US3311278A - Dispenser and cutter and the like - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1967 R. N. BRANDON 3,311,278

DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 28, 1967 R. N. BRANDON DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1965 March 28, 1967 R. N. BRANDON 3,311,273

DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 1967 R. N. BRANDON 3,311,278

DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE lzlav mo 1 March 28, 1967 R. N. BRANDON 3,311,278

DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE Filed 001;. 12, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent C) 3,311,278 DISPENSER AND CUTTER AND THE LIKE Richard N. Brandon, Warren, Ohio, assignor to Auzviil Jackson, .112, Richmond, Va. Filed st 12, 1965, Ser. No. 599,481 12 Ciaims. (Cl. 225--93) This application is a continuation'in-part application of applicants copending parent application, Ser. No. 312,- 174, filed Sept. 27, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a dispenser and cutter and the like and particularly to a dispenser and cutter for household wrap having a means whereby the material to be cut is first clamped on both sides of a cutting blade followed by a movement of the cutter blade in between the two clamped areas to cut the material.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved household wrap dispenser and cutter which is operated in a simple manner to dispense and cut household wrap more effectively than the devices presently available to the consumer.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of three preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the application and wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of one embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of assembled FIG- URE 1 looking in an axial direction and showing the position of the parts just prior to actuation of the cutter.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the position of the parts just after the sheet has been cut.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the parts with the outer cover lifted to expose the end of the sheet prior to withdrawal of another piece.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of a second embodirnent.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of assembled FIG- URE 5 looking in an axial direction and just prior to actuation of cutter.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the position of the parts just after the cutter has been actuated and the sheet cut.

FIGURE 8 is a schematic representation of a crosssectional view of a third embodiment looking in an axial direction and just prior to actuation of the cutter.

FIGURE 9 is similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the position of the parts just after actuation of the cutter.

FIGURE 10 is a left rear view of a cutaway portion of a fourth embodiment.

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines XIXI of FIGURE 10.

It is to be understood that throughout this application the term sheet is used in the broad sense as encompassing such terms as film, ribbon, foil, tape, and other such thin materials. Also, it is to be understood that the term cutting is used in the broad sense to include not only a complete severing along a line but a series of perforations as well.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a combination dispenser and cutter is shown, which is especially adapted for the dispensing of household aluminum foil wrap. The roll of foil is housed in a container 11 having three side walls 12, two ends 13, two cantilevered projecting arms 14, having locking buttons 15 on the end thereof. Around the top periphery is a container-mating edge 16 adapted to mate with the cover 17.

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The cover 17 has two alignment legs 1% and two locking apertures 19. The cover 17 is held onto the container 11 by the cantilevered projecting arms 14 being pressed inward to permit alignment legs 18 to be internally received into the container 11 until mating edge 24 on the cover 17 mates with the container-mating edge In. At this position the projecting arms 14 are permitted to swing out pushing locking buttons 15 into their respective locking apertures 19. When it is desired to separate the cover 17 from the container 11, the locking buttons 15 are pressed inwardly until they clear the inner wall of the container 11, at which position the cover can be removed.

Cover 17 also contains a wrap dispensing slot 20, a supporting surface 21, and three wells 22 which are separated by two blade supports 23. Also contained on cover 17 are two cover pivot points 27a.

The two rivets 33 extend through cover pivot points 27a, pivot bearings 38, and into pivot points 27 located on inner clamp or second outer wall 25 where they are held by frictional forces.

Inner clamp 25 contains a flat surface 26 and a first clamp area 28. Clamp area 28 is on a slight incline and is separated from clamp area 30 by a blade receiving channel 29 having contained therein two slots 29a. Mounted on clamp area 28 is a clamping surface 28a, which may be a roughened surface, an abrasive strip, or a layer of abrasive paint. A similar clamping surface 31%: is located on clamp area 39. The outer terminus of inner clamp 25 is an edge flange 31 having a head to smooth the exit of the foil wrap. On the under side of fiat surface 26 is adhesively fastened a strip of vinyl opencelled resilient foam which is likewise adhesively fastened to supporting surface 21 of cover 17.

