Dt Industries, Inc.

Package Machinery Co. Inc.

James B Hills

Jeremiah Collins

Fredrick P Donth

An article dispensing apparatus is described. The dispensing apparatus includes a plurality of slats, each having one or more holders for holding and dispensing articles. Each slat has a cavity and an open end. Further, each holder includes an aperture through which a pin may extend into and retract from the cavity to assist in dispensing articles held therein. Each open end may include a curved surface to assist in inhibiting the articles from being dispensed prematurely. Further, each slat may include a tongue on one side and a groove on another side. The tongues of each slat fit within the grooves of adjacent slats, allowing them to ride in close conformity to each other and allowing for relatively unencumbered movement between the slats.

Article dispensing machine and method

A container filling machine having a parallel series of elongated slats for movement in a closed path in a direction generally transverse to their length. The slats have cavities carrying articles such as capsules, tablets, caplets, etc. and deliver the same to a first set of horizontally extending chutes which in turn deliver the same to a second set of chutes there beneath. The first set of chutes is fixed with the second set of chutes being adapted for a 'shuttle' or reciprocating movement so as to alternately deliver the articles to first and second rows of containers therebeneath. An associated conveyor has single and double container sections with a gate which alternately directs the containers to the first and second rows of containers in the double row section. Similarly, a pair of lead screws at the container filling station alternately assist in delivery, hold the containers in position for filling and thereafter discharge the filled containers. Alternatively, a pair of gates at each filling station may be employed to alternately hold the rows of containers thereat.

Growing community of inventors

Holden, MA, United States of America

James B Hills