Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the acceptance of loose components and feeding of individual components in a known position and orientation are disclosed.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispenser bin includes a pivotal door configured on a housing and movable between a fully closed position and a fully open position relative to the housing. The pivotal door includes a back wall and a bottom frame mounted to the housing. One or more spring-loaded, elongated tabs are pivotally mounted to the bottom frame and extend transversely from the bottom frame and are biased against the back wall of the door. The tabs have a length so as to be continuously engaged against the back wall as the pivotal door moves between the fully open and fully closed positions to define a bridge that prevents the lottery tickets from moving into a hinge area between the housing and the pivotal door.

Abstract: The multiple magazine self dispensing container is designed to dispense a plurality of partially ejected firearm magazines to the operator in proper orientation to facilitate rapid reloading of a firearm. The container is designed to replace a traditional magazine carrying system or supplement one with extra magazine capacity. A constant force member forces the magazines to come into contact with an incline plane opposite a magazine ejection port. The magazine then partially ejects out the port where it can be removed by the operator.

Abstract: A sheet product dispenser includes a body portion defining an inner cavity arranged to support a stack of sheet products and a faceplate attached to the body portion. The faceplate portion is arranged to support and dispense the sheet products, has an opening comprising a rectangular portion with a centrally disposed arcing triangular portion having a centrally disposed arced apex, the rectangular portion extends from an upper edge of the faceplate to the arced apex, the opening is arranged to expose a plurality of the sheet products on one end of the body portion through the rectangular portion and to expose a planar surface of a single sheet product through the arcing triangular portion.

Abstract: A dispenser for packets comprises a plurality of horizontal rows comprising a plurality of side by said dispenser compartments. Each compartment defines a channel for receiving a horizontal stack of packets and comprises a front edge. A movement imparting assembly is mounted within each compartment and comprises a pusher member for engaging the horizontal stack of packets. The movement imparting assembly provides for the pusher member to selectively push forward the horizontal stack of packets so as to push at least one of the packets in the compartment off the edge thereof for retrieval. Sensor are mounted to the dispenser so as to detect dispensing of packets and to communicate this information to a controller.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic tablet packing apparatus having sliding racks, wherein tablets received in a plurality of tablet cassettes are successively packed on a per dose basis based on a medical prescription. Each of the sliding racks includes a pair of left and right partition walls, a tablet discharge passage to guide the tablets discharged from the tablet cassettes being defined by facing inner surfaces of the left and right partition walls. Cassette pedestals are attached to outer surfaces of the left and right partition walls and in turn, the tablet cassettes are detachably arranged on the cassette pedestals. The left and right partition walls are able to be individually pulled out from a body of the apparatus. As the left or right partition wall is pulled out, the tablet discharge passage is revealed to the outside thus enabling easy cleaning thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a biased paper dispensing device for dispensing paper. The dispensing device has a housing with an elongated body for containing paper. The housing has a lift system which may include a tray for holding the paper, a pulley system having pulleys, and elastic tubing. The tray holds the paper horizontally in the housing, and is moved vertically within the housing to dispense the paper. The lift system is used to lift or lower the paper and to bias the paper within the housing toward the lid or opening. A paper guide device for guiding paper into alignment with the opening may be provided. The opening may include at least one lateral opening portion permitting paper exposed in the opening to be withdrawn laterally therefrom. Flanges for holding the paper within the opening, and for allowing easy insertion of paper into the housing, are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a medicine dispenser, which can detect the number of medicines such that an accurate number of medicines can be discharged for packing, a medicine discharging method, and an automatic packing machine including the medicine dispenser. The medicine dispenser includes a frame and a medicine transfer unit attached to the frame and transferring medicines one pill at a time to an outside of the medicine dispenser. The medicine transfer unit includes a detection unit that detects the number of medicines dropping from a medicine container to be packed, and a transfer unit that pushes the medicines, the number of which is detected by the detection unit, into a packing passage connected to a packing unit to transfer the medicines to the packing unit.

Abstract: A tray for a product vending machine including a flat base upon which product to be vended may be placed. A plurality of walls are attached to the base which define rows into which product is organized. A channel within the flat base houses a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft threadingly attaches to a product drive member.

Abstract: An apparatus for precisely, detecting a tablet dropped in a last hopper so that packaging speed of tablets is increased and operation of a shutter and a sealer is precisely performed, is disclosed. The automatic medicine packaging machine includes a last hopper provided at the lower end of a hopper installed in a main frame, a shutter installed in the last hopper, and a shutter driving part for driving the shutter to open and close the last hopper, and the apparatus includes a dropping tablet detector installed in the last hopper to detect when the tablet is dropped into the last hopper and to input the detected information about the dropping tablet to the controller such that the moment when the shutter is opened is optimized.

