Installation for exchanging articles, in particular gas cylinders

An installation for the distribution of a stock of items, comprising:

• a storage space for housing the items and authorization means for authorizing a user to remove at least one of the items from the storage space,
• said authorization means comprising item retention means operable between a locking position in which the items are locked in the storage space and a distribution position in which at least one item can be removed by an authorized user, control means for controlling operation of said item retention means, evaluating means for evaluating the stock of items housed in the storage space, memory means for storing in memory at least one minimum threshold of number of items to be removed, comparison means for comparing the evaluated stock of items housed in the storage space with said minimum threshold, ordering means for issuing a restocking orders for new supplies under control of the comparison means, and transmission means for transmitting the restocking orders to a remote supply center.