US3637276A

US3637276A - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3637276A
Application number: US46307A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward L Bump
Original assignee: Vaughan Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Vaughan Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1970-06-15
Filing date: 1970-06-15
Publication date: 1972-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-25

Abstract

A dispenser for rolls of paper having a door covering one roll and a control arm responsive to depletion of the paper on another roll to release said door for movement into a position exposing said one roll.

Description

United States Patent Bump 1 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] DISPENSER 2,487,763 11/1949 Palterson et a1. ..242/55.53 3,428,267 2/1969 Brlles "0242/5553 2] n n Edward L- u p, O k a k, Ill. 2,449,598 9/1948 Foltis ..242/55.53 [73] Assigneez Vaughan Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111. Primary Examiner james C Mitchell [22] Filed: June 15, 1970 Attorney-Parker, Carter & Markey A dispenser for rolls of paper having a door covering one roll [2] :LS. (g1 ..312/39, 242/5553 and a control arm responsive to depletion of the paper on nt. ..B65h 19/00 another [on to release said door for movement mm a Position [58] Field of Search ..312/39; 242/553, 55.53 exposing said one to" [5 6] References Cited 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS I 3,211,504 10/1965 Bump ..312/39 DISPENSER OBJECT OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dispensers and particularly to a dispenser for at least two rolls of paper.

One purpose of the invention is to provide a dispenser having a door automatically movable from a position enclosing one of the rolls and exposing the other of the rolls to a position exposing said one roll and closing the compartment previously occupied by the other of the rolls.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser usable with a wide variety of paper roll configurations and constructions.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser for paper rolls having cores of varying designs.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser for a plurality of rolls having a door automatically movable in response to depletion of paper from one of the rolls.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser and latching mechanism automatically responsive to raising of a door.

Another purpose is to provide a paper roll dispenser having an automatic door and latching mechanism automatically cocked in response to raising of the door.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser having an automatic door centrally supported in latched position.

Another purpose is to provide a dispenser of maximum economy in manufacture.

Other purposes may appear from time to time during the course of the specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation FIG. 2 is a view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail front view, on an enlarged scale, and illustrating the latch mechanism of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a detail top view of an enlarged scale illustrating the latch mechanism of the invention.

Like parts are indicated by like numerals throughout the specification and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral I generally designates a shell having a forward wall 2, sidewalls 3, 4, a bottom wall portion 5 and a top wall portion 6. As may be best seen in FIG. 2, the portions 5 and 6 may constitute continuations of the forward wall 2, the portion 6 being forwardly, downwardly inclined and the forward wall 2 being generally curved in cross section. A back plate 7 is provided for attachment of the dispenser to a wall or similar support. The shell 1 is pivotally secured, as indicated at 8, to the back plate 7 and a suitable locking device 9 may be provided for retaining the shell I in the position shown on the back plate 7. A pair of brackets, one of which is shown at 7a, extends inwardly from the opposite lower corners of back plate 7 and carry arcuate slots 7b through which pins or rivets 811, secured to sidewalls 3 and 4, respectively, extend. Thus, as the shell 1 is rotated about pivot 8 the pin 8a rides in slot 7b and slot 7b terminates at its lowermost point at a position such as to hold the bottom wall 5 from contact with the structure (not shown) to which back plate 7 is attached, thus eliminating need for bumpers or the like externally of bottom wall 5.

An intermediate cross or divider wall 10 is secured to back plate 7 and extends forwardly therefrom to divide the shell 1 into an upper compartment 11 and a lower compartment 12. Forward wall 2 has an opening or window 13 exposing the compartment 11 and an opening or window 14 exposing the compartment 12. A single strip of spring steel 15 has its central portion secured to the back plate 7 within compartment 11 and its opposite, spring ends extending forwardly into compartment 11, each spring end supporting a circular boss 15a for extension into and support of the core of a paper roll P.

The distal ends of the strip 15 are reverse bent for ease in manual separation of bosses 15a. A similar bracket 15b is yieldingly carried on back plate 7 for retaining one end of a paper roll in compartment 12, the bracket 15b constituting substantially one-half the bracket 15.

