US2899251A - Towel dispensing cabinets - Google Patents

Description

Allg. 1l, R. G. BlRR TOWEL DISPENSING CABINETS FiledvNov. 27. 195s 5 sheets-sheet 1 Fig 1 39 JNVENTOR.

Ruda/pb G Biff BY f5 ,MM-MM 1173/5 Aug. 11, 1959 Filed NCW.` 27. 1953 R. G. BlRR TOWEL DISPENSING CABINETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. Ruda/ph Biff All@ 11, 1959 R. G. BlRR 2,899,251

TOWEL DISPENSING cABINETs Filed Nov. 27. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig 3 INVENTOR. Rudolph 6. B/'rr Aug. 11, 1959 R. G. BIRR TOWEL DISPENSING CABINETs 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 27. 1953 INVENTOIL Ruda/ph 6T Biff Aug. 11, 1959 R. G. B|RR TOWEL DISPENSING cABINETs 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 27. 195s Fig 6 JNVENToR.

Ruda/,0h 6T B/'rr AWS United States Patent O TOWEL DESPENSIN G CABINETS RudolphY G. Birr, L'ombard, Ill., assignor to American Linen Supply C0., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Nevada Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,528

23 Claims. (Cl. S12-38) The present invention relates generally to improvements in dispensing cabinets and more particularly to improvements in the operation `and construction yof towel dispensing cabinets of the continuous towel type. In cabinets of this type, the supply roll of clean towelling is supported in `a towel bed at the bottom of the cabinet and the free end of the toweling is passed between a drive `roll 4and a pinch roll, then out of the cabinet to provide a depending loop around the bottom of the cabinet and then between the back cover and the rear portion of the towel bed to a soiled towel take-up roll upon which the soiled towel is automatically wound as the clean toweling is withdrawn from the supply roll during each dispensing operation.

In the prior dispensing cabinets of the continuous towel type, the front drive or measuring roll of tlhe mechanism is arranged during each towel Adispensing operation to measure out a predetermined amount of toweling in response to each revolution of the rolls. Each revolution of the measuring roll is determined by a stop mechanism which prevents `a second dispensing operation from being performed until a predetermined time interval has elapsed. The front drive or measuring roll is provided with -a granular surface to prevent slippage of the toweling as it is being measured by that roll and the toweling is pressed against the surface of the measuring roll by a pinch roll as the toweling is being pulled from the cabinet during each dispensing operation. 'Since the measuring roll in the dispensing cabinets comes to rest at the same position in response to each dispensing operation, the granular surface thereon is worn smooth at that position within Ia relatively short period of time. When this occurs, the toweling slips between the pinch roll and the measuring roll and objectionably increases the loop of toweling hanging below the cabinet. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the granular surface on the measuring roll a-t frequent intervals.

Also, in the prior dispensing cabinets, the pinch roll is supported in a vertical lslot provided inthe spacedapart side or end members of the dispensing unit and during rotation, the pinch roll had a tendency to be tipped from lits normal position in contact With the toweling along the entire surface of the measuring roll, and thereby permits the toweling to be pulled to one side and caused it to jam in the cabinet or permits suicient slippage lto lengthen the towel loop below the cabinet. Also, during the rot-ation, the pinch roll has `.a tendency to travel up the side walls of its supporting slots a distance suflicient to permit an excess amount of toweling to be withdrawn from the cabinet during a dispensing operation. In the prior dispensing mechanisms, la time stop mechanism is yalso provided for terminating each towel dispensing operation and for introducing a delay period before a new dispensing operation may be performed. The prior time stop mechanism includes a pair of engageable vacuum cups and an adjustable air valve for determining the length of time that the cups remain compressed together. The Valve includes a screw type 2,899,251 ,Patented Ang. 11, 1959 valve stem that cooperates with an air port or orifice to determine the amount of 'air that is introduced into the compressed vacuum cups and thus determines the release time of Ithe time stop. I-f the valve stem is screwed down into the air port or orifice with any force, the cooperating oritice, as well as the valve stem, is suficirently damaged and distorted to render the timing mechanism useless. Furthermore, shocks 'and vibration transmitted to the cabinet would cause the adjusted valve stem to change its position and thereby inadvertently alter the time delay period permitted between successive dispensing operations.

YIn the prior cabinets, the take-up operation whereby the used toweling .is rewound on a take-up roll is controlled by a take-up drive roll. At the end of each dispensing operation the rotation of the take-up drive roll is suddenly stopped, *the stopping action vbeing more violent ,if the toweling fis pulled from the cabinet with considerable force, and causes the take-up roll to overspin, The over-spinning of the take-up roll caused the roll to travel upwardly along its elongated supporting slots and thereby wind-up more toweling than is dispensed from the cabinet. This causes the loop of toweling hanging below the cabinet to shorten. Within a short period of time, it may be necessary to open the cabinet and manually reset the rollers so that -a normal loop of toweling is available ybelow the cabinet.

The foregoing objectionable operating conditions found in prior towel dispensing cabinets, as well :as other objections and faults not `specilcally mentioned, have been eliminated in the improved dispensing cabinet of the present invention.

It is the principal object of `the invention to provide in a continuous towel dispensing cabinet, new and improved means for dispensing a predetermined amount of clean toweling `and to ytake up substantially the `same amount o f used toweling during each dispensing operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a towel .dispensing cabinet, a new and improved time stop mechanism which determines the delay period between successive operations of the dispensing mechanism.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved front or measuring -roll which is rotated a predetermined angular distance during each dispensing operation and fwhich is stopped by a stop mechanism in lsuccessively diierent stop positions fafter successive dispensing operations.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved rear take-up roll which is provided with means for actutting the :stop mechanism fatter each complete revolution Iand to simultaneously control the measuring roll to stop rotation thereof after more than a single revolution of the latter roll has been completed- It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved time stop mechanism for a towel dispensing cabinet which determines the delay period between successive operations of the dispensing mechanism by holding-a stop mechanism in a stop position after each dispensing operation until an adjustable predetermined time interval has elapsed.

It is still another object to provide an improved vacuum cup time stop mechanism in which a valve mechanism may be adjusted to vary the time interval between successive towel dispensing operations by controlling the movement of a valve stem in such a manner that it cannot jam or distort the cooperating orice of the air vent with which it cooperates.

It is -still another object of the invention to provide an improved arrangement for supporting a soiled towel take-up roll rin a position above the rear or take-up drive roll so that the loop of toweling hanging below the cabinet and accessible to the user remains substantially of a constant length regardless of the force exerted in pulling a section of clean toweling from the supply roll.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved arrangement for supporting the pinch roll in a towel dispensing mechanism so that the roll is carried in a removable bearing to permit the pinch roll to be removed from the cabinet when desired.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a shield below the measuring roll and the rear or take-up drive roll in the mechanism in order to divide the interior of the dispensing cabinet into an upper soiled towel take-up compartment and a lower clean towel supply roll compartment.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a separate unit comprising the operating mechanism for the cabinet which may be readily placed in the cabinet and readily removed therefrom while the loaded cabinet remains in a mounted position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved towel dispensing cabinet in which the bottom front door of the cabinet also functions as the receptacle for supporting a supply roll of clean toweling.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will best be understood from the following description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the dispensing cabinet of the present invention with the right side wall removed in order more clearly to illustrate the interior of the cabinet, and with a portion of the right side plate of the inner unit broken away in order more clearly to illustrate the left side plate;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the dispensing cabinet of the present invention with the upper and lower doors broken away in order more clearly to illustrate the interior of the cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a partial rear elevation of the towel dispensing cabinet with the rear wall of the dispensing cabinet removed;

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration, in reduced scale, of the towel dispensing cabinet illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and shows the upper and lower doors of the cabinet in a closed position and in a dotted open position and it shows the path along which the toweling is fed from the receptacle in the cabinet to form the depending loop accessible to a user and the return path of the toweling to the take-up roll;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through line 5-5 of Fig. l and shows the details of the new and improved timing mechanism of the present invention; and,

Fig. 6 is a sectional top view taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the towel dispensing cabinet of the present invention includes a casing having a back or rear wall 10 and left and right side walls 11 and 12, all of sheet metal fabricated in one piece. A top cover 13 is formed with a rear flange 14 fitting into and secured to an olf-set portion 15 formed along the upper edge of the back 10 and having side flanges 16 and 17 secured respectively to the sides 11 and 12. The forward portion of the top and the upper portion of the front of the cabinet is formed as a single upper door 18 which is hinged or pivoted by a pair of spaced-apart hinges 19 to the front edge of the top cover 13. The front surface of the upper door 18 extends across the front of the cabinet and has rearwardly turned side flanges that cooperate respectively with oit-set portions provided in the respective side walls 11 and 12. Adjacent the side walls 11 and 12, there is provided an over center spring means for controlling the top front cover 18 to hold it an open position and to return it to a closed positlon. This spring means, provided in duplicate, comprises the elongated spring steel strap member 20 which is secured to the top cover 13 adjacent the back wall 10 and which extends forwardly toward the front of the cabinet to the junction of the top cover 13 and the front cover 18. At its forward end, the resilient strap 20 is provided with an upturned forwardly extending element 21 that is adapted to engage with a downwardly extending bracket 22 which in turn is secured to the inner surface of the front cover 18. When the front cover 18 is pivoted upwardly the upward movement is somewhat retarded by the spring tension of the strap 20 as the end of the bracket 22 slides across the upper surface of the upturned element 21, but as soon as a certain point in the upward movement of the cover 18 is reached, the resilient strap 20 becomes effective to force the cover upwardly until a point is reached where the cover 18 is held in its open position. It should be noted however that the cover 18 may be pivoted rearwardly until it rests in an open position on the top cover 13. During the closing movement of the front cover 18, the resilient strap 20, at its upturned element 21, will tend to restrain closing of the cover until the bracket 22 reaches a position that will cause the spring action of the strap 20, with the aid of gravity, to force the cover 18 to its closed position. The front cover 18 may be provided with a conventional lock mechanism 18a of the type disclosed in the Birr et al. Patent No. 2,251,818, granted August 5, 1941.

