Stamp Dispensing Machine

Abstract

A coin-actuated machine including a plurality of dispensing modules dispenses one or more perforated strips of stamps from rolls, each module comprising a feed wheel having rows of evenly spaced projections for engaging the associated strip at the interstamp perforations and moving it past a solenoid-operated cutter, a shaded-pole electric motor for driving the feed wheel in a stepwise fashion through a Geneva cam mechanism and for intermittently operating a stepping switch and counter, a control circuit cooperating with the stepping switch for stopping the machine when a predetermined number of stamps has been dispensed, and a lock engaging the feed wheel either after each intermittent operation thereof or after each dispensing cycle.

Description

This invention relates to machines for dispensing units of material from perforated strips of such units. In particular, this invention relates to coin-actuated apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip thereof.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, the apparatus providing smooth controlled motion of the strip, an error-free dispensing count and protection against unauthorized dispensing of the units.

An important object of this invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth, the apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by the frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of the strip to the exterior of the apparatus, feed structure mounted on the frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from the magazine to the dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on the frame and coupled to the feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of the feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by the apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to the drive mechanism and the counter, the control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of the counter corresponding to the predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from the magazine for interrupting the operation of the drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth, the apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by the frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of the strip to the exterior of the apparatus, a feed member mounted on the frame for feeding the strip from the magazine to the dispensing outlet, the plurality of transverse rows of projections carried by and extending outwardly from the feed member and spaced apart longitudinally of the feed member a distance equal to an integral number of the units, the projections in each of the rows being spaced apart transversely of the member a distance equal to an integral number of the perforations of the strip, mechanism for holding a portion of the strip in engagement with a plurality of the rows of projections of the feed member with the projections extending into the corresponding rows of perforations of the strip, and drive mechanism mounted on the frame and coupled to the feed member for operation thereof to feed the strip from the magazine to the dispensing outlet.

In connection with the foregoing object, still another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth wherein the feed member comprises a cylindrical feed wheel rotatably mounted on the frame and wherein the plurality of transverse rows of projections are spaced apart circumferentially of the feed wheel.

In connection with the foregoing objects, yet another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth wherein the rows of projections extend outwardly from the feed member a predetermined distance and wherein the mechanism for holding a portion of the strip in engagement with the projections of the feed member comprises a holding shoe spaced from the feed member a distance no greater than the predetermined distance and shaped complimentary to the adjacent surface of the feed member for supporting the strip in engagement with a plurality of the rows of projections of the feed member.

In connection with the foregoing objects, it is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth wherein the feed member comprises a cylindrical feed wheel rotatably mounted on the frame for feeding the strip from the magazine to the dispensing outlet and wherein the holding shoe is arcuate in shape, the concave surface of the holding shoe having a plurality of equidistantly spaced-apart grooves therein extending circumferentially thereof and being equal in number to the number of projections in each row on the feed wheel for receiving the outer ends of the projections when they are in engagement with the strip.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth, and further including a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of the feed wheel and thus the number of units dispensed by the apparatus and a control circuit coupled to the drive mechanism and the counter, the control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of the counter corresponding to the predetermined number of units to be dispensed from the magazine for interrupting the operation of the drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, the apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by the frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of the strip to the exterior of the apparatus, feed structure mounted on the frame for feeding of the strip from the magazine to the dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on the frame and coupled to the feed structure for operation thereof, lock structure comprising a first lock member carried by the feed structure and a second lock member carried by the frame, lock operating means for moving the first and second lock members into and out of engagement with each other, and a control circuit coupled to the drive mechanism and the lock operating means, the control circuit being responsive to the initiation of operation of the feed structure for moving the lock members out of engatement with each other and being responsive to the feeding of the predetermined number of units by the feed structure for moving the lock members into engagement with each other, whereby the feed structure is operable to dispense the predetermined number of units when the lock members are out of engagement with each other and is inoperable when the lock members are in engagement with each other.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth wherein the feed structure is operated stepwise by the drive mechanism to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit and further including a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of the feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by the apparatus, the control circuit being coupled to the drive mechanism and the counter and the lock operating means, the control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of the counter corresponding to the predetermined number of units to be dispensed from the magazine for interrupting the operation of the drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units, the control circuit being responsive to the initiation of operation of the feed structure for moving the lock members out of engagement with each other and being responsive to the interruption of operation of the drive mechanism after the predetermined number of units has been dispensed for moving the lock members into engagement with each other, whereby the feed structure is operable to dispense the predetermined number of units when the lock members are out of engagement with each other and is inoperable when the lock members are in engagement with each other.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is still another object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth wherein the control circuit is responsive to the stepwise operation of the feed structure for moving the lock members out of engagement with each other immediately prior to each of the stepwise operations and for moving the lock members into engagement with each other immediately after each of the stepwise operations for preventing movement of the feed structure between the stepwise operations thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the type set forth wherein the outer surface of the feed wheel has a plurality of recesses therein spaced alternatively with the transverse rows of projections, and further comprising a locking solenoid including a movable armature mounted on the frame adjacent to the feed wheel and coupled to the control circuit, the armature of the locking solenoid being movable into and out of the recesses in the feed wheel, the control circuit being responsive to the initiation of operation of the feed wheel for moving the armature of the locking solenoid out of the adjacent recess in the feed wheel and being responsive to the feeding of the predetermined number of units by the feed wheel for moving the armature of the locking solenoid into the adjacent recess of the feed wheel for preventing further operation thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor having a drive shaft coupled thereto, a reduction gear train including a drive gear and at least one driven gear and being driven by the drive shaft for reducing the output speed thereof, a drive member carried by the gear train, a Geneva cam output shaft intermittently driven in rotary fashion by the drive member, and means coupling the Geneva cam output shaft to the feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the type set forth, and further including a coin-actuated starting switch, a coin chute for carrying coins to the starting switch, coin diverting means disposed in the coin chute and having first and second conditions, the coin diverting means in the first condition thereof allowing coins to pass to the starting switch and in the second condition thereof diverting coins away from the starting switch, and a control circuit coupled to the drive mechanism and the counter and the coin diverting means, the control circuit being responsive to the actuation of the starting switch for beginning operation of the drive mechanism and the feed structure and the counter and for operating the coin diverting means for the first condition to the second condition thereof to prevent further actuation of the starting switch while the dispensing apparatus is in operation, the control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of the counter corresponding to the predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from the magazine for interrupting the operation of the drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units and for operating the coin diverting means from the second condition to the first condition thereof to permit initiation of another dispensing operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from any of several strips each having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, the apparatus comprising a plurality of dispensing modules, each of the modules being of the type set forth, and further including program means coupled to each of the control circuits for selective operation of the dispensing modules individually and simultaneously.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing apparatus according to this invention and including three dispensing modules;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 1 with a portion of the back panel cut away;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged view of one of the dispensing modules taken along the line 4--4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the left side of the dispensing module as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the right side of the dispensing module as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the locking solenoid in partial section taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the feed mechanism and cutter assembly of the dispensing module of FIG. 4 with the holding shoe exploded away from the feed wheel;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the holding shoe and cutter assembly taken along the line 9--9 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the dispensing module as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cutter blade in the raised position;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cutter blade in the cutting position;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of the strip indicating the perforations which are severed by the cutter blade;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the gear train housing as shown in FIG. 4 with the cover plate partially cut away to expose the gear train;

FIG. 15 is a view of the drive train in vertical section taken along the line 15--15 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control circuit of a three-module dispensing apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the control circuit of one of the dispensing modules of FIG. 16 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a stamp dispensing apparatus, generally designated by the numeral 50, according to this invention. While the dispensing apparatus 50 is adapted for dispensing units of any type which are arranged in transversely perforated webs or strips, e.g., postage stamps, trading stamps, tickets etc., for the sake of simplicity the term "stamps" alone will be used hereinafter in the specification, and it should be understood that this term embraces all units arranged in perforated strips or webs. The dispensing apparatus 50 is housed in an upstanding substantially box-like cabinet 55 comprising a top wall 51, a bottom wall 52, a front wall 53, a rear wall 54 and a pair of opposed side walls 56. The rear wall 54 is preferably hinged at one side to form a door providing access to the cabinet 55. On the front wall 53 of the cabinet 55 is mounted a face plate 57 providing a plurality of display windows 58 in which samples 59 of the different denomination stamps to be dispensed may be displayed. Mounted inside the cabinet 55 adjacent to the top thereof is a standard coin mechanism, generally designated by the numeral 60, and including a coin slot 61 in the front wall 53 for a deposit of coins into the dispensing apparatus 50. The coin slot 61 communicates with a downwardly and rearwardly extending coin chute 62 having a substantially rectangular cross section. The lower end of the coin chute 62 overlies a coin receiving hopper 63 which in turn communicates with a coin control unit 70. Depending from the lower end of the coin control unit 70 is a coin collecting chute 64 which leads into a coin collecting box 65 for accumulation of deposited coins. Extending outwardly from the front wall 53 of the cabinet 55 is a coin return button 66 which is movably disposed through an opening in the front wall 53. A coin return lever 68 is pivotally mounted within the cabinet 55 and is yieldably held in engagement with the inner end of the coin return button 66 by a spring member 69. The lever 68 also engages a coin reject release arm 67. A coin return chute 71 extends downwardly and forwardly from the bottom of the coin control unit 70 and empties into a coin return cup 72 which communicates with the front of the dispensing apparatus 50 through an opening in the front wall 53. The coin control unit 70 is mounted on a plurality of mounting studs 73 carried by adjacent side wall 56 of the cabinet 55. For this purpose, a plurality of mounting slots 74 are formed in one wall of the coin control unit 70, for respectively receiving therein the mounting studs 73.

