US2255609A - Towel dispensing cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 9, 1941. R. G. BIRR ETAL TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Filed Aug. '17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l .2 m a w w m 06 fawmj $6 Z 57 ww/ 3 V Sept, 9, 1941. R. ca. BIRR ET AL 2,255,509

TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Filed Aug. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NM m EFL -mfiE mm Patented Sept. 9, 1941 2,255,609 TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Rudolph G. Birr, Lombard, and Albert Grunwald, River Forest, 11].,

C. assignors to Steiner Sales Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,398

11 Claims.

provide space for facilitating introduction of the toweling toward the soiled towel roll and movable to another position to prevent introduction of the hand after the cabinet has been serviced.

This invention is also an improvement over the invention shown in Reissue Patent 17,352 in which patent means is provided for facilitating the loading operation in the manner above mentioned. In this Steiner patent part of the dispensing mechanism (a roll) is mounted on a space-making element and moves with this element toward and away from the rear wall of the outer casing. In the device of this invention no part of the dispensing mechanism is so mounted and the space-making element moves independently of any part of the dispensing mechanism.

Another object is to provide a chamber for the clean towel roll which has a single member as the sole means forming its back wall, said member being curved to conform to the curvature of the supply roll.

Features of the invention include; the scheme bywhich a movable element as means to facilitate or prevent introduction of the hand can be manipulated by means at the front of the cabinet for the purpose set forth; and the provision of means with which a closed door of the cabinet cooperates to positively hold a movable smoothing element in smoothing position when the door is closed.

Other features relate to the construction of the chamber for the clean towel roll by means of parts respectively carried by casing and unit; the use of a single element for the back of the clean towel chamber which functions as a spacemaker, as a partition for separating clean from soiled toweling, and as a towel-smoothing means; the curving of this single element, and the relation of the rolls of the dispensing means to it and to the bottom and front wall of the cabinet to form a clean towel chamber in which there is a minimum of waste space between a full roll of clean toweling and the walls of the chamber.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will also appear in the description of the 5 drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in said drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section showing the toweling in place and the doors closed;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of I Figure 1 showing among other things the partition plate and means by which-it is controlled from the front of the cabinet to be forcibly held in operative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan section on line 33 of Figure 1;and

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating how the smoother'barssecu-r'e the upright plates of the inner unit.

In the drawings, numeral! generally designates the outer casing having sides 2' and 3 rounded at their tops and bottoms. The bottom of the casing Iis indicated'at 4. The numeral 5 indicates what is herein designated as a bottom door and this door is hinged as at B'to the bottom 4 of the cabinet. This door closes about one half of the front opening of the cabinet and forms part of the bottom and has at its upper end projections 8 which are engageable by latches generally designated 9. Numeral ill indicates an upper door or cover which forms part of the top and closes about one-half of the front opening. This top door l0 laps and covers the latching projections B ofthe lower door and the heads of the latches. The lower edge l2 of the upper door and the upper edge l3 of the lower door are so formed as to define when closed a dispensing slot or opening l4 downwardly through which the toweling extends.

' In this embodiment of the invention there is an inner unit which is detachably secured in the outer casing; The unit includes a pair of side plates (see Figures 1 and 2) respectively designated 20, 2|, the vertical rear edge of each plate having a'flange 22 and the back having screws 23 in this instance spot welded therein, and with which openings 24 in the flanges'are engaged ings not shown, and there are screws 32 passing through the openings to secure the flanges together. There are preferably two or three screws used for each lapped pair of flanges.

It is noted thatthe plates 20, 2| are spaced inwardly from the corresponding sides 2, 3 of the horizontal plane. measuring roll and the back roll 4i operates a cabinet, the right plate being spaced a greater distance to provide for the reception of a time 1 stop mechanism, not shown. On the back 35 (see t Figure 1) of'the outer casing near the bottom are transversely alined open top sockets 36 (only one of which is shown) made by punching the metal inwardly. These sockets may be formed 1 in other ways.

The bottom of each flange 22 of each plate fits into a corresponding socket. This openings 24 with screws 23, and do likewise for the openings of the front flanges 28, 29.

