Abstract: A tablet dispenser for housing a roll of tablets that are wrapped in a foil (or other protective material), and for sequentially removing tablets from the roll by cutting the foil. In one preferred embodiment, the roll is loaded at one end of a hollow case. A cap that attaches to the case via pivot means is located at the end of the case opposite its loading end. With the cap in a closed position, the roll is pressed in as far as possible so that the end-most tablet (to be dispensed) snugly fits to the entire interior of the cap. The cap has teeth along an interior wall. In the process of opening the cap, the teeth cut the foil and lift a tablet from the roll. When the cap is in its closed position, the roll is sealed from dust and other adverse environmental conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically feeding pipette tips is disclosed. The apparatus includes a carrier for receiving the pipette tips, one at a time, and for presenting the tips to the pipette of an associated apparatus, such as a blood analyzer. The apparatus further includes a generally elongated feed magazine for gravity-feed of the pipette tips to the carrier. Notably, the feed magazine includes an angled, generally funnel-like entrance portion which prevents insertion of the pipette tips into the magazine in an incorrect orientation, while permitting the tips to be inserted in the correct orientation.

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: Medication dispenser apparatus comprises a plurality of containers for holding different kinds of medications; an injector for selectively injecting medications from their responsive containers; a dispensing station for receiving the ejected medications; and a programmable control for controlling the ejection of medications from their respective containers according to pre-programmed kinds of medication, amounts, and times. The described preferred embodiment is a group dispenser for dispensing medications for a plurality of patients, such as in the ward of a hospital, at predetermined times and in predetermined amounts.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for thin, disposable plastic gloves wherein the gloves may be reliably removed one at a time in a simple manner. The apparatus comprises a generally rectangular enclosure for housing a removably mounted packet containing a plurality of gloves. The gloves are arranged in closely spaced, parallel relationship to one another for removal, one at a time, through an exit opening provided through the walls of the enclosure. Each glove is provided with a weakened tear line across the wrist portion. The packet of gloves includes a mounting strip which extends across the upper wrist portion of the stack of gloves and is fixed to each glove above the tear line. The mounting strip cooperates with means formed in the enclosure to releasably fix the packet within the enclosure. Each glove may be removed by exerting a downward force through the exit opening on the outermost glove sufficient to separate the glove along the tear line from the remaining gloves in the packet.

Abstract: A tennis ball pack apparatus for dispensing balls in one mode of operation while positioned on a player's back and retrieving balls in another mode of operation upon removal from the back. An elongated housing which is strapped to the player's back includes two pairs of spaced walls which have different lengths to define predetermined openings adjacent to an oblong shaped bottom made up of flexible connected rod members. During the ball dispensing mode the player grips a ball through an opening and pulls against the flexible rod members to dispense the balls in seriatim. A U-shaped frame which is in slidable engagement with the walls of the housing is movable from a first position closely adjacent to the housing when operating in the ball dispensing mode while on the player's back to a second position extended from the housing when operating in a ball retrieving mode upon removal of the housing from the player's back.

Abstract: An IV, vacutainer, butterfly, or syringe needle cover and dispenser for a plurality of such needle covers that provides individual release of the covers. The dispenser is adapted for attachment to a wall, other surface or a tray. The dispenser is provided with a hinged door which partially covers the bottom needle cover while it allows for the insertion of a needle into that needle cover. The needle cover is provided with gripping surfaces that secure the cover to a needle after needle insertion. The hinged door swings out of the way to allow for the withdrawal from the dispenser of the needle cover attached to a needle. The device insures safe disposal of used needles.

Abstract: A rotatable caddy includes a stationary frame and a generally cylindrical carrier rotatably disposed in the frame and defining longitudinally-extending compartments on the periphery thereof for the storage of elongate articles therein, such as crayons. A knob is provided for rotating the carrier about its longitudinal axis relative to the frame, and another knob is provided for discharging from a selected compartment any elongate article therein. A passageway is provided for feeding an elongate article into an empty one of the compartments without disassembly of the caddy and for releasably maintaining the elongate articles fed into the compartments in their respective compartments during rotation of the carrier relative to the frame. An anti-jamming mechanism is preferably also provided for relocating an elongated article only partially received in a compartment aligned with the feed means from that compartment and into a storage location as the carrier rotates.

