Dispensing apparatus and method

An article dispensing cabinet comprising a coin receptacle, a check receptacle, an article dispensing mechanism, means responsive to a correct coin value being deposited in the coin receptacle for deriving a first enabling signal, means for reading indicia on the check in the check receptacle, means for deriving a second enabling signal in response to a correct value for the read indicia, and means responsive to the simultaneous occurrence of the first and second enabling signals for activating the dispensing mechanism.

A method of distributing redemption coupons comprising installing a dispensing cabinet in a store, inserting packets of said coupons in the cabinet, each of said packets including at least some coupons for products sold in the store, inserting a coin into a coin receptacle of the cabinet, inserting a check into a check receptacle of the cabinet, said check including indicia representing at least one of the last time the check was inserted into a check receptacle and a number for a packet last dispensed in response to the check being used, automatically determining whether the coin value in the coin receptacle is correct, automatically determining from the indicia on the check in the check receptacle whether a correct check is in the check receptacle, and in response to the coin value being correct and the check in the receptacle being a correct check activating a dispensing mechanism of the cabinet to dispense one of said packets.

A method of dispensing an article from a dispensing cabinet including the article comprising inserting a coin into a coin receptacle of the cabinet, inserting a check into a check receptacle of the cabinet, said check including validation indicia, automatically determining whether the coin value in the coin receptacle is correct, automatically determining from the indicia on the check in the check receptacle whether a correct check is in the check receptacle, and in response to the coin value being correct and the check in the receptacle being a correct check activating a dispensing mechanism of the cabinet to dispense one of said articles.