Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTIPLE ~YOUND ROLL DISPENSER AND CUTTER MECHANISM FQR
USE THEREIN
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This invention relates to dispensers for wound rolls of flexible
sheet material and particularly to dispensers for rolls of paper towels,
tissue paper, and the like, wherein each roll has supporting spindles
pro~ecting 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 Qf flexible sheet material from wound
rolls wherein multiple rolls can be retained for dispensing from each
roll in sùccession with precision in unwinding the material 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 accessibi?Uty to the sheet material exteriorly of
the dispenser housing. Importantly, the invention also involves a
mechanism adapted to be used within dispensers for cuttin~ a web of
flexible sheet material into individual lengths of the material.
Numerous web dispensing constructions are known in the prior art
nnd employed in commercial use where a paper towel dispenser, for
example, is mounted on a wall in a locntion where towel availability is
desired. Considering the large number of such dispensers employed in
m~ny commercial installations SUCIl as factories, office buildings,
20 institutions, etc., more and more attention has been devoted to
consideration of the substantial expense in time nnd labor required in
replenishing the exhausted wound rolls in such dispensers, particularly
where a single roll is the limit of cnpability to be housed within ench
dispenser unit.
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Accordingly, many structures have been developed to accommodate
mul~iple rolls of wound sheet material so that the individual dispenser
need only be replenished when the entire co~plel~nt 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 housin~, the adYent of dispensers accommodatin~ 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 OI 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 automatica~ly in the absence
~0 of an attendant having to return to the dispenser 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
~5 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. Whereas
attempts in development of multiple roIl 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 understood and adaptable to easy loadin~
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by attendants who could become confused with structures involving
complicated dispensing mechanisms 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
5 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 knif e as the knif e rotates past the roller. The
web of flexible sheet material is passed between the roller and the
knife to be perforated or severed when the radially outward knife portion
15 enters the slot in the ro~ler.
Such perforating or severing mechanisms are satisfactory for
perforating or severing relatively unstretchable flexible sheet materials
such as uncreped paper toweling. Elowever, 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 knif e instead of being perforated or
severed thereby. Although precisialrotary shears are also known which
could be employed for obviating this problem, such shears are much too
2 5 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 housing on supporting
spindles projecting outwardly from both roll core ends. ~wardly 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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Additionally, 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 disp ?sed 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 xterior 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 ns the sheet material passes between the nip of the rollers.
The above referred to inwardly facin~ 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
inwRrdly toward the center line of the track, this guide being disposed
20 on the lo~ver 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 tracksO
The lo~ver end sec tion of each track need not necessarily be slanted as
25 above mentioned but should have the inwardly biased guide disposed on
the side of the track disposed in the direction that t~e sheet material
will be dra~vn 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 defor.mable segments on the pressure roller project eccentrically outwardly
throu~hout a part of the periphery of the pressure roller and nre
positioned so thflt 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 ~ ill move ~ainst the lcading frec cnd 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 conieal 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 îree 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 knife relative to the opening in the feed roller and the activating
c~ms 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 ro~ler and pressure roller. There
serrations are spaced to enter between the eccentric segments and
conical resilient portions carried 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
chnssis and a rotntably mounted feed roller on the chassis over which
the web of material passes. 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 displaccd from the pivot mounting axis of the knife and
station~ry cams are mounted adjacent the ends of the feed roller with
35 which the cam followcrs on the knife engage to positivcly project and
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retract the knife cutting edge upon rota-tion 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 mDunting 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 prnvide for inter-
engaging feed and pressure r~llers 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 provide a pressure
roll in accordanoe with the abo~e ~bject wherein resilient means are
carried spaced along the length of the roll to promote, incident rota-
tion 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 provide a dispen-
ser having opposite inwardly facing tracks to receive the spindles of
rolls to be dispensed from the dispenser where a lcwer end section of
each track carries a guide means which is biased inwa~dly tcwar~ the
center of the track to offer a friction surfaoe 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 emoloy a slanting lower end
section of each track which slants away from the axis of a feed roller
25 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 provide a dis-
penser in accordanoe with the above objects wherein one roll spindle
has a peripheral groove spa oe d inwardly from the outermDst end of the
30 spindle and one track has flange means through which t~e grcove passes
when the spindle is lowered into the dispenser tracks such that proper
loading direction-wise for the r~ll within the dispenser is assured.
