A prescription drug storage and dispensing arrangement allows
prescriptions stored, as they are filled, in a cabinet for customer
pickup. The prescriptions are placed into receptacles such as pharmacy
envelopes and placed on carriers, e.g., hanger bars, that are transported
on a conveyor within the cabinet. The conveyor brings one carrier at a
time to an access opening for loading or retrieving of a pharmacy
envelope. In one embodiment the hanger bars are rods with spaced annular
recesses defining bag positions. Scissors-action arms may be used to
suspend the hanger rods from the conveyor webs. The identity of each
pharmacy envelope and the location of the respective bar on said conveyor
and the bag position are stored in a computer, with information
identifying the customer order. When the customer arrives to pick up the
prescription, the customer data is entered and the conveyor automatically
moves to position the respective hanger bar at the access opening. A
laser and mirror arrangement can be used to identify the specific bag
location. This arrangement has applications for other customer orders or
merchandise. Another embodiment has carrier trays for dispensing punch
cards.