Surface Contact Only (i.e., Friction) Patents (Class 221/259)
  • Patent number: 6196415
    Abstract: An access door provided in a dispenser, for access by a delivery person to an interior of the dispenser where a stack of newspapers are stored. A coin box is provided on a top wall of the dispenser. The coin box operates in a known manner to permit operation of a pull bar after the correct amount of payment has been received into the coin box. The pull bar urges against the top-most one of the newspapers when a customer pulls the pull bar, thus pushing the newspaper onto a dispensing tray and through a slot in the dispenser, thus presenting the newspaper to the customer. The customer may then take the newspaper for his or her use. When the newspaper is pushed forward, a hinged security flap rotates upward to permit the newspaper to pass through the slot. A platform is positioned within the interior of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventor: Melvin N. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6170697
    Abstract: A dispenser to dispense the top item from the stack of such items, in particular the uppermost inverted cup type coffee filter from an inverted stack of such filters, comprises a housing in which to receive a stack of inverted cup type coffee filters, positioned on an upwardly biased telescoping shaft to position the top filter in the stack for contact by the dispensing mechanism. A slidable carrier member of the dispensing mechanism, normally biased to its forward position, has a pivotably mounted ejection member therein with elongated contact arms extending forwardly which are pivotable between a raised position and lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Inventor: Christopher P. Sarris
  • Patent number: 6155456
    Abstract: A card holder and dispensing device includes a housing defining a cavity for receiving a plurality of cards therein. The front wall of the housing has an opening formed therein for loading and removing cards from the cavity of the housing, and the top wall of the housing functions as an exit rail for causing dispensing of the cards from the cavity of the housing one at a time. A roller mechanism is rotatably mounted to the front wall of the housing for dispensing of the cards from the cavity of the housing through the front wall window opening and over the top edge of the exit rail of the housing. A bow spring is positioned within the cavity of the housing for biasing the cards upwardly against the roller mechanism, wherein actuation of the roller mechanism dispenses the business cards one at a time from the cavity of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Archer Design, Inc.
    Inventor: David Archer
  • Patent number: 6145698
    Abstract: A hand held tool to expedite a removal of a single sheet from a stack which may be supplied as a segment of a container or an independent unit and modifications to a container to resist a return of a separated sheet to its original position on the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Alvin Meyer
  • Patent number: 6135315
    Abstract: A method for converting a multiple access newspaper vending machine into a single vend machine is described. The vending machine will have a cavity with a rack assembly for holding a stack of newspapers and a pivoting door for closing the cavity. The conversion includes mounting into the cavity of the vending machine a feed assembly which has a bracket and a roller member rotatably mounted to the bracket. The feed assembly rests within the cavity above the rack assembly in a manner such that the bracket pivots within the cavity and the roller member floats on the top copy of the stack of printed publications. A drive assembly having an unidirectional drive mechanism and a reset mechanism is also positioned within the cavity. A plate member having a publication discharge portal with dimensions sufficient to allow discharge therethrough of a single copy of the printed publication is positioned across the opening of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Jack P. F. Gremillion, III
    Inventors: Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion, III, Edward R. Roshto
  • Patent number: 6116459
    Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing paper articles, such as coffee filters, from a nested stack of such articles is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an open-topped container and a separate lid having a mechanism for retrieving one coffee filter from a nested stack of filters. A pair of tabs are pivotally connected to the lid portion and extend through slots in the lid portion. A spring extends between the two tabs to maintain the tabs in an initial position. An elongate member depends from each tab, and the lower end of each member bears a contact surface bearing an adhesive or high friction material. In use, the tab upper ends are manually pivoted toward one another so that the elongate members bring the contact surface into an engaged position with the topmost filter in the stack. The lid is then withdrawn from the container with a single filter, leaving the remaining nested filters in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Charles E. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6102250
    Abstract: A device for storing and serially dispensing cards, typically those impregnated with a perfumed scent for sampling by a perspective customer. The device stores a number of cards arranged in a substantially vertical stack. The cards are moved to a dispensing point by a spring loaded carriage into a dispensing mechanism which serially removes a leading card from the stack, changes its position to horizontal and ejects it through an opening in the front of the device as a lever is manually depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Inventor: Daniel W. Leo, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6098840
