US3790097A

US3790097A - Toilet tissue roll storage device

Info

Publication number: US3790097A
Application number: US00321358A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Wormly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-01-05
Filing date: 1973-01-05
Publication date: 1974-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-05

Abstract

An elongate open ended enclosure for snug passage therethrough of a transversely flattened or oblate toilet paper roll, and a carrier for endwise engagement into a roll exiting from the enclosure to rotatably support the roll.

Description

United States Patent [191 [111 3,790,097 Wormly 1 Feb. 5, 1974 [54] TOILET TISSUE ROLL STORAGE DEVICE 3,295,900 I 1/1967 Kendll 312 39 Inventor: Thaddaues H. b 1218 3,329,366 7/1967 Batla s et a1. 242/5553 Liberty St., Camden, NJ. 08104 [22] Filed: Jam 5, 1973 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian [21] Appll No.;'32l,358

, [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 242/5553, 312/37 An elongate pen ended enclosure for nug passage Fleld of Search 55-3, therethro'ugh of a transversely or toi 206/52 R, 59 R; 225/46, 47; 312/ let paper roll, and a carrier for endwise engagement into a roll exiting from the enclosure to rotatably sup- [56] References Cited port the rOlL UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,133,600 3/1915 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Wood 242/5553 PATENTEDFEB 5 197 4 sum 1 0r 2 FIG. 6

PATENTEDFEB 5:974

sumanrz TOILET TISSUE ROLL STORAGE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in' the field, the provision of toilet paper in public or semi-public toilets, such as schools, factories, hospitals,- military bases, and the like, imposes certain problems, including pilferage and waste, as well as tedious and time-consuming replacement procedures, which all serve to increase maintenance costs. Additionally, such public facilities are often subject to extreme space limitations, while.

being subject to abusive, unsanitary, and often damaging conditions of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a toilet paper storage dispenser which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, effectively prevents pilfering and limits waste, affords multiple roll storage while effecting substantial savings in space, and is extremely simple in construction, with a minimum of parts, so as to be durable and reliable throughout a long useful life.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toilet paper storage dispenser having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which saves considerable servicing time in that maintenance persons can replace paper rolls in a quick and easy manner, without requiring unlocking of doors, cabinets, or the like, to effect substantial savings and labor costs, and which effectively assures that toilet paper is on hand at all times'while deterring excessive unsanitary conditions of paper on the floor, and the like] Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scop will be indicated by the appended claims. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial. top plan view showing a toilet room or compartment incorporating the paper storage dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevationalview, taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. I, greatly enlarged and partly broken away for clarity of understanding.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an end view taken generally along the line 55 from the entrance end of the device.

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG. 2, showing a slightly modified embodiment of paper roll retaining means.

vFIG. 7 is a partial end view taken generally along the line 7- 7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a toilet room or compartment is there generallyv designated 10, including a water closet or toilet bowl 11. On one wall 12, say alongside of the toilet 11, is mounted atoilet paper storage dispenser-of the present invention, generally designated 13.

The storage dispenser 13 includes an elongate enclosure or housing 15, which may assume an open-ended, generally tubular configuration, say having a generally constant cross-sectional configuration of greater vertical dimension or height than horizontal dimension or width, best seen in FIG. 5.

More specifically, the housing or enclosure 15 may include generally horizontal top and

bottom walls

16 and 17 disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation, a vertical or outer side wall 18 extending between longitudinal outer side edges of the top and bottom walls, and having upper and lower oblique or

bevel portions

19 and 20.'An'inner or mounting wall 21 extends in generally vertical, laterally spaced parallelism with the outer wall 18, between the inner longitudinal side edges of the upper and lower walls-l6 and 17, and may extend vertically therebeyond todefine upper and lower mounting members or

flanges

22 and 23 for receiving securement members or fasteners, as at 24 and 25 extending into .a vertical supporting surface or wall 46.

The elongate, generally tubular enclosure or housing 15 has its opposite ends open, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the leftward open end therebeing designated and serving as an entrance or receiving end, while the right: ward open end is designated 51 and serves as an exit or discharge end, which will appear more fully hereinafter. The lower enclosurewall 17 is provided with an elongate through opening or slot 52 of sufficient width 7 to receive a users finger, for a purpose appearing presently.

