Article storage and dispensing cart

Claim 1

A DRUG STORAGE AND DISPENSING CART FOR USE IN THE PASSING OF MEDICATIONS TO HOSPITAL PATIENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, COMPRISING: (A) A BOX-LIKE HOUSING; (B) MEANS FORMING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS ARRANGED IN ROWS AND COLUMNS IN A SIDE FACE OF SAID HOUSING, A FIRST PORTION OF SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING IN ONE PART OF THE HOUSING, AND OTHERS BEING ARRANGED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE HOUSING; (C) AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT DRAWER SLIDABLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A FULLY CLOSED POSITION IN EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS IN SAID FIRST PORTION, AND IN WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT''S DRUGS ARE STORED; (1) MEANS ON THE FRONT OF EACH DRAWER PROVIDING FOR PATIENT''S INDENTIFICATION; (D) A LATCH KEEPER ON EACH OF SAID DRAWERS; (E) A PLURALITY OF LATCH BOLTS, ONE FOR EACH OF SAID DRAWERS ARRANGED IN ROWS AND COLUMNS; (F) MEANS SUPPORTING THE SAID PLURALITY OF LATCH BOLTS IN ROWS AND COLUMNS; (G) HANDLE MEANS ON AN EXTERIOR WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND ROTATABLE TO ACTUATE SAID LATCH BOLTS WHEREBY SAID BOLTS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY ACTUATED INTO OR OUT OF LATCHING POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT OR DISENGAGEMENT RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID KEEPERS WHEN SAID DRAWERS ARE FULLY WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS; (H) LATCH MEANS EFFECTIVE WHEN LATCHED TO PREVENT SAID HANDLE BEING ROTATED IN ONE DIRECTION TO ACTUATE SAID LATCH BOLTS OUT OF LATCHING POSITION, BUT PERMITTING SAID HANDLE TO BE ROTATED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID LATCH BOLTS FROM UNLATCHING TO LATCHING POSITION; (I) MEANS MOUNTING A PLURALITY OF WHEELS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CART WHEREBY IT MAY BE MOVED ABOUT DURING MEDICATION ROUNDS IN THE HOSPITAL; AND (J) A TOP WORK SURFACE ON SAID CART HAVING (1) A CLEAR PORTION ON WHICH A NURSE CAN PREPARE THE INDIVIDUAL PATIENT''S MEDICATION JUST PRIOR TO PASSING IT TO HIM, THUS SUBSTANTIALLY ELIMINATING MEDICATION ERROR BY ADMINISTERING TO ONLY ONE PATIENT AT A TIME; AND (2) ANOTHER PORTION HAVING RECESSED COMPARTMENTS FOR HOLDING BULK BOTTLES OF DRUGS, INSTRUMENTS, REFUSE, OR OTHER ITEMS.