Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Other

US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Stephen P Buckley

Kurt A Pfahl

Richard A Robinson

Thomas B Banks

Arthur E Doerflinger

Steven Dale Graham

Michael L Vandemark

Lynn Vandemark

James Spencer Mansheim

Edward N Patigalia

John H Hurlburt

A device for sorting railroad tie plates comprises hopper, singulator and chute assemblies mounted to a main frame capable of rolling movement along a railroad track. The device receives a plurality of tie plates from an upstream supply, e.g., a railroad gondola, and deposits the tie plates on the hopper assembly positioned above the singulator. Upon discharge from the hopper the tie plates are directed onto a central hub for guidance into a rotating track within the housing. The track width is selected so that the field and gage ends transverse the track upon the tie plates falling flat onto the track. Structure projects into the track to tip over the tie plates to a flat position during track rotation. Rotation of the track moves the tie plates towards a baffled opening for discharge from the opening. A chute assembly receives the tie plates and maintains the tie plate orientation for delivery to downstream devices, such as a conveyor belt. Upon rolling movement of the main frame tie plates are sequentially deposited along the course of the railroad track to enhance railroad track maintenance.

Tie plate singularization device

A machine for delivering a product which may be automatically personalized by a customer at the time of purchase is disclosed. The product may be selected from a plurality of different types of products which may communicate in a plurality of media such as print, braille, or audio or video tape. The machine stores base products which may be modified to communicate in a plurality of media. Product handling means effects a series of operations including transfer of a base product from storage. Electrically controllable modification means effects modification of the base product to produce a modified base product and electrically controllable delivery means effects delivery of the modified base product. An enclosure contains the storage and product handling means therewithin. The apparatus further comprises payment means operable by a customer on the outside of the enclosure to effect payment for a product and selection means operable by a customer on the outside of the enclosure to effect entry of control data which defines the customer's selection of the media form of the base product and modifications to be performed of the selected media form to define the desired final form of the personalized product to be delivered to the customer.

Computer controlled system for vending personalized products

A machine is disclosed which includes an enclosure with selection and payment means on the outside thereof and with storage and handling means on the inside thereof, all coupled to computer equipment which is on the inside of the enclosure. The computer equipment is programmed to facilitate a customer's creation from among types of products to be delivered and the desired mode of personalization thereof and to deliver a completed personalized product to a receptacle from which it may be removed by the customer. The machine of the invention improves customer service and availability by periodically reporting sales and other information. In addition, the machine self detects errors of operation and provides the capability of stocking new products or software programming revisions via data transmission from a remote location.

A machine for vending greeting cards or other personalized or customized products includes audio and video presentations of available products and options available to a customer, provisions for payment and apparatus for automatic delivery of products. Base products such as preprinted forms are stored for selective transfer by a robot device to modifying apparatus such as a printer, modified products being delivered to a delivery receptacle, all operations being under computer control and being changeable as desired for adding or substituting new forms of products.

Computer controlled machine for vending personalized products or the like

A liner of flexible sheet material is placed on a table on which a longitnally-slotted cylindrical tube and a cylindrical container of slightly larger inner diameter are mounted in axial alignment, and the liner is started into the tube slot. The liner is drawn into the tube and formed into a coil therein by the force of a tangential air jet perpendicular to the slot. Then, the coiled liner is moved axially from the tube into the container by a second tangential air jet directed at an angle of about 45.degree. to the axis. The resilience of the coiled liner causes it to spring outward to snugly fit within the container.

Growing community of inventors

Kansas City, MO, United States of America

Stephen P Buckley