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.

Abstract: A dispenser comprising an elongate rigid hollow cylindrical tube including opposed ends and a transverse elongate dispensing slot laterally therethrough at a midpoint along the length thererof. The dispensing slot includes opposed serrated edges with the teeth of each edge overlapping the teeth of the other edge to provide for restricted passage of film bags pulled outwardly through the dispensing slot from the interior of the tube. The opposed ends of the dispensing slot are enlarged and smooth-edged for access to interior bags and cooperation with the serrated edges in providing for projecting leading bag corners.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for low cost dispensing of soft packaged articles. The soft packaged articles each include an internally positioned forming member. The forming members and articles are enclosed in heat shrinked material so that each soft packaged article is uniformly shaped above and below the forming member. A dispenser for holding and dispensing one soft packaged article at a time is also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for individually dispensing an item such as a newspaper from among a set of items. The dispensing machine includes a mechanism for individually dispensing an item from among a vertically stacked set of items; a money collection device for activating the dispensing mechanism upon payment of particular sum of money, and a housing containing the dispensing mechanism and the money collection device. Each article is urged against the front of the machine, and upon activation, is lifted slightly to clear a barrier, then discharged to the exterior of the machine.

Abstract: A storage magazine for use in coin operated automatic vending machines composed of a plurality of side-by-side vertical storage columns or magazine sections, each having at least two back-to-back aligned serpentine tracks which store a plurality of cylindrical articles and gravitationally feed the same to an underlying discharge ramp common to both tracks. The ramp cooperates with a wedge feed system for operatively integrating articles discharged from each of the tracks into a single column in which the articles from the individual tracks are arranged in alternating order for first-in, first-out vending by a single coin operated vend mechanism.

Abstract: An adjustable dispenser container for holding boxes of plastic bags that are usually stored on a roll or packed individually side-by-side within a box to be dispensed from the box via a slot including a housing having sidewalls, a bottom, a top and a longitudinal axis intersecting the bottom and top. One of the walls includes a longitudinally extending slot. The slot is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the box. An adjusting spring in the form of a pair of spaced apart leafs is provided interiorly of the body for frictionally holding the box with respect to the body in a position that registers the slot of the box with the longitudinal slot of the housing so that plastic bags can be dispensed simultaneously through both the first and the second slots and the springs deforming when the box is placed in the housing so that boxes of varying sizes can be used in the housing.

Abstract: A mobile refuse container that uses plastic liner bags, with a bottom ramp and door arrangement that ejects filled bags from the front of the container.

Abstract: A dispenser for wiring accessories has an elongate plate-like configuration and comprises a baseplate from which projects a bar extending transversely across the baseplate to a width less than the width of the baseplate. A longitudinal groove in the bar parallel to the baseplate runs the full length of the bar. A lip faces the longitudinal edge of the bar into which the groove opens. The lip is parallel to and spaced from this longitudinal edge. The baseplate is extended at one end of the bar. A transverse cradle on this extension receives a wiring accessory and a longitudinal finger projects cantilever-fashion from the bar over the cradle and is spaced from the cradle to retain a wiring accessory in the cradle.

Abstract: A space-to-sales vend rack including a plurality of adjacent vend columns having a wide range of respective storage capacities, the columns being configured for supporting products in vertical stacks therein and being arranged in groups to provide space for respective products commensurate with the anticipated sales of such products. Some of these columns are fixed within the vending machine in which certain of these columns are mounted for at least partial removal from the interior of the vending machine to provide access to all of the columns for loading them with the products to be dispensed and for maximizing the numbers of groups of columns which can be placed within a given interior space of a vending machine.

Abstract: A magazine having multiple columns for storing cylindrical articles, such as canned beverages, in a coin operated vending machine. The magazine is fabricated preferably of sheet metal to include a plurality of vertical planar wall members held in parallel spaced relation by intervening transverse spacers and connector rods forming a plurality of vertical article storage columns therebetween. Opposing faces of each of two adjacent wall members are provided with a pair of laterally spaced non-overlapping serpentine rail assemblies. Opposing pairs of such rail assemblies between adjacent wall members are registeringly aligned to form two non-overlapping serpentine tracks which are designed to support cylindrical articles, such as beverage cans and the like.