The internal cross-section of the enclosure or housing 15 is preferably substantially constant throughout the enclosure length, and is of a size and configuration adapted to snugly and conformably receive a laterally or transversely flattened, squeezed, or oblate toilet paper roll, a pair of such rolls being shown in storage in the enclosure, as at 55 and 56. In particular, the

toilet paper rolls

55 and 56 have been flattened or squeezed to the illustrated oblate condition, and in such condition inserted endwise into snug sliding engagement through the open inlet orentrance end 50of the enclosure 15 toward the open outlet or discharge end 51. The enclosure or housing 15 thus defines an elongate passageway for slidably passing the

toilet paper rolls

55 and 5 6, and storing the latter during passage. The elongate slot 52 in the lower enclosure wall 17 affords finger accessto the interior of the enclosure for positively sliding the rolls through the enclosure.

Inthis storage condition it will be appreciated that a plurality of rolls may be stored in a relatively compact, minimum of space. Of course, more or less rolls may be stored, as desired, as by increasing or decreasing the length of the enclosure 15. However, only a minimum of space is required as the enclosure or housing 15 projects from its supporting wall 46 only the approximate minimum dimension of an oblate, flattened or squeezed toilet paper roll. This spacesaving feature is of course extremely important in effecting economies both in initial and continuing building costs.

Adjacent to the discharge or exit end 51 of enclosure 15, and spaced therefrom, is an outstanding projection or bracket 60 including a mounting strip or arm 61 suitably affixed, as by fasteners 62 to the supporting surface or wall 46, and an outstanding projection or arm 63 extending generally normal to the supporting wall.

The bracket arm and attachment member 62 may be integrally fabricated of a suitable stiff strip material, or otherwise formed, as desired.

Extending from the outer end of bracket arm 60 is an elongate member or carrier 65 which projects generally toward the adjacent open exit end 51 of the enclosure 15. If desired, the carrier 65 may be fabricated of strip material, say integral with the bracket arm 60, extending therefrom and including a portion 66 generally parallel to the wall 46 and to the longitudinal axis of enclosure 15, being'offset outwardly from the latter. From the end of the carrier portion 66, there may extend an oblique carrier portion 67 which is disposed at an angle with respect to the wall 46 and axis of the enclosure 15. Further, the oblique carrier portion 67. may extend to the axis of the enclosure 15, there extending further as an additional carrier portion or strip 68-which passes coaxially through the enclosure 15, terminating at a free end 69 beyond the inlet or entrance end 50 of the enclosure. If desired, the bracket 60 and carrier 65 may 'be integrally fabricated, as of a single strip of stiff resilient materiaL or formed otherwise, if preferred. Advan-- tageously, the

carrier portion

66 and 67 may be of reduced transverse or vertical dimension, best seen in FIG. 2, where it will appear that the upper edge of the

carrier portions

66 and 67 are recessed, cut away or notched, as at 70. Further, a distending body or thickening member 71 may be suitably fixed, as by fasteners 72, to the

carrier portions

66 and 67, on the inner side thereof, say of half-round or semicircular crosssectional configuration. More particularly, the distending body 71 may be of generally constant crosssectional configuration along the parallel carrier portion 66, and of tapering or convergent configuration along the oblique carrier portion 67, best seen in FIG. 3. Conversely, it will be appreciated that the

carrier portions

67 and 66, together with distending member 71, define a gradually enlarging or flaring configuration in the direction from the enclosure toward the bracket 60, for purposes appearing presently.

That is, the distending body 71 has its half-round surface 73 extending parallel to the wall 46 and enclosure 15, the flat side of the distending body being in facing engagement with the inner side of carrier portion 66, and a tapering or oblique .flat side of the distending body being in facing engagement with the oblique carrier portion 67.

In operation, a flattened or oblate toilet paper roll from within the enclosure 15 receives centrally thereof the additional carrier portion or extension 68, and upon outward sliding movement through the enclosure outlet 51 the paper roll progresses along and receives the enlarging or flaring distending member portion and finally the larger end of the distending member, as the roll 75 adjacent to the bracket 60.

Upon exit from the enclosure 15 the roll 75, by its inherent resilience, attempts to open toward its original cylindrical configuration, which opening or distension is aided by reception therein of the distending

regions

66, 67 and 71 of the carrier 65. Further, the roll 75 may gravitationally drop into the recess 70 so as to effectively remain in position on the

carrier portion

66, 67 during unwinding of the roll.

