Importance

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Abstract

An automated library article terminal is externally operable by the user, to, through a delivery chute mounted and arranged to deliver articles through an external wall, automatically stock, vend, and selectively accept return of and re-stock, so that they can be re-vended, a plurality of reusable articles each having a unique code. A memory stores information comprising the location of the plurality of articles in the terminal. A control is coupled to the memory and is responsive to operation of the terminal by a user to generate control signals. A vertical track member has a rotational drive responsive to the control signals for revolving the vertical track member about a given axis. A vertical lift member is mounted for vertical movement on the vertical track member. A vertical drive is responsive to the control signals for vertically moving the lift member relative to the vertical track member. An article handling member mounted on the vertical lift member extends and retracts in a generally horizontal direction relative to the vertical lift member and can be manipulated to selectively engage and release one of the articles. A code reader is mounted for reading the code of any article transported by the article handling member to or from the delivery chute and for generating an article code signal representative of the code so read and transmitting the article code signal to the memory.

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First Claim