Abstract: A device is used to separate foreign objects from a mass of coins between a coin intake and a coin lifting device in a coin sorting and/or counting machine. The device has a perforated drum (13; 33), which is rotatable around its longitudinal axis, is open at its respective ends and is connected at a first end to the coin intake and at a second end to the coin lifting device. The machine also has a driving device (15, 16, 35) for rotating drum.

Abstract: An ampule collector which can collect selected ampules from corresponding feeders without breakage and jamming of ampules. The ampule collector has a plurality of cylindrically stacked ampule feeders in which are stored different kinds of ampules. In order that ampules, discharged from selected feeders drop only a short distance, a vertically movable ampule collecting container is provided in the center of the cylindrical structure defined by the feeders. Jamming of ampules is prevented by rotating a bottom cover provided at the center of the ampule collecting container, stirring ampules with protrusions formed on the conical inner surface, and changing the directions of the ampules with vanes provided on the conical inner surface. With the container inserted in an ampule stocker provided under the bottom cover, it is possible to supply ampules into the stocker without breaking them.

Abstract: This invention relates to a needle supply device for use in a needle attached suture manufacturing apparatus or its equivalent to automatically supply curved needles one by one to a predetermined position of the apparatus in a state that the needle is accurately set in the same posture. The needle supply device has a passage defining member 32 including a needle storage portion 42, passages 44 and 46, and a needle discharge tray 55 in this order. By driving the passage defining member 32 to vibrate, needles N set on the needle storage portion 42 proceed along the passages 44 and 46 toward the needle discharge tray 55. There are provided selecting units 48, 50, and 52 each in a certain passage form on the way of the passages 44 and 46 to exclusively allow the needles N in the predetermined posture to pass while maintaining the predetermined posture.

Abstract: A medicament dispensing cell for use in an automatic dispensing machine includes a housing defining a medicament storage section, a discharge section leading to an outlet, a passage between the sections, a rotatable platen and a dispensing assembly for dispensing medicament in single file from the storage section to the discharge section. A resilient, flexible bushing having outwardly extending fingers encloses the hub of the platen for conveying medicament through the passage. The platen includes a plurality of spirally configured conveying members defined on the surface thereof and the dispensing assembly includes a selectively adjustable passage wall for adjusting the breadth of the passage.

Abstract: A dispenser for disc-shaped car-park tickets which makes it possible on a permanent basis for the car-park tickets provided for issuing to be made available reliably, as required, from a supply of car-park tickets, and which is of simple design. The dispenser separates car-park tickets coming from a supply container and moves them, in a pushed group, through a transporting duct which bridges a spatial distance between the supply container and the issuing apparatus. In addition to the spatial distance bridged, a vertical ascent is also surmounted, in order that the car-park tickets can be moved into the issuing apparatus and issued from the same under the action of gravity. Further configurations of the invention can be gathered from the claims and from the following description.

Abstract: A diluting station and a pipetting station for a machine such as a biological sample testing machine. The diluting station has a rotating shot tube that fills with diluent without the need for priming when the shot tube is in a vertically inclined orientation, and which dispenses the diluent into a receptacle when the shot tube is rotated to a downward orientation. A thimble valve is placed in the shot tube to control the flow of diluent into the valve.The pipetting station includes a cylindrical housing storing a plurality of straws and a concentric rotating drum that sweeps a straw into a straw withdrawal slot. A tubular tapered transfer pin is inserted into frictional engagement with the straw. The tubular transfer pin rotates the straw out of the slot and into a generally downward orientation towards a receptacle containing a fluid. The pin and straw are lowered so as to place the end of the straw into the fluid.

