US2555885A - Paper roll holder - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1951 s, HOPE 2,555,885

PAPER ROLL HOLDER Filed Mafch 12, 1948 INVEANTOR SAMUEL N; HOPE TTORNE Y Patented June 5, 1951 PAPER ROLL HOLDER Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Griffith-Hope Company, West Allis, Wis., a, corporation of Wisconsin Application March 12, 1948, Serial bio/14,497

8 Claims.

1 I The present invention relates to holders or dispensers for sheet material in roll form, such as paper toweling, toilet paper, and waxed paper.

'An object of the invention is to provide an improved holder or dispenser for rotatably supporting a paper roll and frictionally retarding its rotation, and of such character as to facilitatej the insertion of the roll and the removal of the roll core when the roll becomes exhausted.

Another object is to provide a roll holder which willprotect and enclose the roll and which will permiteasy severing or cutting of the paper.

A.further object is to provide a roll holder which can be manufactured at relatively low cost andwhich presents a neat appearance.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating certain embodiments of the invention,-

Fig. .1 is a front elevational view of a loaded paper roll holder constructed in accordance with the invention;

- Fig. 2 is an end view of the loaded holder;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of one end portion of the holder; I Fig; 4 is a transverse sectional view of the holdenptaken generally on the line 4-4 of Fig. l. anfen-tering position of the roll being shown in broken lines;

Fig. "5 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the holdertaken generally on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig.5 is a sectional view similar to the righthand portion of Fig. 5, but showing a slightly modified form of holder, a roll being shown in an entering position;

Fig. 7 is an end view of another modified form of holder, a roll being mounted therein, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one end portion of the loaded holder of Fig. 7, taken generally along the line 8--8 of Fig. 7. Referring to the drawing, the roll holder of Figs. 1 to 5 includes a supporting body or frame in the form of a horizontally extending housing or casing consisting of opposed sheet metal end members I and a sheet metal intermediate member II connecting the end members. The intermediate member II is bent to form a hood comprising a rear wall I2, a top wall I3, and an arcuate front wall I4 merging with the top wall, the bottom of the casing being open, and the front wall having a longitudinally extending lower edge I which is higher than the lower edge of the rear wall. Each end member I0 has a. vertical end wall It and a curved inturned flange. along its rear, top and front, and the ends of the member I I have inwardly offset margins lil. The flanges I1 of the end members lap the offset margins I8 and are rigidly secured thereto, as by spot welding. The rear wall I2 has keyhole slots I9 adapted to receive screws for attaching the holder to a supporting wall 21.

The vertical end walls I6 of the casing are parallel, and their inner faces form fiat guide surfaces for the opposite ends of aroll 22 of sheet materiahsuch as paper toweling,'the roll having the usual tubular core 23. The distance between the parallel end walls I6 is slightly greater than the length of the roll, and the open bottomof the casing forms an entrance for the roll. The end walls I6 have respective circular, outwardly projecting embossments 24 aligned on ahorizontal axis, each embossment having a flat ver: tical wall 25. Each end wall is further embossed to form an annular seat or rabbet 25 at the inner face thereof concentric with the main-embossment 24. A fiat, annular, sheet metal plate 21 has'its peripheral portion fitting in therabbet 26 and secured thereto as by spot welding 28, Fig. 4. The circular rabbet 26 facilitates the placement of the plate 27 and is of such depth that the plate is substantially flush with the inner face of the end wall It, the plate presenting a roll-guiding surface. A chamber 29 is formed between each embossment 24 and the associated plate 21, and each plate has a central circular opening 30 through which projects a tiltably mounted bowlshaped roll-engaging bearing member or follower 3I formed of sheet metal. The follower has a fiat marginal stop flange 32 disposed in the chamber 29 and engageable with the adjacent face of the annular plate 21 to limit the pro jection of the follower. The convex portion of the follower, which is here shown to be spherically rounded, has a loose rotatable fit in the circular plate opening 30. The follower is urged in roll-engaging direction by a compressed coiled spring 33 confined in the chamber 29 between the fiat embossment wall 25 and the concave side of the follower, the spring being restrained against lateral shifting by the concavity of the follower. In the absence of a roll, the spring urges the marginal stop flange 32 of the follower against the plate 11';