A bracket 16 is rigidly carried on back plate 7 and extends forwardly therefrom for carrying the opposite end of the roll in compartment 12. Bracket 16 may, for example, have flange 17 spot welded to the back plate 7 and an additional flange 18 spot welded for example to a side skirt portion 10a of the divider wall 10.

A pair of parallel tracks extend along the opposite sides of wall 2 in alignment with the windows or

openings

13, 14, one of said tracks being shown at 20 in FIG. 2. Slidable in the tracks 20 is a door panel 21. It will be observed that the tracks 20 and door 21 have the curvature of front wall 2. Door 21 has a peripheral flange 22, the bottom flange portion 22a having notches or recesses 22b,22c on opposite sides of a central segment 22d, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The segment 22d supports an abutment having upwardly converging sides, the abutment being indicated at 23. It will be realized that the converging sides of abutment 23 may be conveniently formed of the flange segments removed and bent upwardly in producing the openings 22b,22c. The sides of abutment 23 converge in a rounded curve and meet the segment 22d in similarly rounded edges, the purpose of which will appear hereinbelow.

The control member of the invention is illustrated best in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The bracket 16 has vertical flanges 30,30a in parallel relationship for pivoting thereon of control member 32 adjacent its lower edge as indicated at 31. A leafspring 33 engages the member 32 to urge its inwardly offset finger portion 34 through an opening 16a in bracket 16 and toward the paper R, shown in broken lines in FIG. 5 on a roll supported on brackets 16 and 15b. It will be observed that the inner edge of portion 34 is spaced slightly from the inwardly extending boss 16b of bracket 16 about which the conventional core C of a paper roll is rotatably mounted, the spacing, as indicated at 340 in FIG. 5, being sufficient to preclude engagement of the finger portion 34 with a core formed of material of greatest conventional thickness.

Member 32 is generally L-shaped in planar configuration, the major portion thereof being pivoted at its lower edge and having offset finger portion 34 vertically intermediate its rear edge segment. A reduced upper segment 32a extends forwardly from the major portion of member 32 and forwardly of bracket plate 16. The portion 32a continues in a direction across the shell 1 when the same is in closed position, the continuing arm portion of member 32 beingindicated at 32b. As best seen in FIG. 4, the portion 32b is generally U-shaped in cross-sectional configuration. Pivoted at one of its ends to the base and intermediate the ends of portion 32b is a latch finger 35. The opposite end of latch finger 35 extends beyond arm portion 32b of member 32 and carries the curved latch portion 36 which extends forwardly at a 90 angle from finger 35 and beyond the arm portion 32b. A lower stop abutment 37, which may conveniently be formed of rubberlike material, limits downward movement of finger 35. As reflected in dotted lines in FIG. 4, finger 35 is movable into two positions other than the latched position illustrated in full lines. The curved latching abutment 36 extends into the plane occupied by tracks 20 at a point intermediate the

windows

13,14 and in substantial alignment with the vertical centerline of the door 21.

Member 32 carries a rearwardly directed ab utment ear 32c engageable with a forwardly directed flange portion of back plate 7 to limit outward movement of member 32 in response to placement of roll R or otherwise and thus to protect spring 33 against unintended overstressing.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

with lock means 9 disengaged and the shell pivoted about the pivot 8 away from the back plate 7, a roll of paper is mounted on bracket 15 in compartment 11 and a second roll of paper is mounted on brackets 15b,l6 in compartment 12.

The shell 1 is then closed on back plate 7 and lock means 9 en- 1 gaged, the sidewalls 3,4 of shell 1 precluding the outward movement of the paper roll supports and thus impeding theft of the rolls from the dispenser of the invention. Door 21 is then manually raised into its position closing window 13.

As door 21 is manually raised the conical abutment 23 engages the vertically slanted curved surface of finger latch abutment portion 36 and cams it out of the way, or upwardly as the parts are shown and as indicated in dotted lines at the upper part of FIG. 4. Thus the latch abutment 36 is aligned with recess or opening 22c in the flange 22a and a positive passage of the door 21 past latch finger 35 is insured. As latch portion 36 falls through recess 220 it falls into the position shown in full line in FIG. 4, the paper roll R holding the arm portion 32b of member 32 in the inclined position shown against the action of spring 33, When finger 3S fell to the full line position shown, the abutment 37 limited the excursion of finger 35. With the finger 35 in the full line position shown, the flange segment 22d rests on latch portion 36, insuring retention of the door 21 in its uppermost position closing compartment 1 l masking paper roll P and exposing paper roll R for use. Since the abutment 2 insures alignment of latch portion 36 with a recess 22c and the latch-engaging surface 22d is centrally positioned on door 21, it will be realized that slight canting or tilting of door 21 will be overcome and both the raising of door 21 to its upper position and latching thereof in said position is assured without skill or concern on the part of. the maintenance or janitorial personnel charged with the function of filling the dispensers.

