Abstract: The present invention includes a jar ticket dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing jar tickets in response to an operator input. The invention includes an enclosed drum for containing the tickets. A support means supports the drum for rotation thereof. The drum is adapted to be rotated by an electric motor or other conventional device. A control means controls the dispensing of tickets in response to an input of money to the apparatus. The tickets are dispensed by rotating the drum causing the tickets contained therein to come into magnetic contact with a plurality of magnets residing on the drum and to be releasably secured thereto. Dispensing occurs when the magnetically attached ticket encounters a stripper which strips the ticket from the magnet. The dispensed ticket falls into a dispensing chute which dispenses the ticket to the operator.

Abstract: An inertial parts feeding apparatus and method for dispensing parts, such as microchips, onto a moving belt. The feeding apparatus has a housing supporting an elongated tube accommodating the microchips. A guide mounted on the housing aligns the tube with an arm having an impact shoulder and a microchip stop finger. A roller, engageable with the tube, driven by a stepping motor, moves the tube longitudinally into engagement with the shoulder causing a microchip to move out of the end of the tube and into engagement with the stop finger. The arm is released from the microchip during the time that the tube moves back to its initial position to allow the microchip to move with the belt.

Abstract: A device for randomly dispensing one of a plurality of discrete random members. The device includes a housing having a cavity within which the random members may be contained. The housing is supported by a pair of supporting actuators which cooperate to open an aperture in the cavity when the housing is downwardly pushed by a user. A random member is thereby allowed to escape from the housing for generating random numbers such as utilized in bingo, lotteries, and other games. Preferably, the housing is shaped as an animal, such as a chicken, turkey, or the like.

Abstract: A stick dispenser for containing sticks, such as spare leads for mechanical pencils or toothsticks comprises an outer case member (1) having an open rear end, and a front wall provided with a first outlet hole (3) through which the sticks are fed out one at a time, and an inner case member (2) slidably inserted in the outer case member (1) through the open rear end of the latter, provided with a cavity (6) for containing the sticks, and having a front wall provided with a second outlet hole (7). Normally, the inner case member (2) is biased toward one side wall of the outer case member (1) so that the second outlet hole (7) is out of alignment with the first outlet hole (3) to prevent the sticks from slipping out of the stick dispenser.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which can receive a large number of earplugs from a box and dispense one or two of them at a time to a worker. The apparatus includes a wheel (22, FIG. 1) which is rotatable on a frame (12) and which has holes (24) that move in a circular path and that can each receive a single earplug (16). As each hole moves over a dispense passage 18, the earplug in the hole can fall out, and be dispensed. A barrier (42, FIG. 2) lying above the wheel, prevents an earplug from falling into a hole that lies at the passage. The barrier covers only one side (52) of the path (32) of the holes, to allow a deformed earplug to move along the other, uncovered side (54) of the path. The wheel has a narrow slot (80) extending from each hole to the periphery, so a tool can be projected through a frame opening (84) and through the slot to dislodge an earplug stuck in a wheel hole.

Abstract: A container is described which can hold multiple small articles such as earplugs, and which can be inserted into a dispenser where the contents can be readily released. The container includes a box (30, FIG. 3 ) whose bottom wall includes a pair of flaps (50, 52) having inner ends (54, 56) pivotally connected to the bottoms of opposite side walls, and having outer portions (64, 66) that lie adjacent to each other. A release device (34) holds the outer portions of the flaps together to prevent them from pivoting down until the release device is pulled out, when the flaps pivot down and the articles fall out. The outer portion of each flap includes an upstanding tab (76, 78, FIG. 5 ) with a horizontal slot (82), and the release device includes a cardboard plate which is received in the slot.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which can receive a large number of earplugs from a box and dispense one or two of them at a time to a worker, which avoids touching of the earplugs by any other person. The apparatus includes a wheel (22, FIG. 1 ) which is rotatable on a frame (12) and which has holes (24) that are each capable of holding a single earplug (26). As the wheel turns, earplugs fall into the holes. As each hole moves to a dispense location (30), the earplug in the hole can fall out of the hole along a dispense passage (16). A barrier (42) lying above the wheel, prevents an earplug from falling into a hole that lies at the dispense location, and sweeps away any second earplug which lies partially within a hole approaching the dispense location. A large number of earplugs are contained in a box (80) which is installed in an open top (82) of the dispenser.

