Abstract: A feeding toy for feeding pets through pet's autonomous pressing, comprising a main body and a food storage bin, wherein a bottom plate is arranged on a bottom of the main body, a feeding trough and a food outlet are arranged on the main body, a sliding channel is arranged on the bottom plate, an upper end of the sliding channel is configured to be a food blocking wall, a food leakage port is arranged on a side of the food storage bin, an adjusting baffle is arranged at an upper end of the food leakage port, a food tray is arranged at a lower end of the food storage bin; when the food storage bin is not pressed down, an outer edge of the food tray is lower than a lower end of the food leakage port, and the food leakage port and the food blocking wall fit together.

Abstract: A product dispensing system including a container defining an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, the container including a weakened severance line extending from the opening to define an access panel, and a dispenser including a frame and a catch element, the frame having a support deck and defining a recess sized to receive the access panel, the catch element being positioned to engage the opening in the container, separate the access panel from the container along the weakened severance line, and guide the separated access panel into the recess when the container is moved along the support deck.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring decorative rigid bodies from a carrier strip onto a substrate includes a reciprocator adapted for individually bringing the decorative rigid bodies into contact with the substrate, and a tractor mechanism operatively coupled to the reciprocator such that an outward motion of the reciprocator is registered with transportation of the carrier strip such that one of the decorative rigid bodies is brought between the reciprocator and the substrate. The carrier strip has pockets accommodating decorative rigid bodies, and right and left side rims, the right and/or left side rims having engagement features adapted to receive one or more bosses of the tractor mechanism of the apparatus. A method is performed for transferring the decorative rigid bodies from the carrier strip onto the substrate.

Abstract: A tablet dispenser having a lower housing (12), an upper housing (14) with an elastometric cover (16) that covers at least a portion of a trigger mechanism. The dispenser mechanism (120) has a spring element (130) and a lever mechanism (142) pivotally mounted in the dispensing zone (124). An interior of the lower housing (12) is provided with a pusher bar (149) which extends from a fore wall (103) of the lower housing (12) back towards an upward extending leg (145) of the lever mechanism (142).

Abstract: A dispensing system for a vending machine includes a vend motor, a cradle, a load bar and a push arm. Upon selection of a particular product, the vend motor rotates the cradle, causing the product to emerge from the vending machine. The cradle is designed to accommodate a wide array of container sizes. The dispensing system incorporates a rotation sensor, a position sensor, and a lift arm. The sensors enable accurate rotation of the cradle through a plurality of vend angles depending upon the particular product being vended, while the lift arm cooperates with the push arm and load bar to refill the cradle after a series of product containers have been dispensed. In addition, the vend motor includes a soft start control that prevents instantaneous rotation of the output shaft so as to prolong an overall operational life of the motor.

Abstract: A dispenser (10) having a housing (20), a peripheral annular shoulder (30), a wafer package (60), and a lever (70). The housing (20) defines a longitudinal axis and a retention chamber (23) with a dispensing orifice (25) proximate the periphery of the base (21). The peripheral annular shoulder (30) is proximate the base (21) and spaced above the base (21) in the first longitudinal direction X1 to define a gap (40) between the base (21) and the shoulder (30). The wafer package (60) is configured and arranged to fit completely within the retention chamber (23) of the housing (20). The lever (70) is pivotally attached to the housing (20) and has an arm (71) and a push rod (72). The push rod (72) is attached to the distal end (71a) of the arm (71) wherein the distal end (72a) of the push rod (72) radially extends into the gap (40).

Abstract: A card dispensing apparatus having a compact configuration has a housing to support a stack of cards on a fixed base. Openings in the base member can permit surfaces from a conveying member to extend into the housing and contact a surface of the lowest card. The conveyer member can move horizontal to a release point and retract beneath the base member to return to an initial position. A movement unit provides a cyclic looping movement of the conveyer member into and out of the housing for transporting cards. A feed unit positioned at the dispensing point of the cards can grasp and release the cards from the card dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: A device for manually dispensing medications is realized, which allows the operator to perform preliminary manual medication dispensing in advance of several subsequent dispensing steps, while facilitating the operator's ability to recognize the region to which each medication is to be dispensed, there by allowing the operator to easily and precisely perform manual dispensing of various kinds of medications.

