US1460215A - Towel-service machine - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1923. 1,460,215

' o SCHWIMMER TOWEL SERVICE MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 4, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 26, 1923. v HAfiQZHS Q. SCHWIMMER TOWEL SERVICE MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 4 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 26, 1923.

O. SCHWIMMER TOWEL SERVICE MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 4 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fatente d mlune 2d, 1923.

OSCAR SCHWIMMER,

l il

DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO PATENT PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

TOWEL-SERVICE MACHINE.

Application filed February 4, 1919, Serial No. 275,271. Renewed June 21, 1922. Serial No. 569,873.

To all whom'z't may cancer m:

Be it known that I, OSCAR SoHwrMMER, a citizenof the United States, residlng at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and

State of California, have invented a cer tain new and useful Improvement in Towel- Service' Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device or apparatus for serving for individual use a 'definite length of towelin from a continuous strip, and it has especial reference to that class-of machines more particularly detailed in my United States Patent #1,274l,611, of Aug. 6, 1918, and in my'co-pending, application for patent filed Decp15, 1917, Serial Number 207,384, said application having matured into Patent Number #1,291,188, In the devices therein described and claimed, a definite length of toweling is paid out for use through the manipulation of a lever operating to set in motion the main feed spool and, through a train of gears, and other mechanism, simultaneously to drive a towelingtake up roller in compensatory relation with the diametrical variation of the toweling on the feed roller.

The present invention has in view mainly thesimplification of a towel service machine, the elimination of elaborate mechanism and'necessary adjuncts of a cumbersome and an expensive nature, and the dispensation with a lever or handle and many other partsessential in contributing to the successful working of the machines at present in use and heretofore devised.

It has also in view an increased efliciency, a, more compact device, less apt to erangement and disturbance of its working ele- Specifically my invention comprises the I sembled mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail plan view seen on line 33, Fig. 2, and showing the slide arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view of the door on which the mechanism is preferably mounted, showing the means operable by and for controlling the release of the toweling; also showing a means for indicating the size of the toweling on the roller or spool.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the means for operating the toweling spool locking latch or pawl.

Fig. 6 is an end View of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is an end View of the take-up roller, showing the pawl for holding the roller against rotatory movement in one direction and means provided on the pawl or dog for preventing lateral movement of the same.

The invention comprises a roller or spool 1, on which is wound a length of toweling 2, which, from the function it performs, may be termed a driving element for a driven element 3, hereinafter more specifically detailed.

The spool 1 is provided in any convenient manner at each end with a spindle 4, operating in bearings 5, which for the purposes of this disclosure may be open bearings formed by inverted U-shaped 'portions. These bearings 5 are preferably mounted on the door 6 of a cabinet 7, the spindles 4,

being yieldingly held in place in the bearings by the driven element 3, and thus arranged for ready removal therefrom when substituting another spool with clean toweling. 1

On one end of the spool 1 is a plate 0 disk 8 formed with indentations 9, with which. a pawl 10 co-operates to hold the spool 1 against rotation and consequently preventing the paying ofi' of more than a definite length of toweling except under conditions hereinafter explained.

In the present instance the plate or disk 8 is shown provided with two such indentations, diametrically opposed, and the dis tance from one indentation to the other representing the length of toweling that may be derived from the spool 1 at each operation of the pawl 10.

The pawl 10 is pivotally mounted in a suitable bracket or plate 11, and to it is fulcrumed an operating bar 12, guided in the bracket 11 and also in a bracket 13. A spring 14 holds the bar 12 and pawl 10 in normally operative position, that is constantly in engagement with the periphery of the plate or disk 8, whereby on rotation of the spool 1, the bar 12 draws the pawl 10 in the indentations 9, as shown in Fig. 1.

On the bar 12 is provided a pin or lu 15, by means of which the bar 12, and the pawl 10, fulcrumed thereon, are actuated by the following mechanism and in the following described manner:

In the upper part of the door 6, is jour naled a roller 16, the journals 17 thereof forming pivots for a lever frame 18, consist ing of two levers 19, formed with downwardly extending arcuate portions 20, normally extended and operable through slots 21 in the door 6. The arcuate portions are interconnected by tie rods 22 and 23, the latter lying inside and serving to prevent re traction thereof beyond the door, and the former lying outside the door and preventing entrance of the arcuate portions beyond a determined limit. The arcuate portions areadditionally connected by a roller 24 journaled therein.

The toweling 2 runs over the roller 16, thence over the. roller 24, from which it hangs freely for use, sullicient length being provided to form a loop 25 below the cabinet before the toweling is returned to the inside of the cabinet, as hereinafter explained.

The ends 26 of the levers 19 are under tension of springs 27, which hold the lever frame 18, in normally inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

On the end of one of the arcuate portions 20 of the lever frame- 18, is pivotally mounted a member 26', formed with a ledge 28, diverging downwardly and rearwardly at an angle to the plane of said arcuate portion, but having its forward part in engagement with the bottom of said arcuate portion, the engagement being insured by a spring 29. The upper part of said member is formed with a slightly rounding surface 30, and with an inclined surface 31, the two surfaces being conjoined by a substantially rotund apex 32. all for the purpose of operating the bar 12 in substantially the following man- Assuming the position of the parts to be substantially that illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein one of the indentations 9, is shown 1n engagement with the pawl 10, and whereby during use of the exposed length of toweling, the spool is held inoperative, that is, against rotation, the pull 0 the pendent portion of the toweling will tilt the lever frame 18, and cause the arcuate portions thereof to be moved through the slots 21 in the door 6, bringing the rounding surface 30 of the member 26' into engagement withthe pin or lug 15 on the bar 12. The continued movement of the arcuate portion, due to pull of the operator on the toweling, causes the member 26', which is held immovable or rigid by the engagement of its ledge 28 with the underside of the arcuate portion 20, to lift the bar and the pawl 10 out of engagement with one of the indentations 9, where g upon, the pull on the toweling being maintained, the toweling may be unwound until the pawl 10 drops into the next indentation. On relieving the pull on the toweling 2, the

lever frame 18 automatically returns to nor-' mal or original osition under the influence of the springs 22, the member 26', (on such return movement of the lever frame, moving about its pivot and against the tension of the spring 29, when striking the pin or lug 15 on the bar 12, without affecting its position. The member 26 therefore, is rigid when moving the operating bar, but movable when returning to normal position.

As stated hereinbefore, the toweling '2, constitutes a driving means for a driven element 3, through the medium of which the take-up roller is controlled by the following mechanism:

The driven element 3, in this instance consisting of a roller, is provided at each end with a spindle 33, each spindle journaling in an arm 34, secured between a pair of angle plates 35 and 36, the plates 36 extending and operating slidably in guideways 37, and the respective angle plates 35 being interconnected by cross rods 38. The interconnected angle plates 35 and 36 constitute substantially a carriage upon which are carried the elements and the parts appurtenant to the compensatory take-up' action on the towelmg.

provided with a toothed wheel 39, meshing with and arranged to impart motion to a toothed wheel 40, keyed or otherwise secured on an arbor 41, journaled in one of the arms 34. On said arbor 41 is also keyed or otherwise secured a sprocket 42, connected with a sprocket 43 by a chain 43'. The sprocket 43 is fastened on an axle 44 rotatably mounted in a bearing 45, secured between one pair of the plates 35 and 36. This axle 44 is partially hollowed out and one portion of the circumferential surface thereof flattened, as at 46. to accommodate a similarly flattened spindle 47, provided at one end of the "take-up roller 48, which is operated through the-medium of the axle 44.

One of the spindles 33 of the element 3, is

The other end of the roller 48 is provided with a spindlej49, carried and operating in a U-shaped open bearing 50, which is secured between the other pair of plates 35 and 36.