    Abstract: A card-dispensing device has a mechanism for forcibly modifying the attitude of the slide during the forward run of the slide from a horizontal attitude in which the slide is pushing a card forward to an attitude which is inclined through a fixed angle, and then forcibly returned to its initial horizontal attitude during the backward run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
    Inventors: Yukio Ito, Yoshihisa Hirayama, Hideo Tanaka, Takashi Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 6082581
    Abstract: A business card dispenser includes a container having an interior cavity of a size that is just sufficient to accommodate a stack of business cards. A closure is provided on the container, whereby access is provided for the purpose of inserting the stack of business cards. A dispensing slot is provided through the container. A slider is manually movable toward and away from the dispensing slot. The slider has a depending gripping foot that engages an uppermost one of the business cards in the stack and moves said uppermost business card toward the dispensing slot. An inclined plane extends at a gradual upward slope from the bottom of the interior cavity to the dispensing slot to guide the uppermost card up the inclined plane to the dispensing slot, without regard to the number of cards remaining in the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Ross Anderson
    Inventors: Ross Anderson, Brian Conway
  • Patent number: 6068157
    Abstract: A stacked-paper dispenser in which a stack of paper is accommodated for dispensing a piece of paper is provided with: an accommodating member for accommodating the stack of paper therein; a stacked-paper placing base on which the stack of paper is placed, the stacked paper placing base being fitted in the accommodating member and adapted to be resiliently raised upward; a cover having an opening portion for dispensing the piece of paper; and a paper dispensing device including a bearing member capable of reciprocating in a longitudinal direction on an inner surface side of the cover, a roller member which is axially supported by the bearing member and which is nonrotatable in the movement in an advancing direction of the bearing member and rotatable in a returning direction, and a thumb slider for operating the bearing member from outside the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Super Planning Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahisa Kamiya
  • Patent number: 6036052
    Abstract: A roller mechanism for a lottery ticket machine includes a face plate, a compartment, a roller unit, two position hook bars, a gear unit, and a motor device. The roller unit has a main and a subordinate rollers both provided with a pattern. The motor has a worm to rotate the gear unit and then the rollers. The position hook bars press elastically the subordinate roller to engage the main roller. The main roller rotates the subordinate roller in the reverse direction, rolling out a lottery ticket out from the two rollers. But when a lottery ticket is pulled by external force, the patterns of the rollers clamp the upper and the lower surface of the lottery ticket and increase friction, and the subordinate roller shrinks inward the position hook bars to engage tightly the main roller to prevent the lottery ticket from being pulled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Inventor: Hui-Jin Tong
  • Patent number: 6029971
    Abstract: A belt displacement operation is periodically carried by the pick mechanism 11 of a sheet feeding apparatus, when the number of sheets fed has reaches a predetermined value. The motor 34 is driven in reverse for a predetermined time, so as to cause rotation of the belt 28 in the opposite direction to that during feeding. Since the pick pulley 26 is supported on the shaft 38 by means of a one-way clutch 40 so that it does not rotate during the reverse rotation of the belt 28, displacement of the belt 28 occurs relative to the pick pulley 26, so that in subsequent pick operations, a different portion of the belt 28 engages the stack 18 so as to pick a sheet, than had displacement of the belt 28 not occurred. This reduces the risk of localized portions of the belt 28 becoming more worn than others, due to more frequent engagement with the stack 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Lynch, David J. McMillan, Derek S. Bell
  • Patent number: 6003725
    Abstract: A single vend newspaper vending machine having an elevator system mounted within the machine housing, the elevator system including a vertically movable inclined newspaper support plate and a ratchet system for ratcheting the vertically movably plate upwards and a newspaper thickness sensing device for sensing the thickness of the topmost paper. The elevator system is operative to elevate the next paper on the stack of papers to the same height as the former topmost paper as determined by the newspaper thickness sensing device so that paper may be engaged by one or more pusher bars which engage the topmost paper and move it to or towards a dispensing position. The topmost paper then disengages from the stack and may fall forward into the newspaper vending chute or may be pushed forwards by the pusher bars to a dispensing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventors: Edmund H. Blankenau, Gerald J. Blankenau
  • Patent number: 5941414