Abstract: A personal computer peripheral, battery powered reward candy dispenser which immediately presents students with a single candy for each problem completed correctly while using educational application software.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for dispensing bulk articles, comprises a housing having a receptacle and a dispensing chute, an article reservoir mounted on the housing above the receptacle, and a rotatable dispensing wheel disposed between the receptacle and the dispensing chute and operative to selectively dispense articles from the receptacle to the chute, the dispensing wheel having at least one article cavity for receiving and depositing a predetermined quantity of articles in the chute, the cavity defined by walls diverging away from an upper peripheral edge.

Abstract: A one-at-a-time pill container and dispenser having a mechanism which allows for use of the device with existing containers. A child-proof lock is provided. The device has a mechanism for ensuring that only a single pill is brought into the dispensing chamber as a consequence of a partial rotation of the cap with respect to the bottle body. A reverse partial rotation of the cap then allows the pill to fall by gravity into the user's hand. The two-directional rotation to cause pill dispensing is easy for an adult but highly unlikely to be accidentally duplicated by a child. The mechanism is a series of wedge shaped chambers, sized for the capsule to be dispensed, with a covering flange over the dispensing chamber, to ensure that only a single capsule enters the dispensing aperture. The chambers are caused to be rotated by the mating engagement of the cap, via a pawl, with a segment shaped slot in the top of the dispensing mechanism.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a predetermined quantity of food articles, such as frozen french fries, frozen chicken pieces, cheese sticks, and the like, having a support structure supporting a hopper, the hopper having a storage area positioned over an exit opening and a dispenser drum between the storage area and the exit opening. The dispenser drum is rotatably mounted in the hopper between two end walls on the hopper. The dispenser drum has an axis of rotation, a sealing lip at a first radius perpendicular to the axis of rotation and a catching lip at a second radius perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The second radius is longer than the first radius creating a non-cylindrical shaped dispenser drum. A diverter is pivotally mounted in the hopper. The diverter is positioned to be bumped by the dispenser drum to jostle food articles in the storage area. A driver portion is mounted on the support structure to engage and rotate the dispenser drum about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus having a simple construction and capable of dispensing coins securely and easily. A guide member is arranged extending along a tangent to a column formed in the center of rotation of the disk, whereby the coins can be smoothly transported along the guide member by means of a force from first protrusions without applying an impulsive force to the first protrusions and the guide member. Each coin transported to a predetermined position by the associated first protrusion is further transported to the outside of the transportation limit of the first protrusion by a second protrusion which is associated with a subsequent through hole, and is delivered securely to a coin dispensing port. A stirring rod having a rigid portion with an elliptic section and a rod with a circular section is fixed to the center of rotation of the disk, and the coins in a hopper are stirred by the protuberances on the outer peripheral surface of the rigid portion.

Abstract: A candy dispensing device uses an impeller to impart centrifugal force to a mass of candies held in the dispenser's housing. The swirling mass of candies may be a source of amusement to the user and may be used to dispense the candies through a spout. In one version of the invention, the dispensing device includes a handle and is sized to be portable by the user. The dispensing device uses a combination cap with two cap portions, one to cover the fill mouth, and the other to cover the spout.

Abstract: A drug storing apparatus for an automatic drug dispensing machine includes a frame provided with a multiplicity of inclined supports arranged one on top of the other or in rows for supporting a multiplicity of drug cases, and the supports may also be configured into rails. The drug cases are detachably connected to a multiplicity of drive boxes which may be mounted onto the frame along the inclined rails. The drug cases are arranged in such a manner that their outlets are oriented towards a central portion of a hopper. Each drive box is also provided with guide rails and contains therein a motor which has an axle oriented towards its corresponding drug case. When a drug case slides along the guide rails to fit onto its corresponding drive box, a coupling of a feeding element of the drug case just fits onto the axle of the motor.

Abstract: A transportable, hand-held motorized dispenser having an amusement characteristic includes a disc-shaped housing of a top shell and a bottom shell and a motor driven turntable mounted for unidirectional rotation therein. The housing defines a recess for receiving compartments defined by the turntable for transporting objects supplied to the turntable through an entry slot and for dispensing the objects through a dispensing slot in the wall of the housing, one at a time.

