Fawn Engineering Corporation

John Van Horn

Francis A Wittern, Iii

A means and method to utilize government-issued food stamp credit to purchase items from a vending machine. The food stamp credit is to be received through a monetary device and validated through the vending machine control network. The network will validate the transaction and allow or limit the type of purchases based on information collected from the food stamp government program rules and regulations. The invention is applicable to any electronic benefit transfer (EBT) type program or analogous transactions.

Apparatus, system and method of obtaining items from a vending machine with an electronic benefits transfer card

An apparatus, method, and system of dispensing a row of inventory by advancing the row forward. An elongated member has opposite ends, either of which can receive and mount an actuator, e.g. electric motor. A drive member, e.g. a lead screw, extends along the elongated member and is connectable to the actuator. A push member, e.g. plate, linearly moves along the elongated body in response to the drive member. The assembly is highly adjustable. In one aspect, it is self-contained and can be mounted and adjusted in different positions on a support such as a tray, shelf, or frame. In another aspect, it can be selectively configured between different states. One state has the elongated member mounted in the support in one way, with the actuator at the back and the push member extending laterally in a first direction. In another state, the push member extends laterally an opposite direction. An optional gate can be added to the end of the elongated member opposite the actuator and can open and close automatically upon each vend or dispensing of an item from the row.

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Des Moines, IA, United States of America

John Van Horn