FI58258C - HANDDUKSUTMATNINGSANORDNING - Google Patents

Description

ΓβΊ «CUULUTUSjULKA.SU CO ^ CÖ jgSr · -W (11) UTLÄGGNINGSSKIIIFT OOZ ^ Ö C p3 ΐ" τ. V4-1 in y ίπ ^ - i, · +. Y I0 01 1001 P 5t ^ π t ή ^ ld $ 1 o. ti

Vs (51) Kv.lk3 / lnt.C1.3 A 47 K 10/28 ENGLISH I - FI N LAN D (21) P »Mnttlh« k «mit - Pttwrtmeknini 1324 / T1 * (22) H» k «mlspllvt - An * öknlng »d» g 30.0 ^.? ^ (23) Alkupllvl — Gitelghatidai 30.0 ^ .7 ^ (41) Tullut julklMktl - Bltvlt ofUntllg 31.10.7 ^

Patent · And the National Board of Registration (44) NlhtivUsIpvwn] t kuLfutkalsun pvm. -

Patent and registration authorities Anattku utltgd och uti.tkrift «n public ·» * 30.09 · oO

(32) (33) (31) Required «Begird prlorltet 30.0 ^ .73 USA (US) 3560 ^ 2 ^ (71) Steiner Company Lausanne S.A., no. 5 Avenue Jurigoz, Lausanne, Switzerland

This invention relates to dispensing mechanisms and, in particular, to improvements in the construction and operation of towel dispensers which are used in the manufacture and operation of towel dispensers. improvements - can be particularly well used and incorporated into durable towel dispensers, where the towel becomes available to the user in the form of a loop, most often located below the dispensing structure.These dispensing --- use feeding, measuring, operating and receiving rollers to dispense towel parts and dispose of soiled towels. for retraction by means of a storage energy roller, whereby the control means control the operation of the rollers.

Towel dispensers of the type described dispense a certain length of towel portion from the cabinet when the user draws water from the loop and uses a divided, clean portion for wiping, and the previously used portion is drawn inside the cabinet.

Napkin-type towel dispenser cabinets and devices have previously used a dispenser cabinet with a clean towel feed roller ✓ 2 58258 and where the length of the towel itself can be up to 45.7 meters. The clean towel roll is suitably supported in the dispenser cabinet for rotational or rolling rotation so that a clean towel can be gradually fed from the roll. In these dispensers, a clean towel is usually fed out of the front of the cabinet into a towel loop, which hangs under the cabinet structure, whereby the front or front branch of the loop is available to the user in a so-called the operating position and the loop have a rear branch which extends upwards into the cabinet structure of the dispenser and passes upwards through a suitable opening in the bottom of the cabinet near its rear part. In these prior dispensers, such as those described in Applicant's earlier U.S. Patent No. 3 * 502,583, the user pulls out a clean towel from this stock by grasping the front leg of the hanging loop, which he pulls down.

The soiled towel loop is automatically pulled out of the ~ operating position after the user has completed the drying, thus avoiding a visible, unpleasant-looking, soiled towel and the next user not using the previously used towel. The arrangement is such that the next user of the device can only grasp the clean towel before pulling even more clean towel out of the device, and while the user pulls out the clean cloth, he can also pull out part of the previously used towel in the retracted storage position inside the device, so that the loop hanging under the device then consists of a clean and new cloth on the front leg and at least part of the back leg of the loop consists of a used cloth, the soiled part of the loop being at the top of the back leg of the loop where it is unlikely to be used by the user. -

The towel dispenser of U.S. Pat. No. 3 * 502,383 uses means for picking up a soiled towel at the same time as, but faster than, dispensing a clean cloth and in which taking up of the used cloth is interrupted if the length of the towel loop decreases below a predetermined length. so that the net length of the loop remains substantially the same. However, this loop, which remained the same length, required a complex mechanism with several drawbacks. This mechanism included several rollers, above and below which the used cloth was carried in a curved path, with some rollers being movable relative to others to change the length of the curved path. During each dispensing operation, the storage roll of the cloth used received part of the used cloth in the curved track and part was pulled out into the visible part of the 5 58258 loop, shortening the curved track and moving the moving rollers to the locked position just near the other rollers. The moving rollers remained in this locked position until the time of the time-stop mechanism had elapsed, at which point the moving rollers were released and fell out of the locked position by gravity to extend the tortuous path and pull the used cloth from the loop up into the housing.

However, users of dispensers often found that the available part of the towel loops gradually lengthened or shortened during successive operations of the device because towels made of different materials or having different surfaces interacted differently with the dosing rollers and receiving drive rollers, causing varying degrees of slippage, and the length of the cloth varied in use due to the wetting and drying of the fabrics. For example, if the cloth was shortened or contracted in use, this limited the amount of towel cloth that could be pulled up to the curved track, thus limiting the distance that the moving rollers could fall. During subsequent dispensing operations, the part in the curved path of the soiled towel was long enough to be pulled into a visible loop and still have a portion on the spare roll of the same length as the dispensing roll, locking the dispensing mechanism before dispensing the desired amount of clean. cloth.

If, on the other hand, the cloth stretched or lengthened in use, it accumulated outside the housing and extended the visible loop because the dimensions of the housing limited the distance that the moving rollers could fall, and thus the length of the winding track.

~ As a result of such an extension, or because the user pulled a clean cloth from the device without pulling the used cloth from a winding track, it was further possible that during the dispensing operation, the moving rollers ^ did not move all the way up to their locked position. As soon as the user removed the clean cloth, the moving rollers therefore fell back and pulled the used cloth up into a winding path before the user had time to use the cloth.

Another disadvantage of this dispensing device was that when the stock of clean cloth was exhausted, the movable arm mechanism often did not fall far enough to pull the rear end of the used cloth completely inside the housing.

Therefore, it was considered desirable to use a machine-operated soiled cloth receiving mechanism with a capacity sufficient to receive any amount of 4,525,88 extended wipes and to fully retract the rear end of the used towel roll and which would not malfunction if the user fails to pull the correct amount of used cloth out. loop during distribution. In addition, a mechanism was desired in which the part of the cloth taken on the storage roll during each distribution operation would not depend on how much used cloth has accumulated in the housing in front of the storage roll.

U.S. Patent No. 1,993 * 882 discloses a towel dispenser having a receiving mechanism operated by a compression spring that retracts the rear end of a used cloth store. However, the known spring-operated device was designed to operate only at the end of the cloth roll to pull up only the last part of the visible, used cloth loop and did not operate during each dispensing cycle. Moreover, this known device did not pull the rear end of the used cloth stock completely up into the dispensing device, but instead pulled the end of the loop up firmly against the bottom of the device. The caregiver then had to remove the end of the cloth from the housing and rewind it manually onto the storage roll and then tune the spring-receiving mechanism by hand.

British Patent No.: 1,137 * 003 discloses a towel dispenser in which a used cloth was collected on a storage roll while dispensing a clean cloth, which distribution operation at the same time pulled a helical spring motor connected to a take-up roll which was prevented from rotating by a latch during dispensing. When the user released the clean cloth after pulling it out of the housing, the take-up roll latch opened and, when operated by the pulled spring motor, it received the used cloth into the collection area in the housing to collect it on the storage roll during the next delivery.

However, when using the device of the British patent, the user worked all the time against the take-up reel used by the spring, as he immediately stopped pulling the clean cloth from the cabinet, immediately pulled the take-up reel from the loop of the used cloth into the housing. Thus, the user had to pull on the clean cloth at all times during use to prevent the receiving mechanism from pulling out the cloth loop. Moreover, the British patent did not contain any means of preventing the spring motor from being pulled too tight.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a towel dispenser in which these disadvantages of the prior art are avoided. The present invention provides a spring motor driven soiled cloth receiving device that operates after the time stop of the time stop device 580258 to pick up a visible, used cloth loop in a used cloth cloth collection chamber in a closet. The invention is designed to take into account any possible lengthening or shortening of the visible cloth loop during use and to ensure complete retraction of the rear end of the used cloth store using a simple, economical and trouble-free mechanism.