The towel dispensing cabinet is also provided with a lower door 23 that is pivotally mounted or hinged on oppositely disposed supporting brackets 24 which are respectively secured to the side walls 11 and 12 of the cabinet. The front surface of the lower door 23 extends across the front of the cabinet and has rearwardly turned side edge flanges that cooperate respectively with off-set portions provided in the respective side walls 11 and 12. Also, a pair of transversely curved finishing strips 25 are provided on the lower edges of the respective side walls 11 and 12 and are turned under the bottom of the cabinet a short distance. The lower portion of the front cover 23 extends rearwardly below and between the bottom edges of the side walls 11 and 12 to form the bottom wall of the cabinet and then upwardly to form a receptacle for supporting a supply roll of clean toweling.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the lower edge 26 of the upper door 18 and the upper edge 27 of the lower door 23 are so formed to define, when in the closed position, an elongated towel dispensing slot or opening 28 therebetween through which the toweling is fed or pulled out of the cabinet during each dispensing operation so that it is readily accessible to a user. The side edges of the opening 28 thus formed, serve as a towel guide to restrain lateral movement of the toweling as it is withdrawn from the cabinet. As has been pointed out previously, the lower portion of the lower door 23 is rounded and extends below and between the lower edges of the respective side walls 11 and 12 to form the bottom 29 of a receptacle for supporting a supply roll of clean toweling. The upper edge portion of the upstanding rear wall 30 of the towel receptacle is folded rearwardly and downwardly toward the rear wall 10 of the cabinet to provide a towel smoothing plate 31 having a smoothing edge 32 over which the used toweling is drawn on its return movement to the towel take-up roll as will be described hereinafter.

The opposite side ends of the receptacle for the supply roll of clean toweling are closed by two side walls 33a and 33b which are spaced-apart from one another a distance slightly greater than the normal width of a supply roll of clean toweling supported in the receptacle. These Siti@ Willis, tre respectively secured to the inner surface -of the lower door 23, the bottom 29 and the upstanding rear wall 30 of the receptacle in any desired manner. The side walls 33a and 33D are respectively pivoted on the hinge supporting brackets 24 by means of pivot screws 34 which pass outwardly through the side walls 33a and 33b and through a portion of the brackets 24 and nuts 3S are applied thereto. In order to limit the opening movement of the lower door 23 and the receptacle which is integral therewith, stop brackets 36 are secured respectively in alignment with each other to the outer surfaces of the side plates 33a and 3317 and these stops engage the rear edge of hinge supporting brackets 24 when the door is fully opened, as is best shown in Fig. 4.

A receptacle restoring spring 37 is detachably secured at one end to a bracket 38 provided upon the outer surface of the receptacle wall 33A and is also detachably secured at its other end in the edge of a slot 39 in the back wall of the cabinet. When the lower door 23 is rotated to its open position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 37 moves through an over-center position and is effective to hold the door in its open position, but when the 4door reaches a certain point of rotation in its closing movement, the spring 37 becomes effective to pull the door to its closed position. In order to readily determine the amount `of toweling remaining on the supply roll supported in the `receptacle an elongated slotted opening 40 is provided in the bottom 29 of the receptacle. Accordingly, a check can readily be made by a serviceman by inserting his fingers through the vslot 40 to determine whether or not the supply roll in the cabinet is nearly exhausted.

The entire dispensing unit or mechanism for the cabinet is demountably supported on a pair of hanger brackets 135 respectively provided and secured to the side walls 11 and 12 and to the rear wall 10. These brackets may be secured in the positions noted in any desired manner and they are formed with upward supporting projections 136 in alignment with cooperating slots formed in the upper flanges 52 and S3 on the respective upright side plates 50 and 51 of the demountable dispensnig unit. In the formation of the hanger brackets 135, an additional depending projection 136a is provided so that it is not necessary to form separate right and left hanger brackets. In other words, two hanger brackets of identically the same construction may be fabricated and may be used respectively as right and left hanger brackets in the cabinet in the positions noted.

Referring now to Fig. l it will be seen that when the lower `door 23 is closed, the smoothing edge 32 on the towel smoothing plate 31 carried by the upper end of the rear wall 30 of the towel receptacle resides between the legs of a substantially channel shaped member 41 which is secured to the rear wall 10 of the cabinet and extends transversely between the oppositely disposed side walls 11 and 12. The upper forwardly projecting leg 42 of the channel member 41, at its forward end, is edge folded to provide a smoothing member 43 that is engaged by the towel as it `is taken up by a take-up roll 123. Also, the upper forwardly projecting leg 42 provides the lower support for the demountable dispensing unit supported in the cabinet and is provided with slots cooperating with the projections 44 on the lower rear ends of the upright side plates Sil and 51 of the dispensing unit. The lower forwardly projecting leg 4S of the chanel mem-ber 41 is inclined upwardly and is substantially parallel to the towel smoothing plate 31 on the towel receptacle. The forward edge portion of the leg 45 is also edge folded to provide an additional smoothing edge 46 that is transversed by the toweling as it is taken up by 4the towel take-up roll. In order to guide the toweling over the smoothing edges 46, 32 and 43 in the order named, two spaced-apart towel guides 47 are provided which are respectively 'secured to the bottom forwardly projecting leg 45 and are spaced-apart from one another a distance slightly greater than the normal width of the ytoweling that is fed across the smoothing edges noted above. Also, the towel guides 47 function to centrally locate the' toweling between the respective side plates 50 and 51 of the dispensing unit so that the toweling is evenly wound on the take-up roll 123. In order more rigidly to `secure the upper and lower forwardly projecting legs 42 and 45 of the channel member 41, they are respectively provided at each end with tabs 48 and 49 which are secured in any desired manner t0 the respective side walls 11 and 12 of the cabinet.

A description will now be given of the demountable inner towel' dispensing unit. Referring now to Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6,v it will be seen that the inner towel dispensing unit for the cabinet comprises the two spaced-apart upright side plates `50 and 51 previously mentioned. The upright side plates '50 and `5.1 are respectively provided with the top outwardly turned flanges '52 and 53 referred to above, front outwardly turned flanges 54 and 55 and bottom outwardly turned flanges 56 and 57. The top and bottom outwardly turned flanges are secured at their respective front ends to the upper and lower edges of the cooperating front outwardly turned flanges 54 and 55 in order to further stifen the respective side plates 50 and 51. Also, the upright plates 50 and 51 are provided with rear inwardly turned flanges 6'2 and 63 which extend from the level of the top flanges 52 and 53 respectively downwardly to a point somewhat above the lower projections 44 at the rear ends of the respective side plates IS0 and 51 (Fig. 3). The rear edge of the side plates 50 and 51, below the inwardly turned flanges 62 and 63, cooperate with slotted bosses 64 provided in the rear wall 10 of the cabinet. These slotted bosses and .the rear edges of the iside plates '50 and 51 cooperate to act as aligning guides as the unit is placed in its mounted position in the cabinet.

As previously noted, the top outwardly turned flanges 52 and 53 are provided with slots that cooperate respectively with the projections 136 on the respective support brackets 135 and the lower rear `edge surface of the respective upright side plates 50 and 51 are respectively provided with the projections 44 which cooperate with the corresponding slots formed in the upper forwardly projecting leg 42 of the transverse channel member 41. The above projections and cooperating slots function to permit the respective upright side plates Sii and S1 to be supported in the cabinet and to be removed therefrom. If desired, and for the purpose of shipping a cabinet with its dispensing unit locked in place, locking screws, such as S8 (Fig. 1), may be inserted through appropriate holes in the side plates 50 and 51 into cooperating tapped holes provided in the respective hanger brackets 35.

