Apparatuses and methods for dispensing magnetic cards, integrated circuit cards, and other similar items

A card dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards;
• a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper;
• a card outlet;
• and
• a card escrow bin, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first card hopper when the card carriage is in the first position, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a second card from the second card hopper when the card carriage is in the second position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to optionally transfer at least one of the first and second cards to either the card outlet or the card escrow bin.

A card dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards;
• a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first card hopper when the card carriage is in the first position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second card hopper when the card carriage is in the second position;
• a card reader associated with the card carriage, wherein the card reader is configured to read information from at least the first card;
• and
• a card outlet, wherein the card carriage is configured to transfer the first card to the card outlet when the card reader has sufficiently read the information from the first card, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to transfer the first card to a card holding bin when the card reader has insufficiently read the information from the first card.

A card dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• at least a second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards;
• a card carriage selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first card hopper when the card carriage is in the first position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second card hopper when the card carriage is in the second position;
• a card writer associated with the card carriage, wherein the card writer is configured to write information to at least the first card;
• and
• a card outlet, wherein the card carriage is configured to transfer the first card to the card outlet when the card writer has sufficiently written the information to the first card, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to transfer the first card to a card holding bin when the card writer has insufficiently written the information to the first card.

An apparatus for dispensing cards, the apparatus comprising:

• at least a first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• a card carriage selectively movable parallel to a first axis between a first position proximate to the first card hopper, a second position offset from the first card hopper, and a third position different than the first and second positions, wherein the card carriage includes a carriage body and a card selector movably supported by the carriage body, wherein the card selector is configured to remove at least a first card from the first card hopper by moving parallel to a second axis different than the first axis when the card carriage is in the first position;
• a card outlet;
• and
• a card escrow bin, wherein the card carriage is configured to transfer the first card to the card outlet when the card carriage is in the second position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to transfer the first card to the card escrow bin when the card carriage is in the third position.

A carriage assembly for use with a card dispensing apparatus, the card dispensing apparatus having a card hopper configured to hold at least one card, the carriage assembly comprising:

• a carriage track extending parallel to a first axis;
• and
• a card carriage movably mounted to the carriage track and configured to move back and forth along the carriage track parallel to the first axis, the card carriage including:
• a carriage body;
• and
• a card selector movably supported by the carriage body and configured to remove the least one card from the card hopper by moving the card parallel to a second axis different than the first axis, wherein the card selector includes a card engagement feature configured to engage an edge of the at least one card to move the card parallel to the second axis and remove the card from the card hopper.

A carriage assembly for use with a card dispensing apparatus, the card dispensing apparatus having a card hopper configured to hold at least one card, the carriage assembly comprising:

• a carriage track extending parallel to a first axis;
• and
• a card carriage movably mounted to the carriage track and configured to move back and forth along the carriage track parallel to the first axis, the card carriage including:
• a carriage body;
• and
• a card selector movably supported by the carriage body and configured to remove the least one card from the card hopper by moving the card parallel to a second axis different than the first axis, wherein the card selector includes a raised lip configured to engage an edge of the at least one card to move the card parallel to the second axis and remove the card from the card hopper.

A carriage assembly for use with a card dispensing apparatus the card dispensing apparatus having a card hopper configured to hold at least one card, the carriage assembly comprising:

• a carriage track extending parallel to a first axis;
• and
• a card carriage movably mounted to the carriage track, wherein the carriage track includes a lead screw positioned in parallel with the first axis, wherein the lead screw threadably engages the card carriage and rotates to move the card carriage parallel to the first axis, and wherein the card carriage includes:
• a carriage body;
• and
• a card selector movably supported by the carriage body and configured to remove the least one card from the card hopper by moving the card parallel to a second axis different than the first axis.

A carriage assembly for use with a card dispensing apparatus, the card dispensing apparatus having a card hopper configured to hold at least one card, the carriage assembly comprising:

• a carriage track extending parallel to a first axis;
• and
• a card carriage movably mounted to the carriage track, wherein the carriage track includes a first lead screw positioned in parallel with the first axis, wherein the first lead screw threadably engages the card carriage and rotates to move the card carriage parallel to the first axis, and wherein the card carriage includes;
• a carriage body:
• a card selector movably supported by the carriage body and configured to remove the least one card from the card hopper by moving the card parallel to a second axis different than the first axis;
• and
• a second lead screw positioned in parallel with the second axis, wherein the second lead screw threadably engages the card selector and rotates to move the card selector parallel to the second axis.

A carriage assembly for use with a card dispensing apparatus, the card dispensing apparatus having a card hopper configured to hold at least one card, the carriage assembly comprising:

• a carriage track extending parallel to a first axis;
• and
• a card carriage movably mounted to the carriage track and configured to move back and forth along the carriage track parallel to the first axis, the card carriage including:
• a carriage body;
• a card selector movably supported by the carriage body and configured to remove the least one card from the card hopper by moving the card parallel to a second axis different than the first axis;
• and
• a card ejector pivotally mounted at least proximate to a distal end of the carriage body, wherein the card selector is configured to push the at least one card onto the card ejector prior to the card ejector pivoting upwardly to dispense the at least one card from the card carriage.

A card dispensing machine comprising:

• an enclosure having a card outlet;
• a first card hopper positioned within the enclosure, the first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• at least a second card hopper positioned within the enclosure, the second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards;
• and
• a card carriage positioned within the enclosure, the card carriage being selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper, a second position proximate to the second card hopper, and a third position offset from the first and second positions, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first card hopper when the card carriage is in the first position, wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second card hopper when the card carriage is in the second position, and wherein the card carriage is still further configured to dispense at least the first card to the card outlet when the card carriage is in the third position.

A card dispensing machine comprising:

• an enclosure having a card outlet;
• a first card hopper positioned within the enclosure, the first card hopper configured to hold a first plurality of cards;
• at least a second card hopper positioned within the enclosure, the second card hopper configured to hold a second plurality of cards;
• a card carriage positioned within the enclosure, the card carriage being selectively movable between a first position proximate to the first card hopper and at least a second position proximate to the second card hopper, wherein the card carriage is configured to receive at least a first card from the first card hopper when the card carriage is in the first position, and wherein the card carriage is further configured to receive at least a second card from the second card hopper when the card carriage is in the second position;
• and
• a card escrow bin positioned within the enclosure, wherein the card carriage is configured to optionally dispense at least the second card to either the card outlet or the card escrow bin.