US3794148A

US3794148A - Towel vending machine for fabric-like articles and method

Info

Publication number: US3794148A
Application number: US00263308A
Authority: US
Inventors: Q Copp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-15
Filing date: 1972-06-15
Publication date: 1974-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-26

Abstract

An electrically operated shop towel vending machine for dispensing a clean shop towel only in response to the proper input of a satisfactory dirty towel inspected as to length, strength or texture and bulk. The machine cabinet is locked in an effort to prevent lost and wasted shop towels and has an input opening for the dirty shop towel and an output exit for a clean shop towel. The input section of the machine includes a continuous, endless chain with protruding towel pick-up members on which a dirty towel is hung. An inspection procedure includes a rotatable towel contact wheel contacting the towel to determine the proper length of the towel and a switch positioned to determine the proper bulk. The input section of the machine is electrically related to the output section so that the clean shop towel is dispensed only if a dirty shop towel passes inspection. Clean shop towels are simply stored by piling in the cabinet near a towel dispensing conveyor system including a pick-up belt and a shedding arrangement whereby clean towels are constantly being conveyed to the shedding or separating arrangement and by means of a special relationship of relative motion of conveyors only one is fed through and dropped to the dispensing exit each time one dirty one is put in the machine. Other details include the electro-mechanical arrangement of the input section and the electro-mechanical arrangement of the output conveyor section and the details of the shedding arrangement.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Copp 1 TOWEL VENDING MACHINE FOR FABRIC-LIKE ARTICLES AND METHOD 7/1963 Short Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or F ifm P atrick Ffl lenry v [57] ABSTRACT An electrically operated shop towel vending machine for dispensing a clean shop towel only in response to the proper input of a satisfactory dirty towel inspected as to length, strength or texture and bulk. The ma- Feb. 26, 1974 chine cabinet is locked in an effort to prevent lost and wasted shop towels and has an input opening for the dirty shop towel and an output exit for a clean shop towel. The input section of the machine includes a continuous, endless chain with protruding towel pickup members on which a dirty towel is hung. An inspection procedure includes a rotatable towel contact wheel contacting the towel to determine the proper length of the towel and a switch positioned to deter-.

mine the proper bulk. The input section of the machine is electrically related to the output section so that the clean shop towel is dispensed only if a dirty shop towel passes inspection. Clean shoptowels are simply stored by piling in the cabinet near a towel dispensing conveyor system including a pick-up belt and a shedding arrangement whereby clean towels are constantly being conveyed to the shedding or separating arrangement and by means of a special relationship of relative motion of conveyors only one is fed through anddropped to the dispensing exit each time one dirty one is put in the machine. Other details include the electro-mechanical arrangement of the input section and the electro-mechanical arrangement of the output conveyor section and the details of the shedding arrangement.

22 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED F5326 4 SHEET 2 OF 4 TOWEL VENDING MACHINE FOR FABRIC-LIK ARTICLES AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Vending and dispensing equipment including measuring and inspection of fabric-like articles and article [e.g. towel] dispensing only in response to the input of a similar article (towel) which passes inspection. (e.g. Class 194, Subclass 4; Class 221, Subclass 213).

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art with respect to electro-mechanical towel vending machines is quite voluminous. Some of the machines are satisfactory and for the most part prevent common forms of pilphering but are either too costly to manufacture or present service problems from the standpoint of input or output dispensing mechanisms. The inspection portions of the input mechanism of some of the machines causes service difficulties and breakdowns and the initial cost of construction is relatively high. Some machines are easily cheated by inserting paper or strips or string. The present machine presents a relatively foolproof input mechanism which provides a good bit of service without breakdown and malfunction problems and at the same time performs all of the required inspections of the input, dirty towel. In addition, the present machine employs a simpler form of dispensing of one towel and without complex mechanism and selectivity problems. For proper dispensing most prior art machines require careful loading of stacked towels whereas the instant machine is loaded simply by dumping in clean towels but only one dispenses at a time each time a dirty towel is inserted.

The following references may be of prior art interest:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The machine dispenses units of material such as fabric shop towels. An input inspector comprises material retainer members driven to carry the material (e.g. towel) through a measuring wheel arrangement that measures the length of the material (e.g. towel) and then in sequence through a means for testing the bulkiness of the material (e.g. towel). Upon passing inspection the output dispensing section of the machine dispenses one towel only. The dispensing section comprises a delivery arrangement that feeds from the bulk constantly but delivers only one towel. The inspection arrangement of the present machine is relatively simple and foolproof and the dispensing from pile-loading is likewise relatively simple and foolproof and delivers only one towel at a time.

