There is disclosed an article dispensing apparatus (10) comprising: an endless conveyor (18) having a plurality of moveable compartments (24) each defined by a pair of adjacent dividers (22) coupled to the conveyor (18), at least a part of each divider (22) being pivotable between at least a closed position in which it cooperates with an adjacent divider (22) to restrict access to the compartment (24) defined therebetween, and an open position in which it is spaced from the said adjacent divider (22) for dispensing an article received in the said compartment (24); and a guide arrangement (34) capable of causing pivoting movement of each divider (22) between at least the closed position and the open positions.
G07F 11/50 - Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from movable storage containers or supports the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted
G07F 11/58 - Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from movable storage containers or supports the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors
B65B 35/44 - Arranging and feeding articles in groups by endless belts or chains
B65H 1/08 - Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the pile to present the articles to a separating device
G07F 11/52 - Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from movable storage containers or supports the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted about horizontal axes
There is disclosed an article dispensing apparatus (10) comprising: an endless conveyor (18) having a plurality of moveable compartments (24) each defined by a pair of adjacent dividers (22) coupled to the conveyor (18), at least a part of each divider (22) being pivotable between at least a closed position in which it cooperates with an adjacent divider (22) to restrict access to the compartment (24) defined therebetween, and an open position in which it is spaced from the said adjacent divider (22) for dispensing an article received in the said compartment (24); and a guide arrangement (34) capable of causing pivoting movement of each divider (22) between at least the closed position and the open positions.
G07F 11/52 - Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from movable storage containers or supports the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted about horizontal axes
G07F 11/58 - Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles from movable storage containers or supports the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors
B65B 35/44 - Arranging and feeding articles in groups by endless belts or chains
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriersEndless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
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