second opening through which the pills are dispensed. To be dispensed, the pills must passthrough the counting compartment and are counted during such passage. Both openings are blocked or unblocked by logic built into or remotely connected to the dispenser, which logic determines whether the pills in the compartment should be dispensed. In one embodiment of the dispenser, the pills are counted by sensing the amount of light that is passed through the compartment. The logic counts the pills by subtracting the amount of light transmitted through the compartment when it contains pills from the amount of light transmitted through an empty compartment and comparing the result to the known size of the pills. In an alternative embodiment, the pills are weighed in the counted compartment and the weight is compared to the known weight of a single pill.

Abstract: A medication delivery device measures a preselected physical parameter of a patient as well measures at least one preselected parameter in the patient's immediate environment that relates to the physical parameter. A control element compares the preselected physical parameter measured with the preselected environmental parameter measured. A first command signal is generated when a predetermined correlation exists between the two parameters, while a second command signal is generated when it does not. The command signal can be used to base a decision to dispense medication to the patient, or to change the patient's immediate environment.

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 medication dispenser includes a container having a main compartment, a selection compartment, and an exit compartment whereby a pill or the like is dispensed from the container by passage from the main compartment, through the selection compartment, and to the exit compartment. The configuration of the pill selection compartment may be selectively varied and adjusted into a preselected configuration substantially conforming to the shape and size of a pill contained in the main compartment. A flexible first gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the main compartment, a second gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the exit compartment, and a third gate selectively extends across the exit compartment, near the container exterior. Initially, the second gate is in an extended position, and the first and third gates are in nonextended positions.

Abstract: The disclosed pill dispenser is of the disc or carousel type and has a base provided with a flat top over which the disc is superimposed so that the bottom face of the disc is so closely proximate to the top face of the base as to prevent the gravitational escape of pills, tablets, capsules, etc. from vertical pill containing pockets in the disc except via a controlled radial slot having a gate timed with rotation of the disc on the basis of a predetermined number of dosage periods per day and a predetermined number of days according to a power source in the form of a clock motor, for example. In a preferred form of the invention the gate-controlled slot depends upon the spirally arranged pattern of the dosage pockets and the gate moves in the slot in accordance with a like spiral track. Each pocket is capable of containing a plurality of pills; e.g., in instances in which multiple pills of different types are prescribed.

Abstract: A device in a vending machine in which articles are fed stepwise to a position of delivery opposite a delivery opening in the machine to be dispensed therefrom one by one, has a cover which is pivotal between a closed position in which it covers the delivery opening, and an open position in which it exposes the delivery opening to permit dispensing an article fed to the position of delivery. The device has lock in the form of an electromagnet which is adapted to lock the cover in the closed position, and a pusher in the form of an arm which is fixed to the cover and adpated, when the cover is swung from the closed position to the open position, to push the article fed to the position of delivery, at least a certain distance out of the delivery opening. A releaser is adapted to suspend the locking action of the lock when an article has been fed to the position of delivery.

Abstract: A dispenser for flat products consists of a cabinet containing magazines for storing a plurality of products stacked according to predefined categories, with an outlet slot for a product selected from one of the magazines. A mechanism for extracting and dispensing the products in front of the magazines extracts the top product from a selected stack and transfers it to the outlet slot. This mechanism comprises a product holding device, individually controlled and motorized vertical and horizontal carriages carrying this device and a support for the device articulated to one of the carriages. The support assumes a holding position in which the device is placed against the top product in a selected stack and then moves to a position retracted against the carriages, holding the product. The magazines are inclined to the horizontal so that the stacks are offered up slantwise to the mechanism and the outlet slot is in a side of the cabinet, between the magazines and the mechanism.

Abstract: A solder feeding system including an apparatus for supplying a predetermined number of solder balls to at least one soldering bath once the level of liquid solder in the bath drops below a defined limit. The solder ball is shaped to have a diameter of from 5 mm to 50 mm, preferably 10 mm to 30 mm by casting, forging, or rolling. The number of solder balls added have a volume capable of raising the level of liquid solder in the bath by a distance similar to or less than a range of tolerable upper and lower limits and a thermal capacity to lower the temperature of the liquid solder within a tolerable range.

Abstract: A cash handling machine includes a housing having an aperture through which cash is put in, a bank note conveyor, a bank note sorter for sorting the bank notes conveyed by the bank note conveyor according to type of bank notes, a coin conveyor, and a coin sorter for sorting the coins conveyed by the coin conveyor according to type of coins. The machine has a single cash receiver for receiving both bank notes and coins put in through the aperture, a bank note feeder connected to the single cash receiver for taking out the bank notes from the single cash receiver and for feeding the bank notes to the bank note conveyor, and coin feeder connected to the single cash receiver for taking out the coins from the single cash receiver and for feeding the coins to the coin conveyor.

Abstract: A drug dispensing apparatus which is arranged to form divided separate packets during intermittent transport of a packaging sheet in its longitudinal direction and to print messages for predetermined items on the separate packets. The print format may be edited as desired by an operator. Portions of the packaging sheet which are not part of the separate pockets may be printed with the cumulative status of the drug dosage which is accommodated in the printed pockets.

