Apparatus and method for storing and retrieving articles

• US 4,839,505 A
• Filed: 05/22/1987
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Videomat Associates
• Original Assignee: Videomat Associates
• Inventors: Laroy, Ron, Fogt, G. Stephen, Brown, Robert L., Love, James S., Lewis, Allen R., Bradt, L. Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Faber, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINHARDT, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US07/053,380
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382.5, 235/385, 235/383, 235/487, 235/488, 360/91, 360/92, 360/69, 360/132, 360/137, 364/478, 364/479, 340/825.35, 369/34, 369/36, 369/37, 221/81, 221/88, 221/2, 221/5
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/906 Video cassette vendor

Abstract

A machine from which a customer can selectably purchase or rent a videocassette or other such product, e.g., blank videotapes, music disks, and the like, or return a previously rented videocassette. The machine comprises videocassette storage device for storing a plurality of videocassettes or other such products in discrete, identifiable locations. A customer identification device receives information about the customer. Mode selection device enables the customer to select among a vend mode, a rent mode and a return mode, and videocassette selection device enables the customer to select a desired videocassette to be vended or rented. Customer access device is provided for dispensing the selected videocassette to the customer in the vend and rent modes and receiving the videocassette from the customer in the return mode. Videocassette identification device receives information representative of the identity of the videocassette and its travel case being returned in the return mode. The videocassette is accepted for return only when its travel case has been identified as having originated from that particular machine. Videocassette transport device is provided for transporting the selected videocassette from the storage device to the customer access device in the vend and rent modes and transporting the videocassette which has been identified as being rented from that particular machine from the customer access device to the first closest available empty discrete location in the storage device in the return mode. If the videocassette is not identified, it will be placed with its travel case in a storage area within the machine to prevent its further re-rental. Memory device stores information about the customer, the selected mode, the selected videocassette, and the coordinates of videocassettes and available empty discrete locations in the storage device.

Claims

1. Apparatus for selectably vending articles, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving an article in the return mode, and transport means for transporting the selected article from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the article from the access means to the closest available empty location proximate said access means in the storage means in the return mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including identification means adjacent said access means for receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further including memory means for storing information about the selected article, the coordinates of the articles within the storage means and available empty locations in the storage means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further including control means coupled to the mode selection means, the article selection means, the identification means, the transport means, and the memory means for receiving information about the selected article, said control means causing the transport means to transport a selected article from the storage means to the access means and causing the information in the memory means representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be altered to indicate removal of the selected article from its location in the storage means, all when in thepurchase mode or rent mode, and causing the transport means to transport a returned article from the access means to any available empty location in the storage means and causing information in the memory means representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be altered to indicate the placement of the returned article in the available empty location, all when in the return mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further including means for causing the transport means to automatically generate calibration signals representative of movement of the transport means in two coordinates and for automatically storing the calibration signals in the memory means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including first keying means associated wit the article for uniquely keying the videocassette to the apparatus in the return mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including second keying means operatively associated with the access means for mating with the first keying means for permitting operation of the access means only when the first keying means mates with the second keying means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage means comprises a plurality of individual storage locations, each definable by cylindrical coordinates.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transport means comprises first means pivotable about an axis, second means pivotable with said first means linearly movable along the axis and third means linearly movable along the axis with the second means for reciprocal movement toward and away from the axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including means for moving the first means, second means and third means to any of a plurality of locations definable by cylindrical coordinates.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access means includes means thereon for preventing insertion of objects other than articles into the interior of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, further including means operatively associated with the identification means in the return mode for causing articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a discrete location in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into the memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available for purchase or rental.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access means includes means movable between open and closed positions and having article receiving means being in alignment with the transport means when in the closed position and being manually accessible by a customer when in the open position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further including first locking means associated with the access means for permitting movement of the access means between the closed and opened positions only when a article is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including second locking means associated with the access means for preventing closing of the access means when in the opened position when a article is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said second locking means includes a ratchet plate having a plurality of grooves and means for releasably engaging selective ones of said grooves.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage means comprises a portion of the surface of a cylinder, the storage means having a plurality of radially-spaced dividing walls extending parallel to the axis of the cylinder, the dividing walls having means for receiving therein a plurality of axially-spaced shelves arranged to lie substantially in axially-spaced planes perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, the walls and shelves defining discrete, identificable storage locations therebetween.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the walls are provided with resilient means for releasably retaining articles in the storage locations, said resilient means formed integral with the walls.

70. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

19. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, and transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further including memory means for storing information about the selected article and its protective case, the coordinates of the articles within the storage means and available empty locations in the storage means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further including means for automatically placing articles within their protective case to be sftored in any available empty location in the storage means and for automatically storing in the memory means information representative of the stored article and its corresponding location in the storage means.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further including mean for causing the transport means to automatically generate calibration signals representative of movement of the transport means in two coordinates and for automatically storing the calibration signals in the memory means.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further including first keying means associated with the protective cases for uniquely keying the protective cases to the access means in the return mode.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further including second keying means operatively associated with the access means for mating with the first keying means for permitting operation of the apparatus only when the first keying means mates with the second keying means.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transport means comprises first means pivotable about an axis, second means pivotable with said first means linearly movable along the axis and third means linearly movable along the axis with the second means for reciprocal movement toward and away from the axis, and means for moving the first means, second means and third means to any of a plurality of locations definable by cylindrical coordinates.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the access means includes means movable between open and closed positions and having protective case receiving means being in alignment with the transport means when in the closed position and being manually accessible by a customer when in the open position.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further including first locking means associated with the access means for permitting movement of the access means between closed and opened positions only when a article within its protective case is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode, and second locking means associated with the access means for preventing closing of the access means when in an opened position when an article within its protective case is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second locking means includes a ratchet plate having a plurality of grooves and means for releasably engaging selective ones of said grooves.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the storage means comprises a portion of the surface of a cylinder, the storage means having a plurality of radially-spaced dividing walls extending parallel to the axis of the cylinder, the dividing walls having means for receiving therein a plurality of axially-spaced shelves arranged to lie substantially in axially-spacedplanes perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, the walls and shelves defining discrete, identificable storage locations therebetween.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, further including article identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further including means operatively associated wit the article identification means in the return mode for causing an article unacceptable for return to be placed with its protective case in a discrete locatin in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into the memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available for further purchase or rental.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the article identification means and the protective case identification means are located adjacent the access means.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the protective case includes a transparent window providing access to the information representative of the identity of the article and the protective case.

34. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the access means includes a pair of spaced-apart receiving cavities, and a closure member positionable therebetween so as to selectively prevent communication between the receiving cavities.

35. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transport means includes means for engaging a spline on the protective case so as to provide predetermined registration therebetween.

71. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

36. Method for selectably vending articles from an apparatus comprising the steps of storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations in a storage means, enabling selective operation of the apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, dispensing the selected article in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving an article in the return mode, and transporting the selected article from the storage means to a customer access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the article from the access means to the closest available empty location proximate said customer access means in the storage means in the return mode.

37. The method of claim 36, further including receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode by article identification means adjacent the customer access means.

38. The method of claim 37, further including storing information in memory means about the selected article, the coordinates of the articles within the storage means and available empty discrete locations in the storage means.

39. The method of claim 38, further including generating calibration signals representative of movement of articles from the storage means to the customer access means in two coordinates and storing the calibration signals in the memory means.

40. The method of claim 38, further including transporting the selected article from the storage means to the customer access means and causing the information in the memory means representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be altered to indicate removal of the selected article from its location in the storage means, all when in the purchase mode or rent mode, and transporting the returned article from the customer access means to any available empty location in the storage means and causing information in the memory meand representative of the locations of articles in the storage means to be altered to indicate the placement of the returned article in the available empty location, all when in the return mode.

41. The method of claim 36, further including receiving information representative of the identify of an article being returned in the return mode, and preventing subsequent rental of the article in the absence of receiving predetermined information thereabout.

42. The method of claim 41, further including causing articles unacceptable for purchase or rental to be placed in a discrete location in the storage means and causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing a article not available for further purchase or rental.

43. The method of claim 36, further including permitting movement of the customer access means between closed and opened positions only when an article is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

72. The method of claim 36, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

44. Method for selectably vending articles in a protective case from an apparatus comprising the steps of storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations in a storage means, enabling selective operation of the apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, and transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to a customer access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of said protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of receiving the predetermined information.

45. The method of claim 44, further including receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode.

46. The method of claim 44, further including storing information in memory means about the selected article, the coordinates of the videocassette within its protective case within the storage means and available empty discrete locations in the storage means.

47. The method of claim 46, further including generating calibration signals representative of movement of articles from the storage means to the customer access means in two coordinates and for automatically storing the calibration signals in the memory means.

48. The method of claim 44, further including receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode, and transporting the article and its protective case to a first discrete location in the storage means for purchase or rental in response to receiving first predetermined information representative of the identity of the article.

49. The method of claim 48, further including transporting the article and its protective case to a second discrete location in the storage means to prevent purchase or rental in response to receiving second predetermined information representative of the identity of the article.

50. The method of claim 49, further including causing the coordinates of the first and second discrete locations to be entered into memory means.

51. The method of claim 44, further including establishing a predetermined period for return of a selected article when in the rental mode and charging a customer for the purchase of the selected article after the predetermined period in the absence of return of the selected article in the return mode.