In operation, coins deposited in the coin slot 61 are carried by the coin chute 62 into the coin receiving hopper 63 and thence to the coin control unit 70. The coin control unit 70 includes a plurality of coin switches and a coin diverting means (not shown) to be described more fully hereinafter in connection with FIG. 16. This coin diverting means has two stable conditions, and when the dispensing apparatus 50 is not in operation, the diverting means will be in its first condition and will direct deposited coins to the coin switches for actuation of the dispensing apparatus. After momentarily actuating the coin switches, the coins fall into the coin collecting chute 64 and thence to the coin collecting box 65 from which they may be periodically retrieved by an attendant. Upon actuation of the dispensing apparatus 50 the diverting means is moved into its second condition by control means to be described below for diverting the coins away from the coin switches into a coin reject chamber (not shown). These coins may be retrieved by the user of the apparatus by pushing the coin return button 66. This movement of the coin return button 66 will move the lever 68 clockwise against the bias of the spring 69 to depress the coin reject release arm 67. The release arm 67 will release the coins from the coin reject chamber into the coin return chute 71 and thence to the coin return cup 72 from which they may be retrieved by the user.

The front wall 53 of the cabinet 55 has a horizontal output opening 80 therein immediately below the bottom edge of the face plate 57 through which stamps are dispensed, the opening 80 being framed along the upper and lower inside edges thereof by guide brackets 81 and 82, respectively and along the upper outer edge thereof by a guide plate 83 for directing the strip downwardly upon its issue from the opening 80.

Mounted on the rear wall 54 of the cabinet are a plurality of lamps 78. Adjacent to each lamp 78 and mounted in an opening in the rear wall 54 is a corresponding lens piece 77 whereby the condition of the lamps 78 may be viewed from outside the cabinet 55. Preferably the lens pieces 77 will be marked with a designation of significance of the corresponding lamps. Four lamps are used in the preferred embodiment, one to indicate when the cabinet door is open and one for each dispensing module to indicate when it is out of stamps. A mounting frame 75 is provided in the upper portion of the cabinet 55 for maintaining part of the electrical circuitry for the dispensing apparatus 50.

Within the cabinet 55 are disposed a plurality of dispensing modules, generally designated by the numeral 100, and respectively mounted in corresponding compartments of a module housing 101, the module housing 101 having a common top wall 102, a common bottom wall 103, opposed side walls 104 and interior partitions 105 evenly spaced apart between the side walls 404 parallel thereto to form a plurality of compartments. The side walls 104 and partitions 105 are respectively connected to the top wall 101 and bottom wall 103 by suitable means such as welding. Mounted on the inner surfaces of the side walls 104 and on both sides of each of the partitions 105 are pairs of right angle brackets, each pair comprising a larger bracket 106 and a smaller bracket 107. The horizontal legs of the angle brackets 106 are spaced slightly above the horizontal legs of the angle brackets 107 and cooperate respectively therewith to form mounting tracks on each side of each module compartment. While in the preferred embodiment there is shown a dispensing apparatus 50 comprising three dispensing modules 100, it will of course be recognized that any number of dispensing modules 100 may be provided. The dispensing modules 100 are all identical in construction and, therefore, only one of them will be described in detail.

The dispensing module 100 includes a supporting frame comprising a lower rod-like frame member generally designated by the numeral 110 and an upper plate-like member, generally designated by the numeral 115. The rod-like frame member 110 is bent to form a horizontal substantially U-shaped base portion 111 and a pair of vertically extending upright portions 112 respectively integral with the ends of the legs of the U-shaped portion 111. The upper end of each of the upstanding portions 112 is further bent back in the direction of the bight of the U-shaped base portion 111 to form an inclined portion 113 and a short horizontal top portion 114 disposed substantially parallel to the base portion 111. The upper frame member 115 is mounted on the top portions 114 of the frame member 110, by means of mounting screws 117. The upper frame member 115 comprises a flat horizontal platform 116 and an upstanding mounting wall or flange integral therewith adjacent to one edge thereof and extending substantially normal thereto and having a vertical extent substantially greater than the width of the platform 116. A stiffening web 119, substantially triangular in shape, and integral with both the platform 116 and the side wall 118 is provided approximately midway between the ends thereof. The opposite edges of the platform 116 parallel to the wall 118 are fitted into the tracks formed by the pairs of angle brackets 106 and 107 whereby the module frame is supported in its compartment.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-9 of the drawings, there is mounted on what will hereinafter be referred to as the front side of the wall 118 of the frame member 115, adjacent to the upper end thereof a hollow cylindrical magazine or cassette 120. The magazine 120 comprises a cup-shaped housing 121 having a cylindrical side wall 122 integral with a circular flat bottom wall 123 along the periphery thereof. The housing 121 is mounted on a shaft 125 and carries therein a rotatable hub 124 concentric with the peripheral wall 122. A circular cover plate 126 is mounted on the shaft 125 parallel to the bottom wall 123 of the housing 121 and covering the open end thereof for closing the magazine. The cover plate 126 is held in place by a locking knob 128 threadedly engaged with the end of the shaft 125. An opening 129 is formed in the cylindrical wall 122 of the housing 121 to permit the feeding of stored material therefrom.

In the preferred embodiment an elongated strip of stamps generally designated by the numeral 130 is wound into a roll which is mounted on the rotatable hub 124 of the magazine 120. The strip 130 comprises a plurality of stamps 132 connected end to end and divided from one another by transverse rows of circular perforations 135. (See Fig. 13). The free end of the strip 130 is fed out through the opening 129 in the housing 121 whereby the strip may be unwound from the roll as the roll rotates on the hub 124.

In loading the dispensing module 100, the free end of the strip of material 130 is first fed over a guide roller 140 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 142 attached to the wall 118 of the frame member 115. The strip 130 is then guided between the contacts of a microswitch mechanism 145. The microswitch mechanism 145 comprises a fixed contact plate 146 formed of electrically conductive material and mounted on the side wall 118 by means of a mounting screw 147. A movable electrically conductive contact arm 148 is resiliently mounted on the wall 118 by means of mounting screws 144 and carries at one end thereof an electrically conductive roller 148a resiliently held against the conductive plate 146. An electrical circuit is completed through the microswitch mechanism 145 when the conductive roller 148a is held in contact with the conductive plate 146 by means of the resilient contact arm 148. When the strip 130 is fed between the roller 148a and the conductive plate 146 it opens this electrical circuit, but closes another electrical circuit through the contact arm 148 and another fixed contact 149 (see FIG. 16). When the strip 130 has been completely unwound from the magazine 120, and after the trailing end of the strip 130 is passed through the microswitch mechanism 145, the roller 138 will again contact the plate 146 to thereby complete the electrical circuit therethrough and light one of the lamps 78 to give an indication that the strip material is exhausted as will be more fully described hereinafter.

A cylindrical feed wheel 150 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 158 which extends through a bearing in the wall 118 of the frame member 115. The feed wheel 150 comprises a substantially cylindrical outer surface 151 integral with a flat circular bottom wall 153 and extending outwardly from the periphery thereof substantially normal thereto. Disposed centrally of the bottom wall 153 and extending upwardly therefrom concentric with the cylindrical surface 151 is a cylindrical hub 152 which is fitted over the shaft 158 for rotation with respect thereto. The peripheral surface 151 of the feed wheel 150 has a plurality of recesses 155 therein, the recesses 155 being substantially rectangular in shape and extending transversely of the cylindrical surface 151. The recesses 155 are equidistantly spaced about the circumference of the feed wheel 150 and serve to separate the cylindrical surface 151 into a plurality of raised portions alternating with a plurality of recessed portions. Extending radially outwardly from the hub 152 are a plurality of spokes or webs 154, each connected to the inner surface of an adjacent one of the recesses 155 of the cylindrical surface 151. Each of the unrecessed portions of the cylindrical surface 151 carries a transverse row of spikes or projections 157 each having a thickness less than the diameter of one of the perforations 135 in the strip 130, and each row preferably containing four such projections 157 evenly spaced transversely of the surface 151 and extending radially outwardly therefrom a predetermined distance greater than the thickness of the strip 130. The transverse spacing of the projections 157 is such that each of the projections 157 will register with a corresponding one of the perforations 135 in a row of such perforations of the strip 130. The rows of projections 157 are spaced circumferentially of the feed wheel 150 so that the circumferential distance between rows is equal to the longitudinal distance between rows of perforations in the strip 130, whereby the rows of projections 157 may register with and extend into the corresponding rows of perforations 135 when the strip 130 is wrapped around the surface 151. The feed wheel 150 is held in place on the shaft 158 by means of a locking knob 159 threadedly engaged therewith.

An arcuate restraining shoe 160 is fixedly mounted on mounting posts on the side wall 118 by means of mounting screws 161. The holding shoe 160 is shaped complimentary to the feed wheel 150 and is disposed in closely spaced relationship thereto. The holding shoe 160 has a concave inner surface 162 in which are formed a plurality of channels or grooves 163 extending circumferentially of the surface 162 and equidistantly spaced apart transversely thereof. The inner surface 162 of the holding shoe 160 is spaced from the cylindrical surface 151 of the feed wheel 150 a distance only slightly greater than the thickness of the strip 130 and less than the outward extent of the projections 157 on the feed wheel 150. The grooves 163 in the concave inner surface 162 of the holding shoe 160 are equal in number and transverse spacing to the number and spacing of the projections 157 in each row thereof on the feed wheel 150, whereby the projections 157 adjacent to the holding shoe 160 extend into the corresponding grooves 163. The holding shoe 160 is preferably of such a length that several rows of projections 157 will always be adjacent thereto and extending into the grooves 163 thereof.

