US2966279A - Article dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1960 F. c. DU GRENIER ElAL 2,966,279

ARTICLE DISPENSER Filed April 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheel. 1

INVENTRS FRANCIS C. Du GRENIER FANK B. PERRI ATTORNEYS F. c. DU GRENIER EI'AL 2,966,279

Dec. 27, 1960 ARTICLE DISPENSER 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed April 24, 1957 INVENTRS FRANCIS C. DUGRENIER FRANK B. PERRI ATTORNEYS nited States Patent O ARTICLE DISPENSER Francs C. Du Grenier, Bradford, Mass. (l Hale St., Haverhfll, Mass.), and Frank B. Perri, Groveiand, Mass.; said Perri assigner to Blanche E. Bonchard, Haverhfll, Mass.

Filed Apr. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 654,747

8 Claims. (Cl. 221-112} This invention relates to article dispensers and more particularly to a dispenser comprising improved means for positively ejecting articles one at a time from a magazine.

Heretof0re dispensers for book matches and similar articles usually have consisted of a slide positioned beneath a stack of articles to be dispensed, and means for reciprocating the slide first in one direction to positively eject the bottommost article out of the stack and than in a reverse direction to allow the next article to fall down into the position previously occupied by the article that has been dispensed. Such dispensers operate satisfactorily but are characterized by several disadvantages: (l) they occupy too much space, (2) it is difficult to connect two or more dispensers in tandem for operation by the same mechanism, (3) it is difiicult to couvert two or more dispensers connected in tandem from alternate to simultaneous operation, or vice versa, (4) they are generally expensive to construct and diflicult to disassemble for repair and inspection, and (5) the mechanism required to couple 21 match book dispenser to a cigarette vending machine 30 as to have the dispenser and machine operate as a unit is complicated and difficult to assemble and disassemble.

Accordingly it is the object of this invention to provide an article dispenser comprising improved means for positively ejecting articles one at a time out of a magazine.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article dispenser comprising improved means for positively ejecting articles one at a time out of a magazine, said improved means being s0 constructed as to be positionable directly beneath the magazine and to occupy a minimum amount of space.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an article dispenser comprising a magazine for storing a plurality of articles positioned one on top of the other, and improved means positioned beneath the magazine for positively ejecting articles one at a time out of the bottom of the magazine, the improved means comprising an ejector element that is pivotally and slideably supported and rotatable means for pivoting said ejector element back and forth through a predetermined angle and for lifting said ejector element from a first position below said magazine to a second position above the bottom of said magazine as it is being pivoted in one direction, whereby said ejector element is caused t0 positively eject out of the magazine the bottommost article stored within said magazine, said ejector member dropping back to said first position as it is being pivoted in the opposite direction.

A specific object of this invention is to provide in combination with a magazine, mechanism for removing artides one at a time from the bottom of said magazine, said mechanism comprising a horizontal member fixed below said magazine and provided with an opening therein, a plate extending throngh said opening, said plate having first means at each side overlying said horizontal member and second means at each side underlying said horizontal member, the thickness of said plate being less than the width of said opening whereby said plate may be pivoted to a predetermined extent about the longitudinal axis of said horizontal member, said first means being spaced from said second means a distance greater than the thickness of said horizontal member in the region surrounding said opening whereby said plate is movable up and down a predetermined distance relative to said horizontal member, a second plate slideably connected to said first plate, said second plate being movable up and down relative to said first plate, spring means urging said second plate downward relative to said first plate, said second plate having a first portion extending throngh an opening in said first plate and a second portion integral with the outer end of said first portion extending downwardly from said first portion, said first and second portions of said second plate defining together with said first plate a channel extending transversely of said first plate, a shaft extending parallel to said horizontal member, means snpporting said shaft for rotation about its own axis, said shaft having an offset portion extending through said channel, and means for rotating said shaft whereby said offset portion acts on said first and second plates to pivot said first plate about said horizontal member in a first direction as it moves from nine to three oclock position and in the opposite direction as it rotates from three to nine oclock position, said second plate sliding upward relative to said first plate against the force of said spring as said ofiset portion rotates from nine t0 twelve oclock position and sliding downward relative to said first plate as said offset portion moves from twelve to three oclock position, the top end of said ejector acting to remove the bottommost article from said magazine as it pivots in said first direction.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as reference is had to the following detailed specification when considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a match book dispenser embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same dispenser but with the ejectors in a position intermediate the positions of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the same dispenser but with the ejectors reversed from the position of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view in elevation of the same dispenser, the section being taken through the center of the right ejector in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view in elevation showing the various parts of one of the ejector assemblies in disassembled relation.