Abstract: A sheet store, particularly a banknote cassette, adapted for dispensing or accepting sheets comprises a container having two openings adjacent one another. Each opening is associated with respective first and second closure members movable between closed positions in which the openings are closed and open positions. A control assembly is provided for controlling operation of the closure members, the arrangement being such that when the store is to be used to dispense the sheets the control assembly enables both of the closure members to open but when the store is to be used to accept sheets the control assembly enables only one closure member to open.

Abstract: A ball dispenser dispenses balls into a flow line leading into a well. The ball dispenser has a subassembly that slides into and out of a cylindrical housing. The subassembly has a shaft that rotates within an array of vertical guide members. A helical flight is secured to the shaft. The subassembly will slide into a loading sleeve for loading purposes. The loading sleeve has a long vertical slot on one side to load the balls onto the flight.

Abstract: A coin dispenser for coins, tokens and the like comprises a tube with a loading scoop at one end and a dispensing slot at the other with the floor of the tube becoming planar and inclining downwardly from adjacent the other end of the tube towards the dispensing slot. The top of the tubular portion over the planar floor is open so that individual coins on the floor can be engaged by the thumb of the user grasping the tube and urged out through the dispensing slot one at a time facilitated by the angle of inclination of the floor. These coins can be fitted directly into slot machines or any coin operated device, one at a time, with the operator ejecting the coins from the slot of the dispenser as desired.

Abstract: A medication dispenser includes a container having a main compartment, a selection compartment, and an exit compartment whereby a pill or the like is dispensed from the container by passage from the main compartment, through the selection compartment, and to the exit compartment. The configuration of the pill selection compartment may be selectively varied and adjusted into a preselected configuration substantially conforming to the shape and size of a pill contained in the main compartment. A flexible first gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the main compartment, a second gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the exit compartment, and a third gate selectively extends across the exit compartment, near the container exterior. Initially, the second gate is in an extended position, and the first and third gates are in nonextended positions.

Abstract: A golf tee dispenser including a length of rigid cylindrical tubing adapted to receive a plurality of golf tees therein and a thin elastic member disposed and held in tension transversely through the center of longitudinal axis of the tube and through and between opposing apertures formed in the walls of the tube adjacent one end. The elastic member is adapted, when tensioned, to retain the golf tees within the tube and to manually dispense one golf tee at a time when the tube is generally upright, the elastic member and apertures are at the lower end thereof, and the golf tees are downwardly pointed. Various forms of the elastic member are also provided, along with releasable engagement means for attachment of the dispenser to golf equipment such as bags and carts.

Abstract: An automatic teller machine (ATM) is provided with apparatus for turning it betweeen its normal-operating position and its service-access position. Turning occurs about a vertical axis that is moved transversely of itself during turning so that the ATM can be used in an enclosure of minimum dimensions. The turning apparatus comprises: (a) a jackscrew mechanism mounted on a base and coupled to a carrier for the ATM and (b) two cam connections between the base and the carrier for controlling during turning the paths of the carrier and said vertical axis.

Abstract: A Serpentine vend rack structure is provided formed of hollow upright wall portions mounted in ported, laterally adjustable brackets over a refrigeration plenum such that the relative spacing between the wall portions is adjustable to accommodate articles of various sizes for vending. A plurality of shaped bosses on opposing wall portions define a serpentine path and include flow parts over a portion of those paths to permit circulation of refrigerated air from the plenum, up through the brackets and wall portions and out through the bosses to chill articles stored in the vend rack prior to vending. The upright hollow wall portions are internally partitioned to preclude the flow of refrigerated air beyond a desired level of the vend rack.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing single ones of flat chips or discs from a multi-chip receptacle, and/or depositing them onto a surface at selected locations, is disclosed, as may be desireable, for example, when playing a game of bingo. In one preferred embodiment the chips are dispensed and deposited onto the surface in response to a downward motion or force on the apparatus against the surface after it is properly positioned at the selected location.