Adjacent to the inlet or entrance end 50 of the enclosure 15, there may be provided retainer means, such as spring strips or leaves 77, being shown as two in number. However, more or less such resilient retainer strips may be employed, if desired. The retainer strips 77 may each be suitably affixed, as by fastener means 78, to the mounting wall 21, with their longitudinally inner end regions extending obliquely toward the enclosure axis and deflectable away from the latter. Thus, entering rolls may deflect the free ends of retainers 77 toward the wall 21 for movement past the retainers, afterwhich the retainers snap to an outstanding position preventing return or removal of a roll, so that pilferage is effectively deterred. One or more additional roll retainers, as at 79, may be provided on the carrier extension 68, say of similar construction to the retainers 77, or otherwise, as desired, for snap engagement thereby of an entering toilet paper roll and, upon passage of the roll, return to a retaining position.

A slightly modified embodiment of the instant invention is shown in FIG. 6 and 7, wherein the enclosure 15a need not be provided with roll retainers, and the carrier extension 68a may not be provided with the resilient or snap type carrier retainers of the first described embodiment. Rather, the carrier extension 68a 'may be provided with a removable abutment member or retainer 790, say including a cylinder 80a provided with a reduced end member or lug 81a for removable insertion through an aperture or opening 82a formed in the carrier extension 68a. The lug 82a may be provided with a retractile projection 83a which may be selectively actuated, as by a key lock 84a for positively locking the retainer 80a on the carrier extension 68a. In this manner, the retainer 79a may be entirely removed by authorized personnel, say for restocking the enclosure .15, and thereafter replaced to prevent pilferage.

V From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a toilet paper storage dispenser which effects substantial savings in space, eliminates or minimizes waste, effectively deters pilferage, permits of quicker and easier servicing, and otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration .and example for purposes of clarityof understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A toilet paper storage dispenser comprising an elongate enclosure having its opposite ends open and one side adapted for attachment to a supporting wall, said enclosure being of generally constant internal cross-section for snug sliding passage therethrough of a flattened toilet paper roll, one enclosure end providing a flattened roll entrance and the other enclosure end providing a flattened roll exit, and an elongate carrier externally of said enclosure adjacent to and extending toward said roll exit for rotative supporting engagement in an exiting roll.

2. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 1, said enclosure being formed with a longitudinally extending slot for manually shifting contained rolls.

3. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 1, said carrier flaring in the direction away from said enclosure for spreading engagement in an exiting roll to open the latter toward rounded condition.

4. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 3, said carrier having its longitudinal axis offset from the enclosure axis away from the supporting wall.

5. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 1, in combination with resiliently deflectable snap retainer means in said enclosure for passing a roll moving in the direction from said entrance end toward said exit end and restraining a roll against movement in the opposite direction.

6. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 1, in combination with an extension on said carrier passing centrally through said enclosure and out the entrance end thereof, for guiding engagement into an entering roll.

7. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 6, in combination with abutment means r'emovably secured to said extension for retaining rolls against re- 'trance end thereof, for guiding engagement into an entering roll.

10. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 9, said extension comprising a stiff elongate strip for conforming engagement in a flattened roll.

Claims

1. A toilet paper storage dispenser comprising an elongate enclosure having its opposite ends open and one side adapted for attachment to a supporting wall, said enclosure being of generally constant internal cross-section for snug sliding passage therethrough of a flattened toilet paper roll, one enclosure end providing a flattened roll entrance and the other enclosure end providing a flattened roll exit, and an elongate carrier externally of said enclosure adjacent to and extending toward said roll exit for rotative supporting engagement in an exiting roll.

7. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 6, in combination with abutment means removably secured to said extension for retaining rolls against removal from the entrance end of said enclosure.

8. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 1, said carrier flaring in the direction away from said enclosure for spreading engagement in an exiting roll to open the latter toward a rounded condition, and said carrier having its longitudinal axis offset from the enclosure axis away from the supporting wall, for free rotation of a carrier supported roll.

9. A toilet paper storage dispenser according to claim 8, in combination with an extension on said carrier passing centrally through said enclosure and out the entrance end thereof, for guiding engagement into an entering roll.