Dispenser for flexible sheet material

• US 4,206,858 A
• Filed: 05/22/1978
• Issued: 06/10/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• Inventors: Jespersen, Paul W., DeLuca, Raymond F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meister, J. M.
• Application Number:
  US05/908,552
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 83/334, 83/335, 83/345, 83/660, 83/678, 83/649, 225/96, 225/106
• US Class Current: 225/96
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3643 by pulling the paper
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3656 with paper jam preventing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/321 Preliminary weakener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/393 Web restrainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4804 Single tool action drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9314 Pointed perforators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9408 Spaced cut forming tool

Abstract

A dispenser for flexible sheet material having a reserve roll that automatically moves into the dispensing position when the dispensing roll is almost exhausted. The sides of the reserve roll guide tracks are angled inwardly to engage the reserve roll spool at an off center point, so the spool is pushed downwardly into contact with a driving roller during rotation. The leading edge of the reserve roll towel engages the remaining portion of the almost exhausted dispensing roll and is moved therewith to be threaded through the dispensing mechanism. The perforating mechanism is assisted through the perforating stroke by a spring mechanism. The sensing roll is halted by a roll stop mechanism including a pivoted stop link and an anti-reverse pawl.

Claims

1. A dispenser for flexible sheet material including:

(a) a chassis;

(b) means operatively connected to said chassis for supporting rotatably a roll of flexible sheet material;

(c) means operatively connected to said chassis for guiding a web of flexible sheet material from the roll to a position to be grasped by a user so that the user may pull the web out of the dispenser;

(d) a rotatable perforating mechanism operatively connected to said chassis for perforating said web at intervals therealong to divide said web into individual sheets; and

(e) an apparatus for stopping abruptly the rotation of said perforating mechanism after said flexible sheet material has been perforated thereby and for freeing said perforating mechanism for rotation a predetermined time thereafter, said apparatus comprising;

(i) cam means operatively connected to said perforating mechanism and rotatable in a forward direction when said perforating mechanism rotates during dispensing of said flexible sheet material;

(ii) pawl means engageable with said cam means when said cam means is rotating to stop abruptly the forward rotation of said cam means and said perforating mechanism after said perforating mechanism has perforated said sheet material; and

(iii) release means associated with said cam means and said pawl means for rotating said cam means in the reverse direction to release said pawl means a predetermined interval after said pawl means engages said cam means to thereby free said perforating mechanism for rotation in the forward direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said cam means comprises a first cam surface and an oppositely oriented second cam surface rotating together;

(b) said pawl means comprises a first pawl engageable with said first cam surface to stop abruptly the forward rotation of said perforating mechanism after said perforating mechanism has perforated said sheet material and a second pawl engageable with said second cam surface to stop the reverse rotation of said perforating mechanism upon a predetermined amount of reverse rotation of said cam means after said first pawl has engaged said first cam surface; and

(c) said release means comprises;

(i) a spring interconnected with said cam means and operable to urge said cam means to reversely rotate a predetermined amount when said first pawl engages said first cam surface; and

(ii) means for disengaging said first pawl from said first cam surface upon reverse rotation of said cam means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said spring acts upon said cam means to urge said cam means to rotate in the forward direction during that portion of the movement thereof when said perforating mechanism is perforating said flexible sheet material, and acts upon said cam means after said perforating mechanism has perforated said flexible sheet material to urge said cam means to rotate in the reverse direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

(a) said cam means further comprises a third cam surface oriented oppositely to said first cam surface and spaced circumferentially therefrom; and

(b) wherein said first pawl comprises a pivoted lever having a first pawl surface engageable with said first cam surface and an oppositely oriented second pawl surface engageable with said third cam surface, said pivoted lever being movable between a first position wherein said first pawl surface is in engagement with said first cam surface and said second pawl surface is disengaged from said third cam surface and a second position wherein said first pawl surface is disengaged from said first cam surface and said second pawl surface is engaged with said third cam surface, whereby said lever when in said first position stops said cam means from forward movement and when in said second position stops said cam means from reverse movement, and wherein said pivoted lever is urged toward said second position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said second pawl is pivotally mounted and is movable between an engaged position in engagement with said second cam surface and a disengaged position and is urged toward said engaged position, and wherein the circumferential distance between said first and second cam surfaces is slightly less than the distance between said first pawl surface and said second pawl when said first pawl is in said first position and said second pawl is in said engaged position, whereby upon reverse rotation of said cam means said first pawl surface and said first cam surface are disengaged, and said lever is free to pivot to said second position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the circumferential distance between said first cam surface and said third cam surface is slightly less than the distance measured circumferentially of said cam means between said first pawl surface and said second pawl surface, and the circumferential distance between said second cam surface and said third cam surface is slightly less than the distance measured circumferentially of said cam means between said second pawl and said second pawl surface of said first pawl, whereby when said second pawl is in said engaged position, said lever is free to pivot into said second position with said second pawl surface of said first pawl in position to engage said third cam surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first, second and third cam surfaces are substantially radially oriented, and wherein said cam means further comprises a first outer surface portion between said first and second cam surfaces, a second outer surface portion between said second and third cam surfaces, and a third outer surface portion between said third and first cam surfaces, the radius of said third outer surface portion being less than the radius of said first and second outer surface portions, and wherein said lever comprises a follower portion engageable with said outer surface portions and adapted to move said lever from said second position to said first position as said cam means rotates in the forward direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said first and second pawls are pivotally mounted on a common pivot shaft.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said cam surfaces, said first and second pawl surfaces, and said second pawl are arranged with respect to each other so that said first pawl surface engages said first cam surface shortly after said spring means exerts the least rotative force on said cam means and said spring means is then cocked slightly in order to reversely rotate said cam means to thereby engage said second pawl with said second cam surface, thereby causing slight reverse rotation of said perforating mechanism to allow said lever to pivot to said second position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said perforating mechanism rotates approximately 90 degrees from that point where said spring exerts the least force on said cam means to that point where said first pawl surface engages said first cam surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said cam means comprises a projection engageable with said spring means, and wherein said spring means comprises a spring wire having a first end portion anchored at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said cam means and a second end portion in engagement with said projection, said first end portion being on the opposite side of the axis of rotation of said cam means from said first pawl surface.