According to the invention, said problems are solved by an arrangement characterized in that the adjusting means comprises a time-stopping mechanism known per se for controlling the intervals between successive functions of the measuring roller and the start of the energy storage roller, the energy storage roller connected to the take-up reel. which also supports the vertical part of the cloth used and leads it to said chamber when the time-stop mechanism is triggered.

The arrangement and mode of operation of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 to 19 show an embodiment of the invention and Figures 20 to 2k show another embodiment and in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a napkin type towel. a dispensing device constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, implementing the features thereof, the dispensing device being displayed in its normal operating state and the cloth loop shown in its operating position below the device in broken lines; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view in vertical cross-section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with parts of the mechanism side plate cut away to show the drive mechanism more clearly and the lifting roller and its clutch mechanism shown in broken lines; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the towel dispenser of Fig. 2 with the lid in the open position and partially cut off; Fig. 1+ shows a further enlarged, fragmentary side sectional view of the right side plate of the dispenser mechanism of Fig. 1, showing the time stop mechanism as a vertical sectional view from the sides; Fig. 5 shows a further enlarged, fragmentary view in vertical cross-section along the line 5-5 of Fig. U showing a part of the time-stop mechanism; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged, fragmentary view in a vertical cross section 6 58258 along line 6-6 of Fig. 3 showing the drive mechanism and the clutch mechanism for the lifting grate; Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6 showing the spring motor and its connection to the drive roller collecting the used cloth; Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the drive roller collecting the used cloth, showing the protrusions thereof, which are connected to the spring motor of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7 showing the coil spring of the spring motor and the clutch coil in the normal rest position prior to the start of the dispensing operation; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the spring motor in the retracted state after dispensing and before the end of the time set by the time-stop mechanism; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the spring motor in the fully retracted position after the dispensing sequence, showing the clutch coil pulled away from the spring motor to show the operation of the slider; Fig. 12 shows a view similar to Fig. 9 and with the coil spring removed to show the structure of the spring stem more clearly and showing an alternative friction cladding on the inside of the housing which cooperates with the clutch coil; Fig. 13 shows a fragmentary perspective view of a first way of connecting a motor spring to a clutch coil with a rivet; Fig. 14 shows a view similar to Fig. 13 showing an alternative way of connecting the motor spring to the clutch coil; Fig. 13 shows a schematic, vertical cross-sectional view of the towel dispenser of Fig. 1 with the right side of the cabinet removed to show the position of the main parts of the device in the normal state before the dispensing operation is started; Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 * but schematically shows the interior of the dispenser when the user removes the entire cloth loop from the cabinet for use and before the set time of the time-stop mechanism has elapsed; Fig. 17 shows a view similar to Fig. 16, but showing the parts of the dispenser after the time of the time-stop device has elapsed and the parts of the dispenser have moved back to the normal rest positions shown in Fig. 15, during which movement the cloth loops occur. retraction; Fig. 1β shows a view similar to Fig. 17 »but showing the cloth loop fully retracted into the collection chamber and the parts in place for the start of the next dispensing operation; Fig. 19 is an enlarged, schematic view similar to Fig. 15, but showing the side plates of the mechanism facing forward in the loading mode for loading a new clean towel storage roll onto the clean towel base, and showing the path of the cloth when loading the mechanism; Fig. 20 is a side elevational view of a towel dispenser constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the features of which are embodied therein, and the cabinet is shown in its normal operating position and the linen path shown in broken lines below the device in its normal operating position; Fig. 21 is an enlarged vertical sectional view Fig. 22 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 of Fig. 21 and a cross-sectional view of the towel dispenser with the front of the cabinet on the left and showing the internal mechanism of the device, the parts of the lifting roller and the clutch mechanism located in the right part of the device shown in broken lines; parts of the towel breaker and guard to show the mechanism more clearlyf Fig. 23 shows a reduced, schematic view in a vertical cross-section similar to Fig. 21, showing the path of the cloth and its accumulation in the collection chamber; and Fig. 24 shows a view similar to Fig. 23, but with the cabinet lid open and the mechanism turned outwards to a loading position which facilitates the insertion of a new, clean towel storage roll into the dispenser.

Referring to the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1-19, the structure and operation thereof will now be described. * Much of the mechanism of the device is similar to the previously described form, and therefore these similar parts are described only as much as is necessary to understand the invention.

According to the drawings, a towel dispenser according to the invention is a dispenser cabinet 100 which is approximately box-shaped and is provided to supply clean towel 50 from the storage position to the drive and from the used cloth storage chamber to the used cloth storage position, as shown schematically in Figures 2 and 15. Figures 8 58258 2 and 15 show that the clean towel is in the form of a feed roll in the lower part of the dispensing cabinet 100, below which a clean towel piece 52 is pulled through the dispensing mechanism 100 and down to the operating position past the spacer 125, the side edges 52 and 54 of which 52 in positions where they can be grasped by the user below the spacer 125 »behind or on the right side of the clean towel piece 52 a piece of cloth 55» is exposed which is exposed below the cabinet 100 but which is located in the channel 115 below it so that the piece 55 is hidden so that the user does not accidentally touch it. Extending from the rear end of the used towel piece 55 extends the vertical section 56 of the used cloth upwards into the dispensing cabinet 100 at its rear passing over the lifting or pick-up roll 135 and associated with the U-shaped section 57 »of the used cloth extending downwards into the used cloth collection chamber 160 and up it is connected to the end piece 5Θ of the used cloth, which extends below the storage roll 59 of the used cloth, which roller is at the top of the distribution cabinet 100.

The distribution cabinet 100 comprises in detail two side walls 101 and 102 molded of plastic or metal or other suitable material and having the general shape and similar structure shown in Figures 1 and 3, except that one is a mirror image of the other. The side walls 101 and 102 are joined together vertically by a metal rear wall along the rear edges, with suitable fasteners such as rivets connecting the side walls 101, 102 from their rear wall 104. The rear wall 104 may be provided with a plurality of stud bolts or the like (not shown). wall or other supporting structure. The upper end of the dispensing mechanism 100 and its front portion are covered by a lid 105, preferably made of metal, having a top portion 106 and a front portion 107 provided on both sides of the side flanges 108 and perpendicular thereto and adjacent portions of the side walls 101 and 102, when the lid is in its closed position. The lower part of the cover 105 carries the rearwardly directed flange 109 and its upper edge is hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall 105, e.g. with a piano hinge 110.

At the bottom of the distribution cabinet 100 is a base plate or floor plate 111 (see Fig. 2) arranged approximately horizontally extending the full width of the cabinet 100 so that the rear edge is spaced in front of the rear wall 104 and the side edges are attached to the side walls 101 and 102. The side walls 101 and 102 extend downward. under the floor plate 111 and bearing downwardly extending, curved portions 113 and 114 »which form 9 58258 between them the above-mentioned channel 115 ·

The leading edge of the floorboard 111 terminates substantially far from the front portion 107 of the cover 105 and, carries an upwardly extending flange 121 which in turn carries an upwardly directed and upwardly extending strip 122. The strip 122 includes a spacer 125 extending downwardly substantially perpendicular to the plane of the floorboard 111 and holding a clean towel piece 52 in front of the channel 115 so that the user can grasp its edges 53 and 54 as they pull the clean cloth portion from the feed roller 51 »which will be explained in more detail below. In passing, it should be noted that the curved portions 113 and 114 cover the edges of the used cloth portion 55 so that they cannot be accidentally touched by the user. The strip 122 may also carry a lock (not shown) which operates with a key and is connected to ordinary and well-known articulations and latches (not shown) which may cooperate with the lid 105 of the cabinet 100 to secure the lid 105 in the closed position.

Figures 2 and 3 show the mechanism brackets 130 and 140 mounted on the left and right sides of the cabinet 100, respectively, as seen from the front, and located adjacent the side walls 101 and 102, respectively. The mechanism bracket 130 has the general shape shown in Figure 2 and includes a mounting flange 131 at its rear portion which is perpendicular thereto and rests against the rear wall 104, e.g., secured thereto by rivets. The rear portion of the bracket 130 includes an opening having a certain end of said lifting or receiving roller 135. The structure of the bracket 140 is the same as that of the bracket 130, except that it is a mirror image of the bracket 130, so that the same numbers in the 140 series of numbers have been used for those parts which correspond to the described parts of the 130 number series.