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles such as tickets, cards and the like includes a base, a frame mounted on the base for enclosing in a stack a plurality of articles to be dispensed, a gate and a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism includes a rotably mounted drum, a pair of toothed wheels fixedly mounted on the drum, a pair of rotably mounted exit rollers, a motor for driving the drum and one of the exit rollers and an arrangement of gears for coupling the motor to the drum and the drum to one of the exit rollers. In the operation of the apparatus, the toothed wheels transport articles from the stack into the gate and the exit rollers discharge articles from the gate, the gate allowing only one article at a time to pass through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Algonquin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazmier J. Kasper
  • Patent number: 5938073
    Abstract: A card stacking and conveyance structure adapted for use in automatic card vending machines such as telephone card vending machines, including a securing seat, a conveyance device, and a press plate. Cards are disposed in a receiving space of the securing seat. The cards will actuate a switch to connect the relevant circuit elements. When a control circuit board receives a card discharge signal, it will actuate a motor which rotates a gear set to bring a roller set into operation. A card will then slide forwardly and gradually pass through a clearance between a front cover plate and a bottom cover plate due to the action of a first roller and a second roller, and then pass through a seam between a third roller and a fourth roller to a card slot of the vending machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Gamemax Corporation
    Inventor: Yuan Fong Chang
  • Patent number: 5848727
    Abstract: A manually operated dispensing device for ejecting perfume sampling strips of varying length and thickness. Interchangeable septums are provided to form properly sized stacking channels. A resilient lip prevents more than one sample strip from being ejected during a single activation. A tapered exit opening accommodates the leading edge of strips of varying thickness and possible misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Inventors: Daniel W. Leo, Thomas E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5833104
    Abstract: A ticket dispensing device having a braking system for preventing unauthorized removal of tickets. A drive roller advancing the ticket strip through the device is connected to a brake wheel. Pulling on the ticket moves the brake wheel into a braking member to impede the rotation of the drive roller, and thereby prevent removal of tickets. The ticket dispensing device also includes a face plate which can be easily and quickly removed to eliminate ticket jams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Stephen Horniak
    Inventors: Stephen Horniak, John Wingeron, Jr., John Colin Horniak
  • Patent number: 5799713
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing both coffee and nested stacks of cup-shaped coffee filters, and then automatically filling individual filters with selected amounts of coffee. Through a series of gears, an electric motor rotates an elastic projection against the topmost filter in the stack, dragging it beneath a coffee storage receptacle. Simultaneously, a rotating coffee dispenser fills with a selectable quantity of coffee and then dumps the coffee into the filter. The apparatus also includes a stirring device for insuring the stored coffee falls to the bottom of the coffee receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Larry W. Moore
  • Patent number: 5794606
    Abstract: A feed mechanism for use with a paintball gun having an infeed tube for receiving paintballs that are to be fired from the paintball gun. The feed mechanism includes a storage container, a feeder tube, a feed structure, an electric motor and a switch for automatically stopping the electric motor. The storage container holds paintballs and has a bottom wall with a feeder opening therein. The feeder tube is connected to the infeed tube so as to form a feed path. The feed structure has a passage that extends between the feeder opening of the storage container and the feeder tube. The passage is defined in part by a first surface secured to the periphery of a first wheel and a second surface secured to the periphery of a second wheel. The first and second surfaces have a spacing therebetween that is smaller than the diameter of the paintballs. The first and second surfaces are composed of a deformable material that grips paintballs at the feeder opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Inventor: Bernard A. Deak
  • Patent number: 5765721
    Abstract: A note pad dispenser arranged to selectively lift a single web of an underlying note pad is provided, with the note pad having a reusable adhesive strip of each leaf of the note pad, with each adhesive strip arranged in a superimposed orientation relative to one another in the stack of leaves of the pad. A base member is arranged with a base member top wall pivotally mounting a platform. The platform is constructed with a platform top wall spaced from a platform bottom wall arranged in a facing relationship relative to the base top wall and pivotally mounted relative thereto. The platform includes an abutment member arranged to accommodate a stack of individual leaves to define a pad, with each of the leaves having an adhesive strip arranged in an aligned relationship relative to one another relative to the pad, with the adhesive strips positioned at a forward end of the pad, and the forward end of the pad in abutment with the abutment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Inventor: Robert L. Vance
  • Patent number: 5730319
