Abstract: Apparatus for storing and handling pallets is disclosed. A vertical housing capable of holding pallets in a vertical stack is equipped with openings to receive stacks of pallets and discharge pallets singly. Vertically arranged wheels are provided on opposing sidewalls of the housing which compress when pallets pass between them. The wheels are ganged to incrementally rotate on a selective basis, opposing wheels rotating in opposite directions. Incremental rotation of the wheels dispenses pallets from the bottom of the stack. Straightening bars which are driven toward the interior of the housing tend to keep the pallets in stack alignment. A ram discharges dispensed pallets from the housing.

Abstract: A random-access card file system formed by card-storing cartridges, each capable of accommodating at least one deck of cards, and an automatic card selector adapted to extract any desired card therefrom regardless of its location in the cartridge. Each card in the deck includes an upstanding tab whose longitudinal position is related to a particular point on an incremental linear scale extending the full length of the deck. The selector includes a carriage movable to a position in registration with any desired incremental point on the scale, the carriage supporting a crane having a card picker thereon, whereby when the carriage is set to a particular scale point and a switch is actuated, the crane completes an operating cycle in the course of which it bows down over the cartridge to enable the picker to engage and clamp onto the tab of the selected card and to then lift the card to withdraw it from the cartridge.

Abstract: A device for individually transferring workpieces comprises a loading chute for successively feeding by gravity individual workpieces to a standby position on a support member, and a pusher reciprocates through a forward stroke to push a workpiece from the standby position along the support member toward a working position while blocking the loading chute so as to prevent the next workpiece from dropping from the loading chute into the standby position and through a return stroke to unblock the loading chute to permit the next workpiece to drop from the loading chute into the standby position. A fluid delivery passage formed in the loading chute delivers pressurized fluid lubricant in a first fluid stream directed toward the standby position to assist in maintaining the workpiece in the standby position and delivers pressurized fluid lubricant in a second fluid stream directed toward the working position to assist the pusher in transferring the workpiece from the support member to the working position.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus having a tray for holding a plurality of containers to be dispensed and having an elevated shelf for receiving containers which is inclined to cause such containers to move towards the front end of the tray. A stop is disposed at the front of the tray for contacting an intermediate portion of the frontmost one of the containers for preventing the containers from being dispensed until such operation is desired. An ejector is operatively attached to the front of the tray for selectively pushing the frontmost one of the containers over the top of the stop and then resetting itself such that the next frontmost container will be ready to be dispensed when desired.

Abstract: A single newspaper vending machine comprises a cabinet and a gate unit, a paper support unit, and a paper display unit, each removably mounted on the cabinet. Newspapers are stacked on a spring loaded elevator within the cabinet. The gate unit is mounted at the top of the cabinet and includes a dispensing mechanism which is reciprocable between rear and forward positions for partially dispensing a top paper on the elevator to the paper support unit so that the front edge of the paper enters a paper access zone between the gate unit and the paper support unit. A coin mechanism operates a dispensing mechanism latch so as to lock the dispensing mechanism in the rear position until the proper amount of coins has been inserted. The gate unit also includes a blocking mechanism for preventing withdrawal of any paper from the elevator when the dispensing mechanism is in the rear position and for preventing withdrawal of a second paper from the elevator when the dispensing mechanism is in the forward position.

Abstract: An article-dispensing assembly including a door movably mounted on a plate for opening and closing an opening provided in the plate, the door including a shelf extending inwardly of the opening and providing a bin for holding an article to be dispensed. A control mechanism is movable to a first position to allow transfer of an article from a feed mechanism to the bin, and movable to a second position to block transfer of an article from the feed unit to the bin. An operating unit interconnects the control unit and door to allow loading of the bin when the door is in its closed position and to preclude loading of the bin when the door is moved from the closed position. A slide bar is slidably mounted and extends transversely of the bin. An interlock unit is movably mounted at one side of the opening to a first position that blocks sliding movement of the slide bar, and to a second position allowing sliding movement of the slide bar to an extended position.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for packing oval-shaped articles such as cigarettes to achieve a predetermined orientation of the articles in a container.