The blade or cutting means 34, having scalloped teeth 35, is held in blade receiving channel 29 by means of tabs 34:: projecting through slots 2%.

An outer clamp or first outer wall 36 is affixed to the pivot bearings 33 by welding, or otherwise, and has an outer cover 39, a lifting projection 41 an opening lever 37 and a hump 43. On the inside of the hump 4-3 a resilient strip 230 is held in resilient strip support 28d and has a clamping surface 23b adapted to resiliently mate with clamping surface 28a. Likewise, resilient strip 30c is held by resilient strip support 30d so that its clamping surface 39!) will resiliently mate with clamping surface 36a. The resilient strip support 28d and 39d are cut from pieces of extruded soft and flexible vinyl weather stripping.

The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG- URES 1 through 4 is quite simple. After a roll 41 of household aluminum foil has been placed into the cornpartment of the container 11, an end or leading portion 42 is unrolled from the roll and threaded through wrap dispensing slot 20 of the cover 17 as it is removably attached in the manner described above to the container 11. The foil end 42 is then fed between the inner clamp or second outer wall member 25 and the outer clamp or first outer wall member 36. When it is desired to have a piece of foil, outer clamp 36 is opened by depressing the opening lever 37 as shown in FIGURE 4 or else by lifting the lifting projection 40. This causes the outer clamp to pivot about pivot bearing 38 to expose the foil. And end is grasped and the desired amount pulled from the roll through the dispensing opening defined between the wall members 25 and 36. The outer clamp, which is permitted to close, comes to rest as shown in FIGURE 2 so that the foil is grasped on one side of blade or cutting means 34 between mating clamping surfaces 28b and 2811. Likewise, on the opposite side of the blade, the foil is grasped between mating clamping surfaces 30a and 30b. The outer clamp may be depressed either by pushing downward on hump 43 as shown in FIGURE 2 or by pushing downward on outer cover 39 portion. As the outer clamp 36 continues to be forced, the mating clamping surfaces clamp the foil tightly with the assistance of the resilient backing clamping surfaces 28b and 391) being provided by resilient strips 280 and 36s, respectively. Resistance to the cutting movement is olfered by a spring which is preferably a resistant open-celled vinyl foam. As the cutting action is continued, the inner clamp 25 compresses resilient foam 32 and causes the blade receiving channel 29 to be depressed into wells 22 of the cover 17. The blade 34 which is loosely held in the blade receiving channel 29 by tabs 34a projecting into slots 29a is prevented from following the blade receiving channel 29 into wells 22 by blade supports 23. Slots 29a are the height sufiicient to permit the blade receiving channel 29 to move downward with the blade but at the same time prevent the blade from falling out of the blade receiving channel.

With reference to FIGURE 3, as the cutting action is continued, the foil which is clamped on both sides of the blade is stretched over the blade and then forced downward so as to cause the teeth of the blade to first cut the foil in a series of perforations followed by a complete severing. Upon release of the cutting force, the resilient foam 32 expands to its normal position which causes the blade receiving channel 29 to return over blade 34 to form a guard for same. Since the force has been removed, the clamping forces are then practically nil and the foil end 42 which has just been severed falls freely from the dispenser.

It is to be noted that the dispenser and cutter can be easily actuated with one hand while the other hand may be busy holding an object to be Wrapped. Also, it is to be noted that the dispenser and cover can be placed on a counter top in the position shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, or it may be rotated 90 degrees so that the outer clamp is in a normal vertical position and can be mounted to the wall in any conventional manner.

With reference to FIGURES 5, 6, and 7, a second embodiment of the invention is shown.

The container 111 is provided with three walls 112, two ends 113, a locking aperture 119 in each end, an alignment leg 118 on each end, and two container-mating edges 116.