Abstract: A vending machine includes first and second integrated dispensing systems mounted at front portions of adjacent product shelf dividers establishing at least first, second and third product queues. Each of the first and second dispensing systems includes first and second release mechanisms having a plurality of hinged plates supported by a frame. The plurality of hinged plates are selectively shifted into and out of corresponding ones of the first, second and third product queues, such that each product queue has associated therewith two opposing release mechanisms. Preferably, at least one of the first and second release mechanisms for each dispensing system includes a queue spacing member which is mounted to one of the hinged plates and projects into the product queue to establish a desired spacing between the release mechanisms.

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 container for storing dental devices includes a container body adapted to hold the dental devices and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense one of the dental devices when the dispensing mechanism is triggered.

Abstract: A tablet dispenser having a lower housing (12), an upper housing (14) with an elastometric cover (16) that covers at least a portion of a trigger mechanism. The dispenser mechanism (120) has a spring element (130) and a lever mechanism (142) pivotally mounted in the dispensing zone (124). An interior of the lower housing (12) is provided with a pusher bar (149) which extends from a fore wall (103) of the lower housing (12) back towards an upward extending leg (145) of the lever mechanism (142).

Abstract: The disk feeder removes disks from the bottom of a stack of disks by pushing them one at a time with a ram traveling back and forth under a tower holding the stack of disks. The tower has a gap at the base for allowing one disk at a time to be pushed out by the ram. The tower may be tilted to provide for a stack of disks, which rest partly on a wall of the tower to reduce the weight of the stack on the bottom disk. The workstation fed by the disk feeder can be a disk destroyer, a printer, a writer or any other disk processing device. Combinations of disk feeders and workstations can produce batches of copies of disks with labels printed on them. The disk feeder provides a low cost reliable way to feed disks to work stations.

Abstract: A sensor dispensing device (1) comprises a cartridge (2) having an outer casing (11) and a plurality of sensors (6) arranged one upon another in a stack. The cartridge has a first dispensing end (13) and a second opposing end (14) spaced a fixed distance apart, and the cartridge includes a first aperture (15) for the ejection of a sensor closest to the first end and a second aperture (16) opposed to the first aperture, for access by a pushing member (25). The first aperture and the second aperture are each provided with compliant sealing means (17) which are at least partly disposed outside the outer casing. The sealing means have first and second sealing surfaces which are capable of co-operating to releasably form a substantially moisture-tight seal when acted upon by suitable clamping forces. The device has a housing (34) for receiving the cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to diagnostic kits that house and deliver a carrier for an analyte, such as a test strip carrying an blood glucose analyte used by persons afflicted with diabetes in order to determine their blood glucose levels.

Abstract: A publication vending device for vending a single publication per vend cycle. The single publication vending device includes a forward transport assembly located within a housing and connected to a carriage for reciprocating movement with the carriage. A the publication is advanced forward through a publication vend port, by operation of the forward transport assembly including. A first finger is positioned laterally to a first edge of the publication and a second finger is positioned laterally to a second edge of the publication. Each of the fingers is forwardly movable with forward operation of the carriage. Each of the fingers is configured for transpositional travel in a plane substantially coplanar to a plane of an interleaf of the publication and towards the centerline of the publication.

Abstract: A release mechanism for a vending machine includes a frame for supporting a plurality of hinged plates which are movable between article retention and dispensing positions. As the release mechanism is moved to the dispensing position, a sub-plate member of one of the plurality of plates projects into a dispensing path and abuts an article to be dispensed to force the article along the dispensing path. A pusher link is used to shift the sub-plate member, with the pusher link being adapted to extend through a central opening provided in a main plate member when the release mechanism assumes the article dispensing position.

