Abstract: A traveler has a platform which moves vertically within a carriage. By depressing one of three keys, the platform is depressed against a spring to the depth of one, two or three lids to be dispensed from a stack. With the desired key depressed, the entire carriage moves downwardly within a housing which has cams mounted to its side walls which displace spring mounted side separators which extend inwardly to separate the remainder of the stack of lids from the selected lids. The extended separators urge the selected lids past protruding pagers which support the remainder stack and prevent it from being dispensed. Once past the pagers, the selected lids are presented for one-handed removal by a user at a housing outlet. Constant force springs mounted between the carriage and the housing return the carriage to its initial position once pressure on the selected key is released.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides test strip carriers for insertion into test strip vials and methods of making the same. Also provided are test strip vials including test strip carriers, and systems including test strip vials, test strip carriers and analytical test strips. The test strip carriers of the present disclosure are capable of engaging with the caps of test strip vials and thereby facilitating the retrieval of one or more test strips from the test strip vials upon opening of the test strip vials.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides test strip carriers for insertion into test strip vials and methods of making the same. Also provided are test strip vials including test strip carriers, and systems including test strip vials, test strip carriers and analytical test strips. The test strip carriers of the present disclosure are capable of engaging with the caps of test strip vials and thereby facilitating the retrieval of one or more test strips from the test strip vials upon opening of the test strip vials.

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: In one embodiment of the present invention a dispensing apparatus for a diagnostic test strip is provided. In another embodiment of the present invention a dispensing apparatus for medicine is provided.

Abstract: A device for rapidly counting and dispensing pills and capsules in blister packs or cards is provided. A movable plate with apertures, a sizing guide and a template fit inside a housing. The sizing guide has apertures corresponding to a particular size of pill or capsule, allowing the desired number of pills or capsules to be counted in a first section of the housing. When the excess pills or capsules are removed, the counted pills or capsules are transferred to the template containing a blister pack by moving the plate and placing its apertures in register with the sizing guide apertures.

Abstract: A swine feeder for use in feeding individually housed gestating swine. The feeder includes a hollow tube containing feed. The tube controls the amount of feed by having its lower, angled end contained within a feeding tube that is moveable by the individual sow to discharge the feed only when the sow applies a force to the feeding tube. The feeder may be connected to a supply of feed, and typically, the feeder is attached to the individual crate of each sow such that a limited amount of feed is dispersed into the sow's feeding area, usually a trough.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring rows of side-by-side elongated members from a conveyor to a stacking platform to form bundles. A plurality of parallel stacker arms are displaceable in a direction parallel to the conveying of the elongated members, between a retracted position, and a stacking position, wherein the stacker arms are positioned above the stacking platform for disposing rows of elongated members thereon. A ramp is displaceable between an inclined position and a horizontal position, for guiding the pivoting of the stacker arms about carriages, such that stacker arms moving from the retracted portion to the stacking position are pivoted upward to pick up a row of elongated members from the conveyor portion, and that stackers arms moving from the stacking position to the retracted position are kept generally horizontal, so as to encompass the rows of elongated members conveyed on the conveyor portion. A slat positioner is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device to automatically dispense solid medicinal units, such as pills, capsules, or the like, based upon patient needs. The medicinal units are stored in long, thin tubes. Each tube stores, in single-line, vertical fashion, a series of units of the same drug. The medicinal units, thusly stored, are efficiently dispensed from the bottom portion of the tube through a novel valve. In some embodiments, the valve is a permanent part of the tube; in others, the valve separates and re-connects to the tube to facilitate refilling of empty tubes at a drug refilling center. In still another embodiment, the valve comprises a thin wall molted elastic rubber tube sleeve mounted on the lower part of the plastic tube containing the medicinal units.

Abstract: A lamination dispenser is provided for dispensing a predetermined stack of laminations from a string of laminations. Each lamination has an outer edge with a first area of the outer edge opposing a second area of the outer edge. A third area of the outer edge is perpendicular to the first and second areas of the outer edge. The dispenser also has an ejector for removing the predetermined stack of laminations from the stack by pressing against the third areas of the predetermined stack of laminations. A retainer mechanism is provided for the dispenser for exerting pressure against the outer edge of at least one lamination adjacent the predetermined stack of laminations while the ejector moves the predetermined stack of laminations. The pressure is sufficient to secure at least the adjacent lamination in place.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lumber unloading and feeding method and apparatus that can reliably separate individual boards from a stacked unit and feed the individual boards into other automatic machinery. One embodiment comprises a first load supporting surface and a second load supporting surface that cooperate to support a first end and a second end of at least one tier; a tier receiver located below the first and second load supporting surfaces; a first pusher that biases the first end of the tier off the first load supporting surface; and a second pusher that biases the second end of the tier off the second load supporting surface, thereby allowing the tier to drop onto the tier receiver.