Abstract: The unattended machine has a hopper for holding an inventory of uniformly-sized, individual, frozen or refrigerated portions of food and for maintaining the inventory in a frozen or refrigerated condition. Insertion into the machine of a genuine dollar bill is verified by an electro-optical mechanism which signals control and monitor circuitry to initiate food preparation by causing a microwave oven below the hopper to open and rotate into a food-receiving position below a dispenser, located below the hopper, which then dispenses an individual portion of food into the oven by gravity. The oven then rotates to a horizontal cooking position and closes its door, where the portion is heated by microwave energy for a pre-determined length of time. Upon completion of heating, the oven door is opened and the oven tilted downward and the heated portion of food is dispensed by gravity through an opening or port in the machine.

Abstract: A coin handling apparatus for transporting coins from a hooper location through a transfer station to an ejection site. The apparatus has a first rotatable disc assembly with a coin inlet filter for filtering out oversized or bent coins. An undersized coin slot located along a transport path permits smaller coins than the desired denomination to pass therethrough out of the coin transport path. The coin transfer station includes a knife edge for directing the coins into the inlet of a coin tower in such a manner that the coins are forced upwardly toward an outlet. Along the transport path the coin are constrained both in a radial direction and a lateral direction to prevent jamming. A coin interlock mechanism located in the escalator prevents theft of the coins via the outlet. The interlock mechanism includes a sliding and pivoting interlock member which can only be successfully operated from below by an advancing coin.

Abstract: A portable tabletop or counter top cookie dispenser has a transparent container. A pair of laterally spaced partitions extends lengthwise of the container along the bottom of the latter, and the partitions define a trough which opens to a discharge chute at the front of the container. Inclined guide walls are mounted in the container above the trough and serve to funnel cookies placed in the container to the rear of the trough. A screw conveyor is located in and extends longitudinally of the trough. The screw conveyor is driven by a handwheel disposed at the front of the container externally thereof. When the handwheel is rotated, the screw conveyor urges cookies in the trough towards the discharge chute.

Abstract: A small, wall mounted, coin operated vending machine vends individual tubed cigarettes directly from a cigarette manufacturer's original cigarette container. The machine has a removable hopper for loading and holding the cartons of tubed cigarettes. The cigarettes in the hopper are picked up one at a time in a slot of a dispensing member that is rotated by the coin mechanism. The dispensing member may have a plurality of slots to allow for the dispensing of a predetermined number of tubed cigarettes for each turn of the coin mechanism. Agitators may be placed on the dispenser to insure proper feeding of cigarettes into a dispenser slot. The coin mechanism may also be adapted to use tokens only. A "cheater" feature prevents dispensing of more cigarettes than have been properly purchased.

Abstract: A hopper type supply device includes a rod hopper for storing a large number of filter rods. A grooved hopper drum rotatably disposed directly under the rod hopper is provided for closing the discharging port of the rod hopper. A roller is rotatably disposed near the discharging port in the rod hopper and rotated in a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the hopper drum, for accelerating the filter rods lying near the roller by rotation thereof. The hopper drum takes out the filter rods received into the receiving grooves from the rod hopper according to the rotation thereof.

Abstract: A ball feeding device which can feed balls one by one without allowing many impacts on the balls and which can prevent the balls from being magnetized. Balls are accommodated in a housing formed with a conical hole in the bottom thereof. A rotary rod having a conical end is mounted in the housing, the conical end being located near and opposite to the conical hole. Balls are guided one by one into the area between the conical end and the conical hole and discharged one by one through the conical hole. A pair of inclined cylinders are provided under the housing. The balls discharged through the conical hole drop onto the higher end of the gap defined between the cylinders and roll along the gap. The gap expands gradually from the higher end toward the lower end. Thus, the balls drop through the gap into a pan provided under the cylinders while being fed along the gap.