Abstract: A disc dispensing apparatus operatively mounts to a disc passageway and includes a moveable guide hole member having a guide hole of an elongated shape and a guiding unit operatively mounted in the guide hole. A resilient unit biases the guiding unit against the movement of the discs and a moving unit is operatively attached to the moveable guide hole member for positioning the elongated guide hole at an angle to an axis of the disc passageway on one side of the disc passageway whereby a disc to be dispensed contacts the guiding unit and displaces the guiding unit along the elongated hole while receiving a counter force from the resilient unit to force the disc to be directed away from the guiding unit to one side of the disc passageway.

Abstract: A gravity-feed dispenser includes an internal blocker assembly to prevent folded sheet from falling away from the dispensing aperture. A preferred embodiment includes a spring biased blocker arm which cooperates with a spring biased guide plate to maintain the napkins in position throughout dispensing of the stack, especially when the stack is depleted and of insufficient weight to urge the remaining sheets into position. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser is provided with a convertible support, suitable for mounting the dispenser on either a wall or a countertop with a quick release mounting bracket.

Abstract: A drug dispenser which can easily align drugs when filling it with the drugs. In a drug dispenser in which a lowermost drug of a plurality of drugs (100) stacked in a vertical direction and contained in a drug case (1) is pushed out in a horizontal direction to dispense it, a door (7) is provided on the front surface of the drug case (1). A drug aligning device (second door 11) is provided on the inner surface of the door (7), the drug aligning device pushes the front ends of the plurality of drugs (100) contained in the drug case (1) to align the rear ends thereof when the door (7) is closed.

Abstract: A medicine supply apparatus to discharge a medicine into packing paper having a nozzle for discharging a medicine from a tablet case and a shutter rotatably provided in the nozzle for opening/closing a medicine drop path. The shutter includes a first rotatable shutter plate of a size capable of closing the inside of the nozzle, a second shutter plate swingably connected to the tip of the first shutter plate, and a guide for swinging the second shutter plate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first shutter plate in a final stage of the medicine discharge while the first shutter plate is opened. The tip of the second shutter plate is located in a position to narrow an outlet of the medicine drop path when the first shutter plate is opened.

Abstract: A carton and blank for forming a carton for accommodating one or more articles which carton is provided with an access structure for the removal of articles from within the carton. The access structure comprises a closure panel hinged to a carton wall for forward and backward pivotal movement and a movable platform hinged to the closure panel for moving the contents of the carton forward for their removal in response to the forward pivotal movement of the closure panel.

Abstract: A golf tee holder and dispenser in a rectangular form holds a vertical stack of tees lying one on another horizontally, with successive tees alternating the orientation of their heads and their points. The golf tee holder and dispenser housing includes inner chambers that encase springs that allow straight-line movement as well as an inner center chamber to prevent tees from becoming disarranged while dispensing. A pusher plate maintains even pressure from dual spring movement against a snub point to hold golf tees in a stationary position until release through a top aperture using a teeter action once a downward pressure is applied to small end of tee by user. A molded element that has a memory retentive factor allows user to attach golf tee holder and dispenser to belt, pocket, golf bag, or golf cart.

Abstract: A self-facing merchandise pusher system for use in retail stores. Numerous products in a retail store are merchandised on shelves and a biased pusher is used to urge products toward the front edge of the shelf. The width of the pusher corresponds generally to the width of the narrowest product to be pushed. A removable divider extends vertically between each pusher. When pushing products that are multiples of the width of the narrowest product, dividers may be removed to create a larger pushing surface. Removing a divider locks two adjacent pushers together thereby causing the two pushers to push in unison and prevents product from slipping between the adjacent pushers.

Abstract: A lid dispenser for storing and dispensing plastic drink lids. The dispenser has an elongated body within which the lids are stacked upside down and a dispensing slot in a sidewall facing a user. A gravity biased finger rides in a vertical trackway in a sidewall opposite the dispensing slot. The finger contacts the stack of drink lids, clamping the uppermost lid against the next-to-uppermost lid and tilting the uppermost lid at an angle towards the user. The uppermost lid can be grasped by the user and snapped through the dispensing slot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispensing machine for printed publications. The vending machine allows to dispense one copy at a time by providing a metering break next to a dispensing channel. The vending machine has a hollow housing, within which a detachable module is slidably mounted. An operational portion of the machine includes a motor controlled by a microchip that constantly adjusts the speed of the motor depending on the thickness of the dispensed publication. A paper speed sensor sends a signal to the motor to facilitate adjustment in the speed control. Printed publications rest in an upright position on moving endless belts that are connected to the motor for advancing the publications toward the dispensing channel. One or more torsion springs support the front face of the forwardmost publication immediately prior to dispensing to prevent premature opening of an unfolded edge of the publication and jamming of the dispensing channel.

