US3920152A

US3920152A - Receptacle unstacking and transporting device

Info

Publication number: US3920152A
Application number: US475260A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter A Shields
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-05-31
Filing date: 1974-05-31
Publication date: 1975-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-18

Abstract

An improved device and method is provided for periodically, singly dispensing a plurality of stacked aligned receptacles and advancing the dispensed receptacles to a filling station. Receptacle contact members are provided for contacting the first, bottommost receptacle of the stacked array of receptacles, lowering the bottommost receptacle and the upstanding stack located thereabove until the first, bottommost receptacle approaches contact with a support or transport bed. The stack is permitted to fall when the first, bottommost receptacle is somewhat above the support bed, falling out of reach of the receptacle contact member. The receptacle contact member then contacts the second receptacle from the bottom and raises it and the stacked receptacles thereabove off of the bottommost first receptacle which is then periodically advanced by a transport bed toward the filling station along the receptacle support bed. The support bed includes guides for maintining a received receptacle in contact therewith as said receptacle is advanced therealong toward the filling station.

Description

United States Patent 119 Shields [11] 3,920,152 1451 Nov. 18, 1975 RECEPTACLE UNSTACKING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Walter A. Shields, 181-41 Henley Road, Jamaica, NY. 11432 22 Filed: May 31,1974 21 Appl. No.: 475,260

Frish 214/85 K I c A 1::-

Primary Examin erRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel [57] ABSTRACT An improved device and method is provided for periodically, singly dispensing a plurality of stacked aligned receptacles and advancing the dispensed receptacles to a filling station. Receptacle contact members are provided for contacting the first, bottommost receptacle of thestacked array of receptacles, lowering the bottommost receptacle and the upstanding stack located thereabove until the first, bottommost receptacle approaches contact with a support or transport bed. The stack is permitted to fall when the first, bottommost receptacle is somewhat above the support bed, falling out of reach of the receptacle contact member. The receptacle contact member then contacts the second receptacle from the bottom and raises it and the stacked receptacles thereabove off of the bottommost first receptacle which is then periodically advanced by a transport bed toward the filling station along the receptacle support bed. The support bed includes guides for maintining a received receptacle in contact therewith as said receptacle is advanced therealong toward the filling station.

7 Claims, 30 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 1. of 15 3,920,152

U.S. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet 2 of 15 3,920,152

F'IGB.

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 3 of 15 3,920,152

Sheet 4 of 15 US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 US. Patant Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet50f 15 3,920,152

U.S. Patfint Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 6 0f15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 7 of 15 FIGJO.

2G 30 28 Km as 70 1e 3e i 1 g E M E E E US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet 9 0f15 3,920,152

U.S. Patant Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 10 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheetllof 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheat 12 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 13 of 15 3,920,152

Sheet 14 of 15 3,920,152

U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 F'IGZB.

PIC-3.27.

Sheet 15 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 F'IGZQ.

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RECEPTACLE UNSTACKING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE The present invention relates generally to dispensing and delivery machines, and in particular, to a machine for supplying a plurality of receptacles, one at a time, from a supply stack to a filling station.

Various machines have been available for use by manufacturers and suppliers of packaged materials for automatically dispensing and filling receptacles with various products. Machines have even been devised to singly supply a succession of receptacles for receipt of an item therein, supplied one at a time. Such a device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,613,861 which issued Oct. 14, l952.

The device shown in the 861 patent feeds a plurality of stacked receptacles to a rod-dispensing mechanism which provides rods one at a time to rod-receiving cavities therein. The receptacles are supplied by a supply mechanism which urges the bottommost receptacle of a stack of receptacles out from under the stack with the entire weight of the stack bearing down on the bottommost stack. A succession of receptacles is advanced toward the rod-dispensing mechanism in succession for continuous delivery of rods thereto. No mechanism is provided forrelieving the force of the weight of the stacked array of receptaclesfrom the receptacle to be dispensed. Further, no means is provided for preventing one receptacle from overriding and buckling with respect to an adjacent receptacle in traveling from the receptacle supply to the delivery station wherein the receptacles are filled.

Of recent times it has been necessary to automati cally supply a plurality of receptacles for delivery of dc vices thereto wherein the receptacles are of a fragile nature that will not admit of dispensing from a stacked array while bearing the weight of the entire stack on the receptacle to be dispensed.

