US2171648A

US2171648A - Paper dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US2171648A
Application number: US230918A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry F Ennis; John H Ennis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-09-21
Filing date: 1938-09-21
Publication date: 1939-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-05

Description

Sept. 5, 1939. H. F. ENNIS ET AL PAPER DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Sept 21, 19:58 I

INVENTOR ATTO Patented Sept. 5, '1939 UNITED STATES PAPER DISPENSING DEVICE Harry F.-Ennis and John H. Ennis, Dayton, Ohio Application September 2 Claims.

This invention relates to paper dispensing devices and more particularly to supports for removably holding rolls of paper while being dispensed.

An object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for a roll of paper releasably held in position, which dispenser permits the automatic insertion of the roll without manual manipulation of the device.

Another object of this invention is'to provide a paper roll holder that is cheap, easily constructed and at the same time efiicient and pleasing in appearance.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment attached to the wall.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2, showing the retaining members in position for releasing the roll.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modification.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another modification, showing a retaining member made from a unitary strip of steel.

In the past, numerous types of roll dispensing devices have been used for supporting rolls of paper, such as towel paper, toilet paper, waxed paper and other paper dispensed from the roll. In many of these devices it is necessary to disassemble the structure to permit the removal of the core and the insertion of a new roll. This requires time, patience and a certain degree of skill.

In the preferred embodiment and the several modifications shown herein, the retaining members for holding the roll in position upon the support automatically flex or spring out of rollretaining position by the leading end of the roll, so as to permit insertion of the roll without manual manipulation of the support and the retaining means upon the support. The core of the dispensed roll, which is usually tubular, snugly fits the tubular portion of the support. The core may be removed by manually pressing a pair of retaining dogs inwardly, so as to permit the removal of the core from the support over the retaining dogs. As soon as the core extends out over the innerportions of the re- 21, 1938, Serial No. 230,918

taining dogs, the manual pressure upon the dogs may be released and the core removed by merely pulling the core outwardly. The retaining. dogs are provided with shoulders extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the support and the longitudinal axis of the roll, so as to provide a straight edge support for the exposed end of the roll. If the roll-contactin shoulders of the dogs were inclined, the roll would gradually crawl or creep upon the inclined shoulders, thereby causing dogs to bind the roll in position. By using straight shoulders, this difficulty is eliminated.

In the drawing, a tubular supporting member in is fixedly attached to a wall bracket l2 by welding or otherwise. The wall bracket I2 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed ears ll, having holes for screws l6, which screws hold the supporting bracket l2 in position on the side of the wall. The longitudinal axis of the tubular member it! extends in a direction normal to the surface of the wall.

The outer diameter of the tubular member ID is substantially the same as the diameter of the core of the paper roll 20. Likewise, the length of the tubular member. ID is substantially the same as the width of the paper. The paper roll 20 is held in position by a pair of resiliently mounted dogs 22, each of which is provided with an arcuate surface 22a, a shoulder 22b and an inner facet 220. The dogs 22 are supported upon a pair of leaf springs 24, projecting into the tube I0 and held in position by suitable rivets 25 or by welding. The dogs 22 may be made from suitable plastic molding material, such as pyroxylin, Bakelite or the like, or these may be made from metal.

In the embodiments shown, the dogs 22 and the springs 24 have been mounted for movement in a horizontal plane. The dogs 22 and their springs 24 may be mounted for movement in a plane lying in any other angular position. For example, these dogs could be mounted for movement in a vertical plane equally as well. One dog would then be mounted on a spring extending into the tube In along the top thereof and the other dog on a spring extending into the tube along the bottom. A balanced relation of the roll retaining means is obtained by the diametrical arrangement of the dogs engaging opposite sides of the roll.

The roll of paper 20 may be inserted by pushing the end of the roll against the arcuate surfaces 22a of the dogs 22, so as to cause these dogs to be deflected inwardly, as shown in Figroll, or for that matter the partially spent roll,

it is merely necessary to press the dogs 22 with two fingers to force the dogs inwardly into the position shown in Figure .3, when the roll or core may be slipped over the dogs 22. Immediately upon the core 01. the roll overlying thein- 'ner ends of the dogs 22, the-pressure may be released upon thetips of the dogs, as the core will hold the dogs in the in position, thereby permitting the core to be withdrawn from the tubular support It], at which time the support is in readiness for a new roll. When only two dogs are used, it is merely necessary to use the finger-tips of two fingers to deflect the dogs. If more dogs were used, diiiieulty in removing the core or roll would be encountered.

Instead of dogs and leaf springs being used, a pair of spring-like members 39, shown in Figure 5, may be used, each of which includes a body portion 32, a flange 34 and a finger-tip portion 36. The finger-tip portion is preferably arcuate, so as to present a handle-like surface when pressed by the fingers. Thus, a pair or members stamped from a strip of sheet metal may be stamped or formed into proper shape for retaining the roll in position.

In Figure 4 a modification has been shown, wherein the roll is supported upon the longitudinal axis thereof extending in parallel relation with the wall. This has been accomplished by mounting the tubular support It upon an L- shaped bracket 40, provided with a leg 42 extending parallel tothe wall. This leg 42 is provided with a pair of holes 44 for receiving screws holding the bracket in position wall.

Although the dispensing device has been shown for supporting a roll of paper, the same device may be used to support rolls of other material, such as cloth,"adhesive tape, spools of thread and the like.

Although the preferred modification of, the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, which genupon the side of the erally stated consist in a device capable 01' carrying out the objects set forth, in the novel parts, combination of parts and mode of operation, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device for dispensing strips of sheet material and the like from a roll, the combination or supporting means including a tubular roll supporting member having one end open and the other end mounted upon a support fixedly attached to a wall, with roll retaining means including a pair oi. diametrically disposed leaf springs having their inner ends attached to the inside 01' the wall of the tubular member and their outer ends projecting through the open end of the tubular member, said outer ends being biased outwardly, the outwardly biased outer ends of the springs supporting a'pair of diametrically disposed arcuately tapered finger-grip dogs hav- 1 ing the outer ends iorming finger-grip surfaces,

each of the dogs having a shoulder extending parallel to the end of the roll and abutting the same to hold the roll in position, the core of the roll being releasable from the support by exerting a finger pressure upon the finger-grip surfaces of the dogs to force these inwardly so as to clear the core and a new roll movable into.

position upon the support by the core of the roll deflecting the dogs inwardly.

2. In a device for dispensing strips of sheet material and the like trom a roll, the combination of supporting means including a tubular roll supporting member having one end open and the other end mounted upon a support fixedly attached to a wall, with roll retaining means including a pair of diametrically disposed leaf springs having their inner ends attached to the inner wall of the tubular member and their outer ends projecting through the open end of the tubular member and being biased outwardly, the outer end of each spring being provided with an outwardly directed flange merging into an inclined arcuate flngern'p-portion, the outwardly extending flange extending in parallel relation to the end of the roll and abutting the same to hold the roll in position, the core 01' the roll being releasableirom the support by exerting a finger pressure upon the finger-grip portion of the springs to force these inwardly so as to clear the core and a new roll movable into position upon the support by the core of the roll defiecting the finger-grip portions inwardly.

- HARRY F. ENNIS.

JOHN H. ENNIS.