US3283475A - Tablet dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 8, 1966 P. J. PINTO 3,233,475

TABLET DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 27 INVENTOR.

PETER J. PINTO 014M, ju obqm AT TOR/VEYS Nov. 8, 1966 P. J. PINTO TABLET DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IL (73 I i )75 m INVENTOR PETER J. PINTO 0W. a/lb-zwzw mw ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1966 P. J. PINTO 3,283,475

TABLET DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965 6 Sheets5heet L5 PETER J. PINTO BY 0am, XM

ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1966 P. J. PINTO TABLET DISPENSER 4 mm N l I I I I m ME k mg U M/M Z ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1966 P. J. PINTO 3,

TABLET DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965 e Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR PETER J. PIN TO 06 4, I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,283,475 TABLET DISPENSER Peter J. Pinto, Union City, Calif., assignor to Leslie Salt Co., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,071 15 Claims. (Cl. 53-250) This invention relates to a tablet dispenser.

In canning foods, the flavoring agents such as salt and spices are frequently added in the form of tablets, and the present invention may be used to dispense such tablets into the cans so that each can receives one and only one full-sized tablet of the proper season or other material.

Previous tablet dispensers have suffered from several defects. They have been prone to fail to dispense a tablet every once in a while, particularly at dispensing speeds of as fast as 250 tablets per minute, so that every now and then a can has passed by without receiving any tablets and therefore Without being properly flavored. Moreover, prior-art tablet dispensers have been prone to feed fractions of tablets, some flavoring tablets being broken relatively easily, leaving the can with less than the correct amount of flavoring; some prior-art devices have often been unsuccessful in discarding broken tablets and have in some instances been damaged by broken tablets lodging in portions of the feeding apparatus in such a way that the feeding gears were stripped or the motor running them was damaged; before such damage was discovered, many cans might have passed by without receiving any flavoring at all. These prior-art devices have had a large number of moving parts arranged in critical dispositions, have been dilficult to clean, have been prone to jam, and have tended to limit the canning speeds. Their maintenance cost has been high because of these disadvantages, and their synchronizing mechanism has often been ineflicient or ineffective. They have not been easily adjustable from one size of tablet to another, and a separate machine has been required for each type of tablet.

The present invention employs a standard vibrator feeder of the type used for feeding machine parts, together with means for eliminating broken tablets so that only full-size tablets are fed to the dispenser. An outlet tube receives the full-size tablets from the vibrator feeder and stacks a number of tablets, which are removed one at a time from the bottom by a vertical disc with tablet pockets in the periphery, in such a way that there is little chance for any can to pass without receiving a full tablet. The tablet pockets may be either made to receive one particular size of tablet or may be made adjustable to receive any of several different sizes, and the outlet tube may also be made adjustable for different sizes. In this invention tablets can be dispensed at speeds of 400 or more tablets per minute without missing a single can. Synchronization is positive, and the device is driven by the cans themselves. In one form of device, two different sizes and types of tablets are fed to each can by the one machine.

Among key features of the present invention are its adjustability to different sizes of tablets, its self-cleaning of the apparatus from broken pieces of tablets, and the accuracy and speed of its dispensing.

Another important feature is its provision of an adjustable star wheel that takes more than one size'of can space adjustment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a description of some preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a tablet dispenser embodying the principles of the invention; some parts Patented Nov. 8, 1966 ice are broken away to show other parts, and the base is broken off.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the tablet outlet portion of the feed table of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in section, taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation and in section of a modified form of tablet dispenser also embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken along the line 66 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation and partly in section of the tablet dispensing wheel and feeding magazine of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 4.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in end elevation looking at FIG. 7 from the right.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view, on a reduced scale, in end elevation of the upper portion of the wheel and magazine looking at FIG. 8 from the left.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view in section of the upper portion of FIG. 7, taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the dispensing of a tablet from the magazine to the wheel.

FIG. 12 is a view in side elevation partly broken away of a modified form of dispensing wheel.

FIG. 13 is a view in section taken along the line 13-13 in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the wheel cover or rim piece of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of an adjustable star wheel, with an alternative position of fins shown in broken lines.