The brackets 130 and 140 support a lifting roller 135 * between them, which rotates about a transverse axis. The sprocket 136 is mounted on the hoisting roller _135 next to the mechanism support 140 at a predetermined distance inwardly, the sprocket hub 137 of which is fixedly attached to the hoisting roller 135 and the circumferential teeth 13Θ. The brackets 130 and 140 also support said breaks 144 »which are mounted substantially parallel to the lifting roller 135 in front of it and which have a substantially V-shaped cross-section.

Directly above and in the middle of the lifting roller 135 is a pressure roller 145 »which is preferably substantially shorter than the lifting roller 135 and provided at its opposite ends with projections 146 rotatably mounted on bearings in two mounting arms 147 * pivotally mounted on the rear wall 104 of the cabinet 100. · In use, the pressure roller 145 cooperates with the lifting roller 155 by pressing a used towel between them, which facilitates the frictional engagement of the cloth with the lifting roller 135. The pressure roller 145 may be forced by gravity against the surface of the lifting roller 135, or, if desired, may be forced into engagement by a suitable spring mechanism (not shown). The pressure roller 145 can pivot upwardly away from the lifting roller 155 by means of pivot arms 147, which facilitates the feeding of the cloth web over the lifting roller 135 by placing a new, clean cloth storage in the cabinet 100, as described in more detail below.

The distribution cabinet 100 also includes a frame of a tilting mechanism indicated by the generic number 170, which is also pivotally supported on brackets 130 and 140. Figures 2-4 best show that the frame 170 includes two side plates 171 and 172 made substantially similar but mirrored to each other. , the shape of the side plate 171 being shown in Fig. 2 and the shape of the side plate 172 generally shown in Fig. 4 * The side plates 171 and 172 are connected by a transverse part 174 · Between the side plates 171 and 172 there is also a transverse bar (not shown), the transverse part 174 and the bar 17 172 a substantially parallel releasable mechanism for forming the frame 170.

To mount the frame 170 to the brackets 130 and 140, the side plates 171 and 172 are provided with respective pivoting projections 178 and 179 »mounted pivotally on the brackets 130 and 140, respectively, and the side plates 171 and 172 are also provided with respective outwardly directed hand flanges 176 and 177» can be tilted forward from the cabinet 100 to the position shown in Figure 19 to place a clean towel in the cabinet 100, as described in more detail below.

The towel dispensing mechanism 180 forms part of the cabinet 100 and is supported by a detachable mechanism frame 170. The dispensing mechanism 1Θ0 includes a measuring roller 181, the surface of which may be covered with sandpaper or other granular material to prevent the cloth from slipping. The structure of the measuring roller 181 may be hollow and the shaft 182 may extend therethrough. sprocket (not shown). The right end of the measuring roller 181 is rotatably mounted on a suitable bearing of the side plate 172 (not shown) and its right end extends through the side plate 172 and a threaded stop is attached thereto, which is part of the time stop mechanism 250 described in more detail below.

Extending between the side plates 171 and 172 of the frame of the mechanism extends a guide fixed thereto, indicated by the general numeral 185, which is an elongate, approximately L-shaped plate. The guide 185 includes an upright, flat rear plate 186 with an inwardly extending portion 187 * at the upper end which terminates just near the lifting roller I35. At its lower end, the back plate 186 joins a forwardly extending bottom flange 188 which protrudes a predetermined distance over the rear end of the front plate 111. When the cabinet is in its normal operating condition as shown in Figure 2, the backplate 186 is substantially parallel to the rear wall 104 of the cabinet 100 and a small, predetermined distance in front of it to cooperate with it to form an opening 120 through which the used cloth path enters the cabinet 100. In this state, the bottom flange 188 cooperates with the floor plate 111 of the cabinet 100 to close the bottom of the cabinet except for the opening 120.

At the upper ends of the side plates 171 and 172 there is a used cloth collection and storage mechanism 190, the details of which have been described in the previous form, and Figures 2, 3 and 6 to 8 best show the parts necessary to explain the present invention. The collection and storage mechanism I90 includes a collection drive roller 191 * which, like the measuring roller, has a sandpaper or other granular surface which reduces the slippage of the cloth. The collecting drive roller 191 is made hollow (see Figures 7 and θ) and includes a head 192 seen from the right front and extending through a flanged opening in the side plate 172 where it is supported by a bearing 196 which can be made of a suitable, slippery plastic. The other end 195 of the drive roller 191 extends through a flanged opening in the side plate 171 and is supported by a suitable bearing (not shown) which is also made of slippery plastic. Extending through the hollow drive roller 191 is a shaft or tie rod 194 * having one end carrying a toothed drive sprocket 195 »which receives protrusions of the drive roller 191 (not shown) through arcuate flaps, and an end 197 * adjacent the shaft 194 holding the sprocket 195 in the drive position. At one end of the drive roller 191 are protrusions 198 which are coupled to the spring motor 300 as described below.

The drive mechanism 200 interconnects the dispensing mechanism 180 and the collecting and back-up mechanism 190, and in particular the dispensing roller 181 and the receiving drive roller 191, the drive mechanism including a sprocket on the dispensing roller and the sprocket 195 and the chain 201 connecting the sprockets. For reasons to be explained in more detail below, the sprocket 195 and the sprocket of the distribution roller 181 have the same number of teeth and are the same size, with the second sprocket performing the same angular rotation as the other.

Beneath the take-up drive roller 191 and near the rear of the side plates 171 »172 is a transversely extending shaft 205 * suitably mounted at opposite ends on the side plates 171 and 172. Two fork arms 206 and 216 are fixedly attached to opposite ends of the shaft 205 171 »172 and extend forward and upward as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The fork arms 206 and 216 are made substantially similar, but mirror images of each other, and each has a bearing 211 that supports the used cloth support roller 210 between them. The fork arms 206 and 216 have respective laterally extending handles 207 and 217 that facilitate movement of the arms when the towel is placed in the cabinet 100. Finally, the fork arms 206 and 216 are provided with respective springs (not shown) forcing them upward or clockwise as shown in Figure 2. The fork arms 206 and 216 are fixedly attached to the shaft 205, e.g. by welding, so that all parts move together when the shaft 205 is rotated.

Below the towel support roller 210 is a clean cloth base or feed roller base 220 consisting of two side plates 221 mounted on the side surfaces of the side plates 171 and 172, respectively, with a rear wall 222 therebetween cooperating to hold the clean towel feed roller 51. a towel dispensing cover 23Ο, preferably made of plastic and supported by a shaft 205 and extending down and forward onto the clean cloth supply roll 51, preventing it from contacting the accidentally used cloth storage roll 59 · The rear wall 222 of the feed roll base 220 is spaced in front of the guide 185 and works together with this forming a used cloth collection chamber 160.

When the clean cloth feed roll 51 is mounted in the dispenser cabinet 100, it rests substantially in the position shown in Figure 2, with the rear of the roll 51 longitudinally against the front surface of the back wall 222 of the substrate 220 and opposite ends of the feed roll 51 between the side plates 221. The opposite ends of the clean feed roller 51 are between the side plates 221. The front side of the clean feed roller rests on a guide roller 231 rotatably mounted between the side plates 171 and 172 just in front of the cloth base 220.

Figure 2 shows that a clean towel is fed from the bottom of the feed roller 51 upwards behind the guide roller 23I and forward over it, then across and around the front side of the measuring roller 181.

15 58258

Mounted on the front portion 107 of the cover 105 is a support mechanism (not shown) »supporting the lower roller 235» mounted on the shaft 236 to rotate freely just below the measuring roller 181 parallel thereto, and a pressure roller 240 located above the measuring roller 181 and mounted rotatably on the shaft 241, which extends through it. The axis of the pressure roller 240 is parallel to the axis of the measuring roller 181 and the lower roller 235, and the spring force forces the pressure roller 240 against the clean cloth portion 52 when the cover 105 is in its closed position.

