Abstract: A vending machine system for stackable goods such as vehicle air fresheners includes a hopper and a reciprocating arm. The hopper is configured to hold a stack of the stackable goods. The hopper has an aperture formed in a base of the hopper for dispensing the stackable goods from the hopper. The reciprocating arm is disposed adjacent the aperture. The reciprocating arm is linearly movable between a retracted position and an extended position. One of the stackable goods is received by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the retracted position, and is pushed from the stack of stackable goods by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the extended position.

Abstract: A card extracting device for use with a plurality of cards may include a card storage, a gate through which the cards pass toward an outside of the card storage, an extracting tab to engage with and extract one of the cards, a tab-moving mechanism to move the extracting tab, an extracting roller outside the card storage to further forward the extracted card, a motor to drive the tab-moving mechanism and the extracting roller, a card-extraction detecting section to detect that card extraction is completed, and a control section to control the motor. An engaging section may be formed in the extracting tab to abut a rear end portion of the card and extract the card. The control section may drive the motor forward to extract the card or drive the motor in reverse based on a detection result from the card extraction detecting section.

Abstract: A refrigerator is shown having a dosing unit for dispensing ice pieces one by one from an icemaker.

Abstract: Device for selection of capsules containing a food product from a, stack of capsules contained in a container, comprising a body (10) which delimits a passage (20) through which the capsules pass by gravity; first stop means (30, 31, 32, 33) for selectively retaining and releasing said first capsule (90); actuating means (8) for actuating said stop means (3, 30, 31, 32, 33) between a stop position and a release position. The first stop means (3, 30, 31, 32, 33) are distributed about the circumference of the passage (20) and are able to move by turning transversely, and simultaneously, towards the inside of the passage to a stop position in order to form several support points distributed under the capsule (90).

Abstract: A device for moving articles between positions at time intervals. The device includes at least two gates disposed sequentially in the direction of travel of the article which can controllably be opened and closed. Upstream of each gate there is formed a temporary holding area for the article. The two gates (1; 2; 3; 4) are controllable by means of one single drive motor (8) or actuator. The two gates (1; 2; 3; 4) are each associated with one control element (5; 6) rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, and the drive motor or actuator (8) is adapted to move one actuating element (7) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and which is common to the respective control elements (5; 6) of the two gates.

Abstract: A one-at-a-time pill container and dispenser having a mechanism that allows for dispensing pills. Said pills are stored safely inside the device until dispensed preferably by actuating a plunger mechanism that operates by engagement to a helical cut or thread in a tube, and is maintained in place by a longitudinal cut or groove in a concentric tube. The pill is dispensed via an orifice fitted with an element-resistant septum that protects said tube contents pre-, intra-, and post-delivery. The plunger mechanism is actuated via rotation of the inner tube using a control switch. The dispenser is primarily intended for administering ergogenic substances to athletes.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is a dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing product from a vending machine. The invention employs a motor for bi-directionally rotating a dispenser bucket between two bumpers which physically obstruct and limit the rotational travel, a motor controller for monitoring the current drawn by the motor and signals received from a product vend detection sensor. The motor controller uses monitored information to control the rotational direction and stopping positions of the dispenser bucket. The invention eliminates the need for timing cams and switches and eliminates the need for anti-theft device to prevent product theft from the dispenser bucket.

Abstract: A method of call distribution for selecting an optimum terminating address networkwide over the whole circuits connected to the network is provided. A computer SCP comprising means for communicating with an exchange SSP and having a function of routing a call receives and stores conditions of circuit groups under management of the exchange SSP transmitted from the exchange SSP. With respect to a call or a requirement for service from the exchange SSP, an optimum terminating address is decided networkwide according to information in a circuit group condition storing part.

Abstract: A machine for vending printed products, in particular, newspaper and including a housing for storing the printed products, a coin mechanism associated with the housing for receiving payment for a printed product, and a delivery mechanism for delivery a paid-for printed product to a delivery slot provided in the housing. The delivery mechanism includes a transporting plate for printed products and a lift mechanism for lifting the transporting plate to a printed product delivery position. The delivery mechanism further includes an element which cooperates with the lift mechanism for automatically adjusting the height by which the transporting plate is lifted after the topmost product has been dispensed.