Abstract: A movable carriage or receptacle receives lemons or other products from a conveyor or the like, and as a quantity sufficient to fill a box or container is accumulated, the receptacle or carriage moves down to the box, with the fragile product being gently layered into the carriage or receptacle; and then the lower door of the carriage or receptacle opens slowly to completely fill the box or other container, with the product again being layered gently into the box with no dropping so that the boxes are packed full without damage to the product. An alternate arrangement uses a pivotal support member and an associated product feeding member to accomplish the same functions. Through the use of a triangular receptacle or carriage, with the final measurement taking place near the apex of the triangular space, very accurate measurement may be accomplished.

Abstract: An article-dispensing assembly including a door movably mounted on a plate for selectively opening and closing an opening provided in the plate, the door including a shelf extending inwardly of the opening and providing a bin for holding an article to be dispensed. A control mechanism is movable to a first position to allow transfer of an article from a feed mechanism to the bin, and movable to a second position to block transfer of an article from the feed unit to the bin. An operating unit selectively interconnects the control unit and door to allow loading of the bin when the door is in its closed position and to preclude loading of the bin when the door is moved from the closed position.

Abstract: An article dispenser for dispensing articles from a vending machine is disclosed. The article dispenser includes an article storage area which has a bottom opening through which articles are dispensed and a front opening through which the articles are loaded to form two vertically adjacent rows. An article dispensing mechanism dispenses the lowermost articles stacked in the storage area through the bottom opening. This article dispensing mechanism includes a rotatable shaft which vertically extends within the storage area to divide the storage area into the two vertical rows or columns. A control plate is fixed to the lower end of the rotatable shaft to control the operation of a pair of flappers positioned below the two vertical rows of articles. As these flappers open and close upon rotation of the rotatable shaft, the lowermost articles in the storage area are dispensed.

Abstract: A game chip storage and dispensing device having telescopically slidable inner and outer sleeves. First and second sets of flexible and resilient fingers on the lower end of the inner sleeve have inwardly extending lateral protrusions on their lower ends for engaging respectively beneath the lowermost chip in a stack of chips in the inner sleeve and the next chip above. When the outer sleeve is moved down along the inner sleeve, the first fingers release the lowermost chip and the second fingers hold the next chip above. When the outer sleeve moves back up, the second fingers release the next chip to drop onto the lateral protrusions of the first fingers.

Abstract: Arrangement for filling cassettes with fibres, characterized thereby that it consists of the combination of a supply magazine, in this supply magazine a displaceable pressing member on the one hand and second pressing members on the other hand, means that can command the pressing member or the second pressing means, separating means that can separate a well-determined amount of fibres, second separating means able to further free the fibres from each other, means able to remove the separated fibres from the supply magazine and a cassette that can receive this small amount of fibres.

Abstract: The device has a feed roller with a high friction rubber segment which picks notes one at a time for each roller revolution or cycle. A counter-rotating separator roller normally prevents picking doubles. A cooperative doubles detector detects doubles when picked and returns the doubles to the note supply stack. The picker mechanism has a biasing lever which holds the note stack out of contact with the feed roller against stack pressure until the friction segment is in note separating and picking position.

Abstract: A can dispenser includes a storage rack having a lowermost storage shelf extending downwardly at a slight angle to the horizontal toward a discharge end thereof. A pair of stops are secured to the discharge end along opposing sides thereof for preventing the stored cans from freely rolling out of the discharge end. A dispensing lever includes first and second ends and is supported for limited turning movement about a lateral axis to raise the second end of the dispensing lever when the first end thereof is forced downward. The second end of the dispensing lever includes a camming surface disposed between and extending generally behind the stops for raising a can to be dispensed off of the lowermost storage shelf and above the stops, while a catch surface disposed behind and below the camming surface temporarily prevents further advancement of the remaining cans in the storage rack.

