Adaptable article dispensing apparatus with cam actuating member

Claim 1

Apparatus for dispensing a single article at a time from at least two staggered stacks of the articles in a bin, corresponding articles in the two staggered stacks being axially aligned of each other, said apparatus comprising: a. selectively energizable motor means; b. cam means coupled to said motor means to be rotatively driven, said cam means comprising a cam surface, and first and second switch actuating surfaces; c. first and second article support members disposed transversely across the lower end of said bin and mounted for movement from a first supporting position wherein one of said first and second article support members engages and supports the lowermost articles of the staggered stacks, to a second releasing position to permit the discharge of the articles from said bin; d. latch means pivotably mounted to be moved from a first rest position wherein said latch means engages and holds said first and second article support members in their first supporting positions when said apparatus is in a stand-by condition, to either of a second position wherein said latch means engages and holds said first article support member to prevent its downward movement to its second article releasing position, or of a third position wherein said latch means engages and holds said second article support member against movement to its second article releasing position; e. a reciprocally mounted operating plate having a surface for engaging and controlling the movement of said first and second article support members and reciprocally movable between a first position, wherein said first and second article support members are in their first position and a second position wherein a selected one of said first and second article support members is lowered with said operating plate to its second article releasing position; f. first releasable lock means for retaining said pivotably mounted latch means in its first rest position; g. control means for selectively operating said motor means and including initiating means for initiating the energization of said motor means whereby said cam means is rotatively driven and said cam surface engages said first lock means disengaging it from said pivotably mounted latch means so that said latch means rotates to either of its second or third positions and said cam surface engages said operating plate directing it toward its second position whereby said one support member follows said operating plate to its second article releasing position; h. switch means disposed to be engaged by said first and second switch actuating surfaces of said cam means and responsive thereto to interrupt the energization of said motor means thus terminating the rotation of said cam means; i. an escrow bar movable from a first normal position for retaining one of the two articles released from the stacks of articles by one of said first and second support members, to a second article releasing position; and j. a second releasable lock means engagable by said cam surface of said cam means to be disposed from a first locking position wherein said second lock means retains said escrow bar in its first normal position to a second unlocked position, wherein said second lock means releases said escrow bar and said escrow bar is disposed to its second article release position; k. said initiating means being initiated a second time for energizing said motor means and continuing the rotation of said cam means to dispose said second lock means to its second position, thus permitting the movement of said escrow bar to its second position and the release of the retained article, until said second switch surface engages said switch means to de-energize said motor means and to terminate the movement of said cam means at its starting position.