US3281032A

US3281032A - Dispenser for sheet material package on rolls

Info

Publication number: US3281032A
Application number: US532260A
Authority: US
Inventors: Solomon Jack
Original assignee: Lincoln Metal Products Corp
Current assignee: Lincoln Metal Products Corp
Priority date: 1966-03-07
Filing date: 1966-03-07
Publication date: 1966-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-25

Description

Oct. 25, 1966 J. SOLOMON DISPENSER FOR SHEET MATERIAL PACKAGE ON ROLLS Filed March 7, 1966 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTOK Jack Solomon ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1966 SOLOMON 3,281,032

DISPENSER FOR SHEET MATERIAL PACKAGE ON ROLLS Filed March 7, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.6

United States Patent 3,281,032 DISPENSER EUR SHEET MATERIAL PACKAGE 0N ROLLS Jack Solomon, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Lincoln Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 532,260 Claims. (Cl. 22516) This invention relates to a dispenser for rolled sheet material, and more specifically to a multiple roll dispenser for dispensing a plurality of sheet materials, each of which is packaged in rolls on individual tubular cores.

The use of rolled sheet material, as for example, metal foil, wax paper, paper towels, plastic wrap and the like have become common household items now in daily use which many homemakers utilize as wrappings for various kinds of goods and commodities, and more particularly comestibles. Sheet material of this type is generally packaged in rolls on tubular cores which are then individually retailed in a suitable box or container. Frequently the container is utilized as the dispenser for the roll sheet material therein. Accordingly, a housewife or other person using several of the different kinds of roll sheet material is required to have on hand a number of different packages. For this reason, the various sheet materials were not usually located at any one point. This resulted in the housewife searching for the desired material.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to provide a dispenser for storing and dispensing all of the more common household sheet materials, as for example, metal foil, Wax paper, plastic wrap, paper towels and the like. However, certain of the known dispensers simply consisted of a cabinet in which the respective rolls of sheet material were freely rotatable about a spindle or rod whereby the material was dispensed by applying a pull on the sheet material contained therein. However, the disadvantage in this type of dispenser was that the free Wheeling of the roll usually caused more than the desired amount of material to be dispensed. Consequently, this type of dispenser resulted in a considerable amount of waste as a housewife would normally tear off more than Was necessary to fill the immediate need.

Another disadvantage of the known construction was that in the event an excessive pull resulted in more material than desired being unrolled, the same could not be conveniently rewound onto the roll.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved multiple roll dispenser wherein the sheet material of the respective rolls stored therein can be dispensed precisely in any desired amounts for any particular application or use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser for housing a plurality of rolls of sheet material in a single housing whereby each of the sheet materials stored therein may be accordingly rolled and unrolled to any desired length.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser which is relatively simple, rugged of construction, positive in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple roll dispenser having but a single slotted opening through which the free ends of the respective sheet materials is dispensed.

Another object is to provide a cutting edge along an edge portion of the slot to facilitate severing a portion of the sheet material to be dispensed from a given roll.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser having a sturdily constructed housing that includes a plurality of roll supporting means which prohibits accidental or unintentional rotation of the rolls of sheet materials disposed Within the housing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple roll dispenser in which means are provided for effecting positive dispending of the sheet material stored therein to any desired length.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple roll dispenser with an improved positive acting roll supporting means constructed and arranged to effect positive control of the rolling and unrolling of the sheet material from its respective rolls.

The foregoing objects and other features and advantages are attained by a multiple roll dispenser for dispensing sheet materials packaged in rolls on tubular cores. Essentially the dispenser comprises in combination a housing having a pair of opposed side wall assemblies which has connected therebetween a top wall and a back Wall to define an open front housing. A closure is pivotally connected between the side wall assemblies of the housing for movement between opened and closed position. The lower edge of the closure is provided with a cutting edge and it defines with the side and rear wall portions of the housing a slotted opening through which the respective sheets of material are dispensed.

A plurality of roll supporting means are disposed on the opposed side Wall assemblies of the housing in vertically spaced relationship for supporting therebetween the respective rolls of sheet material to be dispensed. Each of the roll support means includes a pair of complementary trunnions, each of which is rotatably supported on a pin means connected to the adjacent side wall assembly of the housing. One of the trunnions of each pair is mounted for axial movement along the length of its respective support pin, whereas the other trunnion means is fixedly connected to its respective support pin, and the latter trunnion and connected pin mounted for axial displacement with respect to the adjacent side wall assembly.

A spring means cooperatively associated with each of the respective trunnion means to bias the same inwardly of the housing. Accordingly, the tubular core of each roll is detachably supported between each opposed pair of trunnions. The respective rolls are thus supported so that the free end of the respective sheet of material thereon is disposed in overlying relationship to one another in parallel planes adjacent the closure so that the respective free ends of each sheet extend through the slotted opening in the bottom of the housing.