Abstract: A control system for a vending machine having a plurality of article storage bins mounted on a circulatory moving member includes discriminating devices associated respectively with the article storage bins for identifying the kinds of the articles stored respectively in the article storage bins and whether there are articles stored in the article storage bins, and a delivery control unit for controlling the delivery of a selected article based on information from the discriminating devices. Articles of many different kinds can be efficiently vended through a single article conveyor mechanism on a first-in first-out basis.

Abstract: A collecting stacker for collecting all documents of a user is provided in the printing mechanism preceding the output stacker, whereby a retention mechanism is provided at the output of the collecting stacker, this retention mechanism opening after the arrival of the last document with respect to the individual user and initiating further transport of all documents contained in the collecting stacker into the output stacker in common. Documents left in the output stacker are subsequently transported to a user inaccessible deposit stacker.

Abstract: A turret journalled on a vertical axis has a plurality of vertically spaced pockets open at their upper and lower ends and spaced circumferentially around its outer periphery. A workpiece hopper has a downwardly extending outlet lying on the circle defined by the upper ends of the pockets so when a pocket registers with the outlet, a workpiece gravitates into the pocket. A motor driven worm gear which rotates about a horizontal axis is disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the pocket such that a workpiece deposited into the pocket registering with the hopper outlet is engaged by and between a pair of adjacent convolutions of the worm gear thread. That workpiece thus forms a driving connection between the worm gear and the turret to index the turret in a work-advancing direction to a position where the next upstream pocket on the turret registers with the hopper outlet to receive another workpiece and again index the turret in the work-advancing direction.

Abstract: One or more security receptacles, provided for safekeeping keys, include a deposit opening especially configured in a shape corresponding to the longitudinal cross-section of the key handle. A set of ramps oblique and a normally locked horizontal ramp in the receptacle prevent access to the key. The horizontal ramp may be released from its horizontal position by disabling the lock so that the key falls to a lower portion of the receptacle. Disabling of the lock is accomplished by transmitting a coded signal to a receiver incorporated in the lock. Access to the key is then possible, preferably requiring a second key to open the lower portion of the receptacle.

Abstract: A shutter (111) and shutter control mechanism are disclosed, for use in a banknote dispensing machine for closing the outlet aperture. The shutter (111) fixed to a pivoted arm (112) is normally locked by a latch (109) which lodges in a V-shaped notch formed in the end of the shutter arm (112). When a stack of banknotes approaches the outlet aperture, a control circuit (not shown) energises an actuating solenoid (106) which pulls a drive tooth (103) through a linkage (105) against the action of a return spring (107). The drive tooth (103) rotates clockwise until it rests in the position shown in FIG. 3. During its rotation to this position, a drive pin (108) on the drive tooth (103) pushes the latch (109) away from the shutter arm, thus releasing the shutter. Meanwhile a snail cam, (104) rotates anti-clockwise, and eventually engages a cam follower surface on a lower corner of the drive tooth (103), the drive tooth being pivoted close to its center.

Abstract: A sheet dispenser in which sheets are delivered from cassettes to a collector and held thereon. The collector is mounted on a movable support, and the collector and bills thereon are moved to either left or right delivery areas of the terminal in response to a request entered on an input terminal. Closures normally close the left and right delivery areas; however, these closures are opened to permit the sheets held on the collector to extend out of the dispenser to be grasped by an operator.

Abstract: A sheet dispenser in which sheets are delivered from cassettes to a collector and held thereon. The collector is mounted on a moveable support, and the collector and bills thereon are moved to either left or right delivery areas of the terminal in response to a request entered on an input terminal. Closures normally close the left and right delivery areas; however, these closures are opened to permit the sheets held on the collector to extend out of the dispenser to be grasped by an operator.

Abstract: A number of identical articles, for example, coiled filaments for electric lamps are retained by a shutter member at a starting station. When the article is not present in a hopper station which is arranged at an intermittent feeding mechanism of an article assembling station and which temporarily retains the article, the shutter member is opened so as to feed the article from the starting station to the hopper station through two chutes which are slanted at different angles. The article is fed to the intermittent feeding mechanism of the article assembling mechanism from the hopper station at the operating timing of the intermittent feeding mechanism.

Abstract: A money dispensing device for use in safes or the like which transfers money from a security area to a dispensing point. A powered drawer transfers money from the security area to the dispensing point. The dispensing point is provided with a door, which is automatically controlled, such that the door opens only when sensors indicate that the drawer has reached the end of the dispensing point, and after opening, the door closes only when sensors indicate that the drawer is empty.

Abstract: Paper currencies taken out from a cash storing box removably loaded in an automatic cash issue machine by means of a cash take-out mechanism are temporarily accumulated in a temporary cash collecting section. The accumulated currencies are transported toward a cash discharge port by means of a drive endless belt. In this case, the endless belt presses down a bundle of currencies and cooperates with the drive belt to nip and transport the currencies bundled until these are partially exposed to exterior. At this time, a customer may easily take out the currencies bundled.

Abstract: An anti-theft delivery module which may be installed in new or existing vending machines blocks access to the product vending modules and collects products improperly removed from those modules. The collected products are stored in a closed storage area at the start of each legitimate vending cycle.