Abstract: A newspaper dispenser is provided including a housing having an opening formed thereon. Also included is a support plate slidably mounted within the housing with a plurality of newspapers stacked thereon. A money acceptor is provided for raising the support plate an incremental amount when a predetermined amount of money is accepted. As such, only one newspaper is capable of being removed via the opening at a time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispensing machine for printed publications. The vending machine allows to dispense one copy at a time by providing a metering break above a dispensing channel. The vending machine has a hollow housing, within which a detachable module is slidable mounted. An operational portion of the machine includes a drive screw connected to a motor by a gear assembly. The printed publications are supported in an upright position on a bearing plate and are advanced towards the dispensing channel by a push plate connected to the drive screw.

Abstract: A spaghetti box dispensing construction 10 for facilitating the dispensing of a selected quantity of strands 101 of spaghetti 100 without difficulty or breakage. The construction 10 includes an elongated housing member 20 having a roof panel 21, a floor panel 23, a pair of opposed side panels 24 and a pair of end panels 27. One of the end panels is provided with an opening 28 having a plurality of angled internal wall panels 30 extending rearwardly therefrom to form a funnel shaped configuration adjacent to said opening 28.

Abstract: A cylindrical unit of varying lengths which stores sports balls, with unit capable of attaching to any solid object in a vertical position, close to a sports court or storage area. The unit also serves as a ball transporter, carried in a horizontal or vertical position, with attached handles allowing sports balls to be moved from one sports site or storage area, another. A one piece unit with an opening at one end only, therefore reducing the sports balls exposure, to ball depleting weather, and offers security, by allowing the open end to be locked by a transverse rod across the open end. Balls are contained in storage unit by protrusions located internally, at the open end, positioned at the greatest apex of the ball allowing sports balls to be completely enclosed within the storage unit. Protrusions hold the ball at a distal position within storage unit allowing balls to be loaded and unloaded easily with a single hand.

Abstract: A device and process for handling headed fasteners to facilitate insertion into a workpiece opening includes a hollow tube and telescoping plunger arrangement, the tube containing the fastener or fasteners which are extended one at a time through a tube slot upon movement to a collapsed position of the device. The fastener is spring gripped by its head in the process of being laterally extended through the slot, and is fully ejected from the device as the device is longitudinally moved in a rearward direction.

Abstract: A structure and method of making a compartmented display dispenser comprising two molded halves directly joinable to form the case and having formed guideways to receive a moldable pusher in each compartment for dispensing merchandise stored and displayed in the compartments.

Abstract: A dispenser of light-weight articles such as plates, trays, dishes, or the like which includes a storage tube for a stack of the articles to be dispensed, a resilient member disposed beneath the stack for urging the stack upwardly, a stop for holding the stack in place and fanning the topmost articles to permit individual dispensing. The stop is fully deflectable downwardly to permit loading and deflectable only a limited amount upwardly to facilitate individual article dispensing.

Abstract: A holder for a multiplicity of paper clips is arranged in an aligned stack disclosed herein having an elongated, hollow housing closed at a dispensing end with a stop defining a partial opening for passing the uppermost clip of the stack. The housing dispensing end includes an outwardly projecting bill or lip adapted to present the uppermost clip in a preparatory position for manual removal from the housing. A spring biasing mechanism is incorporated into the housing closing the end thereof opposite to its clip dispensing end which includes a guide rod projecting through aligned openings in the stack of clips and a slidable foot carrying the clip stack. An expansion spring is disposed on the rod between the foot and a base which is snap-locked with the housing to close the housing storage cavity.

Abstract: A ticket dispenser having a hollow body receiving a stack of tickets in its upper portion, a ticket pushing head in the body and pressed upward by a spring, the body guiding movement of the head along a vertical axis, a ticket exit slot at the top of the forward side of the body, a ticket manipulation opening on the upper side of the body, the upper side of the body being substantially inclined with respect to the axis so as to make easier the pushing out of tickets, the body having one or more access openings therethrough to assist in manipulating tickets, and a strap on a side of the body to facilitate holding.