Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
6~
MULTIPLE WOUND ROLL DISPENSER AND CUTTER MECHANISM FOR
USE THEREIN
This invention relates to dispensers for wound rolls of flexible
sheet material and particularly to dispensers for ro~ls of paper towels,
tissue paper, and the like, wherein each roll has supporting spindles
projecting outwardly from the ends of the core of the roll. More
5 specifically, the dispensers to which the instant invention relates, are
concerned with dispensing a web of flexible sheet material from wound
rolls wherein multiple rolls can be retained for dispensing from each
roll in succession with precision in unwinding the materia] from each
roll and assurance that the leading free end on the exterior of each
10 wound roll will feed into the dispensing mechanism with reliability so
that the user will have accessibility to the sheet material exteriorly of
the dispenser housing. Importantly, the invention also involves a
mechanism adapted to be used within dispensers for cutting a web of
nexible sheet material into individual lengths of the material.
Numerous web dispensing constructions are known in the prior art
and employed in commercial use where a paper towel dispenser, for
example, is mounted on a wall in a locfltion where towel ~vailability is
desired. Considering the large number of such dispensers employed in
many commercial installations such as factories, office buildings,
20 institutions, etc., more and more attention has been devoted to
consideration of the substa*tial expense in time and labor required in
replenishing the exhausted wound rolls in such dispcnsersl particularly
where a single roll is the limit of capability to be housed within each
` dispenser wlit.
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Accordingly, many structures have been developed to accommodate
multiple rolls of wound sheet material so that the individual dispenser
~^3 need only be replenished when the entire ~r=t of rolls within the
dispenser has been exhausted, namely, where a first roll has been used
5 up and a reserve roll is available within the dispenser to move into the
dispensing position and feed out the sheet material from such reserve
roll. Obviously, this reduces the time and expense required in replenishing
rolls in the multitude of dispensers in a commercial establishment so
that the labor cost is correspondingly reduced.
Whereas the single roll dispenser can be easily loaded with a roll
by an attendant and the free leading web end on the roll threaded in
and through the dispensing mechanism to be available to a user externally
of the dispenser housing, the advent of dispensers accommodating multiple
rolls gave rise to particular problems in providing a construction which
15 effectively enables the leading free web end on the exterior of a reserve
roll to be picked up by the dispensing mechanism in the dispenser and
reliably fed out of the dispenser once an initial roll has been exhausted.
The problem is to assure that this pick up and feeding from the reserve
roll is effectively and accurately carried out automatically in the absence
20 of an attendant having to return to the dispensér to start the leading
free end of the reserve roll out through the feeding mechanism. Of
course, this would defeat the purpose of multiple roll dispensers.
The prior art has proposed numerous ideas, constructions and
mechanisms to carry out this pick up of the leading free end on a
25 reserve roll. Each hopefully aims at getting automatic and accurate
feeding of the end of the new roll into the feeding mechanism so that
the multiple roll dispenser can continue operating and supply its web of
sheet material to the prospective users of the dispenser. ~1hereas
attempts in development of multiple roll dispensers have sought to
30 achieve the ultimate, there have been numerous defects and failings in
achieving assurance that the web of paper on the reserve roll is properly
picked up, properly fed to the dispensing mechanism and properly available
to the prospective users exteriorally of the dispenser housing.
These problems call for structures that are simple and yet effective
35 if the dispenser is to be readily lmderstood and adaptable to easy loading
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by sttendants who could become confused with structures involving
complicated dispensing mechsnisms where threading of even the lead end
of the initial wound roll may be overly complicated. With complex
dispensers, proper loading and assurance that the lead end on a reserve
S roll will be picked up may be beyond the comprehension of attendants
who are assigned the task of loading numerous multiple roll dispensers
in commercial establishments that employ a great number or even small
number of multiple roll dispensers.
- In the prior art perforating or severing mechanisms used in towel
10 dispensers have included a rotatably mounted knif e and a cooperating
rotatably mounted roller having a slot therein for receiving the radially
outward portion of the knife as the knife rotates past the roller. The
web of flexible sheet material is passed between the ro~ler and the
Icnife to be perforated or severed when the radially outward knife portion
15 enters the slot in the roller.
Such perforating or severing mechanisms are satisfactory for
perforating or severing relatively unstretchable flexible sheet materials
such as uncreped paper toweling. However, with the increased use of
relatively stretchable flexible sheet materials, such as embossed or creped
20 paper toweling, the prior art perforating and severing mechanisms have
proved unsatisfactory because the web of sheet material tends to stretch
about the cutting edge of the kjnife instead of being perforated or
severed thereby. Although ~ rotary shears are also known whic~
could be employed for obviating this problem, such shears are much
25 expensive to be used in flexible sheet material dispensers designed for
Installation to be used in both commercial and private washrooms.
The wound roll dispenser of the present invention is particularly
adaptable for multiple rolls held within the dispenser bousino on supporting
spindles projecting outwardly from both ro~l core ends. Inwardly facing
30 tracks on the opposite inner side walls of the dispenser housing receive
the outwardly projecting spindles fixedly held in a roll core, either in
the form of core end caps or a mandrel, specifically constructed to
promote rotation of the rolls as they move downwardly within the tracks.
The lowermost roll engages and is driven by a rotatably mounted feed
35 roller disposed adjacent the bottom ends of the tracks.
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Additionnlly, as an important part of the invention, a pressure
roller, rotatably mounted in the dispenser housing, is associated in driven
relation with the feed roller. This pressure roller is formed with
eccentrically disposed axially spaced resilient segments that serve, upon
5 rotation of the pressure roller, to pick up the leading free end of sheet
material on the exterior of a full roll and feed it into the nip between
the feed roller and pressure roller, thereby assuring that the web material
from a roll in the bottom position of the tracks resting on the feed
roller is fed between the rollers and thence out of the dispenser for
10 access by a user. The pressure roller also is provided with axially
spaced cylindrical resilient conical portions that press against the feed
roller as the sheet material passes between the nip of the rollers.