    Abstract: An improved business-person's holder and hygienic seeming dispenser for standard business-cards, constructed as to provide novel convenience advantage of dispensing outward from one of the long-sides of a rectangular housing, by biasing of a dispensing button forward from a rearward ready position. The notion of the invention being to keep the cards of virtually any gauge-thickness hygienically clean and wrinkle-free, while providing a repetitively reliable rapid-action, and relatively elegant modality by which to introduce oneself to others. A novel actuator-mechanism is included wherein by virtue of thumb-pressure applied to the dispensing button it thereby simultaneously tilts-over slightly as to lower a close-coupled friction-pad down upon the upward-face of uppermost card stacked into the housing. The uppermost card is thus frictionably transported away from the remaining stack, to an outwardly position exhibiting about 80% of the card's face to the customer to which it is being presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Michael J. Duly
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Gray, Michael J. Duly
  • Patent number: 5687876
    Abstract: A coffee filter container and/or dispenser for containing and dispensing coffee filters. The coffee filter container and/or dispenser comprises a base, a housing, a lid, a pair of opposed filter stops, and a filter engager. The filter engager and the filter stops cooperate with each other to separate one coffee filter from a stack of filters disposed in the housing. A method or process separating a coffee filter from a stack of coffee filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Inventor: Orlan R. Lucas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5671865
    Abstract: A coffee filter dispenser to dispense individual coffee filters of the cup type from a stack, comprising a housing having a bottom wall, side walls, a rear wall and an open front wall, dimensioned to receive a stack of cup type coffee filters therein facing upside down. A friction bar is positioned to slide on tracks secured to the side walls, first in a rearward direction in which it makes initial contact with the uppermost filter in the stack to slightly raise and loosen it and then in the foreword direction to eject the loosened filter from the stack and from the dispenser. The friction bar is normally biased to its forward position by a pair of coil springs connected to respective end regions of the bar and to respective brackets extending forwardly from the forward edges of the side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventor: Christopher P. Sarris
  • Patent number: 5615800
    Abstract: An integrated business card and information dispenser device, for dispensing one or more pieces of information or business cards with each stroke of the dispensing lever, which can be mounted permanently or temporarily using a variety of mounting means, the device having a business card and information storage area and a dispensing means, the device also having a secured, locking article storage area, the device being waterproof and having various indicia display surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Inventor: Michael C. Meyers
  • Patent number: 5562402
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for automatically delivering a glass sheet for a preparation. The apparatus including a rack for receiving a stack of glass sheets, rollers for feeding out a lowest glass sheet until the lowest glass sheet has been completely ejected from the stack, and a switch mechanism capable of terminating the operation of the rollers by the contact of the leading edge of the lowest glass sheet. The roller includes a plurality of protrusions for pushing the trailing edge of the lowest glass sheet in order to operate the switch mechanism by the contact of the leading edge when the lowest glass sheet has been completely ejected from the stack. The switch mechanism can reliably be operated by the force of the pushing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Muto Pure Chemicals Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yunosuke Muto
  • Patent number: 5538236
    Abstract: An improved gate assembly for the carton blank magazine of a packaging machine includes a frame fixedly mounted on the magazine. The frame has a longitudinal opening formed therein for permitting the passage of a single carton blank therethrough. The frame has air ducts extending therethrough and receiving members extending from the air ducts. Each of the receiving members has at least one slot formed in the surface thereof facing the magazine. Each of the receiving members also has an interior channel formed therein for communicating air between the slots and the respective air duct. In operation, negative air pressure applied to the air ducts induces a carton blank from the magazine into contact with the receiving members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventor: Joakim Nordell
  • Patent number: 5482184
    Abstract: A newspaper conveying mechanism of a newspaper vending machine, including a chain driven by a motor, a set of friction wheels and a driving claw which are locked on the chain at a certain interval. When the mechanism is placed on the surface of a pile of newspapers, the friction wheels previously attach to and frictionally push a single upmost newspaper and then the driving claws grabs the newspaper at folding edges thereof. At this time, the chain is continuously circled to convey the newspaper outside the machine. A joint apparatus is provided to enable the newspaper conveying apparatus to fully attach to the surface of the newspaper for more accurately conveying the newspaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Inventor: Wei-Ping Chang
  • Patent number: 5467895