With a roll of paper on brackets b,l6, the spring nature of bracket 15b urges the roll toward bracket 16 and the paper on said roll urges the finger portion 34 of member 32 outwardly to hold member 32 in the position shown, for example in FIGS. 4 and '5. With member 32 in said position, the latch finger portion 36 is centered beneath the central flange portion 22d of door 21 and the door will thus remain in its upper position closing the window 13 of compartment 11 and exposing compartment 12 for ready removal by the user of the paper from the paper roll R in compartment 12.

As the paper is removed from the roll in compartment 12 to a predetermined minimum thickness, the finger portion 34 and member 32 are freed to move, under the urging of spring 33, toward bracket 15b to move latch finger portion 36 into alignment with slot or recess 22b in door flange portion 22a, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, at which point the door panel 21 under the influence of gravity, falls through track into its second position, closing compartment 12 and exposing compartment 11 with the reserve or fresh roll of paper P therein ready for use by the user.

It will be observed that the arm portion 32b of member 32 is inclined upwardly toward abutment 23 in its normal position as held by the roll of paper in compartment 12. When the paper therein has been substantially exhausted, spring 33 in moving member 32, produces a combined downward and leftward movement, as the parts are shown, in the latch finger abutment portion 36. Thus a positive escape of the latch 36 from the latch surface 22d of the door 21 is assured and alignment of latch 36 with opening or'recess 22b assures downward movement of door 21. In this regard also it will be noted that the upper or latch contact surface of member 36 is downwardly inclined toward the body of member 32 in normal latching position, as may be clearly seen in FIG. 4. Thus, while latch-contacting surfaces of substantial extension are provided for permission of manufacturing tolerance and installation variances, a positive disengagement of the latching relationship is facilitated.

wastage is controlled by positioning the inner edge of arm portion 34 immediately adjacent the outer circumference of the thickest expected core segment whereby the barest minimum amount of paper, if any, may remain on the core after member 32 has pivoted in response to spring 33 and door 2l has closed compartment l2.

While gravity is thus fully effective to insure positioning of finger 35 and movement of door 21, it will be realized that appropriate springs may be employed in substitution for the effect of gravity when shell 1 is positioned, for example, in a horizontal arrangement,

Brackets 15,15b are economically provided in the form of two strips of spring steel or similar metal. Slot 7b insures against contact of the shell 1 with the structure supporting back plate 7 and ear 32c insures against overstressing of spring 33. The bent distal'ends of strips 15,15b insure ease of separation and impede theft.

The invention is usable with varying roll paper designs having continuous or separable cores and having cores formed of material of varying thicknesses within those commonly and economically provided. So long as there is a reasonably usable quantity of paper remaining on the core in compartment 12, the door 21 will remain in its upper position, closing compartment 11. When, however, the paper has been substantially entirely depleted from the roll in compartment 12, the door 21 automatically moves to its second position, closing compartment 12 and exposing a fresh roll in compartment 11 for use.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A dispenser for at least two rolls of paper including a shell, a compartment for each of said rolls in said shell, a first window exposing one of said compartments, a second window exposing another of said compartments, a control member pivotally mounted on said shell, means yieldingly urging a control finger portion of said control member against the paper on a roll in one of said compartments said member including a latch finger extending into a central area between said windows, a door slidable between a first position closing the window of said other compartment and exposing the window of said one compartment, and a second position closing said window of said one compartment and exposing the window of said other compartment, said latch finger being positionable in engagement with said door to hold the same in said first position,