To insert a roll into the holder, the roll is grasped at its middle portion by one hand, lifted in a horizontal position between the guiding end wall surfaces of the holder, as seen in. Figs. 4 and 6,- and while held in an approximately horizontal position pushed directly upwardly until the-con; vex portionsor crowns of the followers-:seatill the ends of the tubular roll core, as seen in Fig. 5. In this upward movement of the roll the roll ends exerta cam action on the convex portions of the followers, as seen in Fig. 6 (illustrating a slightly modified form of holder), causing tilting and depression of the followers. At this stage the upper end of each follower flange 32 fulcrums on the plate 21-; and the upper-edge of the convex-por tionof the follow-er abuts against theupper'edge of the plate opening 30. When each follower is fully depressed the walls of the embossments 24" will'prevent excessive lateral displacement of the follower. The tilting of the spring-pressed followers permits insertion of theroll withrelatively smalleffort even though thefollower springs are under adequate compression to hold the roll firmly in its dispensing position. The clearance between the periphery of the inserted roll and the adjacent walls of the holder is preferably smallso as to facilitate centering of the roll. The loadingoperation is effected withone hand andrequires ,very little time. Asthe roll reaches its: centered position, each spring-pressed follower. is free; to tilt to a limited extentin any. di rection. about. the adjacent end. of the coiled spring. thus distributing. or, equalizing; the pressure contact-of: the convex. portion of the follower with the. adj scent-end offthe tubular roll core 23. .When'a length of towel paper is desired, the protruding end, of; the paper is drawn downwardly; a. suitable distance and the paper is then severed along oneof the usuallines of weakening. preferably by tearing, the paper while in contact with the lower, edge l5 of; the casing front wall. The severing edge I 5 is also used in the case-of rolled paper withoutlines of. weakening. The friction applied: to. the, roll is. sufficient to prevent free turning of the rollbut will not interfere with normal dispensing. During rotation of theroll, thezs-pring-pressed followers may or may not rotate depending on therelative friction be,- tween. the; parts. If the free end. of the paper should become. inaccessible after a dispensing operation; it can be exposed by. manuallyrotating theroll; After: the roll is exhausted, the core can be easily removed by grasping itv at. its middle portion with onehand and pulling it downwardly toreleaseit. from the followers, the cam action of-the core-on, thespringep-ressed followers depressing; the followers. Upon removal of the core, the followers are spring-urged to their stopped positions againstv the. plates 2.1;

2111. the: modification shown in Fig. 6; the lower edgeof the casing end wall [6 has an outwardly curvedf'pbrtion or lips 34' to form. a roll entrance. The, constructionis otherwise similar.- to that of Fig; 5.

The modified'form of roll holder shown in Figs. land 8 hasa casing comprising an intermediate member It and opposed end members [0, one heingg'sho-wn. Each end'meinber has. a fiat vertican -m wall 35 with an inturned flange ll. se-' cured to a marginal offset I8 formed on each end. of the intermediatemember I I, as in the device of Fig. 1. A cupped sheet metal member 36 issecuredatthe inner side-of each end wall to form a 'chamber-3'litherewith and. has a fiat vertical roll-guiding wall 38 and a cylindrical peripheral'wall139, the. edges of the latter bearing on the inner face. of the end wall. 35. Bendable. ears 40. formed on the edges of the cup wall 39 pass through slots M in the end wall. 35.and are bent inwardly into correspondingly shaped depressions flaformed in the, end: wall 35 to lieflush with; the. outer faceof thelatter wall. The. cup

in the same manner.

Roll holders constructed in accordance with the invention can be used for dispensing various other sheet materials in roll form, such as toilet paper and wax paper.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having a roll-guiding wall with an opening a spring-pressed follower having a convexly formed portion projecting loosely through said opening and adapted to interengage with the end of the roll for rotatably supporting the roll, and a spring forurging said follower againstthe end of the roll, said'follower having a marginal stop flange behind and engageable with said wall, to limit. theprojection of said follower, said convexly formed portion presenting a cam surface. sEidably-engageable by the peripheral portion of theadjacentendof the-roll for depressing said follower duringthe loading operation, and said follower being free to tilt in said openingto dis tribute the pressure contact of thefollower wit the end of theroll.