Abstract: A sub-assembly for use in a medication dispenser station for controller actuated dispensing of pharmaceutical items in single quantities from locked storage and allowing rapid reloading of more items all under extreme security and heightened accountability, comprising a chassis for insertion into the cabinet for secure mounting therein, including an unlockable front reloading access door, pharmaceutical retrieval tray depending therebelow and a discharge chute opening from interior the access door down into the tray, at least one narrow stock-supporting magazine slidably mounted in the chassis extending rearward from inside the front access door for retaining a stock of pharmaceutical items in vertically oriented, front-to-rear alignment therein, an ejector interconnected the magazine for moving the forward-most pharmaceutical item in the magazine into position over the discharge chute for dispensing into the retrieval tray upon command while retaining the other items in locked storage in the magazine, a bi-s

Abstract: An automatic fastener feeder is disclosed utilizing a rotating drum in combination with a pivoting track arrangement. Racheting apparatus is utilized to rotate the drum at intervals of time, which is initiated by an operator-generated demand for a single fastener. Gravity is utilized to drop individual fasteners onto and into the track arrangement. Up-and-down movement of the track arrangement provides for the axial movement of individual fasteners along the length of the track and into an escapement mechanism attached to the end thereof.

Abstract: Device for the dispensing of springs in at least one unit, comprising a sng-feed device of the type with a flexible tube, within which the springs are arranged behind one another, in contact and coaxially with a flexible tube, and a tubular dispensing body which includes two coaxial tubes (10, 12) , the inner tube (12) being mounted telescopically relative to the other tube (10), a connection (38) between the feed device (40) and the inner tube (12), and first and second mechanisms (14 and 16) for blocking the first and second mechanisms (18 and 20) for unblocking the first and the second springs (R1, R2) contained in the inner tube (12), these blocking and unblocking mechanisms (14, 16, 18, 20) being controlled by the relative displacement of the outer tube (10) in relation to the inner tube (12), in such a way that the first spring (R1) is compressed by the first blocking mechanism (14), before being released by the first unblocking mechanism (18).

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing chlorine pellets and the like into a well or other liquid container. The apparatus comprises a hollow cylindrical body having a grooved passageway therein and further having an end plate with a gate opening therein communicating with the passageway. The gate opening has a cross sectional dimension which is greater than that of the diameter of a single chlorine pellet, but smaller than that of two chlorine pellets, thereby allowing the removal of a single chlorine pellet from the gate opening once during each 360.degree. rotation of the cylindrical body. This motion further causes the next-in-line pellet to drop back into the cylindrical body once each such rotation thereof. A removable cap is mounted at the other end of the cylindrical body and is used for loading pellets into the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A roofing washer-dispensing machine having improved features is disclosed. A novel magazine comprises a substantially box-like container with a substantially open face, for housing a stack of circular roofing washers having inserts, and a substantially rigid rod removably mounted within or upon to a top wall of the box so as to extend downwardly into the central apertures of the stack washers, except for the lowermost washer, so as to restrain the remaining washers. The machine comprises a shuttle arranged to displace the lowermost washer from the stack when it is desired to dispense such washer. The shuttle includes a novel arrangement of means overlying and underlying marginal portions of such washer.

Abstract: A dispenser for fungible articles such as pharmaceutical tablets in which an elongated trough is vibrated at a downwardly oriented horizontal angle to dispense articles is single file alignment. An optical detector is mounted adjacent to the trough discharge end and is coupled to a counter for indicating the number of articles dispensed from the trough. The counter may be preset by an operator to dispense a preselected number of articles. The trough is releasably held to the dispenser cabinet by electromagnets which are energized simultaneously with the vibration motor. A container into which articles are to be dispensed is releasably captured beneath the discharge end of the trough adjacent to the detector.