In its illustrated embodiment the present invention comprises a magazine adapted to store match books in two vertical columns and ejector mech-anism for dispensing match books one at a time, first from one column and then from the Other column. However, by modifying the size of the magazine and the sizes of the various components of the ejector mechanism, the present invention may be used to store and dispense other articles such as, for example, small packages of cleaning tissues, packs of cigarettes, candy bars, etc. Furthermore, by modifying the construction of the dispenser mechanism, it is possible to dispense articles simnltaneously rather than alternately from a plurality of columns of articles.

Referring now to the drawings there is illustrated a magazine M adapted to contain and store bock matches in the form of two vertical columns A and B.

The magazine M comprises two vertically extending outside walls 2 and 4 and a vertical partition 6 disposed in parallel spaced alinement therewith. Side Wall 2 is provided with a front fiange 8 which extends toward partition 4. Side wall' 4 is provided with a front flange 10 which extends toward partition4and partition 2. The centrally located partition 6 is provided with a double flange 12., one half of which extends toward flange 8 and the other half of which extends toward flange 10. The twowalls'2 and.4 and partition 6 are secured. to a rear wall 14 whose bottom edge terminates short of the bottom edges of walls 2 and 4 and partition 6 so as toform an opening 16 throngh which articles may be ejected'for delivery to the customer.

Secured to and positioned beneath the threepartitions is a horizontal plate 18 which functions as the floor of the magazine. Plate 18 is provided with an*upstanding flange 20which is secured to and extends in front of the flanges 8, 10 and 12 referred to herein above. The rear edge of plate 18 is provided with a depending wall portion. 22, provided at its bottom edge with a forwardly extending horizontal flange 24. Plate 18 is provided With two pairs of parallel slots 26 and 28. Not only do these siots extend from the back to the rear edge of plate 14, but they also extend up into the vertical flange 20 and the depending wall portion 22.

Attached to the two outside partions 2 and 4 are two plates 30 and 32. These plates support the mechanism for dispensing articles from the magazine. The dispensing mechanism comprises an operating shaft and two ejector assemblies coupled to and operated by said shaft. The two ejector assemblies operate together but dispense tilternately, one assembly moving t ejectan article from one of the columns of the magazinewhile the other ejector assembly is returning to its original at-rest position ready to commence another operating stroke.

The operating shaft, identified by numeral 34, has its ends journalled in plates 30 and 32. Operating shaft 34 is provided with two ofiset bent portions 36 and 38, the two offset portions being displaced angularly .from one another by an angle of 180.

The ejector assemblies each comprises two plates, an ejector plate and a slide plate, and a spring. The ejector plates of the two assemblies are identified by numerals 44 and 46. The slide members or second plates associated with the ejector plates 44 and 46 are identified by the numerals 43 and 50 respectively. The spring members are identified by numerals 52 and 54. The ejector and slide plates and the springs of the two assemblies are identical. The ejector assemblies are supported by the horizontal flange 24 of depending wall 22. For this purpose horizontal flange 24 is provided with two rectanguiar notches 56 and 58, disposed directly beneath the two columns A and B respectively. Removably secured to flange 24 is a narrow bar'60 having portions 62 and 64 offset vertically to*fit into notches 56and 58 respectively. The ejector plates are held in notches 56 and 58 by bar 69, the Width of the*space determined by the rear edge of bar o and thebase edges of the notches 56 and 58 being greater than the thickness of the ejector plates 44 and 46 so that the two plates can pivot relative to flange 24.

Details of the ejector plates and the slide plates are best illustrated in Fig. *wherein ejector plate 44 and slide plate 48 are shown in disassembled relation to each other. It will be noted that the opposite edges of ejector plate 44 are notched so .that the ejector plate Will fit in notch 56, and also to provide upper and lower edge surfaces 68 and 70 which extend overand under flange 24 and act to limit upward and downward movement of the ejector element relative to flange 24. The height of these notches, that is, the spacing between the upper edges 58 and the lower edges 70 is less.than the radius of rotation of the ofiset portions 36 and 38 'of shaft 30.

