US3132782A

US3132782A - Dispenser for rolled materials

Info

Publication number: US3132782A
Application number: US155401A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Robert N Coates
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-11-28
Filing date: 1961-11-28
Publication date: 1964-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 1981-05-12

Description

May 12, 1964 R. N. COATES, JR

DISPENSER FOR ROLLED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 28, 1961 m IN. A E. 0 m 0 H w m M May 1 1964 R. N. COATES, JR

DISPENSER FOR ROLLED MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 28, 1961 1N VEN TOR. BY Qua Robert N- Coares, Jr.

May 12, 1964 R. N. COATES, JR

DISPENSER FOR ROLLED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 28, 1961 Fig. 5

Q ll

a m, SIR 0V9 Cm v n M w W a M R w United States Patent 3,132,782 DISPENSER FGR ROLLED MATERIALS Robert N. Coates, Jr., 840 N. 16th St, New Castle, Ind. Filed Nov. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 155,401 9 Claims. (Cl. 225-23) This inventino relates to a novel and useful dispenser for rolled materials such as paper towels, aluminum foil, and waxed paper.

Housewives and other persons quite often have the need for a handy supply of rolled sheet material such as paper towels and accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a dispenser which may be used for storing a plurality of rolls of material and for conveniently dispensing material from a selected one of the rolls of material disposed within the housing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser which may be readily actuated by one hand and thus convenient to use in an emergency.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser in accordance with the preceding objects that is constructed in a manner whereby the supply of rolled material therein may be readily renewed.

A further object of this invention" is to provide a dispenser in accordance with the preceding objects which will be adapted to dispense substantially all types of rolled flexible sheet material.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a dispenser for rolled materials which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser of the instant invention shown supported on a wall surface, a portion of the wall being broken away and shown in vertical section;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser with parts thereof being broken away and shown in sections;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 p of FIGURE 4;

plurality of rolls of sheet material carried in the dispenser.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral generally designates the dispenser of the instant invention.

In FIGURE 1 it'may be seen that a suitable support such as a wall 12 has a recess 14 formed therein and that the dispenser 10 is in the form of a support structure generally referred to bythe reference numeral 16 and comprising a hollow housing. The housing 16 includes top and

bottom walls

18 and 20,

opposite side walls

22 and 24 and a rear wall 26. The forward ends of the top, bottom and

opposite side walls

18, 20, 22 and 24 each terminate in outwardly directing mounting flange portions 28 and these mounting flange portions 28 abut the surface 30 of the wall 12 through which the recess 14 opens.

The front of the housing 16 is open and is provided with a front wall assembly generally referred to by the referencenumeral 32. The front wall assembly 32 is swingably mounted from the lower mounting flange portion 28 by means of hinge assemblies generally referred to by the reference numeral 34 which include 'coil springs 36 for normally urging the front wall assembly 32 to a closed position such as that illustrated in the drawings.

The front wall assembly 32 includes a front wall panel 38 and upper and

lower flanges

40 and 42 as well as

opposite side flanges

44 and 46. The

flanges

40, 42, 44 and 46 abut the outer edge portions of the corresponding mounting flange portions 28 and it will be noted that the upper mounting flange portion 28 is provided with a spring clip 46 which is releasably engageable in a slot 48 formed in the upper flange 40 of the front wall assembly 32. V p

The front wall assembly 32 has three vertically spaced transversely extending

openings

50, 52 and 54 formed therein and swingable

access door assemblies

56, 58 and 60 are pivotally mounted by means of hinge assemblies 62 for movement between closed positions closing the

openings

50, 52 and 54 respectively and open positions such as the open position in which the access door 60 is disposed in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

Each of the access door assemblies is slightly smaller than the corresponding opening and defines a discharge slot 64.

The front wall panel 38 has three arcuate inwardly and upwardly curving guide lips 66 mounted thereon and the forward and lower ends of each of the guide lips 66 terminates at the corresponding slot 64 and is aligned therewith.

