Other

Henlan, Inc.

General Dynamics Corporation/convair Div.

Distributed Vending Company

Eesti Engineering, LLC

Anton K Simson

Henri J A Charmasson

Peter C Brusso

Frank Ruskin

Todd A Simson

John D Buchaca

Robert C Bentley

Mark T Bentley

Curtis J Tanner

Richard E Bender

Hugh McCutchen, Jr

John P Glass

Dan C Pulos

Joe W Streetman

A device, for grasping a limp body, such as a paraplegic or a quadriplegic patient (), and transferring the body to another location or moving it into a different position, comprises two pivotally connected sections (), one positioned to grasp the torso portion (), the other the pelvic one (). The sections can be kept in line with each other or pivoted toward each other to place the patient in a seated position. Each section comprises an upper frame () from the opposite longitudinal edges of which extends a pair of articulated grasping members positioned to move astride the torso or pelvis of the patient. The members include series of transversal cantles which can be directed to curl inwardly toward each other and securely enwrap and grab the load. The frame and the supported patient can then be hoisted, moved and deposited into a supine or seating position. Each member includes a series of successively hinged segments tilted by pulling cables.

Patient lifting apparatus and method

Patient lifting apparatus

A machine particularly adapted for dispensing light items packaged in pliable pouches or packets having a machine graspable crowned carrier. The items are propelled in a queue through a tubular cartridge along a track having a ratcheting mechanism to be individually dispensed. A motorized reciprocation bolt engages the mechanism at the back of the cartridge. Multiple cartridges can be grouped together in an expandable array using an interlocking bar and T system to form a removable magazine. Each cartridge can be selectively addressed and activated by its dedicated motorized bolt. In a preferred embodiment of the ratcheting mechanism, the heads of the package carriers are held within a C-shaped track and propelled by the alternating back-and forth motion of a crenelated drive rack successively pushing a sled at the rear of the package queue. A self-engaging brake impedes backward movements of the sled and packages during a return stroke of the drive rack. A coupler is provided for conveniently transferring a batch of products temporarily mounted on a storage and transportation rail directly onto the ratcheting mechanism from the back of a vending machine.

Sled driven queued item dispenser

A machine particularly adapted for dispensing light items () packaged in symmetrical, frustum-shaped containers. The items are propelled through a tubular cartridge () by compressed air, and in the absence of any solid pushing, pulling or carrying device, then individually dispensed. A flow of compressed air generated by a blower () is s fed to the back of the cartridge. The items are dispensed under control of a toggling dual-gate mechanism () at the front end of the cartridge. The dual-gate mechanism of a removable magazine () grouping a number of cartridges can be selectively addressed and activated by means of a solenoid-driven cross-bar assembly ().

Pneumatic vending machine

A method for centralized mass processing of substitutable, good-holding magazines used in conjunction with computer-controlled vending machines. A memory-chip-mounting smart-card is used, not only to enter into the machines the magazine location and price of the various goods, but also to carry a sales transaction record of the replaced magazine, thus avoiding the need for magazine locking mechanisms and other security measures.

Processing method for vending machine with substitutable magazines

A machine particularly adapted for dispensing light items packaged in symmetrical, frustum-shaped container. The items are propelled through a tubular cartridge and individually ejected by a flow of air generated by a blower under control of a toggling dual-gate mechanism at the dispensing end of the cartridge. The dual-gate mechanism of a removable magazine grouping a number of cartridges can be selectively addressed and activated by means of a solenoid-driven cross-bar assembly.

An adjustable support structure for temporary sign displays formed from a vertically oriented rigid panel having a plurality of length and angle adjustable support arms. Each arm has a distal end thumb screw attachment to a T-nut on the sign. The arm is adjustably anchored to the panel by a bolt extending from the panel through a longitudinal oval slot in the arm to engage a wingnut. Additional hardware prevents loss of movable parts. Sign stiffening battens are tethered to the panel. A stiffening tray parallely spaced apart from the back of the panel further bears against and secures the support arms.

Adjustable sign support

A vending machine is housed in a light, yet sturdy enclosure made of an external sheet metal shell and an internal seamless plastic liner between which a volume of expanded synthetic foam material is injected. One or more good-holding magazines are removably held within the enclosure. A keypad, alpha-numerical display and card reader are packaged in the door closing the front of the enclosure. A driving motor module and a coin acceptor are removably mounted against the inside liner. Due to the absence of complex or delicate structure, the machine can be serviced, cleaned and sanitized within minutes. A pair of vending machine, one holding snack food, the other beverage cans are coupled to work together and dispense combinations of items from a single control panel. Both the beverage and snack food holding magazines are driven from the same type of motor module mounted inside the liner.