Supported between the side plates 5@ and 51, there is provided a roller shield 59 having two spaced-apart front and rear arcuate sections respectively conforming substantially to the contour of the measuring roll 65 and the take-up drive roll 66 and the left and kright edges of the roller shield 59 are provided respectively with a plurality of projecting lugs 6l) which cooperate with corresponding slots provided in the upright side plates Sti and 51. The sole means for securing the roller shield 59 in place between the upright side plates Si) and 51, in the embodiment shown, are the lugs and slots noted above. In order to retain the side plates Sil and 51 in position and to clamp the roller shield 59 therebetween with the cooperating lugs and slots in engagement, a single brace or rod 61 is provided which extends through the oppositely disposed side plates 50 and 51 and is locked in place by rmeans of oppositely disposed nuts 61a that rigidly khold the parts in spaced relation. The front edge of the roller shield 59 is cut out in the central portion thereof along the front edge to provide two spaced-apartftowel guides 59a and 5911 (Fig. 2) and an upturned lip 59C to guide the toweling that is centrally located as itis fed upwardly between the pinch roll and the measuring roll 65 `from the supply roll carried in the receptacle. The roller shield 59, in addition to serving as the brace between the side plates 50 and 51, also functions to divide the interior of the cabinet into an upper soiled towel compartment and a lower clean towel compartment. The shield 59 also prevents the supply roll from coming into contact with the measuring roll 65 or the take-up drive roll 66.

The inner towel dispensing unit or mechanism and the parts thereof which control dispensing of clean toweling from the cabinet and which also control the take-up of the used toweling during each towel dispensing operation, are all mounted on or between the upright side plates 50 and 51. Between the side plates 50 and 51 there are two rolls respectively designated herein as the measuring roll 65 and as the soiled towel take-up drive roll 66. The measuring roll 65 is preferably approximately three-eighths of an inch less in diameter than the take-up drive roll 66. This difference in diameter of the two rolls is important for the reason that it is an object of the present invention to rotate the measuring roll 65 more than one revolution during each revolution of the towel take-up drive roll 66 and at the same time dispense substantially the same amount of clean toweling from the cabinet as is taken up under control of the take-up drive roll during each dispensing operation.

If the diameter of the measuring roll 65 is approximately l.796 inches and the diameter of the take-up drive roll 66 is approximately 2.156 inches, then the measuring roll 65 may be rotated one and oneffth revolutions while the take-up drive roll 66 makes a single revolution. It will be apparent to those skilled in the are that other dimensions may be used to perform the desired operation of the present invention. With the above diameters, the measuring roll 65 will make one and one-fifth revolutions during each dispensing operation, and will dispense approximately seven and onesixteenth inches of toweling from the cabinet and at the same time the take-up drive roll 66 will make a single revolution to control the take-up roll 123 to take up approximately seven and one-sixteenth inches of used toweling. In order to retain the measuring roll 65 and the soiled towel take-up drive roll 66 in exact cooperating relationship and to move the two rolls simultaneously during each dispensing operation, the measuring roll 65 is provided with a sprocket 67 having ten teeth thereon and the soiled towel take-up drive roll 66 is provided with a sprocket 68 having twelve teeth thereon. A link chain 69 cooperates with the respective sprockets 67 and 68 so that the measuring roll 65 and the take-up drive roll 66 will simultaneously revolve during each towel dispensing operation. Also, in order to provide a better frictional engagement of the surfaces of the measuring roll 65 and the take-up drive roll 66 with the toweling, the surfaces of the rolls are covered with a suitable frictional material, such as sandpaper, emery cloth, or the like.

In order to control the stopping of the measuring roll 65, and the consequent stopping of the take-up drive roll 66 after the measuring roll has made one and oncifth revolutions, the measuring roll 65 is provided with a stop wheel 70 having ve surfaces 76a to 78e, inclusive, thereon equally spaced circumferentially. Furthermore, the take-up drive roll 66 is provided with a cam control lever 71, rotatably supporting at its outer end a cam control roller 72 in order to control the stopping of the measuring roll 65 each time the latter roll has made one and one-fifth revolutions.

At this point it may be well to mention the fact that the measuring roll 65, its sprocket 67 and its stop wheel 70 are secured together and rotatable as a unitary structure in appropriate bearings provided in the upright side plate 51. At the opposite end, the measuring roll 65 is also rotatably mounted in an appropriate bearing secured in the upright side plate 50. Furthermore, the

take-up drive roll 66, its sprocket 67 and its cam control lever 71 are secured together and rotatably mounted as a unitary structure in appropriate bearings provided in the upright side plate 51 and the opposite end of the take-up drive roll 66 is rotatably mounted in appropriate bearings provided in the side plate 50. Inasmuch as the chain 69 directly couples the sprockets 67 and 68 together, the rotation of the measuring roll 65 during a dispensing operation causes the take-up drive roll 66 to simultaneously rotate. Due to the difference in the number of teeth in the respective sprockets 67 and 68, the take-up drive roll 66 will make one complete revolution while the measuring roll 65 makes one and oneiifth revolutions.

The stop mechanism for controlling the stopping of the rotation of the measuring roll 65 at the end of one and one-fth revolutions is governed by a single revolution of the take-up drive roll 66 as will now be described.

As best illustrated in Fig. l, the stop mechanism includes a pivoted stop lever 73 having a stop pawl 74 at one end that is adapted to be moved into engagement with one of the ive stop surfaces 70a to 70e, inclusive, on the stop wheel 70 and it includes an arcuate cam 75 formed in the lower edge surface of the other end that is engageable tby the cam control roller 72. The lever 73 is pivotally mounted on the side plate 51 by means of a bolt 76 and a washer 77 and a nut 78. In order to space the adjacent surfaces of the side plate 51 and the pivoted lever 73 from one another, the side plate is embossed outwardly at 79. The pivoted lever 73 is also provided with an arm 80 having pivotally secured at its outer end, as by a pin 83, an inverted U-shaped member 81 for supporting thereon the lower vacuum cup assembly of the time stop mechanism 86,

The lower vacuum cup assembly includes an upstanding stud 82 having a tapped hole in its lower end for receiving a screw or the link for `securing the stud to the upper end of the inverted U-shaped member 81. A guide support 84 for the lower vacuum cup assembly is struck out of the side plate 51 and is provided with an opening therein through which the stud 82 is slidably supported. A compressible vacuum cup 85 is securely mounted at the upper end of the stud 82 as is best illustrated in Fig. 5.

The upper portion of the vacuum cup time-stop assembly 86 is best illustrated in the enlarged view shown in Fig. 5 but it is also shown in its mounted position in the cabinet in Figs. l and 3. The upper vacuum cup assembly, in combination with the lower vacuum cup assembly, constitutes the time stop mechanism for the dispensing cabinet. A substantially channel shaped member 87 having spaced-apart parallel lower and upper arms 96 and 107 is provided with an embossing 88 in which a slot 89 is formed to act as a vertical guide for a bracket 102 carrying a needle valve 100 of the time stop. A compressible vacuum cup 90 having a centrally located small air vent 91 therein is demo-untably secured on the shoulders formed on the lower end of a stud 92. The upper end 93 of the stud 92 is encompassed by a coil spring 94 and an intermediate threaded portion 95 of the stud 92 extends through an opening in the lower arm 96 of the bracket 87. A nut 97 preferably of the selflocking type, secures the stud 92 and its detachable vacuum cup 90 in place on the lower arm 96 of the channel shaped member 87, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A central air passage or `opening 98 extends through the entire length of the stud 92 except that at its lower end the opening is reduced in diameter to provide a valve seat for an air vent or orice 99 that is provided at the lower end of the passage 98 and is in direct alignment with the air vent 91 provided in the vacuum cup 90. A needle valve 100 having a lower tapered end 101 is slidably carried in the central opening 98 so that it can be longitudinally moved toward and away from the air vent or orifice 99 and thus determine the rate at which air may pass therethrough to the vacuum cup '90. In applicants arrangement, the following dimensions have been found to be quite satisfactory in controlling passage of air through the air vent 91 in the vacuum cup 90. I The central opening 98 is one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, the air vent or oriiice 99 is .035 inch in diameter, the needle valve 100 at its upper end is .040 inch in diameter, the bottom of the tapered end 101 ofthe needle valve is .034 inch in diameter and is tapered upwardly and outwardly therefrom at one-fourth of an inch per foot. With this arrangement, the needle valve 100 may be moved vertically from a shut-olf position approximately one-sixteenth of an inch (,050 inch) and as a result thereof an annular opening-of approximately .0005 inch is made between the needle valve 100 and the orifice 99. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing dimensions may be varied to control the amount of air that will pass through the orifice 99 into the vacuum cup 90, but the desired adjustment can be satisfactorily made with the dimensions given albove.