An object of this invention is to provide a towel vending machine having an input section which inspects the length bulk and texture of the material [towel] in a simple, dependable manner so that unless the towel passes the length and texture test there is no need for a bulk test.

Another object of this invention resides in the unique conveyor arrangement of the dispensing portion of the towel vending machine which permits bulk loading in a pile and pick-up whereby although many towels are being conveyed towards ultimate delivery only one towel is shed in response to the input of a dirty towel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the towel vending cabinet with operator having hung a dirty towel in response to which a clean towel is being delivered.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with portions of the cabinet broken away exposing the interior especially the delivery portions on the left hand side FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the dispensing portion and conveyor system enlarged.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the dispensing portion.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the vending machine cabinet shown in FIG. 2 with the side sectioned away.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevation view of a dispensing bracket and conveyor'belt.

FIG. 7 is the perspective view of the upper part of the towel delivery system shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the dirty towel input conveyor and inspection mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 8 with parts moved to another position after measuring. 7

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the towel measuring wheel shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 11 is a wiring diagram of the electrical components of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED METHOD AND EMBODIMENT The machine designated generally by reference numeral 10 comprises a metal cabinet arrangement 14 having locked doors l6, 17 which are locked by means of a lock 18. The cabinet 14 is sealed and has closed top 20, sides 22, back 24, and bottom 25 all sheet metal construction bolted to a three-dimensional skeletal frame 26 made up of steel iron or angle iron material having both vertical members and horizontal members 27 across the top, sides and bottom and other horizontal members thereacross.

The machine includes an input section 28 accessible through door 17 and which has a limited access input opening 29 leading to the input section 28 for the purpose of hanging a soiled towel as shown in FIG. 1. A dispenser section 30 is accessible through the door 16 and includes a limited dispenser opening 31 through which a clean towel is dispensed. The input section 28 is separated from the dispenser section 30 by means of a central vertical sheet metal wall 32.

INPUT SECTION 28 Input section 28 is a removable, modular section constructed from a skeletal frame 34 including horizontal frame members 36 and vertical frame members 38 on which is attached a sheet metal trough 40 having a bottom 42 and sides 44 for the purpose of assisting in the guiding of a dirty towel 46 fed into the machine on a continuous, endless conveyor chain 48 which has a plurality of clips 50 thereon each having a projecting'clip hanger blunt pointed pin 52, there being a plurality of the hangers 52 and clips 50 fastened to the chain at increments in spaced locations so that there should be always a clip 50 accessible through the input opening 29 which is partly covered by a stainless steel plate 33.

The vertical and

horizontal frame members

36, 38 of the input frame 34 support the endless chain 48 on

sprockets

54, 56 and 58 having

respective sprocket shafts

60, 62 and 64. Sprocket 54 is the drive sprocket and its shaft 60 is the output shaft of a transmission unit driven by its own independent electric motor 68 having suitable switches and motor controls 70 mounted therewith operated by a timer 71 in an electrical circuit described later.

The input section 28 includes a dirty towel length sensing or measuring arrangement 72 which is supported on a bracket plate arrangement 74 attached to the

frame member

36, 38 and also a bulk sensing and determining switch arrangement 76 also attached to the

frame members

36, 38.

The length measuring and determining apparatus 72 comprises a measuring wheel 78 covered by a knubby, rubber material 80 and mounted on a shaft 82 on an arm 84 fixed on a shaft 86 on which is also mounted and attached a second arm 88 carrying a small finetoothed sprocket or spur gear 90 on a shaft 92 and spring biased by means of a coil spring 94 having one end attached to the plate bracket 74 and the other end attached to arm 88. Sprocket 90 is attached to a helical spring 91 encircling shaft 92 and which spring has one end 93 attached to the sprocket 90. Arm 84 carries a small pinion gear 96 on a shaft 97. Pinion gear 96 in certain position is engaged by the sprocket 90. The towel 46 is moved by the chain 48 through the measur ing wheel 78 and pinion gear 96 engages and drives gear 90 until a switch contact member or cam 98 hits the contact arm 100 of the switch 102 which is the measuring switch. A fabric article (shop towel) must have enough strength and texture to withstand the pressure from wheel 78 and chain 48. Dirty towel 46 continues on through the machine if it has the correct length, texture and strength until it contacts the bulk switch 76 which has a contact arm 104 located at sufficient distance from the chain 48 to determine bulk. A sharp-pointed destructive instrument 106 is mounted near sprocket 56 and if the dirty towel 46 continues this far it will be ripped or shreaded.