FIG. 16 is a view in horizontal section of the star wheel of FIG. 15, taken along the line 16-16 in FIG. 15

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of another modified form of the invention for dispensing two tablets of different types into each can.

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a modified arrangement of the dual dispensing wheels of FIG. 17.

The device shown in FIG. 1 incorporates a simple main frame 25 on which are mounted a vibrator motor 26 of the standard machine-parts-feeder type and a vibrating bowl 27. Above the vibrating bowl 27 is placed a feed hopper 28, which is preferably conical and covered by a lid 29 and has an outlet 30 leading into the bowl 27 below a bowl cover 31. pair of crossed bars 32 to send tablets out toward the periphery.

The vibrating bowl 27 preferably includes a base plate 33 secured to the vibrator motor 26 and having a radially outwardly and downwardly sloping surface 34, so that the tablets tend to move out toward a rim 35. Closely adjacent the rim 35 are secured a plurality of bolts 36 with nuts 37 upon which the cover 31 rests. The cover 31 is generally parallel to the base plate 33, has a depending flange 38 near its outer edge, and is spaced above the base plate 33 to provide a peripheral slot 40. Broken tablets, tablet particles, grains-anything less than full-size tablets-are shaken out to the rim 35 and roll off it. Fullsize tablets are retained by the flange 38. Thus, a major source of trouble is eliminated here.

The vibrating bowl 27 works the tablets around the base plate 33 and against the flange 38 toward an outlet 41 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The outlet 41 may lead out horizontally from a tangential portion 42 bounded by a guide strip 43; A short outlet tube 44 leads out radially and horizontally to a curved tube 45 having an elbow portion 46 which turns approximately ninety degrees to a vertical portion 47 of suflicient length to enable a number of the tablets to stack one over the other. The lower edge The outlet 30 may contain a 3 48 of this bottom portion 47 is preferably horizontal and from this exhaust means the tablets are fed to a one-at-atime dispensing device 50.

The one-at-a-time device 50 of FIG. 1 incorporates a stationary arcuate cover 51 held by a bracket 52 that is secured to a stationary shaft 53 which is supported by the main frame 25. The cover 51 extends from near the outlet 48 from the tube 45 to a lower end 54 from which the tablets fall directly into a can 55.

The cans 55 themselves may be moved by a conveyor 56 and are guided beneath the edge 54 by a star wheel 57, so that one can 55 at a time comes below the edge 54 at a particular time. This star wheel 57 may be driven mechanically, if desired, or may be simply mounted on a rotatable vertical shaft 58, at the upper end of which is a bevel gear 59. This bevel gear 59 engages another bevel gear 60, which is secured to a bushing 61 that is journaled around the stationary shaft 53. To the bushing 61 is secured a dispensing disc 62,. which is shown best in FIGS. 7-11, though there shown in conjunction with a modified form of outlet means for the tablets, soon to be explained.

The delivery wheel 62 may be made from materials such as Micalta or the like which are not fouled by salt, as are most metals; this disc 62 has a series of cylindrical pockets 63 in its periphery, so spaced that at each rotation from one pocket 64 of the star wheel 57 to the next pocket 64, the disc 62 moves from one pocket 63 to the next. As it passes across the upper end, each pocket 63 is (in FIG. 1) aligned with the opening 48' and picks up a tablet, the pockets 63 being deep enough for shearing the bottom tablet from the one above it without injuring the tablets, and only the bottom tablet is carried into the disc pocket 63. At each step, the disc 62 moves around inside the arcuate cover 51 which retains it, and when the pocket 63 passes beyond the lower edge 54, it dispenses its tablet at that edge 54 at exactly the same time that the can 55 is centered in its pocket 64 of the star wheel 57. Thus, synchronization is positive and accurate.