For example, it is often necessary to provide a positive indication of when syringes have been removed from a multiple-syringe receptacle. This is necessary as the syringes may contain valuable medications therein or narcotics which require strict control. To ensure that there is no misuse or theft thereof, receptacles have been devised which are manufactured of relatively light semi-rigid plastic. The receptacles contain various compartments which must be made strong enough to separately contain the syringes within the receptacles and light and fragile enough to permit easy breakage of individual compartments when it is desired to remove a single syringe therefrom thereby providing easily visi with respect to one another. Buckling of adjacent receptacles causes the advancing and supply machinery to become jammed and inoperative.

Consequently, while the prior art receptacle-advancing and supply mechanisms have value with receptacles which are strong enough to .permit advancing despite the weight thereon of a stacked array, and which are heavy enough to permit advancing to a filling station without danger of adjacent receptacles buckling with respect to one another, they are of little if any use when it is desired to automatically deliver and supply lightweight receptacles in a reliable manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for singly delivering a plurality of lightweight receptacles and supplying thereof to a filling station in substantially undamaged condition without interrupting continuous operation of the device.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for singly dispensing one of a plurality of stacked receptacles by removing the weight of the stacked array from a delivered receptacle and advancing the delivered receptacle longitudinally along a delivery path to a filling station for recepit of a plurality of items therein while preventing movement of advancing receptacles relative to one another except in the direction of their advance along the delivery path without being removed from the delivery path transversely with respect thereto.

Broadly, the apparatus of the present invention can be used for dispensing a receptacle and delivering the receptacle to a station for receipt of an item therein. The improvement of the present invention comprises generally upstanding channel means for maintaining a plurality of receptacles in aligned stacked array, a support bed and receptacle dispensing means for periodically dispensing the lowermost of said stacked receptacles onto the support bed. First drive means are provided for operating the receptacle dispensing means. Receptacle advancing means are provided for periodically advancing the dispensed receptacle toward the station along the support bed. Second drive means are provided for operating the receptacle advancing means. The receptacle dispensing means includes means for normally supporting the stacked array of receptacles by contacting the lowermost of the stacked array of receptacles. Means are provided for periodically lowering the stack of receptacles toward said support bed until the lowermost of the stacked receptacles contacts the support bed. The receptacle dispensing means includes means constructed and arranged for contacting the next to lowermost of the stacked receptacles when the lowermost receptacle is in contact with the support bed and raising the next to lowermost receptacle and the stack, the lowermost receptacle .thereby remaining in contact with the support bed. The

station is located in operative relation to the support bed and is spaced from the dispensing means a given distance along said support bed. The support bed includes means for guiding the advancing receptacle and is constructed and arranged to maintain the advancing receptacle in contact with the support bed.

The method of the present invention includes periodically singly supplying one of a plurality of stacked receptacles for delivery to a filling station comprising stacking a plurality of receptacles in generally upstanding vertically movable array. Supporting the lowermost of the stacked array of receptacles above asupport bed. Periodically lowering the lowermost and the stacked array of receptacles until the lowermost receptacle contacts the transport bed. Raising the ne'xt to lowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacles supported thereabove off of and out of contact with said lowermost receptacle. Advancing the loyiil== most receptacle along the support bed while maintaining the next to lowermost and said stacked array of receptacles out of contact with said lowermost receptacle. Lowering the previously next to lowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacles located thereabove until the previously next to lowermost receptacle contacts the transport bed. Raising the receptacle above the previously next to lowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacles located thereabove off of and out of contact with the previously next to lowermost receptacle. Advancing the previously next to lowermost receptacle into abutting relation with the previously lowermost receptacle along the support bed toward the filling station including maintaining the previously lowermost and the previously next to lowermost receptacles in substantially abutting contact with each other and with the support bed during the advancing step.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of the presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the dispensing and delivery device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts thereof shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view taken from the left of FIG. 3 showing the machine of FIG. 3 with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 showing an alternate embodiment of a feature of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the machine of FIG. 3 with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 3, with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 3, with parts thereof broken away, taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the receptacle-dispensing apparatus of the present invention on an enlarged scale and taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational section view showing the receptacle-dispensing apparatus arranged with a stack of receptacles with the lowermost receptacle resting on a support bed taken substantially along the line 10-10 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational section view of the apparatus of FIG. 10 with the receptacle-dispensing apparatus shown lifting the stacked array of receptacles by contacting the next-to-lowermost receptacle with the lowermost receptacle remaining on the support bed;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view ofa device embodying objects and features of the present invention on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of part of the receptacle-advancing and guiding apparatus of the present invention used for advancing a receptacle; and,