The above referred to inwardly facing tracks, within which the
spindles extending from the roll core ends are supported, have a lower
15 end section of each track slanting away from the longitudinal axis of
the main length of the track and generally slanting toward a position
tangent to the perimeter of the feed roller. This lower end section of
each track is provided with a pivotally supported guide that is biased
inwardly toward the center line of the track, this guide being disposed
20 on the lower side of the slanting track section. The biased guides
promote rotation of the wound roll passing down the tracks by pressing
against the periphery of the spindles at opposite ends of the roll. This
action rotates the roll during its downward movement within the tracks.
The lower end section of each track need not necessarily be slanted as
~5 above mentioned but should have the inwardly biased guide disposed on
the side of the track disposed in the direction that the sheet material
will be drawn off of the roll when it is engaging the feed roller and
pressure roller while being drawn out of the dispenser.
As for the above mentioned pressure roller, the resiliently
30 deformable segments on the pressure roller project eccentrically outwardly
throughout a part of the periphery of the pressure roller and are
posltioned so that a full roll at the bottom of the dispenser tracks will
not only engage the feed roller but also engage the pressure roller. As
the pressure roller rotates with the feed roller the deformable eccentric
35 segments will move against the leading free end of sheet material on
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the roll causing it to buckle downwardly into the nip between the two
rollers. Also, the axially spaced resilient cylindrical portions on the
feed roller promote driving of the two rollers by each other as the
sheet material is drawn between the nip. These resilient portions
5 preferably are conical in configuration with each conical portion facing
inwardly toward the mid point of the pressure roller so as to promote
spreading out of the sheet material along the width of the nip between
the rollers. The dispenser of the invention embodying the above described
features also preferably is provided with a mechanism for stopping
10 rotation of the feed roller and pressure roller and thus arresting
movement of the sheet material so that an individual sheet of material
which has been severed from the web of material unwound from the
roll has its free end immediately accessible to a user.
Also, a cam actuated knife pivotally mounted within the feed
15 roller is projected through an elongated opening in the feed roller wall
as the feed roller is rotated with the sheet material overlying its
surface. The cam action is constructed to positively project and retract
the knif e relative to the opening in the feed roller and the activating
cams are stationarily mounted such that the knife, which has serrations
20 therealong, initially projects outwardly immediately before the web of
material reaches the nip of the feed roller and pressure roller. There
serrations are spaced to enter between the eccentric segments and
conical resilient portions carrieci by the pressure roller to start perforation
of the web adjacent the nip of the rollers.
Further, the invention provides a cutting mechanism comprising a
chassis and a rotatably mounted feed roller on the chassis over which
the web of material pssses. A knife is pivotally mounted in the feed
roller, to swing about an axis which is laterally displaced from the plane
of the knife, radially outwardly with a portion of the knife defining a
30 cutting edge for the web. This edge is projected outwardly through an
opening in the feed roller beyond the periphery of the feed roller to
cut the web as it passes over the feed roller. The knife carries cam
followers displaced from the pivot mounting axis of the knife and
stntionary cams are mounted adjacent the ends of the feed roller with
35 which the cam followers on the knife engage to positively project and
i66~3
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retract the knife cutting edge upon rotation of the feed
roller.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of an
aspect of the present invention to provide a flexible sheet
material dispenser having improved mounting for wound rolls
carried within the dispenser to assure rotation of the rolls
in promoting the dispensing action.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to provide
for interengaging feed and pressure rollers with the pressure
roller especially configured to promote pick up of a leading
end of sheet material on the exterior of a full wound roll.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-
vide a pressure roll in accordance with the above object
wherein resilient means are carried spaced along the length
of the roll to promote, incident rotation of the pressure
roller, spreading out of the sheet material across the width
of the nip between a feed roller and pressure roller.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-
vide a dispenser having opposite inwardly facing tracks to
receive the spindles of rolls to be dispensed from the dis-
penser where a lower end section of each-track carries a
guide means which is biased inwardly toward the center of
the track to offer a friction surface along which the peri-
phery of a roll spindle within the track will engage to
promote roll rotation.
It is also an object of an aspect of the instant
invention, in accordance with the above object, to employ
a slanting lower end section of each track which slants
away from the axis of a feed roller with the biased guide
means of each track being located on the lower side of each
slanting track section.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-
vide a dispenser in accordance with the above objects where-
in one roll spindle has a peripheral groove spaced inwardly
from the outermost end of the spindle and one track has
flange means through which the groove passes when the
spindle is lowered into the dispenser tracks such that
proper loading direction-wise for the roll within the dis-
penser is assured.
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An object of an aspect of the invention is to provide
a flexible sheet material dispenser having a mechanism for
effectively cutting a web of flexible sheet material being
removed from a roll within the dispenser.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to provide
a mechanism including a knife within a feed roller where the
knife is projected outwardly beyond the periphery of the
feed roller to cut the web as it passes over the feed roller.
Further to the above two objects, the cutting knife
is pivotally mounted within a feed roller and stationary
cams external of the feed roller operate to positively pro-
ject and retract the cutting knife incident rotation of the
feed roller, as a further object of an aspect of the inven-
tion.
