Abstract: A labeling apparatus is presented. The apparatus has a pair of stationary rollers. There is a gap between the rollers. An idler wheel is positioned opposite the stationary rollers to engage the object and hold it against the rollers. A floating pin is positioned between the rollers and the object. The pin diameter is larger than the roller gap. A continuous web of labels is threaded through the gap and around the pin. When the web is advanced, the tension forces the web and pin against the rollers causing the rollers to rotate in the opposite direction, thus driving the engaged object forward. As the web advances, the label does not follow the diameter of the pin and is separated from the web and applied to the object. An object supply hopper has separating means for providing individual objects to the rollers. The entire apparatus is angled relative to the horizontal plane. The hopper is oblique to the plane of the object.

Abstract: Drinking straws are efficiently packaged, shipped, stored and dispensed by providing a plurality of flexible, hollow, cylindrical tubes, each having a convenient length and cross-section for a drinking straw; arranging the tubes substantially in parallel; and pressing the tubes to force them into a substantially flattened configuration.

Abstract: A dispenser for delivering an uncovered first aid bandage into a readily accessible outlet chute from a strip of bandage packages where each bandage is covered by a layer of paper on each side thereof prior to being dispensed. The dispenser has a spool for holding a supply roll of bandage packages, and two opposed press rollers receive and advance the strip therebetween. Two stripping rollers remove a cover strip of paper from each side of the package and deliver the strips to waste disposal and free the bandage. A ratchet on one of the press rollers is driven by a manually operated lever to rotate that roller, and a motion transmitting driving connection causes both press rollers to be turned equally in opposite directions.

Abstract: The appliance can be used in particular for dispensing food pellets to animals in animal houses or especially in a space vehicle. It comprises a magazine (10) for storing the pellets (38) in which is compactly housed a thin wall pipe made from a flexible material containing a stack of pellets and a dispenser (20) comprising means for progressively extracting the pipe (30) from the magazine and a knife (42) for opening the latter along a generatrix as it advances for releasing the pellets. A spool (52) receives the split and emptied portion of the pipe.

Abstract: The feeding apparatus comprises a flat housing mounted on the component insertion apparatus in vertical orientation. The housing includes a guiding channel for guiding the supporting tape of the belt containing the components to be fed. The guiding channel comprises a channel portion running horizontally along the upper narrow edge of the housing and has a freely exposed component pick-up area.Driving means are provided for stepwise forwarding the belt through the guiding channel, said driving means mounted in the interior of the housing and including a driving motor.The driving motor has a drive shaft running parallel to the two lateral surfaces of the housing. First and a second power transmission means are fixed to the drive shaft and adapted to stepwise forward the belt containing the components, and to forward the cover tape when it is peeled off from the belt.

Abstract: An orthodontic dispensing device for dispensing orthodontic appliances formed in an elastomeric strip of material. The device comprises a housing having a discharge opening and a guide bar adjacent thereto. A drive reel is provided for moving the strip around the guide bar is provided so as to present the orthodontic appliance for dispensing thereof.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing labels from a backing strip upon which the labels are mounted with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing on the labels, the labels being adapted to be peeled away from the backing strip by sharply reversely bending the backing strip over an edge. The used backing strip is automatically collected and stored within the housing as the strip is unwound from the supply roll and the pressure-sensitive adhesive backing labels dispensed from the dispenser. The dispenser includes only one moving part namely a combined take up roll and hand wheel both of which are confined within the housing of the dispenser.

Abstract: An inactive feeder supports a lead tape having evenly spaced sprocket holes and components within a feed channel. Pairs of ball detents spaced at the same pitch forcefully enter corresponding sprocket holes when the lead tape is incremented to precisely locate and hold the lead tape.