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of part of the receptacle-advancing and guiding apparatus of the present invention for advancing a long receptacle.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary front view of the syringe delivery apparatus of the machine of FIG. 3 prior to dispensing of a plurality of syringes into a receptacle disposed thereunder;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 15 with syringes shown delivered to the receptacle disposed thereunder;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line l717 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 18 is a detailed front view of the apparatus of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a brake apparatus taken substantially along the line 1919 of FIG. 18 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 20-20 of FIG. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the syringe delivery apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the syringe delivery apparatus of FIG. 21 taken substantially along the line 22-22 of FIG. 21 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 23 is a top plan view of a syringe guide for use with the machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the syringe guide of FIG. 23 taken substantially along the line 2424 of FIG. 23 and looking in the directionof the arrows;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of an alternate syringe guide similar to the syringe guide of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the syringe guide of FIG. 23 taken substantially along the line 2626 of FIG. 23 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a receptacle for use with the present invention showing, in phantom, a syringe guide in operative relation therewith and syringes in place therein;

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of a receptacle for use with the present invention similar to FIG. 27 with alternate length syringes in place therein;

FIG. 29 is a top plan view of an alternate receptacle for use with the present invention similar to FIG. 27 with syringes shown in phantom in place therein; and,

FIG. 30 is a top plan view of an alternate receptacle for use with the present invention showing alternate syringes in phantom in place therein.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is shown a receptacle-advancing and supplying mechanism or apparatus, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which includes four receptacle channels 12 which are generally L-shaped and are mounted to be generally upstanding with respect to the apparatus 10.

Two of the channels 12 are located toward the front of the apparatus 10 (the right in FIGS. 1 and 2), being mounted by conventional means to be generally stationary with respect to the apparatus. Two of the channels 12 are located toward the rear of the apparatus 10 (the left in FIGS. 1 and 2). The two rear channels 12 are movable between a first position as shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a second, extended position shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The channels 12 are arranged with the inside corner of the L facing diagonally inwardly so that the four channels 12 form the outline-of the corners of a rectangle.

The two rear channels 12, which are movable as noted above to a second or extended position, are movable to the extended position while maintaining the same basic rectangular orientation of the four channels. Compare the full line representations of the rear channels 12in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the phantom line representations therein.

The direction of feed for receptacles is noted by the directional arrows A in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thelongitudinal spacing along the direction of feed of the front channels 12 with respect to the rear channels 12 is such that the longitudinal dimension of a recptacle R, shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2, is relatively confined in lateral movement. However, a receptacle R within the channels 12 is capable of relatively unconstrained vertical movemennt between the four channels within the rectangular area defined thereby.

In a like manner, the alternate position shown in phantom in the drawing for the rear channel members 12 is designed to retain a stacked array of receptacles R within the rectangular space defined by the two front and two rear channels 12 and likewise permit virtually unrestrained vertical movement of the stacked array of large receptacles for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

As may be noted by reference to FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 27 and 29, the receptacles R (or the receptacles R which are virtually identical thereto with the exception of being of greater longitudinal extent) include a central storage or container area which occupies most of the area of the receptacle. The receptacles R include inwardly sloping side walls R (see FIG. which terminate at the upper end thereof in a flange R which extends around the entire periphery of the receptacle R. At the lower end of the receptacle R, it terminates in a bottom wall R The bottom wall R is constructed and arranged so that it rests upon the flange R of the next lower receptacle R for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The containers R may be made of lightweight plastic of aluminum or the like in order that parts thereof may be separated from other parts thereof for use in removal of all or of part of the contents thereof.

'As may be best seen by reference to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the channels 12 are attached to support members 14 by any convenient means, such as by welding or the like, at their lower ends which may form part of an extension of the channels 12 or may be separate supportable for use with different sized receptacles.

Mounted on the base 16 on either side of the channels 12 and spaced outwardly therefrom (to the left and right thereof as viewed in FIGS. 9 through 11) are support blocks 20. The support blocks 20 extend above the base 16 a distance at least equal to the height of three receptacles R and extend longitudinally along the direction of advance A, toward the front of the machine.

- 6 Affixed to the top of each of the support blocks 20 is a receptacle contact means 22 which includes a contact ing nub for fixing one end of a compression spring 34' thereto. The other end of the compression spring 34 is fixed to a mounting nub on the receptacle contact member for downwardly biasing the receptacle contact member. When the receptacle member is free to do so, it moves to a downward position shown in full lines in FIG. 10 (and in phantom in FIG. 1 1) and strikes an adjustable contact stop 36 which is fixed to the base 16. The adjustable stop 36 is adjustable by virtue of being threaded and located within a threaded hole in the base 16.