Above its side notches ejector plate 44 is bent so as to provide an oifset portion 72. -At its topend ejector plate 44 is slotted and ben-t to -provide.two offset fingers 74 which lie. in thesame plane as the lower portion ofthe ejector plate. The .fingers 74 are adapted to fit in slots 26:of1alate8.

In the illustrated embodiment the main ofiset of ejector plate 44 is approximately half-way between the tips of fingers 74 and its bottom end, and the distance between edges 70 and the tips of fingers 74 is such that when the ejector is exactly vertical and edges 70 engage the underside of flange 24, the tips of fingers 74 extend above plate 18 to a level just short et the level of the top surface of the bottommost .match book in the magazine. When the ejector plate is in a vertical position but with its edges 68 engaging the top surfaceof flange 24,'the tips'offingers 74 are below the bottom surface of plate 18.

The ejector plate -is operatively connected to the ofiset crank portions 36 of shaft 34 by means of the slide plate 48. Slide plate 48.has an inwardly bent bottom flange 78 which is provided at its opposite edges with notches 89, and an inwardly bent top flange 82 which is provided With a like pair of edge notches 84. The rear end of top flange 82 is bent to provide a depending flange portion 86.

To accommodate slide 48 ejector plate 44 is provided with two openings 88 and 90. The vertical edges defining opening 88 are received in n'otches 80, and the vertical edges defining opening 90 are received in notches 84. Opening 90 is wider at its top end to facilitate insertion and removal of flange 82. When the slide is connected to the ejector plate, its depending flange portion86 is behind its offset portion 72 in spaced relation thereto, the spacing being suficient to accommodate offset portion 36 of:shaft 30.

The bottom:endof ejector 244 is provided with a forwardly extending flange 92 to which is attached one end of tension spring 52. The other end of the spring is connected to bottom flange 79 of the slide plate 43. The force exerted by. spring 52 is greater than the force exerted by the weight of ejector plate '44.

Corresponding details 'of ejector plate -46 and slide plate 50 are identified by corresponding numerals followed by the latter a, as, forexamplc, 68a, 70a, 74a, etc.

It is to be noted the radius of the circle described by the offset portions of shaft 34 as the latter rotates is approximately equal to one.half the depth of the match books positioned in the magazine, the depth being measured between the front and. rear sides of the magazine. Accordingly, When the shaft*34 rotates bringing its ofiset portions from a twelve oclock to a six oclock position or vice versa, these.oflset. portions move through a vertical distance substantally equal to the depth of a book of matches. However,:the ejector members are capable of=shifting vertically :only.to the eXtent .determined by the vertical distanceflaetween edges 68 and 70 less the thickness of flange 24. This vertical distance is slightly less .than the thickness .of a book :of matches. Accordingly soma means must.beprovided.for permitting the shaft t0 rotate a.full 180 to move.its offset portions from.twelve oclock to six oclock position or vice versa even though the ejector members are incapable of following the offset portionsthrough the same vertical displacement. This is accomplishedby the slide members 48 and 50. When the offset portions 36 and 3Softhe shaft 34.are rotating in the direction from six ociock t0 twelve. oclock position, they act on the. slide members to move them .upwardly. .Initially the ejectormembers, being tied to the Slide members byspringsfi2 and54, follow the slide members as they.move upward. However when the edges 70 of the ejector members engage the under .side of flange '24, the ejectors are stopped. Nevertheless the slide :members continue to move upwardly, the force exerted by the offset portions of the shaft being :sufficient to overcome the tension of springs 52 and 54. The "slide members move upwardly far enough to permit the offset portions -to move 'beyond twelve .o.clock position, wherenpon :the slide members begin to move downward as -the offset portions continue from twelevesoclo ck zbackto.zsix dcl0ck position. .lt is .to zbe:notedthat ihe height cfthe slots 88and'90 is greater than the vertical displacement of the slide members by the ofiset portions of the shaft 34 when the ejector members are prevented from moving upward by engagement of their edges 70 with fiange 24. Accordingly the slide members cannot slip out of the slots 88 and 90 when the offset portions of shaft 34 reach the twelve oclock or maximum position.