Abstract: Multiple small-article receiving cassettes are provided for removably mounting on the upper surface of an inclined support. A drum housed within each cassette is rotated by connection with the drive shaft of a motor projecting through the support. The disk-like bottom of the rotatable interior drum of the cassette is undercut to form a circumferential series of radial and angularly spaced article receiving slots with the innermost end of the slots in overlying relation with respect to an outlet opening formed in the bottom stationary plate of the cassette. A second outlet opening, located in the upper surface of the support, is aligned with the opening in the bottom of the cassette. Upon proper rotation of the drum, articles placed within the cassette will travel along the receiving slots to their innermost end and then drop through the two outlet openings and into a dispensing chute. A single electrical control and single motor is used with numerous different cassettes for dispensing different drugs.

Abstract: A parts supply hopper operatively associated with a parts feeder for supplying the latter with a predetermined amount of articles, includes a generally cup-shaped container held in an angular position and rotatably at least through an angle of 180 degrees, and a partition wall disposed in the container so as to define therebetween upper and lower chambers disposed on opposite sides of the partition wall. The partition wall has a transfer aperture communicating between the upper and lower chambers. The container has a discharge outlet opening defined in its peripheral wall and communciating with the lower chamber, the discharge outlet opening being located in diametrically opposed relation to the transfer aperture.

Abstract: A plurality of electronic component chips (108) are stored in a space (109) defined in the interior of a case (111). The case is provided with an outlet (110) which communicates with the space for discharging the electronic component chips stored in the space. This outlet is closed by an openable closure. When the case is fixed to a hopper (102) included in an apparatus for supplying electronic component chips, the outlet is opened so that the electronic component chips are introduced into the hopper.

Abstract: A toothpick dispenser with an elevated base having opposite end mount pedestals that rest on a supporting surface with the elevated base mounting a toothpick box that is slideable back and forth between opposite end limited positions. One position is established by limit position contact of the box with one of the pedestals and a lock device mounted in the elevated base at the mount pedestal at the other end is movable into an end limit blocking position for the box when the elevated base is put down on a supporting surface. There are two toothpick dispensing grooves in the upper surface of the elevated base, one for each of the opposite end positions of the toothpick holding box with the back edge of each groove being rounded to prevent jamming up of the dispenser box by either square centered toothpicks or round centered toothpicks whichever is being dispensed.

Abstract: A home sanitary napkin dispenser is provided that can be mounted to a vertical flat surface out of the way in an inconspicuous place. The dispenser allows for easy access to one sanitary napkin at a time when the dispenser is activated by a person needing the sanitary napkin.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the supply tape is stepped to present each pocket at a pick-up area for removal of a component. Each pocket is opened in turn during the indexing step that positions it at the pick-up area, and a shutter is moved over the pick-up area prior to tape movement so that the pocket is covered by a shutter during the tape movement and peeling of the cover from the substrate. After each indexing step, the shutter is moved away from the pick-up area in order to provide access to the component in the opened pocket.

Abstract: A powered seed dispenser for uniformly distributing seeds along the ground which includes a handle carrying a powered driven motor and a pivotally mounted seed distributor which is engaged and driven by the powered driven motor, the seed distributor being constructed of a pair of opposed discs, each disc having a pair of inner and outer sidewalls extending transversely therefrom toward its opposing disc, such discs being constructed and arranged to connect together telescopically in such manner as to create an inner metering chamber and an outer dispensing chamber wherein seeds contained inside the metering chamber discharge through openings in the inner sidewalls from the top portion of the volume of seeds, such seeds then falling into the dispensing chamber defined by the outer sidewalls where they are directed and discharged uniformly through dispensing apertures in the outer sidewalls at a point adjacent to the lowermost point of travel of the dispensing apertures.

Abstract: A dispenser unit for use with a cutting machine for cutting metal parts from metal workpieces. The cutting machine has a main beam movable in a first direction which carries at least one cutting torch which is movable along the beam in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A cutting table with a planar cutting surface is located below the main beam. The dispenser unit carries a plurality of individual point support members for supporting workpieces to be cut on the cutting table. The dispenser unit includes an elongated tube with an open lower end which is mounted on the main beam for movement along the beam in the second direction.