In assembling the time stop 86, the needle valve 100 is placed into the central opening 98 with the lower tapered end 101 of the needle valve seated in the orice 99 to completely shut off the flow of air therethrough. A needle guide bracket 102 is then secured to the upper end of the needle valve 100 With the end 103 extending into the slot 89. The opposite end of the needle guide bracket 102 is folded back on itself to clamp the needle valve 100 therebetween and it is arranged so that the screw 104 may be inserted into the folded over portion and threaded into a tapped hole in the main part of the bracket 102 to tightly lock the bracket 102 and the needle valve 100 together. The coil spring 94, surrounding the upper end of the Stud 93, of course, will be in a compressed condition bearing at its upper end ion the bracket 102 when the bracket 102 is fastened tothe upper end of the closed needle valve 100. ln securing the needle valve 100 to the bracket 102, the Ibottom edge of the bracket is in engagement with the upper surface of the upper end 93 on the stud 92 when the needle valve 100 is in the shut-olf or closed position noted above. The end ofthe needle valve 100 that projects above the needle guide bracket 102 extends freely into an opening provided in the lower end f a time stop adjusting screw 105. The screw 105 is threaded along substantially its entire length and is provided at its upper end With a knurled thumb nut 106. As is best shown in Fig. 5, the upper arm 107 of the bracket 87 is provided 'with a yguide hole 108 which is of sucient diameter to clear the threadsr on the adjusting screw 105 and it is provided with a narrow elongated slot 109 for receiving and supporting one end of a U-shaped adjusting screw tension spring 110. The U-shaped tension spring 110 is best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 where it -will be seen that the free ends of the U-shaped spring are turned upwardly and then outwardly to provide projections 111 for securing the spring in the slot 109 and to hold the spring 110 in engagement with the lower surface of the upper arm 107, the inside surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped spring being in clamping engagement with the threads on the adjusting screw 105 on opposite sides thereof. In order to mount the U-shaped tension spring 110 in the slot 109 in the manner described, the projections 111 thereon are pinched or flexed toward each other and then inserted upwardly through the slots 109. The projections 111 are then released to hold the U-s'haped tension spring 110 in the position illustrated. Thereafter, the adjusting screw 105 may be inserted into the guide hole 108 until the lower threads encounter the opposite inner sides `of the U-shaped tension spring 110 which act as cooperating threads with the threads on the adjusting screw 105 so that the screw may ibe turned down until its lower end arrives in contact with the upper edge surface of the bracket 102 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

One important feature of the adjusting screw 105 and the U-shaped tension spn'ng 110 is that the adjusting screw 105 cannot be used to force or jam the needle valve downwardly into the oriiiice 99. This is due to 'the fact that the tension spring 110 slips over or skips vfrom thread-to-thread on the adjusting screw .if the latter screw is further turned downwardly after the needle guide bracket 102 has engaged its stop position in contact with the upper end 93 on the stud 92. Thus, the guide bracket 102 acts as a stop and the U-shaped tension' spring 110 acts as a slip clutch to provide double protection preventing the needle valve 100 from being forcefully driven into the orifice 99. When the adjusting screw is turned to withdraw the needle valve 100 from its shut-olf or closed position, the U-shaped spring cooperates with the threads in a normal manner and the coiled spring 94 expands to slide the needle valve 100 and its guide bracket 102 upwardly. It may be well to mention at this time that the end 103 on the needle valve guide bracket 102 cooperates with the slot 89 in the channel shaped member 87 to prevent the needle valve 100 from turning in either direction during rotation of the adjusting screw 105.

From the foregoing description of the upper portion of the vacuum cup time stop assembly 86, it will be readily understood that when the vacuum cups 85 and 90 have been compressed together, the releasing time required to separate them will be determined by the rate at which air is permitted to pass through the air -vent 91 from the orice 99. Thus, the releasing time may be accurately adjusted by governing the position of the tapered end 101 on the needle valve 100 in the orifice 99.

As is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper portion of the vacuum cup assembly 86 is demountably secured to the side plate 51, with the vacuum cups 85 and 90 in alignment, by means of the mounting screws 112 which are threaded into cooperating tapped holes in the side plate 51. In this position the knurled thumb nut 106 on the adjusting screw 105 extends above the top of the the ange 53 of the side plate 51 through an opening 113 that has been struck out of the flange to provide an upturned tab 114. As best seen in Fig. 2, the tab 114 may be stamped with the letters S and-F and direction arrows, to indicate respectively the directions that the knurled thumb nut 106 must be turned either to increase or decrease the elapsed time interval for the vacuum cups to separate after they have been compressed together. In prior dispensing mechanisms it has been necessary to remove the inner dispensing unit from the cabinet in order to make any adjustment in the timing mechanism, Whereas in the present dispensing cabinet, it is only necessary for the attendant to open the top cover 13, whereupon he may readily see and make any desired adjustment of the timing mechanism by turning the knurled thumb nut 106 in the appropriate direction indicated by the letters S and F as shown in Fig. 2.

A description will now be given of the improved means for mounting the pinch roll 115 which cooperates With the measuring roll 65 to dispense the toweling from the cabinet. In prior dispensing cabinets, the pinch roll has been mounted in slots formed in the end plates of the dispensing unit by means of trunnions that were secured in the pinch roll and which rotatably rode in direct engagement with the walls of the slots. However, in prior constructions the pinch roll, while being movable away from the cooperating measuring roll in order to feed the toweling therebetween, could not be removed from the mechanism without disassembling the dispensing unit. Furthermore, the pinch roll in the earlier devices would sometimes travel up the cooperating slots during a dispensing operation and it 4would sometimes be tipped or be angularly displaced with respect to the surface of the measuring roll. In either event, an excessive amount of toweling would slip between the measuring roll andthe pinch roll. In the present improved arrangement, the pinch roll 115 is provided at opposite ends with trunnions 116 which are rotatably received in oppositely disposed bear- Y A 11 ing members 117. The bearings 117 are preferably formed'of sheet metal and are U-shaped in cross-section to provideparallel side walls that are adapted to slide vertically in oppositely disposed cooperating guides formed respectively by spaced-apart pairs of angle members 118 and 119 secured to the respective side plates 50 and 51. Although the angle members 118 and 119 shown in the drawings on each of the side plates are separate pieces secured to the side plates, it willrbe understood that they may be formed by striking them out of the side plates. Thus, the laterally spaced-apart parallel surfaces of the angles 118 and 119 form a pair of parallel tracks or guides in which the bearing members 117 may slide. Actually, gravity acts upon the pinch roller 115 to normally retain it in surface contact with the toweling in the measuring roll 65. With this arrangement, the trunnions of the pinch roll are free to rotate in the bearings 117 but the bearings are slidably retained in a vertical position in the guides formed by the spaced- apart angles 118 and 119. This prevents the pinch roll 115 from having any tendency to travel up the guides or to be angularly displaced and thereby disengaged from the surface of the toweling on the cooperating measuring roll while toweling is being dispensed.

At the upper end of each of the angle members 118, a cotter pin 120 is provided to prevent the pinch roll 115 and its bearings 117 from being inadvertently lifted out of the cooperating angle - members 118 and 119. However, it is sometimes necessary and desirable to be able to remove the pinch roll 115 from the cabinet. For example, if some of the toweling on the supply roll carried by the receptacle in the cabinet has been dispensed and taken up by the take-up roll as a result of a plurality of dispensing operations, it has heretofore been impossible to remove the dispensing mechanism from the cabinet without either cutting the web of the towel wrapped around the pinch roll or operating the mechanism until all of the toweling has been exhausted in the supply roll in the receptacle. If the mechanism has been jammed in some manner so as to prevent the feeding of the toweling as suggested above, then it has heretofore been necessary to cut the toweling in order to remove the dispensing mechanism.

In the present dispensing mechanism this fault has been corrected, because the pinch roll is removable. To remove the pinch roll 115, the cotter pins 120 are rst removed from the upper ends of the angle members 118 and 119 so that the pinch roller 115 with its bearings 117 may be lifted out of the cabinet with the toweling wrapped around it. The pinch roll may then be disengaged from the toweling and replaced in the dispensing unit by first aligning the bearings 117 against the extended anges on the respective members 119 and then sliding the assembly downwardly until the pinch roll 115 engages the surface of ythe measuring roll 65 or the toweling thereon. Thereafter, the cotter pins 120 are replaced to retain the pinch roll 115 in the slots formed by the angle members 118 and 119. Due to the fact that the pinch roll 115 may be easily and conveniently removed in the manner just described, the entire dispensing unit may be removed and replaced at any time during the dispensing of a roll of toweling without cutting or removing the toweling from the cabinet.

A plate 121 having outwardly projecting lugs on the opposite ends thereof is pivoted in the openings 122 in the respective side plates 50 and 51. This plate is curved at its front end along a radius substantially equal to that of the pinch roll 115. The plate 121 normally rests on the pinch roll 115 with the toweling therebetween in order to separate the clean 'toweling on the pinch roll 115 from the soiled toweling that is wound around the take-up roll as will be subsequently described.