Abstract: A dispensing machine for the dispensing and aligning of individual articles on a receiving surface is disclosed. The dispensing machine has clamping arms for holding the articles in a stationary position. Jaws are positioned adjacent the receiving surface. The clamping arms act to regulate the supply of articles such that only one article is dispensed at a time. The jaws allow the article to be dispensed onto the receiving surface and further acts to align the article in a precise location. The clamping arms and the jaws are operated by a slide member which causes the clamping arms to engage and disengage and also opens and closes the jaws.

Abstract: A process and relevant machine and has for its object to provide a means for packing individual drinking straws, or similarly shaped articles, in sealed strips consisting of two "films" which can be either hot or cold welded. The stages of said process are as follows:(a) formation of a compact line of straws arranged and cross fed along an inclined plane onto which they are released from a hopper where they are stacked;(b) removal of the first straw from the aforesaid line with the simultaneous arrest of the second one;(c) conduction of each straw into cut-outs provided in welding rollers.

Abstract: Modular electrical switches and shunts for use in programming electric/electronic equipment are disclosed comprising an electrically insulating, substantially rectangular housing, and a pair of elongated electrically conducting terminals secured to the base of the housing. Electrical switches of this invention contain an electrically conducting contact bearing disposed within the housing and adapted to be movable between a first position and a second position corresponding respectively to the "off" and "on" configurations of the electrical switch in response to the movement of a switch actuating member slidably disposed within the housing. A mounting bar and cartridge-dispenser for storing, transporting and installing and removing the above-described switches and shunts from integrated electrical circuits are also described.

Abstract: In a fastener-attaching apparatus equipped with a feeder for selectively delivering two different component pieces of fasteners from two separate feed hoppers to an attaching point, the improvement in the feeder which comprises a pair of tracks having a pair of vertically parallel fastener-guiding T-grooves which extend from the delivery openings of the two feed hoppers and terminate in vertically juxtaposed fastener discharge outlets, a shifting mechanism for selectively closing and opening the T-grooves of the tracks, a guide having a guide groove provided at right angles to the T-grooves and extending to the fastener-attaching point, with the fastener discharge outlets open in the guide groove, a fastener limiter slide located opposite to the discharge outlets and urged by a spring slidably and partly into the guide groove, the limiter slide having separate fastener-piece-receiving recesses corresponding, respectively, to the upper and lower discharge outlets, and a pusher bar slidable in the guide groove

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, an upright vertically movable bar between the storage magazine and the outlet chute, power actuated means for lowering the bar to release individual articles from the magazine and permit them to slide over the bar onto the outlet chute, coin actuated means for energizing the power means, and means responsive to movement of a released article across the top of the bar for de-energizing the power means and interrupting downward movement of the bar after each article has passed from the magazine onto the outlet chute.

Abstract: A manually-operable tool for holding a magazine containing a plurality of stacked, individual electrical components and selectively dispensing the components from the tool in predetermined orientation for loading on a printed circuit board, or the like. The magazine is inserted into an appropriately configured opening in the tool which is held by the operator with the magazine substantially vertical so that components are gravity fed to the lower end. Depression of a spring loaded rod by the operator's thumb moves a plunger to push a component out of engagement between a pair of gripper members. On the return stroke of the rod, a component transport member is moved thereby to carry the lowermost component fed by gravity from the magazine to engagement between the gripper members for ejection on the next depression of the rod and plunger.

Abstract: Tablet box with cover and sliding element whereby the bottom and one of the side walls of the box together with a bar of said sliding element are forming a trough in which the tablets are slipping and from the under end of which one single tablet is dispensed when the sliding element is operated, whereas the special form of the component parts prevents falling out of further tablets from said box.