Abstract: A dispenser (1) for dispensing strip elements (4), having a supply chamber (3) for accommodating a strip-element stack (St), and having a discharging pusher (14) with a nose (16) for interacting with a first strip element (4′) of the strip-element stack (St), via a discharging slot (15) which is adapted to the thickness (y) of a strip element (4). In order to achieve a more functionally advantageous solution, the discharging pusher (14) has a pusher nose (16) which is made of elastically compliant material and, in the uninfluenced state, projects by more than the thickness (y) of the strip element (4).

Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a Host dispenser, which substantially eliminates the possibility of spreading unwanted germs amongst the members of a church congregation. The disclosed apparatus allows a single Host to be dispensed to a person. The Host dispenser includes a Host magazine in which a plurality of individual Hosts are stored. The Host magazine is configured to register or index the plurality of Hosts, one at a time to an ejection position, where a manually operated ejection ram ejects one Host at a time out of a dispensing opening or port included in the Host dispenser. The Host dispenser further includes a sacramental wine reservoir and dispensing valve for selectively dispensing a small amount of sacramental wine onto a Host as it is dispensed from the Host dispenser.

Abstract: A candy dispenser in the form of a toy spacecraft having a single user action dispensing mechanism is provided. The candy dispenser may include an internal cavity to store candies. The internal cavity may be provided in the form of a cockpit for the spacecraft, with a cockpit windshield serving as a lid to retain candies therein. The dispensing mechanism may include a user-depressable button in the form of a passenger of the spacecraft, which upon a single depression, both loads a candy into a firing chamber, and fires the candy from the spacecraft. After each depression of the passenger button, the button is automatically reset to facilitate ease of use and rapid firing.

Abstract: A method of supplying ampules, stored in a container, to any of a plurality of feeders of an ampule dispenser which has run out or is short of ampules in stock. The ampules are supplied only after confirming that the ampules in the storage container are the kind to be supplied into the intended feeder. When any feeder of the ampule dispenser runs out or is short of ampules, a bar code on the ampule storage container is read by a bar code reader and compared with an identification code provided on the intended feeder. If they coincide with each other, the ampules in the container are supplied into the intended feeder.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles from a stack, the apparatus being particularly useful in dispensing articles having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a sensitive top or bottom surface. The apparatus for dispensing such articles includes a base, a frame mounted on the base for enclosing in a stack a plurality of articles to be dispensed and a gate for receiving articles from the stack and allowing only one article at a time to pass through. The apparatus further includes a transport mechanism for transporting articles to be dispensed from the stack into the gate. The transport mechanism includes a movable pusher element, a reversible motor mounted on the base, a first slider element slidably mounted on the base, a second slider element slidably mounted on the base, a rack fixedly mounted on the second slider element and a pinion fixedly mounted on the motor. The pusher element is pivotally mounted on the first slider element and is pivotally coupled to the second slider element by a linkage.

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.

Abstract: A device for heating and manually dispensing small vials or carpules. The device includes a generally rectangular housing having a top wall with a lid. The lid provides access to the interior of the housing. The interior of the housing includes a vial feed chamber and a sliding dispensing member. The interior of the housing is heated with a small incandescent light bulb. The dispensing member has a notch near the leading edge for loading vials when in a retracted position and dispensing vials when in an extended position, the extended position reaching beyond the housing of the dispenser.

Abstract: A vending machine for dispensing relatively flat, thin articles, and particularly for dispensing valuable articles such as debit cards and tickets. The articles to be dispensed are stored in removable chutes. Lockable covers are provided for the chutes so as to provide safe transportation containers for the valuable articles. Automatic device is provided for displacing the covers upon insertion of the chutes into the dispensing mechanism so as to prepare the mechanism for immediately dispensing the articles and eliminating the need to totally remove the covers during usage.

Abstract: A candy dispensing system is provided comprising a housing in which is defined a chamber for receiving a plurality of candies. The chamber has a dispensing opening and an arm for urging candies in the chamber so that one candy is always located adjacent the dispensing opening. A second arm and a push rod are provided for dispensing candies through the dispensing opening. In one embodiment such a candy dispensing apparatus may be combined as part of a children's wrist watch.