The improved means formounting and controlling the operation ofthe used towel4 take-up roll 123 in combination with the control thereof by the soiled towel take-up drive roll 66 will now be described. However, attention is directed to the fact that in the prior cabinets, the takeup roll and its trunnions are supported in substantially vertical slots,` open at the upper ends, so that as the used toweling is wound on the take-up roll it increases in diameter and causes the take-up roll to move up the slots in which it is supported. This earlier method of supporting the take-up roll in a dispensing cabinet has not been entirely satisfactory because the take-up roll jumps away from the take-up drive roll at the end of each dispensing operatlon, particularly if the drive roll is suddenly stopped at the end of a particularly fast dispensing operation. When this occurs, the momentum of the rotating take-up roll is suilicient to cause Ithe roll to travel up the supporting slots and to draw an excessive amount of used toweling into the cabinet and thereby considerably shortening the loop of toweling hanging below the cabinet. The foregomg objectionable operating characteristics of the prior dispensing cabinets has been eliminated in the dispensing cabinet of the present invention.

More specifically, the take-up roll 123 is provided with the usual trunnions 124 and it is carried on the upper surface of the take-up drive roll 66. The guides for the trunnions 124 of the take-up roll 123 in the present invention are arranged so that they are spaced-apart a considerable distance from one another at their lower ends and this distance gradually decreases toward the upper ends thereof. The rear guides 125 for the trunnions 124 on the take-up roll 123 are formed in the respective side plates 50 and 51 by off-setting the rearward wall portions 126 of the side plates with respect to the forward wall portions 127 thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the rearward wall portions 126 of the respective side plates 50 and 51 are spaced-apart from one another a distance slightly greater than the normal width of the toweling to be wound on the take-up roll 123 and the off-set portion therein forming the rear guides 125, to space the forward wall portions 127 apart from one another a substantially greater distance. It is on the forward wall portions 127 that the front guides 128 of angle-like material are secured. At their upper ends, as seen in Figs. 1 and 6, the front guides 128 respectively terminate in forwardly directed and upwardly inclined members 129 of angular construction, each of which is provided at its outer end with a hook-like member 130 for temporarily supporting the take-up roll 123 thereon during servicingof the cabinet. It will be noted in Fig. 6 that the two side plates 50 and 51 are formed substantially identical so that the rearward wall portions 126 are closer together than the forward wall portions 127. Also, the upstanding front guide members 128 on the respective forward wall portions 127 of the two side plates, as well as the inclined members 129, extend inwardly from the forward wall surface a distance which is less than the off-set distance between the rearward wall portions 126 and the forward Wall portions 127.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 6, it will be seen that at the lower ends of the rearward Wall portions 126, inwardly extending towel guides 131 are provided to centrally locate the toweling on the take-up roll 123 as it is wound thereon. With the rear and front guides 125 and 128 spaced-apart as shown in Fig. 1, the take-up roll 123 is free to roll over the upper surface of the take-up drive roll 66 from its normal illustrated posi-tion with its trunnions 124 in engagement with the rear guide 125 to a second forward position with its trunnions 124 in engagement with the front guide 128. As the diameter of the take-up roll 123 increases due to the winding of used toweling thereon, the amount of travel that the take-up roll may roll from its normal first position to its second position is gradually reduced. The upper ends of the rear guides 125 are also provided with a hook-like member 132 for receiving the trunnions 124 of the take-up drive roll 123 in order to temporarily support the latter roll during the servicing of the cabinet.

The foregoing arrangement which permits the take-up roll 123 to rotate over the surface of the take-up drive roll 66 from the iirst normal position in engagement with the rear guide 125 to a second position in engagement with the front guide 128 is provided to take-up any excess toweling that is drawn into the cabinet at the end of a particularly violent stopping action of 'the take-up drive roll 66. In other words, the take-up roll 123 revolves in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1 to take up the used toweling as the take-up drive roll 66 rotates in a clockwise direction during a dispensing operation. When the take-up drive roll 66 is suddenly stopped at the end of a dispensing operation, the momentum of the take up roll 123 is absorbed by permitting the take-up roll to rotate and roll forwardly over the granular surface of the take-up drive roll 66 from the normal first position to the second position described above. Thus, the excess toweling that is drawn into the cabinet incident to the sudden stopping of the take-up drive roll 66 will be wound on the take-up roll 123. During the next dispensing operation, the take-up drive roll 66 will again rotate in the clockwise direction and during the initial phase of the operation it will carry the take-up roll 123 from the second position in engagement with the front guide 128 to the normal iirst position in engagement with the rear guide 125 without winding any toweling on the take-up roll 123. However, the normal amount of toweling will be dispensed from the cabinet during the return movement of the take-up roll 123 from its second to its rst position. Thus, the excess amount of toweling that has been wound on the take-up roll 123, resulting in temporary shortening of the towel loop below the cabinet, is replaced by the dispensing of the clean toweling during the period in which the take-Fup roll 123 moves from its second position back to its first position without winding any of the used toweling thereon. As soon as the take-up roll 123 again reaches the normal rst position in engagement with the rear guide 125, the process of taking up the used toweling and winding it on the take-up roll 123 will be resumed. It is apparent that as the diameter of the used toweling wound on the take-up roll 123 increases, the distance that the take-up roll 123 must travel from its normal first position to its second position in order to wind up the same amount of toweling is also decreased. It is for this reason that the rear guides 125 and the front guides 128 are inclined toward each other away from the upper surface of the take-up drive roll 66.

There is another point that is of importance in connection with the winding of the used toweling on the takeup roll 123. As noted above, the spaced-apart guide members 131 on the rearward wall portions 126 are provided to centrally locate the toweling as it is wound on the take-up roll 123. However, due to the flexible nature of the toweling, the roll formed on the take-up roll 123 as a result of a plurality of take-up operations sometimes engages the rearward wall portions 126 on the side plates 50 or 51. In the present arrangement, the friction thus set up between the end of the roll of towelling wound on the take-up roll 123 and either of the walls 126 is utilized to hold the take-up roll 123 and the toweling wound thereon in better contact with the granular surface on the take-up drive roll 66. In other words, the pull or pressure due to the rotation of the takeJup roll 123 in the counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, will be downwardly in a direction substantially parallel to the angle of the rear guide 125. This downward pull or pressure is even further increased by the toweling as it is drawn into the cabinet over the smoothing surfaces 46, 32 and 43 in the order named. This also contributes in some measure to prevent the take-up roll 123 from ljumping or bouncing on the granular surface of the take- 14 up drive roll 66 when the latter roll is violently stopped at the end of a dispensing operation.

The manner in which the new and improved towel dispensing cabinet is loaded, operated, and unloaded will 'now be explained. In the ordinary process of loading the cabinet the upper door 18 is unlocked by means of the conventional locking mechanism 18a and the cover is then rotated upwardly against the spring action of the 'straps 20 against the brackets 22. As soon as the cover 18 reaches its over-center position, the springs 20 coact with the brackets 22 to assist in the opening of the door and at the position illustrated by the dotted cover in Fig. 4, the springs 20 cooperate with the brackets 22 to hold the door 18 in its open position. It will be Yappreciated, however, that, if desired, the door may be opened further until it rests on the top cover of the cabinet. The lower door 23 is then opened against the tension of the spring 37 until that spring also reaches an over-center .position with respect to the lower door, whereupon the spring acts to hold the lower door in the dotted open position shown in Fig. 4. The entire interior of the cabinet is then exposed.

A supply roll of clean toweling 133 may then he placed in the receptacle formed by the lower door 23, as previously described, so that the roll 133 will rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 as the outer web 134 of the toweling is drawn upwardly. ln order to feed the outer web 134 of the toweling 133 between the surfaces of the measuring roll 65 and the pinch roll 11S, the latter roll is raised upwardly in the guides formed by the angle members 118 and 119 until the bearings 117 for the pinch roll engage the stop formed by the cotterpins 120. The web 134 of the toweling may now be passed over the surface of the measuring roll 65 and then wrapped around the pinch roll 115. After the web 134 of the toweling Vis Wrapped around the pinch roll in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. l, it is then pulled downwardly to form a depending loop 137 below the cabinet. The web is then passed upwardly behind the rear wall 30 of the receptacle, which provides suiiicient space between the receptacle and the rear wall of the cabinet to pass the web of toweling therebetween back into the interior of the cabinet. When the loading operation is started, it is advisable'to place the soiled towel take-up roll 123 with its trunnions 124 supported in the hook-like members 132 formed in the upper end of the rear guide 125. The web 134 of the toweling is then pulled upwardly and `manually wound in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, around the take-up roll 123. When the web 134 of the toweling is thus securely wrapped around the take-up roll 123, the latter roll is removed from the supporting hook-like members 132 and placed on the takeup drive roll 66 in its normal first position with the trunnions 124 of the take-up roll 123 in engagement with the rear guides 125, as previously described. The amount of toweling forming the loop 137 below the cabinet is determined at this time and will Iremain substantially constant as the toweling is subsequently dispensed and taken up by the dispensing mechanism supported in the cabinet. The pinch roll 115, of course, is lowered in its guides so that it will pinch the web 134 of the toweling against thegranular surface of the measuring roll 65.