The pockets themselves may be shaped in various ways, and the disc or dispensing wheel may be made in various structures, as shown in the drawings. For example, the wheel 62 of FIGS. 1 and 7-11 has cylindrical pockets 63 recessed in a cylindrical periphery 65, the pockets ,63 having sloping entry portions 66 for the tablets 67. The arcuate cover 51 covers the pockets 63 sufliciently to hold tablets 67 in the pockets 63 as they move from'their zenith where they receive tablets from the outlet 48 (in FIG. 1) to their nadir where they leave the edge 54 and deposit the tablets into the can 55.

A modified dispensing unit 70, shown in FIGS. 4-6, incorporates the same vibrating bowl 27 and the same wheel 50 but its delivery conduit 71 comprises a bowl outlet portion 68 that leads out from the bowl 27 along a tangential direction (FIG. 6) and into an adjustable portion 72 that has a horizontal inlet and a vertical outlet. Instead of being a hollow cylindrical tube, this conduit portion 72 comprises a flat botton rail 73 and a top cover member 74 of angular configuration (see FIG. 5). The

conduit 72 has the advantage of being adjustable to accommodate different sizes of tablets, because the triangular cover member 74 is movable toward and away from the lower rail 73.

. For adjustment, the necessary movement of the upper portion 74 is achieved by a pair of two-holed brackets 75 and 76 (FIGS. 4-6), the bracket 75 being welded to the rail 73 if desired and the bracket 76 being welded to the cover member 74, if desired. A pair of bolts 77 extend through openings in the brackets 75 and 76 and may be welded to the bracket 76, and a spring 78 is disposed around each of the bolts 77 and between the brackets 75 and 76. A wing nut 79 may be used to tighten or loosen the device to move the brackets 75 and 76 closer togetheror further apart, as desired, to correctly space the members 73 and 74 relative, to each other. The

angle iron 74 never touches the rail 73, so there is always free space on each side of the rail 73 from which any granules or tablet fractions that have managed to get that far can drop out; so this conduit 72 is self-cleaning.

The bowl outlet portion 68 may have a similar rail and angle-iron structure, with the rail secured to the base plate 33 so that it is a continuation of its surface, and a member 69 projects inside and serves to capture tablets and send them along the conduit 68 (see FIG. 6). In any form of this invention, the star wheel 57 may be adjustable, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The wheel comprises a main member 80 having a central opening 81 to encircle the shaft 58, a split 82,and a threaded opening 83 by which a screw 84 can be tightened to secure the member 80 tightly about the shaft 58 for rotation therewith. A set of radial slots 85 is also provided, each one to receive a radially extending fin 86, a bar of generally rectangular cross section. The outer peripheryof the member 80 is provided with a concave can-receiving curved face 87 in between each pair of adjacent slots 85. A set screw 88 at each slot enables one to tighten the fin 86 in any desired radial position. The inmost position of the fins 86 is illustrated in solid lines, and their outmost position is shown in broken lines.

Thus, the elfective radius of the star wheel 57 may be greatly extended by sliding the fins 86 radially outwardly, and thereby larger sizesof cans may be accommodated without having to replace the wheel 57 itself. When the wheelis enlarged in this manner, its position relative to the conveyor is also changed somewhat, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. This illustratesagain the versatility of this invention.

At high speeds, there are problems in transferring the tablets 67 one at'a time from the conduit 47 or 72 to the wheel 50, in order to insure that one and only one tablet at a time is offered to each pocket 63 and in order that no tablet be sheared off or broken. For this purpose, the feed mechanism shown in FIGS. 7-11 is excellent. It may include a two- piece housing 90, 91 with a vertical cylindrical bore 92 through which'the tablets 67 pass. The bore 92 is fairly close to the tablet size and the unit is changed for different sizes of tablets.

The lower housing is provided with a vertical slot 93 leading into the bore 92, and a flat latch 94 is pivotally secured to the housing 90 by a pivot member 95. e The latch 94 has a detent 96 which, in the position shown in FIG. 10, supports a stack of tablets 67 in the bore 92 and prevents them from being dropped out the outlet 48.

When the latch 94 is moved outwardly about its pivot 95, the detent- 96 is withdrawn, and .the stack of tablets 67 can fall.