The machine is activated by means of attaching the dirty towel 46 and then pushing a button 108, located on the plate 29, to close the switch 110.

OPERATION OF INPUT SECTION 28 As seen in FIG. 1 a worker with soiled towels he wishes to exchange for clean ones faces the front of the machine. At the opening 29 in the stainless steel entry plate 53 a blunt point pin 52 is always exposed. The user 110 places his soiled shop towel 46 on this pin 52 at any corner of the towel, not punched or penetrated but hung on chain 48, then activates the push button 108 which is located in the stainless plate. This button 108 sends current to the timer 71, which sends current to the intake motor 68 which moves roller chain 48 to which pin 52 is attached. The chain 48 is fitted with a series of identical pins 52 at spaced intervals so that no matter where the chain 48 stops a pin 52 will be available at the intake opening 29 to receive a soiled towel 46. As the chain 48 moves pin 52 with towel 46 into machine the towel 46 passes beneath measuring wheel 78 which begins to rotate and move upward slightly. This upward movement brings pinion gear 96, which is at the opposite end of the common shaft 82 with wheel 78, into engagement with spur gear 90 which in turn begins to rotate. The spur gear works against the coiled tension spring 91 on its shaft 92 as it moves storing energy in this spring 91. The ratio of the pinion gear 96 to the spur gear 90 is such that after the proper number of revolutions of wheel 78, caused by the soiled towel 46 passing beneath it, spur gear 90 has moved switch contact cam 98 to a point where it activates switch arm of switch 102. The cam 98 is a fixed member on spur gear 90. The proper number of revolutions is based on the diameter of the wheel 78, and the corner to corner length of a standard dimension l8 18 shop towel. The activation of switch 102 sets one relay 114 in the wiring circuit in FIG. 11. When the tail or end of the shop towel 46 moves out from under the wheel 78, the wheel 78 drops back down to its original position which disengages the pinion gear teeth 96 from the teeth of the spur gear' 90. Thus, released from the pinion gear 96 the spur gear 90 is returned by the aforementioned tension spring to its original position, the cam 98 coming to rest against a stop 116. Immediately after the towel 46 has passed from beneath wheel 78 the bulkier part of the towel, caused by the gathering in of the material of the other two towel corners, comes into contact with switch 76 and activates it, setting the second relay 118. The activating arm 104 of switch 76 is positioned in the path of the moving soiled towel in such a way that the thicker portion of the towel only contacts the activating arm of switch 76 moving it to one side thus activating this switch. When the two

relays

114, 118 are set, current is sent to motor 68 setting into motion the delivery mechanism. Intake motor 68 continues to run, moving roller chain 48 carrying soiled towel 46 over motor srocket 54 position and down the back side on chain path. The towel usually falls off while moving in this area. Should a towel be attached to an intake pin 52 with wire, string, etc. in an attempt to cheat the machine by having the soiled towel returned, this soiled towel will be ripped from this pin by the holding action of shedder 106. Motor 68 after running for approximately 6 seconds will be turned off by timer 71. The motor 68 can be started again only by activating start button 108.

DISPENSING SECTION 30 The dispensing of towels from a pile of clean towels in the cabinet 14 is accomplished by means of power from a delivery motor which through a transmission unit 151 drives a sprocket 152 through a chain 153. Sprocket 152 is on a shaft 154 with a pair of

belt drive sprockets

156, 158 which drive on each side a respective

continuous roller chain

160, 162 attached to and supporting a large continuous canvas belt 164 which extends across the width of the dispensing section 30. Belt 164 runs around sprockets 166, 168 on a common shaft 169 on respective opposite sides of the dispenser section 30 and around other sprockets 170, 172 on a common shaft 173 directing the belt 164 back behind a curved sheet metal or stainless steel towel support botton 178 extending from below the towel dispensing outlet 31 to a point 179 located just in front of the canvas belt 164 for the purpose of storing towels 180 piled thereon and spilling over onto belt 164 so that the towels 180 are picked-up by pointed impaling members 182 mounted on brackets 184 attached at random all along the belt 164. Belt 164 is guided and retained in alignment by means of guide members 186,

177 and along idler sprockets 190, 192 on opposite sides on a common shaft 194.