Abstract: A container for containing a plurality of glass sheets in a stacked manner has at its bottom an opening through which rollers whose outer peripheries are polygonal and circular in section, respectively, are brought into contact with the undermost glass sheet. The container further has a glass sheet delivery slit with an opening height larger than the thickness of one glass sheet and smaller than the combined thickness of two glass sheets. The rotation of the two rollers causes the glass sheets to be vertically displaced to weaken the adsorptive force between the adjacent glass sheets and to be vibrated to weaken the frictional force between adjacent glass sheets. This results in a frictional force between the two rollers and the undermost glass sheet larger in magnitude than a frictional force between the adjacent glass sheets, which enables the undermost one of the glass sheets being stacked within the container to horizontally displace with the aid of the two rotating rollers.

Abstract: A vending machine (10) includes three individual vendors (28), each of which dispenses cigarettes (20) one at a time. Cigarettes (20) are loaded into a holding bin (50) via a loading box (30) having a removable, horizontal floor (62). The cigarettes (20) reside in the holding bin (50) in a horizontal orientation. The holding bin (50) feeds the cigarettes to a slot (102) in a cylindrical, horizontally disposed dispensing member (52). The dispensing member (52) rotates in a single direction under the control of a coin mechanism (22). As the coin mechanism rotates, an agitator (124) cooperates with dimensioning in the holding bin (50) to prevent arches or bridges from forming and to insure that a cigarette (20) is fed into the slot (102). Continued rotation of the dispensing member (52) causes the cigarette (20) contained within the slot (102) to pass out of the holding bin (50) and fall into a dispensing tray ( 54).

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 coin dispensing device assures dispensing operation of coins while protecting a driving member from overloading. In addition, the coin dispensing device prevents the coins from jamming.

Abstract: An arrangement (1) is provided for the frying or warming of articles of food (24) which mainly comprise loose parts with respect to each other. The arrangement (1) comprises a recipient (3) wherein the articles of food (24) may be introduced. This recipient (3) comprises a bottom (4) which may be subjected to a rotation around a central, oblique axis (6). The bottom (4) comprises separate segments (41-46) which are separated from each other, at least a part of the bottom (4) of each segment (41-46) being jointable to empty the fried of warmed articles of food. The arrangement (1) may receive, fry or warm, and deliver separate portions of articles of food (24).

Abstract: A coin dispensing device comprises a hopper 1 where a supply of coins is held in bulk. The coins are transported one by one on a coin dispensing disc 3 rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 2 for use in dispensing a coin. A base plate 20 is opposed to the coin dispensing disc 3 at a predetermined distance. The coin dispensing device also comprises guide holes 14 penetrating through the coin dispensing disc 3. Each of the guide holes 14 receives one of agitating members 13 which travels along a predetermined orbit on the base plate 20 accompanying with rotation of the coin dispensing disc 3. An extrusion member 50 is disposed on the base plate 20 along the orbit. The extrusion member 50 has a predetermined relative height to the base plate 20 to make a portion of the agitating member be protruded, as the agitation protruding end 13a, through the guide hole 14 from the coin dispensing disc 3 when the agitating member 13 passes on the extrusion member 50 along the orbit.

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: In a bulk vendor having a dispensing wheel for carrying merchandise to a dispensing aperture, containers in the dispensing wheel are adjustable in size according to the size and volume of merchandise to be dispensed. An adjusting wing is rotationally secured to the dispensing wheel by a retractable pin, which when depressed permits the adjusting wing to rotate relative to the dispensing wheel and change the container size, either manually or with the use of a tool provided for this purpose.

Abstract: A coin counter and return device useful in automatic vending machines, amusement devices and slot machines, consisting of a fixed base upon which there is a rotating body and a plurality of projections. The rotating body has at least one contact face and has a plurality of recesses each of which is positioned to receive one of the projections. To remove a coin, the contact face knocks a coin against the projections and presses the coin against the projections at contact points separated by a distance less than the coin's diameter. This impels the coin towards the outside. In this way, coins of any dimension may be counted and returned.