Actuation of the latch 94 comesfrom a trip release wheel 97 that is mounted on a hub 98 of the gear 60 and rotates with the gear 60, as does the bushing '61. In other words, the wheel'97 rotates with the disc 62, and if desired, they may be made as a single unit. The wheel to the latch 94 near the rim 102 of the wheel 97 is moved every time. it engages a member 99, therebymoving the latch 94 and retracting the detent 96. A spring 103 is positioned between an upper end 104 of the latch 94 and a bolt 105 which is secured to the. upper housing 91, and the spring 103 urges'the latch 94 to its normally locked (FIG. 10) position and also assures that the latch 94 will move back as soonasthe member 99 has leftthe follower 100.

The relative positions of the two wheels,97 and .62

can be adjusted to obtain split-second timing; in fact the unit can dispense 600 tables per minute using this device.

The entry portions 66 help to assure that only one tablet 67 is dispensed each time.

A somewhat differentdispensing' disc assembly is shown in FIGS. 12-14, capable of accommodating a wide range of tablet sizes to match the adjustability of the delivery conduit 71 without changing the wheel. In this instance, the pickup wheel 121 itself may be made from aluminum or Micarta with configurated pockets 122 having a wall 123 parallel to the radius, a bottom wall 124 perpendicular to the radius, and an inclined wall 125 with a short portion 126 parallel to the radius. Over the wheel 121 and adjustable with respect to it is an adapter shell 127 wln'ch is provided at each pocket 122 with a triangular edge 128 and a straight-across edge 129. By adjusting the rotational position of the adapter 127 relative to the pockets 122, a different tablet size is accepted by the pickup wheel 121, handled by it, carried around, and dispensed.

FIG. 17 depicts another modified dispenser having, in this instance, a wheel 140 having two sets of pockets 141, 142 arranged to dispense two tablets into each can 55. Consequently, there are two hoppers 143 and 144 supplying respective feed tables 145 and 146. Conduits 147, 148 lead from the feed tables 145, 146 to feed members 151, 152 above each row of pockets 141, 142. The conduits 147 and 148 may be like the conduit 71 of FIG. 4 or they may be of other type, if desired. The single vibrating motor 26 suflices, as does the single star wheel 57 with its shaft 58, gears 59 and 60, and the bushing 61 on which the dispensing wheel unit 140 is mounted. The pockets 141, 142 in the wheel 140 may be the same size or difierent sizes, depending on the requirements. Thus, with the unit arranged as in FIG. 17, two difierent condiments may be dispensed simultaneously into the same can.

As FIG. 18 shows, a wheel 140a, with pockets 141a and 142a staggered, may be used so that the pockets alternate, and in this event, the star wheel 57 may be geared through the gears 59 and 60 to move twice as fast as the wheel 140a; yet, with both pockets 141a and 142a dispensing the same condiment, there will be one tablet dispensed per can. This set-up is useful in highspeed dispensing, where the speed of the wheel assembly 1400 may, for example, be 250 rpm. to dispense 500 tablets per minute.

To those skilled in the art to wku'ch this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. A tablet dispenser for placing one tablet in each of a series of rapidly conveyed open-mouthed containers, including in combination,

a main frame,

a hopper supported by said frame at tially higher than the tops of the having an outlet,

means for eliminating undersize tablets and tablet fragments from said hopper before they reach said outlet,

conduit means leading from said outlet and providing a substantially vertical bottom portion with an exhaust therefrom,

a rotatably mounted metering disc having a series of tablet receiving pockets around the circumference thereof and disposed vertically for rotation about a horizontal axis and below said exhaust for receiving a tablet from said exhaust and moving it around approximately 180, then dropping it out,

cover means positioned to cover said disc sufiiciently to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path,

conveyor means for supporting and moving the containers,

a star wheel for guiding the containers into a position beneath said disc one at a time for reception of tablets from said disc, and

a level substancontainers, and

means for synchronizing said metering disc with said star wheel to dispense one tablet in each container.

2. The tablet dispenser of claim 1 wherein said hopper comprises a vibrating bowl having a base plate and a cover plate and means for securing them together a spaced distance apart, and wherein said means for eliminating undersize tablets and tablet fragments comprises a peripheral space between said cover plate and said base plate.

