Abstract: A condiment packet dispenser that includes a cylindrical shaped housing containing an open top with a plurality of radially partitioned chambers. Each chamber contains a cylindrical shaped container that stores individual condiment packets in a radial manner. The dispenser is operated by pushing a button which sends a signal to a motor control board. The motor control board powers a motor having a spur gear which turns the selected condiment container until the condiment packet is aligned with a drop chute. The packet then falls thru the drop chute and is available for picking up by the customer. There is also a cylindrical shaped top lid which is removable when new condiments need to be loaded to replenish the dispenser. The condiment dispenser sits on top of a base stand that may either be rigidly mounted or may be rotated to choose a condiment.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing flat articles, which is entirely mechanical, resistant to theft and vandalism and consistently dispenses the correct volume of merchandize. A dispensing mechanism locks out a patron as the last article or item of merchandize is dispensed from the merchandize magazine by arresting rotation of the coin mechanism at a point where a coin cannot be inserted. A novel locking mechanism for the door covering the secure compartment in which collected coins are stored and a novel protective flap for the dispensing slot are also provided.

Abstract: An embodiment of the system of this invention comprises a U shaped base member having a pair of front wheel receptacles each in turn comprising a pair of uprights. Two such U shaped members may be interconnected in opposite orientation to form a rectangle such that four bikes can be staggered. A foot pad is included for easy ingress and egress. Support brackets are included to increase the strength and the durability of the versatile bicycle stand. Holes are provided in the base member to snugly receive uprights.

Abstract: A modular, front loading coin operated vending machine with a rotary coin mechanism operating a reciprocating dispensing mechanism dispenses different sizes and quantities of flat merchandise. A back lever arm on the rotary coin mechanism turns with the front coin turning knob and pulls a flexible cable through a grommetted hole in a vertical wall to draw a push plate forward in a chassis slide opening to force a measured size or quantity of the flat merchandise out through a dispensing slot. Shims between the push plate and the sliding plate raise it to vary the size and quantity of merchandise contacted by the push plate. Full width open front merchandise chutes are interchangeably installed A merchandise weight with a bottom protrusion holds down the merchandise. When the merchandise chute is empty the bottom protrusion of the merchandise weight falls into the slide opening to block the push plate from moving forward and preventing the turning of the coin knob.

Abstract: An apparatus for incrementally controlling actuation of an alternating current motor and rotation of the motor shaft, to incrementally control rotation of a rotatable member connectable to the motor shaft. The apparatus includes motor pulsing elements for controlling actuation of the motor and rotation of the motor shaft and rotatable member. The motor pulsing elements increase or decrease motor actuation and motor shaft and rotatable member rotation in increments of about ten percent, between about ten and one-hundred percent of full actuation and rotation, for correspondingly controlling a system controllable thereby, such as a beverage powder dispensing system in a beverage dispensing machine.

Abstract: A vending machine for dispensing single copies of newspapers or the like by the operation of a pull and push handle that is linked to a plate carrying needles that draw one copy of a newspaper outwardly from a tray through a dispensing door. The newspapers are carried on a spring biased tray that advances newspapers upwardly. The tray is controlled by a brake lock mechanism that allows the tray to be moved upward to a sufficient distance relative to the dispensing door so that only a single copy is drawn outwardly and wherein the brake lock locks the tray at the same respective vertical location for the next paper to be dispensed. A safety ratchet mechanism is arranged with a cable pulley system that is driven by a tension spring arrangement whereby the delivery person may load incremental amounts of newspapers on the tray and safely advance the tray downwardly against the spring loading.

Abstract: A double-acting, vending machine dispensing mechanism is shown whereby product units are alternately dispensed from adjacent storage compartments by an ejection device. The ejection device comprises a horizontally reciprocating dispensing bar connected to, and moved by the pendular movement of a rocker frame, motion of the latter being induced by the camming action of a gear mounted boss. The camming gear, in turn, is driven by a separate gear attached to the operating handle of a coin released mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dispensing device comprising a rotatable operating member moveable from an initiate position to a dispensing position to operate a rotating dispenser within the device. The device is provided with a chute for loading the articles in the device and for feeding the articles to the dispenser. A locking member is provided which moves along the chute as the articles are fed to the dispenser. The locking member is adapted to move to a locking position for engaging the dispenser and for preventing its rotation when the chute has been emptied with the arrangement being such that the operating member is held away from the intiate position when the locking member moves to the locking position to indicate that the chute requires further loading.

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: Folded documents are singly fed from the bottom of a stack by an ejector having a pin, hook or catch along one edge which moves below the bottom of the stack and is selectably slidable so as to engage the lowermost document. The lowermost document is slidingly delivered through an aperture by the ejector which, in one embodiment, grips the rear edge of the document while, in other embodiments, the bottom surface of the lowermost document is embedded with a pin or otherwise frictionally engaged. An adjustable slide restrictor plate can be positioned so as to prevent more than one document from exiting from a slot while permitting sufficient vertical motion of the plate so as to accommodate variable document thicknesses such as from folding irregularities associated with the document being ejected. An additional plate follows the top of the document stack and includes an engaging stub to prevent machine actuation when the stack has been depleted.

Abstract: A vending machine for flat, folded paper maps comprising, a box-like housing with a horizontal interior plate, elongate vertical open-ended chutes with front, side and rear walls, slidably receiving vertical stacks of flat multi-panel folded paper maps and arranged in the housing above the plate, structure yieldingly connecting the rear walls to the plate, members yieldingly urging the upper ends of the chutes rearwardly to incline the chutes rearwardly to vary the vertical space between the plate and lower edge of the front walls of the chutes, discharge slots in the housing spaced forward of the lower ends of the chutes, U-shaped ejector slides with flat bases slidably engaged on the plate beneath the bottoms of the chutes and vertical side flanges slidably engaging the exterior of the side walls of the chutes, gripping elements on the slides to grip arched portions of the lowermost maps upon forward shifting of the slides to urge the maps forwardly beneath the lower edges of the front walls of the chutes a