    Abstract: A ticket dispensing machine which can dispense the lowermost ticket from a column of tickets, has a reciprocating arm member which includes a selector having a rocker arm to facilitate engagement with, and ejection of tickets. This allows the machine to efficiently dispense tickets which are distorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: TDM Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Man K. Fung
  • Patent number: 5429346
    Abstract: In terms of their operational reliability, apparatuses for discharging from a magazine of flat-laid packaging container blanks of the type used for manufacturing packaging containers for liquid contents are greatly dependent upon the quality of the packaging container blanks themselves. In the event of variations in friction or abutment pressure between the packaging container blanks, there is a risk that more than one blank is discharged at a time, or alternatively that no blank is discharged at all. In order to ensure a dependable function with repeated discharge of one blank at a time and at a predetermined rate, the apparatus according to the present invention includes a pivotal lever provided with at least one suction cup. The lever displaces one packaging container blank at a time from the discharge end of a magazine past a segmented wheel which grasps the discharged blank between a rubber cladding and a counter wheel for further advancement to a conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
    Inventors: Roland Andersson, Ulf Mossberg
  • Patent number: 5388724
    Abstract: A coffee filter storage and dispensing canister includes a container body having an interior compartment storing an inverted stack of coffee filters and one end with a dispensing opening for dispensing coffee filters therefrom, a cover removably fitted on an opposite end of the container body, a hold-down member disposed over the inverted stack of coffee filters, and a plurality of biasing elements disposed between the cover and hold-down member causing the hold-down member to exert a hold-down force on the inverted stack of coffee filters biasing the stack toward the dispensing opening of the container body. The canister also includes a filter separator crank and a filter retainer arm installed adjacent to the dispensing opening of the container body and extending within the interior compartment thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Inventors: Tracy F. Adams, Pamela S. Adams
  • Patent number: 5383569
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Muto Pure Chemicals Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Yunosuke Muto
  • Patent number: 5383572
    Abstract: A low cost high speed counter and dispenser of tickets includes a feed roll and a hopper for feeding cards tangentially onto the feed roll. A pair of nip rolls rotating at a higher peripheral speed than the feed roll opens a gap between the trailing edge of one ticket and the leading edge of the next ticket that is detected by a photodetector cell providing an input for a digital counter. A D.C. motor drive is used which is dynamically braked when a desired count is reached. A collector bin includes a detector for determining if the bin is empty to automatically initiate a new dispensing cycle, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Inventor: Ted Mrajca
  • Patent number: 5370264
    Abstract: A ticket dispenser including a frame including a pair of side panels and a front panel having a slot, a driven roller fitted between the side panels, a driving roller disposed under the driven roller, a ticket rail extending slantwise between the driven roller and the driving roller, a worm gear fixedly connected with an end of the driving roller, a worm rod engaged with the worm gear, and a motor drivingly connected with the worm rod, whereby the dispenser is durable in use and easy to maintain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Inventor: Kung Wen-Chih
  • Patent number: 5335822
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing tickets from a stack includes a base. A frame for enclosing a stack of tickets is fixedly mounted on the base. A partition wall whose position can be changed to accommodate tickets of different sizes is removably mounted in the frame. A gate for receiving tickets and allowing only one ticket at a time to pass through is also fixedly mounted on the base. The gate includes a slider element which is adjusted to different heights by a screw having two different sized threads in order to accommodate tickets of different thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Algonquin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazmier J. Kasper
  • Patent number: 5335817
    Abstract: An improved sealed dispenser for sequentially dispensing filters utilizing a band tangentially contacting a portion of the periphery of a wheel thereby providing a frictionalized surface. Filters may be added to the top of the dispenser in a prepackaged set and the packaging becomes a sealing top to the dispenser. A single filter can be drawn from a stack of filters positioned in the dispenser by rotating the wheel using an externally attached knob, which passes a single filter by friction between the wheel and the band. The filter exits the dispenser via a pivotably closable door located at the lower part of the front of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Inventor: Ernest G. Powers
  • Patent number: 5322190
    Abstract: A tissue dispenser for dispensing a single tissue at one time includes a dispenser box having a support back on one end, a movable drawer in said dispenser box for holding tissues, a pivotable arm mounted by a first end to said support back and biased in an upward position by a spring. A tissue pickup member is mounted on a second end of said pivotal arm, having a pickup surface having a tacky adhesive thereon. A cam arm raises and lowers said pivotable arm when a push lever is pressed downward to compress a spring and released to allow the spring to expand, raising said pivotable arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Inventor: Seigel M. Bartley