It is desirable to limit the amount of clean cloth that the user can remove from the feed roller 51 by pulling down on the exposed portion 52, and then prevent new feed from being fed from the feed roller 51 * until a predetermined time interval has elapsed. For this purpose, a time-stopping mechanism of the distribution cabinet 100, indicated by the general numeral 250 and the details of which are best shown in Figs. 4 * 5 and 6, is fixedly attached to the right end of the measuring roller 181 by a laterally projecting stop stop 251 and a cylindrical time-stop line portion 252. threads 253 · Outside the ends of the threads 253 there is a cam 254 made in the guide part 252 with a low cam surface 255 and a high cam surface 256.

Significantly above the axis of the stop wire portion 252 and slightly to the rear thereof, the time stop pivot pin 257 is fixedly mounted on the side plate 172, which pivot pin 257 extends to the right of the side plate 172, as shown in Fig. 5. The pivot pin 257 is further supported by a conical plate 258 which includes an annular support portion 259 »which engages the pin 257 between its ends. Mounted at the outer end of the pin 257 is a pivotable and loosely stop latch 260 having a riveted or otherwise fixed stop plate 261. It is important that the latch 260 and the attached plate 261 be able to rotate or pivot about the axis of the pin 257 and be tilted or "wobbled". "relative to the axis of pin 257. For this reason, the stop latch 260 is loosely mounted on the tapered portion of the pin 257 so that this "wobbling" can occur, and the pin 257 is provided with an enlarged portion 263 to hold the portions in the assembled condition. Figure 4 shows that the stop plate 261 has a vertical plate portion 266 carrying an inwardly directed pad 267 * and the locking bracket 268 tends to hold a portion of this stop latch 260 outward for a reason which will be explained in more detail below.

The arm 269, which is integral with the stop plate 261, extends downwardly and carries a soft rubber suction cup 270 with a lower, substantially concave side. Opposite the concave side of the suction cup 270 is the concave side of the fixedly mounted suction cup 271. The suction cup 271 has a small air vent (not shown) through which suction cancellation air can flow in a controlled manner into the concave area 14 58258 between the suction cups 270 and 271 when the suction cups are pressed together. The suction cup 271 is mounted on a bracket 272 fixed to the side plate 172. The bracket 272 is also mounted on a needle valve coupling 274 * which includes an adjusting thumb screw 273 »which can change the effective size of the air vent leading to the suction cup 271 and thus adjust the time delay required by the suction cups 270. Details of the suction cups 270 and 271 and the needle valve 274 are not shown here, as these parts are well known in the art.

At the bottom of the stop plate 261 is a relatively short, thread-following strip 276, over which is a spaced-apart curved, cam-following surface 278 which cooperates with the lid of the cam 254 described above. Also connected between the side plate 172 and the stop plate 261 is a tension spring 279 »which forces the stop plate 261 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. The tension spring 279 also tends to move the stop fin 261 to the dashed line position shown in Figure 5. Thus, due to the action of the spring 279 and the pivoting or "wobbling" effect of the stop plate 261, the normal position of the stop plate 261 (shown in broken lines in Figure 5) is such that the surface 278 following the cam extends over the cam 254. When the dispensing mechanism is in its normal state after drying, the stop mechanism 250 is in the illustrated position shown in broken lines in Fig. 5. In this position, the cam surface 278 rests on the lower surface of the cam 254 so that the stop plate 261 is turned counterclockwise (shown in Fig. 4). in the counterclockwise position, and the threaded strip 276 is pulled out of engagement with the threads 253 of the portion 252. When the delivery device the user begins to pull down the clean cloth portion of the front 52 of the cabinet, whereas the measurement - tausrullan 181 rotation, however, 254 to rotate in the direction of arrow in Figure 4 show the direction of the cam member which causes the cam 254 of the high surface 256 to increase the cam following surface 278 of the stop plate 261 for pivoting to the clockwise direction.

This pivoting movement of the stop plate 261 immediately causes the suction cup 270 to move in downward contact with the lower suction cup 271. The mating suction cups 270, 271 then hold the stop plate 26 in its inverted position until their engagement is reversed, although the high surface 256 of the cam 254 later disengages the surface 278 following the cam. This first turn of the stop plate also causes the threads 253 to engage the threads 253 * from the dashed line position in Figure 5 to the position shown by the intact lines.

15 58258

It is advisable to distribute a maximum of 27 »94 cm of clean cloth in each different division. The circumference of the measuring roller 181 may be about 4 * 45 cm and four threads 253 may be used in the stop wire portion 252. · When the user begins to pull from the clean cloth portion 52, the cam 254 thus rotates with the measuring roller 181, the high surface 256 of the cam 254 rotates the stop plate 261 clockwise (as seen in Figure 4), thus connecting the suction cups 270 and 271 and at the same time connecting the threads with the beginning of the outermost thread 253 of the strip 276. As the user continues to pull on the clean cloth, the measuring roller 181 and the stop wire portion 252 continue to rotate, causing the threading strip 276 and the stop plate 261 to follow the threads 253, causing the stop plate 26I to tilt substantially from the dashed line position of Fig. 5. towards the side plate 172. Since four threads 253 are used, when the measuring roller 181 performs its next turn in the end wood, after 25.4 cm of clean cloth has been pulled out, the strip 276 must be pulled to the fourth thread, after which the stop stop 251 is rotated together. with the stop wire portion, comes into stop contact with the lower edge of the stop plate 261, thereby stopping the rotation of the measuring roller 181 and preventing more clean cloth from being removed from the dispenser cabinet 100. The user can then dry his hands PARKING SPACES the stop plate five counterclockwise around the pin 257 and tilt the stop latch away from the side plate 172, causing the stop plate 261 to return to its home position.

Thanks to the structure just described, it is obvious that if the user does not pull out the entire allowed amount of clean cloth, but stops pulling out _ after pulling out a small part of the clean cloth, then the lower end of the stop plate 261 does not reach the position of engagement stop 251 and no stop action occurs. ; but nevertheless, when the switching time of the suction cups 270 and 271 expires, the action of the spring 279 automatically returns the stop plate 26I to its initial position, whereby during the next dispensing operation it is possible to pull out the maximum allowed amount of towel.

It is highly desirable to prevent retraction and storage after the user has withdrawn the clean cloth and has his hands dried with it, i.e. while the suction cups 270 and 271 are still engaged. For this purpose, the crane roller 135 is provided with a gripping surface of sandpaper or the like, and furthermore at its end close to the time-stopping mechanism 250 there is a control switch or cam 280 with two stop surfaces 281 directly opposite each other, cf. Fig. 2. Connected to the control switch 280 16 5 82 S 8 is a control lever 282 mounted on the side plate 130, articulated at 283 and having a vertical finger 284 that can move into and out of engagement with the stop surfaces 281 of the control switch 280. The other end of the lever 282 cooperates with the push rod 285 (see Fig. 4) »guided by the stop latch 261 and in particular its pad 267. The push rod 285 is mounted on a flange 286 struck from the side plate 172 and the second flange 287 located above which flanges 286 and 287 have aligned openings through which the push rod 285 extends, the lower end of the push rod 285 carrying a head 289 connecting the locking bracket 268 and the pad 267. The upper end of the push rod is at a point where it can engage a stop 288 at the end of the guide lever 282 against the finger 284 .

When the high cam surface 265 acts to rotate the stop plate 261 clockwise as seen in Figure 4, the push rod 285 is lowered to the position shown in Figure 6, with the longer and heavier right end of the control lever 282 to the right of the pivot point 283 moving the finger 284 to the up position. stop surfaces 281. it is clear that, when the cloth is pulled away jakelukaapieta 100 rotates the control switch in the direction of arrow 280 in Figure 16, the finger 284 does not stop its rotation. However, when the user stops pulling the cloth out of the dispenser cabinet 100, each attempt by the control switch 280 to rotate clockwise will engage the second stop surface 281 with the finger 284, stopping the rotation of the brake roller 135. The moment the suction cups 27Ο, 27I diverge and thus allow the spring 279 to rotate the latch plate counterclockwise as seen in Figure 4, the push rod 285 is raised and rotates the control lever 282 counterclockwise (as shown in Figure 6) to move the finger 284 out of engagement with the stop surfaces 281. to release the roller 135.