Abstract: A sheet magazine supports a stack of limp flexible sheets. The magazine has a bottom with a slot formed therethrough and spaced opposite first and second ends with an end feed gateway at the first end. A mechanical sheet separating and segregating device splits off and segregates each successive bottom-most lift of the stack from the remainder thereof and urges same through the gateway. The sheet separating and segregating device includes a stabber-separator movable toward the first end to support the stack at a selected distance above the bottom of the magazine and a pin extender movable toward the first end into the stack at a selected distance above the stabber-separator for segregating a bottom-most lift of the stack by being interposed in the stack above said lift. The stabber-separator is movable toward the second end of the bottom to a position spaced from the stack, thereby permitting the lift to drop to the bottom, and is movable back toward the first end directly under the pin extender.

Abstract: Process and relative feeding device to provide small objects on a single plane, according to which in a series of magazines holding the stacked objects of different thicknesses and tolerances a differentiated operation pusher by adjustable stroke is caused to act upon one end of each of the magazines, whereas at the same time the opposite ends or free top openings of the magazines are closed by a stop device, the objects thus moving against the device; then moving the latter away from the openings and contacting the aligned external surface of the objects with the planar surface onto which the objects will be applied.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding individual substrates from the top of a stack of substrates upon demand includes a first paddle wheel mounted above the substrate stack and adapted to forward a substrate from the stack in a predetermined direction and a second paddle wheel downstream from the first paddle wheel that is adapted to continue movement of the substrate in the predetermined direction. A friction retard roller is positioned opposite to and forms a nip with the second paddle wheel in order to inhibit multi-feeding of substrates. A second embodiment includes a single paddle wheel that acts in combination with a high friction surfaced guide member to feed substrates individually from a stack.

Abstract: An escapement having a pair of retractable stops spaced apart lengthwise of a downwardly inclined track along which workpieces are conveyed. The upstream stop is supported for pivotal movement lengthwise of the track so that its leading end is adapted to engage in the cleavage space between a pair of abutting workpieces when the stop is extended regardless of whether the cleavage space is located in exactly the same position for each pair of successive workpieces.

Abstract: An apparatus is made of a tube for containing a number of thin parts in a stack arrangement, having a loading end and a dispensing end, a device for feeding parts to the separating device, from the loading end to the dispensing end of the tube, and a device positioned at the dispensing end of the tube for separating at least one of the parts from the remainder of the parts and positioning the part at the dispensing of the tube for pick-up. A method for feeding and positioning a thin part to be grasped by a pick-up device includes stacking thin parts in a tube, separating one of the parts from the stack, positioning the part at the end of the tube for pick-up, and feeding more parts to the separating step.

Abstract: Modular electrical switches and shunts for use in programming electric/electronic equipment are disclosed comprising an electrically insulating, substantially rectangular housing, and a pair of elongated electrically conducting terminals secured to the base of the housing. Electrical switches of this invention contain an electrically conducting contact bearing disposed within the housing and adapted to be movable between a first position and a second position corresponding respectively to the "off" and "on" configurations of the electrical switch in response to the movement of a switch actuating member slidably disposed within the housing. A mounting bar and cartridge-dispenser for storing, transporting and installing and removing the above-described switches and shunts from integrated electrical circuits are also described.

Abstract: Magazine for storing and supplying chip type circuit elements includes a tube having a bore formed therethrough in which the circuit elements are situated in stacked relationship for feeding toward an open supply end and wherein an elastic member is provided on the tube in the region of the supply end having a surface facing inwardly into the bore and wherein a keeper pawl extends inwardly from the free end of the elastic member into the bore at the supply end region, preferably slightly below the supply end, adapted to hold the leading circuit element under pressure prior to the same being supplied in one-by-one fashion and to prevent simultaneous supply of more than one circuit element from the supply end of the magazine and, additionally, to precisely locate each circuit element at the supply end. In one embodiment, longitudinally extending ribs protruding inwardly into the bore are formed on the bore defining surface of the tube which maintain the chip elements in precise mutual alignment.