In loading the dispensing module 100, the free end of the strip 130, after being fed through the microswitch mechanism 145, is threaded between the holding shoe 161 and the adjacent portion of the feed wheel 150, the rows of projections 157 extending through the corresponding rows of perforations 135 of the strip 130 and into the corresponding grooves 163 in the holding shoe 160. In this manner the strip 130 is held firmly in engagement with the projections 157 and is fed along the concave surface 162 of the holding surface 150 as the feed wheel 150 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4. It will be noted that since several (preferably three or more) rows of projections 157 are always in engagement with the strip 130 and since there are several (preferably four) projections in each row, the driving force imparted to the strip 130 by the feed wheel 150 is distributed over a wide area of the strip 130 thereby preventing the projections 157 from damaging the strip 130 as the feed wheel 150 rotates. Similarly, these same features of the strip feeding apparatus reduce the possibility of theft of stamps when the feed wheel is stopped, since only stamps which have been fed beyond the front end of the shoe 160 could be torn off and their number is limited by the distance between the forward end of the shoe 160 and the outlet opening 82.

Mounted on the front side of the wall 118 of the frame member 115 above the feed wheel 150 is a locking solenoid, generally designated by the numeral 165, comprising an electromagnetic coil 167 surrounding an axially movable cylindrical armature 168 (see FIGS. 4, 6 and 7). The solenoid 165 is supported in a mounting bracket 166 which is attached to the wall 118 by means of mounting screws 169a. A cylindrical spacer 164 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the upper end of the armature 168 is carried thereby concentric therewith. The armature 168 of the solenoid 165 is resiliently urged into a downward position as viewed in FIG. 4 by means of a strip of spring steel 169 having a notched end which fits around the upper end of the armature 168, and bears against the upper surface of the spacer 164 for urging the armature 168 downwardly. The spring 169 is mounted on the back side of the wall 118 by means of the mounting screws 169a.

The lower end of the armature 168 of the solenoid 165 has a diameter slightly less than the width of the recesses 155 in the feed wheel 150. When the armature 168 is in its downward position, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower end thereof fits into the adjacent one of the recesses 155 thereby engaging the feed wheel 150 and preventing rotational movement thereof. When the solenoid coil 167 is energized by circuit means to be described more fully hereinafter, the armature 168 is raised against the urging of the spring 169 out of the recess 155 thereby disengaging the feed wheel 150 and permitting rotational movement thereof. When the solenoid coil 169 is de-energized the armature 168 again drops into the adjacent recess 155 for again locking the feed wheel 150 against rotation. As will be described more fully below, the spacing of the recesses 155 and the motion of the feed wheel 150 are such that whenever the feed wheel 150 stops rotating, a recess 155 will be positioned axially beneath the lower end of the armature 168.

A guide unit 170 is mounted on the platform 116 abutting the lower end of he holding shoe 160. The guide unit 170 includes a substantially U-shaped strip guide bracket 171 having a pair of upstanding legs 171a substantially parallel to the wall 118 and connected at the upper edges thereof by a flat bight portion 171b. Integral with the lower edge of the leg 171a closest to the wall 118 is a right angle mounting flange 172 attached to the side wall 118 by means of mounting screws 173. Each of the legs 171a of the strip guide bracket 171 has a substantially rectangular opening 175 therethrough adjacent to the upper end thereof. Overlying the bight portion 171b of the strip guide bracket 171 is a flat strip retaining clip 174 having a pair of substantially S-shaped resilient depending flanges 179 which extend downwardly along the legs 171a of the strip guide bracket 171 and are resiliently urged into the openings 175 for holding the clip 174 in engagement with the strip guide bracket 171. In this engaged position, the flat upper surface of the retaining clip 174 is substantially parallel to the flat bight portion 171b of the strip guide bracket 171 and is spaced vertically therefrom a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the strip 130. The edge of the clip 174 disposed toward the holding shoe 160 is spaced only a slight distance from the lower end thereof and has a plurality of notches 176 therein equal in number and spacing to the number and spacing of the projections 157 on the feed wheel 150 and allowing passage of the projections 157 therethrough as the feed wheel 150 is rotated. The upper surface of the bight portion 171a of the strip guide bracket 171 registers with the lower end of the concave surface 162 of the holding shoe 160 and has a downturned lip portion 177 adjacent to the holding shoe 160 to allow free passage of the strip 130 between the bight portion 171b and the retaining clip 174. Disposed at the outer end of the strip guide bracket 171 is a guillotine blade member generally designated by the numeral 180 and having an opening 181 therethrough, the upper edge of the opening 181 forming an inverted V-shaped cutting edge 182. The blade member 180 has a pair of flanges respectively integral with the opposite sides thereof which loosely overlap the opposite legs 171a of the strip guide bracket 171, the blade member 180 being held in place adjacent to the strip guide bracket 171 by means of a pair of blade retaining clips 183 respectively fastened to the opposite legs 171a of the strip guide bracket 171 by means of screws 184. The outer ends of the blade retaining clips 183 are bent to form retaining flanges 185 which loosely overlap the opposite sides of the blade member 180 for slidably holding the blade member 180 in place, the blade member 180 being movable vertically between the guide bracket 171 and the retaining flanges 185. A spring steel member 186 is mounted on a mounting bracket 187 by means of mounting screws 188, the mounting bracket 187 being attached to the under side of the platform 116. The spring member 186 extends upwardly through an opening in the platform 116 and is bent and preloaded downwardly to a position substantially parallel to the upper surface thereof. The outer end of the spring member 186 is bent to form an upturned lip 189 which extends through an opening in the lower portion of the blade member 180 and resiliently holds the blade member 180 in a lowered position as shown in FIG. 12.

Depending from the under side of the platform 116 is a mounting plate generally designated by the numeral 190 and comprising a pair of mutually perpendicular flanges 191 and 192 respectively disposed perpendicular to and parallel to the wall 118. Along the upper edges of the mounting flanges 191 and 192 are attachment flanges 193 and 194, respectively secured to the under side of the platform 116 by means of mounting screws 193a and 194a. A solenoid generally designated by the numeral 195 is disposed beneath the platform 116 adjacent to the cutting unit 170. The solenoid 195 comprises a coil 197 and an armature 198 and is supported in a mounting bracket 196 which is attached to the flange 192 of the mounting plate 190 by means of mounting screws 196a. At the upper end of the armature 198 is a knob 199 which engages the under side of the spring member 186. When the solenoid coil 197 is energized, the armature 198 is moved upwardly against the bias of the spring member 186 thereby moving the spring member 186 upwardly and carrying the cutting blade member 180 into the raised position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. When the solenoid coil 197 is de-energized, the armature 198 drops back down and the cutter blade 180 is pulled into its downward position by the spring member 186, thereby partially severing the strip 130.

A drive system is mounted on the wall 118 of the frame member 115 and provides the motive power for the dispensing module 100. An electric motor, which is preferably a shaded-pole motor and generally designated by the numeral 200 is mounted on a drive train housing 201, the motor 200 comprising a substantially rectangular pole magnet 204, a field coil 205 wound on a field coil spool 206 and a cylindrical rotor 210. The field coil 205 surrounds the upper portion of the pole magnet 204 while the armature 210 is disposed through an opening in the lower portion of the pole magnet 204. The armature 210 is mounted on a drive shaft 212, one end of which is supported in a bearing housing 215 and the opposite end of which is supported in a bearing 219 in the drive train housing 201. A substantially U-shaped bearing bracket 214 is mounted on the pole magnet 204 by means of a pair of mounting screws 216 and the bearing housing 215 is attached to the bight portion of the bearing bracket 214 by means of a pair of rivets 217. A coil spring 218 is disposed concentrically about the inner end of the drive shaft 212 between the bearing 219 and the inner surface of the armature 210 and resiliently urges the armature 210 outwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. 15.

A drive train assembly generally designated by the numeral 220, is housed in the housing 201 and is driven by the motor drive shaft 212. The housing 201 is closed by a backing plate 222 which is mounted on the side wall 118 and attached to the housing 201 by means of four mounting screws 223. The drive shaft 212 of the motor 202 extends through an opening 224 in the lower portion of the housing 201 and carries on the inner end thereof a drive gear 225. Spaced a slight distance axially from the drive gear 225 is an idler gear 226 rotatably mounted on a shaft 228. Also mounted on the shaft 228 concentric with the idler gear 227 is a reduction gear 227. A cam gear 230 is mounted on a shaft 234 and meshes with the reduction gear 227. The rear surface of the cam gear 230 has an arcuate camming recess 232 therein, the recess 232 having inwardly sloping end walls 233. Meshing with the cam gear 230 is an idler gear 235 rotatably mounted on a shaft 236 which is supported in a bearing opening 237 in the housing 201. Disposed approximately midway between the axis and the periphery of the idler gear 235 is a cylindrical drive pin 238 which extends outwardly from the rear surface of the idler gear 235 substantially normal thereto.

