Paper towel dispensing apparatus

• US 6,736,466 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midwest Specialty Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert V. Helland, Steven R. Helland
• Inventors: Helland, Steven R., Helland, Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/228,791
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 312/34.8, 312/34.9, 312/34.11
• US Class Current: 312/34.8
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/28 dispensing a clean part and taking-up a soiled part, e.g. using rolls; with dispensers for soap or other detergents; with disinfecting or heating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/46 with means for storing soiled towels

Abstract

A paper towel dispensing apparatus and an assembly for converting a cloth towel dispensing apparatus into a paper towel dispensing apparatus wherein the assembly is of the type employing a wall-mounted cabinet, a roll of toweling carried in a towel bin from which the toweling is withdrawn and directed upwardly between a first drive roller and a pinch roller, about the pinch roller and downwardly, forming a depending loop from which the toweling is directed upwardly between a second drive roller and a take-up roller and is rolled about the take-up roller. As the user dries his hands on the loop of toweling and pulls downwardly on the toweling, a limited amount of clean paper toweling is pulled from the roll and an equal amount is wrapped about the take-up roller. To provide the proper handling of the paper toweling, the take-up roller is constructed of solid steel, the drive rollers are provided with flexible rubber coverings and the towel bin is sized to precisely maintain the proper alignment of the towel roll therein.

Claims

1. A towel dispensing apparatus adapted for use with a roll of disposable paper toweling of a predetermined width, said apparatus comprising:

a cabinet;

a first drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet;

a pinch roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said first drive roller;

a second drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet rearwardly of said first drive roller;

a take-up roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said second drive roller and being freely movable in a horizontal disposition along an upwardly inclined path, said take-up roller having a weight in excess of about two pounds;

a towel bin carried by said cabinet below said rollers, said bin defining a transverse dimension of not more than about 8-10 millimeters greater than the width of the roll of paper toweling; and

a chain drive mechanism operatively connected between said first and second drive rollers for synchronously rotating said first and second drive rollers upon one pulling downwardly on the paper toweling below said cabinet.

2. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second drive rollers each define an outer cylindrical surface having a rubber covering thereon.

3. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said take-up roller is constructed of metal.

4. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including a guidance and friction assembly for allowing the dispensing apparatus to be used with longer rolls of disposable paper toweling, said guidance and friction assembly comprising a pair of horizontally disposed cylindrical rollers spaced apart in a fixed disposition with said cabinet rearwardly of said take-up roller such that one of the guidance and friction rollers is spaced below and closer to said take-up roller than the other of said guidance and friction rollers whereby the toweling passing to said take-up roller first passes about said guidance and friction rollers.

5. A towel dispensing apparatus adapted for use with a roll of disposable paper toweling of a predetermined width, said apparatus comprising:

a cabinet;

a first drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet;

a pinch roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said first drive roller;

a second drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet rearwardly of said first drive roller;

a take-up roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said second drive roller and being freely movable in a horizontal disposition along an upwardly inclined path, said take-up roller having a weight in excess of about two pounds;

a towel bin carried by said cabinet below said rollers, said bin defining opposed lateral sides;

a pair of spacing members disposed in said towel bin, one of said members being adjacent each of said sides of said bin, said spacing members being spaced apart a transverse dimension of not more than about 8-10 mm greater than the width of the roll of paper toweling; and

a chain drive mechanism operatively connected between said first and second drive rollers for synchronously rotating said first and second drive rollers upon one pulling downwardly on the paper toweling below said cabinet.

6. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first and second drive rollers each define an outer cylindrical surface having a rubber covering thereon.

7. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said take-up roller is constructed of metal.

8. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 5 including a guidance and friction assembly for allowing the dispensing apparatus to be used with longer rolls of disposable paper toweling, said guidance and friction assembly comprising a pair of horizontally disposed cylindrical rollers spaced apart in a fixed disposition with said cabinet rearwardly of said take-up roller such that one of the guidance and friction rollers is spaced below and closer to said take-up roller than the other of said guidance and friction rollers whereby the toweling passing to said take-up roller first passes about said guidance and friction rollers.

9. A paper towel dispensing apparatus comprising:

a cabinet;

a first drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet;

a pinch roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said first drive roller;

a second drive roller rotatably mounted at a fixed position within said cabinet rearwardly of said first drive roller;

a take-up roller rotatably mounted within said cabinet upwardly adjacent said second drive roller and being freely movable in a horizontal disposition along an upwardly inclined path, said take-up roller being constructed having a weight in excess of about two pounds;

a towel bin defining opposed parallel side walls, said bin being carried by said cabinet below said rollers;

a roll of paper toweling disposed within said towel bin, the toweling extending from said roll upwardly between said first drive roller and said pinch roller, about said pinch roller and downwardly from said cabinet, forming a loop below said cabinet and extending from said loop upwardly into said cabinet about said take-up roller and between said take-up roller and said second drive roller and wrapping about said take-up roller, said roll defining extended ends and being disposed in said towel bin in a horizontal disposition and wherein each of the ends thereof are each spaced from the sides of said towel bin a distance not greater than about 5 mm; and

a chain drive mechanism operatively connected between said first and second drive rollers for synchronously rotating said first and second drive rollers upon one pulling downwardly on said loop defined by said roll of paper toweling.

10. The dispensing apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second drive rollers each define an outer cylindrical surface having a rubber covering thereon.

11. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 9 wherein said take-up roller is constructed of metal.

12. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 9 including a guidance and friction assembly for allowing the dispensing apparatus to be used with longer rolls of disposable paper toweling, said guidance and friction assembly comprising a pair of horizontally disposed cylindrical rollers spaced apart in a fixed disposition with said cabinet rearwardly of said take-up roller such that one of the guidance and friction rollers is spaced below and closer to said take-up roller than the other of said guidance and friction rollers whereby the toweling passing from said loop to said take-up roller first passes about said guidance and friction rollers.

13. An assembly for converting a cloth towel dispensing apparatus into a paper towel dispensing apparatus wherein the apparatus is of the type employing a wall-mounted cabinet, a roll of toweling disposed in a towel bin within the cabinet from which the toweling is withdrawn and directed upwardly between a first drive roller and a pinch roller, about the pinch roller and downwardly, forming a dependent loop below the cabinet from which the toweling is directed upwardly between a second drive roller and a take-up roller adjacent said second drive roller and is rolled about the take-up roller, the second drive roller being operatively connected to the first drive roller such that pulling on the loop in the drying of one'"'"'s hands causes a limited amount of toweling to be pulled from the roll and an equal amount wrapped about the take-up roller, said conversion assembly comprising:

a cylindrical take-up roller having a weight of at least about two pounds;

a pair of replacement drive rollers, each of said drive rollers having a rubber outer cylindrical surface;

a roll of paper toweling of a predetermined width; and

a pair of spacing members adapted to be disposed in said towel bin adjacent opposite sides thereof, said spacing members being sized such that upon being disposed in the bin adjacent the sides thereof, said members are spaced apart a transverse dimension of not more than about 8-10 mm greater than the width of the roll of paper toweling.

14. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 13 wherein said take-up roller is constructed of metal.

15. The towel dispensing apparatus of claim 13 including a guidance and friction assembly for allowing the dispensing apparatus to be used with longer rolls of disposable paper toweling, said guidance and friction assembly comprising a pair of horizontally disposed cylindrical rollers spaced apart in a fixed disposition with said cabinet rearwardly of said take-up roller such that one of the guidance and friction rollers is spaced below and closer to said take-up roller than the other of said guidance and friction rollers whereby the toweling passing from said loop to said take-up roller first passes about said guidance and friction rollers.