An dbject of an aspect of the invention is to pr~vide a flex-
ible sheet material dispen æ r having a mechanism for effecti~ely cut-
ting a web of flexible sheet material being rem~ved from a r~11 with-
in the dispenser.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to provide a
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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 cut~ing knife is
pivotally mounted within a feed roller and stationary cam exter-
nal of the feed roller operate to positively project and re-
tract the cutting Xnife incident rotation of the feed roller,
as a further object of an aspect of the invention.
It is an object of an aspect of the invention to
provide a flexible sheet material dispenser having a web cut-
ting mechanism which dispenser is compact, rugged and economi-
cal to manufacture and that is ideally suited for both com-
merical and private installations.
An aspect of the invention is as follows:
A dispenser for wound rolls of flexible sheet
material comprising; a housing, means mounted within said
housing for rotatably supporting a roll therein, a feed
roller rotatably mounted within said housing, and a
pressure roller rotatably mounted within said housing and
engaging said feed roller, said feed and pressure rollers
defining a nip therebetween through which sheet material
passes; characterized by said pressure roller including
means at spaced apart locations along the length of said
pressure roller for urging the sheet material axially
outwardly of said feed roller to spread the material
along the surface of said feed roller as the material
passes through said nip.
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 con-
nection with the following described drawings which form a
part of this invention.
Figure 1 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 1.
Figure 3 is a view, partly in section, taken on
line 3-3 of Figure 2.
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Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a roll
mounting spindle relative to one of the inwardly facing tracks
which are located on the opposite inner side walls of the dis-
penser 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 dis-
penser mechanism in a position where web material dispensing 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 cutting 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, witll 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 sllowing the relationship of the
feed roller and pressure rRller 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 n view similar to Figure 10 but showing the pressure
roller buckling the free end of the web material on a full ro~l to be
fed ~etween 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 l oll 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 1~ is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment for
a resiliently deformable eccentric segment to that shown in Figure 130
Figure 15 is a sectional view of the front portion of the dispenser
showing the cuttin~ mechanism within the cllassis in relation to a roll
of flexible sheet material.
~igure 16 is a sectional view taken on line 16-16 of Figure 15O
Figure 17 is an elevational view taken on line 17-17 of Figure 16.
~5 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 partiy 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 complcte wound roll dispenser is stlown in Figure 1 ~lS 11
multiple roll dispenser provided with a housing 10 made up of a cover
12, thc lower portion bcin~ removed to expose the inner workings of
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the dispenser, a chassis 14 which providcs inner side walls lfi and 18 and
a back wall 20. A bottom waU 22 is also provided l)y chassis 14 as
part of the dispenser housing 10, as best seen in Figure 7. An elongated
opening 2~ across a major portion of the width of the dispenser housing
S 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 tracl~ 26, these being shown in
10 section on Figure 2 and one track, shown in perspective on Figure 4,
as carried by side wall 18. Side wall tracks 26 face inwardly to receive
therein the spindles projecting outwardly from the core C of wound roll
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 housirlg 10~ These inwardly
inclined portions 28 of the tracks 26 engage the ends of the spindle
extending outwardly from the ends OI the core C of roll R adjacent
the forward periphery of each spindle end as seen in Figure 2. Thus,
as a roll I~ moves down within tracks 26, engagement of the forward
20 end portions of the spindles by inclined portions 28 tends to rotate the
roL~ 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 ro11 from unwinding its sheet material
prior to the lowermost roll being substantially e:chausted 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 cnd thereof and fins
34 extendin~ outwardly from the cylindrical surfacc of mandrel 30.