The lower door 123 may now be closed. During the closing movement, the spring 37 functions after an overcenter position is reached to pull the door to its closed position. It should be noted, however, that the towel smooth lingplate 31 and its smoothing edge 32 will press the web of toweling against the smoothing edges 43 and 46 so that the used or soi'led toweling passing to the take-up roll 123 will be at and free, of wrinkles and folds. Also, the reverse bend of the smoothing plate 31 cooperates with the smoothing edges 43 and 46 to function as a towel lbrake to prevent the used toweling from being pulled out 'of the cabinet from the take-up roll 123.

The upper door 18 may now be closed. As previously noted, the spring straps 20 and the brackets 22 on the upper door 18 cooperate to snap the door to its closed position. The door may now be locked and the cabinet is in condition to dispense clean toweling.

When a user pulls down on the web of clean toweling forming the loop 137 exposed in front of and below the cabinet, the downward pull thus applied causes the pinch roll 115 to revolve in a counter-clockwise direction and to simultaneously press down on the surface of the measuring roll 65, with the towel web therebetween, thereby causing the measuring roll 65 to revolve in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. l.

At the beginning of each dispensing operation, the stop mechanism including the lever 73, the stop pawl 74, the stop wheel 70 and the cam control lever 71 on the takeup drive roll 66 are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1. The downward pull of the towel web exposed in front of the cabinet causes the measuring roll 65 to rotate in a clockwise direction as noted above, and due to the chain 69 and the cooperating sprockets 67 and 68, the take-up drive roll 66 is simultaneously rotated in a clockwise direction. Since the take-up roll 123 is resting on the upper surface on the take-up drive roll 66, it rotates in a counterclockwise direction to take up substantially the same amount of toweling as is dispensed from the supply roll 133 by the measuring roll 65 during each dispensing operation. When the take-up drive roll has rotated to a point where the cam control roller 72 on the lever 71 engages the cam 75 on the pivoted lever 73, the lever 73 is lifted and pivots about the bolt 76 in a counter-clockwise direction. Inasmuch as there are ten teeth on the sprocket 67 on the measuring roll 65 and twelve teeth on the sprocket 68 on the take-up drive roll 66, the measuring roll 65 will complete approximately a full revolution before the pivoted lever 73 starts to pivot in a counterclockwise direction toward a stop position to stop the rotation of the measuring roll 65. In other words, six stop positions 70a to 70e, inclusive, and 70a on the stop 70 will pass under the stop pawl 74 before the pawl moves to a position where it will be engaged by the next stop position 70b on the stop 70. As the cam control roller 72 rolls over the arcuate portion of the cam 75, the lever 73 is further pivoted and moves the pawl 74 to a position to engage the stop position 70b to stop rotation of the measuring roll 65 after one and one-fifth revolutions. During the last portion of a single clockwise revolution of the take-up drive roll 66 the cam control roller 72 lifts the right end of the lever 73, by means of the arcuate like cam 75 to its highest point. As the right end of the pivoted lever 73 is raised by the action of the cam control roller against the cam 75, it also lifts the vacuum cup 85 so that it is compressibly engaged with the cooperating vacuum cup 90 on the timer assembly 86. It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the parts are so dimensioned and arranged that raising of the lever 73, and the consequent forceful engagement of the cups, takes place before the stop surface 70b has been rotated fully to the position where it will strike the lowered pawl 74. Thus, during the last part of the movement of the stop surface 70b into contact with the pawl, the cam roller 72 rides oif and slightly beyond the cam surface 75. This releases the positive upward force pressing the cup 85 forcefully against the cup 90 and permits the right-hand end of the lever 73 (due to the resilience of the rubber cups) to drop slightly so that the downwardly directed projection at the right-hand end of the cam surface 75 moves into blocking position behind the cam roller 72. Thereafter, until the vacuum cups time out and separate to cause the lever 73 to drop to the position shown in Fig. l, rotation of the rolls 65 and 66 in one direction is prevented by the pawl 74 and reverse rotation is prevented by engagement of the cam roller 72 with the downwardly directed projection at the right-hand end of the cam surface 75. Thus, until the cups separate, further toweling cannot be withdrawn from the front of the cabinet, and used toweling cannot be pulled downwardly from the rear portion of the cabinet.

Moreover, as the cups are brought together they resist the action of being compressed together, due to the resilient nature of the construction thereof, and consequently they act as a shock absorber. The above shock absorbing action is transmitted back through the connected parts to the cam 75 to resist the lifting action of the cam control roller 72 and, consequently, the rotation of the take-up drive roll 66 and the measuring roll 65. In other words, the vacuum cups 35 and 90, as they are brought together, act to slow down the rotation of the take-up drive roll 66 and also the rotation of the measuring roll 65 due to the chain coupling the rolls, just prior to the time that the rolls are brought to a full stop at the end of a dispensing operation. This action reduces the violent shock that results from the stopping action that takes place in prior dispensing cabinets.

The compressed cups and 90 will remain together for a time interval determined by the particular adjustment of the timer assembly 86, as previously described. In other words, the timer 86 will hold the stop pawl 74 in engagement with the stop position 70b on the stop wheel 70 to prevent the measuring roll 65 from being rotated to dispense an additional amount of toweling.

During the above described single dispensing operation approximately seven and one-sixteenth inches of clean toweling will have been withdrawn from the supply roll 133 and substantially the same amount of used toweling will have been taken up by the take-up roll 123. It should be noted that the take-up roll 123 will normally be retained in its first position with its trunnions 124 in engagement with the rear guides 125. This first position will normally be retained during the take-up operation unless the toweling is pulled from the cabinet with more than a normal downward pull.

In the latter event, the sudden strong quick downward pull and the equally sudden stopping of the rotation of the measuring roll 65 and the take-up drive roll 66 by the action of the stop pawl 74 and one of the stops on the stop wheel 70 will cause the take-up roll 123 to roll forwardly over the upper surface of the take-up drive roll 66 from the normal first position to a second position with the trunnions 124 in engagement with the front guides 128. In other words, the take-up roll 123 will have suicient momentum, as a result of a particular sudden stop, to roll away from the normal position. Also, an additional amount of used toweling will be taken up by the roll 123 as it rolls over the surface of the take-up drive roll 66 and it will thereby slightly shorten the towel loop 137 formed below the cabinet.

After an elapsed time interval determined by the particular setting of the timer assembly 86, the vacuum cup 85 will be released from the vacuum cup 90 and will thereby permit the pivoted lever 73 to pivot in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in the drawing.

During the initial stage of the above-mentioned release action, the compressed vacuum cups 85 and 90 begin to restore to the normal uncompressed condition and in so doing, the right end of the pivoted lever 73 is lowered slightly to partially lift the lower tip edge of the pawl 74 from the bottom edge of the engaged stop position 70b on the stop wheel 70. As soon as the cups separate, the right end of the pivoted lever 73 drops freely to lift the pawl 74 out of the path of the stop position 70b on the stop wheel 70. It should be noted that the lower surface of the vacuum cup 85 drops into contact with the upper surface of the support S4 to limit the extent of the clockwise rotation of the pivoted member 73. Also, due to the resilient nature of the vacuum cup 85, it acts as a cushion when it drops into engagement with the surface of the support 84, to render the release action substantially noiseless. In view of the foregoing, it will be under- 1.7 stood that the pawl 74 is thus withdrawn from the stop position70b on the stop wheel70, or from any other stop position thereon to permit the next dispensing operation to be performed.

As a result of the next dispensing action, the same operations described above will be repeated. However, if the take-up roll 123 has been rotated over the surface of the take-up drive roll 66 from its normal first position in engagement with the rear guide 125, into the second position in engagement with the front guide 128, then the rst portion of the dispensing operation will cause the take-up drive roll 66 to carry the take-up roll 123 from its second position back to its normal first position without taking up used toweling. In other words, no used toweling will be taken up by the take-up roll 123 as it is carried back to its original first position shown in the drawings. During the same period of time that the take-up drive roll 66 is carrying the take-up roll 123 back to its normal position, the measuring roll 65 and the pinch roll 115 will feed out an amount of toweling substantially equal to that taken up by the take-up roll 123 when it rolled from its normal first position to its second position. In other words, the amount of toweling that was taken up by the take-up roll 123 as a result of winding used toweling thereon in its rolling movement from its rst position to its second position and causing the shortening of the towel loop 137, is replaced to again lengthen the loop 137 to its normal length in response to the first portion of the next dispens# ing operation of the mechanism. It will be understood, of course, that since the measuring roll 65 takes one and one-fifth revolutions for each dispensing operation, it will take tive dispensing operations to bring the measuring roll back to its initial starting position.