Abstract: An improved magazine type implant injector having a slotted barrel element slidably mounting an integral magazine element and cannula. The barrel element mounts an obturator which projects into the magazine element to serially advance elongated implants to the cannula, each implant advancing a previously engaged implant through the distal end of the cannula for implantation.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a system for mounting taped electronic parts on a predetermined portions of ceramics substrates and adapted for supplying the parts to a predetermined portion of the system. The apparatus has a slide table equipped with a tape pay-off arrangement and a tape feeding arrangement, a slide table and a power transmission interposed between a stationary table and the slide table, with the power transmission means being capable of transmitting a power to the tape feeding arrangement even during the sliding of the slide table. A switch-over device is drivingly connected to the power transmission means and is adapted for selectively transmitting the power to the tape feeding arrangement, in such a manner that both the selecting operation for selecting the part to be mounted next and the part feeding operation for feeding the part are conducted simultaneously.

Abstract: The distributor comprises a carriage (2) intended to contain a stack of sheets. This carriage (2) is mounted to slide between two stop positions on a support plate (7) thanks to ball bearings (6). The support plate (7) exhibits a slightly elevated rear portion (9) with a front step part (9a). By making a back and forth movement with the carriage (2), the bottom sheet of the stack is separated from the stack and held by the step (9a) on the front part of the plate (7) making it easy to take notes with but a single hand.

Abstract: A cut tape feed module for use with a mailing machine. The module includes a stationary mounting and cassette support, a driven pinion rotatably mounted on the mounting and cassette support, a drive roller drivingly connected to the driven pinion, and a movable, cut tape cassette slidably mounted on the mounting and cassette support. The cassette includes a gear rack for driving engagement with the pinion and a biased backing plate for urging the cut tape against the drive roller. The downward movement of the cassette causes rotation of the drive roller which in turn effects separation of the forwardmost cut tape and dispensing thereof from the cassette.

Abstract: A material dispensing apparatus including drive structure for driving a feeder bowl is disclosed. A control circuit for controlling the drive includes a Hall effect amplitude sensing transducer for monitoring the magnitude of bowl vibrations and a braking circuit for controlling the damping of vibratory motion after the requisite amount of material has been fed from the feeder bowl. The braking circuit selectively reverses the current flow through a drive coil which comprises a portion of the drive circuitry of the apparatus. This current reversal disrupts the rhythm of forced oscillations which feed material from the bowl and causes bowl motion to be damped. A mechanical brake coupled to the bowl complements the braking action of braking circuit and locks the bowl in place to prevent accidental dispensing of parts.

Abstract: Improvements in automatic lottery ticket vending machines adapted upon lottery ticket purchase to dispense one or a definite number of tickets at a time from an externally inaccessible portion of the interior of the vending machine.For the purpose of facilitating loading of the automatic lottery ticket vending machine so that the loading can be effected safer and at a more rapid rate, as well as to simplify the construction of the vending machines, the invention comprises at least one transport container for the tickets detachably connected to rotation means forming part of the automatic vending machine and adapted to rotate the container as a unit for mixing and dispensing the tickets.

Abstract: A cigarette dispenser for placement on top of an automobile dashboard, and including a frame in which a cigarette case is slidable; the case containing two rows of cigarettes, one above the other, and each row containing ten cigarettes; the case having two dispensing outlets, one for each row, and the frame having a push rod for pushing a cigarette out of the case, and each row of cigarettes being spring pushed for aligning the cigarettes in succession with the dispensing outlets.

Abstract: A cigarette dispenser for placement upon a dashboard of an automotive vehicle; the dispenser includes a frame for resting on the dashboard top, and a cigarette case containing a row of 20 cigarettes that are pushed by a spring for each cigarette to successively align with a dispensing hole in the case; and a push rod on the frame in order that when the case is pressed into the frame, the push rod pushes a cigarette out of the dispensing hole.

Abstract: A dispensing machine, includes a vat 1. The vat the axis of which is vertical, encloses a slanting disk 2 which is internally tangential thereto along two distinct surfaces: a lower frustum of cone 5, and an upper cylindrical surface 6. The axis of the plate is offset with respect to the axis of the cylinder, in the direction of the highest point 11 of said plate. The coins are dropped in bulk on the lowermost part of the rotating plate, which causes them to rise again and leads them onto a rotating annular rim 7, the latter ejecting the coins according to a common direction.

