700,262. Dispensing articles. COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING PTY., Ltd. Nov. 5, 1951 [Nov. 6, 19501, No. 25839/51. Class 116 [Also in Group XXX] Dispensing means for various kinds of articles from a series of storage devices arranged in groups to a common conveying means has one interposed receiving means associated with at least one group on to which articles are deposited and retained over a time interval before being transferred in a batch to the common conveying means. As shown in Fig. 4, conveyers 1, group A, transfer one article at a time on to conveyer 2; group B conveyers transfer more than one article on to plate 4, four seconds being allowed to release the batch which is the time the articles from conveyers A take to travel the length of conveyer 2 opposite the group A, the articles on plate 4 are then transferred to conveyer 2. Two seconds after the release of articles from the plate 4 to conveyer 2 the second order is released from group A so providing a delivery rate of one order every six seconds. Various arrangements of conveyers are described with one or more interposed receiving or conveying means for one or both or any number of groups. The discharge may be from both sides on to a common conveyer means. If the interposed means is a conveyer a stop is arranged at one end, and if the conveying means are parallel to the groups, partitions are arranged between them. In Fig. 19 is shown a conveyer carrying articles 83, the driving roller has a clutch CM connected to conductor 86. The articles pass over a trip contact 38 connected to conductor 87. In Fig. 9 is shown conveyers 1 delivering to conveyer 5 and from there to conveyer 2. The conveyers are arranged in a vertical series and the operations for each are identical. At each end of the conveyer 5 is a member 6a having a groove 10 in which slides a member 8 connected to a pusher bar 9 and extending the whole length of the conveyers 1. The pusher bar is retained by a spring 12 against the ends of conveyers 1 and traverses the conveyer 5 to transfer articles from conveyers 5 to 2 by a cord 13 passing over a pulley 14 on a shaft 39 connected by a clutch 15 to driven shaft 16. The member 8 operates a contact pbc and is retained by a catch 56. A stop member 18 integral with supports 64 extends the length of the conveyers 5. The member 18 is raised by a cam 53 on a shaft 52 connected by clutch 51 to driving shaft 50. Cam 53 has a lug 54 and a contact 55. The member 18 drops by gravity. Extensions 65 on member 64 operate catch 56, to release bar 8. An electromagnetically operated catch 47 retains member 18 in the raised position. A different method is described for moving the stop member 18. At the top the member is attached to springs and at the bottom has a rod movable in a shaped groove in a guide which is moved laterally to raise and lower the member. The conveyer 5 can be a plate which is tipped. Articles can also be arranged to pass over an inclined member and a stop member, the stop member being raised and lowered by the operation of member 64. The stop member when raised engages the member 6a and traverses the conveyer. To deliver an order the key K, Fig. 16. is actuated closing contact b2 for group A, Fig. 4. Relay IRG is energized closing contacts 1rg1 to 1rg3. Contact 1rg1 closes holding circuit for relay IRG contact 1rg2 prepares a circuit for relay ICR over contact s2 and contact 1rg3 operates relay R and then releases having released the SRG, and contact b1 opens. The key is then operated to close contact b3 for a number of articles from group B, then the key KR is pressed to energize relay A closing contacts a1 and a2, a1 closing the circuit for relay A over closed contact t1, contact a2 energizes relay S over contact x1. Relay S closes its contacts s1 and s2, s1 prepares for relay T over open contact c1, contact s2 energizes relays ICR and 3CR. Relay ICR closes contacts 1cr1 to 1cr3, contact 1cr1 closes holding circuit for relay ICR over article trip contact ITC, contact 1cr2 operates conveyer drive through clutch magnet CM, contact 1cr3 energizes relay C. Relay C closes contacts c1 and c2 and opens c3, contact c1 energizes relay T which opens break contacts t1 and t2 breaking the holding circuit for relay S opening contacts s1, s2, contact t2, breaks the holding circuits for relays IRG, 3RG releasing the contacts 1rg1 to 1rg3 and 3rg1 to 3rg3, the relay T circuit is broken and contacts t1, t2 release again, thus first part of circuit except relays CR is released by contact c1; another order can be keyed in. Contact c2 energizes relay P closing contacts p1 to p3, contact c3 breaks and magnets 45 not operative. Contact p1 closes, holding circuit for relay P over closed contact w2; contact p2 closes circuit for slow release relay D, contact p3 energizes relay X opening contact x1 preventing operation of relay S. When relay C is de-energized contact c3 closes the relay D which has four seconds delay, closes its contact d1 and magnets 45 and M15 are operative. Magnets 45 release frame 64 and stop members 18 are lowered. Magnet M15 operates clutch 15 and pulley 14 is operated to pull the pusher across the belt 5 and move articles to conveyers 2. Contact pbc is then operated energizing relay W closing contact w1 and opening contact w2. Contact w2 breaks holding circuit for relay P which releases contacts p1 to p3. Contact p2 breaks circuit for relay D which breaks contact d1, contact p3 breaks circuit for relay X closing contact x1, after a slight delay, relay S is then energized and another order can be delivered. Contact w1 energizes relay Z, closing contacts z1 and z2, contact z1 closes circuit for magnet M51 for operating clutch 51 to rotate cam 53 and raise frame 64, extensions 65 release pusher bar and lug 54 opens contact 55 de-energizing relay Z and opening contacts z1 and z2. For dispensing more than one article from each group a conveyer means is arranged between each group and the common conveyer means and a plate can be included as well. In the first arrangement articles from group A are deposited on the receiving conveyer and then transferred to the common conveyer at the same time the order of group B is keyed in and four seconds later. is released when the first batch is opposite that group. In the second arrangement with a plate included in one group both orders are keyed in and released together, then group A is released on to the common conveyer and group B on to the plate and four seconds later on to the common conveyer when the first batch has reached there. Further relays are introduced between the RG and CR relays in circuit with time delay relays to give time delay of four seconds. For releasing a plurality of articles a switch with a stepping magnet is used; the wiper of the switch is made ready to; step when magnet is energized and makes one step when de-energized. An additional relay is included to control the magnet. The relay is operated by the CR relays. Release of an article trips the TC contact and releases the relay contacts and magnet is deenergized and wiper makes one step, wiper is earthed and the CR relay is again energized and circuit completed until the wiper reaches a contact which is not earthed and CR relay remains de-energized. Specifications 641,494, 656,771 and 656,827 are referred to.