Abstract: A device for transferring items to a transport system or to a storage unit has a feed unit for conveying a plurality of items in at least one feeding line. Further, it has a transfer station for receiving the items from the feed unit and for transferring the items to the transport system or to the storage device. The transfer station includes two temporary storage lines arranged in parallel. The items are provided by the feed unit in a manner that the items in the first temporary storage line are arranged offset from the items in the second temporary storage line. The temporary storage surfaces in the first temporary storage line have at least one flap to be opened. A pusher in the transfer station is adapted to push the items from the second temporary storage line to the first temporary storage line.

Abstract: A person may store food to prepare for an emergency. An insurance policy may be issue to cover the stored food against loss, theft, spoilage, etc. In issuing the insurance policy and setting the premium, the insurer may take various factors into account, such as the type of food to be stored (e.g., canned, dried, etc.), where the food is to be stored (e.g., a cellar, a closet, a food locker, etc.), and whether the stored food is rotated with new food to prevent the stored food from spoiling due to age. During the life of the insurance policy, the insurer may issue alerts to the policyholder in order to advise the policyholder to rotate old food out of storage.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removing tablets from a blister pack including formations for receiving the tablets and a rupturable foil member which seals the formations. The foil member is rupturable to allow removal of the tablets from the blister pack. The de-blistering apparatus works essentially by using an adhesive coated tape to mount and draw the blister pack through a depressing station and a foil removal station. In the depressing station, the foil which seals the tablet within the formations is ruptured and in the foil removal station the ruptured foil is removed from the blister pack to free the tablet.

Abstract: A programmable vitamin and pill dispenser that is capable of storing multiple pill groups. The dispenser provides reminders to an individual when it is time to ingest the next serving. The serving is dispensed into a cup upon depressing a dispenser button. By loading the individual compartments specific to each serving, an individual does not have to create the serving each time.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing banknote bundles from a multiplicity of banknote magazines (12, 14, 16), which are arranged one above the other in a housing (10) and are equipped with a separating device, and for supplying the banknote bundles at an outlet opening (32), comprises a lift (19) with a receiving container (28) for banknote bundles. The separating arrangement and the lift (19) are driven independently of one another. The receiving container (28) has a single receiving position (29) which is common to all the banknote magazines (12, 14, 16) and is located beneath the lowermost banknote magazine (16), in front of the discharge opening (18) of the same.

Abstract: A tape-form packaging system for conveyance or dispensing of articles and apparatus for assembly and disassembly of the packaging system is disclosed. The packaging system includes elongated carrier and cover tapes disposed in superposed relationship with article retaining pockets formed in the carrier tape in spaced relationship along its longitudinal axis. Cooperative interconnecting components are formed in the two tapes intermediate adjacent pairs of pockets. The component in the carrier tape is a rectangular aperture having opposed ends extending longitudinally of the tape and the component formed with the cover tape is a projection of the same length as the aperture through which it is extended. A tab extends from a side of the projection into underlying, contacting relationship to the carrier tape thereby mechanically interlocking the tapes together in releasable engagement.

Abstract: A merchandise dispenser for dispensing merchandising prizes which are used in conjunction with coin operated amusement games. It includes a conveyor belt that follows a continuos path of travel within a housing, a control cabinet having an interface device which is connected to a remote coin operated device which offers an award based upon a score, points or achievement, a prize retrieval space contained within the housing, and an access door formed in the front of the housing to retrieve a prize.

Abstract: A bag dispensing device comprising an elongate, tubular housing defining open top and bottom ends. Extending between the top and bottom ends is a passage for receiving and storing a plurality of bags. Extending through the passage and from the open top and bottom ends of the housing is an elongate, flexible dispensing member. The dispensing member is configured such that when pulled from the bottom end of the housing, one of the bags stored within the passage is dispensed from the bottom end.