Compact vending machine

A centralized method for selling items through a plurality of vending machines installed at various companies' sites comprises using vending machines having a substitutable goods-holding magazines from which goods can be extracted only when fully installed inside a vending machine and only by use of a special key when the magazines are outside their machines. The magazines are filled at the supply center and distributed along pre-established delivery routes. The servicing of each machine consists essentially of opening the machine, removing the previously installed magazine, substituting a new full magazine and securely locking the machine without any accounting of goods or currency or any other maintenance work.

Centralized machine vending method

A light and compact vending machine suitable for use on a table or counter top, uses interchangeable magazines that can be preloaded with goods at a service center and quickly and conveniently installed on or removed from the machine. Each magazine has good-holding stations that differ in numbers and sizes. Each station has an access port on the front of the magazine toward which a spiral rack driven by a mechanism mounted in the machine moves goods. The currency accepted in payment for the goods is automatically dropped into a sealed receptacle at the bottom of the magazine. Each magazine is secured by a door that opens automatically only when the magazine is in place and the machine door has been locked. Personnel servicing the machine by replacing an empty one with a loaded one need not handle the goods or the cash. In some alternate embodiments of the invention, packaged goods and beverage cans slide down along slanted channels toward dispensing gates under their own weight.

Compact table-top vending machine

A set of simple and economical components is used to transform an existing back lighted sign into a self-propelled scrolling banner display. Only two structural parts are used, and the electro-mechanical components are limited to a step-down transformer, a rectifier circuit, a pair of motors, and a switch and voltage step-down diode assembly.

Scrolling sign retrofit kit

A drilling template for carving into the lateral edge or the jamb of a door, a slot shaped and dimensioned to receive either a lock and its mounting plate or its strikeplate has a series of drill bit bores at regular spaced-apart intervals along a central line, a pair of lateral legs, and mounting holes corresponding to those of the lock or strikeplate. A drill is used to rout the lock blade slot through the drill bit bores. Guides in either side of the bores prevent lateral movement of the bit, but allow slight longitudinal swing to remove material that may remain between holes. The height of the guides may be varied along the length of the template to guide the routing for a slot of more uniform depth. Lateral spacers are provided to align the template against the angled part of the door jamb. A specialized routing drill bit is provided for drilling the strikeplate or lock channel. The bit has central pilot shaft for tracking within the lock blade slot and a removable circular toothed disk. An oblong countersink bit-guiding insert is provided which creates strikeplate or lock mounting plate channels having straighter sidewalls.

Mortise drilling apparatus and method

In a banner display device where a plurality of banners are mounted end-to-end upon a carrier web to form a scroll which is wound on a pair of parallel and spaced-apart rollers, means carried on the scroll for stretching or decompressing a medial section of a displayed banner sufficiently to eliminate wrinkles and small distortions. One embodiment uses means for propelling the medial section away from the web comprising resiliently flexible banner end sections or resiliently flexible strips framing the banner which, when partially wound over the rollers, resiliently assume a more planar tangential position in relation to the rollers, thereby allowing the medial section to jut anteriorly away from the carrier. An embodiment further comprises two independent lateral support members capable of being mounted within enclosures having widely different widths. Components such as motors, transmissions, roller mounting spindles, control sensors and circuitry are mounted directly on the support members. Command and control of the motors is accomplished through a programmed microprocessor which monitors the status of user manipulable switches and indicators. According to the microprocessor's software/firmware programming, pulse code modulated drive voltages are produced to accurately turn the motors at the proper speeds.

Banner display device

A drilling template for carving into the lateral edge or the jamb of a door, a cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive either a flanged lock or its strikeplate has a series of drill bit bores at regular spaced-apart intervals along a central line, a pair of lateral legs with sharp ends, and mounting holes corresponding to those of the lock or strikeplate. The template is designed to be hammered into the door edge or jamb until the sharp edge-ended edges define the outline of the lock flange or of the strikeplate as well as the amount of wood to be removed to form the mortise necessary to nest those elements. The template can be screwed in place through mounting holes that correspond to those of the lock or strikeplate. A drill is used to rout the cavity through the drill bit bores. Guides in either side of the bores prevent lateral movement of the bit, but allow slight longitudinal swing to remove material that may remain between holes. Lateral spacers are provided to align the template against the angled part of the door jamb.

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Poway, CA, United States of America

Anton K Simson