Figures 7-14 show a spring motor mechanism, indicated by the general number 300, mounted on the right end of the collecting drive roller 191 as seen in Figure 3. The spring motor 300 includes a cup-shaped shell 301 having an outwardly extending cylindrical side wall 303 at the periphery of the annular end wall 302 and having a recessed hub portion 304 in the center of the annular end wall 302 with an opening receiving the outside and concentric with the hub 304, which respectively receive the complementary, convex protrusions 198 of the proximal, tapered end 192 of the collection drive roller 191 for mounting the shell 301. Inside the housing 301 there is a sleeve 505 in a circumferential relationship with the rod 194, the inner end of which has an annular flange 306 which sits in the recessed hub portion 304 of the annular shell 301 and is fixed thereto.

In circumferential relationship with the sleeve 305 is a mandrel indicated by the general numeral 310 and comprising a hub portion 3H * which can rotate freely on the sleeve 305, and an annular cover flange 312 extending radially outward from the hub 3ϋ at its outer end and a short distance outside the annular shell 301, which cover flange 312 is provided at its circumference with a short, cylindrical retaining flange 314 »which slightly overlaps with the cylindrical side wall 303 of the shell 301 to cooperate with it to form a substantially closed housing for the spring motor. However, there is a clearance between the mandrel retaining flange 314 and the shell side wall 303, which allows the shell to move relative to the mandrel, as will be explained in more detail below. The hub 311 of the mandrel 310 has a substantially helical guide outer surface, best shown in Figure 12, and a stop surface 316.

Inside the housing 301 is a helical spring, indicated by the general numeral 320, which is wound around the mandrel hub 311 as shown in FIG. More specifically, the inner end of the power spring 320 has a loop or hook 321 located against the stop surface 316 at the spindle hub 311.

The spring 320 is first provided with at least one and a half coils preformed to be wound tightly against the mandrel hub 311 to hold the hook 321 firmly against it, followed by four or five coils loosely wound, and finally a fairly large number of coils tightly wound and packaged firmly against the cylindrical side wall 303 of the shell 301. The outer end of the power spring 320 is fixedly attached, e.g., by a rivet 326, to the other end of the clutch coil 325, which is slightly shorter than the circumference of the cylindrical side wall 303 and tightly contacts the outside against it so that there is frictional contact between them.

The friction between the clutch coil 325 and the inner surface of the shell 301 can be changed by the tension of the clutch coil 325, which can be changed by using spring wire of different thicknesses and also by shaping the clutch coil 325 during rotation. If desired, a friction cladding 308 can be formed on the inner surface of the vertical side wall 303 to increase the frictional resistance with the clutch coil 325 »as best shown in Fig. 12.

Although, in the preferred embodiment, the clutch coil 325 is connected to the force spring 320 by a rivet, as shown in Figure 13, it will be appreciated that other means of attachment could be used. Figure 14 shows an alternative fastening method of an alternate 58258 in which the outer end of the power spring 320 is provided with a narrow neck portion 328 and an enlarged strip 329 designed to be inserted into a complementary notch 327. made at the adjacent end of the clutch coil 325. During assembly, the clutch coil 325 must be pivoted perpendicular to the power spring 320 so that the strip 329 can be inserted through the notch 327, and then the parts moved to the engaged position shown in Fig. 14 for assembly in the housing 301, preventing disengagement of the power spring 320 from the clutch coil 325.

Mounted on the outside of the mandrel 310 is a fixedly mounted toothed disk sprocket 330 located in a circumferential relationship with the sleeve 305 and rotating freely relative thereto. The adjacent end of the tie rod 194 is threaded to receive a complementary nut and washer to hold the parts securely in the assembled position shown in Figure 7. The sprocket 33Ο is connected to a chain 335, which is also connected to a sprocket 136 on a lifting roller 135, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

When the collecting drive roller 191 is rotated counterclockwise in use as seen in Fig. 2, it at the same time causes the ring housing 301 of the spring motor to rotate in the same direction. Due to frictional contact between the clutch coil 325 and the ring housing 301, the clutch coil 325 also enters the housing 301 in the same direction and with it the tightly packed outer coils 326 of the power spring 320. However, as the collection drive roller 191 280 with the control finger 284, as described above and as explained in more detail below. The spindle J10, which is connected to the lifting roller 135 through the sprockets 136 and 330 and the chain 335, therefore also cannot rotate counterclockwise. Thus, when the collecting drive roller 191 and the spring motor housing 3OI rotate counterclockwise, the power spring 320 becomes retracted, whereby with each turn of the collection drive roller 191, one loose helix of the power spring 320 becomes tightly wound on the spindle hub 3H and. at the same time, the tightly packed outer coils 324 become peeled off the inner coil so that at the end of the dispensing operation the power spring 320 is pulled into the shape shown in Fig. 10. When the lift roller 135 is released, the pulled power spring 320 is driven counterclockwise as the power spring 320 opens.

The use and operation of the distribution cabinet 100 will be described below, with particular emphasis on the operation of the spring motor 300, and the description will refer in particular to Figures 9 to 11 and the schematic views of Figures 15 to 19.

Fig. 15 schematically shows the normal rest position of the parts of the cabinet 100 before the dispensing operation 58258 19, with the clean cloth storage roll 51 part 52 passing over the measuring roll 181 and the spacer 125 and then through the channel 115 and the opening 120 and up through the part 56 over the lifting roll 135 (and pressure roll 145). below, which is omitted from the schematic views of Figures 15 to 18 for clarity) and downwards through the loose part 57 to the used cloth collection chamber 160 and upwards over the breaker 144 and downwards through the part 58 to the bottom of the used cloth storage roll 59 wound on a support roll. 210. At present, the spring motor 300 is in the initial state shown in Fig. 9 and the cloth path is against the floorboard 111. The potential user will not normally be able to see the used cloth at all, so that when he starts the distribution he will not grab the used part of the cloth. The time stop mechanism 250 is in the state shown in Fig. 15, with the suction cups 270, 271 not engaged. The push rod 285 is in its normal or lower position, with the control lever 282 being free so that the parts are in the positions shown in Figures 6 and 15.

When the mechanism is in the normal state just described, the next user of the cabinet 100 grasps the unused side edges 55 and 54 of the clean cloth portion 52 behind the spacer portion 125 and pulls them downward. This downward pull has two important consequences. It feeds new cloth from the storage roll 51 around the measuring roller 181 and down across the spacer portion 125 and also pulls the used cloth portions 55-57, thereby pulling a portion of the used cloth through the opening 120 inside the cabinet 100, extending the cloth loop below the cabinet 100, now substantially as shown in Figure 16. position. At the same time, removing the used cloth from the cabinet uses a collection mechanism 190 for winding the used cloth from parts 57 and 58 onto the used cloth roll 59.

The pull-down of the clean cloth also immediately triggers the operation of the time-stop mechanism 250, the details of which are described above in connection with the description of the previously developed form. The suction cups 270 and 271 are forced together and remain together for a predetermined time during which the user dries his hands with the clean cloth portion 52 now under the cabinet 100. The control switch 280 of the lifting roller 135 is now engaged with the control lever 282, i. the second stop surface 281 is engaged with the finger 284 (see Figure 16), thereby preventing the lift roller 135 from rotating backward. As a result, the crane roller 135 acts through the chain 335, preventing the sprocket 330 and spindle 310 from rotating counterclockwise as seen in Figures 9-16.

When the user pulls the new cloth from the feed roller 51 over the measuring roller 181, the collecting drive roller 191 also becomes used on the sprocket 195 and. according to the present invention, the diameter of the collecting drive roller 191 is preferably the same as that of the measuring roller 181, and its sprockets have the same number of teeth and the same effective diameters 19, the ball rollers having the same effective diameters. as much of the cloth used as the measuring roller 181 distributes to the clean cloth, preferably 27.94 cm in length during each division.

When the user pulls the clean cloth into the loop dependent on the feed roller 51 during dispensing, counterclockwise rotation of the collection drive roller 191 also pulls the power spring 320 as described above because the engagement between the switch 280 and the control arm finger 284 locks the lift roller 135 and prevents it from rotating counterclockwise. When the user pulls a clean cloth to the device, he pulls the cloth at the same time used for a portion 57 "which has accumulated in the cloth used in the collection chamber l60a and the removal of the cloth used may happen because the finger 284 of the movement switches ~ men 280 over the control surfaces allows the lifting of the roll 135 to rotate in a clockwise direction of the arrow ( Fig. 16) direction. The used cloth part 57 is thus shortened on the one hand because part of it is wound on the used cloth storage roll 59 and on the other hand because the user pulls part of it on the bare loop of the cloth under the cabinet.