In the prior dispensing mechanisms, the measuring roll is brought back to its initial starting position after each dispensing operation. Consequently, the granular surface of the measuring roll along its point of contact with the pinch roll in the prior devices is gradually worn away so that eventually the toweling will slip between the measuring roll and the pinch roll at the beginning of each dispensing operation. Thus, the loop formed below the cabinet is gradually increased in length. It then becomes necessary to service the cabinet and take up the toweling forming the excessive loop. In addition to wasting the toweling, the above fault necessitates frequent servicing of the cabinet. In order to avoid this ditiiculty in the prior places it is necessary to replace the granular surface of the measuring roll in the prior cabinets at frequent intervals.

With the improved arrangement of the present invention, wherein the measuring roll does not again stop on its initial starting position until after iive dispensing operations have been performed, it is obvious that the granual surface on the measuring roll will last tive times as long as the measuring rolls in the prior dispensing cabinets.

Continuing with the description of the operation of the dispensing mechanism, it should be understood that after all of the toweling has been dispensed from the supply roll 133, the end of the clean toweling will be withdrawn from the cabinet and will fall toward the floorf It now becomes necessary to again service the cabinet and place a new clean supply roll of toweling in the receptacle formed in the lower door 23. However, before this can be done, it is necessary to remove the roll of soiled toweling now wound on the take-up roll 123 from the cabinet. In order to do this, the cabinet must be again opened, in the manner previously described, and the take-up roll 123 is lifted upwardly between the rear and front guides 125 vand 128 and temporarily supported with the trunnions 124 thereof in the hook-like members 130. When the take-up roll 123 is mounted in the latter position, the attendant may spin the roll to wind thereon the used toweling that has fallen toward the floor below the cabinet. The take-up roll 123 may now be withdrawn from the center of the roll of soiled toweling and placedl in the hook-like members 132 so that it will be in a position to wind thereon the beginning of the new supply roll of clean toweling, in the manner previously described. In other words, the previously described steps for loading the clean supply roll 133 of toweling may now be repeated to again place the cabinet in condition to dispense the clean toweling. v

During the operation of the dispensing mechanism, it may become jammed and thus prevent dispensing of toweling therefrom at a time, for example, when onehalf of the clean toweling remains on the supply roll 133 and the other one-half of the toweling is wound on the take-up roll 123. In order to remove the dispensing mechanism from the prior cabinets when this conditionl occurs, it was necessary to sever the web of toweling that was wrapped around the pinch roll, because the pinch roll could not be withdrawn from the dispensing mechanism. In the dispensing mechanism of the present invention, the pinch roll 115, as previously described, may be removed by first withdrawing the cotter pins from the upper ends of the guides formed by the angles 118 and 119. The pinch roll 115 may then be withdrawn from the cabinet with the web 134 of toweling wrapped around the roll and the pinch roll may be disengaged from the toweling by movement in an axial direction. thereon is then removed from the dispensing mechanism and placed, for example, on the cover of the cabinet.

The entire dispensing mechanism supported in the cabinet may then be lifted from the hanger brackets and removed from the cabinet. A new dispensing mechanism may thereafter be replaced in the cabinet and supported in the manner illustrated in Fig. l. The roll of soiled toweling on the take-up roll 123 is then placed between the rear and front guides 125 and 128 on the drive roll 66 as illustrated in the drawings. Also, the pinch roll supported in the new mechanism is removed therefrom in the manner described above. Thereafter, the web of toweling is wrapped around the pinch roll 115 that has been removed from the new mechanism and it is again placed in its operating position in the new mechanism. The dispensing operation of the new mechanism may then be continued while the defective mechanism that has been removed from the cabinet is repaired. It should be noted that it is not necessary to sever the toweling to remove a defective mechanism from the cabinet. Also, the unused portion of the clean toweling on the roll carried in the receptacle of the cabinet mayV now be dispensed from the new dispensing mechanism.

While the particular construction and arrangement of the towel dispensing cabinet of the presentinvention has been show'n and described, it will be understood that various modiications may be made therein which are within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. 1n a dispensing mechanism, first and second rolls, a pivoted lever, a iirst stop formed at one end of said lever, a cam surface formed at the other end of said lever, a second stop member carried by said first roll, a cam member carried by said second roll, means for simultaneously rotating said rst and said second rolls during each dispensing operation, said cam member contacting said cam surface in response to rotation of said second roll through a fixed angle to actuate said ypivoted lever to move said first stop into a position to engage said second stop and terminate said simultaneous rota-V tion of said first and second rolls.

2. A dispensing mechanism as set forth in claim l, including means to retard rotation of -said rst and second rolls before said second stop engages said rst stop in order to reduce the shock of the engagement of said first stop and said second stop.

3. A dispensing mechanism as set forth in claim 2,l wherein said retarding means includes engageable vacuum cups which also holds said pivoted lever to retain said,

The take-up roll 123 and the toweling woundy i determined' elapsed'ntime interval.

'rst'sto'p engagement with said Vsc'c'c'uid stop'fo'r a pre'- `4'. -A dis'pen" 'ng `mechanism as setforthin "claiin,` wherein said vacuum cups iirst partially'withdrws said rs't'fstop'from said secondstop just prior to th'e'elapse of said predetermined time interval and then fully/releases'said Vfirst stoplffrom said 'second'r stop at the end of said predetermined.elapsed-time interval. i y i vf5'. Ak ltowely dispensing vcabinet including a'jrotatable measuringv roll for dispensingga `measured amount kof towelingya `take-up drive roll, means coupling fsaid :rolls for simultaneous rotation whereby vrotation of said measuring roll rotatesk said vtake-up jdrive'roll to take up` an niountof towelingisubstantially 'equal to vthean'rount dispensed by said measuring rollg'a stoprnechanism actuated by said takelup drive roll" in r'espbnse to' 'every revo# lution 'of that roll, andfni'eans' on` said measuring roll engaged by said 'stop 'mechanism' upon each actuation thereof for positively-stopping' rotation of saidV measuring roll in adifferentpositionof rotation. A i

6'. `Ai towel dispensing cabinet' including' a measuring r'oll rotatable frorn'any' onefof aplurality 'of initial an`- gularly disposed positions through a iiited 'angle for dispensing a measured amount ofv toweling, 'a take-rip' drive roll driven'by'said measuring roll for taking up an amount oftowfeling substantially -eq'ual to said measured amount dispensed`byisaid-rneasining roll,` means directly coupling said- 'rolls Vfor simultaneous rotation, a stop mechanism actuated by said take-upf'drive roll in response to `rotation thereof throughI ad 'given angle; and means on -said measuring roll engaged lay/*saidstopV mechanism upon successive actuations thereof for positively stopping said nieasuringrroll indifferent angular positions following siicce'ssive dispensing operations. l

'i Ina towel dispensing mechanism, ttwo iollls interconnected for simultaneous' rotation during each towel dispensing operation', 'a pivoted lever 'rockble' between two positions, imeanson 'one v`of said rolls responsive "to rotationjthereof for periodically rocking said leverl from afrst'ofsaid twojpositions to 'a second of said two po` sitions, "means on the other` "of saidrolls;Y controlRed by sid lever'infsaid'second' position for "stopping `said siniul'taneous'rotation"of'said two '1c`il1s,4"th"e means Afor restoring said lever from Vsaid second posifidii to s'a'drst psitionjto-perinit' further 'simultaneous ttieh if said two rolls. i y l i l v "8. "A towel dispemsing"nie'c'hariisrnv ssetforth'in claim 7, wherein said stopping 'means on saidother rll"i`s effectively controlled each 1tiniesaid le'ver'iis 'clce'd into its 'secondjposition to stopjrottio'nof-saiotlieroll 'in a different predetermined position. A

Q9. A dispensingxapparatns comprising afeeding'neans including afeedrolL 'a plurality offr's-t stop means 'on said feed roll, a second stop, means controlled by said feedroll to move said second stopintothfe path Vof Yone of `'said Zplurality jof jrst "stop imeans 'and to 'complete such movement as aresult "of more 'than one revolution o f `said feed roll/said means including atake-up -roll rotated vby said: feedroll,and means-on :said take-up'roll controlled byeach revolutionfof said take-upfroll to move said. second stop into the path of one of said pluralityof first stop means to stop fsaid-feed roll after more than one revolution thereof.