These fins 34 mate with slots formcd extending outwardly through the
35 roll core C into the wound sheet material to kcy thc mandrel 30 nnd
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roll R positively togethcr. A large cylindric~l 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 pcripheral groove 40 inwQrdly of its outermost endO
S 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
10 throllgh the track having flanges 4~ is that proper loading of the roll
within the dispenser is assured so that only one mandrel endJ namely9
the proper end of the roll~ passes downwardly into this track 26. Spindle
36 ~vithout a groove 40, at the opposite end of the roll would not be
able to enter the track 26 having flMges 42 and thus the ro~l must be
inserted in loading the dispenser with spindle 3~ only in the track 26
carried by wa~l 16. The keying by menns 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 slallts 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 tlle axis
of the feed roller described below such thnt the slanting section of
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 4~ and a pivotalty mounted driving guide 46 pivotally mounted
nt 48 to th~ lower end of the track. Each driving guide 46 provides
30 a friction surface 50 forming the lower track wnll of the slanting section
guide 4&, as a whole, slanting away from the main track lcngth. The
~per end of friction surface 50 on ench guide 46 has a projection 52
with nn inclined cam aren 54 extending therenbove. Each guide 46 is
biased inwardly toward the center of the track 26 by a spring 56
35 mounted on a sui~able stationary stud 58. One end of spring 5G presses
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against n stationary WR]l of the part forming track 26 while the other
end of spring 56 engages in and presses against the outer waU 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 substantially e~hausted of sheet material, as will be described in more
detail hereinafter.
The driving guide 46 is normally biased by spring 56 to pivot
10 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 traclc 2~ it will
engage this cnm 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 lmder the action of the perimeter
of R 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 hi~h 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 pivotaUy 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
3û of the tracks are slanted, as illustrated and described in the preferred
embodiment9 the inclined friction surface 50, forming the lower side of
thc slanted track section, in and of itself, promotes the perimeter of
the spindles to press ~Irmly against this surface 50 and rotnte. The
pressure of the spindles agninst the stationary slanted wall 4~, which is
35 the upper wall of the slanted tro.ck section is lessened io such
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construction.
The force of pulling the web of sheet matcrinl off of a roll in
the dispensing opcration ndds a further force dra~ving thc spindles which
carry the roll firmly against the inclined surface 50. Thus this force
5 furthcr 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 ma~erial from the roll incident dispensing, while
pressing the spindles more firmly against the surface of driving guides
~6, lightens or even frees engagement of the spindle perimeter from
10 the stationary wall 44.
Even where the track is straight throughout its length, without a
slnnted lower section, the action of a spring biased driving guide pivotally
mounted in the tr~ck lower section adjacent the upper end o~ the feed
roller is advantageous. By renson of its locating such guide on the side
15 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 piYotally 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 whicll the web is to be unwound from the roll during
dispensing contributes to effective and easy dispensing of sheet material
from the roL
A feed roller 62 is rotatably mounted within the dispenser housing
25 10 adjacent the lower end thereof for a roU 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
nnd is made up of several axially spaced cylindrical sections including
n center section 6-~ and two end sections 66, the l~tter having their
30 outer ends closed by end caps 67. Each of the feed roller sections
has a cavity therein to provide nn interior space within and along the
length of the feed roller 62 which accommodntes a serrated cutting
knife 68. Feed rollcr sections 64 and 66 arc slotted to proYidc an
elongnted externnl opcning 70 on the periphery of the feed roller 6~.
35 Shnft ends 72 project from thc opposite cn(i caps fi7 of feed rollcr 62
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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 18 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 of feed ro~ler 62 with which it is associated. This pocket 78 has
1 0 ap~y~ylindrical 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 par~cylindrical portion to form pocket 78 into an endless cam
1 5 configuration.
The serrated eutting 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 eàch 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 829 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
t 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 ro~ler rotates in dispensing sheet material from
a wound roll. Incident this rotation of roller 62, knife 68 projects
outwardly, 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 ~igures 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 ro~ler 64 is,
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in the instant invention9 disposed to obtain a preferred action relative
to other components of ~he structure which will now be described.
For ease in description of the speeific structure illustrated in
Figures 15-20 the reference numerals have been given from a 100 or
5 100' series.