Fixed to the end of shaft 34 that protrudes through plate 30 is a circular disk 100. Adjacent to its edge this disk is provided with four pins 10211, 10212, 1020 and 102d disposed in equi-angular relationship. Attached to plate 30 below disk 100 is a bracket 104. Attached to and extending upwardly away from bracket 104 at an angle thereto is a leaf spring 106. The upper end of leaf spring 106 is bent downwardly and then upwardly again to form a pawllike portion 108 adapted to receive the pins 102. The spring 106 is positioned in the path of pins 102 and functions to look disk 100 against counterclockwise rotation. As the disk is rotated clockwise (by means hereinafter desctibed) the pins 102a-d engage leaf spring 106 in turn, forcing it downward temporarly. When the pins reach the pawl-like portion 108, the spring will return to its normal position. Assuming that at this point the force acting to turn the disk is released, the disk will be locked against counterclockwise rotation by virtue of the engagement existing between the pawl-like portion of the spring and one of the pins 102.

Rotation of disk 100 is accomplished by means of a lever 110. Plate 30 is provided with an upper flange 112 and a bottom flange 114 provided with suitable openings through which lever 110 extends. The front edge 116 of lever 110 is spaced from the axis of shaft 34 a distance less than the radial distance between shaft 34 and pins 102 so that when the disk is stopped With its pins occupying the positions shown in Fig. 1, the pins 10211 and 102d will be spaced from edge 116 by an amount just sufficient to allow lever 110 to move upwardly but not enough to permit the disk to be rotated while lever 110 is held stationary. Lever 110 thus functions to lock shaft 34 against rotation. Lever 110 is provided with two rectangular notches 118 and 120 respectively along its front edge 116. The distance between notches 118 and 120 is exactly the same as the straight lime distance between two of the adjacent pins 102 of disk 100. Pivotally secured te lever 110 above notches 118 and 120 are pawls 122 and 124 respectively. These pawls are pivotally attached to lever 110 by means of pins 126 and 123. Pawls 122 and 124 are provided with rearwardl eXtending fingers 130 and 132 respectively. These fingers are provided with inwardly extending portions 134 and 136 which engage the rear edge of lever 110. These inwardly extending portions, by virtue of their engagement With the rear edge of the lever 110, act to limit rotation of the pawls in a clockwise direction so as to hold the pawls in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The pawls are urged clockwise by springs 138 and 140 which are coiled about pins 126 and 128 and which engage the pawls on one hand and pins 142 and 144 carried by lever 110 on the other hand.

When lever 100 is moved upwardly, the pawls 122 and 124 are cammed counterclockwise by the pins 102 that are located adjacent the front edge 116 of the lever. The lever is moved upwardly until both pawls are above the pin occupying the position of pin 102Z). When the lever moves downwardly again pawl 122 will engage pin 102d, causing disk 100 to rotate 90. This brings pin 102b into position to be engaged by pawl 124. The latter rotates disk 100 through an additional 90. Accordingly each time lever 110 is moved downwardly through a full stroke, shaft 34 will be rotated 180. This causes each of the ejector elements to pivot forwardly or backwardly (as the case may be) beneat h the magazine. Because of the disposition of the offset portions 32 and 34 of shaft 30, each time lever 100 moves downward 6 through a full stroke, the two ejector members reverse positions (compare Figs. 1 and 3).

The bottom end of lever is provided with two parallel extensions and 152 disposed one above the other. The purpose of these extensions is to permit lever 110 -to be coupled to suitable operating mechanism. Thus, for example, a roller 154 mounted on a crank arm 156 may be positioned between the two extensions 150 and 152 and caused to be moved through an arc so as to move lever 100 -np and down. Crank arm 156 may be part of or connected to the operating mechanism of a cigarette vending machine or may be connected to any other suitable operating mechanism.

Operation of the aforesaid dispenser mechanism is as follows:

Assuming that the ofiset portions xof shaft 34 are level in a horizontal plane, the two ejector members will be at opposite ends of their pivoting stroke and will be substantially at the top of their vertical stroke. The top ends of both ejector members will project slightly above the top surface of the floor of the magazine and the article engaging surfaces of the fingers of the forwardly inclined ejector member will be substantially flush With the inner surface of the front vertical flange 20 of the floor of the magazine. Assuming that when the lever 110 begins its downward stroke disk 100 is in the position of Fig. 1, pawl 122 will engage pin 10241 and rotate shaft 34 through an angle et 90 to place the ejector members in the position shown in Fig. 2. As lever 110 moves downward further pawl 124 will act on pin 102b to rotate shaft 34 through an additional 90 to place the ejector members in the positions shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3 ejector 44 is at the end of its pivot stroke and ejector member 46 is at the beginning of its pivot stroke, exactly opposite from the positions shown in Fig. 1.