Abstract: In an electronic chip supplying apparatus, a vacuum suction device for sucking a retainer tape which encases electronic chips is provided in a retainer tape support member provided at an opening position where the electronic chips are picked up from a chip pickup device, or a tension applying device for the retainer is provided. Thus, vertical fluctuation of the retainer tape is prevented at the opening position.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for dispensing rubber gloves in an aseptic condition for insertion of the hands of a user. The gloves to be dispensed are contained within a chamber in a suitable housing provided with hand holes for a user. The gloves are attached to a continuous web of material provided with an aperture at each glove attachment for insertion of a hand of the user. Each glove is covered by a packaging film that is lightly perforated at each glove. The gloves are fed intermittently into registry with the hand holes in the housing. The user activates a vacuum pressure which is in fluid communication with the hand holes causing the gloves to expand and rupture through the film of packaging material. The user inserts his hands, deactivates the vacuum pressure, thrusts his hands further into the housing to detach a temporary retention of the gloves and removes his hands from the housing with the gloves aseptically applied.

Abstract: An installation for making up batches of articles, the installation being characterized in that it comprises at least one work station for one operator, said station including a storage member (4) for storing said articles species-by-species, said articles each being provided with automatically readable identification means, said station also including a reader (19) for automatically reading the said identification means and a hatch (17) communicating with a chute (18) whose opening is controllable, said installation further including an endless chain of buckets (21) disposed in such a manner that the buckets pass beneath the chutes, and a moving belt (25) disposed beneath the buckets and receiving the boxes (26) for receiving the batches of articles via an inlet station, each bucket being provided with a controllable pivoting device in order to cause the article contained therein to fall into a box, the installation including a station (20) from which loaded boxes are removed and being controlled by a comput

Abstract: A dispenser is disclosed for dispensing strips which contain medicine and can be divided into individual sections as they are dispensed. The dispenser includes a housing having a storage space for strips and a discharge passageway through which strips are dispensed. A ramp interconnects the storage space and passageway. A feed wheel having a peripheral gear feeds strips along the ramp. The feed wheel is actuated by a member operable from outside the housing. The actuating member shifts a drive pawl which engages the peripheral gear on the feed wheel. A cap is secured over the dispensing end of the housing and is held in place by a snap connection.

Abstract: A cassette (12) for loose-piece parts, such as electrical terminals (3), comprising a housing (14) having a storage chamber (22), a feeding portion (32), and a discharge station (38). The parts are mounted in spaced-apart relationship in individual cells (10) of a belt (2) which is wound in a coil in the storage chamber (22). A confined passageway (56) extends from the storage chamber (22) to the feeding portion (32) to guide the belt (2) into the feeding portion where it is engaged by a feeding means on a machine, such as a crimping machine, when the cassette (12) is mounted on the machine. The parts are removed from the cells (10) at a discharge station (38) which may be in the feeding portion (32) of the cassette (12).

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the supply tape is stepped to present each pocket at a pick-up area for removal of a component. Each pocket is opened in turn during the indexing step that positions it at the pick-up area, and a shutter is moved over the pick-up area prior to tape movement so that the pocket is covered by a shutter during the tape movement and peeling of the cover from the substrate. After each indexing step, the shutter is moved away from the pick-up area in order to provide access to the component in the opened pocket.

Abstract: A method and a device for placing edge protecting means (7) at objects in connection with band strapping. The inventive method is distinguished in that blanks for edge protecting means (7) are fed as a continuous band (7a) which when advanced is preliminary bent around a longitudinal line, that the fed-out portion of the band (7a) is cut to form an edge protecting means (7) in correct position, and that the edge protecting means (7) is finally bent in connection with cutting.

Abstract: A controllable dispensing device for use by a drug therapist for the unsupervised administration to a patient of a drug therapy regimen. A field unit is loaded with a plurality of medication containers in a predetermined sequence. Along with the medication, a program of dosing times is stored in an electronic memory of the field unit. This program is defined using a computerized base unit and is transferred to the field unit via an interface between the base and field units. The field unit includes a display and alarm for altering the patient as to the times for dispensing and administering the medications in the containers. The field unit permits dispensing of containers only in accordance with the predefined schedule and records the actual times of container dispensing. Later, the field unit can be debriefed by the base unit via the interface and the base unit prepares a report of medication compliance for the drug therapist.

