Patent ID: 6126036
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
Apparatus for storing and dispensing articles comprising:a compartment in which articles are stored in a stack, the compartment having a bottom aperture,a dispensing device including:a mobile carriage translatable forward-and-back along substantially a same longitudinal path below said compartment between longitudinally spaced first and second positions,a finger mounted on the mobile carriage for movement between a lower level where it is free of interference with the compartment and an upper level where it is engageable with the lowermost article in said compartment to translate the article through the aperture upon forward translation of the carriage,a roller mounted on an outer end of the finger having a periphery which engages and lifts a penultimate article in said compartment to raise the stack from fully bearing on the lowermost article when the lowermost article is engaged by the finger upon forward translation of the carriage to translate it through the aperture,a driving member which translates the carriage forward-and-back, anda control element on the carriage which shifts the finger between its lower and upper levels depending on direction of forward-and-back translation of the carriage.