A cover 117 is provided with a wrap dispensing slot 120 having wrap dispensing slot reinforcing and guiding ridges 120a, two supporting surfaces 121 having supporting surface reinforcing ridges 121a and a blade support 123. The cover 117 is further provided with two projecting arms 114 attached to the cover by integral hinge 114a. Each of the projecting arms 114- contains a locking button 115. The cover further contains two mating edges 124 adapted to mate with complementaiy container mating edges 116. The cover is removably attached to the container by folding projecting arms 114 downward and inward about integral hinges 114a. The cover is then guided between alignment legs 118 until mating edges 124 rest on container-mating edges 116. In this position locking buttons 115 are free to move outward into locking apertures 119 to hold the cover in place. The integral hinges 114a have a normal bias outward which in effect causes a springdike movement of locking buttons 115 into place.

Blade or cutting means 134, having scalloped teeth 135, rests on blade support 123 and is preferably molded in one piece integrally with cover 117.

On each side of blade 134 resilient strips 128s and 130s are adhesively held on supporting surfaces 121. The resilient strips are preferably made of vinyl opencelled foam and are preferably of suificient height to enable the top edge to be approximately level with or slightly higher than blade 134. The top surface of each resilient strip could be utilized to form a clamping sur face. However, in the embodiment shown, it is preferred to have an inner clamp or second outer wall 125 having a serrated clamping surface 128a, a blade receiving slot 129, and a second serrated clamping surface 139a. The inner clamp has each edge terminated in an edge flange 131. The outer edge flange 131 serves to guide the wrap upon exit from the dispenser and cutter and covers the front for a more attractive appearance. The inner edge flange helps to guide the wrap into the clamping area after it leaves the wrap dispensing slot 120. The inner clamp 125 is preferably made from a thin, soft and very flexible plastic material so that it will readily adopt its surface to the mating clamps under the force of resilient strips 128a and C to which it is adhesively held.

Mounted to the rear of cover 117 is hinge Wall 133 to which is held outer clamp or outer Wall 136 by means of integral hinge 127. Slots 127a are provided in integral hinge 127 so as to make it less stiff. Outer clamp 136 contains an outer cover 139 area and lifting projection 140. It has a hump 143 on each side of which is a serrated clamping surface 123!) and 13%. The hump in operating position overlies blade 134 and during the cutting action receives the blade thereinto. Also, the channel-like nature of the hump provides a beam for the top surface and, in conjunction with the beam-like nature of the cutting blade and supporting surface reinforcing ridges 121a, serves to stiffen the device to resist the deforming effect of the cutting forces when they are applied.

It is readily seen from FIGURE 5 that the cover 117, outer clamp 136, projecting arms 114, blade 134, and other related items are all provided in a one-piece plastic molding, preferably made of polypropylene which is especially suitable for integral hingers, such as 114a and 127. A one-piece molding provides a device which. is very easily assembled with all the parts automatically falling into proper alignment. The alignment and assembly could be a problem if the items were separately made and then assembled.

The operation of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 through 7 is similar to that of the first embodiment. A roll of household aluminum foil wrap is placed in the compartment of the container and an end roll 141 of the foil is placed in the container and a portion is drawn from the roll and passed through wrap dispensing slot 120 as the cover 117 is removably placed on the container. The end of the foil is then drawn between outer clamp or first outer wall 136 and inner clamp or second outer wall 125. When it is desired to obtain a piece of wrap, the outer clamp is lifted by projection 140- and the end of the wrap is grasped and a desired amount pulled from the container through the dispensing opening defined between the outer walls 136 and 125. Then the outer clamp is depressed, gripping the wrap between mating clamping surfaces 128a and 12817 on one side of blade 134 and mating clamping surfaces 130a and 13012 on the other side of the blade 134. As the cutting force is applied to the outer clamp 136, resilient strips 1280 and 1313c are caused to compress as shown in FIGURE 7, forcing the mating clamping surfaces tightly towards one another, thereby grasping the wrap and holding it while it is pulled down over blade 134 which completely severs the wrap in an attractive, relatively straight, and agged square line. Upon release of the cutting force, the compressed resilient strips return the combined dispenser and cutter to the position shown in FIGURE 6 where the clamping force is almost completely absent so that the severed end can be readily withdrawn from the cutting area.

