Abstract: A firewood log storing and dispensing apparatus including a furniture-type cabinet housing having an upright log storage compartment in which logs are vertically stacked, a log delivery opening at the lower end of the compartment of a predetermined size adapted for passage therethrough of one log, and a closure mechanism mounted in the housing to extend across the delivery opening for selectively obstructing and opening the delivery opening to permit gravitational dispensing of logs from the compartment. A log cradle is movably arranged below the delivery opening to be vertically moved between a raised log receiving position at the delivery opening and a lowered log dispensing position spaced therebelow. An opening is provided in the cabinet for access to the cradle at its dispensing position for log removal therefrom.

Abstract: A vending or dispensing machine is operable in triple depth, double depth, and single depth operating modes. A cradle which is rotatable through 360.degree. is used to separate cylindrical articles from a number of tandem nonstaggered vertical columns. The rotatable cradle separates a single can or other cylindrical article from each of the columns disposed in a storage zone above the cylindrical cradle and drops the cans into an escrow zone. One of the cans in the escrow zone is immediately dispensed. If operating in a triple depth mode, the remaining two cans are held by side mounted pivotable escrow members which are controlled and movably operable by the cradle itself. Upon a second activation the cradle moves further in its sequence allowing one of the escrow members to release its hold on a second can such that that can drops into a dispensing zone accessable to a consumer.

Abstract: A vending or dispensing machine is operable in triple depth, double depth, and single depth operating modes. A cradle which is rotatable through 360.degree. is used to separate cylindrical articles from a number of tandem nonstaggered vertical columns. The rotatable cradle separates a single can or other cylindrical article from each of the columns disposed in a storage zone above the cylindrical cradle and drops the cans into an escrow zone. One of the cans in the escrow zone is immediately dispensed. If operating in a triple depth mode, the remaining two cans are held by side mounted pivotable escrow members which are controlled and movably operable by the cradle itself. Upon a second activation the cradle moves further in its sequence allowing one of the escrow members to release its hold on a second can such that that can drops into a dispensing zone accessable to a consumer.

Abstract: A machine for vending flat articles, such as newspapers, magazines and the like comprises an enclosed cabinet having a merchandise storage magazine with an inclined bottom wall and an inclined outlet chute substantially aligned with the magazine bottom wall and having a discharge opening communicating with the exterior of the cabinet, a series of connected vertically movable telescoping members forming a bar between the storage magazine and the outlet chute, endless chains extending vertically at both sides of the storage magazine and mounted at their opposite ends on sprockets mounted on shafts journaled in the magazine side walls, the uppermost of said telescoping members being connected at its sides to the respective chains, motor drivingly connected to one of said shafts for lowering the uppermost telescoping member to release individual articles from the storage magazine and permit them to slide over the uppermost telescoping member and onto the outlet chute, coin-actuated command module for energizing t

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus including a plurality of spaced vertically disposed inclined shelves, each shelf having a first and second side by side supporting surface adapted to support an associated first and second row of articles. First and second gate members are respectively located at the lower ends of the first and second support surfaces. Each gate member is shiftable between two opposite positions, a blocking position such that the lower most article in the associated row is blocked from moving off the lower end of the associated support surface, and a releasing position such that a lower most article in the associated row may freely move off the lower end of the associated support surface and into an escrow cradle which constitutes a common receiving area. An actuator cooperates with the gate members to provide for the shifting of the gate members upon the dispensing of an article, which is rotated out of an escrow cradle by a consumer.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing bulk merchandise comprises a dispensing chute comprised of a horizontally extending wall part and a merchandise dispensing receptacle attached thereto, and a vertically extending wall part extending upwardly from the horizontally extending wall part. The receptacle is movable through a discharge opening in the bottom of a housing containing the chute between a retracted and a forward, dispensing position, and the vertically extending wall part is pivotally connected to the horizontally extending wall part for movement therewith upon movement of the receptacle. A cut-off slide is movable with the receptacle between a retracted and a forward, cut-off position for cutting off delivery of merchandise from a hopper into the chute when the receptacle is moved into the forward position. A stop prevents the horizontally extending wall part from projecting beyond the discharge opening when the same is moved into the forward position wherein the receptacle projects therebeyond.

Abstract: A can vending apparatus with a hollow chute oriented at an angle with respect to the horizontal, an electrical control circuit, a first and a second mechanism, and an electrically operated horizontal sliding vending door. The two queuing mechanisms and the vending door are operated in sequence by the electrical control circuit. Products are permitted to slide down the hollow chute and are queued between the two queuing mechanisms. The products are permitted to enter the vending area, one at a time, on top of the sliding door under the control of the electrical circuit. At selected intervals of time the vending door is retracted by the electrical control circuit to dispense the product to be vended.

Abstract: An article vending machine, said machine having an article delivery chute, and an article delivery opening at the lower end of such shute, and a door for closing such opening, in which the improvement comprises a chute closure operable to close the chute and being moveable between chute closing and chute opening positions, and having linkage extending between the door and the chute closure whereby opening of the door automatically procures movement of the chute closure.

Abstract: A dispensing carton for relatively flat, rectangular articles comprises elongate side walls of generally rectangular disposition closed by end walls. Dimensions of the side walls are such that the articles in stacked array assume an angular disposition in the carton. An endmost article is presented at and partially protrudes through a dispensing slot provided in a side wall of the carton. Removal of the article through the slot permits the succeeding adjacent article to drop and tilt into position partially protruding through the slot.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for installation in refrigerator or refrigeration units wherein said apparatus comprises a housing, a door slidably connected to said housing, a coin or token receiving opening in said housing and said door, a door unlocking mechanism adaped to be activated when a coin or token is inserted into said opening, a coin or token exit and a guard to prevent the removal of more than the permitted number of articles, said guard being adapted to cooperate with said door such that when said door is opened said guard closes off the dispensing compartment.

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.