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said one compartment is beneath said other compartment and said latch finger engages a central underside of said door whereby said door moves by gravity to said second position in response to depletion of paper from said roll below said level.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said latch finger is pivotally mounted on said member and said latch finger and said door include camming surfaces whereby movement of said door from said second to said first position moves said latch finger portion in one direction out of its door-retaining position upon passage therebeyond of said door and movement of said door in response to said depletion of said paper moves said latch finger portion in the opposite direction out of its door-retaining position.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said latch finger is pivoted adjacent its rearmost end to said member, said latch finger returning to said retaining position in response to gravity.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said control member includes an arm portion disposed in substantially parallel relationship to a roll of paper in said one compartment, said latch finger portion being pivoted on and extending beyond said arm portion in parallel therewith.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said control member is pivoted about an axis normal to the axis of a roll of paper in said one compartment.

7. In a dispenser for rolls of paper, a shell, a compartment for each roll of paper in said shell, a door movable in said shell to cover one compartment and expose another compartment, a control member for said door, said control member having a portion engaging the paper on a roll in said one of said compartments to hold said member in a first position and means yieldingly urging said member into a second position in response to depletion of paper from said last-named roll below a predetermined level, and camming portions on said member and door whereby said door may be moved past said arm in one direction without displacing said member.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said member includes an arm portion extending in parallel with said last-named roll and a latch finger pivoted adjacent the distal end of said arm portion.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said member is pivoted about an axis normal to the axis of said last-named roll and said latch finger is pivoted about an axis normal to the axis of said last-named roll.

10. The structure of claim 8 wherein said arm portion and latch finger are held in a plane inclined with respect to the axis of said last-named roll and inclined upwardly toward said door in door-latching position, whereby said arm portion and latch finger move laterally and downwardly with respect to said door in response to said depletion of paper from said lastnamed roll.

11. The structure of claim 8 characterized by and including inclined, curved camming surfaces on said latch finger and said door, a first set of said camming surfaces being engageaan abutment ear carried by said control member and positioned for contact with a portion of said shell when said control member is moved against the action of said yielding means.

13. The structure of claim 7 wherein said door includes a horizontally positioned bottom flange, a pair of recesses positioned on opposite sides of the center of said flange and said control member includes a latch finger pivoted thereto and engaging said flange between said recesses when said door is in one position, said camming portions including a camming abutment carried by said door between said recesses and camming surfaces on said abutment and said latch finger whereby movement of said door toward said position cams said latch finger into alignment with one of said recesses and movement of said control member toward its second position moves said latch finger into alignment with the other of said recesses.

14. The structure of claim 13 wherein the portion of said latch finger engaging said central flange portion when said door is in said one position is downwardly inclined from said central flange portion.

15. The structure of claim 14 wherein said control member and latch finger are held in a position inclined with respect to said flange when said control member is held in its first position, whereby movement of said control member toward its second position moves said inclined latch finger surface in a downwardly inclined path toward alignment with said second recess.

Claims

1. A dispenser for at least two rolls of paper including a shell, a compartment for each of said rolls in said shell, a first window exposing one of said compartments, a second window exposing another of said compartments, a control member pivotally mounted on said shell, means yieldingly urging a control finger portion of said control member against the paper on a roll in one of said compartments said member including a latch finger extending into a central area between said windows, a door slidable between a first position closing the window of said other compartment and exposing the window of said one compartment, and a second position closing said window of said one compartment and exposing the window of said other compartment, said latch finger being positionable in engagement with said door to hold the same in said first position, said yielding means urging said member and latch finger into a position disengaging said latch finger from said door to permit said door to move to said second position in response to depletion of paper from said roll in said one compartment below a predetermined level.

10. The structure of claim 8 wherein said arm portion and latch finger are held in a plane inclined with respect to the axis of said last-named roll and inclined upwardly toward said door in door-latching position, whereby said arm portion and latch finger move laterally and downwardly with respect to said door in response to said depletion of paper from said last-named roll.

11. The structure of claim 8 characterized by and including inclined, curved camming surfaces on said latch finger and said door, a first set of said camming surfaces being engageable in response to movement of said door in one direction past said latch, a second set of said camming surfaces being engageable to hold said door in one of said positions and relatively slidable during movement of said member toward said second position.

12. The structure of claim 7 characterized by and including an abutment ear carried by said control member and positioned for contact with a portion of said shell when said control member is moved against the action of said yielding means.