  • Patent number: 5301831
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a one-at-a-time dispensing assembly for newspaper racks of tetrahedral shape in which the assembly is positioned within and spans the walls of the rack. The dispensing assembly of the invention includes a fixed support base subassembly fixedly positioned--in a vertical sense--adjacent to the lower edge of the rack opening, and a shaker subassembly. The base subassembly supports both a stack of newspapers and a planar member of the shaker subassembly. The shaker subassembly also includes a lever extending exterior of the rack below the lower edge of the rack opening actionably connected to the planar member. Purpose: to permit to-and-fro movement of the planar member supporting the stack of newspaper via corresponding movement of the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Harold D. Messner
    Inventor: Woodi N. Holmes
  • Patent number: 5249705
    Abstract: A push button coupon dispenser comprises a housing having a roll of coupons, a coupon ejection slit, a battery, a motor and a push button electrically connected to the battery and the motor for activating the motor. The housing further includes a coupon advancing means having a guide means to guide the coupon to the ejection slit, and a timer to provide a time delay between each coupon ejection. A coupon sensor detects the presence or absence coupons at the exit slit. The coupon dispenser is mounted on a smooth surface at the point of purchase by means of a suction-cup mount plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Paul A. Wiebel
    Inventor: Lawrence B. Gates
  • Patent number: 5244115
    Abstract: Apparatus for storing one or more stacks of paper slips and for sequentially dispensing single slips from a stack as needed. The apparatus may include a protective housing having one or more compartments in which is disposed a flat plate on which a stack of paper slips may be placed. The plate is free to move upwardly or downwardly in the compartment and is biased upwardly. A roller assembly carried at one end of the housing for frictional engagement with the uppermost paper slip in a stack is selectively rotatable by a persons hand to dispense the uppermost slip through an opening in the end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Inventor: Joel C. Huck
  • Patent number: 5240140
    Abstract: A card dispenser (32) comprising a body (33) having a compartment (38) for accommodating a stack of cards (39) and at least one outlet (43) through which cards (39) accommodated in the compartment (38) can be dispensed, transporting mechanism (41) provided in the body (33) and arranged to transport a card (39) from the said stack so accommodated towards the said or one of the said at least one outlet (43), and a random device (47) arranged to cause the or some of the cards (39) to be dispensed one by one to a plurality of locations in a random manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Inventor: Hing-Wah Huen
  • Patent number: 5232123
    Abstract: A literature dispensing mechanism which will dispense a single unit of literature from an orderly stack of literature when manually actuated by a coin slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Inventors: Robert G. Richardson, William R. Duey, Sherri R. Duey
  • Patent number: 5219093
    Abstract: A medication dispenser for dispensing pills, tablets, capsules, or the like, one at a time from a receptacle in which the medication is arranged loosely to allow for easy filling. In one embodiment, the medication units are passed through a restricted funnel opening, one at a time, and then captured between two cooperating, movable, compressible structures such as wheels, belts, or the like, which move the units to a detector that counts the units as they are removed from the dispenser. In another embodiment, the medication is first captured and then moved through a restricted opening. The dispenser may also include a computer for controlling and/or recording the time of dispensing and the quantity of medication dispensed. Additionally, the dispenser may include two sequentially placed sets of cooperating, movable, structures at different horizontal levels for achieving greater separation of medication units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas S. Moulding
    Inventors: Thomas S. Moulding, Jr, Donald G. Ellis
  • Patent number: 5209374
    Abstract: A label dispenser for self-adhesive labels arranged on separate sheets, with a stack holder for the sheets, is described which is distinguished by the following features:a sheet feed device (8) for the sheets;a deflector device (deflector--or pivotal roller 2), which, in the feed direction of each sheet, is pivotable immediately in front of the bending edge (1) into the feed path;a drive for a draw-off device, which pulls the sheet in contact with it at an angle to the feed direction; andand a control for the sheet feed device, the deflector device and the draw-off device such that each sheet is firstly advanced with its leading edge over the bending edge (1); that the deflector device is then actuated and subsequently the draw-off device feeds the sheet transferred to it, taking with it the first label or the first row of labels beyond the bending edge until the trailing label edge is located substantially in the vicinity of the bending edge (1), then interrupts the further withdrawal of the label or all of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventor: Johanna Seidl-Lichthardt
  • Patent number: 5176237