Abstract: A system for scanning and dispensing postage stamps from a roll of stamps, including a scanning circuit for optically scanning each individual stamp on a stamp roll as the stamp passes thereby in order to detect the degree of opacity of such stamp and to produce a scanning output signal representative of the degree of opacity, an examination circuit including a first circuit portion operable to determine if an individual stamp boundary has been encountered and to produce a boundary detection signal in such event, and a second circuit portion responsive to such scanning output signal to determine if the degree of opacity detected identifies a non-blank stamp and to produce a non-blank status detection signal in such event, and a dispensing control circuit responsive to an externally generated dispense request signal and to the production of one or more boundary detection signals and non-blank status detection signals to control the operation of stamp movement and detaching devices.

Abstract: Medication dispensing apparatus for hospital and nursing home use that can satisfy patient prescription requirements on a large scale. The apparatus includes a carriage for dispensing pills or other medication required by the prescription of a particular patient on command from a computer control system. The pills are automatically selected from a large array of bins, deposited in an individual patient tray and delivered to an inspection station where verification of the prescription is achieved by comparing the tray contents with a display of patient data.

Abstract: A bill retention device includes a relatively long guide belt which has one end thereof secured to a first rotary member and the other end to a second rotary member and is wound on the first rotary member when no bill isretained at all. For accommodating bills, the second rotary member is rotated to wind the guide belt and also wind the bills tightly thereon. In accordance with winding of the second rotary member, the guide belt is unwound from the first rotary member. Thus, the guide belt is finally wound on the second rotary member many times resulting in winding up of a large number of bills. By having the guide belt wound on the first rotary member simultaneously with the reverse rotation of the second rotary member, the retained bills are unwound from the second rotary member one by one whereby the bills can be automatically returned.

Abstract: Peel-back separation of labels from a supporting liner is enhanced by delivering a sharp blow in the vicinity of the leading edge of each successive label. In a preferred form of the invention, the sharp blow is delivered by means of a star wheel head.

Abstract: Two embodiments of a system for dispensing currency notes are disclosed. The first embodiment of the system comprises two major components, a cartridge (10) and a dispenser (14). The second embodiment of the system comprises three major components, a cartridge (10), a loader (12) and a dispenser (14). The cartridge (10) comprises a housing (28) having a supply spool (30) and two takeup spools (32, 34) rotatably mounted therein. Outer and inner flexible films (36, 38) are secured to and wound about the spools. Individual currency notes (18) are sandwiched between the films (36, 38) and stored on the supply spool (30). The loader (12) separates and verifies individual currency notes from a stack and transports the currency notes to the cartridge (10). The loader (12) causes the supply spool (30) to rotate so that an individual currency note is stored on the spool and further resists the rotation of the takeup spools (32, 34) to maintain tension in the films (36, 38).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a low cost throwaway medicament dispensing device characterized by structural integrity for dispensing a medicament to a user in a time controlled manner so as to discourage the taking of an overdose of the medicament by the user without interfering with the dispensing of a prescribed amount of the medicament.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for processing products aligned on a tape. In the present embodiment, the products are shown to be heat recoverable sleeves which are conveyed to a control station for insertion of a terminal. The work is then released from the control station and allowed to pass across a heater which recovers the sleeve about the terminal. To accomplish the above, a drive having a friction coupling and a positive coupling are employed to convey the work through the apparatus. A conditioned atmosphere process apparatus is employed for the heating of the sleeves and a controlled product feed apparatus controls the feeding of the work to the control station.

Abstract: Device for feeding tubes into a tube-insertion machine for heat exchangers such as steam condensers, especially, includes vertically disposed flexible belt means formed with respective holders for the tubes, the flexible belt means and the holders connecting the tubes to one another in mutually parallel disposition.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composite label web, method of making a composite label web and method of using a composite label web. The composite label web is fed toward a delaminator at which the supporting material for the label is caused to undergo a sharp change in direction. The supporting material is provided with two columns of slits or cuts means. The slits are disposed at longitudinally spaced apart locations, and the slits of one column are laterally offset from the slits of the other column.