Abstract: A dispenser for drinking straws is disclosed. The dispenser is a container which includes a front panel and an inclined bottom panel so that the straws within roll toward the front and pass through an elongated aperture. The leading straw rests against a rib projecting upward from the end of the bottom panel and blocks the aperture to retain the remaining straws within the container. Also included are a closure panel, hinged to a back panel, which allows access to the inside of the container, and side walls, which extend below the container to form supporting legs. A central opening enables one to grasp a straw by its central portion. The container is formed by the injection moulding of a plastic material in a single, substantially flat, unfolded sheet with a number of fold lines. Assembly is carried out by folding the sheet along the fold lines with the ends of the front panel positively engaging with the side walls.

Abstract: A ball dispenser for dispensing balls includes a first elongated open-ended tube for stacking the balls, a finger-operable dispenser permitting positioning, touch and inspection of a lowermost ball, and release of the lowermost ball by the finger of one hand of the user, so as to leave the other hand free. The finger-operable dispenser mechanism includes a holder mounted near one end of the first tube, a two-position spring-loaded lever pivotably mounted on the holder, and having a ball support portion normally supporting the lowermost ball, a finger-operable portion connected to the ball support portion, and a transient ball resting portion opposite the ball support portion, and which protrudes into the first tube interior through a slot formed in the tube.

Abstract: Boxes and bottles of pills and other medications are factory sealed in a tamper proof dispenser which permits the dispensing of only one bottle or box at a time. Once removed from the tamper proof container, a bottle or box cannot be repositioned in the container, while spring means are utilized to permit the singular dispensing of each bottle or box from the container.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for relatively flat packets such as individually packaged non-prescription drugs is disclosed. A housing having openings in the top and front walls thereof receives a plurality of vertically disposed magazines. The magazines each comprise a packet receiving tray member and a removable sleeve which partly encloses the tray member. An opening in the magazine is provided by the cooperation of an opening in a wall of the sleeve and the tray member. A liner is disposed in the tray member depending from the wall of the tray member and engaging the inner rear wall of the tray member. A shelf depends from the magazine opening at the lower end of the opening. An optional laterally disposed extension is provided at the bottom of the housing.

Abstract: A storage rack assembly and vending channel structure for a vending machine that stores packages such as bottles and cans and feeds the same to a release mechanism upon the insertion of one or more coins or tokens in payment for the article. A release mechanism allows the product to travel down a vend chute and into a delivery port. Each channel is comprised of a pair of mutually opposing serpentine side members having a predetermined separation distance providing a storage column for both bottles and cans. The support surfaces of both members comprise side walls which are furthermore skewed or inclined from the horizontal downwardly.

Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for dispensing balls and a method of loading balls into the apparatus. The apparatus has a housing, a shaft, and a helical rib mounted on the shaft. Rods are mounted in the housing, between the rib and the housing, to keep the balls from rolling down the rib. As the shaft and the rib are rotated, the balls are pushed out the lower end of the housing. A cylindrical loading sleeve fits over the shaft, the rib, and the rods. The balls are loaded onto the rib through a longitudinal slot in the side of the sleeve. The sleeve is then placed on the housing, and the shaft, rib, rods, and balls are lowered into the housing.

Abstract: A home sanitary napkin dispenser is provided that can be mounted to a vertical flat surface out of the way in an inconspicuous place. The dispenser allows for easy access to one sanitary napkin at a time when the dispenser is activated by a person needing the sanitary napkin.

Abstract: A vending machine (20) comprises a housing (21) and a pair of product vending shelf units (24, 26) mounted within the housing (21) in vertically stacked relation. Each shelf unit has a front end higher than the rear end thereof. A product selection mechanism (29) is mounted within the housing (21) for actuation of each of the shelf units (24,26) to vend a product (90) forwardly therefrom in response to a customer selection. An anti-theft product delivery drawer assembly (31) is mounted below the lower shelf (26) within the housing (21) and receives the vended product in an inner stored position, and exposes the product for retrieval by the customer upon the customer pulling the drawer outwardly, a drawer cover plate (153) slidable outwardly over the drawer (151) as the drawer is pulled outwardly for preventing access to the interior of the vending machine.