Another feature of the invention relates to the at the back of the cabinet for facilitating introduction of the toweling, for connection with the soiled towel takeup roll, and for smoothing the toweling as it' approaches the takeup roll. This means includes, see Figure 1, a plate H5 mounted to swing on a horizontal axis, provided herein by 7 means of axially alined pivoted screws H6, one

screw in each plate 2%) and 2!. This plate is adapted to swing forwardly to the dot-and-dash line position shown. This plate cooperates with a pair of parallel bars H8, H9, upper and lower,

arranged transversely and at the back of the in-' arrangement of two doors for the cabinet so that 5 they cooperate to complete the formation of a discharge opening, and so that each can be swung from closed position respectively to vertical position above and below the cabinet. Another fea- 3 ture is that the top door forms a part of the. top

wall, as well as apart of the front wall of the cabinet, and that the bottom door forms a part of the bottom wall, as well as a part of the front Wall of the cabinet. Thus, 'as both doors are 3 opened the front-to-back dimensions of the top and bottom walls are reduced to facilitate access to the parts for servicing or repairing.

In the preferred form of the invention, the

dispensing mechanism (see Figure 1) is constitutedby a single unit including parts which are mounted on the two'plates 2e, 2! above described.

This mechanism includes a pair of rollers having their axes arranged substantially in .the' same The front roll 40 is called the soiled towel take-up roll 42 by frictional engage ment with the toweling 43 thereon. 1 Rolls 41, 4B

are suitably journaled in the'plates. Each roll has at one end a sprocket gear (not shown) which lies atthe outer side of plate 20 or at that'side nearest the side wall 2 of the cabinet. I These gears are connected by a sprocket chain by which means they operate in'unison so that after the toweling loop is formed and'adjusted' at the time of loading the cabinet, this loop is maintained by causing the same amount of soiled toweling to be taken up, as is pulled out by the user.

Associated with the measuring roll is a roll Nib I known as a pinch-roll, see Figure 1. ,This roll is vertically movable in slots IBI, of the plates 28,

2| to permit proper introduction ofthe towel.

upper narrower parts H12 of the slots NH of'the plates are utilized as keepers for a latch bar [83, see Figure 1, and for an arm I06 of a lock I'M.

In order to prevent engagement between soiled andrclean toweling as the soiled towel roll increases in diameter there is provided'a guard plate, I I0 swingable on a pivot HI parallel with 3 This plate extends entirely across the space between the inner sides of the plates 20, 2i.

the axes of the rolls 40, 4|.

guard is opposed to the pinch' and measuring rolls.

As before stated avaluable feature of this inl vention is, the means by which spaceis obtained ner unit near the back wall of the cabinet. These bars are attached by having their ends extending through slots in the plates 20, 2!. The ends as thus extended through the plates, are bent. The

end of'one bar is bent upwardly as at H8c and the end ,ofthe other bar is bent downwardly as at H9c (see Figures 3 and 4) to rigidly hold the parts. Bar H8 has its forward portion turned upwardly and rearwardly to form .a smoothing edge l2il, and bar H9 has its forward portion turned downwardly and rearwardly to form a smoothing edge l2! The upper edge of the plate H5 has a smoothing edge I23 cooperative with or lying between the edges I20, l2l for smoothing. Each of the parallel smoothing bars has two forward extensions H811, Him, the extension being arranged laterally near the plates 29, H. The extensions are arranged in pairs to form guides (see Figure 2), for the soiled toweling, and to prevent over-movement of the toweling in adibe traversed by the guide extensions of the lower smoothing bar H9. See Figure 1. The movable plate H5 forms the back of th chamber for the clean towel and also acts as, a partition separating the clean and soiled toweling. This plate together with side plates 20, 2|

plate is in the full line position of Figure 1, a

clean towel roll of large dimension can be placed inthe chamber, see dot-and-dash line- I30. The length of the radius of generation of plate H5 is about equal in length to the radius of a fullroll of toweling, By using a thin plate and curving it and pivoting it and locating it as shown, an

optimum of space-making and roll-receiving ca- 7 pacity is obtained. a

In Steiner Reissue Patent 17,352 of which this invention is an improvement, there was no movable part as the sole back forming element for the clean towel chamber, nor was there a. removable unit upon which any movable part was mounted to be removed therewith, nor was the chamber formed in part by the outer casing and in part by means on a removable inner unit. 7 In the present device all of .the dispensing and takeup mechanism is mounted on a unit which is stationary but which is easily removable or easily assembled, and the space-making element 7 is arranged below both rolls and moves independently of them. Also in the present device all that'is necessary is that the operators right hand reach over the top of the rolls to meet the left hand which is pushing the towel upwardly through the space provided by the forward movement of the partition and guard element 5. This element I I5 also acts as a part'of the soiled towel smoothing means. i