4 10. A towel dispensing cabinet of the continuous type comprising, a pinch roll, a measuring `roll supporting said pinch roll, a soiled towel take-up drive roll, d rivemmeans vronisaid measuring roll and onfsaid drive roll, means interconnecting said drive means so that said drive `rolliis rdrivenbyhsaid measuring roll, a roll of toweling supported `inl said cabinet and having its web threaded overa surfaceoffsad vmeasuring roll and wrapped around Vsaid pinclifroll'so that 'it'rotates said measuring 'roll 'and said 'pinch roll in response to a downward 4pull on said web during a 'dispensing operation, a -plur'ality 'f stops Aon lsaid i*measuring "roll, and

means actuated by` rotationy of said take-up drive' -roll for controlling successive ones of said stops in response t'oArsuc'c'essive dispensing operations in 'order to stop rotation of said measuring rollin a different rotary positiona'fte'r each dispensing operation. r

A11.A 'towel dispensing cabinet having a -measui'ing roll for 'dispensing a predetermined length of yclean toweling from th'e cabinet and a towel take-up drive roll for `controlling the take-up of a predetermined length'f used toweling during each towel dispensing operato'nfa' used towel takeup roll cooperating with and 'carried by said drive roll, neans interconnecting said rn'e'a'su'r" in'groll' and said drive roll for simultaneously rotating both of 'sia'dfrolls as said clean toweling is dispensed from said Vcabinet by said measuring roll during 'each dispensing operation, means foi stopping said simulta-I eou's'rotation-o'f said measuring lroll and said dive 'roll at `the end of each dispensing operation, said drive roll in response to rotation thereof controlling rotation of said used ltowel take-up roll in Aorder to'rewind thereon an amount of used toweling substantially equal to the amount of toweling dispensed by said measuring roll during Ieach dispensing operation, and upstanding guide means formed in said cabinet at the opposite ends o f said used towel take-up roll for retaining said used towel take-up r'oll in cooperating relationship with the lsilrfa'ce of said drive roll as said used toweling is wound on s'ad takelup roll'and for accommodating substantial rolling movement of said take-up roll over a'n arc of the surface of said 'drive roll due to the momentum of seid take-u`p roll 'a't the instant ofsudden stoppage of said drive roll at -the end of each Vdispensing operation `in order to take upvany excess used toweling that i`s"drawn into said cabinet following sudden stoppage of said drive roll.

12. A towel dispensing cabinet as 'set forth yin claim 11, wherein said upstanding guide means includes' two cooperating ypairs of front and rear opstanding guide members respectively 'accommodating opposite ends f said used towel take-up r'oll, said front upstanding guide members of said pairs being inclined rearwardly and said rear upstnding guide members of said pairs being inclined forwardly so that VVthe spacings between 'the front and rear guide members of said pair-s decrease upwardly above nsaid drive roll thereby to reduce the travel of 'said takeaip roll in -its rolling movement over the surface of said drive roll incident to a sudden stopping of the drive roll during a dispensing operation as the diameter of the used toweling wound on said take-up roll` increases.

13. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 12, wherein said front guide members `respectively terminate-at lthe upper ends thereof in forwardly and upwardly inclined arm members respectively having aligned 'notches formed in the Yforward ends for accommodating the temporary support of said take-'up roll during the servicing of the cabinet.

y 14. A towel 'dispensing cabinet as set forth in 'claim 12,'wherein said rear guide members respectively include 'aligned notches at the upper ends thereof for ac'- conimodating the temporary support of said towel takeup 'roll during theservicing ofthe cabinet.

l5'. lA towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 1'1, wherein 'said upstanding guide means includes two cooperating `pairs `of front and rear upstanding guide niembersres'pectively supported on opposite 'end walls, s'aid end walls having Vfirst parallel wall portions extending -Vrearwardly from said rear guide members and having-second outwardly offset parallel wall portions eittending forwardly from said rear guide members, 4'said front "guide members v'being secured to the respective second outwardly 'ose't forwardly extending wall 'portions, said lii'rstdr'earwardly extending wall portions cooperating tofunc'tion as end guides "for the toweling as it Vis wound on A'said take-up roll 'and functioning friction nreans wlieiiengaged by theeends of the towel 21 take-up roll during a take-up operation to hold said tallrle-up roll against the surface of said take-up drive ro 16. A towel dispensing cabinet having a measuring roll for dispensing a predetermined length of clean toweling vfrom the cabinet and a towel take-up drive roll for controlling the take-up of a predetermined length of used toweling during each towel dispensing operation, a used towel take-up roll cooperating with and carried by said drive roll, means interconnecting said measuring roll and said drive roll for simultaneously rotating both of said rolls during a towel dispensing operation, means for stopping said simultaneous rotation of said measuring and drive rolls after a predetermined amount of toweling is dispensed during each dispensing operation, said rotation of said drive roll rotating said take-up roll to rewind thereon substantially the same amount of used toweling as is fed lfrom the cabinet during each dispensing operation, two oppositely disposed rear upstanding guide members formed in said cabinet respectively defining a normal iirst position of rotation of said take-up roll on said drive roll, two oppositely disposed front upstanding guided members formed in said cabinet respectively defining a second position of rotation of said take-up roll on said drive roll, two of said oppositely disposed upstanding guide members being inclined upwardly toward the remaining two oppositely disposed upstanding guide members to gradually decrease the distance between said iirst and said second positions of rotation of said take-up roll as the amount of used toweling wound thereon is increased, said drive roll during a dispensing operation rotating said used towel take-up roll in said iirst position to wind used towel thereon, and said take-up roll in response to a sudden stop of said drive roll and said measuring roll by said stopping means at the end of a dispensing operation rolling over the surface of said drive roll from said first position to said second position to wind thereon any used toweling that has been taken up as a result of said sudden stop of said drive roll.

17. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 16 wherein said take-up roll is carried from said second position back to said first position by rotation of said drive roll at the beginning of the next dispensing operation without take-up of additional used toweling and upon reaching said first position restarts the used towel take-up rotation under control of the rotation of said drive roll during the remainder of said next dispensing operation.

18. A towel dispensing cabinet having a removable inner unit, rolls supported on said unit for feeding clean toweling and for taking up used toweling, a U-shaped receptacle for a clean towel roll carried by the cabinet separate from said unit, the bottom portion of said U- shaped receptacle serving as the bottom of the cabinet, the upstanding legs of said U-shaped receptacle serving respectively as the front and rear walls of said receptacle and said front wall constituting a door for the cabinet, means pivoting said receptacle on the side walls of the cabinet to permit tilting forward movement thereof to a supply receiving position outside the cabinet when said door is pulled outwardly, a first towel smoothing member within the cabinet and secured to the rear wall thereof, said towel smoothing element extending upwardly diagonally toward the front of the cabinet, and a second towel smoothing member extending rearwardly and diagonally downwardly from said rear wall of said receptacle toward the rear wall of the cabinet, said first and second towel smoothing elements overlapping one another to provide a reverse bend in the used toweling as it passes therebetween toward said take-up roll in order to smooth out the used toweling and in order to substantially prevent passage of said used toweling in the reverse direction.

19. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 18, wherein a third towel smoothing element is secured to said rear wall of the cabinet and extends toward the front of the cabinet to further smooth the used toweling as it passes toward said take-up roll.

20. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 19, wherein said third smoothing element is spaced apart from and above said rst smoothing element and said second smoothing element is located therebetween.

21. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 19, wherein said third towel smoothing element includes means for supporting said removable inner unit in the cabinet.

22. A towel dispensing cabinet as set forth in claim 2l, wherein said supporting means on said third towel smoothing element comprises a plurality of slots in said third smoothing element for receiving cooperating projections on said inner unit to removably support the same in the cabinet.

23. A towel dispensing cabinet comprising in combination, a casing having a back wall, a top wall and spaced apart side walls, an upper front cover pivoted on said top cover and a lower front cover pivoted on said sides thereof between said side walls and forming the bottom wall of said casing to support therein a supply roll of clean toweling; an inner dispensing unit demountably supported in said casing, said unit including two spaced-apart vertically disposed side plates, a iirst roll and a spaced-apart second roll, said rolls supported at opposite ends thereof in said side plates, a roll shield extending between said side plates having end lugs thereon projecting into cooperating lug receiving slots in said side plates, said roll shield being positioned below each of said rolls to prevent the supply roll supported in the bottom of the casing from contacting the lower surfaces of said rolls, and a clamping rod retaining said first roll and said second roll and said roll shield in assembled position between said end plates to form said demountable inner unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,323,230 Dotson Nov. 25, 1919 1,756,928 Steiner Apr. 29, 1930 1,844,180 Rennick Feb. 9, 1932 1,922,837 Birr Aug. 15, 1933 1,922,845 Flack Aug. 15, 1933 2,172,482 Steiner Sept. 12, 1939 2,181,826 Woo-ster Nov. 28, 1938 2,202,930 Steiner June 4, 1940 2,255,609 Birr Sept. 9, 1941 2,257,690 Kauffman Sept. 30, 1941 2,295,252 Birr Sept. 8, 1942 2,298,882 Grunwald Oct. 13, 1942 2,464,782 Birr Mar. 22, 1949 2,470,187 Price May 17, 1949

Images