GB2450402A

GB2450402A - Roll holder with rotatable roll support

Info

Publication number: GB2450402A
Application number: GB0810725A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Njenga
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-19
Filing date: 2008-06-11
Publication date: 2008-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2028-06-11
Also published as: GB2450402B; GB0711870D0; GB0810725D0

Abstract

A roll holder comprises a chute for a plurality of rolls of paper or like material. The chute has a rear wall 1 and two side walls 2, 3 and is open at one end, which is the upper end when the roll holder is in use. The front of the chute is open except for a pair of flanges 4, 5 and the bottom of the chute is provided with a wall 6 which supports a pair of guides 7 that support a roll of paper or like material. Guides 8 for a slidable door 9 are secured to the side walls and stops are provided to space the lower end of the door from the bottom wall 6. The lower ends of the flanges adjacent to the guides are also spaced from the bottom wall so as to form a gap through which paper or like material can be dispensed. Spaced from the bottom wall is a semicircular tray-like member 12, rotatably mounted in the chute, which forms a receptacle for a roll 18 of paper or like material and has a knob 15 at the end of a rotatable shaft on which the receptacle is mounted. The receptacle enables the roll to be dropped onto the guides when the receptacle is rotated, and further rotation of the receptacle enables a further roll of paper or like material to drop into the receptacle from the upper end of the chute. The roll holder is especially suited for dispensing toilet paper and the like.

Description

* . 2450402

IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLL HOLDERS

This invention relates to holders for paper rolls such as toilet rolls and kitchen rolls.

Conventional toilet roll and kitchen roll holders are capable of holding only one paper roll at a time. Further, conventional paper rolls have a central core of cardboard or like material which is mounted on a shaft or roller of a conventional roll holder. In order to replace a used paper roll, the shaft or roller must be removed from the holder, the core removed from the shaft or roller and a new paper roll fitted by placing the shaft or roller in the core of the new paper roll and then re-fitting the shaft or roller to the holder. This is not only time-consuming and sometimes difficult but it can also be unhygienic if the person fitting the new paper roll has not washed his/her hands before fitting the new paper roll.

The present invention seeks to avoid the disadvantages of conventional paper roll holders.

According to the invention, there is provided a roll holder comprising a chute adapted to hold a plurality of rolls of paper or like material, said chute being adapted to be loaded with said rolls at or adjacent to one end of said chute, having means for releasably supporting at least one roll intermediate the ends of the chute and means for dispensing the paper or like material by unwinding said material from the roll at or adjacent to the other end of the chute, wherein the releasable supporting means comprise a semi-circular receptacle which is adapted to receive a roll of paper or like material and which is rotatably mounted in the chute.

Preferably, means are provided for mounting the chute substantially vertically on a wall or other vertical surface.

The said one end of the chute is desirably open, said end being intended, in us; to be at the upper end of the chute. Rolls of paper or like material may then easily be placed in the chute. The said one end of the chute may be provided with a lid which can have locking means to prevent unauthorised removal of rolls from the chute.

One or more rolls can be stacked in the chute with the lowermost roll received in the receptacle. Rotating the receptacle through 1800 will allow the or the lowermost roll to fall to the bottom of the chute while any other rolls will be retained in the chute with the next lowermost roll resting on the receptacle.

Rotation of the receptacle is desirably achieved by providing the receptacle with stub shafis which are rotatably mounted in opposite sides of the chute and by providing one or both stub shafts with a knob located outside of the chute. The receptacle can then be rotated simply by turning the knob.

The other end of the chute is desirably closed and may be provided with a pair of guides on which the lowermost roll is arranged to rest.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the chute has a front wall provided with a slot through which paper or like material on a roll can be threaded so that the material can be unwound from the roll.

The front of the chute is desirably substantially open, at least in is lower region, to facilitate threading of the paper or like material though the slot. If the front of the chute is provided with an open slot, the number of rolls in the chute can readily be seen so that it can easily be determined when the chute is in need of replenishment. As an alternative or in addition, the front of the chute may be provided with a transparent cover.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a toilet roll holder according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a toilet roll holder according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a front view of a third embodiment of a toilet roll holder according to the invention; and Fig. 4 is a front view of a kitchen roll holder according to the invention.

In the drawings, like parts are donated by like reference numerals.

Reference will first be made to Fig. I of the drawings in which the toilet roll holder comprises a chute having a rear wall 1 and two side waIls 2 and 3. The chute is open at one end which is intended to be the upper end when the chute has been installed and the front is substantially open except for a pair of flanges 4 and secured to or formed integrally with the side walls 2 and 3 respectively. The chute further has a bottom wall 6 which is joined to the rear wall I and side walls 2 and 3. A pair of guides in the form of L-shaped strips 7 are secured to the inside or upper surface of the bottom wall 6.