73. The method of claim 44, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

52. Apparatus for selectably vending articles, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a delivery mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the delivery mode, access means for dispensing the selected article in the delivery mode and receiving an article in the return mode, and transport means for transporting the selected article from the storage means to the access means in the delivery mode and transporting the article from the access means to the closest available empty location proximate said access means in the storage means in the return mode.

74. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

53. Apparatus for selectably vending articles, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving an article in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the article from the access means to the closest available empty location in the storage means in the return mode, memory means for storing information about the selected article, the coordinates of the articles within the storage means and available empty locations in the storage means, and means operatively associated with the identification means in the return mode for causing articles unacceptable for return to be placed in a discrete location in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into the memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available for purchase or rental.

54. Apparatus for selectably vending articles, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving an article in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the article from the access means to any available empty location in the storage means in the return mode, said access means including means movable between open and closed positions and having article receiving means being in alignment with the transport means when in the closed position and being manually accessible by a customer when in the open position.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, further including first locking means associated with the access means for permitting movement of the access means between the closed and opened positions only when an article is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further including second locking means associated with the access means for preventing closing of the access means when in the opened position when an article is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein said second locking means includes a ratchet plate having a plurality of grooves and means for releasably engaging selective ones of said grooves.

76. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

58. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, and first keying means associated with the protective case for uniquely physically keying the protective case to the access means in the return mode.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, further including second keying means operatively associated with the access means for physically mating with the first keying means for permitting operation of the apparatus only when the first keying means mates with the second keying means.

77. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

60. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case in its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, first locking means associated with the access means for permitting movement of the access means between closed and opened positions only when an article within its protective case is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode, and second locking means associated with the access means for preventing closing of the access means when in an opened position when an article within its protective case is to be dispensed in the purchase mode or rent mode or received in the return mode.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the second locking means includes ratchet plate having a plurality of grooves and means for releasably engaging selective ones of said grooves.

78. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

62. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, article identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode, and means operatively associated with the article identification means in the return mode for causing an article unacceptable for return to be placed with its protective case in a discrete location in the storage means and for causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into the memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available for further purchase or rental.

79. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

63. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, said article identification means and said protective case identification means being located adjacent the access means, said protective case including a transparent window providing access to the information representative of the identity of the article and the protective case.

80. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

64. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, said access means including a pair of spaced-apart receiving cavities, and a closure member positionable therebetween so as to selectively prevent communication between the receiving cavities.

81. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

65. Apparatus for selectably vending articles in a protective case, said apparatus comprising storage means for storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations, mode selection means for enabling operation of said apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, article selection means for enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, access means for dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, protective case identification means for receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transport means for transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to the access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to the identification means receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of the protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of the identification means receiving said predetermined information, said transport means including means for engaging a spline on the protective case so as to provide predetermined registration therebetween.

82. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

66. Method for selectably vending articles from an apparatus comprising the steps of storing a plurality of articles in identifiable locations in a storage means, enabling selective operation of the apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, dispensing the selected article in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving an article in the return mode, transporting the selected article from the storage means to a customer access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the article from the access means to any available empty location in the storage means in the return mode, and receiving information representative of the identity of an article being returned in the return mode, and preventing subsequent rental of the article in the absence of receiving predetermined information thereabout.

67. The method of claim 66, further including causing articles unacceptable for purchase or rental to be placed in a discrete location in the storage means and causing the coordinates of that discrete location to be entered into memory means along with information identifying that discrete location as containing an article not available for further purchase or rental.

83. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

68. Method for selectably vending articles in a protective case from an apparatus comprising the steps of storing a plurality of articles each within a protective case in identifiable locations in a storage means, enabling selective operation of the apparatus among a purchase mode or a rent mode and a return mode, enabling selection of a desired article in the purchase mode or rent mode, dispensing the selected article with its protective case in the purchase mode or rent mode and receiving the article within its protective case in the return mode, receiving information representative of the identity of the protective case being returned in the return mode, transporting the selected article within its protective case from the storage means to a customer access means in the purchase mode or rent mode and transporting the protective case and its contents from the access means to an empty location in the storage means in the return mode in response to receiving predetermined information with respect to the identity of said protective case, the protective case remaining in the access means in the absence of receiving the predetermined information, receiving information representative of the identity of the article being returned in the return mode, and transporting the article and its protective case to a first discrete location in the storage means for purchase or rental in response to receiving first predetermined information representative of the identity of the article, and transporting the article and its protective case to a second discrete location in the storage means to prevent purchase or rental in response to receiving second predetermined information representative of the identity of the article.

69. The method of claim 68, further including causing the coordinates of the first and second discrete locations to be entered into memory means.

84. The method of claim 68, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.

75. The apparatus of clai 53, wherein said article comprises a videocassette.