The towels are delivered one at a time for shedding and separation to a separation drum 196 which typically may run at 18 RPM and which is covered with strips of card cloth 198 whose wires 200 engage a towel 180. The motor 150 runs 26 RPM and is reduced by transmission 151 to turn the belt 164 at about 8 RPM. Motor 150 and transmission 151 are mounted on a frame member 203. Above the separation drum 196 is a separation belt arrangement 201 comprising

rollers

202, 204 around which travels a rubber or canvas or the like belt 206 which has strips of card cloth 208 at spaced intervals transversely thereacross. Separation belt 206 which moves about 36 RPM delivers the towel 180 to the delivery drum 210 which is moving about 72RPM and which grabs the towel 180 and throws it from a discharge chute 214 from the opening 31. Roller 210 is driven from a sprocket 216 on the shaft 218 from transmission 151 by means of a chain 220 which passes over sprocket 221 on shaft 225 and also drives a sprocket 224 on the shaft 226 of delivery drum 210 and a sprocket 230 on a shaft 232 of the roller 24. Sprocket 236 on shaft 218 drives the chain 153 which drives sprocket 222 on shaft 223.

DISPENSING AND DELIVERY OPERATION The delivery motor 150 is actuated by the proper dirty towel transfers power through its power transmission system to turn sprocket 152 in a clockwise direction. Attached to the same shaft 154 as sprocket 152 are the sprocket 158 and the sprocket 156. Running over

sprockets

158 and 156 are the

roller chains

160 and 162 and suspended between the attached to the full lengths of the

roller chains

160 and 162 is the delivery belt 164 which is almost the width of the clean towel compartment dispensing section 30. Delivery belt 164, starting at

sprockets

158 and 156 runs down the back side of the clean towel compartment dispensing section 30 (approximaaely 2 inches from back panel 24) to sprockets 166 and 168, then along the bottom of clean towel compartment dispensing section 24 to sprockets 170 and 172, which are positioned roughly half way between the front and back of this compartment. Delivery belt 164 carried by

roller chains

160 and 162 continues back along the bottom and up to the back of the compartment dispensing section 30 in a long sweeping curve. Delivery belt 164 and

chains

160 and 162 are held in proper position on this long curve by guides 186 and 188. Delivery belt 164 continues vertically up the back of the clean towel compartment dispensing section 30 until

roller chains

160 and 162 reach idler sprockets 190 and 192. From sprockets 190 and 192 the delivery belt 164 moves out from its vertical path parallel with the back 24 of the machine approximately 30 toward the front of the machine until it reaches

sprockets

158 and 156, the beginning point.

Attached to the delivery belt 164 are the pick-up pointed members 182 with their pointed ends directed in the direction as the movement of the delivery belt 164. These pick-up points 182 are located in a descending pattern across the face of the delivery belt 164, their purpose being to deliver whatever clean towels these pick-up points 182 might have engaged in its passage through the clean towel supply to the top of the machine in sequential order. This pattern of pick-up points 182 is repeated at proper intervals all around the delivery belt 164. The spacing of the pick-up points 182 is. such, that no matter how these points engage clean towels 180 for delivery there will be a space between them. The pick-up points 182 themselves always arrive at separation drum 196 one at a time, even though these points 182 occasionally pick up more than one clean towel 180 at a time. With this arrangement a constant supply of clean towels 180 is always moving toward delivery. The clean towel compartment is loaded with loose, shop towels 180 just as they come from a dryer, to a limit line approximately 6 to 8 inches below the separation drum 196. An empty switch 197 beneath the towel support 178 is actuated by a contact 199 on the bottom of support 178 when the weight from towels reduces below a certain amount which allows the pan-shaped portion to bend. The action of the pick-up points 182 engaging clean towels 180 tends to create a tumbling action in the clean towel compartment section 30 which helps to keep the cleam towel 180 supply in contact with the delivery belt 164. The