Abstract: Apparatus for regularly delivering essentially ball-shaped objects from a quantity, provided with a container for a supply of objects, a discharge channel for the objects to be delivered, and a body rotating about a horizontal axis between the container and the channel and above the channel for regulating the passage of the objects through the channel. The channel has a V-shaped cross-section, and the rotating body has two conical end parts of which the tips facing away from each other coincide with the horizontal axis of rotation. These end parts face the channel walls in such a way that between the bottom of the channel and the rotating body a free passage exists for objects in single file.

Abstract: A coin operated bulk vending apparatus is provided with brushes, preferably tension springs, extending over the aperture above the dispensing wheel. One end of each brush is anchored to a brush housing adjacent a periphery of the dispensing wheel, and the other end of each brush is anchored to an adjustable anchor disposed about the axle of the dispensing wheel. In a preferred embodiment the adjustable anchor comprises a notched bushing adapted to receive a moveable ring secured to the brushes. In a further embodiment the brushes are anchored to an invertible bushing. The brushes are preferably frustoconical in configuration to minimize gaps.

Abstract: An improvement in a coin operated vending machine for vending bulk articles comprises means for deflecting loose articles away from the entrance to the dispensing aperture. The means comprises a resilient rolling member, extending across an entry notch to a housing shielding the aperture, and rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of revolution of an advancing dispensing wheel, thus gripping and ejecting loose articles in the vicinity of the entry notch.

Abstract: An improvement of a coin dispensing apparatus, in particular of an agitator mounted on a central circular stage of a coin transferring rotary disc rotatably disposed in a hopper containing a plurality of coins to be dispensed. The agitator is composed of an agitating member having a plurality of agitating arms extending outwards from the central portion thereof and a resiliently deformable sheet having a thickness thinner than that of the coin, which are secured at their central portions to the central circular stage of the rotary disc such that the agitating elements rotate together with the rotary disc.

Abstract: Device to stir and feed seeds for pneumatic distributors of sowing machines, which is included in a first chamber (31) for the receipt of seeds (18), a continuously rotatable body (27) being included between a drive shaft (26) that sets in rotation a perforated disk (21) and the sidewall (35) of the first chamber (31), the rotatable body (27) comprising at least two substantially filiform, elongate, resilient projections (28) extending substantially so as to have to become substantially arcuate in order to be able to rotate together with the rotatable body (27), the projections (28) cooperating with a space (30) for the entry of seeds into the first chamber (31) for the receipt of seeds.

Abstract: A storage bin structure is used for superposed articles in an automatic vending machine and includes a front wall unit which can be moved to vary the volume of the storage space for the articles to be mold. A conveyer unit includes two motor-activated circular front wheels and two elliptical rear wheels. Two endless conveyer belts run around the front wheels and the rear wheels. When the belts are idle, the upper ends of the rear wheels are below those of the front wheels so as to prevent the lowermost one of the superposed articles from forward movement. When the belts circulate in response to entry of coin or coins, the rear wheels rotate so that the upper ends of the rear wheels are higher than those of the front wheels, thereby moving the articles forward.

Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus comprises a coin supply hopper secured to a base plate inclined at an angle to the horizontal and a coin feeding rotary disk rotatably supported on the base plate within the coin supply hopper. The coin feeding rotary disk has a disk body and a circumferential wall. The disk body includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced coin receiving through holes extended through the peripheral portion of the coin feeding rotary disk, and a plurality of coin feeding arms having a thickness smaller than the thickness of a coin to be treated and extending at an angle to the radial direction of the rotary disk on the peripheral portion of the bottom surface between the coin receiving through holes of the rotary disk. The disk body preferably has a sufficient thickness to provide coin receiving through holes having a deep depth for holding at least three coins therein.