Abstract: A pneumatic fastener inserter and hopper for the same is disclosed for use in inserting fasteners into material being secured. The hopper comprises a rotatable drum which tumbles the fasteners therein into position so that the shanks thereof protrude outwardly between spaced-apart bars. The fasteners are discharged from a discharge opening formed in the hopper and are delivered to a magazine which is in communication with an entrapment apparatus which feeds the fasteners to a feed tube under pressure. The air pressure in the feed tube delivers the individual fasteners to the inserter with the fastener being positioned between pivotally movable head fingers which open to receive the fastener to position the same for subsequent insertion and which pivot to enable the fastener to be driven outwardly therefrom by a piston rod so that the fastener is driven into and through the material being secured.

Abstract: A bread dispensing apparatus has a rigid hollow body (10) in which bread slices can be placed, an upper inlet (11), a lower outlet (14) which is associated with a pull down dispenser. When the dispenser is pulled down, bread can be removed from the body. Hold back blades are provided to allow only the desired number of pieces of bread to be dispensed, the hold back blades being connected to the dispenser such that pulling down of the dispenser operates the hold back blades.

Abstract: Apparatus for regularly weighing groups of cigarettes comprises a suction drum arrangement (4,6) for picking up a predetermined number of cigarettes from a multi-layer flow of cigarettes (2) on a conveyor (3) and for feeding the cigarettes as a row (25) onto a ramp (14) connected to a weighing device (18), and including an arm (20) for arresting the cigarettes on the ramp until weighing has been accomplished, whereupon the arm is arranged to release the cigarettes to allow them to slide or roll down the ramp and back onto the flow of cigarettes on the conveyor (3).

Abstract: A method of feeding a continuous packing machine with groups of tobacco items, in particular cigarettes, composed of at least one layer of items, whereby a continuously-moving conveyor with pockets for respective groups is supplied successively with the groups, each of which is expelled from a feedbox in a substantially transverse direction in relation to the items by arresting the items inside the feedbox and over the expelled items.

Abstract: The present invention includes a jar ticket dispensing apparatus and method for dispensing jar tickets in response to an operator input. The invention includes an enclosed drum for containing the tickets. A support means supports the drum for rotation thereof. The drum is adapted to be rotated by an electric motor or other conventional device. A control means controls the dispensing of tickets in response to an input of money to the apparatus. The tickets are dispensed by rotating the drum causing the tickets contained therein to come into magnetic contact with a plurality of magnets residing on the drum and to be releasably secured thereto. Dispensing occurs when the magnetically attached ticket encounters a stripper which strips the ticket from the magnet. The dispensed ticket falls into a dispensing chute which dispenses the ticket to the operator.

Abstract: A fastener feeding apparatus which is adapted for concurrently feeding a plurality of fasteners to respective driving machines, and wherein the fasteners are fed from a vibratory hopper along a single delivery chute to a slide assembly. Upon movement of the slide assembly in a loading direction, the fasteners are loaded into individual slots on the slide assembly, and upon return movement of the slide assembly to a dump position, the loaded fasteners are concurrently released into respective discharge tubes which lead to the fastener driving devices.

Abstract: Vapor source material such as uranium, which is to be dropped into a melt in an evaporator, is made into many balls of identical diameters and placed inside a container. An elongated sloping pipe is connected to the container and leads to the evaporator such that these balls can travel sequentially therealong by gravity. A metering valve in this pipe for passing these balls one at a time is opened in response to a signal when it is ascertained by a detector that there is a ball ready to be passed. A gate in the pipe near the evaporator momentarily stops the motion of the traveling ball and is then opened to allow the ball drop into the melt at a reduced speed.

Abstract: An apparatus of this invention has a parts feeder unit, and this parts feeder unit has a plurality of parts feed countries. Guide pipe paths are respectively connected to these parts feed ports. Aligning units are arranged midway along these guide pipe paths, respectively. All small articles are aligned by these aligning units in the same direction. Outlet heads are arranged at lower end portions of the guide pipe paths, respectively. An aligning plate and a matrix plate are arranged below these outlet heads. The small articles fed from the outlet head are stored in the matrix plate in a matrix form within the matrix plate in an aligned state. These small articles are stored in the matrix plate by a drop pleich. These small articles are held in this matrix plate by the drop plate. Upon movement of the drop plate in the horizontal direction, these small articles drop and are respectively stored in storage holes of a tray.

Abstract: A machine that vends a predetermined number of golf balls when activated by a coin or token-operated slide mechanism. A large plurality of golf balls are placed in a hopper and the balls are fed from the hopper, one at a time, into an elongate pipe that discharges into a bucket positioned in a chamber near the bottom of the machine. A motor rotates a turntable having golf ball receiving apertures formed in its outer periphery so that the balls fill each aperture as the turntable rotates. The upper end of the pipe is in the path of travel of and is in open communication with apertures formed in the turntable so that rotation of the turntable continuously fills the pipe as the apertures pass over its open end. Numerous structural features, including vibrating members, insure that the balls will not jam in the hopper and additional design features insure a jostling of the balls in the vicinity of the pipe's upper end to insure against jamming at that critical location.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding electric circuit elements includes a plurality of containers or stockers for electric circuit elements, a transfer member connected to a respective stocker for transferring the circuit elements, and a shutter assembly disposed across the feeding path of the transfer member, whereby a plurality of circuit elements are fed at one time by one stroke of the shutter assembly. The shutter assembly may have a cut-out portion at the edge thereof and is adjustably removable in a direction perpendicular to that of the stroke thereof to open the feeding paths which correspond to the cut-out portion. The stocker may include a receptacle, the bottom of which defines an opening to receive a capture member. The capture member has plural through holes extending axially therethrough and is opened at its conical top thereof to receive circuit elements by reciprocal movement of the capture member relative to the receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus for locating chip type circuit elements on a printed circuit board includes an accommodating assembly for temporarily storing said circuit elements supplied from hoppers, a movable shutter placed under the accommodating assembly, and which supports and rotates circuit elements within the accommodating assembly, and a template placed under the shutter to receive the circuit elements dropped from the accommodating assembly when the shutter is removed laterally from under the accommodating assembly.

