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Apparatus and method for storing and retrieving articles

  • US 4,814,592 A
  • Filed: 05/29/1986
  • Issued: 03/21/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for selectably vending or renting articles to a customer, comprising:

  • article storage means for storing a plurality of articles in discrete, identifiable locations,mode selection means for enabling the customer to select among a vend mode, a rent mode and a return mode,article selection means for enabling the customer to select a desired article to be vended or rented,customer access means for dispensing the selected article to the customer in the vend and rent modes and receiving the article from the customer in the return mode,article identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode,article transport means for transporting the selected article from the storage means to the customer access means in the vend and rent modes and transporting the article from the customer access means in the return mode to an available empty discrete location in the storage means closest to said transport means, andmemory means for storing information about the coordinates of stored articles and available empty discrete locations in the storage means.

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