Panel dispensing device

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR FEEDING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PANELS FROM A STACK THEREOF, COMPRISING; MEANS DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ZONE WITHIN WHICH A STACK OF PANELS MAY BE RECEIVED; A SHUTTLE LOCATED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID ZONE AND DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SHUTTLE FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF SAID ZONE; A PLATFORM AT THE LOWER END OF SAID ZONE; ARTICLE SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID PLATFORM ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID ZONE FOR ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING THE CORRESPONDING SIDE EDGES OF THE LOWERMOST PANEL, SAID SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A BLOCK POSITIONED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID ZONE AND MOVABLE TOWARD THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID ZONE; ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BLOCK TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID ZONE IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID SHUTTLE; RETAINING MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID ZONE, SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING SPACED UPWARDLY FROM SAID ARTICLE SUPPORT MEANS SO THAT THE LOWERMOST PANEL IN THE STACK MAY BE MOVED THEREUNDER BY SAID BLOCK AND MAY BE HELD THEREBY AGAINST UPWARD MOVEMENT; A PLATE MOUNTED UPON SAID SHUTTLE FOR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT BETWEEN POSITIONS ABOVE AND BELOW THE SUPPORTING SURFACES ON SAID ARTICLE SUPPORT MEANS AND RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID PLATE ABOVE SAID SURFACES WHEREBY THE LOWERMOST PANEL OF THE STACK IS ENGAGEABLE BY SAID PLATE EVEN THOUGH SAID PANEL IS WARPED; AND UPSTANDING MEANS ON SAID PLATE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID LOWERMOST PANEL.