Abstract: A tape dispenser which includes a portable frame having a single upright sidewall and an upwardly projecting front wall provided with a cutting blade adjacent the upper edge thereof. A pair of horizontally cantilevered spindle assemblies are rotatably supported on the sidewall in parallel but horizontally spaced relationship. One of the spindle assemblies, as positioned more closely adjacent the cutting blade, has a rotatable support roller on which a tape spool is removably positioned. This support roller also has a large diameter annular hub disposed in engagement with an endless drive belt. The other spindle assembly includes a rotatable takeup roller which is of a diameter similar to that of the support roller. This takeup roller, which is adapted to have the tape backing strip wound thereon, has a small diameter hub disposed in engagement with the drive belt.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing products by packaging them in individual containers connected together to form a strip, and cutting each individual product unit from the strip which is fed stepwise to being each terminal product unit into a cutting position during each distributing cycle. The apparatus comprises a coin box, a cutting mechanism arranged to separate the terminal product unit from the strip when a token or coin is inserted into the coin box, and a feed mechanism arranged to cause advancing of the strip by one step when the cutting mechanism returns to a rest position.

Abstract: A chain of imbricated bags connected and supported by a carrier removably secured to the closed end of each of the bags is used for individually dispensing the leading bag when the carrier is moved in a direction which advances the sealed end of the bag ahead of the open end. A method and apparatus for dispensing such bags are also included.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composite web of labels in a supply roll, method of making a label roll and method of dispensing labels. The composite web has a web of supporting material and labels releasably adhered to the supporting material web. There are groups of slits in the supporting material web and in the labels at longitudinally spaced apart locations. The slits are shown to be in a generally Y-shaped configuration. Each group has a generally longitudinally extending slit and two slits disposed at an angle with respect to the transverse direction across the web. The two slits extend at an angle to the transverse direction from a generally V-shaped flap or flap portion. The slits were shown to be spaced apart by a land or frangible portion. The labels are dispensed from the roll by drawing the web about a delaminator in a direction that the flap portions trail across the delaminator.

Abstract: A device useful for dispensing taped bags includes spaced apart rotatably mounted carriers, a surface therebetween to wind up at least one tape, and a clutch assembly for unidirectional rotation of the wind up surface. In various embodiments, the device further includes a variety of features which facilitate removal of wound up tape, such as a spring which is compressible to provide a clearance, a pin to permit rotation of the wind up surface away from a carrier plate, use of spaced apart flexible rods as the surface whereby the free ends of the rods may be compressed to reduce the surface perimeter, and forming the surface of low friction material. The device is especially useful when used as a component of apparatus having a housing for supporting a supply of taped bags.

Abstract: A ring is mounted, in horizontally surrounding relation, on a plastic drum adjacent but short of the upper end thereof; the ring being fixed on the drum, and structurally designed to provide an annular lip extending coaxially about the drum in radially outwardly spaced relation to the drum sidewall whereby the lip is exposed for engagement by the gripping device of a lift-type industrial truck employed to lift and transport such plastic drum.

Abstract: The device is particularly adapted to dispense portions of a chain having relatively diametrically enlarged segments therein, such as master links, which are disposed at substantially regularly spaced intervals along the length of the chain, although the intervals may not and in fact need not be uniformly spaced. According to the apparatus, the chain is supported so that it is movable relatively lengthwise thereof through the opening in a collar which is capable of being opened and closed about the chain, and the opening of which has a diameter of less than that of the relatively enlarged segments of the chain in the closed condition of the collar. When the collar is open, the chain is advanced lengthwise in the direction of the collar to the extent that a portion of the chain including one relatively enlarged segment therein, is fed through the opening in the collar and assumes a position on the opposite side thereof.

Abstract: A fastener feed assembly for a tool such as a power screwdriver having a drive member such as a rotatable bit includes a base fixed to the tool and a nose assembly slidably related to the base. The nose assembly includes a workpiece engaging surface, and when the tool is moved toward the workpiece during a fastener driving operation, the base moves toward the nose assembly. A return spring separates the base and nose assembly when the tool is withdrawn away from the workpiece. A strip of fasteners is fed from a magazine along a feed path through the nose assembly with sequential fasteners located in a drive position. Normally the drive member is spaced from a fastener in the drive position. During movement of the tool toward the workpiece in a driving operation, the drive member moves into engagement with a fastener in the drive position, and then continues to move in order to drive the fastener into the workpiece. A pawl is engageable with the strip in order to advance the strip along the feed path.