When the shaft 34 is rotated from the position in Fig. 1 through the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3, the top end of ejector 44 rotates in a relatively fiat arc, pushing the bottommost article out of the magazine. As the ejector rotates its slide 48 moves npward to permit the offset portion 36 of shaft 30 to rotate through twelve oclock position. When lever 110 is pulled downward again, shaft 34 will be rotated another causing the ejectors to return again to the positions of Fig. 1.

When each offset portion of shaft 34 is rotating from the three oclock t0 about the four-five oclock position, the ejector member associated therewith will move down until stopped by fiange 24. As the offset shaft portion rotates from approximately five oclock position to about seveneight oclock position, the ejector will not move vertically but will pivot forwardly. In moving from approximately eight to nine oclock position the offset position lifts the ejector up until it is stopped by flange 24. From nine oclock to twelve oclock the offset portion pivots the ejector rearward to a vertical position and causes the slide to move up on the ejector. From twelve oclock back to three oclock position the offset portion of shaft 34 pivots the ejector rearward to an inclined position and moves downward relative to the ejector, the slide simultaneously moving down on the ejector.

It is believed apparent that the construction illustrated in the drawings may be varied. Thus, for example, shaft 34 may have only one offset portion. In such a modification only one ejector element would be coupled to the shaft 34 the operating arm 110 would have to reciprocate through a stroke twice the length of the stroke of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, and four pawls would have to be provided on lever 110 in order to rotate shaft 34 through an angle of 360. A stroke equal to a full 360 is necessary in order to have the single ejector member return to its original or initial position. Similar ly shaft 34 may have more than two offset portions displaced from each other by equal angles, the magnitude of the angle being a fixed fraction of 360, depending.

upon the number of ofiset portions provided in the shaft 30. Tl1us shaft 34 may have four offset crank portions displaced from each other'by an angle of 90", in Which case the operating arm 100 would have only one pawl for rotating the shaft 90 each timethe arrn is reciprocated.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the tw ejector members can be made to operate simultar1eously by replacing shafi 34 with another shaft having two offset Portions that are in line with each other instead of being in'angularly displaced relation like the offset portions cf Shaft 34.

Obviously many modifications and variations et the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts specifically described or illustrated, and that within the scope of the appended claims it may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

We claim:

1. An article dispenser comprising, a magazine for storing articles one on top of the other, means at the bottom end of said magazine for supporting articles therein, an ejector assembly directly beneath said magazine, stationary means guiding said ejector assembly for pivotal movement back and forth on a pivot provided by said stationary means and limited reciprocal vertical movement between a first lower Position wherein the top end of said ejector'assembly is Positioned below the bottom end of said magazine and a second higher position wherein the top end of said ejector assembly is located slighfly above the bottom end of said magazine, and means for repeatedly pivoting said ejector assembly back and forth on said pivot and for moving said ejector assembly up to said second position as it pivots in one direction and moving it back to said first position as it pivots in the opposite direction, whereby said ejector assembly is caused to remove articles one by one from the bottom of said magazine.

2. An ejector assembly comprising an ejector plate, stationary means supporting said ejector plate for limited pivotal movement and limited reciprocal vertical movement, a slide member slideably connected to said ejector plate, a spring connected between said ejector plate and said slide member urging said slide member in a first direction relative to said plate, said slide member having a hooked portion disposed to one side of the plane of said plate, a crank extending between said plate and said hooked portion, and means for rotating said crank where by sard crank acts on said hooked portion and said plate to p1vot said plate, said plate following said crank to the extent determined by said supporting means, said slide member movirtg relative to said plate t0 permit movement of said crank when upward vertical movement of said plate is limited by said supporting means.

3. An ejector mechanism comprising, a stationary horizontal member provided with an opening therein, a first plate extending'through said opening, said first plate havmg first means at each side Overlying said horizontal member, said first plate having second means at each side underlying said horizontal member, the thickness of said first plate being 'less than the width of said openm'g'whereby said first plate may be pivoted to a predetermined exter1t about the longitudinal axis of said horizontal member, said first means being spaced from said second means a distance greater than the thick ness of said horizontal member in the region surround mg said 'opening whereby said first plate is movable up and down a predtermined distance relative to said horizontal member, a second plate slideably connected to said first plate, said second plate being movable up and down relative to said first plate, spring means urging said second plate downward relative to said first plate, said second plate having a first portion extending through said first plate and a second portion integral with the otiter end of=saidfirst portion extending downward in spaced relation to said first plate, said first and second portions of said second plate defining together with said first plate a channel extending transversely of said first plate, a shaft extending parallel to said horizontal member, means supporting said shaft for rotation about its own axis, said shaft having an ofiset portion extending thrOugh said channel, 'and means for rotating said shaft whereby said ofiset portion acts on said first and second plates to pivot said first plate about said horizontal member in a first direction as it moves from three to nine oclock position and in the opposite direction as it moves from nine to three oclock position, said secondplate sliding relative to said first plate against the f0rce of said Spring as said offset portion rotates through twelve oclock position.

