초록 ▼

A method of renting an article to a patron by the patron presenting a hire token to a renting machine for recognition and energizing of an article selection circuit; the article selection circuit being energized until stopped by the patron when a desired article registers with a delivery receptacle;

A method of renting an article to a patron by the patron presenting a hire token to a renting machine for recognition and energizing of an article selection circuit; the article selection circuit being energized until stopped by the patron when a desired article registers with a delivery receptacle; the machine recording a code corresponding to the article and the patron taking delivery of the article; and the machine recording the code of the hire token and holding the hire token captive until released upon return of the article to the machine. The hire token may be held captive until released by the return of the article rented. The machine may be adapted to operate in a cash renting mode to accept payment tokens, or in credit renting mode, when the patron\s account is debited and credited. Provision is also made for the payment of a penalty if the predetermined renting period is exceeded.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of renting articles by means of a renting machine, having a store for housing articles in a plurality of compartments, which includes the steps of a landlord charging the various compartments of the store of the renting machine with a plurality of articles, each of which is identifiable wit

A method of renting articles by means of a renting machine, having a store for housing articles in a plurality of compartments, which includes the steps of a landlord charging the various compartments of the store of the renting machine with a plurality of articles, each of which is identifiable with its own compartment and its own particular code; a patron presenting to the machine a hire token identifiable with the patron, details of the token being automatically recorded by the machine; the patron selecting a particular article from the plurality of articles in the store; the machine automatically recording details of the code of the article selected by the patron; the machine thereupon delivering the article to the partron; and the patron, after use of the article, returning it to the machine which, upon recognising the code of the article previously selected by the patron, accepts it into its own particular compartment in the store. A renting machine adapted for renting articles, such as video cassettes, to a patron holding a coded hire token, the machine including, means defining a store having a plurality of compartments and adapted to hold a plurality of articles for rent, each identifiable with its own particular compartment and its own particular code; first code sensing means adapted to sense the code associated with the coded hire token which is identifiable with the patron when a hire token is presented by the patron to the machine, first memory means adapted in use to hold details of the said code in memory; article-selecting means whereby a patron can select an article for hire; second code-sensing means adapted to hold in memory, details of the code of the selected article; second memory means adapted to hold in memory, details of the code of the selected article; article-dispensing means for dispensing the selected article to the patron via a dispensing opening after the article code has been sensed and has been stored in the second memory means and being adapted to bring the particular compartment of the selected article into register with the said dispensing opening; and article-accepting means adapted to recognize the code of a previously selected article and to bring the particular compartment of the said previously selected article into register with the dispensing opening and to permit said article to pass back into its own particular compartment in the store.