Abstract: Single sheets are separated from a stack of sheets arranged in a housing having one open end in which at least one pair of separating rollers is disposed with the lower end of the stack resting in the nip thereof. One roller of each pair has a surface with a greater coefficient of friction relative to the sheet surface than that of the other roller and is rotated in a direction relative to the stack opposite to the other roller so that an outermost sheet is caused to slide from the remainder of the stack by frictional engagement of the one roller while the stack remainder is held from the oppositely rotating roller. Separation is greatly facilitated by the provision of hooks which support the lower edge of the remainder of the stack during separation and positively assist withdrawal of the stack remainder.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating and discharging articles used in the fabrication of disposable fluid dispensing tubes fabricated by apparatus including a rotatively mounted tube receiving turret which indexes tubes through a series of stations positioned around the turret periphery at which various operations are performed. The separating and discharging apparatus includes elements for deforming a stack of nested articles, such as nozzles, to separate and release an article from the stack, in combination with a vacuum receiving cup for withdrawing the articles from the stack and retaining them for delivery to the turret where they are discharged. The method includes the steps of separating articles from the stack by deforming the stack to interrupt coupling between contiguous articles, and withdrawing the articles separated by application of vacuum for transport to a displaced location where they may be discharged.

Abstract: An insertion machine for integrated circuits includes a number of upwardly extending bars arranged in side-by-side relation on a carrier plate with a driving mechanism moving the carrier plate relative to an output device. Each bar has a displaceable lock at the bottom end for holding the bottom integrated circuit within the bar until it is to be moved into the output device. The carrier plate can be a hollow cylinder or a flat plate. The bars are removably mounted on the carrier plate by locking elements engageable with complementary locking elements in the carrier plate.

Abstract: A slide mounter includes a magazine for holding a stack of slide frames. A slide ejector pushes the lowermost slide within the magazine out of the magazine and into a slide track, where the slide frame is opened to permit insertion of a film transparency. A slide separator separates the stack of slides into an upper stack above a predetermined level and a lower stack below the predetermined level within the magazine. An out-of-slides inhibitor connected to the slide separator prevents movement of the slide ejector when the slide separator moves to a position indicating that there are no further slides in the upper stack.

Abstract: A dispensing mechanism for singularly removing a cup from the bottom of a vertically nested stack of cups in a hopper is described. This mechanism, designed principally for beverage vending machines, has a pair of coacting jaws which each contact nearly one-half the periphery of the cup. Each jaw has sufficient flexibility to fully conform to the cup contour thereby grasping cups having varying dimensions. After the cup is grasped, the jaws are moved axially with respect to the cup to withdraw the cup from the stack. The jaws then open to release the cup and return to their initial position to be ready to grasp the next cup. A plurality of resiliently-biased fingers placed about the bottom of the hopper hold the stack of cups; however, when a cup is drawn away, they retract sufficiently to release that cup but grasp the next cup beneath the lip thereof.

Abstract: A dispenser 2 for dispensing disposable cigarette lighters 3. Dispenser 2 includes a housing 4 which receives a cartridge 30 for holding the lighters 3 in a vertical column. Cartridge 30 includes a discharge opening 42 normally closed by a spring biased gate 66. A pusher 90 has a horizontal surface 92 which is interposed between the lowermost lighter 3' and the remaining lighters 3 in the cartridge 30. This horizontal surface 92 both elevates the column to remove the weight of the column from the lowermost lighter 3' and uses the front edge 96 thereof to open the gate 66 before the lowermost lighter 3' is dispensed. A plurality of cartridges 30 for different types of lighters and a plurality of different types of pushers 90 may be interchangeably used in dispenser 2.

Abstract: A separator or escapement mechanism is disclosed which separates or holds one of serially movable objects, such as the second or nth object from the exit end of a support structure. This support may be a sloping ramp so that the objects, if of circular cross section, may roll toward the exit end. The object at the exit end may be held by a stop and the second or nth object may be engaged by a bar holder along the upper surface thereof regardless of the dimension of such object within a given range of sizes. The bar holder moves along a first path at an acute angle to second and third paths, the second path being the path of movement of the upper surface of the maximum size objects and the third path being the path of movement of the upper surface of minimum size objects. The first path intersects the ramp surface at approximately the exit end and is disposed at an acute angle to such ramp surface.