In some types of cabinets the unit upon which the dispensing mechanism is mounted has been arranged pendently within the cabinet 'to swing outwardly on a pivot arranged at its top, and by this swinging the entire unit outwardly a space was made. at the back for the upward introduction ofthe. end of the toweling for connection with the takeup roll, but in that case the bottom of the clean towel chamber moved with the inner unit. In the present case there is a normally fixed unit upon which all of the dispensing mechanism is mounted and the chamber for the clean towel roll has a bottom formed solely by the bottom of the cabinet, and has a back and; sides formed solely by parts of the unit, the back acting as a partition and being movable to permit introduction of the hand for the purpose heretofore mentioned. Thus there is a back which separates soiled from clean toweling, which is movable forwardly and, rearwardly and which when in position to prevent introduction of the hand is also positioned to act as a smoother for soiled wet toweling. This part is removable with the unit in this embodiment, but it may be mounted or pivoted to the bottom of the outer casing or cabinet instead, ofto the unit. The

mounting of this plate on the unit for removal go therewith'is a feature as isits use as the sole back-forming element. of the clean towel chamber.

When the plate H5 is in smoothing position the space previously provided for the lIltIOdllC-i;

tion of the hand is closed so that the hand can no longer be passed upwardly. In order to move the plate to and hold it in smoothing position, as well as to move it forwardly, there are provided, see Figures 1 and 2, a pair of bars I32 one arranged at the outside of each vertical plate 20, 2! of the unit. Each bar hasan in-turned end I33 loosely fitting in an arcuate slot I34 of a forwardly projecting flange I35 of the plate H5, and each bar at its forward end passes through an opening or openings I31 of vertical flanges 28 or 29 of the unit, and outer casing. In Figure 2 the left hand bar I32 passes through openings in flanges 28 and 29. The right hand bar passes through a single opening in'flange 28. The rear in-turned end I33 of each bar passes through a horizontal slot I33 which is alined withthe aforesaid slots of the flanges. The forward ends I40 of these slots act as stops to limit forward motion of the plate H5. The width of 4'? the slots is less than the width of the bars I32 and the width of each bar is reduced where it passes through the slot. The placement of the clean toweling in the cabinet may act to move this swinging plate toward smoothing position. When the lower door is closed its inner surface engages the outer end of the slide bars to forcibly complete the rearward movement of the plate and to forcibly hold the plate in smoothing position.

I When it is desired to service the cabinet both upper and lower doors are opened. The smoothingand partitioning plate H5 is brought to its forward position, see dotted lines, Figure 1, a

fresh roll of clean toweling is held within the chamber and the end of the toweling is brought ,upwardly, between the rolls 40 and I03, the pinch rolliill'i having first been raised inits slots. The

'toweling is then brought downward to form a loop, thence upwardly between the space between the partition plate II5 and the back of the cabinet to thetakeup roll 42. As soon as the end of the toweling has been connectedwith the takeup roll and a few turns made on the roll to hold it, the takeup roll 42 is then moved downwardly into the slots 44, so that the toweling engages the sanded roller which is moved by means of chain 48 in unison and at the same rate of speed as the measuring roll 40. The plate H5 is now moved to the full line position of Figure 1 and the door is closed'against the bars I32 whereby smoothing tension on the toweling by :It will be understood that the smoothing function may be dispensed with and other smoothing means provided in the cabinet. It is enough to mount the partition in any suitable way. A feature is to mount the partition so as to be removed with the unit.

r The latches hold the bottom door closed to in turn secure the bars I32 againstoutward movement. The ,plate I I5 is thus positively held in a position to prevent;tampering.