Each of the

access doors

56, 58 and 60 includes a pair of rearwardly projecting opposite side flanges 68 between each pair of which a pressure roller shaft 78 is journalled for rotation. Each of the pressure roller shafts 70 has a plurality of pressure rollers 72 mounted thereon and for rotation therewith.

With attention now directed for FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings it will be seen that three journal blocks 74 are secured to the sidewall 24 in any convenient manner such as by welding 76 and that each is provided with a blind bore 78 in which a stub axle 80 carried by a support roller 82 is rotatably received. The opposite end of the support roller 82 has a retractible stub axle 84 mounted therein and normally urged to an extended position by means of a compression spring 86. The retractible stub axles 84 are each receivable in a corresponding opening '88 formed in the side wall 22. Thus, it will be noted that each of the support rollers 82 is rotatably and removably supported in the housing 16.

It may be seen from FIGURE 4 of the drawings that three rolls of

sheet material

90, 92 and 94 are rotatably supported by the corresponding support rollers 82 and that each roll of sheet material may be replaced in a manv ner which is believed obvious because of the retractible stub axle 84 by opening the corresponding access door and removing the corresponding support roller 82.

Also journalled between the

opposite side walls

22 and 24 are three

drive roller shafts

96, 98 and 100. Each of the drive roller shafts has a plurality of drive rollers 102 mounted thereon and it will be noted that the drive rollers 102 are radially aligned with the corresponding pressure rollers 72. Also, it is to be noted that each of the

access doors

56, 58 and 60 is provided with a handgrip portion 104 by which the corresponding access door may be moved from the closed position illustrated in FIGURE 4 to an open position such as that illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Three

microswitch assemblies

106, 108 and 11% are provided and each includes a movable actuator 112 which is positioned for engagement by one of the corresponding side flanges 68. The actuator 112 is normally resiliently urged to an outermost position such as that shown in FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawings and itwill be noted that each of the

access doors

56, 58 and 60 may be pushed slightly inwardly at its free swinging edge portion to move the pressure rollers 72 into a position frictionally gripping the extended end of the

sheet materials

114, 116 and 118 forming the rolls 9%, 92 and $44. Additionally, inward movement of each of the

access doors

56, 58 and 69 will urge the corresponding actuator 112 inwardly whereupon the corresponding microswitch will be actuated.

From FIGURE 6 of the drawings it will be noted that each of the

drive roller shafts

96, 98 and 109 has a sprocket wheel 122 mounted thereon and from FIGURE of the drawings it will be seen that an electric motor generally referred to by the reference numeral 124 is drivingly connected to the

shafts

96, 98 and 100 by means of an endless flexible chain 124 which is entrained about a drive gear sprocket 126 carried by the shaft 123 which is also journalled in the housing 16 and is drivingly connected to the motor 124.

With attention now directed to FIGURE 8 of the drawings it will be seen that one terminal 136 of the motor 124 is connected to a connection terminal 132 by means of wire 134. A second connection terminal 136 has one end of a lead wire 138 connected thereto and branch wires 140, M2 and 144 each extend from wire 138 and terminate at the free ends in a terminal 146. Each of the

microswitch assemblies

106, 108 and 110 have their other terminals 148 connected to the other terminal 159 of the motor 124 by means of

branch wires

152, 154 and 156. The actuators 112 of each microswitch assembly may be moved to bridge the

corresponding contacts

146 and 148 whereupon the motor 124 will be actuated if the

terminals

132 and 136 are connected to a suitable source of electrical potential. Accordingly, inward movement of the lower free swinging end of either of the

access doors

56, 5S and 60 will actuate the motor 124. However, inasmuch as the sheet material supported by each one of the supporting rollers 82 is not normally frictionally gripped between the corresponding pressure and drive rollers, only that sheet material associated with the access door which is moved inwardly will be frictionally gripped between the corresponding pressure and drive rollers to be unrolled from the corresponding roll and discharged through the corresponding slot 64.

From FIGURE 1 of the drawings it may be seen that each of the

access doors

56, 58 and 60 has a cutting element 158 mounted thereon which may be utilized to tear the sheet material which has been discharged through the corresponding slot 64.

