Cassette and method for storing and dispensing objects arranged in a stack

A storage and dispensing cassette for objects arranged in a stack, each said objects having a removed concentric section, a loading side and an opposed unloading side, said cassette comprising:

• a body having a base plate and a plurality of spaced, upright, outwardly extending standoffs, each one of said plurality of outwardly extending standoffs being fixedly attached at one end to said base plate;
• a hub member arranged substantially centered in said base plate and outwardly extending therefrom, said hub member having a diameter slightly smaller than the removed concentric section of any one of said objects to be stored thereon;
• a biased pusher plate for supporting at least a portion of said loading side of one of said objects arranged about said hub member, said biased pusher plate being biased against said base plate and slidable substantially along a plane substantially parallel to said hub member by a bearing arranged between said hub member and said pusher plate, said pusher plate moving from a first position absent of supporting at least one of said objects to a second position supporting at least one of said objects mounted on said hub member;
• a stripper plate having a removed section and a continuous edge surrounding said removed section, said removed section having a diameter at least slightly smaller than the diameter of said object for securing a top most object on said hub member, said stripper plate being supported on said ends of said outwardly extending standoffs for receiving and relieving said top most object through said removed section;
• and,
• a source of air structurally associated with said body, said source of air comprising an air outlet end directed between said loading side of said top most object nearest said stripper plate and said unloading side of a nearest adjacent object to said top most object for removing the top most object from said hub member through said removed section of said stripper plate.