Abstract: Hand-held placement dispenser element (6) and automated dispenser elements (18) are provided for placement of items such as metal domes or the like onto a placement position (21), such as right-side-up or upside-down, perhaps by allowing only a single item or predetermined number of items to eject from a dispenser element at a time. A dispenser element may include a trigger (7) allowing for non-complication in use. A dispenser element could accept a cartridge (1), such as a slotted cartridge (3). A dispenser element and cartridge may be interchangeable. Once a cartridge is empty, it may be desirable to remove the empty cartridge and replace it with a full one.

Abstract: A cup lid dispenser is characterized by a cylindrical housing for containing a stack of relatively flexible cup lids in vertical orientation with a lip of the bottommost lid supported at points around its circumference on a plurality of shelves within and around a base of the dispenser at a lower end of the housing. The base has a forward opening that exposes just a front portion of the lip of only the bottommost lid of the stack for being gripped by a user. To dispense the bottommost lid, a user grips the exposed lip and pulls the lid downward to flex it away from the overlying stack and forward to move it off of the shelves and release it from the overlying stack of lids for downward movement into an underlying pocket in the base, with continued forward pulling of the lid then moving it through and out of a forward dispense opening from the base.

Abstract: Apparatus that receives multiple screws serially from a vibrating bowl with a single exit ramp, collects a plurality, e.g., six, of screws and distributes the plurality of screws simultaneously to different tubes in one assembly. A rotary holder having a plurality of notches for receiving and holding screws, receives the screws serially from a feeder rail coupled to a vibrating screw feed bowl. After the notches have filled with screws, the screws are released into a corresponding plurality of exit tubes, where the screws may be fed (e.g., by air pressure) to a screw applicator device coupled to a distal end of the exit tubes.

Abstract: A table tennis ball delivery device adapted to be secured to or adjacent the side of a table tennis table for directing a ball to a player upon the activation of a switch by the player. The device includes a chamber for carrying a supply of table tennis balls, a ball transfer mechanism for selectively advancing an individual ball from the chamber to a location over a flexed or cocked delivery spring oriented such that upon activation of the switch by a player, the spring is released so as to strike a ball and launch the ball to the player. The ball transfer mechanism is coordinated with the spring cocking and release mechanism so as to position another ball over the delivery spring and re-cock the spring immediately upon the launching of the ball to the player.

Abstract: A pill dispensing device and method in which the part of the device 10 which comes into contact with the pills is disposable so as to prevent cross pill contamination. The device 10 is a disposable, columnar insert comprised of a funnel-like ingress aperture 16 for receiving the articles to be counted and dispensed, tapering to a constriction 18 to limit the passageway and diverging out to a cylindrical tube 20 that segregates the tablets/capsules from the counting/dispensing apparatus. The present invention 10 also provides for an additional element wherein the egress aperture 26 tapers to a smaller cylindrical aperture diametrically conforming to the aperture 18 at the opposing distal end for dispensing the medication directly into a vial 14.

Abstract: An electric wire supplying apparatus comprises an electric wire transfer tube 27 provided at its tip end with a notch 28a, a nozzle 32 disposed on the tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27, a transfer tube fixing holder 23 fixing the tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27 and having an opening 24b opened in the notch 28a of the electric wire transfer tube 27, and an electric wire pressing means 29 having an electric wire pressing portion 31 that moves into and out from the notch 28a and moving the electric wire pressing portion 31 between a pressing position for pressing an electric wire and a standby position for not pressing the electric wire, wherein the nozzle 32 is provided at its portion closer to the electric wire transfer tube 27 with a projecting portion 35 for substantially complementing a shape of the notch 28a when the projecting portion 35 is butted to a tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27, and the nozzle 32 can move between a close position where the projecting portion 3

Abstract: A rotary device has thereinside a driving device as a driving source for rotating a rotary block and opening and closing a shutter, and also includes a rod for transmitting a driving force to the rotary block and the shutter, a lever and a shaft for directly transmitting the driving force to the shutter, a spring for delaying a timing to open the shutter after the rotary block rises, a spring receiver for receiving the spring, and a joint for connecting the rod with the rotary block.