When the timer suction cups 270, 271 diverge, the spring 279 rotates the stop plate 261 counterclockwise, bringing the push rod 285 into contact with the stop 288 of the control lever 282 (see Figure 6), thereby disengaging the finger 284 from engagement with the cam surface 281. 135, which allows parts to move from the position shown in Fig. 16 to the position shown in Fig. 17.

As soon as the lifting roller is released from the operating lever 282 is engaged from the coupling 280 is released from the spring motor 300 to the spindle 310 at the same time it acts through chain 335 and the driven force of the spring 320 pressure from driving in the direction of the lift roller 135 of the arrow (Figure 17) for receiving the cloth used in the loop of the collection chamber 160. Lift roller 135 diameter is preferably larger than the diameter of the collecting drive roller 191, while the sprocket I36 on the lifting roller has fewer teeth than the sprocket 330 on the collecting drive roller 191. Thus, it is clear that the power spring 320 has been pulled enough during during. For this reason, and because the diameter of the lifting roller 135 is larger than that of the collecting drive roller 191, the spring motor 300 is able to pick up a larger number of cloths in the collecting chamber 160 than was dispensed 21 58258 during dispensing. This is necessary because the bare cloth loop contains not only the split clean cloth portion, but also the used cloth portion that was pulled out of the collection chamber, and in addition this higher capacity of the spring motor 300 allows the device to pick up the stretch or elongation of the web.

The spring motor 300 is preferably designed so that the amount that is pulled during each dispensing exceeds the amount that opens during that dispensing, even taking into account the possible lengthening of the cloth, whereby the power spring 320 is pulled tighter during successive distributions. After predetermined distributions, preferably ten or more, the power spring 320 has been pulled into a fully drawn state as shown in Figure 11, after which the spring pulling action of subsequent distributions tends to pull the clutch plate 325 off the inner surface of the housing 301, as shown in Figure 11. When the connected end of the clutch plate 325 is pulled out of the shell 301, the surface contact area between them decreases, which reduces the frictional resistance and the sliding of the clutch plate 325 around the inner surface of the shell 301. This Liu clutch arrangement prevents the power spring 320 from overdriving while allowing the spring 320 to remain in its fully retracted condition until the cloth stock is depleted.

When the used cloth is wound from the portion 57 to the storage roll 59 during dispensing, the cloth path passes over the breaker 144 to smooth and straighten it, which facilitates smooth rewinding to the roll 59 * However, no other break is used on the return cloth from the loop, especially between the bare loop and the lift roller 135. . It has been found that due to the height of the lift roller 135, the cloth track tends to straighten and iron itself in sections 55 and 56, so that breakers are not required. The absence of breakers in front of the lift roller 135 reduces the power required in the spring motor 300 when the lift roller 135 receives the used cloth. In the event that when the user pulls the clean cloth, the cloth storage contained in the feed roller 51 runs out, the free end of the cloth is pulled from the front of the cabinet 100 and hangs down from the cabinet 100 in the operating position for said set time. unblocked when the clutch 280 is disengaged from the control lever 282 as described above and as shown in Fig. 17 fully withdrawn from the spring motor 300 drives then the direction of the arrow lifting the roll 135 of Figure 17 onto the cloth, the rear end completely keräyskam-chamber 160 inside, and the spring motor 300 is designed so that its capacity is fully in the drawn ti (Figure li) is sufficient to ensure that the rear end of the cloth is thus fully retracted. The ability of the spring motor 300 to fully retract the rear end of the cloth is completely independent of the length of the used cloth portion 37 accumulated in the collection chamber 160, which can be remarkably large if the cloth path is stretched or extended in use. This eliminates two serious disadvantages of the prior art dispenser, namely its inability to fully compensate for the stretching or contraction of the web and its inability to fully pick up the rear end of the coil without increasing the size of the dispensing cabinet and without the user having to work against the receiving mechanism.

A particular problem occurs if the amount of cloth still in the feed roll 51 is less than that required to make at least one complete revolution of the measuring roll 161. The cam 254 is more specifically connected to the surface 276 following the cam of the stop plate 261 during the first turn of the measuring roller 181 and holds the stop plate 261 ~ in such a position that it cannot return to the normal state shown in Fig. 4. The time rotation mechanism 250 would therefore operate to stop the lift roller 135 using the push rod 265, the cam 260, and the lever arm 282 (see also Figure 6). As a result, the lifting roller could not rotate counterclockwise as seen in Figure 16 and could not retract the rumbling rear end of the cloth into the cabinet as described above. Therefore, a locking zinc 266 is used which holds the push rod 265 up, which causes the lifting roller 135 to be disengaged during the first turn of the measuring roller 181. When the measuring roller 161 has completed the first turn, the cam 254 is disengaged with the surface 276 following the cam, so that the time-stop mechanism 25Ο can now operate in the normal manner using the lifting roller. In other words, the locking bracket 268 ensures that the lifting roller _135 can freely pick up the towel at the rear end of the cabinet 100 if its length is insufficient for the cam 254 to separate from the surface 278 following the cam.

When the clean cloth of the feed roller 51 has been used up, the service man opens the cabinet 100 by lifting up the cover 105, and the frame 170 of the mechanism is tilted out to the position shown in Fig. 19. The used cloth in the collection chamber 160 is wound on a storage roller 59 »which, after use of the lock, is removed from the collection roller 210, and the collection roller 210 is again placed in a channel formed by channel portions 206 and 211. A new feed roller 51 is then placed in the tray 220 as indicated. a guide roller 231 and a measuring roller 181 and down around the spacer portion 125 and up to the opening 120 to the lifting roller 135. The free end of the new cloth is then taken behind and over the lifting roller 135, which is facilitated by the fact that the pressure roller 145 can be turned out of the way. The free end of the cloth is then passed over the breaker 144 and wrapped around the surface of the cloth collection roller 210, ensuring that the manifold cover 230 is in the correct operating position. An important feature of the present invention is that the structure of the cabinet 100 and the mechanism therein prevents the clean cloth stock from being improperly loaded into the cabinet 100. Figure 19 shows that when the lead edge of the cloth track is fed up to the opening 120 at the back of the cabinet 100. - between the pressure roller, because the oblique upper end 187 of the guide part 185 effectively prevents the feed of the cloth track under the lifting roller 135, while the support arms 147 of the pressure roller 145 prevent the feed of the cloth track upwards behind the pressure roller 145.

When the caregiver fills the cabinet 100 with a new clean cloth store, he or she should preferably leave a bare cloth loop hanging under the cabinet for the first user. Preferably, a loose cloth portion is also left in the piece 57 as shown in Figure 15, which can be picked up on the storage roll 59 during the first dispensing. However, if the caregiver accidentally does not leave this loose part on the cloth piece 57 »then the dispenser will still be able to operate during the first dispensing period. When the user pulls the clean cloth from the feed roller 51, the collecting drive roller 191 uses the storage roller 59 in the usual manner, allowing the cloth path to slide over the lifting roller 135 so that the required cloth part can be wound on the storage roller 59 and caused to rotate. Because the cloth slides over the lifting roller 135, the user must pull slightly more than the normally clean cloth 52 during dispensing. Thus, the service technician may be instructed to perform the first dispensing operation himself if he has not left the correct cloth portion in section 57. · But after this first dispensing and when the time-stop mechanism has elapsed, a spring motor 300 is used to pull the used bare roller up to the collection chamber 160. the loose cloth portion to the piece 57 »so that the dispensing cabinet 100 then operates normally.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the dispensing cabinet 100 is a towel dispenser that forcibly picks up a used cloth after a predetermined time that is long enough for the user to use the cloth without having to work against the retraction mechanism. In addition, this power-operated retraction mechanism operates after each dispensing operation and is a simplified and trouble-free mechanism that avoids the entire take-up reel, loop reel, and loop control coupling that was necessary in the previous device. The device of the invention also makes it possible to place more used cloth in the collection chamber than the tortuous path formed by the receiving rollers in the previously developed device, without increasing the size of the cabinet 100, allowing the device to receive an extended amount of cloth during use. independent of the length of the cloth already accumulated in the collection chamber. In addition, the power spring drive mechanism of the invention is designed to gradually store potential energy during successive distributions so that the receiving capacity is sufficient at the end of the cloth storage to fully retract the rear end of the cloth path into the collection chamber.

Although the dispenser 100 is a significantly improved shape over the prior art, it still requires an as deep housing or cabinet as the prior art device. This depth has sometimes been found to be harmful. Therefore, according to the present invention, another embodiment has also been developed, indicated by the general number 400, which includes all the advantages of the dispensing device 100, but which is considerably flatter in terms of the dimension between the front and the back side. The depth of the cabinet 400 is determined solely by the diameter of the storage roll 59 of the fully wound used cloth, which is not more than 20aJ2 cm.

Figures 20-24 show a flat dispensing cabinet 400 which is approximately box-shaped and includes two vertical side walls 401 and 402, a top wall 4-03 and a back wall 404, and a cover 405 * hinged to the top wall 403 by a piano hinge 410 and provided with side flanges 408 located in use at substantially the same level as the side walls 401, 402 and cooperate with them to close the cabinet 400 when the lid 405 is in its closed position as shown in Figure 20. The lower end of the front cover 405 has a rearwardly directed flange 409, and the cover is also provided with its inner surface approximately midway between its upper and lower ends by a breaker 406, the function of which will be explained below.

The dispensing mechanism inside the cabinet 400 is substantially similar to the dispensing mechanism 100 described above, so this only needs to be described in much more detail than is necessary to understand the operation of the dispensing cabinet 400 and the differences between it and the cabinet 100. Extending between the side walls 401 and 402 extends a baffle plate 411 * fixedly attached thereto at approximately one-third of the distance from bottom to top and substantially horizontal and provided at the rear end with a cohesive vertical rear flange 412 spaced from the rear wall 404. at the front there is a vertical front flange 414 * which terminates upwards and forwards in the form of a sloping part 415.

Figure 22 shows the mechanism brackets 430 and 440 mounted on the right and left sides of the cabinet, respectively, as seen from the front, adjacent the side walls 401 and 402, respectively. The mechanism brackets 430 and 440 are mounted on the cabinet 400 in substantially the same manner as described above for the mechanism brackets 1J0 and 140 of the cabinet 100. The rear portions of the brackets 430 and 440 are provided with corresponding openings supporting opposite ends of the lifting or receiving roller 435. than the hoisting roller 135 described · The sprocket 436 is mounted on the hoisting roller 455 near the mechanism support 440 and at a predetermined distance therefrom. Directly above and substantially in the middle of the lifting roller 435 is a pressure roller 445 * which is similar in construction and operation to the pressure roller 145 * described in connection with the cabinet 100.

The dispensing cabinet 400 also includes a frame of a tilting mechanism, indicated by the general numeral 470, which is pivotally supported by brackets ^ 43Ο, 440. Fig. 22 best shows that the frame 470 includes two side plates 471 and 472 made substantially similar but mirrored to each other. and preferably connected by transverse members (not shown) that help keep the side plates 171 and 172 substantially in parallel to form the frame 470 of the tilting mechanism. To mount the frame 470 to the brackets 430 and 440, the side plates 47I and 472 are provided with respective pivot projections or pins 488 and 489 pivotally mounted on the respective brackets 430 and 440.

Extending between the side panels 471 and 472 of the mechanism frame is a protective portion fixed thereto, indicated by the general numeral 475, which includes a front portion 476 terminating in the form of a cut edge 477 below the break portion 406 when the cabinet cover 405 is in the closed position. The shield portion 475 also includes an upwardly curved rear portion 478 terminating at a rearwardly curved rear end 479 located just near the rear wall 404 of the cabinet 400. Flange 486 extends upwardly from the front portion 476 of the shield portion 475 inside the breaker 406 and is provided with an outwardly extending breaker flange 487. 406 on when the cabinet cover 405 is closed.

The towel dispensing mechanism 480 forms part of the dispensing cabinet 400 and is supported by a detachable mechanism frame 470 and includes a measuring roller 481 having the same structure as the described measuring roller 181. The measuring roller 481 is located on the frame 470 in front of the flange 414 of the divider plate 411 and its inclined portion 41 , when the dispensing mechanism is in the normal closed operating mode as shown in Fig. 21. Preferably, a pressure roller 540 extending between and rotatably mounted on the mechanism brackets 430 26 58258 and 440 is also used, and the pressure roller 540 is located slightly below and behind the dispensing roller 481 to co-operate with it to pinch a clean cloth web between them from the feed roller 51. Extending between the side plates 471 »472 of the mechanism is an arcuate guide 485» fixed thereto, the upper end of which is located very close to the lifting roller 435 and the lower end of which is inside the flange 412 of the dividing plate 411 very close thereto and slightly overlapping it in the normal, closed position of Fig. 21. in accordance with.

At the upper ends of the side plates 471 and 472 is a used cloth collecting and storing mechanism 490 including a collecting drive roller 491 having the same structure as the described collecting drive roller 191. The collecting drive roller 491 ”is located on the frame 470 just above the front of the guard 475 and its flange 486. The drive mechanism 500 connects the dispensing mechanism 480 and the collection and storage mechanism 490, and the drive mechanism 500 includes sprockets on rollers 481 and 491 that connect the chain 501 in the same manner as described above in connection with the dispenser cabinet 100.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly from the collecting drive roller 491 on the inner surface of each side plate 471 »472 are rear channel portions 5" 6 and front channel portions 5H »parallel and cooperating to form a channel containing the proximal end of the used cloth support roll 510, the roll structure of which is the same as the support roll. 100. The rear channel portion 506 preferably extends upwardly past the upper end of the front channel portion 511, which facilitates insertion of the feed roller 510 therein, as will be described in more detail below.The channel portions 506 and 511 are located so that the outer surface of the used cloth storage roll 59 wound on the feed roller 510 is always in contact with the collecting drive roller 491 and the support roller 510 extends up the channel as the diameter of the used cloth storage roll 59 wound thereon increases.

Beneath the divider plate 411 is a clean cloth base or feed roller base 520 consisting of a substantially arcuate plate terminating at a flat, upwardly extending rear wall 522 with a front end provided with a hanging spacer 525 · The feed roller base 520 is also provided with two side plates (not shown). which are pivotally mounted on the inner surfaces of the side plates 471 »472, respectively, as in pivot point 526. It will be appreciated that the base 520 of the cloth closes the lower end of the cabinet 400 and forms its bottom wall. When the feed roller base 520 is in the normal operating position as shown in Figure 21, its rear wall 522 is a short distance in front of the rear wall 404 of the cabinet 400 parallel thereto and cooperating with it 27 58258 to form an opening 420 in the cabinet 400 through which the used cloth path can pass.

Figures 21 and 2J best show that the dividing plate 411 cooperates with the feed roller base 520 to form a clean cloth lower chamber between them, indicated by the general numeral 450, and the dividing plate 411 also cooperates with the mechanism frame 470 and the guide plate 475 and the guide 485, so that between them a middle collection chamber of the used cloth is formed, indicated by the general number 46Ο. The protective part 475 further cooperates with the upper wall 405 of the cabinet 400, so that an upper collection and storage chamber of the used cloth is formed between them, indicated by the general number 465. The entire drive mechanism of the cabinet 400 is located in the mechanism compartment above the cloth? and between the lower chamber 465 and 450 and the periphery of the used cloth collection chamber 46Ο, so that the entire mechanism is above the clean cloth supply roll 51 and under the used cloth storage roll 59. Thanks to this stacked arrangement of chambers, where the clean cloth compartment is at one end of the cabinet and the used cloth storage compartment at the other end and the mechanism is intermediate between the two compartments, the cabinet can be substantially flat, with the front and back spacing limited only by the used cloth storage roll 59 diameter because the diameter of this stock roll is normally larger than that of the original, clean cloth feed roll 51 »because it is wound more loosely.