A further pair of L-shaped strips 8 are secured to the side walls 2 and 3 adjacent to the bottom wall 6 of the chute to form guides for a slidable door 9.

The lower ends of the flanges 4 and 5 and the L-shaped strips 8 are spaced from the bottom wall 6 to form a gap through which paper or like material may pass when being unrolled from a roll in the chute. The door is provided with a knob 10 so that the door can be slid upwards in the guides formed between the flanges 4 and 5 and the L-shaped strips 8. Stops (not shown) are provided in the guides to space the bottom of the door 9 from the bottom wall 6.

The dimensions of the chute are such that a conventional toilet roll can be accommodated in the chute so that the axis of the roll extends substantially parallel to the rear wall I with the sides of the roll being close to the side walls 2 and 3. Spaced from the bottom wall 6 of the chute by slightly more than the diameter of a full toilet roll is a semi-circular cylinder member 12 which is rotatably mounted in the chute. The member 12 forms a receptacle for a toilet roll 18. The ends of the receptacle 12 consist of circular end plates 13 (only one shown) from which respective stub shafts extend which are rotatably mounted in the end walls 2 and 3. A second circular plate 14 (only one shown) which is smaller than the plate 13 is mounted on each stub shaft on the outside wall of each side wall 2 and 3. A knob 15 is mounted on one of the shafts but, if desired, a knob may be mounted on each of the stub shafts.

A base or stand 16 may be provided on which the bottom wall 6 is mounted and to which the base or stand may be secured. The rear wall I of the chute is provided with a number of bores or apertures 17.

In use, the chute will be fitted to a wall or like vertical surface by passing screws or like fastening means through the bores or apertures 17 in the rear wall 1 of the chute and securing the screws or like fastening members in wall plugs or the like. Two toilet rolls can then be inserted in the chute at its upper end. The lowermost toilet roll 18 will be located in the receptacle 12. The receptacle 12 can then be rotated through 1800 which will allow the toilet roll to fall onto the guides 7 on the bottom wall 6 of the chute. The receptacle 12 can then be turned again through 1800 to allow the uppermost toilet roll to fall into the receptacle. A further toilet roll can then be inserted into the chute.

In order to dispense paper from the toilet roll resting on the guides 7, the door 9 is raised by means of the knob 10 and the end of the roll can be led out of the chute through the gaps between the flanges 4 and 5 and the L-shaped strips 8 and the bottom wall 6. The door 9 can then be lowered and will ensure that the toilet roll is firmly retained within the chute. When the roll is exhausted, the door 9 can be raised so that, if the toilet roll has an inner core, the core can be removed after which the receptacle 12 can be turned as before to allow the next toilet roll in the chute to fall onto the guides 7.

Fig. 2 shows a modified embodiment of a toilet roll holder according to the invention in which the L-shaped strips 8 and the door 9 are dispensed with and the front of the chute is completely open except for the side flanges 4 and 5. In this case, the side walls 2 and 3 and the rear wall I are extended upwards so that the chute can accommodate five toilet rolls 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22. The toilet roll holder is otherwise similar to the toilet roll holder shown in Fig. 1.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 except that, in this case, the lower end of the front of the chute is closed by a cover plate 24 which is secured to the flanges 4 and 5 by screws or like fastening members 27. The cover plate 24 has upper and lower slits 25 through which paper 23 can be dispensed from the lowermost toilet roll 18. The central area of the cover plate 24 has a large rectangular aperture 26 by means of which paper are on the roll 18 can be accessed and threaded through one of the slits 25. This embodiment of toilet roll holder is otherwise similar to the toilet roll holder shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a holder for a kitchen roll. In this embodiment, the side walls 32 and 33 are U-shaped in cross-section and one arm of each U forms a front flange 34 and 35 respectfully. The other limb of each U forms a rear flange 36 and 37 respectively and the rear flanges are connected together by a rear plate (not shown).

The front of the kitchen roll holder is closed adjacent to the bottom by a cover plate 38 which is similar to the cover plate 24 shown in Fig. 3 and has upper and lower slits 39 through which paper 43 from a lowermost kitchen roll 44 in the holder can be threaded as well as a large rectangular aperture 40 in its central region by means of which the paper 43 on the lowermost kitchen roll 44 can be grasped and threaded through one of the slits 39. The cover plate is secured to the front flanges 34 and 35 by screws or like fastening members 41. The kitchen roll holder is also provided with a receptacle 42 rotation of which is controlled by a control knob 15. The receptacle 42 is rotatably mounted in the side walls 32 and 33 in a similar maimer to the receptacle 12 shown in Fig. 1 and operates in a similar maimer. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the kitchen roll holder can accommodate four rolls of kitchen paper 44, 45, 46 and 47.