The relations ofthe smoothing edges may be varied from that shown and there is no intention to be limited to the exact spacial relations shown.

We claim as our invention:

1. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having side walls and having therein between said side" walls a soiled towel takeup roll, said cabinet having an opening upwardly through which the toweling can be introduced to be connected to the take-up roll, an element within the cabinet and between said side walls movable forwardly and rearwardly in relation to the back wall of said cabinet to provide sufiicient space to allow hand introduction of the toweling for connection with the takeup roll, a door on the cabinet, and means passing through said side walls and connecting with said element for moving the same respectively to prevent or permit introduction of the hand, said means including parts which are translatable to be engaged by the closed door to hold the element in position to prevent introduction of the hand. 7

2. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having therein side walls and having between said side walls a soiled towel takeup 'roll, said cabinet having an. opening upwardly each translatable andeach having means passing through a slot in a corresponding side wall and connected to said element, said bars being ennection with the take-up roll.

j ;-in position to prevent vintroduction of the hand, 1 and smoothing means -on the cabinet engaged by '1 the, soiledtoweling and against which i the smooth-ingmeans of said element holds the soiled toweling when said-element'is in'position to prewent introduction of the hand. 7 j I t 1.3. A towel dispensing apparatus including a "ii-cabinet fhaving therein a soiled towel takeup roll, said cabinet havingan opening upwardly 1 through which the toweling can be introduced to be connected :to'said :take-up roll, a partitioning 3 element whichisrmovable toward and away from awall of the cabinet to provide sufiicient space V 1 to allow ihandiintroduction of the toweling jfor 1 connection :with the takeuproll, a door on-th'e f -cabinet,and means for moving .said partitioning pelement'toward and away from the cabinet wall respectively to prevent :and permit introduction 1 of the hand, .saidimeans including two translatable bars and means connecting each bar to said element, said bars beingengageab-le to be :moved by said'cloo'r when closing, to movesaid partitionopening upwardly 'through whic'h the toweling can beintroduced to be -connected to said take- ,up roll; the rear wall of said chamber being 1 entirely formed by a partitioning element which V v essence '1 "gageame any the :closeddoor .to hold the element towel gtfilkfillDfIOll operated shy said mechanism, the bottom wall of the outer casing forming :the sole support for a roll :of clean toweling, the

bottom wall of said outer casing having an ,open- 7 .d-ng sufiiciently large to allow the hand to be gPQJSSGd upwardly :behinda roll of clean toweling which rests on the bottom wall of the outer ceasing; a forwardly, convexly, curved partition element arranged rearwardly of the clean'towel roll, and means pivoting the partition by its :lower side to the stationary unitlimmediately adjacent the bottom walllotthe casing, said :pa-rtition being movable independently of said stationary unit forwardlytto provide sufficient spa ceto permit hand introduction of the toweling upwardly through said opening, said pivoted partition having a v-rearwardly turned upper edge Whichacts to smooth the toweling on'its way to the takeeup-roll. V I t 7.. Atowel dispensing cabinet comprising, an outer casing,said casing having a towel dispensingymechanism therein, including side plates se- .cured in the cabinet leachlhaving a front flange, said dispensing mechanism "having -,a soiled towel take-uproll .and said casing having in its bottom an opening to allowpassage of the hand upqwardly for connection of the toweling with the take-up roll, a pivoted partition element between the side plates adapted to swing to .a position to prevent passage of the hand tolconnect the to we1ing with the ,rolLmeans with which means 5 On-saidpartitiOn when in said position cooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches the take-up roll, said partition acting as the back separates the clean fromthe soiled toweling as ,the'latter' moves upwardly 'to' the soiled towel,

takeup roll, said pa-rti'tion" element being pivoted "by its bottom to said sidewalls immediately ad- I 'lacent said bottom wall and being movable 1 toward and away from therear wall of the cabi j-net to provide sufiicient space to allow hand in-- "troduction of the toweling upwardly for con- "5. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having a'idoor and having therein, a ysoiled towel takeup roll, said cabinet having an opening upwardly through which the toweling- *c'an 'be introduced-to beconnec ted'to'said take-up roll, an upright pivoted plate within the cabinet }which is movable independently of sidewalls of the cabinet toward and away from the rear wall of the cabinet to provide-suficient space to allow lhand introduction of the toweling for connection with the takeup roll, a pairof bars one attached to :each opposite side of said movable plate,