Abstract: The coin dispensing device is adapted to be disposed at the bottom of a vertical coin hopper and receives loose coins to be dispensed from the coin hopper. A first rotating agitator disk withdraws the loose coins from the coin hopper and feeds the coins through a central feed aperture in the first rotating disk. A fixed disk lies below the first rotating disk and has a dispensing slot therein that receives the coins from the central feed aperture. The coins to be dispensed are lined up in a row in the dispensing slot from the center of the fixed disk to the periphery thereof for dispensing through an exit slot in the fixed disk. A second rotating dispensing disk lies below the fixed disk and spring biased pusher balls on the second rotating disk push on the edge of each coin to push coins from the center of the fixed disk down the dispensing slot. The dispensing slot in the fixed disk sits adjacent to a coin tray where the loose coins that have been dispensed are accessible to the patron.

Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus comprising a hopper for holding a supply of coins in bulk, a rotary disc rotatably disposed at one side within the hopper at an angle to the horizontal, a carrier being rotatable in a plane extending at an angle to the rotary disc and a plurality of coin transporting pins and coin agitating pins carried on the carrier and protruded from the surface of the rotary disc through pin receiving holes in the rotary disc. The protruded end of the coin agitating pin is slanted so as to slope toward the periphery portion of the rotary disc.

Abstract: A tablet selector has a selector plate interposed between a tablet-carrying rotatable disk having a plurality of pairs of first and second openings, and a pair of discharged tubes which lead to a form, fill and seal packaging station. The selector plate is pivotally movable by solenoid actuators to selectively block one or the other of the first and second openings of the rotatable disk. A pneumatic cylinder has an expandable arm which drives the selector plate into a complete blocking position.

Abstract: A feeding device singulates, orients, and delivers seeds and other comparatively smooth-surfaced particulate material to a desired destination. The device comprises a horizontal rotating drum having an inner surface cut with a spiral groove for orienting ellipsoid-shaped particles and advancing them to the location of pickup orifices within the drum. A vacuum valve alternately subjects the orifices to vacuum and ambient pressure for picking up the individual particles and releasing them to the desired point of delivery.

Abstract: A bulk coin hopper and dispensing system is provided. A loading disc and a dispensing disc are fixedly secured to a motor driven shaft in spaced apart relationship to each other. A dispensing blade is interposed between the two discs. Bores in the loading disc are loaded with coins from a bulk hopper, the lower most coin in each of the bores resting upon the dispensing disc. As the discs rotate, the blade engages the coins thereon and urges them out of dispensing slots within the dispensing disc. Ball plungers are provided to restrict movement of the coins upon the dispensing disc until contacted by the blade.

Abstract: A coin or token discharge apparatus having a large volume coin reservoir feeding coins or tokens to a coin bowl for engagement with a selector disc and transfer by the selector disc to an exit chute. The discharge apparatus has two baffle members designed to filter and orient the coins or tokens as they are fed to the selector disc. The selector disc includes features which facilitate non-jamming of stray coins or tokens in the rotating selector disc.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a plurality of lids or other thin objects having two discrete sides, such as a top and bottom, for delivering then in a common orientation includes a conveyor for carrying the lids along the apparatus from an inlet end to a discharge end and an air jet nozzle which directs compressed air to engage at least some of the lids to shift them to an opposing angle of inclination. The conveyor includes orienting belts which are directed over rollers and pulleys whereby the lids, after at least some have been shifted, are returned to a substantially horizontal position when delivered at the discharge end. Two sets of orienting bells are supported by the rollers and pulleys to effect a V-shaped support adjacent the air jet nozzle so that the lids are supported in either alternate opposing angle of repose. The air jet nozzle may alternatively operate continuously or be actuatable by an electric eye whereby discrete jets of air may be directed toward the lip of a lid to thereby orient it.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing cotton rolls. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus which may be supported on a work table, credenza, sideboard or the like in use in an operating room such as a dental operatory for readily supplying users such as dentists, surgeons, and assistants with absorbtive cotton rolls. The dispenser has a base which defines a delivery chute portion having horizontally spaced apart, upwardly directed surfaces, to which rolls are dispensed from a reservoir formed in part by a pair of planar lower wall portions, each lying on a plane parallel to said axis of rotation and diverging upwardly from a juncture line below the location of the axis of rotation of a dispensing wheel, and which direct rolls to the dispensing wheel which is mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis spaced above the delivery chute.

