1. A method, comprising: storing in a bulk storage chamber a volume of a prescription drug to be used to fill individual prescriptions; dispensing said prescription drug from a dispensing chamber which is configured to store and dispense a plurality of units of the prescription drug as directed by a controller; and regulating a feed rate at which the prescription drug is fed from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber, wherein regulating the feed rate comprises positioning a regulator between the bulk storage chamber and the dispensing chamber;
wherein the regulator comprises a metering section defining a plurality of differently sized feed openings and a selection plate defining at least one selection opening, and wherein regulating a feed rate further comprises aligning the at least one selection plate with a respective feed opening while blocking all other feed openings.
2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of priming said dispensing chamber with a volume of prescription drug from said storage chamber before said dispensing.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said dispensing is performed by rotating a rotatable dispensing disc positioned in said dispensing chamber.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said regulating is performed in conjunction with said rotating.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said dispensing is performed in response to a volume of prescription drug in said dispensing chamber.
6. A method, comprising: storing a volume of a prescription drug in a bulk storage chamber having an exit opening; dispensing said prescription drug from a dispensing chamber which has an entrance opening and is configured to store and dispense a plurality of units of the prescription drug; and controlling an amount by which at least one of the exit opening of the bulk storage chamber or the entrance opening of the dispensing chamber is restricted, the controlling comprising positioning a regulator between the bulk storage chamber and the dispensing chamber;
wherein the regulator comprises a metering section defining a plurality of differently sized feed openings and a selection plate defining at least one selection opening, and wherein controlling the amount further comprises aligning the at least one selection opening with a respective feed opening while blocking all other feed openings.
7. The method according to claim 6 additionally comprising the step of priming said dispensing chamber with a volume of prescription drug from said storage chamber before said dispensing.
8. The method according to claim 6 wherein said dispensing is performed by rotating a rotatable dispensing disc positioned in said dispensing chamber.
9. The method according to claim 6 wherein said dispensing is performed in response to a volume of prescription drug in said dispensing chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1) An expandable animal crate, comprising:
a plurality of enclosing members, wherein a first enclosing member is adjustably disposed within a second enclosing member, wherein each of said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member comprise a base, one or more sidewalls, an open sidewall, and a top wall, defining an interior volume;
wherein said open sidewall of said first enclosing member is disposed through said open sidewall of said second enclosing member and within said interior volume of said second enclosing member;
a sliding mechanism disposed on said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member so as to allow an interior volume thereof to be adjusted as said first enclosing member slides within said second enclosing member.
2) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of casters disposed on said base of said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member.
3) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, wherein said sliding mechanism comprises one or more tracks disposed on said first enclosing member and one or more rollers disposed on said second enclosing member such that said one or more rollers engage and align with said one or more tracks and are movable along said one or more tracks.
4) The expandable animal crate of claim 3, wherein each of said one or more tracks comprise a protrusion and each of said one or more rollers comprise an indentation, such that said protrusion is disposed within said indention and slidably engages therewith.
5) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, wherein said one or more sidewalls comprise a plurality of openings arranged in a grid pattern.
6) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, further comprising one or more doors disposed on said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member.
7) The expandable animal crate of claim 6, further comprising a latch mechanism disposed on each of said one or more doors in order to allow said one or more doors to remain in a closed configuration.
8) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, further comprising one or more handles disposed on each of said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member.
9) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for securing said first enclosing member in a fixed position relative to said second enclosing member.
10) The expandable animal crate of claim 9, wherein said locking mechanism comprises one or more apertures disposed on said first enclosing member and one or more apertures disposed on said second enclosing member such that each of said one or more apertures of said first enclosing member are adapted to align with each of said one or more apertures of said second enclosing member, wherein a pair of aligned apertures are adapted to receive a fastener therethrough.
11) The expandable animal crate of claim 1, wherein said one or more sidewalls are hingedly secured to said base and said top wall, wherein at least one of said one or more sidewalls is removably secured to said top wall such that said first enclosing member and said second enclosing member are collapsible into a compact configuration for storing.