Abstract: A vending machine (21) door closure mechanism (20) for providing pivotal movement of the door (52) from a closed position for vending purposes to an open position of approximately 100.degree.-110.degree.

Abstract: A space-to-sales vend rack including a plurality of adjacent vend columns having a wide range of respective storage capactities, first columns are provided for supporting products in vertical stacks with the longitudinal axes of the products orthogonal to the vending machine face, other columns are provided for supporting products in vertical stacks with the longitudinal axes of the products parallel to the vending machine face. The products with axes parallel to the front face of the vending machine are supported on slide-out racks for ease of loading.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for simultaneously dispensing a plurality of golf balls are disclosed. A housing member having a plurality of guide members therein is provided for guiding the plurality of balls therethrough into a holding member suitable for being operably connected to a conventional coin dispenser. The manually operated, coin activated, dispenser is operated to allow the plurality of balls to be dispensed into a basket-like member for easy access to a user or player.

Abstract: An automatic teller machine is provided with apparatus for turning it around a moving axis to turn between its operating user-access position and its service and maintenance position so that the machine can be used in an enclosure of minimum dimensions.

Abstract: An article dispensing mechanism for a vending machine including at least one serpentine track connected with an article loading space and an article dispensing space. The serpentine track is provided with a horizontal length adjusting device. This adjusting device comprises a spacer vertically extending within the serpentine track for defining the horizontal length of track, a movable plate connected with an upper portion of the spacer in a manner permitting sliding motion of the movable plate parallel to side plates of the machine and a guide plate extending across the loading space and engaging the movable plate. The spacer is horizontally and longitudinally slidable, following the movement of the guide plate. The position of the movable plate and the spacer defines the horizontal length of the loading space and the serpentine track.

Abstract: A multi-chamber vending machine having an outer housing and upper and lower chambers inside the housing. The upper chamber has a bottom wall and a plurality of vertically extending walls. The lower chamber surrounds a portion of the bottom wall of the upper chamber and a portion of a vertically extending wall of the upper chamber. The machine includes a door connected to the housing, whereby both chambers may be filled by access through the door.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing pills wherein a rotating annular element includes a number of compartments for receiving pills. When a compartment is above an opening in the base, the pills fall into a chute and are dispensed. A pin is associated with each compartment and is placed in an activated position when pills are loaded into the compartment. When the compartment is above the dispensing opening, a pin engages a microswitch which activates audio and visual alarms. The alarms are deactivated by depressing a shut-off switch which operates a delay-type relay. A trapdoor is rotatably mounted beneath the dispensing opening and is operated by the lid of the apparatus so that in the loading position, the dispensing opening is locked.

Abstract: An article dispenser for a vending machine includes an article storage area having a front opening and a bottom opening with a dispensing mechanism having an article holding device disposed in the lower portion of the storage area. The storage area is defined by two side plates, a back plate and an upper plate, and the front opening of the storage area formed for loading the articles is partly covered by a pivotably supported stopper plate. A U-cross section shaped element is fixed on each side plate at a position to oppose the holding device of the dispensing mechenism and a free end of the U-shaped element extends into a rectangular hole formed through the stopper plate to effect engagement therebetween whereby partial deformation of the side plates is prevented by engagement between the U-shaped element and the stopper plate.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing granular confectionery, such as gumballs, peanuts, and the like, which includes a housing, a container globe seated on the housing, a cap seated on the globe and a vertical standard extending interior of the housing and globe and including a threaded end. A retainer ring is seated on the globe with a gasket interposed. The inlet to the globe carries opposing deformations in the form of notches in the perimeter of the entrance opening of the globe. The retainer ring carries depending lugs seatable in the notches. The cap can be tightened onto the globe with the lugs seated in the notches so as to prevent relative rotation between the retainer ring and globe during tightening of the cap and thereby prevent possible damage to the globe, such as breaking or cracking it.