A Geneva cam wheel 240 is mounted on a shaft 246, the inner end of the shaft 246 being rotatably carried in a bearing opening 246a in the backing plate 222 of the housing 201. The shaft 246 has a recessed inner end portion 241 which extends inwardly beyond the side wall 118. On the other side of the Geneva cam wheel 240, the shaft 246 has an enlarged diameter portion 242 which bears against the inner surface of the housing 201 in order to limit axial movement of the Geneva cam wheel 240 in the direction of the housing 201. A slightly recessed portion 243 of the shaft 246 is carried in a bearing opening 244 in the housing 201 for rotatably supporting the shaft 246. A plurality of cam teeth 245 are formed around the periphery of the Geneva cam wheel 240. Each of the cam teeth 245 is bilaterally symmetrical about a radius of the cam wheel 240 with each of the symmetrical halves of the cam teeth 245 comprising a short straight section 248 extending inwardly from the apex of the cam tooth 245 a short distance and forming an acute angle with the line of bilateral symmetry of the cam tooth 245, and a relatively long straight portion 249 extending inwardly and forming an obtuse angle with the short straight portion 248 and an acute angle with the line of bilateral symmetry of the tooth 245. The long straight portions 249 of adjacent teeth 245 are connected at their lower ends by arcuate connecting portions 249a each having a radius of curvature slightly greater than the radius of the drive pin 238. The cam teeth 245 are so shaped that the long straight portions 249 of adjacent teeth are parallel to each other and to the radius of curvature of the connecting portion 249a and are separated from each other by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the drive pin 238, whereby the long straight portions 249 and arcuate connecting portions 249a of adjacent teeth 245 define slots 247 for receiving the drive pin 238. As the gear 235 rotates, the drive pin 238 is moved into an adjacent slot 247 and into engagement with the long straight portion 249 of the adjacent cam tooth 245. As the gear 235 continues to rotate counterclockwise the drive pin 238 drives the Geneva cam wheel 240 clockwise for a predetermined short radial distance, after which the drive pin 238 moves downwardly out of engagement with the Geneva cam wheel 240. The motion of the Geneva cam wheel 240 is therefore stopped until the drive pin 238 again engages it on the next rotation of the gear 235. Thus a stepwise rotational movement is imparted to the Geneva cam wheel 240.

Mounted on the outside of the backing plate 222 adjacent to the lower end thereof is a Geneva switch assembly 250, which includes a cam follower pin 251 extending through a bearing 253 in the backing plate 222 and having a rounded inner end 252. At the outer end of the cam follower pin 251 is a flat contact actuating head 254. A pair of switch contacts 255 and 256 are mounted on the backing plate 222, the inner one of the switch contacts 256 being resiliently held in engagement with the contact actuating head 254 of the drive pin 251. The cam follower pin 251 is axially movable in the bearing 253 and is so positioned that under the urging of the switch contact 256 the rounded inner end 252 is held in engagement with the surface of the cam gear 230 at a point along the circumferential track of the recess 232. In operation, as the cam wheel 230 rotates the rounded end 252 of the cam follower pin 251 rides into and out of the recess 232. More particularly, as the rounded end 252 of the cam follower pin 251 is approached by recess 232 it is slid into the recess 232 along the sloping side wall 233 under the urging of the contact switch 256, the resulting inward axial movement of the cam follower pin 251 allowing the contact switch 256 to move inwardly out of engagement with the contact switch 255, thereby opening an electrical circuit through the contact switches 255 and 256. When the opposite end of the recess 232 is rotated under the rounded end 252 of the cam follower pin 251, the rotational movement of the cam gear 230 slides the cam follower pin 251 back out of the recess 232 along the sloping side wall 233, thereby moving the cam follower pin 251 axially outwardly against the bias of the switch contact 256 for moving the switch contact 256 into engagement with the switch contact 255 thereby reclosing the electrical circuit through the contacts 255 and 256. A construction hole 259 is formed in the side wall 118 of the frame member 115 to allow access to the Geneva switch assembly 250 as can best be seen in FIG. 10.

Mounted on the rear end of the Geneva cam shaft 241 is a pulley 260, a similar pulley 263 being mounted on the inner end 264 of the feed wheel shaft 158. A drive belt 265 interconnects the pulleys 260 and 263 for transferring the stepwise rotational motion of the Geneva cam shaft 241 to the feed wheel shaft 158.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 10 of the drawings, a rotary stepping switch assembly 300 is mounted on a mounting plate 301 beneath the mounting platform 116, the mounting plate 301 being disposed substantially parallel to the wall 118 of the frame member 115 and being attached to the under side of the platform 116 by means of mounting screws 302. A ratchet wheel 305 rotatably mounted on a shaft 306 adjacent to the front side of the mounting plate 301, the shaft 306 extending through the mounting plate 301 and carrying on the back side thereof a wiper arm assembly 308 which is held in place by a lock nut 307. Surrounding the front end of the shaft 306 and attached thereto is a torsion spring 309 which biases the shaft 306 into counterclockwise rotation as viewed in FIG. 4. The wiper arm 308 extends radially outwardly from the shaft 306 and carries at the outer end thereof a fixed switch contact 304 which moves in an arcuate path as the shaft 306 rotates. Arranged along the arcuate path of the fixed contact 304 are a plurality of fixed contacts 310 which are serially engaged by the movable contacts 304 as the shaft 306 rotates. A first-class flat lever arm 311 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 312 adjacent to the ratchet wheel 305, the lever arm 311 having a rounded end 313 which carries along the periphery thereof a pair of arcuate flanges 314 extending normal to the surface of the lever arm 311. At the opposite end of the lever arm 311 is a tab portion 315 carrying an upstanding pin 316. Attached to the pin 316 is one end of a coil spring 317, the opposite end thereof being attached to a shaft 318. At the lower end of the lever arm 311, adjacent to the pin 316 is a stub shaft 319. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 318 is a first-class flat lever arm 320, one end thereof having an oval-shaped enlargement 321 and the opposite end thereof forming a pawl and carrying an integral flange 322 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 305. Depending from the lever arm 320 adjacent the shaft 318 is a tab portion 323 having a slot 324 therein. Secured in the slot 324 is one end of a coil spring 325. Pivotally mounted on the stub shaft 319 is a first-class bell crank lever 327, one arm of the bell crank lever 327 having an opening 326 therein in which is attached the other end of the coil spring 325. The second arm 328 of the bell crank lever 327 forms a pawl having at the outer end thereof an integral flange 329 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 305.

Mounted on the mounting plate 301 adjacent to the upper edge thereof by means of a mounting bracket 332 is a solenoid 330 comprising a coil 331 and an armature 333. Adjacent to one end of the armature 333 is a notch 334 receiving therein the rounded end 313 of the lever arm 311, the arcuate flanges 314 of the lever arm 311 bearing against the sides of the notch 334. A set screw 335 is mounted on the mounting plate 301 by means of a mounting bracket 336 and is screwed into engagement with the outer end of the armature 333 adjacent to the notch 334 for adjusting the outer extremity of the axial movement of the armature 333. Another solenoid 340 is mounted on the mounting plate 301 by means of a mounting bracket 342 adjacent to the lever arm 320, the solenoid 340 comprising a coil 341 and an armature 343. Adjacent to the outer end of the armature 343 is a notch 344 receiving therein the oval end 321 of the lever arm 320. The solenoid 340 is shown in FIG. 4 in its normally energized condition with the armature 343 in its downwardly extended position.

The ratchet wheel 305 is held in its home position by means of a torsion spring 309. When the solenoid 330 is energized, the armature 333 thereof is pulled inwardly, thereby pivoting the lever arm 311 counterclockwise on its pivot point 312 and moving the lower end thereof to the right as shown in FIG. 4 against the bias of the coil spring 317. This movement carries the bell crank lever arm 328 out of engagement with the lowermost tooth of the ratchet wheel 305, but under the clockwise urging of the coil spring 325 the bell crank lever arm 328 is pivoted clockwise a small predetermined distance into a position adjacent to the next tooth counterclockwise on the ratchet wheel 305. When the solenoid 330 is deenergized the armature 333 thereof moves outwardly thereby pivoting the lever arm clockwise and moving the bell crank lever arm 328 to the left as shown in FIG. 4 into engagement with the adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 305 and rotating the ratchet wheel 305 clockwise a short distance against the urging of the torsion spring 309. The ratchet wheel 305 is prevented from returning to its home position under the bias of the torsion spring 309 by means of the flange 322 of the lever arm 320 which is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 305 by the armature 343 of the normally energized solenoid 340 and thereby prevents counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 305. The set screw 335 is so adjusted that the outward movement of the armature 333 on de-energization of the solenoid 330 is just sufficient to allow the ratchet wheel 305 to be moved through an angle equal to the angular distance between the home fixed contact and the second fixed contact of the contacts 310. As the solenoid 330 is alternately energized and de-energized the ratchet wheel 305 is rotated stepwise in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 and the movable contact 304 on the wiper arm 308 is stepped from one fixed contact 310 to the next until a predetermined fixed contact 310 is reached. At this point the solenoid 340 will be de-energized by control circuit means to be described more fully hereinafter, the armature 343 thereby being retracted upwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 by suitable biasing means (not shown) for pivoting the lever arm 320 clockwise and pulling the flange 322 thereof out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 305. Thus freed, the ratchet wheel 305 will be returned to its home position by means of the torsion spring 309.

A counter mechanism 350 is secured to a mounting bracket 348 by means of screws 348a, the mounting bracket 348 having an attachment flange 349 which is secured to the wall 118 of the frame member 115 by means of mounting screws 349a. The counter mechanism 350 is of the standard type having a solenoid-actuated indicator wheel and is electrically coupled to the stepping switch assembly 300 so that for each step of the stepping switch 300 the counter 350 is energized and registers a count of one unit.