4. The combination of claim 3 further including, a third plate identical to said first plate disposed in a second opening in said horizontal member, a fourth plate identical to said second plate slideably secured in the same manner to said third plate, a second spring connecting said third and fourth plates in the same manner as said first spring connects said first and second plates, said shaft further having a second offset portion angularly displaced from said first offset portion, said second offset portion of said shaft acting on said third and fourth plates in the same manner as said first 'otset portion acts on said first and second plates, said third and fourth plates moving through a path identical to the path followed by said first and second plates as said shaft 'is rotated, the movement of said third and fourth plates being out of phase with the movement of said first and second plates by an amount determined by the angular relationship existing between said first and second ofiset portions of said shaft.

5. An ejector mechanism as defined by claim 3 wherein said means for rotating said shaft comprises a disc mounted on said shaft, a lever mounted for reciprocating movement, and means connecting said disc and said lever for rotating said disc a predetermined amount each time said lever is reciprocated.

6. An article dispenser comprising a magazine for storing articles one on top of the other, means at the bottom end of said magazine for supporting articles therein, anejector assembly directly beneath said magazine, said ejector assembly comprising an ejector plate, a slide plate slidably attached to said ejector plate, and a spring connected between said ejector plate and said slide plate foropposng slidable movement of said slide plate in a given direction relative to said ejector plate, stationary means guidingsaid ejector plate for back and forth pivotal movementon a horizontal axis locatedat the level of said stationary means and limited reciprocal vertical movement between a first lower position wherein the top end of said ejector plate is positioned below the bottom end ofsaid magazine and a second higher position wherein the top end of said ejector plate is located slighfly above the bottom end of said magazine, and means cooperating with said slide plate for repeatedly pivoting said ejector plate back and forth on said horizontal axis and for moving said ejector plate up to said second position as it pivots in one direction and moving it back to said first position as it pivots in the opposite direction, Whereby said ejector plate is caused to remove articles one by one from the bottom of said magazine.

7. An article dispenser -comprising, a magazine for storing a plurality of articles positioned one on top of the other, means at the bottom of said magazine for supporting articles therein, and means for positively ejecting articles one at a time out-cf the bottom of said magazine, said means comprising an ejector assembly located below said magazine, stationary means pivotally and slidably 'supporting said ejector assembly beneath said'riagazihe, r0tatable means located adjacent to said ejector 'assemnly {a} for pivoting said ejector assembly back and forth on said stationary means 'through a predetermined angle and (b) for lifting said ejector assembly from a first position below the bottom of said magazine to a second position above the bottom of said maga zinc as it is pivoted in one direction and for lowering said ejector assembly back to said first position as it is pivoted in the opposite direction, whereby said ejector assembly is caused to positively eject from the magazine the bottommost article stored within said magazine.

8. Apparatus for dispensing articles comprising, two magazines each for storing articles one on top of the other, means at the bottom of each magazine for supporting articles therein, separate ejector assemblies beneath said magazines, stationary means guiding said ejector assemblies for pivotal movemcnt on a common horizontal axis located at the level of said stationary means and limited reciprocal vertical movement between a first 10W- er position wherein the top ends of said ejector assemblies are positioned below the bottom ends of said magazines and a second higher position wherein the top ends of said ejector assemblies are located sligbtly above the bottom ends of said magazines, and a common operating element for repeatedly pivoting said ejector assemblies back and forth in ont-of-phase relationship with each other and for moving said ejector assemblies up to said second position when they pivot in one direction and for moving said ejector assemblies back down to said first position when they pivot in the opposite direction, whereby said ejector assemblies are caused to remove 10 articles alternately from said two magazines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2,103,367 Hoban Dec. 28, 1937 2,333,176 Hoban Nov. 2, 1943 2,721,683 Pottle Oct. 25, 1955 2,834,512 Fry May 13, 1958

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