It is to be noted that in this second embodiment, the resilient strips not only serve to force the clamping areas together but also serve as spring-like members to return the dispenser and cutter to its normal position upon release of the cutting forces.

With reference to the third embodiment shown schematically in FIGURES 8 and 9, this embodiment is quite similar to that shown in FIGURES 5 through 7. There is provided a container 211 having three side walls 212 and two end walls which are not shown. Removably attached to the container is a cover 217 having a dispensing slot 220 and two supporting surfaces 221 on each side of a blade support 223. integrally attached to blade support 223 is a blade or cutting means 234 having a series of teeth which are not shown. At the rear of cover 217 is provided an integral hinge wall 233 containing an integral hinge 227 to which is integrally attached an outer clamp or first outer wall 236. Adhesively fixed to outer clamp 236 is a resilient strip 2280, the surface of which 2281) provides one clamping surface which mates with a clamping surface 228a, which may be serrated, which is the surface of one of the supporting surfaces 221. The inner surface of hump 243 may be serrated and forms a clamping surface 23Gb which mates with a complementary clamping surface 230a, which may also be serrated. Clamping surface 23% is formed on an inner clamp or second outer wall 225 which is a thin flexible piece of soft plastic adhesively adhered to resilient strip 2300. Resilient strip 236:: is also adhesively adhered to the front supporting surface 221.

The operation of the third embodiment is similar to that of the second embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 through 7. The outer clamp 23% is raised and the end of the roll 241 is grasped and a desired amount of wrap is extracted. Then the outer clamp 236 is permitted to close and is pressed downwardly against the resistance of resilient strips 228a and 230C. The first portion of the movement clamps the wrap between mating surfaces 228a and 228b on one side of blade 234 and clamps the wrap between mating surfaces 239]) and 232a on the opposite side of blade 234. Upon further cutting movement, the wrap is pulled down over blade 234 to preferably cause complete severing of same along a substantially straight and square line. Upon release of the cutting force, the resilient strips which were compressed in the manner shown in FIGURE 9 return the combination dispenser and cutter to its normal position as shown in FIG- URE 8 permitting ready withdrawal of the severed portion of the wrap.

The fourth embodiment shown in FIGURES l0 and 11 is a departure from the previous three embodiments largely in that its framework is adapted to fit in any of a wide number of containers 311 shown in dotted lines including a cardboard container similar to those in which household wrap is presently sold provided the top is first removed.

Alignment legs 318 at each end of the assembly are rectangular thin metal plates which closely match the end dimensions of the container and have holes drilled therein at their upper rear corners to receive rivets 333 which pass through pivot bearings 338 and holes drilled in end tabs 325a bent downward at each end of inner clamp 325. The rivets are driven into and frictionally held by the tubular portion of reta'rder 35 3. Pivot bearings 338 are fitted and securely staked into slot 351 which is extruded in the outer clamp and cover 336. This permits the outer clamp and cover or first outer wall 336, inner clamp or second outer wall 325 and retarder 35% to freely pivot with relative independence to one another. The outer clamp and cover also has extruded therein a blade-receiving channel and hump 3 :3.

The inner clamp 235 which has one side pivoted, has the other side adhesively affixed to a resilient strip of vinyl foam 332 along its outer border and contains adjacent the inner edge of said resilient strip a blade-receiving slot 329 which has adjacent either side thereof clamping areas 323 and 330 which mate with similar clamping areas on the underside of the outer clamp and cover. The inner clamp 325 also contains a retarding ridge 325b which mates with retarder 351} me manner such that the material being dispensed from the roll as shown in dotted 6 lines passes between the retarder and retarding ridge and is held by the force of gravity on the retarder from falling back into the container after being cut.

The blade or cutting means 334 is mounted on inner cover and blade support assembly 321 which also supports the resilient strip 332 which is adhesively attached thereto. The supporting assembly is Welded at each of its ends to the alignment legs 318 and has a re-enforcing and alignment flange 353 at its front end. Re-enforcing and alignment channel 352 is attached to the rear of the unit .by having both of its ends welded to alignment legs 318. The operation of the fourth embodiment is readily apparent by reference to the operation of the previous three embodiments.