It should be noted that substantially identical but reversed apparatus exists on laterally opposite sides of the receptacle channels 12 as seen in FIGS. 9, l0 and Actuator or operating rods or members 38 extend through openings in the base 16 and a nylon or plastic rounded tip 40 is affixed to the upper end thereof for contact with the underside of the receptacle contact member 30 for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

The lower ends of the actuator rods 38 are removably fixed to an actuator rod activator bar 42 which, as may be seen in FIGS. 10 and 12, is connected to additional apparatus for driving movement thereof in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

As may best be seen by reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 12, 13 and 14 a receptacle advancing arm 44 is generally rectangular and is mounted to the apparatus 10 with the lower surface thereof in proximity to the upper surface of the support bed 18 for use in advancing a receptacle R which has been deposited with the bottom surface R thereof in contact with the upper surface of the support bed along the support bed in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

The advancing arm 44 includes an overhanging lip 46 at its operating end at the right in FIGS. 1, 2, 12, 13, and 14 for engagement with the flange R of a receptacle R when used to advance the receptacle along the support bed 18 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

The left or attachment of the advancing arm 44 is fixed to an advancing arm support 47 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 12) which is connected, through connecting link 48, to an operating arm 50. The operating arm 50 is suitably journaled at its lower end to the base frame member 52 of the device and is pinned at pin 54 to the connecting link 48. (See FIGS. 3, 4 and 6). The operating arm 50 is biased toward an upstanding frame member 56 by a spring 58.

The operating arm 50 includes a cam follower 60 which bears against an advancing arm cam 62 which rotates about an operating shaft 64 powered by a standard power source which is not shown.

By virtue of the interconnection of the operating arm 50 through the connecting link 48 and the advancing arm support 47 with the advancing arm 44, the rotation of the cam 62 and the cam follower 60, the advancing arm 44 periodically reciprocates along the support bed 18 in a manner and for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

Spaced to the right along the direction of advance or feed A, and positioned above the support bed 18, is a filling station 66 (see FIGS. 1 and 2), which supplies items to be contained within the receptacles which are advanced along the support bed and supported thereby.

The filling station 66 can be of a type to supply any one of a number of different items to be housed or contained in the receptacles R. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the filling station 66 is shown as supplying syringes S from a grooved drum D which is supplied with the syringes from a hopper H located thereabove and only fragmentarily shown in FIGS. 2 and 12 but completely shown in FIG. 3 and in enlarged detail in FIGS. 15, 16 and 18.

The grooved drum D is periodically rotated a given amount by interconnection with a power source not shown, through rachet wheel W which is fixed to a shaft W to which the grooved drum D is fixed.

A brake device B which may be of any standard manufacture is fixed to the hopper H and ensures that the shaft W to which the grooved drum D is affixed does not rotate past the intended stopping point under the action of the impetus supplied thereto by the rachet wheel W by applying a constant braking force to the shaft W The brake B is shown in FIG. 19.

The syringes S are designed to be released through a syringe guide SG fixed to the front wall 68 of the machine and are deposited into a receptacle R which has been advanced by the advancing mechanism to be de scribed more fully hereinafter until it abuts an adjustable stop 70 and is positioned under the grooved drum D of the filling station 66. Larger syringes are released through a larger syringe guide SG' (see FIGS. 25, 29 and 30) into a larger receptacle R The adjustable stop 70 includes a slot 72 therein by which it is affixed to the front wall 68 of the machine and may be adjustably located with respect to the grooved drum D by use of the bolt and wing nut arrangement 74 which passes through the slot 72 and through an opening in the machine wall.

Adjustment of the stop 70 is necessitated by the fact that the machine of which the device is a part is adjustable for supply and delivery of either large or small receptacles R, R respectively. Naturally, if the larger receptacles R are to be supplied, the stop 70 would be moved to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order that the receptacle R would be correctly positioned under the grooved drum D of the filling station 66 when it was advanced by the advancing mechanism in order that delivery of the syringes S could be effected.

As will be discussed more fully hereinafter, the receptacles R or R once they are delivered to and supported by the support bed 18, are advanced therealong by operation of the advancing arm 44 by abutting a just-released receptacle delivered by the delivery apparatus and pushed from under the four channels 12. The advancing arm 44 then retracts or moves to the left as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 12, another receptacle R is delivered to the support bed 18 and is, in turn, advanced along the support bed. This last-named receptacle R in 8 turn, advances the previously delivered and advanced receptacle ahead of it along the support bed.

This advancing of delivered receptacles continues until a receptacle abuts the adjustable stop and the filling station 66 operates to deliver a predetermined number of syringes S thereto. As noted above, the receptacles R which are advanced along the support bed 18 and supported thereby are made of generally light plastic or other material. Consequently, the receptacles R have a natural tendency to ride up on one another which would cause buckling of two adjacent receptacles thereby interfering with normal operation of and jamming the machine, specifically the apparatus 10.

