Ronald S Roy

US Patent:

48145920, Mar 21, 1989

Filed:

May 29, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/868815

Inventors:

L. Jack Bradt - Easton PA
Robert L. Brown - Easton PA
Stephen Fogt - Easton PA
Ronald La Roy - Rockaway NJ
Allen R. Lewis - Easton PA
James S. Love - Newport News VA

Assignee:

Videomat Associates - Easton PA

International Classification:

G06K 500
G06F 1524

US Classification:

235381

Abstract:

A machine from which a customer can selectably purchase or rent a videocassette or return a previously rented videocassette. The machine comprises a videocassette storage device for storing a plurality of videocassettes in discrete, identifiable locations. A customer identification device, receives information about the customer. A mode selection device enable the customer to select among a vend mode, a rent mode and a return mode, and a videocassette selection device enable the customer to select a desired videocassette to be vended or rented. A 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. A videocassette identification device receives information representative of the identity of the videocassette being returned in the return mode. A 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 from the customer access device to any available empty discrete location in the storage device in the return mode.