It is to be noted that in the case of aluminum foil all three embodiments serve to form a small upward flange on the severed end of the foil due to its being pulled downward over the cutting blade. This permits a ready grasping of the end of the foil when a new piece is to be extracted. Also, it is readily seen that in all four embodiments the clamping action is suflicient to prevent the withdrawal of the sheet either from the remaining roll or from the portion desired to be severed. This prevents the sheet from merely draping itself over the cutting blade rather than being cup and results in the very eflicient cutting action which is obtained. Also, it will be readily apparent that although the invention has been described primarily for use as a combination dispenser and cutter, it is obviously also usable with other household wrap, such as wax paper and the like and is readily adaptable to other sheet materials of widths varying from narrow to wide. Normally, however, the invention is preferably utilized with household wrap dispensed from a roll having a width varying from about 7 inches to about 18 inches and a thickness of less than .006 inch.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to three preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

'1. In an aluminum foil household wrap dispenser having a self-contained cutting device for cutting wrap of a thickness less than .006 inch.

(a) a box-like container having three sides and two ends and being of a length not less than that necessary to accommodate a roll of aluminum foil of about 7 inches in length nor greater than that necessary to accommodate a roll of aluminum foil of about 18 inches in length and having a width to accommodate the roll of aluminum foil whose diameter is not greater than one-third its length,

(b) a locking means on said container,

(c) a polypropylene cover for covering the open side of said container having a wrap dispensing slot, a blade support, and a supporting surface on each side of said blade support,

((1) a polypropylene blade having scalloped teeth mounted integrally on said blade support and molded as one piece at the same time as said blade support and cover,

(e) two polypropylene projecting arms molded as one piece with said cover and hingedly connected thereto and having locking means for cooperating with said locking means on said container to removably attach said cover to said container,

(f) an elongated resilient vinyl open-celled foam strip adhesively attached to said supporting surfaces on said cover and being of a height equal to about the height of said blade,

(g) a thin, flexible soft plastic inner clamp adhesively mounted to the top surface of said foam strip and having a blade receiving slot and a serrated clamping surface on each side of said slot, said clamping 7 7 surface normally being level with or slightly higher than said blade, and

(h) a polypropylene outer clamp molded as one piece at the same time as said cover and hingedly connected thereto along a line parallel to the longer direction of said container, said outer clamp having a hump normally overlying said blade, a serrated clamping surface on each side of said hump, and a lifting projection, said outer clamp substantially covering the entire cover so as to keep the inside of the dispenser unexposed and sanitary.

2. In a household wrap dispenser having a self-contained cutting device for cutting wrap of a thickness less than .006 inch,

(a) a boxlike container having three sides and two ends and being of a length not less than that necessary to accommodate a roll of aluminum foil of about 7 inches in length nor greater than that neces sary to accommodate a roll of Wrap of about 18 inches in length and having a width to accommodate the roll of wrap whose diameter is not greater than one-third its length,

(b) a cover covering the open side of said container having a wrap dispensing slot, a blade support, an inner supporting surface on the inner side of said blade support providing an inner clamping surface, and an outer supporting surface of the other side of said blade support,

(c) a blade having teeth mounted integrally on said blade support,

((1) an outer elongated resilient strip adhesively attached to said outer supporting surface on said cover and being of a height equal to about the height of said blade,

(e) a thin, flexible soft plastic inner clamp adhesively mounted to the top surface of said outer resilient strip and having a clamping surface thereupon, said clamping surface normally being level with or slightly higher than said blade,

(f) an outer clamp hingedly connected to the said cover along a line parallel to the longer direction of said container, said outer clamp having a hump, the underside of which forms an outer clamping surface mating with the clamping surface of said inner clamp, said outer clamp substantially covering the entire cover so as to keep the inside of the dispenser unexposed and sanitary, and

(g) an inner elongated resilient strip adhesively attached to said outer clamp having a clamping surface adapted to mate with the inner clamping surface of said cover.