It is an object of an aspect of the invention to
provide a flexible sheet material dispenser having a web
cutting mechanism which dispenser is compact, rugged and
economical to manufacture and that is ideally suited for
both commercial and private installations.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention there
is provided a dispenser for wound rolls of flexible sheet
material that have supporting spindles projecting outwardly
from the roll core ends comprising; a dispenser housing to
receive the rolls to be dispensed having inwardly facing
tracks on the opposite inner sidewalls of said housing for
the rolls to move downwardly within said tracks with the
lower end section of each track slanting away from the longi-
tudinal axis of the main length of the track, a feed roller
rotatably mounted within said dispenser housing adjacent
the lowermost ends of said tracks so that the periphery of a
roll having the spindle therefor engaged by said lowermost
track ends will engage and be driven by rotation of said
feed roller, and means for leading sheet material leaving
said feed roller out of said dispenser to a user; character-
ized by roll driving guide means pivotally mounted adjacentthe lower end of each said track with means biasing said
guide means inwardly toward the center of the track and each
- said guide means providing a friction surface along each
-7a-
slanting track section to engage the periphery of the roll
spindle within the track and promote roll rotation during
said downward movement of the roll.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention
there is provided a dispenser for wound rolls of flexible
sheet material that have supporting spindles projecting
outwardly from the roll core ends comprising: a dispenser
housing to receive the rolls to be dispensed having inward-
ly facing tracks on the opposite inner sidewalls of said
housing for the rolls to move downwardly within said tracks,
a feed roller rotatably mounted within said dispenser
housing adjacent the lowermost ends of said tracks so that
the periphery of a roll having the spindle therefor engaged
by said lowermost track ends will engage and be driven by
rotation of said feed roller, and means for leading sheet
material leaving said feed roller out of said dispenser
housing to a user; characterized by movably mounted roll
driving guide means positioned adjacent the lower end of
each said track with means biasing said guide means inward-
ly toward the centre of the track, and each said guide meansproviding a friction surface to engage the periphery of the
roll spindle within the track and promote roll rotation
during said downward movement of the roll.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention will
become apparent upon consideration of the detailed descrip-
tion of a preferred embodiment of the invention given in
connection with the following described drawings which form
a part of this invention.
Figure l is a front elevational view of the wound roll
dispenser for flexible sheet material of this invention with
the front cover broken away to expose components within the
interior of the dispenser housing.
Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of
Figure l.
35Figure 3 is a view, partly in section, taken on line
3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a
. roll mounting spindle relative to one of the inwardly facing
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tracks which are located on the opposite inner side walls
of the dispenser housing.
~ Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 with
the cover side wall of the dispenser housing removed to
expose the mechanism for feeding flexible sheet material.
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing
the dispenser mechanism in a position where web material dis-
pensing is in progress.
Figure 7 is a sectional view through the front cover,
back and bottom of the dispenser housing showing positions
of wound rolls relative to a feed roller, cam activated cut-
ting knife and pressure roller disposed within the housing.
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the feed roller,
pressure roller, material cutting knife and one stationary
cam for actuating the
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knife from within the feed roller.
Figure 9 is an end view, with portions shown in phantom,
illustrating the action of camming the material cutting knife from within
the feed roller shown in Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a partial end view showing the relationship of the
feed roller and pressure roller to a full wound roll of material as the
pressure roller approaches picking up the leading free web end of a full
roll.
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 but showing the pressure
roller buckling the free end of the web material on a full roll to be
fed between the nip of the feed roller and the pressure roller.
Figure 12 is a view also similar to the showing in Figure 10
showing the lead end of the full roll being fed downwardly between the
nip of the feed and pressure rollers.
Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a resiliently deformable
segment which is eccentric to the pressure roll axis to pick up the
leading edge of sheet material on a full roll.
Figure 14 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment for
a resiliently deformable eccentric segment to that shown in Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a sectional view of the front portion of the dispenser
showing the cutting mechanism within the chassis in relation to a roll
of flexible sheet material.
Figure 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16-16 of Figure 15.
Figure 17 is an elevational view taken on line 17-17 of Figure 16.
Figure 18 is a perspective view of the cutting knife that is
mounted in the feed roller shown in Figures 15 and 16.
Figure 19 is a view partly in section showing the over-center
menns for driving the feed roller through a portion of each rotation,
and
Figure 20 is an elevational view showing the over-center means
and anti-reversing pawl engaging notches spaced around the periphery of
the feed wheel.
The complete wound roll dispenser is shown in Figure I as a
multiple roll dispenser provided with fl housing 10 made up of a cover
12, the lower portion being removed to expose the iMer workings of
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the dispenser, a chassis 14 which provides inner side walls 16 and 18 and
a back wall 20. A bottom wall 22 is also provided hy chassis 14 as
part of the dispenser housing 10, as best seen in Figure 7. An elongated
opening 24 across a major portion of the width of the dispenser housing
5 is provided at the forward end of the bottom wall 22 of chassis 14 to
provide means for leading the dispensed sheet material to access to a
user.
In the embodiment shown, each of the opposite iMer side walls
16 and 18 is provided with a vertical track 26, these being shown in
1 0 section on Figure 2 and one track, shown in perspective on Figure 4,
as carried by side wall 18. Side wa~l tracks 26 face inwardly to receive
therein the spindles projecting outwardly from the core C of wound ro~l
R of flexible sheet material.
A forward portion 28 of the back wall of each track 26 is inclined
15 inwardly toward the interior of the dispenser housing 10. These inwardly
inclined portions 28 of the tracks 26 engage the ends of the spindle
extending outwardly from the ends of the core C of roll R adjacent
the forward periphery of each spindle end as seen in Figure 2. Thus,
as a roll R moves down within tracks 26, engagement of the forward
20 end portions of the spindles by inclined portions 28 tends to rotate the
roll R in the direction that the sheet material will eventually be unwound
from the roll. However, in a cabinet where multiple rolls are positioned
within the tracks the presence of the lowermost roll while being dispensed
from the dispenser with the reserve roll resting thereon will prevent
25 the rotation of an upper reserve roll from unwinding its sheet material
prior to the lowermost roll being substantially exhausted and moving
into discard pocket P for spent roll cores. Then the reserve roll moves
down into position to have the free leading end of its web of sheet
material fed outwardly from the dispenser to the user.
In the embodiment illustrated, as best shown in Figures 2, 3 and
4, the core C of roll R carries a mandrel 30 frictionally held within
the core C. Mandrel 30 has a flange 32 at one end thereof and fins
34 extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface of mandrel 30.
