Abstract: A refrigerator ice door mechanism having improved structure for controlling the outlet opening of a delivery chute provided for delivering ice pieces from an ice maker within the refrigerator to an access space in the front of the door. The closure is positively opened by operation of the ice dispenser actuating structure and is biased to a closed position substantially immediately after release of the actuating structure for terminating operation of the ice piece delivery structure, while permitting any remaining ice pieces moving through the ice delivery chute to move the closure away from the opening in passing to the access space. A time delay device is provided for applying a sealing force to the closure to positively close the opening a predetermined period of time subsequent to the release of the actuator and termination of the ice piece delivery.

Abstract: A refrigerator ice door mechanism having improved structure for controlling the outlet opening of a delivery chute provided for deliverying ice pieces from an ice maker within the refrigerator to an access space in the front of the door with minimum opening of the outlet. The closure is continuously biased to a closed position while permitting ice pieces moving through the ice delivery chute to move the closure away from the opening in passing to the access space. A time delay device is provided for applying a sealing force to the closure to sealingly close the opening a predetermined period of time subsequent to termination of the ice piece delivery operation.

Abstract: A vending machine for selling foods contained in cups (cup-foods) is provided with an apparatus for cooking the foods in the cup. The cooking apparatus comprises a cooking chamber and a hot water feeding device. A door of the cooking chamber may be opened only during a predetermined time period after each cup food is sold and is locked during other time periods. The hot water feeding device is operable only during a time period when the door of the cooking chamber is closed during a predetermined time period after the each cup food is sold. The hot water feeding device is operated by the operation of a cook selection button to pour hot water into the cup which is put in the cooking chamber. The predetermined time period during which the door may be opened is determined by a timer and the time period of the operation of the hot water feeding device, which is shorter than this predetermined time period is determined by another timer.

Abstract: A time controlled cigarette dispenser includes a pair of cooperable superposed inclined surfaces for serially transferring cigarettes from the upper surface to the lower surface. A rotatable drum receives the cigarettes serially in a predetermined timed sequence from the lower surface and delivers it to a pivotable balance tray from when the smoker may retrieve it for smoking. The drum is motor driven, and upon the deposit of a cigarette on the balance tray the motor is deactivated. Upon retrieval of the cigarette from the balance tray the motor is activated to transfer another cigarette thereto.

Abstract: A cigarette dispenser which dispenses cigarettes one at a time through a dispensing opening. The dispenser includes a rotatable magazine having a plurality of cigarette-loaded chambers slideably and rotatably received within a housing. The housing includes an opening adapted to be aligned with one of the chambers during a predetermined time interval determined by the period of operation of a spring motor in the housing cover, which rotates the magazine to sequentially align one of the cigarette chambers with the dispensing opening. In this manner, cigarettes are rationed by the dispenser to dissuade smoking frequency.

Abstract: Flow control apparatus and method for controlling the flow of gravity fed substantially cylindrical objects through a gravity runway wherein a starwheel, a star-shaped ferrous pulse rotor and a ferrous rotor are each spaced from each other and axially fixed to a free wheeling shaft mounted in a frame connected to a gravity runway such that the starwheel lobes jut into and rotate through the gravity runway. Each starwheel lobe engages each of a successive line of gravity cans as the cans fall through the runway. A magnetic sensor is mounted on the frame near the star-shaped pulse rotor such that as cans free fall past the starwheels and rotate the free wheeling shaft star points on the pulse rotor rotate past the sensor and disturb the sensor's emitted magnetic field. For each disturbance, the sensor emits an electrical pulse signal.

Abstract: Caps loaded into the hopper of a machine are gravitationally fed at a controlled feed rate and are distributed into a plurality of guide channels. Movement of each cap through a guide channel is momentarily interruped to obtain a desired spaced relationship for reorientation if required. The infeed rate of caps is controlled in conjunction with the reorientation process.

Abstract: An electrically operated device capable of holding first and second hollow plastic balls that contain predetermined numbers of tablets or capsules of first and second medicants, and dispensing the balls at timed intervals to a patient. Each ball is defined by interlocking half portions that may be separated to permit the medicant contained in the ball to be removed therefrom. The balls have the medicants placed therein by a pharmacist. The physician supplies the patient with an opaque disk that has at least one ring of circumferentially spaced apertures formed therein. The present invention is illustrated and described as having two rings of apertures in the disk. A clock drive on the device slowly rotates the disk.

Abstract: A device for dispensing, one by one, a series of bodies arranged in a row within sealed compartments of an elongated sheet material which must be severed between its compartments for individually releasing the bodies in their sealed compartments. A container is provided for housing a strip of the sheet material and the bodies carried thereby in the sealed compartments thereof. This container has a wall formed with a discharge opening. A manually operable structure is carried by the container opposite to the latter wall thereof for reciprocating movement by the operator from a rest position first in a forward direction away from the rest position and then in a rearward direction back to the rest position.

Abstract: A user access compartment for an automated teller machine which dispenses currency and/or receipts through an opening in the protective cabinet of the machine. The compartment is generally cylindrical in shape having an access opening therein, and the compartment is pivotally mounted on a frame located in the machine. A currency dispenser located in the machine dispenses currency into the compartment upon command from a valid customer of the machine. An arcuately shaped door panel normally closes the opening in the cabinet.