3. In a household wrap dispenser having a self-contained cutting device for cutting wrap of a thickness less than .006 inch,

(a) a box-like container having three sides and two ends and being of a length not less than that necessary to accommodate a roll of wrap of about 7 inches in length nor greater than that ncessary to accommodate a roll of wrap of about 18 inches in length and having a width to accommodate the roll of wrap whose diameter is not greater than one-third its length,

(b) two locking means on said container,

(c) a covered covering the open side of said container having a wrap dispensing slot, a blade support supporting means, and a supporting surface,

(d) a blade having scalloped teeth supported on said blade supporting means,

(e) two locking means on said cover for cooperating with said locking means on said container to removably attach said cover to said container,

(f) an elongated resilient vinyl open-celled foam strip adhesively attached to said supporting surface on said cover,

(g) an inner clamp pivotally attached to said cover having a flat surface adhesively attached to said vinyl foam strip,

(h) a blade receiving channel in said inner clamp in which said blade is movably held,

(i) a clamping surface on each side of said blade receiving channel,

(j) an outer clamp pivotally connected to said cover along a line parallel to the longer direction of said container, said outer clamp having a hump normally overlying said blade, a resiliently backed clamping surface on each side of said hump, an open lever, and a lifting projection said outer clamp substantially covering the entire cover so as to keep the inside of the dispenser unexposed and sanitary.

In a cutting device adapted to be associated with a dispenser of sheet material having an external sheet material dispensing opening,

(a) a cutting blade inboard of said external dispensing opening and inside said dispenser,

(b) two clamping areas movable from a non-clamping position to a clamping position and arranged so that said blade can be disposed therebetween to cut the material, said clamping area being substantially parallel to the cutting blade in both the clamping and non-clamping positions, one of said clamping areas being defined by two outer walls of said dispenser, said external opening being defined between said two outer walls, and

(c) a resilient means which is stressed when a force is applied so that said blade can be disposed between the two clamping areas, said stressing of the resilient means causing energy to be stored therein for tending to cause said blade not to be disposed between the two clamping areas upon release of the applied force.

5. A household wrap dispensing container or the like for serially dispensing selected lengths of wrapping material or the like comprising wall means defining a closed compartment therein receiving a supply of said wrapping material, said wall means having a container closing outer wall movable relative to said container and defining part of an external dispensing opening thereof, said outer Wall being movable to a cutting position to cause cutting of the trailing portion of a selected length of said wrapping material dispensed out of said opening from the remainder of said supply in said compartment, said cutting operation taking place inboard of said external opening and solely by the movement of said outer wall to its cutting position, said outer wall, thereafter, being movable to a noncutting position to permit subsequent dispensing of another selected length of said wrapping material out of said opening, said wall means including a second outer wall, movable relative to said container and defining an opposed part of said opening, said second wall moving in unison with said first-named outer wall as said firstnamed outer wall moves between its dispensing position and its cutting position whereby said opening moves relative to said container.

6. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outer walls clamp said wrapping material therebetween during said cutting operation.

7. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 6 and including a stationary cutter carried by said container, said outer wall means moving said trailing portion of said selected length of dispensed wrapping material relative to said cutter to cut said trailing portion from the remainder of said supply when said outer walls are moved to said cutting positions thereof.

8. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 7 and including means for automatically returning said outer walls to said dispensing positon thereof from said cutting position thereof when said first-named outer wall is released at its cutting position.

9. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 8 wherein said returning means comprises resilient means.

10. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second outer wall substantially covers said cutter when said second outer wall is in its dispensing position to tend to prevent the user from engaging said cutter during a dispensing operation.

11. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 7 wherein said outer walls have cooperating clamping surfaces disposed on opposite sides of said cutter for holding said wrapping material therebetween on opposed sides of said cutter during said cutting operation.