The mechanical operation of the dispensing module 100 will now be described in detail. When the field coil 205 of the motor 200 is energized, the armature 210 begins to rotate. As the armature 210 approaches its normal operating speed, the drive shaft 212 is carried axially inwardly against the urging of the coil spring 218 to an equilibrium position with respect to the magnetic field generated by the pole magnet 204. As the drive shaft 212 is moved into this equilibrium position, the drive gear 225 carried on the inner end thereof and rotating clockwise as viewed in FIG. 14, is moved into meshing engagement with the idler gear 226 of the drive train. As the idler gear 226 rotated counterclockwise, the reduction gear 227, mounted coaxially therewith, rotates the cam gear 230 clockwise, the cam gear 230 in turn rotating the gear 235 counterclockwise. The rotation of the gear 235 carries the drive pin 238 counterclockwise along a circular path during approximately one-half of which the pin 238 is in engagement with the teeth 245 of the Geneva cam wheel 240. As the drive pin 238 begins to move upward along its circular path as viewed in FIG. 14, it first engages the adjacent cam 245 along the short straight portion 248 thereof. As the drive pin 238 continues along its circular path it slides downwardly along the portion 248 and into the slot 247. Upon further rotation, the drive pin 238 bears against the long straight portion 249 of the cam tooth 245 and carries the Geneva cam wheel 240 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 14. As the drive pin 238 approaches the lower portion of its circular path is moves out of engagement with the long straight portion 249 and, accordingly, the clockwise rotation of the Geneva cam wheel 240 ceases for a short period of time until the drive pin 238, on the next rotation of the gear 235, comes into engagement with the next cam tooth 245. In this manner, the continuous rotation of the motor armature 210 is converted into an intermittent or stepwise rotation of the Geneva cam wheel 240.

This stepwise rotational movement of the Geneva cam wheel 240 is carried via the shaft 241, the pulley 260, the drive belt 265, the pulley 263 and the shaft 158 to the feed wheel 150. In this manner, a stepwise counterclockwise rotational movement is imparted to the feed wheel 150 as viewed in FIG. 4. The angular extent of this rotational movement is such that with each stepwise operation of the feed wheel 150 the strip 130 is moved a linear distance equal to the length of one stamp. As the strip 130 is fed over the guide shoe 160 by means of the feed wheel 150, it passes over the downturned lip 177 and bight portion 171b of the strip guide bracket 171 and under the strip retaining clip 174, whereby it is directed outwardly toward the cutter member 180. This sandwiching action of the retaining clip 174 and the guide bracket 171 keeps the strip 130 moving in a straight horizontal path toward the cutter 180 and prevents it from curling upward after it passes over the end of the guide bracket 160. The strip 130 then is passed out through the opening 181 in the cutter member 180 and through the output opening 80 in the front wall 53 of the cabinet 55.

As the cam wheel 230 is rotated, the switch actuating pin 251 is moved into and out of the cam recess 232 as described above, whereby the Geneva switch contacts 255 and 256 are alternately opened and closed. The switch contacts 255 and 256 are connected in series circuit with the coil 331 of the solenoid 330 as will be described below, whereby when the switch contacts 255 and 256 are closed the solenoid coil 331 is energized and when the switch contacts 255 and 256 are opened the solenoid coil 331 is de-energized. The alternate opening and closing of the switch contacts 255 and 256 by the cam follower pin 251 serves to alternately energize and de-energize the solenoid 330 for stepping the rotational stepping switch apparatus 300 along the fixed contacts 310 thereof as described above. Simultaneously with each step of the stepping switch apparatus 300, a count of one unit is registered by the counter 350. Each of the fixed contacts 310 is connected in a control circuit to be described more fully hereinafter, and all but a predetermined one of the fixed contacts 310 maintains the control circuit closed through the movable contact 304. However, when the wiper arm 308 reaches the predetermined one of the fixed contacts 310, the control circuit will be opened, thereby de-energizing the motor 200 and terminating the stepwise operation of the feed wheel 150. At this predetermined position, the reset solenoid 340 will be de-energized, thereby releasing the ratchet wheel 305 and allowing it to return to its home position under the urging of the torsion spring 309. At this point the dispensing cycle is completed and the dispensing module 100 is in condition to begin another dispensing cycle. Simultaneously with the opening of the control circuit when the wiper arm 308 reaches the predetermined fixed contact 310, the cutter solenoid 195 is de-energized thereby allowing the cutter member 180 to drop and thereby sever the dispensed portion of the strip 130.

Referring to FIGS. 11 to 13 of the drawings, it will be seen that when the cutter 180 is dropped to the cutting or lower position thereof as shown in FIG. 12, it does not completely sever the strip 130 across the entire width thereof. Rather, the inverted V-shape of the cutting blade 182 severs only the outer edges of the strip 130, the central portion of the strip remaining attached. The cutter blade 180 is so positioned with respect to the feed wheel 150, that when the dispensing cycle is completed the cutter blade will lie directly over one of the rows of perforations 135 in the strip 130 and will, therefore, sever the strip 130 along this row of perforations. As shown in FIG. 13, the center four perforations of the row of perforations 135 will remain connected after the cutting operation. In this manner, the dispensed portion of the strip 130 can be easily removed from the remainder of the strip but will not be allowed to fall off after the dispensing operation.

It should be noted that the control circuit is such that immediately prior to the first stepwise operation of the feed wheel 150, the locking solenoid 165 is energized, thereby pulling the armature 168 thereof out of engatement with the feed wheel 150 against the bias of the spring 169. This frees the feed wheel 150 for rotation by the drive mechanism. The control circuit may be such that the locking solenoid 165 will be de-energized either after the dispensing cycle is completed or, immediately after each of the intermittent operations of the feed wheel 150 as will be described more fully hereinafter. In either case, upon de-energization of the locking solenoid 165, the armature 168 thereof will drop back into the adjacent recess 155 in the feed wheel 150 for preventing further rotational movement thereof. The recesses 155 are so positioned along the periphery of the feed wheel 150 that with each stepwise operation of the feed wheel 150 one of the recesses 155 will be positioned directly under the lower end of the locking solenoid armature 168.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17 of the drawings, the control circuitry for the dispensing apparatus 50 and each of the dispensing modules 100 will now be described. Electrical power for the operation of the dispensing apparatus 50 is drawn from a standard 60 -cycle, 115 volt A.C. source by means of a wall plug 401. Connected to the plug 401 is a pair of supply lines 402 and 403. Connected in series with the line 403 is a fuse 404, an on-off switch 405 and two normally closed contacts of a three-contact door-interlock switch 406. An open door indicator lamp 408 is connected between the third contact of the door-interlock switch 406 and the supply line 402 by means of a line 407. Whenever the rear door of the cabinet 55 is opened, the movable contact of the door-interlock switch is moved to the third contact thereof, thereby opening the supply line 403 for de-energizing the dispensing apparatus 50 and at the same time energizing the indicator lamp 408 to signal that the door is open and there is no power being delivered to the dispensing apparatus 50. Connected in parallel with the indicator lamp 408 across the supply lines 402 and 403 is a series combination of a heater 410 and a heater switch 411. The heater switch 411 is thermostatically controlled to connect and disconnect the heater 410 in response to the temperature within the cabinet 55 for maintaining the ambient temperature and humidity therein at acceptable levels.

The supply line 402 is connected to the coils of the two-coil relays generally designated by the numerals 420, 430 and 440, each of these relays having an operate coil and a reset coil. More particularly, one terminal of each of the operate coils 425, 435 and 445 and one terminal of each of the reset coils 426, 436 and 446 of the relays 420, 430 and 440 respectively is connected to the supply line 402. Each of the relays 420, 430 and 440 has a plurality of ganged banks of contacts. More specifically, each of the relays 420, 430 and 440 has four banks of contacts, each bank comprising a movable contact and a fixed contact and one bank having an additional fixed contact. The four banks of contacts of relay 420 respectively comprise movable contacts 421a, 422a, 423a and 424a and corresponding fixed contacts 421b, 421c, 422b, 423b and 424b. The contacts of relays 430 and 440 are identically arranged and comprise banks respectively designated by the numerals 431, 432, 433 and 434 for the relay 430 and 441, 422, 443 and 444 for the relay 440, the suffix "a" being used to indicate movable contacts and the suffixes "b" and "c" being used to indicate fixed contacts. The "a" and "b" contacts of the relays 420, 430 and 440 are normally open, while the "c" contact in the first bank of each of these relays is normally connected to the corresponding "a" contact as shown in FIG. 16. The fixed contact 421c of the relay 420 is connected by a line 413 to the movable contact 431a of relay 430, the fixed contact 431c of relay 430 is connected by line 414 to the movable contact 441a of the relay 440, and the fixed contact 441c of relay 440 is connected to a line 415. The fixed contacts 421b, 431b and 441b in the first banks of the relays 420, 430 and 440 are commonly connected to a line 417. The fixed contacts 422b, 432b and 442b in the second banks are connected respectively by lines 427, 437 and 447 to a patch board 460A. Similarly, the fixed contacts 423b, 433b and 443b in the third banks are connected by lines 428, 438 and 448 respectively to a patch board 460B while the fixed contacts 424b, 434b and 444b in the fourth banks are respectively connected by lines 429, 439 and 449 to a patch board 460C.

A plurality of relays generally designated by the numerals 450A, 450B and 450C are connected in parallel to the supply line 402. More particularly, one terminal of each of the coils 455A, 455B and 455C of the relays 450A, 450B and 450C, respectively, is connected to the supply line 402, the other terminals thereof being respectively connected to lines 456, 457 and 458. The line 456 is in turn connected to the movable contacts 422a, 432a and 442a of the relays 420, 430 and 440, the line 457 being in turn connected to the movable contacts 423a, 433a and 443a and the line 458 being in turn connected to the movable contacts 424a, 434a and 444a. Each of the relays 450A, 450B and 450C has two banks of contacts, each bank comprising a movable contact and a fixed contact. The first bank of contacts in each of the relays 450A, 450B and 450C comprises a movable contact 451 and a fixed contact 453 while the second bank comprises a movable contact 452 and a fixed contact 454, the suffixes "A", "B" and "C" being used in each case to indicate the one of the relays 450A, 450B or 450C with which the contacts are associated.