3. The tablet dispenser of claim 2 wherein said base plate slopes radially out toward its periphery.

4. The tablet dispenser of claim 2 wherein said cover plate has a tablet-retaining flange.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a flat rail on one side and an angle iron disposed symmetrically apart from said flat rail at a spaced distance.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 including spacing means for adjusting the distance between said rail and said angle iron.

7. The tablet dispenser of claim 1 wherein said bottom portion of said conduit comprises a housing having a vertical bore open on its lower end and having a side opening, latch means pivotally supported by said housing and extending into said side opening and having a detent for supporting a stack of tablets and having a cam follower, spring means normally urging said latch into its tablet-supporting position, and cam means synchronized with said disc for actuating said follower for retracting said detent to dispense a tablet into each said pocket.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein said cam comprises a wheel mounted adjacent said disc and having a plurality of projections therearound for engaging said follower.

9. The tablet dispenser of claim 1 wherein said star wheel has radially extendible fins for adjusting its eifective size.

10. The tablet dispenser of claim 1 wherein said metering disc comprises a main disc and a peripheral ring, said ring having openings therethrough and said main disc having openings therethrough, and means for securing said ring to said main disc at different registries so as to effectively change the size of the pockets thereby.

11. A tablet dispenser for placing two tablets in each of a series of rapidly conveyed cans, including in combination,

a main frame,

two hoppers supported by said frame at a level substantially higher than the tops of the cans, each having an outlet,

conduit means leading from each said outlet and each providing a substantially vertical bottom portion with an exhaust therefrom,

a rotatably mounted metering disc having two peripheral series of tablet receiving pockets around the circumference thereof, said pockets being axially aligned and disposed below said exhausts for receiving a tablet from each said exhaust in each series and moving it around approximately then dropping it out,

cover means positioned to cover said disc sufficiently to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path,

conveyor means for supporting and moving the containers,

a star wheel for guiding the cans into a position beneath said disc one at a time for reception of tablets from said disc, and

means for synchronizing said metering disc with said star wheel to dispense the two tablets in each can.

12. A tablet dispenser for placing one tablet in each of a series of rapidly conveyed cans, including in combination:

a main frame,

a pair of vibrating bowls supported by said frame at a level substantially higher than the tops of the cans, and having vibration feeding means and each having an outlet toward which contents of said bowl are vibrated,

means for eliminating undersize tablets and tablet fragments from said bowl before they reach said outlet,

two conveying means, each leading nearly horizontally from one said outlet and turning to provide a substantially vertical bottom portion with an exhaust therefrom,

a rotatably mounted metering disc having two axially staggered series of tablet receiving pockets around the circumference thereof and one series being dis posed below each said exhaust for receiving a tablet from said exhaust and moving it around approximately 180, then dropping it out,

cover means positioned to cover said disc sufiiciently to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path,

a star wheel for moving the cans beneath said disc one at a time for reception of tablets from said disc, and

means for synchronizing said metering disc with said star wheel to dispense one tablet in each can, alternately from each series of pockets. 7

13.'A tablet dispenser for placing one tablet in each of a series of rapidly conveyed cans, including in combination,

amain frame,

tablet hopper means supported by said frame at a level substantially higher than the tops of the cans, and having an outlet, I

conduit means leading from said outlet and having a substantially vertical portion with an exhaust therefrom,

a metering disc rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis and having a series of tablet receiving pockets around a circumferential edge thereof and disposed with its upper end below said exhaust for receiving a tablet from said exhaust and moving itraround approximately 180 to its lower end and then dropping it out,

tablet retaining means positioned to cover asuflicient portion of said circumferential edge to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path,

means comprising a conveyor and a'star wheel for moving one can at a time beneath said disc for reception of one tablet from said disc by each can, said star wheel having a series of radially movable fins for extending the effective radius, so as to handle diiferent sizes of cans, and

means for synchronizing said metering disc with said star wheel to dispense one tablet in each can.