The carriage, which is composed of the interconnected plates 35 and 36, is under the tension of springs 51, whereby the driven element 3 is constantly and resiliently held in frictional engagement with the toweling 2, and conveys its motion, through the means described, to the take-up roller 48.

To prevent the rotation of the take-up roller 48 in a direction reverse to that removement of the take-up roller 48. By lift ing the dog 54 with its finger 57 the take- 'up roller may be moved laterally until the flattened spindle 47 is free of engagement with the axle 44, whereby it may be readily lifted out of the 'open bearing for substitution by another roller.

In the bottom of the door 6, is preferably journaled a roller 58, under which the tow eling is returned to the inside of the cabinet and to the take-up roller.

To indicate the diameter of the toweling on the spool 1, I may provide a rod 59, bent to form a transverse member 60 and a horizontal member 61, the horizontal member lying loosely upon the toweling 2 and following it as it, decreases in diameter, and the member 60, being pivotally mounted in a suitable support '62, and provided at its free end with an indicating hand 63, registering with suitable inscriptions on the door.

From the construction above outlined, which obviousl may be varied extensively without departing from the spiritof the invention, it will be evident that the pull of the toweling by the user sets in motion the toweling locking means for the supply roller mechanism and the take-up roller, and that such pull must be practised ,by' each user lhefiore a length of clean toweling may be What I claim, is

1. A towel service machine comprising a towel supply spool, means normally to hold said spool against movement, means operable by pull of the toweling to release said holding means, a take-u roller,-and means frictionally in contact with the toweling on thesupply spool to operate said take-up roller. y

2. A towel service machine com rising a toweling supply spool, means to old said spool against rotation, means operable by pull of vthe toweling to release said holding means, an element operable by said toweling, a take-up roller operable by said element, and means to hold said element in resilient frictional contact-with the toweling.

3. A'towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, means to hold said spool against movement, means operable by a pull on the toweling to release said holding means, said holding means acting also to limit the length of toweling at eachpull.

4. A towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, means to hold said toweling-against movement, means operable by a pull on the toweling to release said holding means, a take-up roller for used toweling, and means frictionally and resiliently in engagement with the toweling to operate the take-up roller.

5. A towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, means to hold said spool against movement, means operable by a pull on the toweling to release said holding means, a resiliently sliding carriage, a take-up roller on said carriage, and a means on said carriage and in .enga ement with the toweling to operate said ta e-up roller.

6. A towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, bearings 1n which said spool is operable, a carriage, means to hold said carriage under tension, a take-up roller on said carriage for used 'toweling,

' means on said carriage and held in engagement with and o erable by said toweling for operating sai take-up roller and holding said spool in its bearings.

7. A towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, means tohold said spool against movement, means to release said holding means? a take-up roller, means controllable by the" toweling to operate said take-up roller, and means to hold said takeup operating means resiliently in engagement with the toweling. v Y

, 8. A towel service machine comprising a toweling supply spool, means to "hold said spool against movement, means to release said holding means to obtain a definite length of toweling, said means being controllable by pull of the toweling, a carriage, a take-up roller on said carnaga; A means on said carriage and operable by said toweling to'operate said take-up roller, and" means 'to support said carriage yieldingly to insure contact ofthe take-up roller op 'erating means with the toweling.

toweling supply spool journaled within a cabinet, means to hold. said'spool againstv movement, a lever frame journaled inisaid cabinet and carrying a roller-from which depends the length of toweling for use, op erating means on said lever frame to release said holding means, saidlever, frame operable by pull of the toweling, a carriage resiliently slidable in said cabinet, a takeup roller on said carriage, and a means on said carriage operable by the toweling to operate said take-up roller.