It is to be understood that numerous types of rolled sheet material may be dispensed by means of the dispenser but in most instances the roll 94 will be of paper toweling, the roll 92 will be of waxed paper and the roll 90 will be of aluminum foil or other material. Of course, rolls of sheet plastic may also be utilized as well as rolls of other flexible materials.

While the dispenser of the instant invention has been constructed in a manner to render a pleasing appearance in order that it may be used in substantially all environ ments, it will be also noted that it has been constructed in a manner to dispense rolls of flexible sheet material in a highly efficient and economical manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A dispenser for rolled materials comprising a supporting structure, at least one support means carried by said support structure adapted to rotatably support a roll of sheet material, at least one drive roller means rotatably supported from said structure, journalled pressure roller means associated with and generally paralleling each of said drive roller means, means mounting said drive and pressure roller means for relative movement toward and away from engagement with each other; said drive and roller means being disposed relative to said support means so as to be adapted to have the free end of the corresponding roll of sheet material disposed therebetween, motor means drivingly connected to said drive roller means, and control means for said motor means operatively associated with said mounting means for actuation of said motor means in response to relative movement of said pressureroller means toward said drive roller to frictionally grip said sheet material therebetween.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said support structure comprises a hollow housing substantially entirely enclosing said support, motor, drive roller and pressure roller means.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said support structure comprises a hollow housing having a front wall, dispensing slot means formed in said front Wall and guide means carried by said front wall adapted for slidably guiding the free end portion of said sheet material outwardly of said housing through said slot.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said slot means each have a cutter blade cooperating with one longitudinal side edge portion thereof for cutting off the length of sheet material dispensed from said housing.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said support structure comprises a hollow housing having a front wall,

dispensing slot means formed in said front wall and guide means carried by said front wall adapted for slidably guiding the free end portion of said sheet material outwardly of said housing through said slot, said mounting means including a swingable access door mounted on said front wall normally urged toward a normally closed position and carrying a pressure roller means thereon, said control means comprising switch means having a movable actuator coacting with said access door for actuating said motor means in response to movement of said access door past said closed position whereby also upon said movement said pressure roller means will frictionally contact the free end of the corresponding roll of sheet material disposed between the pressure roller means and its par allel associated drive roller means.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein said support structure includes a plurality ofsupport means and control means, drive roller and pressure roller means for each of said support means.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein each of one of said roller means includes a plurality of axially spaced diametrically enlarged disks mounted on a support shaft, each of the other of said roller means comprising a roller of substantially constant diameter throughout its entire length.

8. The combination of claim 1, wherein said support structure includes a plurality of support means, control means, and drive roller and pressure roll-er means for each of said support means, said motor means being simultaneously drivingly connected to each of said drive roller means.

9. The combination of claim 8, including means resil- 5 iently urging said drive and pr%sure roller means away 2,657,873 from each other. 2,969,169 3,015,426 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1 093 701 1,626,257 Swanson et a1 Apr. 26, 1927 2,275,410 Anderson et a1 Mar. 10, 1942 6 Dittman et a1. Nov. 3, 1953 Botnick Jan. 24, 1961 Dietz et a1. Jan. 2, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 24, 1960

Claims

1. A DISPENSER FOR ROLLED MATERIALS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AT LEAST ONE SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO ROTATABLY SUPPORT A ROLL OF SHEET MATERIAL, AT LEAST ONE DRIVE ROLLER MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID STRUCTURE, JOURNALLED PRESSURE ROLLER MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH AND GENERALLY PARALLELING EACH OF SAID DRIVE ROLLER MEANS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRIVE AND PRESSURE ROLLER MEANS FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER, SAID DRIVE AND ROLLER MEANS BEING DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS SO AS TO BE ADAPTED TO HAVE THE FREE END OF THE CORRESPONDING ROLL OF SHEET MATERIAL DISPOSED THEREBETWEEN, MOTOR MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE ROLLER MEANS, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID MOTOR MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MOUNTING MEANS FOR ACTUATION OF SAID MOTOR MEANS IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE