GB2108927A - Dispensers for rolled web material - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing web material from the lowermost of one or more vertically stacked rolls comprises a container (10), having a dispensing outlet (30) through which is dispensed material (60) from the lowermost roll (12). The spare roll or rolls (14) are held clear of the roll (12) by means of a flap (44) linked to a trigger (54) which is upwardly biassed by spring (58). Once roll (12) is exhausted, the spent core (12') is removed through the outlet (30) and this removal causes the trigger (54) to be pressed downwardly against spring (58) such that link (48) also slides downwardly and retracts flap (44), enabling the spare roll (14) to drop into the lowermost, dispensing position. Supports (62) within the container hold a roll being dispensed clear of trigger (54). The spent core (12') is deformed as it is manipulated out through aperture (30). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to dispensers for rolled web material The present invention relates to a dispenser of the kind comprising a container adapted to house a plurality of cored rolls of web material one above the other and having an aperture therein through which may be dispensed web material from the roll in the lowermost, dispensing position, and roll retaining means for holding the spare roll or rolls clear of the lowermost roll.

For a number of applications, such as dispensing rolled toilet paper, it is convenient to store more than one roll within the dispenser itself, so as to minimise the attention required by a janitor. There are several types of known dispenser which house several rolls so that a spare roll can be brought into a position from which paper can be dispensed, once the roll in use has been exhausted. Many of these known dispensers include roll retaining means, so that the spare rolls are held clear of the roll in use, which is thus unimpeded and free to unwind.

For the most part, however, the known dispensers are complicated and hence are both expensive to manufacture and likely to malfunction. Many require the use of spindles, replaceably inserted through the roll cores, for supporting the roll in use and/or acting as the roll retaining means to hold the spare roll(s) clear of the roll in use, as well as sometimes acting as guide means to bring the spare roll into the dispensing position, the projecting ends of the spindle engaging guides in the dispenser walls. However, it is especially important to provide robust and reliable dispensers in public washrooms, where the dispensers tend to be abused, and where detachable parts of the dispenser, such as spindles, would be stolen or lost.

Other known dispensers may be simple, not needing spindles, with the roll which is in use simply resting on the floor of the dispenser, but to release the spare roll into the dispensing position, the user has to manipulate the spare roll, for instance by operating a lever or push rod to release the roll retaining means or by reaching to the spare roll through an aperture in the dispenser wall, to push/pull the spare roll past the roll retaining means. Clearly this is not a satisfactory arrangement as parts of the dispenser will be touched and may consequently infect rolls which are loaded subsequently into the dispenser.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, reliable dispenser in which a spare roll can be brought into the dispensing position hygienically.

According to the invention there is provided a dispenser of the kind comprising a container adapted to house a plurality of cored rolls of web material one above the other and having an aperture therein through which may be dispensed web material from the roll in the lowermost, dispensing position, and roll retaining means for holding the spare roll or rolls clear of the lowermost roll, characterised in that an aperture is provided for removal of a spent core from the container, and in that roll release means are provided which are operable to disable the roll retaining means to allow a spare roll to move into the dispensing position on displacement of a release member located in the path of removal of a spent core from the container.

Advantageously, the aperture through which the web material is dispensed is the same aperture as that for core removal. The aperture is preferably located in a lower end portion of the container.

Suitably, the roll retaining means comprises a projection pivotally mounted on the container, and pivotable between a roll retaining position in which it projects into the container and a disabled position, in which it is clear of the interior of the container.

The roll release means may comprise a vertically slidable link, having the roll release member mounted at one end and at the other end being pivotally connected, directly or indirectly, to the roll retaining projection. Advantageously, the link is slidably mounted on an outer wall of the container. By this arrangement, the rolls inside the container do not interefere with the roll release operation. If the link is mounted on the outside of the rear wall of the container, and the container is supported against a surface by means of its rear wall, the roll release mechanism is protected and safe from tampering.

Suitably, the link is biassed to urge the projection into its roll retaining position.

Preferably, the dispenser further comprises a support located in the container to hold a roll in the dispensing position clear of the roll release member. As a result, premature roll release is avoided, a spare roll only be released by removing a spent core.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a dispenser according to the invention, taken along line A-A in Figure 3, the dispenser having a full roll in the dispensing position; Figure 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section, analogous to the view of Figure 1, with a spent core being removed from the dispenser; and Figure 3 is a rear view of the dispenser shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a dispenser comprising a container 10 for holding a plurality of cored rolls 12, 14 of web material, such as toilet paper. Two such rolls are shown in Figure 1, but clearly the dispenser could hold more rolls.

The container comprises front and rear walls 16, 1 8 and side walls 20, the walls being spaced so as to just take a roll disposed horizontally. The container further comprises a movable lip (not shown) which opens and closes the open upper end 22 of the container, through which new rolls are loaded into the container. The container 10 also has a bottom wall 24 in which is a slot 26 extending the full width of the container. The slot 26 is continuous with cut-away portions 28 in the side walls 20 of the container to form an outlet aperture 30.