Abstract: A device for applying a paper sheet to a water closet seat which includes a paper sheet container adapted to move from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position over the closet seat by manually operating a tilting mechanism. A rotatable roller is positioned in the container and is driven to feed a paper sheet into position on the closet seat as the container is moved. The paper sheet has a central part which hangs into the closet bowl and causes the sheet to be carried off when the closet is flushed.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously orienting bottles comprising a stationary randomly oriented bottle-holding receptacle in communication with and cooperating with a rotatable round feeding element having a plurality of equispaced holes therein, said holes in essentially axial alignment with a rotatable round bank of cooperating vertical tubes into which bottles are fed and from which bottles are delivered to an orienting-plate which orients all the bottles fed thereinto in a neck-up position and means for removing such oriented bottles from the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles oriented in a predetermined way and comprising a cylindrical container for accommodating the articles to be oriented and dispensed, a spiral formed groove or slot being provided in the bottom of the container and extending from the outer area of the bottom to the center of the bottom at which the groove or slot merges into a hole having a diameter which is greater than the width of the groove or slot, a chute is connected to the hole for acommodating articles fed to the hole by the groove or slot and guiding the articles to a working station, the cylindrical container is supported by a frame for rotation about an inclined axis and a motor is connected to the container for rotating the container about the inclined axis.

Abstract: A small-article receiving hopper is mounted on the upper surface of an inclined support and is rotated by connection with the drive shaft of a motor projecting through the support. The disk-like bottom of the hopper is undercut to form a circumferential series of radial and angularly spaced article receiving slots with the innermost end of the slots in overlying relation with respect to an outlet opening formed in the support. A centralized electrical control means controls operation of a selected motor hopper of a plurality of motors, each associated with a different hopper for dispensing different drugs. The motor of the selected hopper is rotated until a desired number of pills is dispensed and is then stopped.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically and sequentially feeding each of a plurality of pins, for supporting aperture masks adjacent the glass face plates or viewing panels of color television picture tubes, to a mechanism or gun for insertion of each of the pins into the glass of the face plates or viewing panels. The mechanism includes a rotatable turret or cylindrical pin magazine or canister which holds a relatively large quantity or plurality of the pins vertically stacked in columns adjacent the outer periphery of the turret or magazine for the pin feeding operations and which can readily and rapidly be removed from the mechanism and replaced by another full turret or pin magazine when the first one is empty of pins.

Abstract: Card dispenser for participating games involving an element of chance sequentially dispenses a stack of random cards placed into the device. The dispenser includes a hopper having a dispensing opening and a track divided by uniformly spaced upwardly directed transverse ribs into a series of adjacent co-planar card receiving surfaces. Elongate guide members on the track and mating channels on downwardly depending skirts on the hopper permit the hopper to move relatively to and along the track to bring the dispensing opening into registry with successive ones of the card receiving surfaces, the hopper advancing the lower-most cards in the stack until deposited on a surface while the transverse ribs prevent movement of the deposited cards in the direction of hopper movement and therefore retain the cards in the deposited positions thereof.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical pill counter incorporating a rotating pill bowl and a stationary guide that cooperatively guide pills in single file to an exposed slide having a main portion that feeds prescription and stock bottle slide portions under the control of a gate. Each slide portion has a downwardly inclined orientation with an exposed channel shape to guide the pills downwardly while permitting the slide portions to be easily cleaned. The slide is preferably integrally defined by an upper housing portion of molded plastic and is located at a corner of the housing so that the prescription and stock bottle slide portions direct the pills to opposite sides of the corner. The gate includes a lower end pivotally mounted at a lower extremity of a common junction of the slide portions and an upper end that is moved along an upper extremity of this junction to direct the pills in the proper direction.

Abstract: A coin-receiving drum can be used to carry coins, and also can coact with a support to orient those coins so those coins can be introduced into a coin-dispensing unit. That coin-receiving drum has a number of spaced-apart, coin-receiving recesses therein; and those spaced-apart, coin-receiving recesses open to the exterior of that coin-receiving drum. However, a closure member, which is pivoted to the coin-receiving drum, acts at any given time to close the majority of those spaced-apart, coin-receiving recesses. The support has a driving member and a stop; and that driving member will rotate the coin-receiving drum and the closure member until that closure member engages and is held by that stop; and then that driving member will continue to rotate that coin-receiving drum.