movement of the delivery belt 164 outward into the machine after passing the point of idler sprockets 190 and 192 allows the towels '180 on the pick-up 182 to swing away from the delivery belt 164. As seen in FIG. 3, as towels 180 swing out this allows any towels not hooked by pick-up points 182 that are trapped behind towels 180 that are hooked to drop out and return to the clean towel compartment section 30. Separation drum 196 is covered with the strips of card clothing 198 whose wires 200 will engage the fabric of a shop towel 180 if moved into it in one direction but will not if moved into it in the opposite direction. The strips of card clothing 198 are in line with the pick-up points 182 as delivery belt 164. As towels'180 on delivery belt 164 reach the separation drum 196 they are lifted off by the card cloth 198 on the separation drum 196 which is moving faster in feet per minute (F PM) than the delivery belt 164. The 'comstruction of the card clothing 198 is such that it engages only the surface of a fabric. It will lift only the top towel 180 off a pick-up point 182 if there should be more than one towel on the point 182. The separation drum 196 moves the towel to its top position which is directly beneath separation belt 206 which is moving at a faster speed (FPM) than the separation drum 196. The separation belt 206 has the strips of card clothing 208 approximately l inch wide running across the separation belt 206, at 90 to the direction on the belts movement. These strips of card cloth 208 are spaced at regular intervals around the separation belt 206. The separation belt 206 card cloth 208 strips engage the towel 180 on the separation drum 196 moving the towel 180 across the open area above clean towel supply and brings it into contact with delivery drum 21. Delivery drum 210 moving at a greater (FPM) speed than the separation belt 206 engages the towel 180 throwing it out and downward into the clean towel discharge chute 214. The downward fall of this towel 180 in the discharge chute 214 brings it into contact with the actuator arm of a knock-off switch 241 which through the machines electrical circuit cuts off the power supply to motor stopping the complete delivery mechanism. If during the delivery cycle the pich-up point 182 delivers two towels at the same time on the same point to separation drum 196 it will engage the top towel 180 moving it forward of the second towel 180 on the same point 182. It is then carried forward ahead of the second towel 180 until it reaches the separation belt 206, if the one towel 180 still rests above the other a further separating action occurs as belt 206 moves off with uppermost towel 180 in this instance the separation drum 196 usually carries this second towel 180 downward, returning it to the clean towel supply. Separation is achieved by spacing of the towel carrying members points l82 in relation to each other (i.e., spacing of points 182 on delivery belt 164, spacing of card cloth 198 on separation drum 196, spacing of card cloth 208 on separation belt 206) and the difference in speed between each towel carrying member point 182. Each towel carrying member point moves at a greater P PM speed than the previous towel carrying member point. This results in the towel moving forward of its delivery point at increasing speed, thus making the physical separation of this towel 180 from the following towel 180 greater as it moves from one carrying member to the next. Since there is sufficient distance between the first towel and the following towel it is possible to delivery this towel and stop the delivery mechanism before the following towel is delivered.

ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM FIG. 11

The operation of the electrical diagram in FIG. 11 is apparent from the previous description and the diagram itself. However, by way of brief review, the motor 68 is operated by the on-off push button switch 108 and runs a cycle depending upon the inspection of the input dirty towel 28 and the timer 71 which stops motor 68 after a pre-determined period of time. Both

motors

150 and 68 are suitably fused and protected by thermostat switches which stop either

motors

68 and 150 after a period of time should the

motors

68, 150 continue to run for any reason. The dispensing motor 150 is operated only after the proper sequence of inspection of the towel through switches 102 for length and switch 104 for bulk. Fuse blocks 240, 242,244 provide terminals for connecting various wires, for example wires 246, 248 to different parts of the circuit. A terminal block 250 provides connecting points for wires and color coding and by using different colors for wiressimplifies the tracing and wiring of the circuits. Terminal block 250 is part of a box 254 in which are located the timer 71 and the relays 114,118 required to measure length in sequence from switch 102 and bulk from switch 76 that if the towel 46 fails to measure properly either due to improper length or texture and strength necessary to operate the measuring device 72 then the towel (whatever it may be such as paper, cut-strips, string, cord and the like-which are some of the things used to fool such machines) passes on through without operating the dispensing section 30 which happens only after both lengthswitch 102 inspection properly operates the

relays

114, 118 in box 254 and then after bulk switch 76 completes the sequence in box 254 relays. Thus, even if the towel passes length through the length device 72 and switch 102, if the towel fails to operate switch 76 the machine does not dispense and cuts-off from timer 71. As seen by the circuitry in FIG.

l1,the dispensing motor 150 is operated through box 254 and

relays

114, 118 from switches 102, 76 only only and there are .various changes, alterations, modifi-- While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, this is by way of illustration cations, eliminations, revisions, omissions, departures, combinings, separations, and differences which can be effected in the disclosed machine and method without avoiding the scope of the invention as defined by proper interpretation of the appended Claims.