In the rear wall 1 8 of the container 10 is a substantially rectangular recess 32, the upper end portion of which extends upwardly behind the rear wall to form a slot 34. It is by means of this slot 34 that the container 10 may be mounted on a wall bracket or the like. A projection 36, covered by a cushion 38 of rubber material or the like, extends outward'y from the recess 32 so that the cushion is flush with the non-recessed portion of the rear wall 18 & The cushion 38 either rests against or is secured to the wall on which the container 10 is mounted.

Mounted on two blocks 40 disposed at the edges of the recess 32 is a linkage 42 comprising a flap 44 pivoted at its upper edge to the blocks 40 and extending through a bevelled slot 46 in the recessed portion of the rear wall 1 8. The linkage 42 further comprises a generally rectangular, vertically slidable plate 48 having a substantially rectangular opening 50 therein so that the projection 36 may extend therethrough. Linking the flap 44 and plate 48 are two side links 52 pivoted at one of their ends to the lower edge of flap 44 and at the other of their ends to the upper edge of plate 48. Mounted at the lower edge of plate 48 is a release member, comprising a trigger 54 extending through a second slot 54 in the rear wall 1 8 of the container and projecting forwardly into the outlet aperture 30 of the container.The plate 48 is guided for it s vertically slidable motion by cooperation of its opening 50 with the side edges of the projection 36 and it is biassed upwardly by a compression spring disposed between the trigger 54 and the bottom wall 24 of the container.

The flap 44 acts as roll retaining means, as it normally projects into the container, being urged into that position by the action of spring 58 biassing the linkage 42 into the position shown in Figure 1. In this position, a spare roll 14 will rest on the lower edge of the flap 44. If this roll retaining means is retracted, by downward actuation of the trigger 54, the spare roll 14 would be free to drop downwardly in the container.

Operation of the dispenser is described below.

When the container 10 is empty, a janitor will load it with a number of full rolls of paper, by opening the lid (not shown) and inserting the rolls through the inlet opening 22 at the top of the container.

The rolls will drop down inside the container and the first roll to be loaded will come to rest on the lower edge of flap 44. The janitor presses downwardly on the trigger 54, to cause the flap 44 to pivot clear of the roll and allow it to drop into the dispensing position shown at 12 in Figure 1. The trigger 54 is then released, allowing the flap 44 to return to its normal, inwardly projecting position, under the action of spring 58. The roll which is subsequently loaded into the container will drop into abutment with the lower edge of the flap 44 in the position shown at 14 in Figure 1 and any further rolls loaded into the container will rest on this spare roll 14.

The rolls which is in use, in the dispensing position, rests on the front portion of the bottom wall 24, and, towards the rear of the container, on two curved supports 62 mounted on the rear portion of the bottom wall 24, either side of the trigger 54. The free end 60 of this roll 12 is unravelled by reaching to it through the aperture 30. The paper on this roll is used until the roll is finished leaving the core 12' resting on the bottom wall 24 of the container. The width of the aperture 30, in the front to rear direction of the container 10, is slightly less than the diameter of the spent core 12', so that the core cannot simply drop through this aperture. To bring the spare roll 14 into the dispensing position, the user manipulates the spent core 12' downwardly through the aperture 30, deforming the core slightly to be able to remove it.This downward action of the spent core 12' urges the trigger downwardly, against the bias of spring 58, into the position shown in Figure 2. The flap 44 is pivoted downwardly, freeing the spare roll 14 which is able to drop into the dispensing position, resting on the bottom wall 24 and the two curved supports 62, in which position the roll is clear of the trigger 54. This roll is then used as before and the cycle repeated until all the rolls in the container have been used up.

For a spare roll to be released, only the spent core 12' need be touched, so that the trigger 54 nor any other part of the dispenser need be touched by the user, ensuring hygienic conditions are maintained.

The invention is not limited to the specific form of linkage 42 illustrated. In this particular form, by having two intermediate links 52, one on either side, the likelihood of torsional distortion occurring during operation of the linkage 42 is minimised.

Claims (9)

1. A dispenser comprising a container adapted to house a plurality of cored rolls of web material in positions one above the other, the lowermost position comprising a dispensing position, the remaining position or positions being for a spare roll; an outlet in said container through which may be dispensed web material from a roll in the dispensing position; roll retaining means for holding the spare roll or rolls clear of a roll in the dispensing position; an aperture adapted to enable removal of a spent core from the container; and roll release means comprising a release member located in the path of removal of a spent core from the container, the rolls release means being operable to disable the roll retaining means to enable a spare roll to move into the dispensing position on displacement of the release member.

2. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the aperture for core removal and the web material dispensing outlet are one and the same.

3. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the aperture for core removal is located in a lower end portion of the container.

4. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the roll retaining means comprises a projection pivotally mounted on the container, being pivotable between a roll retaining position in which it projects into the container and a disabled position, in which it is clear of the interior of the container.

5. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the roll release means comprises a vertically slidable link, the roll release member being mounted at one end of the link, the other end of the link being pivotally connected, directly or indirectly, to the roll retaining means.

6. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the link is slidably mounted on an outer surface of a container wall.

7. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the link is biassed to urge the roll retaining means into its roll retaining position.

8. A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a support located within the container to hold a roll in the dispensing position clear of the roll release member.

9. A dispenser as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.