Abstract: A machine for picking up seeds from a mass of seeds and depositing the seeds individually comprises a row of suction heads each having a suction duct terminating in an orifice and a container for holding the mass of seeds. The row of heads are pivotally mounted and are provided with a driving mechanism which swings the heads to and fro along a path between a pick-up position in which each of the orifices is adjacent the container and a discharge position in which seeds picked up by suction through the orifices are discharged. In order to enable each head to discharge at the discharge position only a single natural seed rather than a pelleted seed, a wiper member is provided and extends parallel to the row of heads in their path between the pick-up position and the discharge position. The wiper member has a curved surface and the heads swing close to this surface just before they reach the discharge position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for performing certain manufacturing operations on a container such as forming a beaded rim around the upper open end of the container. The apparatus includes mechanism for dispensing rimless containers into container-receiving receptacles which are mounted on a rotatable turret which moves the containers from one station to another station of the apparatus. Gripping means is provided to retain the containers within the receptacles and bead-forming means is also provided and is operable to form a bead on the upper disposed edge of the container. Ejection means is also provided for ejecting a finished container from a receptacle.

Abstract: A portable hand held soap leaf dispenser includes a housing adapted to support a stack of soap leaves therein. The housing has an opening adjacent one end through which soap leaves are individually dispensed. An ejector member is slidably supported in the housing for fore and aft movement between a forward ejecting position and a rearward retracted position. A biasing mechanism urges the ejector member and adjacent soap leaf into engagement whereby the adjacent soap leaf is dispensed through the opening in response to movement of the ejector member from the retracted position to the ejecting position therefor. The soap leaves may be supported on a platform biased toward the ejector member by the biasing mechanism. A plurality of wedges on the underside of the ejector member retentively engage a soap leaf in response to forward movement of the ejector member and freely slide over the soap leaves in response to rearward movement of the ejector member.

Abstract: A separator device for separating from a succession of objects in a conveying path those objects having less than a desired length in the conveying direction, including an input channel via which the objects are conveyed to the separator device, an abutment member located downstream of the input channel for limiting movement of each object leaving the channel, a discharge path located below the input channel for conveying objects away from the device, and a mechanism which transfers each object in turn from the input channel to the discharge path while separating out each object which immediately follows an object being thus transferred and which has less than the desired length.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a bread box for dispensing bread by the slice, which includes a refrigeration unit within the container, and in one embodiment a remote control mechanism for dispensing one slice of bread at a time upon command. In another embodiment a manual mechanism is provided for retaining the slice of bread adjacent to that one which is to be dispensed and then a sequential operation follows in which this retained piece of bread is released in order to be ready for dispensing. The structure includes pins, retractably set within the second piece of bread which are removeable and disengageable upon recycling the opening and closing of the door operation. The bread is urged to the door by means of spring in the preferred embodiment.

Abstract: Hanger bolts are delivered one-by-one from a hopper and each is picked up by a reciprocating holder which shifts the bolt laterally and broadwise into alinement with a power-rotated chuck. The bolt then is pushed endwise into the chuck by a furniture leg and is threaded into the leg as an incident to being turned about its own axis by the chuck. A shelf, a gate and an escapement coact to effect delivery of the bolts from the hopper to the holder in timed relation with the reciprocation of the holder.

Abstract: An adjustment that includes preferably a pair of spaced, resiliently supported, holders for supporting a cut-off brush against the perforated inner periphery of an air charged, seed containing rotatable drum to remove excess seeds therefrom. The holders rotatably support a pair of brackets having rotatably mounted gauge rollers that engage the inner periphery of the drum. One of the brackets is rotatably adjustable relative to one of the holders to vary the position of the holders and thus the brush in relation to the drum interior for different size seeds.