The rest of the mechanism in the distribution cabinet 400 is substantially similar to that described above for the distribution cabinet 100. More specifically, the lift roller 455 is provided at its right end as shown in Figure 22 with a control switch or cam 580 similar to the described control switch 280 and designed to cooperate with a control lever 582 similar to the illustrated control lever 282. The collection drive roller 491 at the right end as shown in Fig. 22 is mounted a spring motor, indicated by the general number 600, comprising an annular housing 601, a spindle 610 and a sprocket 65 ket and having a structure and operation similar to the spring motor 300 »described above in connection with the distribution cabinet 100. Chain 655 connects sprocket 63Ο and sprocket 436.

The operation of the distribution cabinet 400 is substantially similar to the operation of the described distribution cabinet 100. When the cabinet is in its normal sleep state as shown in Figures 21 and 25, the clean cloth feed roller 51 is located in the feed roller base 520, the clean cloth path extending upwardly between the pressure roller 540 and the distribution roller 480 and over and down through the portion 52 in front of the spacer 525 and up 58258 against the opening 420 behind the guide 485, between the lifting roller 435 and the pressure roller 445 and onwards past the cutting edge 477, behind the cutting flange 406, in front of the cutting flange 487 and thereby over and around the used cloth support roll 510. The order of operation of the distribution cabinet 400 during the distribution period is exactly the same as that described above in connection with the schematic views of Figures 15-18.

Fig. 23 best shows that when the lifting roller 435 pulls up the used cloth, it is collected in the collection chamber 460 above the distributor plate 411 and in front of the guide 485, whereby the distributor plate 411 and the protective part 475 prevent contact between the collected, used cloth and the drive mechanism 500 or clean cloth supply roll.

When the clean cloth storage is exhausted and its rear end has been pulled up into the collection chamber by the lifting roller 435 as described above in connection with the cabinet 100, the maintenance man opens the cabinet 400 by lifting the cover 405 and tilting the mechanism frame 470 forward as shown in Fig. 24. He then rewinds any used cloth still in chamber 460 onto its storage roll 59 and lifts the support roll 510 away from the channel portions 506 and 5H. Removes the used cloth roll 59 from the support roll 510 and puts it back into the channels. The clean cloth base 520 is then pivoted forward around the pivot point 526 to the position shown in Figure 24 to facilitate the insertion of a new, clean cloth feed roll. The front end of this clean cloth feed roller is then fed up behind and around the distribution roller 481, down in front of the spacer 525 and up behind the clean cloth base 520 and the guide 485 and between the lift roller 435 and the pressure roller 445, and onwards in front of the break sections 477 and 487 510 over and around. It will be appreciated that the construction of the distribution cabinet 400 facilitates this correct feeding of the clean cloth path and effectively prevents incorrect filling. More specifically, the guide 485 prevents the end of the cloth web from being fed under the lifting roller 435, and the rear arms 479 of the shield portion 475 and the mounting arms of the pressure roller 445 effectively prevent the front end of the cloth web from feeding upwardly behind the pressure roller 445.

When the new clean cloth feed roll is thus inserted, the clean cloth base 520 is turned back to the normal vertical position and the mechanism frame 470 is turned back into the cabinet and its lid 405 is closed, after which the dispenser and cabinet 400 are ready to operate again.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a new towel dispenser has been developed herein with a simple and absolutely certain mechanism which forcibly picks up the used cloth path into the dispenser at the end of the set time of the time stop mechanism at the end of each dispensing cycle.

In addition, a towel dispenser cabinet has been developed in which a portion of used cloth equal to the length of the dispensed portion during each dispensing is wound on a used cloth storage roll and wherein this portion of cloth wound on the storage roll is completely independent of the amount of used cloth accumulated in the collection chamber.

In addition, a dispensing cabinet as described has been developed in which a power receiving mechanism has sufficient capacity to ensure complete reception of used cloth at the end of each dispensing cycle, although the cloth may be stretched or extended in use, and to ensure complete retraction of the roll roll end into the collection chamber. the length of the used cloth picked up at the end of the distribution period is independent of the length of the cloth accumulated in the collection chamber.

In addition, a new towel dispenser cabinet has been developed with no breaker portions between the bare cloth loop and the lifting or receiving roller, allowing the cloth path to go freely and unobstructed on the lifting roller and a power receiving mechanism requiring less force to pull the used cloth path completely inside.

In addition, a force-receiving mechanism has been developed which includes a constant spring power spring which is gradually retracted to a fully retracted state over a plurality of dispensing cycles and which includes a slide switch which prevents the spring from being pulled too tight.

Finally, a towel dispenser cabinet has been developed which incorporates all of the above advantages but nevertheless has a flat and narrow structure, whereby the total depth between the front and back sides is determined only by the maximum diameter of the fully rolled used cloth roll.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described above which are currently considered to be the best, it will be apparent that various modifications may be made therein, and the appended claims are intended to define all such modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

30 58258 A towel dispenser for a continuous towel loop (5 * 0) dependent on a housing (100), the device comprising a feed roller (51) and a measuring roller (181) connected to a drive roller (191) which rotates together with the used roller (59) of the used cloth (59). 55) for winding on a take-up roll (59) and also connected to an energy storage roll (135, 300) designed to retract the used cloth (55) into the collection chamber (ΐ6θ) after each distribution operation of the cloth, and means (252) for the energy storage roll ( 135, 300) for controlling operation, characterized in that the control means comprises a time-stopping mechanism (252) known per se for controlling the intervals between successive operations of the measuring roller (181) and the start of operation of the energy storage roller (135, 300). ) is connected via an element (335) to the storage roll (59) for winding the used cloth from the collecting chamber w (160) and which also supports the used the vertical part (56) of the cloth and leads it to said chamber (ΐ6θ) when the time-stop mechanism is triggered. Dispensing device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the measuring roller (181) and the drive roller (191) are adjusted via a switch (280) which is connected to the time-stop mechanism (252) via a lever (282). Dispensing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy storage roller (135) comprises a motor (300) mounted in the housing (100) and connected via a switch (280) to an energy storage roller formed by a lifting roller (135). ), and a drive mechanism (200) connecting the measuring roller (181) and the drive roller (191) and the motor, the time stop mechanism (252) being adapted to adjust the switch. Dispensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the lifting roller (135) has a friction surface which engages the cloth running on it, and the pressure roller (1U5) mounted on the housing (100) forces the cloth against the friction surface of the lifting roller. Dispensing device according to claim 3 or h, characterized in that, when engaged, the switch (280) allows the lifting roller (135) to rotate in the direction in which the cloth is fed from the used cloth collection chamber (160) to the operating position and prevents the lifting roller (135) from rotating in the direction is fed from the operating position into the collection chamber of the used cloth. Dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the motor (300) is spring-actuated and has a spring (320) 51 58258 Drive inlet side (302) and output side (314) »which is connected via a switch (280) to the lifting roller (135) s and the inlet and the space between the output side of the second clutch (325) allows the spring pulled to a predetermined tension and then blocks the continuous spring wager, wherein the measuring roller (181) of successive events powered motor spring (320) end up to full, a predetermined tension; so that when the rear end of the clean cloth is exposed under the housing, there is enough energy in the engine to pull the rear end into the collection chamber of the used cloth. Dispensing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the motor (300) driven by the spring is of a type which gives substantially the same torque during its entire operation. Dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the friction surface of the measuring roller (181) and the drive roller (191) have the same diameter and are used at the same angular speed to divide a part of the clean cloth equal to the part of the cloth used. , which is taken to the used cloth storage station. Dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control switch (280) is controlled by a control lever (282) which can be actuated by a time-stop mechanism (285). Dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that there are breaks (144) »between the lifting roller (135) and the drive roller (191) which smooth and straighten the used cloth before it is fed to the storage roller (59) *. the passageway between the operating position and the lifting roller is free so that the used cloth can move freely between them. Dispensing device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the cloth breaks (144) have two straight-edged surfaces over which the cloth is fed from the used cloth collection chamber (160) to the storage roll (59) * Dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the front and rear walls (405 * 404) of the housing (100) are spaced apart by a distance which is slightly larger than the diameter of the full storage roll (59) of the cloth used, which the roll is vertically in the same line as the clean cloth (51) * and · the motor and the collecting chamber (460) are located above the clean cloth (51) and below the used cloth storage roll (59). 32 58258