Referring to Figure 15 the dispenser 110' has a chassis ~12', only
a part of which is shown in Figure 15. The chassis has 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 718~ and then down and out
through opening 114'. A pinch roller 120' mo~mted on a shaft 122' is
spring biased into engagement with the exterior of feed roller 1I8' with
15 the web W of flexible sheet mate~ial passing between the pinch roller
and the feed roll er.
The feed roller ~18' is rotatably mounted within the chassis 112~
of the dispenser on stub shaft 124 and 126 with stub shaf~ 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 118' has pivotally mounted there within a knife
130, the structure of the knife being shown in Figure 18. The Icnife is
mounted to swing about an axis which is laterally displaced from the
~5 plane of the cutting edge 134 of the knife. The feed roller 118' has
an opening 132 formed in the periphery of the feed ro)ler 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. P~roken
line L on Pigure 15 shows the path 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 removal 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
3S each end of the knife 130 providing a pivot axis which is displaced from
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the plane of kniîe 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
ro~ler 118' to support the knife 130 so as to be swingable about an axis
5 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 the feed roller 118' is achieved by the
cam fo~lowers 138 engaging in stationary plate cams 142, one such cam
being mounted within the chassis 112' adjacent each end of feed ro~ler
1 Q 118~
The configuration of each plate cam 142 is shown in Figure 17.
It has a pocket 144 of substantially uniform width throughout its length
to receive one cam follower 138. ~ each case the pocket 144 opens
toward the end of the feed roller 118' as . shown in Figure 16. The
15 pocket 144 in each plate cam 142 has a~ 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
~n outwardly curved portion 148 extending away from the axis of the
feed roller 118'. This latter portion is joined at its ends with the ends
20 of the Ea~cylindrical portion 146 to form pocket 144 into an endless
cam configuration to actuate one cam follower 138 upon rotation of
feed roller ~8'.
On Figure 15 broken line circle C shows the path of movement
of the mounting stubs 136 of knif e 130 as the feed roller 118' rotates.
25 This figure also illustrates four successive positions for the axis of stubs
136 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 fo~lowers 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 bçyond the periphery of feed
roller 118' immediately beyond the point of engagement of pinch roller
120' with feed roller ~18'.
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
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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 roll er 118'.
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-center from the rotation axis of feed wheel 128 and feed
roller 118'. It will be readily understood that during rotation of feed
wheel 128 and feed roller 118t 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
further 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
spaced at each of its ends from the inner ends of the two end sectiarls
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 82, these sections may all have the peripheral surfaces thereof
provided l,vith 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 wound roll within
the dispenser and feeding the sheet material off of the ro~l to the
dispenser outlet opening 24, the center section 64 may have a rubber
surface. The exterior cylindrical surfaces of all feed ro~ler 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
35 which drive the knife out and retract it back within the roller 62 ~;
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function to project the l~nife 68 in the pattern of movements shown on
Figure 7. Thus, in the instant invcntion, the knife 68 as it is initially
cammed out through the opening 70 commences at a point immcdiately
before the nip of feed ro~ler 62 formed in conjunction ~ith n pressure
5 roller 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
lines on Figure 7. While the knife is quickly projected out through the
10 opening 70 of roller 62 to effectively sever the web ~Y of sheet material
the knife is also rapidly withdrawn or retracted back into the roller 62
ns it moves through the positions under the control of the configuration
of cam pockets 78 within which the cam followers 82 follow.
The construction o the pressure roller 84 may best be seen in
15 the perspec tive view of Figure 8. Roller 84 is rotatably mounted in
bearing blocks 86, one such bearing block receiving an end of roller 8~
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
1~ forming a part of the dispenser housing 10. The slots in the side
20 walls 16 and 18 are oriented generally radially relative to the rotation
a~is 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 roll er 62 by the bearing blocks 86 at
25 ench end`of rolter 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
cnrried thcreby 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 wllile the mid-portion of each spring 88 is
suitably supported on a stud g2, also carried by cach wall 16 and 18
(see Figures 5 and 6).