I claim: 1. In a method of dispensing individual fabric-like articles, including fabric shop towels, from a loose pile, comprising:

continuously delivering clean fabric articles from a pile of such articles by impaling and separating different articles at spaced places on a moving conveyor by an impaling means on said conveyor moving through said pile and ultimately delivering one article only be removing it through engagement by and relative motion of a delivery means from the conveyor to dispense only one such article at a time, said conveyor means being a continuous conveyor traveling in contact with the pile of articles and having the article carrying means in spaced places thereon, causing said conveyor to travel through at, least part of said pile and contacting said pile by said conveyor creating a tumbling action thereby assisting in feeding the articles to the conveyor, removing said article from the conveyor means by a bottom separation drum which removes said article from the conveyor and directing said articles beneath a top conveyor traveling faster than said delivery drum, and

extendingsaid article from said bottom separation drumby means of said top conveyor to a bottom delivery drum in line with said bottom separator drum, said delivery-drum running faster than said top conveyor, whereby only one article is delivered and extended between said delivery drum and said separator drum.

2. In a method of dispensing individual fabric-like articles, including fabric shop towels, from a loose pile, comprising: I

continuously delivering clean fabric articles from a pile of such articles by picking same up atspaced places on a conveyor and ultimately delivering one article only by removing it through relative motion of a delivery means from the conveyor to dispense only one such article at a time, spacing article carrying means along a continuous conveyor that travels through the pile of articles so that there is always a space between articles, picking-up an article in at least some of said carrying means traveling through the pile and conveying same to a second conveyor which is caused to travel at a faster speed towards a discharge'point engaging said article to first reach said second cohveyor with said second conveyor whereby said first article to reach is conveyed without conveying the next and then stopping said conveyors prior to the next article reaching the discharge point, engaging said articles with'impaling means onsaid conveyor at said article carrying means whereby said articles are. impaled as the impaling means passes through the pile, inspecting an input article prior to releasing the conveyed article such as inspecting a dirty shop towel prior to releasing a clean one, and actuatingsaid conveyor 'for said article upon said input article passing inspection.

3. In a vending machine for inspecting a fabric-like article, including a dirty shop towel, prior to releasing a second article, including a clean shop towel:

a machine cabinet having an input article storage area which receives input articles fed one at a time therein,

an output storage area in which there is a supply of articles to be dispensed in response only to the insertion and inspection of an input article,

a measuring apparatus comprising a measuring wheel contacted by an input article traveling thereagainst,

conveyor means for conveying said input article against said measuring wheel,

a first electric motor operating said conveyor means and actuated for pre-determined travel by manual operation,

a second electric motor operating an output apparatus on said machine only in response to said measuring apparatus,

and switch means contacted by upon completion of the predetermined travel of said measuring wheel to operate said second electric motor,

said measuring apparatus also including a small gear operated by movement of said measuring wheel and a larger gear in contact therewith,

said measuring wheel being mounted on a first mov able arm, said first arm having the small gear thereon and the movement of said arm in response to the article passing through the measuring wheel bringing said small gear into contact with said larger one, said larger gear having the switch contact member mounted thereon,

4. The apparatus in claim 3:

a bulk sensing means on said machine operated by said article traveling on said conveyor means and including an electric switch contacted by the article.

5. The apparatus in claim 3:

said larger gear being mounted on a second movable arm, spring means biasing said second movable arm, a switch contact member on said larger gear, and a return spring which is wound when said gear is moved and unwinds said 'gear when released.

6. The apparatus in claim 5:

said measuring wheel being on the same shaft with said small gear on the same arm.

7. In a vending machine for inspecting a fabric-like article, including a dirty shop towel, prior to releasing I a second electric motor operating an output apparatus on said machine only in response to said measuring apparatus,

a dispensing means on said machine for dispensing one article at a time in response to the operation of the dispensing motor,

said dispensing means comprising a support for a pile of articles,

a conveyor means traveling through said pile of arti cles,

article pick-up and carrying means in spaced positions on said conveyor for picking up and conveying articles towards a dispensing point,

a second conveyor means engageable with the first article to contact same and traveling at a faster speed than said first conveyor means whereby the first article is removed and conveyed to said dispensing point.

8. The apparatus in claim 7:

said first conveyor being a continuous, wide belt-like arrangement with said pick-up and carrying means located in spaced relation along and across same.

9. The apparatus in claim 8:

said first conveyor pick-up means comprising sharp members for impaling an article upon contacting same.

10. The apparatus in claim 9:

said first conveyor operating next to the storage area and there being a support therein for feeding articles onto said conveyor.

11. The apparatus in claim 10:

said second conveyor being a roller with sharp points in spaced locations thereon.