Abstract: An article packaging system for an automated article dispensing mechanism includes a plurality of clamshell-like containers attached together by side support rails. Each clamshell includes two semi-cylindrical halves pivotably mounted together and pivotable between open and closed positions. Resilient elongated bands bias the cylindrical halves in the direction of closure. When two adjacent pairs of rails are pivoted in one direction with respect to one another, the clamshells are maintained closed. Conversely, when two pairs of side support rails are pivoted in another direction with respect to one another, the cylindrical halves pivot with respect to one another to open a clamshell. The dispensing mechanism may be guided through the use of a sprocket or sprockets or, alternatively, side supports with guide slots receiving pins extending laterally from the side support rails may be employed.

Abstract: Masa handling methods for the continuous processing of masa type dough in conjunction with commonly available feed processing equipment, such as a masa extruder, an oven, or cooling apparatus. One masa handling method includes a masa separator having a pair of opposed, endless belt conveyors having facing surfaces spaced apart to receive a generally continuous masa stream output from a nozzle on the masa extruder. When the masa stream moves between the conveyors, it is gripped by their facing surfaces and moved away from the nozzle, causing the masa to be separated into individual pieces, or logs. The masa handling method can also include feeding the masa to masa hoppers fed by at least two endless belt conveyors arranged in upstream and downstream positions relative to each other.

Abstract: A temporary automatic machine coin store includes a gear-tooth belt disposed between two tooth-gear blocks, namely, a driving tooth-gear block and a return tooth-gear block. A plurality of blades are attached to one belt. The width of the blades is equal to the maximal diameter of the coin to be inserted. The coin store assembly is disposed inside a vertically elongate housing. The tooth-gear blocks are vertically aligned. The upper end of the housing has a window for the coins to enter. The coins drop one by one upon the dihedral defined by each pair of blades which occupy at that time the upper end position within the device.

Abstract: A tape-form packaging system is provided having an elongated carrier tape on which a plurality of elongated article-receiving loops are mounted on a face of the tape in transversely oriented relationship to the longitudinal axis of the tape with the axial ends of the loops spaced a distance inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the tape. Gating elements are affixed to the carrier tape with a gating element positioned between each axial end of a loop and the adjacent longitudinal edge of the carrier tape and operative to block axial movement of an article into or out of the respective loop. The carrier tape is flexible and upon flexing of the marginal edge portion of the tape, the gating element is displaced out of blocking relationship to the loop permitting axial displacement of an article into or out of a loop.

Abstract: A dispenser apparatus (1, 60) for medications (2) in capsule or pill form includes a case (3, 64) dispensing the medications and a removable loader (4, 75) capable of containing the medications previously put into the loader. The case includes a driving mechanism (7, 61) for driving the loader in a given direction, and optical detection (39) arranged in order to detect the passage of a medication at the moment of its exit from the case and connected to a electronic device (40) for storing, computing and retrieving the data relating to the dispensing of medications. The loader includes several transverse compartments (24) forming a continuous longitudinal chain, the loader and the orifice being arranged in order to allow the exit of the medication directly under gravity when it is dispensed.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention there is provided a reconfigurable compartmentized vertical conveyor dispenser for dispensing products in an automated order dispensing system. The size of compartments for holding the products is chosen by adjusting the spacing of shelves forming the compartments. The width of the compartments is varied by coupling adjacent compartmentized vertical conveyor dispenser for synchronous operation.

Abstract: An article dispenser is disclosed including a continuous carrier; a plurality of article engaging members formed on the carrier and regularly spaced therealong; a least two article guide members separated at a predetermined distance from one another and aligned with the carrier adjacent the article engaging members at a predetermined spacing therefrom; adjustment member for adjusting the predetermined distance and the predetermined spacing so that the article may be held between a pair of the article engaging members and leans at an angle against the article guide members for sliding movement therealong. Also disclosed is a method of dispensing articles.

Abstract: Apparatus and process are disclosed for removing a single flexible member from a storage spool capable of holding multiple flexible members. This storage spool is designed to contain multiple elongated flexible members in an accurate position on the spool by means of radial channels or slots where the flexible members are held in place by interwinding material. By removing the interwinding material on a take up spool the individual flexible member can be positioned for removal from the storage spool by a pick up head or vacuum transport member. The invention has particular applicability to the handling of test devices, such as reagent strips, used in the determination of a biological constituent in a body fluid.