Abstract: Plastic binding strips used with this invention comprise a female strip consisting of a narrow, thin plastic strip formed with spaced apertures and grooves communicating with the apertures and a male strip comprising a narrow plastic strip having bendable studs projecting at fight angles therefrom spaced to fit through holes in the pages to be bound and the apertures in the female strip. Such strips are packaged in cassettes. The hopper for the female strips receives a stack of cassettes. Strips are fed from the lowermost cassette by a horizontally reciprocating finger onto a transverse ways and then feed along the ways to an assembly station. When the lowermost cassette is empty, its support is removed and the next cassette is moved into place. The male hopper is similar to the female except that the studs require greater spacing between cassettes and provision is made in the feed structures for the upward projection of the studs.

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 outer housing encloses an inner panel separating a money accepting and ticket dispensing apparatus. The money accepting apparatus releases an internal lever upon insertion of the correct money. This internal lever disengages from a toothed plate which is connected by a shaft to an external hand lever. A pulling of the external hand lever after insertion of the correct money turns multiple gears which cause a cam to actuate to release a ticket retaining gate. In addition, the gears are connected to a cylindrical rear roller which turns a pair of latex bands mounted around the rear roller and a front cylindrical roller mounted on an idler shaft. A weight over the tickets causes frictional pressure to be exerted on the ticket by turning bands and thereby allows the bands to move a single ticket under a raised exit gate.

Abstract: An article cassette for a vending machine has a horizontal conveyor for supporting articles one behind another in a row behind an outfeed station and for feeding the articles step by step towards the outfeed station. The outfeed station at its forward end has an access opening provided with a cover mounted for rotation between a closed position and an opened position. In the opened position the cover provides access to the outfeed station for removal of an article therefrom. The cover also carries a screen for blocking off the outfeed station from the conveyor when the cover is opened, the screen being in the form of an extension at one end of the cover.

Abstract: A newspaper dispenser includes a housing with an upwardly biased platform therein for supporting a stack of newspapers. A scoop assembly which dispenses a single newspaper at a time, is mounted in the housing and includes a pusher arm and a scoop connected to reciprocating rotatable drive shaft. Rotation of the shaft in one direction causes the pusher arm to drop onto the top newpaper and push the top layer rearwardly, while simultaneously dropping a scoop in front of the folded edge of the newspaper. Rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction causes the scoop to slide under the paper, causes the pusher arm to pull the paper onto the scoop, and causes the pusher arm to raise off of the paper as the scoop tilts to drop the paper down a chute for dispensing. A rotatable handle is connected to the scoop assembly via a series of gears and rack and drive gear to operate the reciprocating cycle to dispense a paper.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing printed products such as newspapers or periodicals from the top of a stack within a housing from which a manually rotatable knob protrudes. Two toothed detent rods are vertically mounted on the rear wall of the housing, one detent rod being fixed and the other being freely movable, and a transport plate on which the periodical stack rests is movably mounted adjacent the detent rods. A lever pivoted on one end and attached on the other by a cable operated by the knob extends under the detent rods, with the movable detent rod being positioned to rest on the lever. Two spring biased pawls are mounted on the transport plate to engage the detent rod, so that the transport plate is jacked-up as the lever moves while periodicals are dispensed.

Abstract: A container is disclosed for receiving a stack of articles to be sequentially removed from a dispensing station of the container. A stack positioning element in the container is movable forwardly in the container into engagement with an article stack to urge the forward-most article forwardly toward the dispensing station. As articles are removed the stack positioning element normally moves forwardly by an amount equal to the thickness of each article that is removed. However, means are provided for increasing the positioning element's movement in response to removal of the last article, whereby a sensing means can more readily detect such movement to thereby cause an indication of an empty container.

Abstract: A container for dispensing reagent slides into apparatus which uses the slides to carry out quantitative chemical analysis of fluid samples. The container is formed of a plurality of casing parts which, when joined together, for a generally rectangular housing with a chamber for receiving a stack of the slides. The container fits into a complementary shaped nest in the analysis apparatus and has discontinuity means for inhibiting improper orientation of the container in the nest. A notch code on the container cooperates with structure on the nest to inhibit placing into the nest a container carrying reagent slides improper for the analysis test to be conducted.

Abstract: A container for dispensing reagent slides into apparatus which uses the slides to carry out quantitative chemical analysis of fluid samples. The container is formed of a plurality of casing parts which, when joined together, for a generally rectangular housing with a chamber for receiving a stack of the slides. The container fits into a complementary shaped nest in the analysis apparatus and has discontinuity means for inhibiting improper orientation of the container in the nest. A notch code on the container cooperates with structure on the nest to inhibit placing into the nest a container carrying reagent slides improper for the analysis test to be conducted.