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the drawings show toilet roll and kitchen roll holders which are open at the top, a lid may be provided and, if the holder is intended for use in a public convenience for example, the lid may be provided with a lock to prevent theft of unused toilet rolls.

Although primarily intended for paper rolls, the invention is not restricted to this material and could be used to hold rolls of, for example, textile material which can be used as wipes in the kitchen and catering establishments.

A further advantage of the holders according to the invention is that it is no longer necessary to use rolls which have a central core of cardboard or the like.

Since the rolls do not have to rotate on a shaft, the rolls can be formed without a central core enabling more sheets of paper to be wound on a roll of conventional size.

Claims

CLAIMS: I. A roll holder comprising a chute adapted to hold a plurality

of rolls of paper or like material, said chute being adapted to be loaded with said rolls at or adjacent to one end of said chute, having means for releasably supporting at least one roll intermediate the ends of the chute and means for dispensing the paper or like material by unwinding said material from the roll at or adjacent to the other end of the chute, wherein the releasable supporting means comprise a semi-circular receptacle which is adapted to receive a roll of paper or like material and which is rotatably mounted in the chute.
2. A roll holder according to claim I, wherein means are provided for mounting the chute substantially vertically on a wall or other vertical surface.
3. A roll holder according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said one end of the chute is open, said end being intended, in use, to be at the upper end of the chute.
4. A roll holder according to claim 3, wherein said one end of the chute is provided with a lid.
5. A roll holder according to claim 4, wherein the lid is provided with locking means.
6. A roll holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle is provided with stub shafts which are rotatably mounted in opposite sides of the chute.
7. A roll holder according to claim 6, wherein the end of at least one stub shaft projects from the wall of the chute, on the side remote from the receptable, and wherein a knob is secured to the projecting end of the or each stub shaft.
8. A roll holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said other end of the chute is closed and is provided with a pair of guides on which the lowermost roll is arranged to rest.
9. A roll holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chute has a front wall provided with a slot through which paper or like material on a roll can be threaded so that the material can be unwound from the roll.
10. A roll holder according to claim 9, wherein the front of the chute is substantially open.
II. A roll holder according to claim 9, wherein the front wall of the chute is provided with an open slot which is substantially vertical when the roll holderisin use.
12. A roll holder according to any one of claims I to 8, wherein the front of the chute is substantially open but is provided with a pair of guides for a slidable door.
13. A roll holder according to claim 12, wherein means are provided for spacing one end of the door from the said other end of the chute.
14. A roll holder according to claim 13, wherein the door spacing means comprise steps located in said guides.
15. A roll holder according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the door is provided with a knob.
16. A roll holder substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings. * ** * * * * ** * *** * * * S..

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16. A roll holder according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the front of the chute is provided with a cover of transparent material.

17. A roll holder substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A roll holder comprising a chute adapted to hold a plurality of rolls of paper or like material, said chute being adapted to be loaded with said rolls at or adjacent to one end of said chute, having means for releasably supporting at least one roll intermediate the ends of the chute and means for dispensing the paper or like material by unwinding said material from the roll at or adjacent to the other end of the chute, wherein the releasable supporting means comprise a semi-circular receptacle which is adapted to receive a roll of paper or like material and which is rotatably mounted in the chute and wherein the said other end of the chute is closed and is provided with a pair of guides on which the lowermost roll is arranged to rest.

2. A roll holder according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for mounting the chute substantially vertically on a wall or other vertical surface.

3. A roll holder according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said one end of the chute is open, said end being intended, in use, to be at the upper end of the chute.

4. A roll holder according to claim 3, wherein said one end of the chute is provided with a lid.

5. A roll holder according to claim 4, wherein the lid is provided with locking means.

6. A roll holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle is provided with stub shafts which are rotatably mounted in opposite sides of the chute.

7. A roll holder according to claim 6, wherein the end of at least one stub shaft projects from the wall of the chute, on the side remote from the receptable, * * 25 and wherein a knob is secured to the projecting end of the or each stub shaft.

8. A roll holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chute has a front wall provided with a slot through which paper or like material on a roll can be threaded so that the material can be unwound from the roll * * *. ..: 9. A roll holder according to claim 8, wherein the front of the chute is S * substantially open. *** . (0

10. A roll holder according to claim 8, wherein the front wall of the chute is provided with an open slot which is substantially vertical when the roll holder is in use.

11. A roll holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the front of the chute is substantially open but is provided with a pair of guides and wherein a door is slidably mounted in said guides.

12. A roll holder according to claim 11, wherein means are provided for spacing one end of the door from the said other end of the chute.

13. A roll holder according to claim 12, wherein the door spacing means comprise stops located in said guides.

14. A roll holder according to any one of claims II to 13, wherein the door is provided with a knob.

15. A roll holder according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the front of the chute is provided with a cover of transparent material.