These fins 34 mate with slots formed extending outwardly through the
35 roll core C into the wound sheet material to key the mandrel 30 and
l~.iS668
- 10 -
roll R positively together. A large cylindrical spindle 36 is provided
extending outwardly from core C on mandrel 30 at one end of the
mandrel while the opposite end of the mandrel has a spindle 38. Spindle
38 is formed with a peripheral groove 40 inwardly of its outermost end.
5 One channel 26 has flanges 42 extending along both inner edges thereof
at the upper end of this channel. Flanges 42 overlie a portion of this
track 26 with the flanges extending into the groove 40 of spindle 38
when the roll R is being loaded into the dispenser. The advantage of
having groove 40 to permit spindle 38 to enter the channel passing
1 0 through the track having flanges 42 is that proper loading of the roll
within the dispenser is assured so that only one mandrel end, namely,
the proper end of the roll, passes downwardly into this track 26. Spindle
36 without a groove 40, at the opposite end of the roll would not be
able to enter the track 26 having flanges 42 and thus the roll must be
1 5 inserted in loading the dispenser with spindle 38 only in the track 26
carried by wall 16. The keying by means of fins 34 in the slots formed
in core C and roll R is important in operation of the dispenser so that
the track driving action to rotate the roll is positively transmitted to
the roll for dispensing in the manner as will be described.
The lower end section of each track 26 slants away from the
longitudinal axis of the main length of the track as shown in Figures
3 and 4. These lower end sections of the two tracks are slanted
rearwardly within the dispenser housing 10 and slant away from the axis
of the feed roller described below such that the slanting section of
25 each track lies on a line that is generally tangent to the periphery of
the feed roller.
Each slanting section of a track 26 is formed by a stationary
upper wall 44 and a pivotally mounted driving guide 46 pivotally mounted
at 48 to the lower end of the track. Each driving guide 46 provides
30 a friction surface 50 forming the lower track wall of the slanting section
gulde 46, as a whole, slanting away from the main track length. The
upper end of friction surface 50 on each guide 46 has a projection 52
with an inclined cam area 54 extending thereabove. Each guide 46 is
biased inwardly toward the center of the track 26 by a spring 56
35 mounted on a suitable stationary stud 58. One end of spring 56 presses
s668
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against a stationary wall of the part forming track 26 while the other
end of spring 56 engages in and presses against the outer wall of guide
46 and is held in a retainer 60 on guide 46. The bottom end wall 45
below stationary wall 44 is inclined rearwardly at a steeper angle. This
5 wall 45 allows the spindle to pass between the feed roller and wall 45
into discard pocket P at the rear of the dispenser housing once the roll
is substantia~ly exhausted of sheet material, as will be described in more
detail hereinafter.
The driving guide 46 is normally biased by spring 56 to pivot
1 0 about pivot point 48 such that the guide is moved inwardly toward the
center of the track 26. In this position, the inclined cam area 54 is
disposed such that as the spindle moves down within track 26 it will
engage this cam area, camming the driving guide 46 forwardly and
allowing the spindle to move over projection 52 and into the space
15 between friction surface 50 and stationary upper wall 44. In this position
the spindle rides against the friction surface 50 so that it is encouraged
to rotate in a direction to unwind the sheet material from the roll.
To promote this rotation of the roll under the action of the perimeter
of a spindle riding down along friction surface 50, the surface may be
20 provided with a coating providing a higher co-efficient of friction to
more positively drive a roll spindle and roll carried thereby.
Alternatively, a material having a high co-efficient of friction may be
used in making the driving guide 46 to provide a higher co-efficient of
friction for the surface 50.
The pivotally mounted driving guide 46 associated with each track
26 is preferably and advantageously pivoted on the side of the track
which is in the direction toward which the web of sheet material will
be drawn off of the roll incident dispensing rotation of the feed roller
mounted adjacent the lower ends of tracks 26. Where the lower sections
30 of the tracks are slanted, as illustrated and described in the preferred
embodiment, the inclined friction surface 50, forming the lower side of
the slanted track section, in and of itself, promotes the perimeter of
the spindles to press firmly against this surface 50 and rotate. The
pressure of the spindles against the stationnry slanted waU 44, which is
35 the upper wall of the slanted track section is lessened in such
~iS668
- la -
construction.
The force of pulling the web of sheet material off of a roll in
the dispensing operation adds a further force drawing the spindles which
carry the roll firmly against the inclined surîace 50. Thus this force
5 further also drives the roll and its spindles in moving down the inclined
slanted friction surface 50 to promote rotation of the roll. Again,
withdrawal of sheet material from the roll incident dispensing, while
pressing the spindles more ~Irmly against the surface of driving guides
46, lightens or even frees engagement of the spindle perimeter from
1 0 the stationary wall 44.
Even where the track is straight throughout its length, without a
slanted lower section, the action of a spring biased driving guide pivotally
mounted in the track lower section adjacent the upper end of the feed
roller is advantageous. By reason of its locating such guide on the side
1 5 of the track 26 which is in the direction in which the web of sheet
material is to be withdrawn from the roll the web withdrawing force
presses the spindle against the pivotally mounted biased driving guide
at the lower section of the track. This lessens or releaves the force
against the opposite wall of the track which is stationary. Again, the
20 urging toward rotation of the spindles and the roll carried thereby in
the direction in which the web is to be unwound from the roll during
dispensing contributes to effective and easy dispensing of sheet material
from the roll.
A feed roller 62 is rotatably mounted within the dispenser housing
25 10 adjacent the lower end thereof for a roll to engage and be driven
by the feed roller in dispensing sheet material from the roll. As shown,
roller 62 is mounted generally beneath the main length of tracks 26
and is made up of several axially spaced cylindrical sections including
~ center section 64 and two end sections 66, the latter having their
30 outer ends closed by end caps 67. Each of the feed roller sections
has a cavity therein to provide an interior space within and along the
length of the feed roller 62 which accommodates a serrated cutting
knife 68. Feed roller sections 64 and 66 are slotted to provide an
elongated external opening 70 on the periphery of the feed roller 62.