The opposite terminals of the reset coils 426, 436 and 446 of the relays 420, 430 and 440 respectively, are commonly connected to a line 418 which is in turn connected to the fixed contact 453C of the relay 450C. The movable contact 451C is connected by a line 461 to the fixed contact 453B, the movable contact 451B being connected to the fixed contact 453A by a line 462, and the movable contact 451A being connected to a line 463. A plurality of coin switches respectively designated by the numerals 464, 466 and 468 are provided, each of these switches having a movable contact designated by the suffix "a" and a pair of fixed contacts respectively designated by the suffixes "b" and "C". The line 463 is connected to the fixed contact 464b, the movable contact 464a is connected by a line 465 to the fixed contact 466b, the movable contact 466a is connected by a line 467 to the fixed contact 468b, and the movable contact 468a is connected by a line 469 to the supply line 403. The other fixed contacts 464c, 466c and 468c of the coin switches are respectively connected to the opposite terminals of the operate coils 445, 435 and 425 of the relays 440, 430 and 420.

The supply line 402 is also connected to each of three dispensing modules 100A, 100B and 100C by lines 485A 485B and 485C, respectively. Since the control circuits of each of these dispensing modules 100 is identical, only one will be described in detail. Referring, therefore, to the dispensing module 100A, for example, the line 485A is connected to the movable contact 148 of the microswitch mechanism 145 described above in connection with FIG. 4. This movable contact 148 is normally biased into engagement with the fixed contact 146, but when the dispensing module 100 is loaded with stamps (the condition depicted in FIG. 16) the movable contact 148 will be held by the strip 130 in engagement with the other fixed contact 149 of the microswitch mechanism 145. The fixed contact 149 is in turn connected to a normally closed circuit breaker 492 which is in turn connected by a line 493A to one terminal of a coin magnet coil 494A. Similarly, corresponding lines 493B and 493C from the other dispensing modules are respectively connected to one terminal of each of coin magnet coils 494B and 494C, the other terminals of the coin magnet coils 494 being commonly connected to the line 415. The fixed contact 146 of the microswitch mechanism 145 is connected by a line 487 to an indicator lamp 488 which is in turn connected by a line 489A to the supply line 403. Similarly, corresponding lines 489B and 489C from the other dispensing modules 100 are also connected to the supply line 403. Connected between the lines 485A and 487, in parallel with the microswitch mechanism 145 is a normally open circuit breaker 486.

The fixed contacts 310 of the stepping switch mechanism 300 are respectively connected by a plurality of lines to corresponding terminals in the patch board 460A, these connecting lines being indicated as gathered into a single cable 475A. Similarly, the fixed contacts 310 of the stepping switches 300 in the other dispensing modules 100 are connected by cables 475B and 475C to corresponding terminals in the patch boards 460B and 460C. The wiper arm 308 of the stepping switch assembly 300 is connected by a line 473 to a normally closed circuit breaker 474 which is in turn connected by a line 476A to the line 417. Similarly, the wiper arms 308 of the stepping switch assemblies 300 in the other dispensing modules 100 are connected through normally closed circuit breakers to the line 417 by lines 476B and 476C, respectively. Also connected to the line 473, in parallel combination, are one terminal of each of the counter 350 and the stepping solenoid coil 331, the opposite terminals of these elements being commonly connected to the fixed contact 156 of the Geneva switch, the movable contact 155 thereof being connected to a line 478. The line 478 is in turn connected to one terminal of the stepping switch reset solenoid coil 341 and, by a line 479 to the line 485A. The other terminal of the stepping switch reset solenoid coil 341 is connected by a line 496A to the line 418. Similarly, the stepping switch reset solenoid coils 341 of the other dispensing modules 100 are connected to the line 418 by lines 496B and 496C, respectively. Also connected to the line 473 is one terminal of the parallel combination of the locking solenoid coil 167, the motor 200 and the cutter blade solenoid coil 197, the other terminal of this parallel combination being connected by a line 483 to the fixed contact 454A of the relay 450A, the movable contact 452A thereof being connected by a line 484 to the line 485A.

The fixed contacts 310 of the stepping switch assembly 300 are so connected to the terminals of the corresponding patch board 460 that a closed energizing circuit for the dispensing module 100 will be maintained through the patch board 460 and the stepping switch assembly 300 for all but one predetermined position of the wiper arm 308. For this predetermined position, there will be an open circuit in the patch board 460. This predetermined position may be different in each of the dispensing modules 100, whereby different numbers of stamps may be dispensed by each of these dispensing modules in a single dispensing cycle.

Each of the coin magnets 494 forms a part of the coin diverting means in the coin control unit 70 of its corresponding dispensing module 100. When energized, the coin magnet 494 holds the diverting means in the first condition thereof, thereby allowing deposited coins to pass to the coin switches 464, 466 and 468 for actuation thereof. When the magnets 494 are de-energized, the corresponding diverting means are allowed to assume the second conditions thereof, thereby diverting subsequently deposited coins away from the coin switches 464, 466 and 468 and into the coin return apparatus as described above. Further, the coin mechanism 60 is such that different denomination coins will be channeled to different ones of the coin switches when the diverting means are in the first conditions thereof. For example, nickels may be channeled to the switch 464, dimes to the switch 466 and quarters to the switch 468. Any one of or any combination of the dispensing modules 100 may be actuated by the deposit of a coin depending upon which one of the coin switches is actuated, these combinations being predetermined by connections in the patch boards 460. For example, the dispensing apparatus 50 may be set up so that upon deposit of a quarter four 6-cent stamps and one 1-cent stamp will be dispensed by the apparatus. In such a situation the dispensing module 100A may dispense 5 -cent stamps and the dispensing module 100B may dispense 1 -cent stamps and the connections in the patch boards 460 will be such that upon actuation of the dispensing modules, the module 100A will cease operation after five steps of its stepping switch apparatus 300 and the dispensing module 100B will cease actuation after two steps of its stepping switch 300. In this case, the stepping switch 300 in the dispensing module 100C will be presented with an open circuit in its home position whereby the dispensing module 100C will not be activated. It will, of course, be understood that this is only an example, and that any combination of stamps may be dispensed from the dispensing modules 100 depending upon what denomination stamps each module is loaded with and the connections made in the patch boards 460, both of which parameters may be altered at will to change the dispensing combinations of the dispensing apparatus 50.

In operation, when the plug 401 is connected to a source of alternating current, and the on-off switch 405 is closed the dispensing apparatus 50 will be energized and ready for operation, assuming, of course, that the cabinet door is closed so that the door-interlock switch 406 is in the position shown in FIG. 16. If the cabinet door is open, the door-interlock switch 406 will be in its other position thereby shorting out the dispensing apparatus 50 and energizing the indicator lamp 408 thus indicating that the door must be closed. It should be noted that the door-interlock switch 406 may also be manually operated into either of its positions so that the dispensing apparatus 50 may be operated with the cabinet door open for purposes of servicing the apparatus. With the cabinet closed, and the dispensing apparatus 50 energized, the coin magnets 494A, 494B and 494C will all be energized through their corresponding dispensing modules 100. By way of example, the coin magnet 494A will be energized by a circuit comprising lead line 402, line 485A, microswitch contacts 148 and 149, circuit breaker 492, magnet coil 494A, line 415, relay contacts 441c and 441a, line 414, relay contacts 431c and 431a, line 413 relay contacts 421c and 421a, line 412 and supply line 403. Thus, the diverting means for each of the dispensing modules 100 will be in the first conditions thereof allowing deposited coins to pass to the coin switches. Upon deposit of a coin, which for purposes of illustration will be assumed to pass to the coin switch 468, the movable contact 468a will be moved downwardly out of contact with the fixed contact 468b and into contact with the fixed contact 468c, resulting in a momentary energization of the relay operate coil 425 through a circuit including supply line 402, relay coil 425, coin switch contacts 468c and 468a, line 469 and supply line 403. Upon this momentary energization of the relay operate coil 425, each of the ganged movable contacts 421a, 422a, 423a and 424a will be moved downwardly and into engagement with their corresponding fixed "b" contacts, thereby opening the energizing circuits to the coin magnets 494, and thus de-energizing these magnets. Thus, the diverting means in each of the dispensing modules 100 will assume its second condition and any further coins deposited in the apparatus 50 will be passed to the coin return apparatus and will not further actuate the coin switches.

Each of the relays 420, 430 and 440 are of the latching type, the reset coils 426, 436 and 446 thereof serving, when energized, to hold a latching member (not shown) in position so as to be engaged by the movable "a" contacts when these contacts are moved downwardly by the energization of the operate coils 425, 435 and 445. Thus, once operated, (i.e., with the "a" and "b" contacts closed) the relays 420, 430 and 440 will remain latched in their operated position even after the operate coils thereof are de-energized until such time as the reset coils are de-energized, thereby releasing the latching mechanisms and allowing the movable "a" contacts to return to their original positions under the urging of suitable biasing means (not shown).

After momentarily energizing the relay 420, the deposited coin will roll off the coin switch 468 and into the coin collecting box 65 via the coin collecting chute 64, thereby allowing the movable contact 468a to return upward out of engagement with the fixed contact 468c and back into engagement with the fixed contact 468b under the urging of suitable biasing means, thereby de-energizing the operate coil 425 of the relay 420. It will be noted that prior to deposit of the coin, the reset coil 426 of the relay 420 was energized through a circuit comprising the supply line 420, the reset coil 426, the line 496A, stepping switch reset coil 341, the line 479, the line 485A, the microswitch contacts 148 and 149, the circuit breaker 492, the line 493A, the coin magnet 494A, the line 415, the interconnected first-bank relay contacts 421, 431 and 441, the line 412 and the supply line 403. It will be apparent that this circuit also maintains the stepping switch reset coil 341 energized. After operation of the relay 420, this energizing circuit is opened but the reset coil 426 remains energized through the line 418, the stepping switch reset coil 341, (which accordingly, also remains energized) the line 479, the line 485A, the line 402, the relay coil 455A, the line 456, the relay contacts 422a and 422b, the patch board 460A, the cable 475A, the stepping switch contacts 310 and wiper arm 308, the line 473, the circuit breaker 474, the line 476A, the line 417, the relay contacts 421a and 421c and the line 412 and the supply line 403. Therefore, the latch mechanism is maintained in position and the movable "a" contacts of the relay 420 remain latched in the downward positions thereof after de-energization of the operate coil 425.