Abstract: A vending machine with a frame in which there are numerous pivoting shelves, each shelf having a tang which extends through a hole in the frame, each tang having a tab positioned to frictionally interact with a side of the hole to keep the shelf in a generally horizontal position until the tab is forced out of the frictional interaction by a ratchet slide which travels vertically up a ratchet column disposed next to the frame. The ratchet column causes the slide to ratchet upward by moving a face of the column up and down vertically, causing grooves on the column to lift the slide. Each movement of the face up and back down causes the slide to ratchet to a position one hole higher, forcing the tang out of frictional interaction with the hole wall which causes the shelf to pivot and drop its contents into an accessible receptacle at the bottom of the machine.

Abstract: An automatic distributor of stacked packages includes two lines of stacking means counterfaced and spaced apart from each other, having their respective outlets counterfaced and leading to the inside of the distributor, and two lines of delivery means operating respectively in each row of stacking means, with each delivery means normally sliding in respect to the longitudinal axis of the distributor. Operating means are designed to engage and operate the delivering means in accordance with commands received, while conveying means are situated between the two rows of stacking means.

Abstract: A dispenser for containing and dispensing elongated articles such as coffee stirrers, straws and the like is provided and presents an inclined wall therein including upper and lower end portions against and downwardly along which articles to be dispensed rest and may move by gravity. A dispensing member equipped with an upwardly opening groove is reciprocal transversely of the lower end portion of the inclined wall and includes an upper surface along which articles to be dispensed may move from the aforementioned lower end portion into the groove. The dispenser includes a side wall having an opening therein with which one end of the groove is registered and the opposite end of the groove is closed, whereby an article disposed in the groove may be dispensed through the opening upon movement of the dispensing member toward the one side wall of the dispenser.

Abstract: A discharge unit for sequentially discharging a lowermost piece of a stack of said pieces superposed in a shaft. The pieces in the stack have the same dimension as the inner cross section of the shaft and the shaft has a lower end wherefrom the lowermost pieces are sequentially discharged. The lower shaft end defines a plane and an axle extends in this plane. A bell crank lever having a first arm and a second arm is supported on the axle for pivoting between a first position wherein the first arm projects into the inner cross section of the shaft to hold the lowermost piece in the shaft and a second position wherein the first arm is retracted out of the inner shaft cross section to release the lowermost piece for discharge from the shaft. The second bell crank lever arm is arranged to clamp the piece of the stack superposed over the lowermost piece in position when the first bell crank lever arm is pivoted into the second position to hold the stack in the shaft.

Abstract: First and second complementary articles of hardware are fed to a single attaching station by first and second reciprocating feed-in fingers, respectively. Different types of first articles are selected during initial retraction of the first feed-in finger for advancement to the attaching station along a first path during advancement of the finger. Different types of second articles are selected during initial retraction of the second feed-in finger for advancement along a second path to the attaching station during advancement of the finger. During its retraction, the first finger is diverted from its first path at least when it would engage the first selected article. If the second selected article is disposed so as to be engaged by the second finger during its retraction, the second finger has a cooperating surface to cause it to move from the second path beneath the second selected article.

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.

Abstract: A dispenser for containing and dispensing elongated articles such as coffee stirrers is provided and presents an inclined wall therein including upper and lower end portions against and downwardly along which articles to be dispensed rest and may move by gravity. A dispensing member equipped with an upwardly opening groove is reciprocal transversely of the lower end portion of the inclined wall and includes an upper surface along which articles to be dispensed may move from the aforementioned lower end portion into the groove. The dispenser includes a side wall having an opening therein with which one end of the groove is registered and the opposite end of the groove is closed, whereby an article disposed in the groove may be dispensed through the opening upon movement of the dispensing member toward the one side wall of the dispenser.