14. A tablet dispenser for placing one tablet in each of a series of rapidly conveyed cans, including in combination,

a main frame,

tablet hopper means supported by said frame at a level substantially higher than the tops of the cans, and having an outlet,

conduit means leading from substantially vertical'portion with an exhaust therefrom, said conduit means comprising a flat rail, an angle bar, and means for adjusting the distance between said rail and said bar,

a metering disc rotatably mounted on'a horizontal axis and having a series of tablet receiving pockets around a circumferential edge thereof and disposed with its upper end below said exhaust for receiving said outlet and having a.

approximately 180 to its lower end and then dropping it out, tablet retaining means positioned to cover a suflicient portion of said circumferential edge to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path. means for moving one can at a time beneath said disc for reception of one tablet from said disc by each can, and means for synchronizing said metering disc with said means for moving, to dispense one tablet in each can. 15. A tablet dispenser for placing one tablet in each of a series of rapidly conveyed cans, including in combination,

a main frame, tablet hopper means supported by said frame at a level substantially higher than the tops of the cans,

and having an outlet, conduit means leading from said outlet and having a substantially vertical portion with an exhaust therefrom, t

a metering disc rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis 1 and having a series of tablet receiving pockets around a circumferential edge thereof and disposed with its upper end just below said exhaust for receiving a tablet from said exhaust and moving it around approximately 180 to its lower end and then dropping it out,

tablet retaining means positioned to cover a suflicient portion of said circumferential edge to retain said tablets in said pockets during their approximately 180 path,

means for moving one can at a time beneath said disc for reception of one tablet from said disc by each can, and means for synchronizing said metering disc with said means for moving, to dispense one tablet in each can,

said metering disc having a sloping portion leading into each said pocket on the side of said pocket which is, the first to pass below said exhaust,

said exhaust comprising a housing having a vertical bore open on its lower end and having a vertical side slot, a latch pivoted to said housing andhaving a detent located closely adjacent said lower, end, means urging said latch to a position where said detent projects into said bore for the support of a stack of tablets, and release means synchronized with said metering disc for withdrawing said detenttmomentarily to drop the bottommost tablet from said exhaust into said sloping portion and thence into said pocket, said detent being returned by said release means in time to retain all tablets but said bottommost tablet, whereby one and only one tablet is gently moved into each said pocket, so that highspeed operation with relatively fragile tablets is possible.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Mohler ,221--157 X Netschert 5 3142 Distler 22l-157 X Holloway 221- x- Kull 221-157 X i

Claims (1)

1. A TABLET DISPENSER FOR PLACING ONE TABLET IN EACH OF A SERIES OF RAPIDLY CONVEYED OPEN-MOUTHED CONTAINERS, INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A MAIN FRAME, A HOPPER SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME AT A LEVEL SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE TOPS OF THE CONTAINERS, AND HAVING AN OUTLET, MEANS FOR ELIMINATING UNDERSIZE TABLETS AND TABLET FRAGMENTS FOR SAID HOPPER BEFORE THEY REACH SAID OUTLET, CONDUIT MEANS LEADING FROM THE OUTLET AND PROVIDING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BOTTOM PORTION WITH AN EXHAUST THEREFROM, A ROTATABLY MOUNTED METERING DISC HAVING A SERIES OF TABLET RECEIVING POCKETS AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE THEREOF AND DISPOSED VERTICALLY FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND BELOW SAID EXHAUST FOR RECEIVING A TABLET FROM SAID EXHAUST AND MOVING IT AROUND APPROXIMATELY 180*, THEN DROPING IT OUT, COVER MEANS POSITIONED TO COVER SAID DISC SUFFICIENTLY TO RETAIN SAID TABLETS IN SAID POCKETS DURING THEIR APPROXIMATELY 180* PATH, CONVEYOR MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND MOVING THE CONTAINERS, A STAR WHEEL FOR GUIDING THE CONTAINERS INTO A POSITION BENEATH SAID DISC ONE AT A TIME FOR RECEPTION OF TABLETS FROM SAID DISC, AND MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING SAID METERING DISC WITH SAID STAR WHEEL TO DISPENSE ONE TABLET IN EACH CONTAINER.

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