Secured to pressure roller 84 are a pair of spaced resiliently
dcformable segmcnts 94. Each scgmcnt is ecccntric and resiliently
35 dcformable rclative to the roller 84 axis. In thc cmbodiment illustrated
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in Figures 8 nnd 139 the resilient segment is formed by a plurality of
radiating resilient fingers 96. It wi~ be seen that thcse elements
rotating with pressure roller 84 move with such roller so that the
outwardly projecting resilient segments 94 which are eccentric with thc
5 axis of roller 84 may pass within the spaces provided between each
end of section 64 and cnd sections 66 of the feed roller 62.
Whereas in Figures 7 8 and 10-13 the resiliently dcformable
segment 9d~ have been shown formed by the radiating resilient fingers
96 another embodiment which may be employed is shown in Figure 14.
10 In this embodiment tlle resiliently deformable segment is formed by an
outwardly projectin~ 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 tile resilient
generally radiating fingers 98 function for the embodiment shown in
Figure 13. This will be described in more detail with reference to the
action shos~n being carried out in Figures lO 11 and 120 AS further
shown on Figure 1~ the outwardly projecting arcuate wall 98 may be
20 reinforced by providing radial webs 100 e~tending 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
mnterial 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 a~ially spaced therealong resilient
30 conical portions 102. Ench conical portion 102 on roller 84 provides a
cylindrical perimeter which presses against the feed roller 62 surfnce
to define a nip between these two rollers. As seen from Figllre 8 the
two center conical portions 102 ride ngainst the ccnter section 64 of
the feed roller while the conical sections outwnrdly of the eccentric
35 scgmcnts 94. ride on the end sections 66 of feed rollcr G2. An important
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l~eature of Ihe location and positioning of the conical portions 102 rotnting
with pressure roller 84 is thnt each conical portion faces inwflrdly toward
the mid-point of pressure roller 84. This pcrforms 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 ~4. Under the action of
springs 88 at each end of pressure roller 84 the conical portions 102
tend to be deQected at the nip between the rollers so that the cylindrical
perimeter is bent somewhat laterully away from the mid-point of roller
8~. 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 ncts
on the sheet material passing between the nip of the rollers to spread
it outwardly toward the ends of pressure roll er 84 thus encouraging the
sheet mnterial 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 lending
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
2 0 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 ront of rear wall 20 and above bottom wall 22. This roll ER would
have been the lo~Yermo~st 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 nt 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 rollcr 62 and pressure
roller 84 with the web W exiting through the dispenser housing opening
35 24.
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It will of course be undcrstood that while the feed roller 62
continucs its rot~tion under the action of withdr~wing web W from the
opening 2~ of the dispenser housing 10, the camming action undcr the
driving force of stationary cam pocke~s 78 on c~m followers 82 will
S project and retract the knife 68 in accordance with the movemcnts
i~lustrated on Figure 7. The projecting action of knife 68 will serve
to sever a length of web ~Y 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 intendillg user.
The structllre of pressure roller 84, incorporating spaced eccentric
segments 94 nnd conical portions 102, also is advantageous in coopernting
with the serrations of cutting knife 68. These knife serrations are
spaced to accommodatc therebetween not only the eccentric segments
94 but also the conical resilient portions 102. This may bè 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 Ls possible to initiate camming
of the knife through the opening 70 in feed roller 62 commencing at
a point im mediately before the nip of the feed and pressure ro~lers.
~0 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
25 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 nnd initially perforatè it Rlong the length of the pair of rollers
At this time the rollers act to firmly hold the web of sheet material
agflinSt 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. ~Yhen it passes the nip betwecn rollers 62 and 84 it is
rapidly projected to complete severing of the wcb of sheet material for
removal from the dispensing cabinct. As previously mcntioned, the
knife, under the control of thc stationary cum pocket 78, is thcn rflpidly
35 retractcd back inta the leed rollcr ~2 in re~ldiness, on the nc~t revolution
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of such roIler, to perform a subsequent web cutting action.