    Abstract: An unattended card exchange unit which is powered by a battery and is actuated when a card is inserted into it via a lower passage and contact a micro-switch therein. When the unit is actuated, a motor inside there drives a driving wheel which in turn drives and rotates a first set of rubber rollers which causes the inserted card to smoothly drop down into the lower part of the unit, and a second set of rubber rollers containing an arm-carry roller, causing the arm thereof to move a card inside the unit toward an upper passage leading to a slot on outer wall of the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Inventor: Ren G. Yang
  • Patent number: 5110008
    Abstract: A medication dispenser for dispensing pills, tablets, capsules, or the like, one at a time from a receptacle in which the medication is arranged loosely to allow for easy filling. In one embodiment, the medication units are passed through a restricted funnel opening, one at a time, and then captured between two cooperating, movable, compressible structures such as wheels, belts, or the like, which move the units to a detector that counts the units as they are removed from the dispenser. In another embodiment, the medication is first captured and then moved through a restricted opening. The dispenser may also include a computer for controlling and/or recording the time of dispensing and the quantity of medication dispensed. Additionally, the dispenser may include two sequentially placed sets of cooperating, movable, structures at different horizontal levels for achieving greater separation of medication units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Inventors: Thomas S. Moulding, Jr., Donald G. Ellis
  • Patent number: 5106337
    Abstract: A coin sorter and dispenser includes side-by-side vertical coin chambers for sorted coins. The stacks of coins are supported on respective friction wheels which are exposed at the bottom so that a user may engage the bottom of a selected wheel and rotate it so that the top of the wheel slides the lowermost coin in a stack through an exit clearance to drop into the hand of the user. The friction wheels engage the stacks near the front edge and the rear edge of the stack is supported on sloping ramps to ensure that the lowermost coin slides forwardly through the clearance. Coins are fed through a top slot to be size sorted into the respective chambers. The sorter is formed of injection molded snap together front and back parts with a snap-on cover plate over the slightly inclined upper sorting portion of the front part. The front part is transparent so the number of coins in each chamber may be seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Mag-Nif, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Knox
  • Patent number: 5104000
    Abstract: A permanent wave end paper dispenser allows a beauty operator to dispense permanent wave end papers from a housing in a one at a time manner, utilizing only one hand. The dispenser includes a rectangular housing with an inclined ramp disposed adjacent a paper discharger opening formed in a front wall. The ramp has a V-shaped notch to allow an operator to grasp an end paper dispensed through the discharge opening. A paper supply drawer is removably received in a feed opening formed in a back wall of the housing, to allow refilling of the dispenser. A push button on the front wall of the housing is in abutment with a first end of a horizontally disposed plunger rod. The second end of the plunger rod and a first end of a coil spring are connected to a lowermost extension member of a vertically extending rotatable post. A second end of the coil spring is connected to the front housing wall, biasing the post and plunger rod to a return position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Inventor: Lois S. Goff
  • Patent number: 5060821
    Abstract: A label dispenser (10) includes a storage container (13) for labels (11). A withdrawal roller (15) is in contact with the labels (11) and is supported together with a gear-wheel pinion (17) and a free-wheeling bearing (19) at the storage container (13). The pinion (17) is engaged with a fixed-position gear rack (23). As soon as the finger pressure actuates the server plate (29), the storage container (13) is pressed downwardly, the gear-wheel pinion (17) rotates the withdrawal roller (15) such that the outermost label is pushed out downwardly out of the storage container (13). The outermost label is then gripped by a transport roller pair and can be transported off. As soon as the finger pressure is released, a helical spring (37) slides the storage container (13) back into the starting position. In this case, a hollow cylinder (33), together with an air valve (39) furnishes a braking of the speed, while the free-wheeling bearing (19) runs freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Ascom Hasler AG
    Inventors: Erwin Berger, Christian Moy
  • Patent number: 5052674
    Abstract: A simple, low cost, hand operated paper feeder includes a media chamber mounted at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane that allows media to exit the chamber through a membrane. A two-position, T-shaped actuator including a pair of non-rotating rolls is slidably mounted on a rail for contacting the media. A rod is connected to the actuator such that when movement of the rod is initiated in a first direction, the actuator is moved to a position contacting the media and with continued movement of the rod, a top sheet of the media is moved a predetermined amount through the membrane, and with return of the rod in a second direction to its initial position, the actuator is caused to retract from the media surface to its initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad J. Bell
  • Patent number: 5018614
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Theodor Braun, Ges, m.b.H
    Inventor: Wolf-Dietrich K. Ruckert