35 Shaft ends 72 project from the opposite end caps 67 of feed roller 62
l~lS661
13 -
to rotatably support the feed roller by each shaft end 72 engaging in
a bore 74 provided in a stationarily mounted cam block 76. It is to
be understood that a cam block 76 is stationarily mounted at each end
of the feed roller 62, these cam blocks being affixed to and facing
5 inwardly from the opposite inner side walls 16 and 18 of chassis 14 which
form a part of the dispenser housing 10.
The cam block 76 provides a plate cam therein consisting of a
cam pocket 78, opening, in the case of each cam block 76, toward the
end ~feed roller 62 with which it is associated. This pocket 78 has
10 a ~ti-cylindrical portion with its center of curvature corresponding
, with the axis of bore 74 that receives shaft end 72 and also has an
outwardly curved portion extending away from the axis of the feed
roller 62~ This latter portion is joined at its ends with the ends of
the ~ cylindrical portion to form pocket 78 into an endless cam
1 5 configuration.
The serrated cutting knife 68 is carried on a member 79 located
within the interior space in feed roller 62, such member having cylindrical
studs 80, one at each end of knife 68 and member 79, providing a pivot
axis which is displaced from the plane of the cutting knife 68. The
20 stubs 80 are engaged in apertures provided in the opposite end caps 67
of the feed roller 62. The knife also has at each end thereof, disposed
in the plane of the cutting knife 68 a cam follower 82, one such cam
follower extending through an opening in each end cap 67 of the feed
roller 62. The cam follower at each end of roller 62 fits into the
25 pocket 78 of a stationary cam block 76 and thus is propelled to control
extension and retraction of the cutting knife 68 out of and back into
the feed roller 62 as the roller rotates in dispensing sheet material from
a wound roll. Incident this rotation of roller 62, knife 68 projects
outwQrdly~ piercing the web of sheet material and severing it for removal
30 of a length of the material from the dispenser through opening 24.
More detailed description of the action of the stationary cam
block 76 in controlling, through cam followers 82, the projection and
retraction of knife 68 will be given by referring to Figures 15-20. It
should be mentioned at this point that the disposition of the cam pocket
35 78 and the stationary cam block 76 at each end of feed roller 64 is,
~11S6~3
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in the instant invention, disposed to obtain a preferred action relative
to other components of the structure which will now be described.
For ease in description of the specific structure illustrated in
Figures lS-20 the reference numerals have been given from a 100 or
5 100' series.
Referring to Figure 15 the dispenser 110' has a chassis 112t, only
a part of which is shown in Figure lS. The chassis h~s an opening 114'
at its lower forward end through which the web W of flexible sheet
material, such as paper toweling, passes to be available to the user.
10 The web W is taken from a roll R mounted in the dispenser on a
suitable supporting shaft 116'. The web W as ~ withdrawn from roll R
passes over a rotatably mounted feed roller ~L and then down and out
through opening 114'. A pinch roller 120' mounted on a shaft 122' is
spring biased into engagement with the exterior of feed roller 118' with
is the web W of flexible sheet material passing between the pinch roller
and the feed roller.
The feed roller 118t is rotatably mounted within the chassis 11 2t
of the dispenser on stub shaft 124 and 126 with stub shaft 126 carrying
at its outer end a feed wheel 128. The feed wheel is secured to rotate
20 with the feed roller and function in a manner to be described in the
dispersing and cutting of a length of web W removed from the roll R.
The feed roller ~8' has pivotally mounted there within a knife
130, the structure of the knife being shown in Figure 18. The knife is
mounted to swing about an axis which is laterally displaced from the
25 plane of the cutting edge 134 of the knife. The feed roller 118t has
an opening 132 formed in the periphery of the feed roller so that the
cutting edge 134 of the knife can be projected beyond the exterior of
the feed roller 118' and retracted back into the feed roller. Broken
llne L on Figure 15 shows the p~th of the projection of this cutting
30 edge 134 beyond the periphery of feed roller 118' as the roller rotates
so that the web is effectively severed to enable removsl of the flexible
sheet material by the user.
Referring to the structure of knife 130 as best seen in Figure
18, the pivotal mounting is provided by stubs 136, one being disposed on
35 each end of the knife 130 providing a pivot axis which is displaced from
111S668
- 15 -
the plane of knife cutting edge 134. The knife also has at each end,
disposed in the plane of the knife cutting edge, cam followers 138.
The pivot stubs 136 are mounted in the end walls 140 of the feed
roller 118' to support the knife 130 so as to be swingable about an axis
S which is laterally displaced from the plane of the knife cutting edge
134. The control of movement of the knife to project from opening
132 and be retracted back into tne feed roller 118' is achieved by the
cam followers 138 engaging in stationary plate cams 142, one such cam
- being mounted within the chassis 112' adjacent each end of feed roll er
1 0 118~.
The configuration of each plate cam 142 is shown in Figure 17.
It has a pockel.~ 144 of substantially uniform width throughout its length
to receive one cam follower 138. In each case the pocket 144 opens
toward the end of the feed roller 118' astl~hown in Figure 15. The
15 pocket 144 in each plate cam 142 has a ~a*i-cylindrical portion 146 with
its center of curvature corresponding with the axis of the feed roller
118' provided by the stub shafts 124 and 126. The pocket 144 also has
an outwardly curved portion 148 extending away from the axis of the
feed roller ~'. This latter portion is joined at its ends with the ends
20 of the pea~i-cylindrical portion 146 to form pocket 144 into an endless
cam configuration to actuate one cam follower 138 upon rotation of
feed roller 118'.
On Figure 15 broken line circle C shows the path of movement
of the mounting stubs 136 of knife 130 as the feed roller 118' rotates.