Abstract: A sheet magazine supports a stack of limp flexible sheets. The magazine has a bottom with a slot formed therethrough and spaced opposite first and second ends with an end feed gateway at the first end. A mechanical sheet separating and segregating device splits off and segregates each successive bottom-most lift of the stack from the remainder thereof and urges same through the gateway. The sheet separating and segregating device includes a stabber-separator movable toward the first end to support the stack at a selected distance above the bottom of the magazine and a pin extender movable toward the first end into the stack at a selected distance above the stabber-separator for segregating a bottom-most lift of the stack by being interposed in the stack above said lift. The stabber-separator is movable toward the second end of the bottom to a position spaced from the stack, thereby permitting the lift to drop to the bottom, and is movable back toward the first end directly under the pin extender.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying a predetermined number of piston rings to a work station including a vertically movable slide plate interposed between a charge-side chute and a discharge-side chute. Both the chutes have inclined grooves formed on side surfaces thereof for suspending the piston rings for sliding movement by gravity and the slide plate also has grooves adapted to receive a set number of rings from the charge-side chute at one position and to discharge the same from the slide plate to the discharge-side chute at another position. An adjuster is provided for controlling the number of the piston rings to be fed to the slide plate and discharged to the discharge side chute.

Abstract: A coin dispensing apparatus adapted to dispense a selected number of coins includes a guide tube to receive a plurality of coins and a number of cams to engage several of the coins in the tube to selectively retain a particular coin within the tube to thereby allow lower coins to be dispensed from within the tube.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical winnings distribution assembly for a slot machine in which a release coin operates a microswitch to produce a pulse which is fed to an electromagnet to pivot a winnings distribution lever against the action of a spring from a position at which pins on the lever move from a position in the marginal spaces of rows of coins in edge-to-edge relationship to a position out of the spaces.

Abstract: A chute filling device for handling cigarette filter tubes has a funnel and a chute divided by partitions, as well as a discharge opening and a pushing arm, wherein the partitions are loosely suspended with play in slots in a swing frame, the partitions being capable of being set to oscillating in such manner that the cigarette filter tubes are braked as they fall by frequent contact with the chute walls and move downwardly while maintaining their horizontal attitude.

Abstract: A feeder transfer chute lying in a vertical plane is adapted to convey elongated ammunition cartridges by gravity, each cartridge having a projectile at a first end and an extractor groove at a second end. The chute includes parallel spaced apart ribs which cooperate with the extractor groove to confine the second end of the cartridge proximate an end wall of the chute while not appreciably restricting the free fall acceleration of said second cartridge end. A descent restricter in the chute acts upon the first end of the cartridge, continuously retarding its downward progress to hold the acceleration of the second cartridge end to less than free fall acceleration.

Abstract: A dispensing device for use with a guide or shaft for dispensed objects. The guide consists of a fixed guide wall and an adjustable wall, the distance between walls being adjustable according to the width of the dispensed objects by means of an adjustable spreader. An escapement means is provided, comprising two apertures formed in the guide wall one above the other; on the side remote from the shaft there is arranged a reciprocable shifter with a groove and a hollow for each of the apertures, in each of the mentioned recesses there being movingly seated a selectively operable, movable locking element.

Abstract: An escapement mechanism for successively releasing rectangular groups of articles from an upright stack. The articles are of the type having reduced top ends and enlarged bottom ends. The articles are held within an upright hopper that guides the stack gravitationally toward the escapement mechanism. Successive groups of articles are engaged by a first stop mechanism at a first elevation and are lowered thereby to a second elevation. A retractable support is located at the second elevation to receive and support the successive groups of articles. While articles are resting upon the retractable support, the stop means is moved upwardly again to engage the bottom sides of the next successive group of articles and lift them upwardly from engagement with the top ends of the article group presently supported on the retractable support. Once to successive groups become disengaged from one another, the support is retracted to allow one group to fall gravitationally to a transfer mechanism.

Abstract: Caps loaded into the hopper of a machine are gravitationally fed at a controlled feed rate and are distributed into a plurality of guide channels. Movement of each cap through a guide channel is momentarily interruped to obtain a desired spaced relationship for reorientation if required. The infeed rate of caps is controlled in conjunction with the reorientation process.