Abstract: Conveyor apparatus for conveying articles such as flat annular can ends and for controlling the rate of feed of the articles. The articles are transported through a conveying conduit defining an elongated passage with an inlet opening for receiving the articles and an outlet opening for discharging the articles. Feed control apparatus is associated with the conduit, preferably near the outlet opening, for controlling the rate of feed of the articles and comprises resilient liner means associated with the conduit means and located at least partially within the passage for frictionally engaging articles in the passage and controlling the rate of movement of the articles therethrough and force applying means associated with the resilient means for forcing the resilient means into frictional engagement with the articles in the passage. The force applying means is used to control the amount of friction exerted by the resilient means on the peripheral surface of the articles.

Abstract: A pile of sheets arranged vertically next to one another is gently urged against a rigid metal plate that can be reciprocated back and forth very rapidly so as to pull the end sheet off the pile by suction and to return to rest against the pile of sheets before they have followed this reciprocation motion to the same extent as the end sheet. Once the plate pulls rapidly away from the end of the pile, pulling the end sheet with it, this end sheet is engaged by a suction roller and pulled laterally off the pile.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing a single newspaper, magazine or the like from the top of the stack which includes a novel horizontally movable stripper assembly which allows dispensing of a single folded article in both a horizontal travel from left to right and the return travel from right to left. The folded articles, such as newspapers or magazines, are partially overlapped symmetrically about a vertical plane of symmetry and urged upwards against the horizontally traveling stripper assembly by a resilient platform. This dispenser has particular utility as a vending device where a single article only, such as a newspaper or magazine, will be dispensed upon selective operation of the horizontally movable stripper assembly in either direction of complete travel.