. 25 This figure also illustrates four successive positions for the axis of stubs
13B and movement of cam followers 138 within the pockets 144 of plate
cams 142. As previously mentioned, the broken line L on Figure 15
shows the pattern of movement of the cutting edge 134 of knife 130
caused by the cam followers 138 being guided within the pockets 144 of
30 the plate cams 142. From this path of movement it will be seen that
the cutting edge 134 starts to project beyond the periphery of feed
roller 118' immediately beyond the point of engagement of pinch roller
120' with feed roller 118'.
Referring to Figures 19 and 20, the feed wheel 128 is shown
35 mounted on the outer end of stub shaft 126. The feed wheel is provided
illS668
-- 16 --
with notches 150 spaced around its perimeter and anti-reversing pawl
152 is mounted on the chassis 112' to be freely pivotal into engagement
with notches 150 to prevent reverse rotation of the feed wheel 128 and
likewise feed roller ~8'.
S The feed roller 118' is driven through a portion of each rotation
by an over-center means including a spring 156 connected to the chassis
112' by fastener 158 and to the feed wheel 128 by screw 160, such screw
160 being off~enter from the rotation axis of feed wheel 128 and feed
ro~er 118'. It will be readily understood that during rotation of feed
wheel 128 and feed roller 118' in the direction of arrow A on Figure
20, the spring 156 is initially tensioned as it approaches the position of
link 162 shown on Figure 20. When the screw 160 passes beyond alignment
of link 162 with stub shaft 126 the over-center means is energized to
its maximum, therefore, the spring uses its stored energy to assist
fùrther rotation of the feed wheel 128 and feed roller 118' to activate
the knife so that the web is severed and additional flexible sheet
material is fed into position for the next use of the dispenser.
It will be noted that the center section 64 of feed roller 62 is
Se ~tian~
spaced at each of its ends from the inner ends of the two end s~
~ ~ 20 66 of such roller. These spaces, as shown more clearly on Figures 1
- -~ and 8, are provided for a purpose which will be made clear hereinafter.
Concerning the cylindrical sections 64 and 66, making up the feed
roller 62, these sections may all have the peripheral surfaces thereof
provided with a high friction surfacing material up to the outer ringed
25 ends and end plates 67 of the end sections 66, as shown in Figures 1
and 8. For good driving characteristics in moving the wolmd roll within
the dispenser and feeding the sheet material off of the roll to the
dispenser outlet opening 24, the center section 64 may have a rubber
surface. The exterior cylindrical surfaces of all feed roller sections
30 may be made of rubber for good feeding characteristics of the sheet
material.
In the instant invention, the cam pockets 78 in the stationary
cam blocks 76, one at each end of the feed roller 62, preferably have
their configuration disposed such that the action on cam followers 82
3S which drive the knife out and retract it back within the roller 62
~S668
-- 17 --
function to project the knife 68 in the pattern of movements shown on
- Figure 7. Thus, in the instant invention, the knife 68 as it is initially
cammed out through the opening 70 commences at a point immediately
before the nip of feed roller 62 formed in conjunction with a pressure
S ro~ler 84. As rotation of feed roller 62 proceeds relative to the
stationary cam pockets 78 in cam blocks 76, the serrated knife edge
projects further and further out of the interior space within roller 62
to progress through the several projected stages as shown in phantom
Iines on Figure 7 . While the knif e is quickly projected out through the
10 opening 70 of roller 62 to effectively sever the web W of sheet material
the knife is also rapidly withdrawn or retracted back into the roller 62
as it moves through the positions under the control of the configuration
of cam pockets 78 within which the cam followers 82 follow.
The construction of the pressure roller 84 may best be seen in
15 the perspective view of Figure 8. Ro~ler 84 is rotatably mounted in
bearing blocks 86, one such bearing block receiving an end of roller 84
at each of the roller ends. Each bearing block 86 is slideably mounted
in a slot (not shown) provided in the side walls 16 and 18 of the chassis
14 forming a part of the dispenser housing 10. The slots in the side
20 walls 16 and 18 are oriented generally radia~ly relative to the rotation
axis of feed roller 62, such that the pressure roller 84 may move toward
and away from the axis of roller 62 provided by the ends of shaft 72
mounting such feed roller. The pressure roller 84 is spring biased toward
the cylindrical surface of feed roller 62 by the bearing blocks 86 at
2 5 each end of roller 84 being engaged by springs 88, one at each of the
pressure rollers 84, as shown in Figure 8. One end of each spring 88
presses against a bearing block 86 to urge it and pressure roller 84
carried thereby toward the surface of feed roller 62. The opposite end
of each spring 88 engages a stationary abutment 90, one carried by
30 each of walls 16 and 18 while the mid-portion of each spring 88 is
suitably supported on a stud 92, also carried by each wall 16 and 18
(see Figures 5 and 6).
Secured to pressure roller 84 are a pair of spaced resiliently
deformable segments 94. Each segment is eccentric and resiliently
35 deformable relative to the roller 84 axis. In the embodiment illustrated
~lS668
-- 18 --
in Figures 8 and 13, the resilient segment is formed by a plurality of
radiating resilient fingers 96. It will be seen that these elements,
rotating with pressure roller 84, move with such roller so that the
outwardly projecting resilient segments 94, which are eccentric with the
5 axis of roller 84, may pass within the spaces provided between each
end of section 64 and end sections 66 of the feed roller 62.
Whereas in Figures 7, 8 and 10-13 the resiliently deformable
ægment 94 have been shown formed by the radiating resilient fingers
96, another embodiment which may be employed is shown in Figure 14.
lO In this embodiment the resiliently deformable segment is formed by an
outwardly projecting arcuate wall 98 which is bowed outwardly from the
portion of the element secured to pressure roller 84 to form the eccentric
resilient deformable segment. This arcuate wall 98 provides a surface
to engage and pick up the leading free end of sheet material upon the
15 exterior of an outer roll surface in the same manner as the resilient
generally radiating fingers 98 function for the embodiment shown in
~igure 13. This will be described in more detail with reference to the
action shown being carried out in Figures 10, 11 and 12. As further
shown on Figure 14, the outwardly projecting arcuate- wall 98 may be
20 re;nforced by providing radial webs 100 extending outwardly from the
axis of pressure roller 84 to the underside of arcuate wall 98.