Abstract: An apparatus for individually dispensing a plurality of articles is provided comprising:(a) a case for receiving articles to be dispensed;(b) a cover slidably mounted on the case for reciprocal movement relative thereto wherein movement of the cover in the direction of dispensing an article forms an opening for removal of a single article;(c) a pushing member slidably positioned between the case and cover and cooperating with movement of the cover to advance articles to be dispensed, the pushing member flexibly engaging the case and the cover in a retainer located on the inner surface of the case and cover, the pushing member being advanced in the direction of dispensing an article at a distance equal to the displacement of an article in response to movement of the cover in that direction and immovable in response to movement of the cover in the direction opposite to dispensing an article.

Abstract: Battery plate elements and separator elements are maintained in racks along opposite sides of a conveyor. Pivotally swingable vacuum pickup heads serve to withdraw plates and separators from their racks and deposit them onto the conveyor. A plurality of plates or separators are withdrawn simultaneously, and the conveyor is indexed from withdrawal station to withdrawal station for stacking the plates and separators one upon the other, alternately, whereby at any given time a plurality of plate and separator sandwiches are being formed, in different progressive stages. Capability is provided for adjustments for handling different sized plates and separators as well as the number of elements in a given stack. Synchronous drive means and adjustable vacuum means are disclosed.

Abstract: A seed dispensing device comprising a housing in which is rotatably mounted a wheel member having a plurality of spokes each carrying a seed cup. The cups pick up seeds from a reservoir on rotation of the wheel member and under the combined action of centrifugal and gravitational forces discharge the seeds to an outlet chute. Opposed brushes are provided in the housing between which the cups pass to sweep excess seeds from the cups and to aid retention of a single seed in each cup to the discharge point. A rotatable cleaning brush element having tangential bristles is mounted in the housing to clean cups prior to the cups entering the mass of seeds in the reservoir. Further brushes and excess seed catching gutters may be provided to assist the reliability of solely a single seed being discharged at predetermined intervals. A power-operated ejector may be arranged to discharge foreign matter or broken seeds and so on from the reservoir.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating and delivering individual box-line containers from a stacked column of nested box-like containers, each container having an upper rim and an outwardly projecting stacking shoulder spaced from the rim, along with a loop-type carrying bail secured at opposed ends to opposite sides of the container body. A yoke element is provided for engaging the carrying bails of the penultimate and successively adjacent numbers of containers in the stack, so as to permit vertical separation of the lowermost container of the column from the remainder of the stack. Associated with the yoke element is a pair of cams which are adapted to engage the bail of the container, which is a predetermined number above the penultimate container in the vertical stack, to apply an inward compressive force thereto to preclude interference with the lowermost container during its separation from the remainder of the stack.

Abstract: An improved escapement is provided for use with a channel for feeding successive components to insure their continuous and individual release therefrom. The escapement includes elements for holding a next-to-endmost component in cooperation with a land extending lengthwise in the channel, in unobstructive position while the endmost component is released. The invention has particular advantages when one or more components in a stacked series may be of a form tending to overlap or have a small irregularity, such as a protruding flashing for instance, causing shingling and hence resisting automatic feeding one-by-one in the channel.

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

Abstract: Apparatus for separating and delivering individual frustoconical containers from a stacked column of nested frustoconical containers, each container having an upper rim and an outwardly projecting stacking shoulder spaced from the rim, along with a carrying bail secured generally diametrically of the container body. A yoke element is provided for engaging the carrying bail of the penultimate container in the stack, so as to permit vertical separation of the lowermost container of the column from the remainder of the stack.

Abstract: A tamper-proof ball dispensing mechanism for use in conjunction with game tables or the like. A supply of balls is held in a position remote from the player and a predetermined number of balls are dispensed by a mechanism which both measures the number of balls and dispenses them while simultaneously preventing dispensing of other balls and preventing operator interference with the dispensing mechanism. The balls are guided into a single line in a retaining, dispensing mechanism which is actuated by a coin operated plunger. The plunger pivots the dispensing/measuring device allowing the balls to fall through a tortuous path to a position where they may be removed by the player while temporarily preventing further removal from the storage area.