Abstract: A travelling service device of a yarn processing machine is equipped with a bobbin magazine for receiving a multitude of sticks of conical bobbin tubes which are telescopically nested within one another. The magazine includes a conveyor belt which extends along and can be moved in an endless path and which carries a multitude of bounding elements which bound respective compartments, each for receiving one of the sticks for movement with the belt. At a predetermined location of the endless path, there is provided an arrangement for removing the respective stick from the associated compartment, and for transferring such stick to an arrangement for separating the individual tubes from the stick for subsequent feeding to the respective station of the machine. The compartments may be arranged so that their axes extend normal to the trajectory of movement of the travelling service device, in whic case the removing arrangement includes an arrangement for turning te stick through 90.degree.

Abstract: A product dispenser is provided which discourages theft of the products contained by the dispenser by the consuming public yet quickly and easily delivers the product to a salesclerk to make a sale to a consumer. The compartment unit of the dispenser which stores the products cooperates with the shell of the dispenser to prevent direct access to the product. The compartment unit can be extended from the shell to make the compartments of the compartment unit accessible to a store clerk to stack products in or remove products from the compartments. Apparatus is provided to permit a store clerk to make an entry on a console which causes apparatus within the dispenser to eject the desired product and deliver it to the store clerk. Electronic controls can be provided to store information relating to the dispensing of products by the dispenser to aid in the control of inventory by the store owner.

Abstract: A gravity feeding pill dispenser is provided and consists of a device for dispensing pills from each aperture of a plurality of apertures on a caddy disc that is rotatably mounted to a shaft on a weighted base plate.

Abstract: A helical vending module having dual diameter convolutions, and a vending machine equipped with a plurality of such modules. Preferably the vending machine comprises a generally cubical cabinet including a front service door equipped with a translucent panel facilitating visual exposure of the cabinet interior. Suitable conventional coin acceptor apparatus is provided to effectuate a vend when a particular product is selected by conventional control apparatus, and when a product is vended the selected module helice will rotate to effectuate a vend. The product will then drop downwardly into a customer accessible access zone. Each of the modules preferably comprises a rigid, generally planar frame which is adapted to be secured to an inclined supporting surface within the vending machine. The module frame support an outwardly projecting helical spindle coupled to an associated drive motor.

Abstract: A postage stamp booklet dispenser mechanism uses a multi-position gate cam, which rotates about a central axis and controls the opening and closing of opposed pairs of gate members through which the stamp booklets are dispensed. The operative followers of each pair of gates alternately move between dwell and rest positions to thereby provide corresponding open and closed modes of operation, resulting in the selective dispensing of single booklets from a criss-cross stack. By disposing one pair of gate members in a position slightly offset from the gate cam's central axis, one of the gate members of that pair receives a slight preferential opening position to insure that the booklet dispensed when that pair of gates is opened, falls in the proper orientation onto the chute of the dispenser mechanism. Between each dispensing cycle, all four gates return to their rest positions to prevent inadvertent dispensing and "jackpotting" of the entire stored group of booklets.

Abstract: A storage/dispenser rack for rectangular articles of predetermined dimension comprising a rectangular box having five opaque walls and a sixth front wall of transparent construction. A plurality of openings are formed in the transparent front wall at spacings corresponding to integral multiples of the thickness dimension of stored articles so that when articles are stacked within the enclosure, one such article will be presented at each opening. Each front wall opening registers with semicircular recesses in the adjacent enclosure sidewalls to permit manual grasping of the articles and extraction thereof from the enclosure through the front wall openings.

Abstract: This dispensing machine rack assembly is formed from a pair of complementary, individually molded rack portions interconnected in face-to-face relation to define a plurality of generally vertical container-receiving compartments. Each rack portion includes a plurality of vertically spaced ramps extending beyond the connection face of the racks and disposed in staggered, overlapping relation to the ramps of the other rack portion to provide a serpentine path for the containers. A container entry opening is provided at the upper end of the rack assembly and a container dispensing opening is provided at the lower end of the rack assembly. Each lower end opening is provided with a door having a container-receiving bin and a control means associated with the door to control movement of a container from the lower ramp into the bin.