It will be understood that the embodiments shown in Figure 13
and 14 may be appropriately made of any rubber like material which
not only will give the desired frictional characteristics for the function
25 of the eccentric segments in picking up the leading free end of sheet
material from the exterior of a roll, but also this will give the desired
resiliency and deformability for effective action in use of the dispenser
in feeding sheet material from a wound roll.
The pressure roller 84 also has axially spaced therealong, resilient
30 conical portions 102. Esch conical portion 102 on roller 84 provides a
cylindrical perimeter which presses against the feed roller 62 surface
to define a nip between these two rollers. As seen from Figure 8, the
two center conical portions 102 ride against the center section 64 of
the feed ro~ler while the conical sections outwardly of the eccentric
35 segments 94 ride on the end sections 66 of feed roller 62. An important
111S668
,9
feature of the location and positioning of the conical portions 102 rotating
with pressure roller 84 is that each conical portion faces inwardly toward
the mid-point of pressure roller 84. This performs a particular function
in acting to spread out the sheet material along the length of the nip
5 between feed roller 62 and pressure roller 84. Under the action of
springs 88 at each end of pressure roller 84 the conical portions 102
tend to be deflected at the nip between the rollers so that the cylindrical
perimeter is bent somewhat laterally away from the mid-point of roller
84. By reason of the conical portions facing inwardly toward the mid-
10 point of pressure roller 84 this deflection of the cylindrical perimetersof the portions 102 moves the perimeters axially outwardly which acts
on the sheet material passing between the nip of the rollers to spread
it outwardly toward the ends of pressure roller 84 thus encouraging the
sheet material to pass between feed roller 62 and pressure roller 84 in
15 a fully spread out, taut position.
Before considering other structures employed in effectively leading
the sheet material leaving the feed roller out of the dispenser housing
to be accessable to a user, discussion may be provided concerning the
function of the eccentric segments 94 forming a part of pressure roller
20 84 as best shown on Figures 7, 10, 11 and 12.
Referring to Figure 7, a substantially exhausted initial roll ER is
shown within a discard pocket P at the rear portion of the chassis 14
in front of rear wall 20 and above bottom wall 22. This roll ER would
have been the lowermost roll loaded into the dispenser with a reserve
25 roll still located above the lowermost roll and resting on the lowermost
roll surface in readiness to move into position once the lowermost roll
has become substantially exhausted. Thus, roll ER, with a limited
amount of sheet material still wound thereon, has moved down through
the tracks 26 and, after becoming substantially exhausted, its spindles
30 have moved beneath the inclined walls 45 at the lower ends of tracks
26 and over the surface of feed roller 62 to drop into the discard
pocket P. The web of sheet material is still being fed over the top
of feed roller 62 and between the nip of feed roller 62 and pressure
roller 84 with the web W exiting through the dispenser housing opening
35 24.
lllS~i68
-- 20 --
It will of course be understood that while the feed roller 62
continues its rotation under the action of withdrawing web W from the
opening 24 of the dispenser housing 10, the camming action under the
driving force of ststionary cam pockets 78 on cam followers 82 will
5 project and retract the knife 68 in accordance with the movements
illustrated on Figure 7. The projecting action of knife 68 will serve
to sever a length of web W for each rotation of feed roller 62 so that
the cut off length of sheet material may be withdrawn from the dispenser
cabinet by the intending user.
The structure of pressure ro~ler 84, incorporating spaced eccentric
segments 94 and conical portions 102, also is advantageous in cooperating
with the serrations of cutting knife 68. These knife serrations are
spaced to accommodate therebetween not only the eccentric segments
94 but also the conical resilient portions 102. This may be seen from
15 the phantom shown position of pressure roller 84 in Figure 1. By this
relationship between the cutting knife serrations and the eccentric
segments 94 and conical portions 102, it is possible to initiate camming
of the knife through the opening 70 in feed roller 62 commencing at
a point immediately before the nip of the feed and pressure rollers.
20 This is of course advantageous in that when the web of sheet material
is located between the two rollers, the conical portions 102 are acting
to spread the sheet material along the length of the pair of rollers and
the nip between the rollers holds the sheet material firmly in this spread
condition. As shown in Figure 7, the projection of the knife through
~5 the opening 70 immediately before the nip of the rollers permits the
outermost ends of the knife serrations to pass into the web of sheet
material and initially perforate it along the length of the pair of rollers.
At this time the rollers act to firmly hold the web of sheet material
against displacement. As the sheet material passes on through the nip,
30 the cam action on cam followers 82 continues to move the knife 68
outwardly~ When it passes the nip between rollers 62 and 84 it is
rapidly projected to complete severing of the web of sheet material for
removal from the dispensing cabinet. As previously mentioned, the
knife, under the control of the stationary cam pocket 78, is then rapidly
35 retracted back into the feed roller 62 in readiness, on the next revolution
S6~3
- 21 -
of such roller, to perform ~ subsequent web cutting action.
At this point, shown in Figure 7, the roll that WQS disposed
upwardly in the track as a reserve roll has moved down until in its
full position its spindles are engaging with the friction surfaces S0 of
5 the driving guides 46 on the opposite side walls 16 and 18 of the chQssis
14. The diameter of this reserve roll, which is now in readiness for
removal of sheet material therefrom and is thus in the dispensing
p~sition, is such that it not only rests and drivingly engages with the
surface of feed roller 62 but it also is of a sufficient diameter that
10 it will be engaged by the eccentric segments 94 on the pressure roller
84 as such roller rotates along with the feed roller 62. As the remaining
sheet material continues to be withdrawn from the substantially exhausted
roll ER in the discard pocket P, it continues to rotate the rollers in
passing through the nip therebetween, the withdrawing action occuring
15 either under the pull of a prospective user externally of the dispenser
or manually operated by the manual hand wheel 104 as will be described
subsequently.