At this point, shown in Figure 7, the roll that was 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 50 of
5 the driving guides 46 on the opposite side walls 16 and 18 of the chassis
14. The diameter of this reserve roll, which is now in readiness for
removal of sheet material therefrom and is thus in the dispensing
position, 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 ro~ler 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 with the exterior of the fresh full roll in dispensing position which was
i~m3rly disposed upwardly in the dispenser cabinet as a reserve roll.
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 roller 84 will follow the action shown.
30 The fe~d 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
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elements, as shown in Figure ll. The web ~ ut this point is still being
withdrawn from the substantially e~ austed 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 l0 and ll. The buckling
5 action created by the eccentric segments 94, performing by use of
resilient fingers 96 in the embodiment shown in Figures l0 and ll, carries
the buckling action to R point where the buckled sheet material web is
drawn positively and firmly into the nip between feed roller 62 and
pressure roller 8~1. As this action proceeds, the outer free end on the
10 n~w full roll is carried in double thickness between the rollers and fed
out through opening 2~ in the dispcnser housing 10. If the first brush
or frictional engagement of the eccentric segments 94 on pre~ssure roller
8~ does not effectively pick up the leading free end of the fresh new
fuU roll R, the elements will continue their rotation and successive
15 brushes or frictional engagements between the segments 94 and the outer
lnyer of sheet material on roll R will be repeated as the remainder of
sheet material is being withdrawn from the nearly exhausted ro~l 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 slleet
material on roll ER is fully exhausted. Also there may be a period
~Yhere tlle double thickness coming from the buckled surface layer of
sheet material off of full ro~l R as sho~vn in Figure 12 may be fed out
25 of the dispenser nlong with the remaining material on roll ER. However,
the action of eccentric segments 9~1 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, t}liS 1'01l will be brought into
operation for dispensing from the unit.
The dispenser functions in such a manner that, at the end of
e~ch cycle the leading end of the sheet material extends outwnrdly of
the dispenser cabinet, in ordcr to be grnsped by thc user. The mechanism
for dispensing sheet material hns means for mcnsuring the length of
each segment of such material thnt is dispensed and stopping the
35 dispcnsing action at thc end of this dcsired length. Also, manual fecdin~
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is provided. The manual feeding mechnnism and associated componcnts
are best shown on Figures S and 6.
The mechanism includes a manual feed wheel 104 mounted on the
end of feed rollcr 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
110 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
68 outwardly and inwardly RS previously described. A link 112 is pivotally
conllected to a screw 11~ threaded into the feed whecl 104 at a point
rndially offset and therefore eccentric to the axis of rotation of the
wheel formed by securing screw 106. ~ spring 116 is secured to the
opposite end of link 112 while the upper end of spring 116 is fastened
at 1l 8 to the side wall 16 OI the chassis 14.
An Mti-reverSe pawl 120 is pivotally mounted on a screw 122
thre~qded into side wall 16 of the chassis 1~. 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.
2Q The spring 1l6~ acting through link 112, pivotally connected by
screw U4 eccentrically of the rotation axis of feed wheel 104~ provides
a force assist to sever the sheet material so that the act of severing
the mRterial is accomplished without the need of a user increasing his
pull upon the sheet material coming from the dispenser. During the
first pnrt of rotntion 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 passes the lowermost point, opposite its position shown in
Figure 5 or 180 from the position shown in Fi~ure 5, the spring 116
pulls upwardly, thus helping to rotate manual feed wheel 104 with roller
30 62 and cam cutter 68 outwardly and then inwardly to perform the sheet
material severing operation.
The foregoing sets forth a dctailed dcscription of the dispenser
for wound roll fle~ible sheet material of tlle invention, wherein multiple
rolls of such m~lteri~l mny bc londed into thc dispenser and each roll
35 in succcssion have its web of sheet material picked up and fed from
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the dispenser. Also, a detailed description of the cutting mechanism
of the invention has been set forth, this mechanism being adapted to
be used in the disclosed dispenser although it is not restricted to use
solely therein. It certainly is to be recognized that various mcdifications
5 of both the dispenser and the cutting mechanism of the invention may
occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the seope of the invention
is to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