12. The apparatus in claim 11:

a third conveyor above said roller comprising a belt with sharp teeth thereon in spaced locations.

13. The apparatus in claim 12:

a fourth discharge conveyor at the end of said belt comprising a roller with teeth thereon traveling faster than said third conveyor.

14. In a machine for dispensing fabric-like articles, including shop towels, which can be penetrated by a pointed member:

a machine cabinet having a storage area therein with a bottom on which is piled a pile of articles which are placed therein without any special order of arrangement which includes dropping them therein from a dryer or the like,

a continuous conveyor passing next to said pile of articles and against the articles therein and said conveyor having article pick-up members therein that penetrate the fabric-like articles and move same upwardly with the conveyor,

said pattern of pick-up members being such on said conveyor to be repeated at intervals on the conveyor and located in descending order on said conveyor whereby each member reaches a take-off point ahead of the others in the same pattern, there being spaced between said point so arranged with respect to the distance involved and the take-off top point so there is spaced between them thereby delivering one article ahead of the next to the takeoff point.

a bottom separation drum on said machine having means thereon engaging the lead article and traveling faster than said continuous conveyor to separate same and deliver it for dispensing while continuing the next article,

a top conveyor over said bottom separation drum,

a bottom delivery drum at the end of and below said top conveyor and the distance between said delivery drum and said separation drum being such that an article is extended from one to the other beneath said top conveyor, said delivery drum running faster than said top conveyor whereby only one article at a time is delivered.

15. The device in claim 14, said continuous conveyor being a continuous belt.

16. The device in claim 14, wherein said delivery drum has sharp points protruding from the surface thereof.

17. The device in claim 14 wherein there is a curved support in saidcabinet for said pile of articles and said conveyor travels therein.

18. The device in claim 14 wherein said separation drum has strips of card cloth thereon.

19. The device in claim 18 wherein said topconveyor has card cloth thereon.

20. The device in claim 14 wherein said conveyor comprises a pair of continuous chains having a canvas belt attached thereto.

21. The device in claim 14 wherein there is an empty indicator means actuated by the weight loss of the articles.

22. The device in claim 20 wherein said belt has impaling members thereon in spaced relation to each other.

Claims

1. In a method of dispensing individual fabric-like articles, including fabric shop towels, from a loose pile, comprising: continuously delivering clean fabric articles from a pile of such articles by impaling and separating different articles at spaced places on a moving conveyor by an impaling means on said conveyor moving through said pile and ultimately delivering one article only be removing it through engagement by and relative motion of a delivery means from the conveyor to dispense only one such article at a time, said conveyor means being a continuous conveyor traveling in contact with the pile of articles and having the article carrying means in spaced places thereon, causing said conveyor to travel through at least part of said pile and contacting said pile by said conveyor creating a tumbling action thereby assisting in feeding the articles to the conveyor, removing said article from the conveyor means by a bottom separation drum which removes said article from the conveyor and directing said articles beneath a top conveyor traveling faster than said delivery drum, and extending said article from said bottom separation drum by means of said top conveyor to a bottom delivery drum in line with said bottom separator drum, said delivery drum running faster than said top conveyor, whereby only one article is delivered and extended between said delivery drum and said separator drum.

2. In a method of dispensing individual fabric-like articles, including fAbric shop towels, from a loose pile, comprising: continuously delivering clean fabric articles from a pile of such articles by picking same up at spaced places on a conveyor and ultimately delivering one article only by removing it through relative motion of a delivery means from the conveyor to dispense only one such article at a time, spacing article carrying means along a continuous conveyor that travels through the pile of articles so that there is always a space between articles, picking-up an article in at least some of said carrying means traveling through the pile and conveying same to a second conveyor which is caused to travel at a faster speed towards a discharge point engaging said article to first reach said second conveyor with said second conveyor whereby said first article to reach is conveyed without conveying the next and then stopping said conveyors prior to the next article reaching the discharge point, engaging said articles with impaling means on said conveyor at said article carrying means whereby said articles are impaled as the impaling means passes through the pile, inspecting an input article prior to releasing the conveyed article such as inspecting a dirty shop towel prior to releasing a clean one, and actuating said conveyor for said article upon said input article passing inspection.