10, A towel -service machine comprising a cabinet, a toweling supply spool in said cabinet, means to hold said spool against movement, a lever frame journaled in said cabinet and carrying a roller from which depends the length of toweling for use, op-

erating means on said lever frame to release L.

said holding means, said lever frame being operable by pull of the toweling, a carriage, resiliently slidable in said cabinet, a takeup roller on said carriage, means to prevent rotation of said take-up roller in one direction, and a means on said carriage operable by the toweling to operate said take-up roller;

'11. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet, a toweling supply spool in said cabinet, means to hold said spool againstrotation, a lever frame journaled in said cabinet and carrying a roller from which depends the length of toweling for use, operating means on said lever frame to release said holding means, said lever frame being operable by pull of the toweling, a carriage resiliently slidable vin said cabinet, a take-up roller. on said carriage, means to prevent rotation of said take-up roller in one direction and against lateral movement, and a means on said carriage operable by the toweling to operate said takeup means. v

12. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet, a toweling supply roller in said cabinet, means to hold said roller against rotation, a lever frame journaled in said cabinet, operating means on said lever frame to release said roller holding means, said lever frame being operable by pull of the toweling, a carriage slidable in said cabinet, means to hold said carriage'under tension, a take-up roller on said carriage, a gravity pawl to prevent rotation of said take-up roller in one direction, said pawl being formed with means to prevent'lateral movement of said roller, and a means on said carriage operable by the toweling to operate said. take-up' roller.

13. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet having a door, a toweling supply roller thereon, means to hold said roller against movement, a lever frame on said door provided with means to release said engagement with the toweling, all of said on. the towelm holdingmeans, a take-up roller, means in engagement with said toweling to operate said take-u roller, means yieldingly holding said ta e-up roller operating means in operating means being controllable by a pull 14:. A towel service machine comprising means in engagement with the roll of toweling to operate said take-up'roller, and means operable by a pull on the toweling to obtain a definite length of toweling and simultaneously operate the take-up roller.

15. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet having a door, a toweling supply spool on said door, a locking means therefor, a take-up roller, means in contact with the toweling to operate said take-up roller, and a means controllable entirely by the pull on the toweling to release the locking means and operate the take-up roller.

16. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet having a door, a toweling supply spool on said door, means to lock said spool against movement, a take-up roller, means controllable by pull of the toweling to operate said locking means to obtain for use a definite length of toweling from the spool, and means controllable by the unwinding of the toweling to operate said take-up roller.

17. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet having a door, a toweling supply spool on said door, means to hold said spool against movement at one time and to limit the movement thereof at another time, a take-up roller, means controllablev by pull on the toweling to operate the holding means to obtain a definite length of toweling, and means in contact with the toweling on the spool to operate said take-up roller.

i 18. A towel service machine comprising a cabinet having a' door, a toweling supply roller thereon and provided with indenta-- naled in said door and carrying a roller from which depends for use alength of toweling, means on said lever frame to operate said roller holding means, said lever framebeing operable by pull of the toweling, a carriage yieldingly slidable on said door, a take-up roller on said carria means .in engagement with and rotata Is by the toweling, and mechanism controllable by said means for operating the takeup roller. 4

19. A toweling service machine comprising acabinet having a door, a toweling supply spool thereon, a means to hold the spool against movement, a lever frame carrying a roller, a take-up roller, the toweling depending for use from the roller on the lever frame and winding on the take-up roller, said lever frame being operable by pull on the toweling to operate said holding means,

and means in contact with the toweling tof operate said take-up roller as each definite release the locking means, permit the ,unlength of clean toweling isunwound from Winding of the roll and thereby operate the the 'toweling supply. take-up operating means.

20. A towel service machine comprising In testimony whereof I have set my hand 5 a spool containing a rolllof towlgling a lockin the presence of two Witnesses. ing means for t e spoo, a. ta e-up means 5: for use l toweling, means in montact with OSCAR SCIMMER' and directly operable by the toweling 'roll Witnesses:

- to operate the take-up means, and means W. H. Dfi'ITON,

10 controllable by a pull on the toweling to E. C. EMERY.

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