1 means mounting said-bars for translation on'the side walls to move the plate toward and away wall of a-clean towel supply chamber, a door closing the supply chamber and means connected to said partitionnelement slidable on said plates and slidable in said .i-langes and accessible at thefront of the cabinet and operable by hand for moving said partition elementfto prevent or --r. e1'rr1it passage of the hand through the openki g, said means projecting at the front of the cabinet and being engageable 'by'the door to be -heldagainst outward movement when the door is closed, whereby to .hold lthe'partition in' towel smoothing :position and prevent introduction of 8. vll-towel dispensing cabinet comprising, an

' 'outer casing, said casing having a towel dispenssecured in the cabinet each having a front flange, said .dispensingmechanism having a soiled towel take-up roll and said casing having in its bottom from 'a rear cabinet wall respectively to prevent r and permit introduction of the 'hand, said bars having portions disposed'rfor engagement by said 7 ,door to move -'the bars to move the plate to a l i position toprevent introduction of the hand, the Lcloscd door thereafter acting to hold'the bars in @said position, said bars when in holding position projecting 'sufiiciently atthe-front of the cabinet to 1103 engaged by the fingers and "pulled outward'ly; l

ing mechanism therein, including side plates arr-opening to allowlpassage of the hand upwardly ior connection. of the toweling with the take-up roll, a pivoted partition element between the plates adapted to swing to a position to prevent passage of .thevhand to connect the toweling with the .roll, means with which means on said partition when in said position cooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches the takeup ,roll, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towel supply chamber, a door closing the supply chamber and bars connected tosaidparti- 'tion element slidable on said plates and slidable in said flanges andaccessible at the front of the cabinet and operable .by, hand for moving said partition element to prevent 0r permit passage 6. A towel dispensing-apparatus including an :outer casing :havinga door and having detachg ably secured therein -a stationary-unit upon'which I 7 a dispensing mechanism :is mounted, -.a :soiled of .the hand into smoothing and non-smoothing relation with said smoothing means, said bars projecting rat the front of the cabinet and'being engageable by the door to be held against outward movement when the door is closed, whereby 3 to hold the partition in towel smoothing position andrprevent introduction of the hand.

9. A towel dispensing cabinet comprising, an outer casing having a bottom, said casing having a unit towel dispensing mechanism therein, including sides, said dispensing mechanism having a soiled towel take-up roll and said casing having in its bottom an opening to allow passage of the hand upwardly for connection of the toweling with the take-up roll, a partition element within the cabinet pivoted on and between said sides to swing to a position to prevent passage of the hand to connect the toweling with the roll, means with which means on said partition when in said position cooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches the take-up roll, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towel supply chamber, said sides being detachably connected to the casing, whereby the entire unit, including the smoothing means, can be removed.

10. A towel dispensing cabinet comprising, an outer casing having a bottom, said casing having therein a unit towel dispensing mechanism there in, including sides, said dispensing mechanism having a soiled towel take-up roll and said casing having in its bottom an opening to allow passage of the hand upwardly for connection of the toweling with the take-up roll, smoothing means cross-connecting and securing said sides together, a partition element within the casing pivoted on and between said sides to swing to a position to prevent passage of the hand to connect the toweling with the roll, and having smoothing means cooperable with the aforementioned smoother means to smooth used toweling, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towel supply chamber, said sides being detachably connected to the casing, whereby the entire unit, including the partitioning element, and smoothing means can be removed.

11. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet comprising an outer casing and an inner unit, and means detachably securing the said unit to the outer casing, said inner unit comprising a pair of spaced upright plates, a pair of smoother bars cross-connecting the plates, and means by which said bars act to secure said plates in unit-forming relation, a soiled towel takeup roll journaled on said plates, said bars acting to smooth the soiled toweling on its way to said takeup roll, and a movable element having smoothing means adapted to cooperate with said bars and toweling to hold the towel in smoothing relation with said bars, said movable element being pivoted to and extending between said plates.

RUDOLPH G. BIRR. ALBERT C. GRUNWALD.

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