12. A household wrap dispensing container or the like comprising wall means defining a compartment therein receiving a supply of said wrap, said Wall means having a wrap dispensing opening definable between a first outer wall member and a second outer wall member of said wall means, said wall members being movable in unison relative to said container between a wrap clamping position thereof and a wrap severing position thereof whereby the outer end of said opening is moved relative to said container, said first outer wall member being movable away from said second outer wall member to more fully open said opening and permit the leading portion of said wrap to be grasped and drawn out of said opening, and cutting means carried inside said container whereby said wrap can be drawn from said compartment out through said opening for a desired length thereof and, thereafter, be severed from said supply thereof by clamping the trailing portion of said desired length between said Wall members and moving said clamping wall members relative to said cutting means to said wrap cutting position thereof so that said cutting means will sever said trailing portion of said desired length from said supply thereof while said trailing portion is inside said container and so that said cutting operation will not substantially bend or crease said trailing portion of said desired length as said opening outboard of said cutting means moves in unison with said first and second wall members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 833,470 10/ 1906 Lipowsky 83-570 2,267,060 12/ 1941 Wakefield 225-44 2,484,673 10/1949 Becker 83-649 X 2,613,879 10/1952 Carr 22543 2,614,015 10/1952 McGehee 225-44 2,921,493 1/ 1960 Emmert 83-649 3,035,345 5/1962 Barnard 83-649 X 3,151,793 10/1964 Smith 225-44 X FOREIGN PATENTS 67,660 6/ 1940 Czechoslovakia. 360,562 4/ 1906 France.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

I. M. MEISTER, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN AN ALUMINUM FOIL HOUSEHOLD WRAP DISPENSER HAVING A SELF-CONTAINED CUTTING DEVICE FOR CUTTING WRAP OF A THICKNESS LESS THAN .006 INCH. (A) A BOX-LIKE CONTAINER HAVING THREE SIDES AND TWO ENDS AND BEING OF A LENGTH NOT LESS THAN THAT NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE A ROLL OF ALUMINUM FOIL OF ABOUT 7 INCHES IN LENGTH NOR GREATER THAN THAT NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE A ROLL OF ALUMINUM FOIL OF ABOUT 18 INCHES IN LENGTH AND HAVING A WIDTH TO ACCOMMODATE THE ROLL OF ALUMINUM FOIL WHOSE DIAMETER IS NOT GREATER THAN ONE-THIRD ITS LENGTH, (B) A LOCKING MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER, (C) A POLYPROPYLENE COVER FOR COVERING THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER HAVING A WRAP DISPENSING SLOT, A BLADE SUPPORT, AND A SUPPORTING SURFACE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BLADE SUPPORT, (D) A POLYPROPYLENE BLADE HAVING SCALLOPED TEETH MOUNTED INTEGRALLY ON SAID BLADE SUPPORT AND MOLDED AS ONE PIECE AT THE SAME TIME AS SAID BLADE SUPPORT AND COVER, (E) TWO POLYPROPYLENE PROJECTING ARMS MOLDED AS ONE PIECE WITH SAID COVER AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO AND HAVING LOCKING MEANS FOR COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER TO REMOVABLY ATTACH SAID COVER TO SAID CONTAINER, (F) AN ELONGATED RESILIENT VINYL OPEN-CELLED FOAM STRIP ADHESIVELY ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACES ON SAID COVER AND BEING OF A HEIGHT EQUAL TO ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF SAID BLADE, (G) A THIN, FLEXIBLE SOFT PLASTIC INNER CLAMP ADHESIVELY MOUNTED TO THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID FOAM STRIP AND HAVING A BLADE RECEIVING SLOT AND SERRATED CLAMPING SURFACE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SLOT, SAID CLAMPING SURFACE NORMALLY BEING LEVEL WITH OR SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN SAID BLADE, AND (H) A POLYPROPYLENE OUTER CLAMP MOLDED AS ONE PIECE AT THE SAME TIME AS SAID COVER AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO ALONG A LINE PARALLEL TO THE LONGER DIRECTION OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID OUTER CLAMP HAVING A HUMP NORMALLY OVERLYING SAID BLADE, A SERRATED CLAMPING SURFACE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID HUMP, AND A LIFTING PROJECTING, SAID OUTER CLAMP SUBSTANTIALLY COVERING THE ENTIRE COVER SO AS TO KEEP THE INSIDE OF THE DISPENSER UNEXPOSED AND SANITARY.

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