The operation of the relay 420, also serves to energize the relay 450A of the dispensing module 100 through the following path: supply line 402, relay coil 455A, line 456, relay contacts 422a and 422b, line 427, patch board 460A, cable 475a, stepping switch home contact 310 and wiper arm 308, line 473, circuit breaker 474, line 476A, line 417, relay contacts 421b and 421a, line 412 and supply line 403. Upon such energization of the relay 450A, the normally open movable contacts 451A and 452A thereof are moved downwardly as viewed in FIG. 16 into the closed position thereof in contact with the corresponding fixed contacts 453A and 454A. It will be noted that this provides an alternative energizing path for the reset coil 426 of the relay 420 along line 418, the interconnected relay contacts 451 and 453 and the interconnected coin switch contacts 464, 466 and 468. Also this closing of the relay 450A serves to energize the motor 200 of the dispensing module 100 along a path from the supply line 402 through the relay coil 455A and patch board 460A to the stepping switch home contact 310 and wiper arm 308, the line 473, the motor 200, the line 483, the closed relay contacts 452A and 454A, the line 484, the line 485A, the line 479, the stepping switch reset coil 341, the line 418, the interconnected relay contacts 451 and 453 and the interconnected relay contacts 464, 466 and 468 to the supply line 403. Thus, the motor 200 will begin running and when it reaches normal operating speed will be automatically clutched into engagement with the gear train as described above for beginning the stepwise rotation of the feed wheel 150. It will be noted, that the same path which energized the motor 200 also simultaneously energizes the parallel-connected locking solenoid coil 167 and cutter blade solenoid coil 197 whereby the armature 168 of the locking solenoid 165 is pulled out of engagement with the feed wheel 150 for permitting rotation thereof and the cutter blade 180 will be raised to the position as shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 11 to permit passage of the strip 130 through the opening 182 therein all as described above.

At this point the contact actuating pin 251 will be out of the recess 232 of the gear 230, whereby the Geneva switch contacts 155 and 156 will be closed for immediately energizing the counter 350 and the stepping switch advance solenoid coil 331. At the same time that the coil 331 is energized, the counter 350 is actuated to register one count corresponding to a single stamp to be fed from the dispensing module 100. Shortly after the gear train begins moving, the drive pin 238 will engage the Geneva cam wheel 240 and move it an angular distance corresponding to the width of one cam tooth 245, as described above. Thus, the feed wheel 50 is moved a distance, corresponding to the length of one stamp and, one stamp is, accordingly, fed from the module 100. Shortly after this stepwise rotation of the Geneva cam wheel 240, the gear 230 will have rotated sufficiently for the switch actuating pin 251 to fall back into the recess 232 on the cam wheel 230, thereby opening the Geneva switch contacts 155 and 156 and de-energizing the stepping switch relay coil 331. Upon de-energization of the solenoid coil 331, the stepping switch wiper arm 308 is stepped from the home position thereof to the next fixed contact 310 as described above, the wiper arm 308 being prevented from homing by the action of the latch mechanism which is engaged by the energized reset coil 341 as described above. For purposes of illustration it will be assumed that the deposited coin was of such a value that five stamps will be dispensed from the dispensing module 100A. Accordingly, the second fixed contact 310 of the stepping switch apparatus 300 will maintain a closed energizing circuit through the patch board 460A and the motor 200 will continue operating.

As the gear 230 continues to rotate the Geneva switch contacts 155 and 156 will be intermittently closed and opened, thereby registering unitary counts in the counter 340 and stepping the wiper arm 308 along the fixed contacts 310 of the stepping switch 300 until the wiper arm 308 reaches the fifth contact 310. At this point, five stamps will have been fed from the dispensing module 100 and five counts will have been registered in the counter 350 and an open circuit will be presented to the dispensing module 100 through the patch board 460A. It will be noted that this open circuit will occur after the fifth stepwise operation of the feed wheel 150, thereby de-energizing the relay coil 455A and the motor 200, the locking solenoid coil 167 and the cutter blade solenoid coil 197. At this point, rotation of the drive train will cease, the armature 168 of the locking solenoid 165 will drop back into the adjacent recess 155 of the feed wheel 150 for locking the feed wheel 150 against further rotation and the cutter blade 180 will drop to its lowered position thereby partially severing the five dispensed stamps from the remainder of the strip 130. After de-energization of the motor 200, the inertia of the armature 210 will cause it to continue rotating for a short time, sufficient to rotate the cam gear 230 about one-fourth of a rotation, thereby moving the cam follower pin 241 back out of the recess 232 and reclosing the Geneva switch contacts 255 and 256. Thus, when the next dispensing cycle is begun, the stepping solenoid coil 331 will be immediately energized as described above. The opening of the relay switches 451A and 453A by the de-energization of the relay coil 455A will open the energizing circuit for the relay reset coil 426, thereby de-energizing the reset coils 426 for releasing the latch thereof and allowing the movable "a" contacts of the relay 420 to return to their initial positions. The opening of the relay contacts 451 and 453 will also open the energizing circuit for the stepping switch reset coil 341 thereby de-energizing the reset coil 341 for releasing the ratchet wheel 305 and allowing the wiper arm 308 to return to its home position as described above. It will be noted also, that the resetting of the relay 420 recloses the energizing circuit for the coin magnets 494 thereby moving the respective diverting means back to the first conditions thereof and placing the dispensing apparatus 50 in condition for the beginning of another dispensing cycle upon the deposit of additional coins.

When the strip of stamps 130 is nearly exhausted, the end of the strip will pass through the microswitch mechanism 145, thereby allowing the movable contact 148 thereof to move out of engagement with the fixed contact 149 and back into engagement with the fixed contact 146. Thus, the energizing path for the coin magnets 494 will be opened, thereby de-energizing these magnets and preventing the initiation of further dispensing cycles since subsequently deposited coins will be diverted to the coin return apparatus as described above. Also, this switching of the microswitch mechanism 145 connects the indicator lamp 488 across the supply lines 402 and 403, thereby lighting the lamp 488 and giving an indication that the strip of stamps 130 is nearly exhausted and that the magazine must be refilled. It will be noted, that if the microswitch mechanism 145 is actuated during a dispensing cycle, the cycle will be completed and will not be effected by the opening of the coin magnet energizing circuit, since this circuit was already opened at the beginning of the dispensing cycle as described above.

The circuit breaker 474, 486 and 492 are preferably arranged as ganged contacts of a single switch. Thus, if the circuitry of anyone of the dispensing modules 100 becomes overloaded, the contacts of the corresponding circuit breaker will all be actuated simultaneously, thereby opening the normally closed breaker contacts 479 and 492 and closing the normally open contact 486. The opening of the contact 492 will de-energize the coin magnets 494 for preventing the initiation of further dispensing cycles; the opening of the contact 474 will prevent energization of the dispensing module 100; and the closing of the contact 486 will connect the indicator lamp 488 across the supply lines 402 and 403 for giving an indication that there is trouble within the dispensing module 100. When the attendant opens the dispensing apparatus 50, it will be immediately apparent that if the stamp magazine is not empty, the lighting of the lamp 488 must have been caused by the actuation of the circuit breaker. It will be noted that if the circuit breaker is actuated during a dispensing cycle, the cycle will be completed since the coin magnet energizing circuit was already opened at the beginning of the dispensing cycle and since the motor 200, the stepping switch solenoid coil 331, the counter 350, the locking solenoid coil 167 and the cutter solenoid coil 197 are all connected in parallel with the breaker contact 474 and are energized over alternate paths through the contacts of the relay 450A, once the dispensing cycle is started. However, once the cycle is ended and the contacts of the relay 450A are opened, the next cycle cannot begin since the initial energizing path for the dispensing module 100 is through the breaker contact 474 as described above.

While the operation of only the dispensing module 100A has been described, it will, of course, be understood that either or both of the dispensing modules 100B and 100C may have been operated simultaneously therewith through the patch boards 460B and 460C depending upon the internal connections therein. Similarly, it will be understood that, as mentioned above, different numbers of stamps may be simultaneously dispensed by the different dispensing modules, each dispensing module 100 being shut off upon the completion of its own dispensing cycle. When the last dispensing cycle has been completed, all of the relays 420, 430 and 440 will be reset thereby reclosing the energizing circuit for the coin magnets 494. It will be observed, however, that the coin magnets 494 will not be re-energized until all of the relays 420, 430 and 440 are reset.

Finally, while the operation of the dispensing apparatus 50 has been described only in response to the actuation of the coin switch 468, the dispensing apparatus 50 will be identically operated in response to actuation of either the coin switch 464 or the coin switch 466.