3. In a vending machine for inspecting a fabric-like article, including a dirty shop towel, prior to releasing a second article, including a clean shop towel: a machine cabinet having an input article storage area which receives input articles fed one at a time therein, an output storage area in which there is a supply of articles to be dispensed in response only to the insertion and inspection of an input article, a measuring apparatus comprising a measuring wheel contacted by an input article traveling thereagainst, conveyor means for conveying said input article against said measuring wheel, a first electric motor operating said conveyor means and actuated for pre-determined travel by manual operation, a second electric motor operating an output apparatus on said machine only in response to said measuring apparatus, and switch means contacted by upon completion of the predetermined travel of said measuring wheel to operate said second electric motor, said measuring apparatus also including a small gear operated by movement of said measuring wheel and a larger gear in contact therewith, said measuring wheel being mounted on a first movable arm, said first arm having the small gear thereon and the movement of said arm in response to the article passing through the measuring wheel bringing said small gear into contact with said larger one, said larger gear having the switch contact member mounted thereon,

4. The apparatus in claim 3: a bulk sensing means on said machine operated by said article traveling on said conveyor means and including an electric switch contacted by the article.

5. The apparatus in claim 3: said larger gear being mounted on a second movable arm, spring means biasing said second movable arm, a switch contact member on said larger gear, and a return spring which is wound when said gear is moved and unwinds said gear when released.

6. The apparatus in claim 5: said measuring wheel being on the same shaft with said small gear on the same arm.

7. In a vending machine for inspecting a fabric-like article, including a dirty shop towel, prior to releasing a second article, including a clean shop towel: a machine cabinet having an input article storage area which receives input articles fed one at a time therein, an output storage area in which there is a supply of articles to be dispensed in response only to the insertion and inspection of an input article, a measuring apparatus comprising a measuring wheel contacted by an input article traveling thereagainst, conveyor means for conveying said input article against said measuring wheel, a first electric motor operating said conveyor means and actuated for pre-determined travel by manual operation, a second electric motor operating an output apparatus on said machine only in response to said measuring apparatus, and switch means contacted by upon completion of the predetermined travel of said measuring wheel to operate said second electric motor, a dispensing means on said machine for dispensing one article at a time in response to the operation of the dispensing motor, said dispensing means comprising a support for a pile of articles, a conveyor means traveling through said pile of articles, article pick-up and carrying means in spaced positions on said conveyor for picking up and conveying articles towards a dispensing point, a second conveyor means engageable with the first article to contact same and traveling at a faster speed than said first conveyor means whereby the first article is removed and conveyed to said dispensing point.

8. The apparatus in claim 7: said first conveyor being a continuous, wide belt-like arrangement with said pick-up and carrying means located in spaced relation along and across same.

9. The apparatus in claim 8: said first conveyor pick-up means comprising sharp members for impaling an article upon contacting same.

10. The apparatus in claim 9: said first conveyor operating next to the storage area and there being a support therein for feeding articles onto said conveyor.

11. The apparatus in claim 10: said second conveyor being a roller with sharp points in spaced locations thereon.

12. The apparatus in claim 11: a third conveyor above said roller comprising a belt with sharp teeth thereon in spaced locations.

13. The apparatus in claim 12: a fourth discharge conveyor at the end of said belt comprising a roller with teeth thereon traveling faster than said third conveyor.

14. In a machine for dispensing fabric-like articles, including shop towels, which can be penetrated by a pointed member: a machine cabinet having a storage area therein with a bottom on which is piled a pile of articles which are placed therein without any special order of arrangement which includes dropping them therein from a dryer or the like, a continuous conveyor passing next to said pile of articles and against the articles therein and said conveyor having article pick-up members therein that penetrate the fabric-like articles and move same upwardly with the conveyor, said pattern of pick-up members being such on said conveyor to be repeated at intervals on the conveyor and located in descending order on said conveyor whereby each member reaches a take-off point ahead of the others in the same pattern, there being spaced between said point so arranged with respect to the distance involved and the take-off top point so there is spaced between them thereby delivering one article ahead of the next to the take-off point. a bottom separation drum on said machine having means thereon engaging the lead article and traveling faster than said continuous conveyor to separate same and deliver it for dispensing while continuing the next article, a top conveyor over said bottom separation drum, a bottom delivery drum at the end of and below said top conveyor and the distance between said delivery drum and said separation drum being such that an article is extended from one to the other beneath said top conveyor, said delivery drum running faster than said top conveyor whereby only one article at a time is delivered.

15. The device in claim 14, said continuous conveyor being a continuous belt.

17. The device in claim 14 wherein there is a curved support in said cabinet for said pile of articles and said conveyor travels therein.

19. THe device in claim 18 wherein said top conveyor has card cloth thereon.