Abstract: A luggage cart dispensing machine having a vertically oriented rotatable conveyor assembly which defines a path for the movement of the luggage carts, a series of pivotally attached vanes extending from the conveyor assembly, the vanes forming an interlocking engagement with the luggage carts to lift and hold the luggage carts in consecutive alignment, and a vertically oriented stationary bar which cooperates with the conveyor assembly to prevent the lateral release of the luggage carts. The dispensing machine also utilizes a drive mechanism engaged with the conveyor assembly which may be actuated by a coin-operated control or a switch, and is operable in a reversible manner.

Abstract: An improved locking system for a vending machine of the type comprising a plurality of vertical magazines each consisting of an endless belt having a plurality of spaced trays thereon. A receiving tray mounted below each of the belts has a lock lever associated therewith. The lock lever is normally biased into a first position which prevents unauthorized rotation of the receiving tray to prevent the dispensing of a product held thereon. Rotation of the endless belt forward causes one of the trays thereon to engage the lock lever to move it to a second position to unlock the receiving tray and thereafter engages the receiving tray to pivot such tray to a dispensing position.

Abstract: A merchandising machine made up of a plurality of generally vertical panels extending from adjacent to the top of the cabinet to a location adjacent to the cabinet delivery opening and each of which panels supports upper and lower generally circular merchandise supply carriers having a plurality of radially extending article storage compartments and each of which carriers is adapted to be driven in the course of a cycle of operation of the machine to position a compartment to deliver its article to an escrow assembly adapted to be actuated to deliver an article from a display surface positioned behind a window in the cabinet to the delivery mechanism at the delivery opening. Each carrier is provided with an ejector adapted to be moved into the compartment positioned adjacent to the escrow assembly positively to move an article from the compartment to the display surface. A lock is provided for locking the delivery door of the delivery mechanism closed during a cycle of operation of the machine.

Abstract: An improved delivery system for a merchandising machine of the first-in first-out type in which each section comprises a spring clutch adapted to be actuated to couple a gear train to a common drive shaft to rotate an escrow member and to step a chain of merchandise-carrying paddles to cause a surface of the escrow member and one of the paddles, which together support the article next to be dispensed in a viewing position, to open in the manner of a trap door to deliver that article to a tray which is accessible to the customer.

Abstract: A dispensing and control system, adaptable to coin operated vending machines, for selective operation of one of the dispensers acting as a means for releasing and dropping a selected merchandise to a delivery location using a mechanical or electrical control. Three dispenser mechanisms, suitable for different merchandise groups, are operable by a low power operating stroke suitable for a fully mechanical machine where the operating power comes from the manual actuation of operating knobs which are visually and mechanically linked to individual dispensers. Same dispensers are operable by an electrical power source using a novel selection system which includes a coupling and resetting control for coupling a selected dispenser actuator to a common power driven actuating member.

Abstract: Masa handling methods for the continuous processing of masa type dough in conjunction with commonly available feed processing equipment, such as a masa extruder, an oven, or cooling apparatus. One masa handling method includes a masa separator having a pair of opposed, endless belt conveyors having facing surfaces spaced apart to receive a generally continuous masa stream output from a nozzle on the masa extruder. When the masa stream moves between the conveyors, it is gripped by their facing surfaces and moved away from the nozzle, causing the masa to be separated into individual pieces, or logs. The masa handling method can also include feeding the masa to masa hoppers fed by at least two endless belt conveyors arranged in upstream and downstream positions relative to each other.

Abstract: Mass handling methods for the continuous processing of masa type dough in conjunction with commonly available feed processing equipment, such as a masa extruder, an oven, or cooling apparatus. One masa handling method includes a masa separator having a pair of opposed, endless belt conveyors having facing surfaces spaced apart to receive a generally continuous masa stream output from a nozzle on the masa extruder. When the masa stream moves between the conveyors, it is gripped by their facing surfaces and moved away from the nozzle, causing the masa to be separated into individual pieces, or logs. The masa handling method can also include feeding the masa to masa hoppers fed by at least two endless belt conveyors arranged in upstream and downstream positions relative to each other.