An apparatus for storing, feeding, escrowing and selectively dispensing generally cylindrical products of a plurality of different kinds comprising:
- (i) storage and delivery means in the form of a serpentine channel for each variety of said products to be stored and dispensed comprising:
- a front, a rear, a left and a right vertical surface connected to an inclined surface sloping downward towards a product outlet;
- said inclined surface further comprising adjustable means for working with said products with different diameters in a single stack;
- product guiding structures presenting passageway means for guided movement of said product through said channel to deliver product of said one kind towards said product outlet;
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- (ii) rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means connected to said storage and delivery means, each of said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means and storage and delivery means providing chambers for receiving and delivering a plurality of said products of the corresponding variety, each feeding, escrowing and dispensing means in combination with said left, right vertical surfaces and said inclined surface further defining an upper feeding zone, an intermediate escrowing zone and a lower dispensing zone for feeding, escrowing and dispensing said cylindrical products respectively along said inclined surface towards said product outlet, said rotatable, feeding, escrowing and dispensing means comprising:
- means for mounting said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means to said storage and delivery means centered relative to the width of the stack of products and parallel to said inclined surface from which said products are rolling down towards said product outlet;
- means for rotating said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means, for a predetermined period of time duration, through:
- (a) an initial start-up cycle, comprising:
- (1) a first position in which the lowest cylindrical product is positioned in said upper feeding zone and supported by said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means from rolling down said inclined surface towards said product outlet;
- (2) a second position in which said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means is rotated from said first position through a revolution and feeds the lowest product from said upper feeding zone to said intermediate escrowing zone and supports said product there from rolling down said inclined surface towards said product outlet while simultaneously a second lowest cylindrical product is being fed from said stack of products into said upper feeding zone and supported there by said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means from rolling down said inclined surface towards said product outlet;
- (b) a normal dispensing cycle comprising:
- a normal dispensing position in which the lowest product previously positioned in said intermediate escrowing zone and supported by said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means is released at the predetermined location rolling down said inclined surface towards said product outlet, while simultaneously, the second lowest product previously positioned in said upper feeding zone is being fed to said intermediate escrowing zone and supported there by said rotatable means, while simultaneously a third lowest product is being fed from said stack of products into said upper feeding zone and supported there by said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means from rolling down said inclined surface towards said product outlet;
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- (iii) means mounting said rotating means to said rotatable feeding, escrowing and dispensing means through said above initial start-up and normal dispensing cycles.