Abstract: A bulk coin hopper and dispenser is provided with a pair of rotating discs at the bottom thereof. A baffle shields the discs from the weight of the coins within the hopper, while a flexible flap is maintained adjacent to the discs to urge coins into coin receiving bores within a top one of such discs. A stationary plate having a single bore therethrough is interposed between the two discs. Rotation of the two discs over the surfaces of the stationary plate allows for singular dispensing of coins from the bores through the plate.

Abstract: A pellet dispensing device having a rotor member with a pellet passage for transporting a pellet to a discharge opening. The rotor member has an escapement groove at the bottom for pieces of the pellet to be accommodated so that they do not jam the full sized pellets in the pellet passage. In a preferred embodiment, there is an additional groove at the top of the rotor member and in communication with the pellet passage which allows full sized pellets to be ejected therefrom by a dam member.

Abstract: In a coin dispensing apparatus comprising a hopper for holding a supply of coins in bulk and a coin transporting rotary disc rotatably disposed within the hopper for delivering coin from the hopper, a carrier having a plurality of coin transporting pins and/or agitating members spaced apart in the circumferential direction is rotatably supported at the rear side of the rotary disc to rotate at an angle to the rotary disc such as to extend the coin transporting pins and/or agitating members into the hopper from the surface of the rotary disc in a minimum amount at a position of a delivery portion and in a maximum amount at a coin picking up position, whereby a coin dispensing efficiency is remarkably improved without miscounting and jamming of coin at the delivery portion.

Abstract: The device mixes and selects a plurality of game balls sequentially and includes a rotating chamber which contains a plurality of balls located in the bottom portion thereof. The chamber has a plurality of cups mounted interiorly thereof, the cups being capable of sequentially selecting one of the balls when the chamber is rotated in the first direction and mixing the balls when the chamber is rotated in the second direction. The cups select a ball and convey it to a predetermined exit location. A first ramp is located at the exit location. A second ramp coacts with the first ramp and conveys the balls to a point. A third ramp coacts with the second ramp and is pivotedly mounted about the point. A protrusion is connected across the third ramp for inhibiting further movement of the selected balls when the ramp is in a first position and for permitting the balls to pass beneath the protrusion when the ramp is in its second pivoted position.

Abstract: Particles are fed for sorting by a radial distributor having an upper surface on which the particles gradually spread arcuately and are displaced radially outwardly, by for example vibration of the distributor, to a lip of the upper surface where they define one or more curved arrays as the fall over the lip. As they fall in free flight trajectory paths the particles present a curved array one particle deep to a separating device arranged to sort the particles according to the degree they possess a particular characteristic.

Abstract: An article selection apparatus includes a housing with a hollow internal cavity in which is mounted a rotatable base. A peripheral, annular groove is formed in the base for aligning articles loosely disposed in the hollow cavity in the housing in single file. An inclined chute is mounted within the housing with a first end disposed in proximity with the groove in the base such that articles disposed in the groove are urged upward along the chute under centrifugal force imparted to the articles by rotation of the base and the momentum of succeeding, abutting articles in the groove. A discharge sleeve is mounted in the housing with one end disposed externally of the housing and another end located internally within cavity and spaced from the discharge end of the chute. Articles having a predetermined amount of momentum traverse the distance between the spaced ends of the chute and the sleeve for collection in the discharge sleeve.