Abstract: An electric wire supplying apparatus comprises an electric wire transfer tube 27 provided at its tip end with a notch 28a, a nozzle 32 disposed on the tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27, a transfer tube fixing holder 23 fixing the tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27 and having an opening 24b opened in the notch 28a of the electric wire transfer tube 27, and an electric wire pressing means 29 having an electric wire pressing portion 31 that moves into and out from the notch 28a and moving the electric wire pressing portion 31 between a pressing position for pressing an electric wire and a standby position for not pressing the electric wire, wherein the nozzle 32 is provided at its portion closer to the electric wire transfer tube 27 with a projecting portion 35 for substantially complementing a shape of the notch 28a when the projecting portion 35 is butted to a tip end of the electric wire transfer tube 27, and the nozzle 32 can move between a close position where the projecting portion 3

Abstract: A receptacle having a floor with parallel slots to receive and collate screws in a collating section and to queue them in a queuing section of the slots which has an intersecting escapement for depositing screw individually into receivers. The receptacle reciprocates to tip the slots downwardly in one slot direction and then the other. A retainer overlying the queuing section excludes loose screws and retains the queued screws in the slots during tipping. The retainer moves away from the slots when the receptacle is tipped downward toward the collating section to permit displaced screws to clear to the collating section. A gate at the leading edge of the retainer closes off the margin between the retainer and the floor to entry under the retainer of loose screws outside the slots. Screw conduits leading from the escapement reciprocate with the receptacle and connect with stationary receivers through articulations.

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 device for sipping and consuming pasta products such as spaghetti is made possible by the inclusion of a pawl on the pathway of the pasta from the container to the consumer of the pasta.

Abstract: The objects drop into a tray (1) from which they can be removed through a dispenser opening (2), the latter being closed by a first flap (3) that gives way when one reaches therethrough. Behind this flap (3), a second flap (17) is arranged which blocks the path (14) along which the objects pass into the tray (1) once the first flap (3) has left its rest position, and maintains this path closed until the first flap (3) has returned into its rest position. For this purpose, the first flap (3) forms the driving member, and the second flap (17) forms the driven member of a lever-cam gear with a rocker mechanism (15/16). A rocker arm (16) is guided along a cam (18) in such a way that the other rocker arm (15) repels the second flap (17) during opening of the first flap until it blocks the path (14). Until then, one rocker arm (16) closes off the interspace between the lower rim (22) of the first flap (3) and the lower rim (38) of the dispenser opening (2).

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus including a plurality of spaced vertically disposed inclined shelves, each shelf having a first and second side by side supporting surface adapted to support an associated first and second row of articles. First and second gate members are respectively located at the lower ends of the first and second support surfaces. Each gate member is shiftable between two opposite positions, a blocking position such that the lower most article in the associated row is blocked from moving off the lower end of the associated support surface, and a releasing position such that a lower most article in the associated row may freely move off the lower end of the associated support surface and into an escrow cradle which constitutes a common receiving area. An actuator cooperates with the gate members to provide for the shifting of the gate members upon the dispensing of an article, which is rotated out of an escrow cradle by a consumer.

Abstract: A garment-hanging station associated with a garment-treating station, such as a tunnel finisher, is located along a rail section which slopes downwardly in the advancement direction and on which a plurality of successive clothes hangers is suspended. A singularizing arrangement frees hangers accumulated upstream of the same one at a time for downward sliding on the sloping rail section. The rail section has a transverse slot in which the hook of the freed hanger is received after engaging an abutment surface and in which it is confined by a latch for the duration of a garment-hanging operation. Subsequently, a releasing member expels the hanger hook out of the transverse slot for further downward sliding on the rail section, and the next succeeding hanger is freed by the singularizing arrangement for travel toward the transverse slot.