Abstract: Unauthorized removal of packages from coin-operated vending apparatus is prevented by a gravity operated lock which prevents removal of the ejector from the column of packages in the dispenser. The lock can only be removed from the locking position by movement of the connecting link by which the coin-operated slide moves the ejector to remove packages from the column of packages.

Abstract: A cosmetic sample dispenser having plural replaceable magazines supported on a common base. Each of the magazines is positioned within a recess in the base and maintained in operative position by a latch against an ejector spring. The individual magazines each include an elongated main housing enclosing a follower plate and follower spring for urging stacked rectangular planar samples upwardly to a point of dispensing. A tubular sleeve element surrounds the main housing for relative axial manually imparted movement to actuate an ejector means for projecting one end of an upwardmost sample in a stack outwardly through an exit opening where it may be manually grasped for removal by a user. Upon release of an end wall of the housing the ejector spring returns the main housing to its original position within its respective recess and relative to the sleeve element for reactivation.

Abstract: An improved slide mount advance mechanism advances a slide mount to an insertion station of a slide mounting apparatus, where the slide mount receives a film transparency to form a photographic slide. The mechanism includes a slide ejector designed to contact a bottom slide mount in a slide magazine and advance the slide mount from the slide magazine to the insertion station. The slide ejector contacts the slide mount through a rear slide ejector opening of the slide magazine to force the slide mount through a front slide mount opening of the slide magazine to a slide track. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for aligning the bottom slide mount at or above an upper edge of the slide ejector while maintaining the bottom slide mount in a position to be engaged by the slide ejector. The aligning mechanism restricts the ejection of multiple slide mounts from the slide magazine to assure proper operation.

Abstract: A tongue depressor dispenser having a support base to which an upper cover detachably mounts. A dispenser assembly mounts to the support base. The dispenser assembly includes an ejector assembly that is movable to dispense a single tongue depressor at a time.

Abstract: A newspaper vending machine has a newspaper holder with a dispensing housing that holds the newspaper in the holder. When the door of the vending machine is opened, the dispensing housing is mechanically moved from its closed position to an open position which allows a single newspaper to be dispensed down a delivery chute to a location adjacent the door for access by the customer. The dispensing housing is designed to inhibit more than one newspaper at a time from sliding down the chute. The closure of the door mechanically returns the dispensing housing to its closed position and allows another newspaper to load into the dispensing housing for delivery to the next customer.

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.

Abstract: A hand-held tablet dispenser provides a housing having first and second vertically oriented chambers defined by bottom and side walls and a panel separating the chambers. Each of the chambers has an opening at the top. The first chamber includes a magazine that is open at the top and removably mounted for holding a stack of tablets. The tablets are yieldably urged upward to the top of the magazine. Adjacent to the top of the magazine is a discharge opening for allowing the tablets to be dispelled from the magazine as well as a hold down bar at the top of the magazine for preventing the tablets from being forced out the top. A cover is pivotally mounted on the magazine for opening and closing the top of the housing and discharge opening. This cover carries a pusher which forces the topmost tablet in the stack out of the discharge opening when the cover is pivoted to open the discharge opening. A slide is mounted in the second chamber and moves upwardly and downwardly.

Abstract: A device for organizing desk implements and for dispensing single sheets of paper. By repeatedly depressing and releasing a pressing bar mounted on a casing containing a stack of paper, one sheet at a time is advanced gradually from a slit in the casing. The device also has a pen-receiving stand aligned with the pressing bar, and one or more concave depressions in its upper surface in which paper clips or the like are retained by magnetic discs affixed to the underside of the depressions.

Abstract: A delivery device of piled corrugated fiberboard boxes is provided, which comprises a hopper for holding therein corrugated fiberboard boxes in a piled mode, a front sheet receiver and a rear sheet receiver held at a position higher than is the front sheet receiver and having an inclined guide surface whose height is adjustable, both the receivers being disposed in a lower portion inside the hopper, a kicker movable back and forth on and along the inclined guide surface for kicking out obliquely the upper and lower sheet end faces of a lowermost corrugated fiberboard box, and upper and lower feed rolls disposed on the send-out side of the front sheet receiver, whereby deformation of the lowermost corrugated fiberboard can be amended and prevented.