In order to prevent this overriding and buckling, receptacle guides 76 are affixed to, partially override and are spaced above the support bed 18 on either side thereof. The guides 76 are sized to extend over part of the side edges of the receptacles R to maintain the bottom surface R of the receptacles R in contact with the support bed 18 as they are being advanced therealong. The guides 76 thereby prevent buckling of adjacent receptacles R as they are advanced along the support bed 18 toward the filling station 66.

The guides 76 are located adjacent the front channels 12 in the direction of advance A along the support bed 18. If the apparatus 10 is to be set up for advancing a regular length receptacle R, it will be necessary for the advancing arm 44 to extend beyond the front channels 12 during the advancing stroke and extend a given distance between the guides 76.

In order to permit entrance of the advancing arm 44 between the guides 76, a reduction in the transverse dimension of the top of the advancing arm 44 is necessary. The required transverse reduction is accomplished by chamfering the top outside corners 78 of the arm 44 (see FIG. 13).

When a longer tray R is to be advanced, the advancing arm 44 is removed and a somewhat shorter arm 80, which includes an overhanging lip 82 at the operating end to the right thereof, is attached to the advancing arm support 47. In view of the extra length of the receptacle R the advancing arm is shorter than the advancing arm 44 and it is not necessary for the operating end at the right of the advancing arm 80 to extend between the guides 76. Consequently, there is no necessity for chamfering the top outside edges of the operating arm 80.

As the receptacle R is advanced along the support bed 18 by being pushed by an abutting receptacle R located therebehind which is being advanced by an advancing

arm

44 or 80, it leaves the bed 18 and the lower surface thereof is supported on ledges 84, 84', on either side of top (left) and bottom (right)

receptacle support members

86, 86 when it abuts the adjustable stop 70 and is located under the grooved drum D.

The top or left receptacle support member 86 is, in turn, supported on a shaft 88 (see FIG. 1) which is journaled at the forward or right end in the wall 68 and attached at the rear or left end to a pinion gear 90. The pinion 90 is in mesh with a rack 92.

The bottom receptacle support member- 86', as viewed in FIG. 1, includes a receptacle support ledge 84', is attached to a shaft 88 which is likewise journaled in the wall 68 on the forward end and affixed to the pinion 90 at its left or rear end which is in mesh with a rack 92' in much the same manner as is the receptacle support member 86.

Claims

1. In a device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein; the improvement comprising upstanding channel members for maintaining receptacles in stacked array; a support bed spaced below the channel members and extending to the item receiving station; receptacle contact members hingedly mounted on opposite sides of the channel members to contact the lowermost receptacle and initially support the receptacles in stacked array; actuator rods reciprocally mounted below the receptacle contact members; springs biasing the receptacle contact members into contact with the actuator rods; means to reciprocate the actuator rods and actuate the receptacle contact members to three positions, the first position to engage the lowermost receptacle and support said lowermost receptacle out of contact with the support bed, the second position to lower said lowermost receptacle and stacked array and position the lowermost receptacle on the support bed, and the third position to engage the next to lowermost receptacle and raise the stacked array from the lowermost receptacle on the support bed; means to advance the lowermost receptacle on the support bed toward the station; and means for guiding and maintaining said advancing receptacle on the support bed.

2. In a device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, stop means adjustably mounted below the receptacle contact members to limit the lowermost position of said receptacle contact members out of contact with the receptacles in stacked array.

3. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to reciprocate actuator rods comprise an activator bar carrying said actuator rods, and a first cam operatively connected to and reciprocating said actuator bar.

4. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to advance the lowermost receptacle on the support bed toward the station comprise an advancing arm reciprocally mounted above the support bed, and a second cam operatively connected to and reciprocating said advancing arm toward the lowermost receptacle on the support bed subsequent to the second position of the contact members.

5. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 4, wherein the forward end of the advancing arm is arranged with a lip to maintain contact with the lowermost receptacle on the support bed and chamfers in the upper side edges of the forward portion to permit entrance of the advancing arm below the guiding means.

6. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for guiding and maintaining the advancing receptacle on the support bed comprises guides spaced above opposite side portions of said support bed.

7. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support bed below the station comprise spaced members rotatably mounted and arranged with ledges to support the receptaCle at the station, and means to rotate said spaced members and position the ledges out of supporting contact with said receptacle to discharge the filled receptacle from the support bed by gravity.