2. In a holderfor a roll of sheet material; a support having a wall with an opening, a tiltably rnounted follower. having a convexly formed portion.projecting looselythrough said opening and adaptedito interengage with the end ofthe roll, said follower having a marginal stop portion en gageable behind said wall to limit the projection of the follower and to form afulcrum during tilting of the follower, and'spring means for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction,

and for yieldably resisting the tilting displacement of: said follower, said conve-xly formedportion presenting a cam surface slidably engageable by the peripheral portion of the adjacent end of the rollfor tilting and-depressing saidfollower during theloading operation.

'3; In a holder for a roll of sheet materialya,

support having end Walls each with an embossment; a pair of parallel roll-guiding plates secured tothe inner sides of said-respective end,

walls toform chambers with said embossments, said plates having respective openings therein and: adapted to guide the opposite ends of the entering roll, tiltable followers having convex portions projecting loosely through said respective openings and adapted to inter-engage with the oppositeends of the-rollfor rotatably supporting theroil, each fol-lower further having an annular marginal stop flange engageable behind the adjcacent end wall to limit the projection of said follower and to fulcrum on said end wall, theconvex portion of said follower being laterally-em gageable withthe edge of the associated openingto limit the lateral displacement of said follower,

and spring means in said chambers for urging Said followers in roll-engaging direction, said convex: follower portions presenting c'amsurfaces slidably engageable by the peripheralportions ofv oppositeends of the roll topush said followers apart during the loading operation. I

4. In: aholder for a roll of sheet material; a

support having spaced'walls, a pair of cup-shaped members secured to the inner faces of-saidrespective walls toform chambers therewith and having plate-like wall portions with respective openings, said wall portions being adapted to receive the roll between them and to guide the opposite ends of the entering roll, followers projecting loosely through said respective openings and adapted to interengage with the opposite ends of the roll for rotatably supporting the roll, said follower having a marginal stop flange behind said wall portion to limit the projection of the follower, and springs in said chambers interposed and confined between said walls and said followers for urging said followers in roll-engaging direction, said followers having cam-forming surfaces slidably engageable by the peripheral portions of the opposite ends of the roll to push said followers apart during the loading operation.

5. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having a wall with an opening, a bowlshaped roll-supporting follower rotatably projecting through said opening and having a marginal stop flange behind said wall and adapted to fulcrum on said wall, and spring means for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction, said follower adapted to interengage with an end of the roll for rotatably supporting and braking the roll end and having a cam surface slidably engageable by the peripheral portion of the roll end for depressing said follower.

6. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having end structures adapted to admit the roll between them, said end structures each having inner and outer wall portions, said inner wall portions having respective openings and presenting guide surfaces for the opposite ends of the entering roll, followers projecting through said respective openings and adapted to interengage with the opposite ends of the roll for rotatably supporting the roll, each follower having a marginal stop flange behind the inner wall portion to limit the projection of the follower, and springs interposed and confined between the outer wall portions and said followers for urging the followers in roll-engaging direction, said followers having cam surfaces slidably engageable by the peripheral portions of the opposite ends of the entering roll to push said followers apart 6 during the loading operation, and each follower having a limited freedom to tilt in any direction.

7. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having an end wall with an embossment an inner annular rabbet around the base of said embossrnent, a flat plate marginally secured to said embossed wall to form a chamber therewith and fitting in said rabbet to lie substantially flush with the inner face of said wall, said plate having a central opening, a follower having a convexly rounded portion extending loosely through said opening and further having a stop portion within said chamber and a concave side facing said wall embossment, and a spring in said chamber for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction, said spring being confined between said end wall embossment and the concave side of said follower.

8. In a holder for a roll of sheet material, a support having a wall with an opening and presenting a guiding surface for the end of the, roll, a tiltably mounted follower having a convexly formed portion projecting loosely through said opening and adapted to interengage with the end of the roll for rotatably supporting the roll end, said follower having a marginal stop portion be hind said wall for limiting the projection and tilting displacement of said follower, and spring means behind said follower for urging said follower in roll-engaging direction and for yieldably resisting tilting of said follower, said convexly formed portion presenting a cam surface siidably engageable by the peripheral portion of the roll end for tilting and depressing said follower during the loading operation.

SAMUEL N. HOPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 40 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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