Abstract: First and second separately actuatable triggers are mounted to a housing which carries a hollow needle through which a fastener is dispensed. The needle is mounted to the housing for movement between original and extended positions. The article to be tagged is situated adjacent the front of the housing. When the first trigger is depressed, a tag is moved from a stack on the housng into alignment with the needle as the needle is moved forward to pierce the tag and article. Also, a fastener is fed into the needle. When the second trigger is depressed, the fastener is moved through the needle such that the T-bar end is situated behind the article and the needle retracts to its original position. The apparatus is pulled away from the article, leaving the tag affixed by the fastener. The apparatus is light-weight, easily manipulatable, and can be operated by a single hand.

Abstract: A vending machine for vending flat packages is disclosed which includes vend assemblies which are reciprocal from a rearward position to a forward, vend position. The vending machine is equipped with a rotary coin accepting assembly including a handle, a shaft and a circular cam affixed to the shaft to be rotated when the handle is turned. An activator rod extends forwardly from a reciprocating portion of the vend assembly and includes an operating finger which is positioned to be contacted by the circular cam when the handle is rotated in response to acceptance of a coin. The contact between the circular cam and the activator rod drives the vend assembly to its rearwardmost position to again prepare the vending machine for vending a flat package.

Abstract: Chip dispensing apparatus for dispensing bingo chips with a chip transfer slide which is reciprocally moveable between a chip receiving position to receive the lowermost chip from a stack of chips received in an elongate upstanding tube and a laterally removed chip dispensing position in which a chip is dispensed to a bingo card. The apparatus includes a pistol grip-type handle having a linkage which is coupled to the chip transfer slide and actuated by a trigger to reciprocally move the chip transfer slide between the chip receiving and chip dispensing positions.

Abstract: An article dispensing machine, such as a newspaper vending machine, operable in response to insertion of an appropriate coin, or plurality of coins, has a mechanism which edge engages and dispenses one uppermost article, such as a newspaper, to the purchaser when a mechanism actuator unlocked by insertion of the coins, is manually operated. Upon return to its original position after dispensing one newspaper the actuator cannot be operated again until unlocked by another insertion of appropriate coins.

Abstract: A seeding implement which includes a cylindrical container having a bottom with a centrally located opening therein. A metering plate is located beneath said container, preferably defining a plurality of different sized orifices that are locatable beneath and concentric to the bottom wall opening of the container. An elongated, adjustable seed metering rod is provided which includes a flattened tip that resides within said bottom wall opening, and eccentric thereto, and with the rod being mounted for oscillatory motion. Removable mounting of a plurality of seeding implements on a soil renovating implement is also disclosed and claimed.

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: An apparatus for dispensing containers, in particular disposable cups, from a stack. The apparatus has two jaw assemblies, each having a catch member and a lever member pivotable about horizontal axes between a first rest position in which the stack of containers is supported by the lever member and a second dispensing position in which the lowermost container is pulled from the stack by the lever member while it is supported by the catch member, and the inner edges of the catch member and lever member are formed as concave segments of a circle to provide good support and even loading on the containers during operation.

Abstract: Dispensing of fasteners by a device which receives an assemblage of the fasteners and is able to expel them individually through, for example, a slotted hollow needle. The dispensed fasteners can be used generally in the attachment of items to one another and, in particular, for the labeling of textile goods and the like with information bearing tags. The device includes a trigger operated feed mechanism and a simultaneously operable expulsion mechanism. Both mechanisms are controlled by the tip of a lever which is proportioned and disposed in the device to execute linear motion. The feed mechanism is disengageable from the remainder of the device to permit clearance of the inserted assemblage or the removal of jams. The feed mechanism additionally is operated by a planar pawl having a tooth that extends into contact with indentations on the periphery of a feed wheel.