While, in the preferred embodiment described above the locking solenoid 165 is disengaged from the feed wheel 150 for the entire dispensing cycle, there is shown in FIG. 17 an alternative embodiment wherein the locking solenoid 165 is engaged with the feed wheel 150 after each of the stepwise operations thereof. The schematic circuit of this embodiment is identical to that for the preferred embodiment, with one exception. As shown in FIG. 17 the locking solenoid coil 167 is there connected in parallel with the counter 350 and stepping switch solenoid coil 331, rather than in parallel with the motor 200. Therefore, it will readily be apparent that the energization of the locking solenoid coil 167 will be controlled by the intermittent operation of the Geneva switch contacts 155 and 156 so as to be energized for unlocking the feed wheel 150 immediately before each stepwise operation thereof and de-energized for locking the feed wheel 150 immediately after each stepwise operation thereof. This embodiment provides additional security against possible theft of stamps from the dispensing module 100 since it makes it more difficult to pull the strip 130 from the dispensing outlet while the dispensing module 100 is in operation. In all other respects, the operation of this embodiment is identical to the preferred embodiment as described above in connection with FIG. 16.

As disclosed above, the preferred embodiment of the dispensing apparatus 50 utilizes electrical patch boards for predetermining the number of stamps to be dispensed in a dispensing cycle for each of the dispensing modules 100. However, this same function can be accomplished by the use of a manually operated key board, a tap switch, a rotary dial switch or other manual or automatic programming means. Also, while the use of relays and other electromechanical devices has been described in the preferred embodiment, it will, of course, be understood that solid state or other electronic elements could be used in place of these electromechanical devices as is well known in the art.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various other modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for automatically dispensing one unit or a plurality of connected units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of said strip to the exterior of said apparatus, rotary feed structure mounted on said frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit for automatically feeding one unit or a plurality of connected units to said dispensing outlet, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to said drive mechanism and said counter, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to a predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for automatically interrupting the operation of said drive mechanism only at the end of said predetermined number of operations and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a stepping switch including a wiper and a plurality of contacts and being coupled to said counter and said drive mechanism for stepping in response to the operations of said counter, the stepping switch contact corresponding to said predetermined number presenting an open circuit to said counter and said drive mechanism, each of the other contacts of said stepping switch presenting a closed circuit to said counter and said drive mechanism for energization thereof, whereby when said stepping switch has been stepped to the contact corresponding to the predetermined number the operation of said drive mechanism said counter is interrupted.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further including means coupled to said control circuit for predetermining the number of units to be dispensed by said apparatus.

4. An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of said strip to the exterior of said apparatus, a cylindrical feed wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for feeding the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, a plurality of transverse rows of projections carried by and extending a predetermined distance outwardly from the outer surface of said feed wheel and spaced apart circumferentially of said feed wheel a distance equal to an integral number of said units, the projections in each of said rows being spaced apart transversely of said feed wheel a distance equal to an integral number of the perforations in the strip, an arcuate holding shoe disposed concentric with said feed wheel and having a concave surface spaced from the outer surface of said feed wheel a distance less than the predetermined distance for supporting a portion of the strip in engagement with a plurality of the rows of projections of said feed member with said projections extending into the corresponding rows of perforations of the strip, the concave surface of said holding shoe having a plurality of equidistantly spaced-apart grooves therein extending circumferentially thereof and being equal in number to the number of projections in each row of said feed wheel for receiving the outer ends of said projections when they are in engagement with the strip, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed wheel for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed wheel and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to said drive mechanism and said counter, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to the predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for interrupting the operation of said drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein said transverse rows of projections are spaced apart a distance equal to one unit.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein the integral number of perforations separating adjacent projections in each of said rows is greater than one.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, and further including means for providing an indication when said magazine is empty.

8. An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of said strip to the exterior of said apparatus, a cylindrical feed wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for feeding the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, a plurality of transverse rows of projections carried by and extending a predetermined distance outwardly from the outer surface of said feed wheel and spaced apart circumferentially of said feed wheel a distance equal to an integral number of said units, the projections in each of said rows being spaced apart transversely of said feed wheel a distance equal to an integral number of perforations in the strip, the outer surface of said feed wheel having a plurality of recesses therein spaced alternately with said transverse rows of projections, an arcuate holding shoe disposed concentric with said feed wheel and having a concave surface spaced from the outer surface of said feed wheel a distance less than the predetermined distance for supporting a portion of the strip in engagement with a plurality of the rows of projections of said feed wheel with said projections extending into the corresponding rows of perforations of the strip, the concave surface of said holding shoe having a plurality of equidistantly spaced-apart grooves therein extending circumferentially thereof and being equal in number to the number of projections in each row of said feed wheel for receiving the outer ends of said projections when said projections are in engagement with the strip, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed wheel for operation thereof to feed the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, a locking solenoid including a movable armature mounted on said frame adjacent to said feed wheel and coupled to said control circuit, the armature of said locking solenoid being movable into and out of the recesses in said feed wheel, said control circuit being responsive to the initiation of operation of said feed wheel for moving the armature of said locking solenoid out of the adjacent recess in said feed wheel and being responsive to the operation of said feed wheel to feed the predetermined number of units for moving the armature of said locking solenoid into the adjacent recess of said feed wheel for preventing further operation thereof.

9. An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined number of units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of the strip to the exterior of said apparatus, feed structure mounted on said frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, a motor having a drive shaft coupled thereto, a reduction gear train including a drive gear and at least one driven gear and being driven by said drive shaft for reducing the output speed thereof, a drive member carried by said gear train, a Geneva cam output shaft intermittently driven in rotary fashion by said drive member, and means coupling said Geneva cam output shaft to said feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to said motor and said counter, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to the predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for interrupting the operation of said drive mechanism and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9, wherein said means for coupling said Geneva cam output shaft to said feed structure includes first and second pulleys respectively coupled to said Geneva cam output shaft and said feed structure, and a drive belt coupling said first and second pulleys.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 9, wherein said motor comprises a shaded-pole motor including a stator and a rotor and wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said rotor axially thereof, said rotor being movable axially thereof and assuming an equilibrium position relative to said stator when said motor is running at full speed, and means biasing said rotor to a position axially displaced from said equilibrium position, said drive gear being carried by said drive shaft concentric therewith adjacent one end thereof, said rotor moving into the equilibrium position thereof against the action of said biasing means as said rotor accelerates to its normal operating speed for engaging said drive gear with said driven gear, whereby operation of said feed structure is prevented until said motor has achieved its normal operating speed.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 9, wherein said drive member comprises a pin carried by said driven gear and extending outwardly therefrom parallel to the axis thereof, and wherein said Geneva cam output shaft includes a Geneva cam wheel member, said drive pin moving periodically into and out of engagement with said Geneva cam wheel as the driven gear of said gear train is rotated for providing intermittent rotation of said Geneva cam output shaft.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 9, and further including a counter cam carried by said reduction gear train, a counter switch having a pair of contacts coupled to said counter, one of said contacts engaging said counter cam for stepwise operation of said counter switch under the camming action of said counter cam in synchronism with the stepwise operation of said feed structure, whereby said counter is actuated once for each unit dispensed by said dispensing apparatus.

14. An apparatus for automatically dispensing one unit or a plurality of connected units from any of several strips each having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a plurality of dispensing modules; each of said modules including a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of the strip to the exterior of said apparatus, rotary feed structure mounted on said frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit for automatically feeding one unit or a plurality of connected units to said dispensing outlet, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to said drive mechanism and said counter, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to a predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for automatically interrupting the operations of said drive mechanism only at the end of said predetermined number of operations and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units; and program means, coupled to each of said control circuits for selective operation of said dispensing modules individually and simultaneously.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 14, wherein said program means is manually resettable for altering the predetermined number of units to be dispensed from any of said dispensing modules.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 14, wherein said program means comprises a plurality of patch boards equal in number to said dispensing modules and corresponding respectively thereof.

17. An apparatus for automatically dispensing one unit or a plurality of connected units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of said strip to the exterior of said apparatus, feed structure mounted on said frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit for automatically feeding one unit or a plurality of connected units to said dispensing outlet, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, lock structure comprising first lock member carried by said feed structure and a second lock member carried by said frame, lock operating means for moving said first and second lock members into and out of engagement with each other, and a control circuit coupled to said drive mechanism and said counter and said lock operating means, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to a predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for automatically interrupting the operation of said drive mechanism only at the end of said predetermined number of operations and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units, said control circuit being responsive to the initiation of operation of said feed structure for moving said lock members out of engagement with each other and being responsive to the interruption of operation of said drive mechanism after the predetermined number of units has been dispensed for moving said lock members into engagement with each other, whereby said feed structure is operable to dispense the predetermined number of units when said lock members are out of engagement with each other and is inoperable when said lock members are in engagement with each other.

18. An apparatus for automatically dispensing one unit or a plurality of connected units from a strip having equidistantly spaced-apart transverse rows of perforations providing a connected series of units, said apparatus comprising a main supporting frame, a strip magazine carried by said frame, a dispensing outlet providing an opening for delivery of said strip to the exterior of said apparatus, feed structure mounted on said frame for stepwise feeding of the strip from said magazine to said dispensing outlet, drive mechanism mounted on said frame and coupled to said feed structure for stepwise operation thereof to feed the strip a distance equal to one unit for automatically feeding one unit or a plurality of connected units to said dispensing outlet, a counter for counting the number of stepwise operations of said feed structure and thus the number of units dispensed by said apparatus, lock structure comprising first lock member carried by said feed structure and a second lock member carried by said frame, lock operating means for moving said first and second lock members into and out of engagement with each other, and a control circuit coupled to said drive mechanism and said counter and said lock operating means, said control circuit being responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said counter corresponding to a predetermined number of the units to be dispensed from said magazine for automatically interrupting the operation of said drive mechanism only at the end of said predetermined number of operations and thus interrupting the dispensing of the units, said control circuit being responsive to the stepwise operations of said feed structure for moving said lock members out of engagement with each other immediately prior to each of said intermittent operations and to move said lock members into engagement with each other immediately after each of said intermittent operations for preventing movement of said feed structure between the intermittent operation thereof.