The rotation of pressure roller 84 will carry the resiliently
deformable segments 94 around to bring them into frictional contact
20 Swith thel exterior of the fresh full roll in dispensing position which was
forma~y disposed upwardly in the dispenser cabinet as a reserve ro~l.
The surface engagement of this new full roll in the dispensing position
with the feed roller 62 and with rotation encouraged by its spindles
frictionally engaging with the surfaces 50 on the driving guides 46 within
25 the lower section of the tracks 26 causes rotation in a direction to
feed the loose free end of the sheet material onto the resilient segments
94 of the pressure roller 84.
Referring to Figures 10, 11 and 12, the action of the eccentric
segments 94 on the pressure ro1ler 84 will follow the action shown.
30 The feed roller 62 is rotating counterclockwise while pressure roller 84
is rotating clockwise with the web of sheet material passing between
the nip of these two rollers. The clockwise rotation, as shown in
Figures 10-12, has the effect as the eccentric segments 94 on the pressure
roller 84 move into frictional engagement with the outer free layer of
35 roll R of buckling this free end as rotation progresses between the three
1~1566~
- 22 -
elements, as shown in Figure 11. The web W at this point is still being
- withdrawn from the substantially exhausted roll ER in the discard pocket
P so that withdrawal of the web by a user tends to assure continued
rotation of the elements, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The buckling
5 action created by the eccentric segments 94, performing by use of
resilient fingers 96 in the embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11, carries
the buckling action to a point where the buckled sheet material web is
drawn positively and firmly into the nip between feed roller 62 and
pressure roller 84. As this action proceeds, the outer free end on the
10 new full roll is carried in double thickness between the rollers and fed
out through opening 24 in the dispenser housing 10. If the first brush
or frictional engagement of the eccentric segments 94 on pressure roller
84 does not effectively pick up the leading free end of the fresh new
f~l roll R, the elements will continue their rotation and successive
15 brushes or frictional engagements between the segments 94 and the outer
layer of sheet material on ro~l R will be repeated as the remainder of
sheet material is being withdrawn from the nearly exhausted roll ER in
discard pocket P.
Once the leading free end of web sheet material on the new roll
20 in dispensing position is picked up, several thicknesses of sheet material
may be fed from the dispenser for a period of time until the web sheet
material on roll ER is fully exhausted. Also there may be a period
where the double thickness coming from the buckled surface layer of
sheet material off of full roll R as shown in Figure 12 may be fed out
of the dispenser along with the remaining material on roll ER. However,
the action of eccentric segments 94 will effectively and positively pick
up and feed sheet material into the nip between the feed roller and
pressure roller from the new roll. Thus, this roll will be brought into
operation for dispensing from the unit.
The dispenser functions in such a manner that, at the end of
each cycle the leading end of the sheet material extends outwardly of
the dispenser cabinet, in order to be grasped by the user. The mechanism
for dispensing sheet material has means for measuring the length of
each segment of such material that is dispensed and stopping the
dispensing action at the end of this desired length. Also, manual feeding
`` ~11S668
- 23 -
is provided. The manual feeding mechanism and associsted components
are best shown on Figures 5 and 6.
The mechanism includes a manual feed wheel 104 mounted on the
end of feed roller 62 as shown more clearly in section on Figure 1.
5 Thus, a screw 106 is threaded into the end of feed roller 62 to securely
fasten the feed wheel 104 to rotate with such roller. The periphery of
feed wheel 104 is provided with alternating recesses 108 and projections
~0 to facilitate its rotation by the fingers of a user. Rotation of the
feed wheel 104 causes the feed roller 62 to rotate and cam the knife
10 68 outwardly and inwardly as previously described. A link 112 is pivotally
connected to a screw ~4 threaded into the feed wheel 104 at a point
radially offset and therefore eccentric to the axis of rotation of the
wheel formed by æcuring screw 106. A spring 116 is secured to the
opposite end of link lla while the upper end of spring 116 is fastened
15 at 118 to the side wall 16 of the chassis 14.
An anti-reverse pawl 120 is pivotally mounted on a screw 122
threaded into side wall 16 of the chassis 14. This pawl rides in the
recesses 108 of feed wheel 104 and prevents the feed wheel from rotating
clockwise as shown in Figure 5 and 6.
The spring 116, acting through link 112, pivotally connected by
screw 114 eccentrically of the rotation axis of feed wheel 104, provides
a torce assist to sever the sheet material so that the act of severing
the material is accomplished without the need of a user increasing his
pull upon the sheet material coming from the dispenser. During the
25 fir~t part of rotation of feed wheel 104, the spring 116 is tensioned as
the wheel moves counterclockwise as shown in Figures 5 and 6. After
the screw 114 paæes the lowermost point, opposite its position shown in
Pigure 5 or 180 from the position shown in Figure S, the spring 116
pulls upwardly, thus helping to rotate manual feed wheel 104 with roller
30 ~a and cam cutter 68 outwardly and then inwardly to perform the sheet
material severing operation.
The foregoing sets forth a detailed description of the dispenser
for wound roll tlexible sheet material of the invention, wherein multiple
ro11s of such material may be loaded into the dispenser and each roU
35 in succeæion have its web of sheet material picked up and fed from
lllS66~3
- a4 -
.
the dispenser. Also, a detailed descrlption of the cutting mechanism
of the invention has been set forth, this mechanism being adapted to
be used in the disclosed disp~e,nser although it is not restricted to use
solely therein. It certainly Yto be recognized that various modi~ications
5 of both the dispenser and the cutting mechanism of the invention may
,~ occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the invention
- is to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