Actuating means are connected to the exterior end of the axially movable trunnion pin to provide a means for effecting positive rotation of the associated trunnion to effect winding and unwinding the roll of sheet material supported between the complementary trunnions.

A feature of this invention resides in a dispenser constructed and arranged to provide a rugged assembly which can be readily assembled of a minimum of component parts and/or manufacturing operations.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision that the free ends of each of the respective sheets of materials are adapted to be dispensed through a common opening having an edge portion thereof defined as a cutting edge whereby the dispensed length of sheet material can be readily separated from its continuous roll of sheet material.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a dispenser having novel roll support means which are constructed and arranged with means for effecting a positive rolling and unrolling of the sheet material supported therebetween.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings and specification in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the multiple roll dispenser of the instant invention having its front closure shown in the open position.

FIGURE 2 is a reduced showing of an end view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the closure shown in its closed position in the solid line showing, and in a partially open position in the dotted line showing there-of.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 on FIG. 1, and having portions thereof broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 on FIG. 1 illustrating a detail of assembly.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 on FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional end view taken along line 8-8 on FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a dispenser 10 for housing a plurality of rolls of sheet material, e.g. metal foil, wax paper or plastic wrap and paper towels 11, 12, 13 respectively. Each of such rolls of sheet material 11, 12, 13 is wound about a tubular core 14. The housing 15 comprises a pair of opposed side wall assemblies 16 having a top wall 17 and a rear wall 18 connected therebetween to define an open front housing. Referring more specifically to FIG. 3, each of the side wall assemblies 16 comprises an inner and

outer wall member

16A, 16B. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer wall member 1613 of the respective side wall 16 assemblies is provided along the top, bottom and interconnecting forward edge portion thereof with an inwardly turned beaded construction 19, whereas the rear edge portion is provided with a laterally and inwardly turned flange portion 20. The complementing inner wall members 16A of the respective side wall assemblies 16 have their respective bottom and front edges arranged to be received within the inturned beaded portion 19 of the complementing outer member 16B, and the edge along the rear thereof. being provided with a laterally extending and inwardly turned flange 21 adapted to be received against and complement the inwardly turned flange portion 20 of the corresponding outer wall member 1613. As shown, it is preferred that the width at the bottom of the respective side wall assemblies 16 be greater than at the top. Accordingly, respective configuration of the respective side wall assemblies 16 is substantially that of a truncated triangle.

Connected between the upper ends of the respective side wall assemblies 16 is the top wall 17. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the opposed end portions of the top wall 17 are downwardly turned, and each is fixedly secured between the beaded portion 19 of the outer side wall member 16B and the upper edge of the inner wall member 16A of the adjacent side wall assembly 16. The top wall 17 may be secured to the side assembly 16, as for example, by spot welding and/ or brading, soldering or by other suitable fastening means or fasteners. It is to be also noted that the rear edge 17A of the top wall 17 is downwardly curved as best seen in FIG. 4 so as to overlie the upper edge portion of the back wall 18 which is secured along its side marginal portions to the inturned

flanges

20, 21 of the side wall assemblies 16 by suitable fastening means 22, as for example, screws and the like.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the bottom edge of the back wall 18 is provided with an integrally formed inwardly turned flange 18A portion to define a bottom wall portion for the housing. If desired, the rear wall 18 is provided with an outwardly extending disk shaped portion or recess 23 adjacent the bottom portion thereof to provide an enlarged internal volume in the bot-tom portion of the housing to accommodate an enlarged roll of sheet material, e.g. the roll of paper towels 13 or the like.

A closure 24 is pivotally mounted between the side wall assemblies 16 of the housing 15 for movement be tween open and closed positions. As shown, the closure 24 comprises a front wall panel 24A which has integrally formed laterally extending flange portions 24 B. As shown, means such as pivot pins 25 or the like are hingedly secured to the lower edge of the flange portion 24B of the closure 24 to the adjacent side wall assemblies 16 of the housing for movement between open and closed position. The upper end 26 of the closure is slightly curved so as to frictionally engage with the front edge 27 of the top wall 17 to friotionally maintain the closure in its closed and operative position.

Adjacent its lower edge the closure is provided a cutting edge 28, eg serrations, whereby the sheet materials to be dispensed may be readily separated from its respective roll. As shown, the serrated cutting edge 28 along the lower end of the closure 24 defines with the leading edge of the bottom wall and side wall assemblies, an elongated slot 29 through which the free ends of the sheet material from the respective rolls 11, 12, 13 are dispensed.

In accordance with this invention, a plurality of improved roll supporting means 30 are disposed on the side wall assemblies of the housing in vertically spaced relationship. In the illustrated form of the invention, three such pairs of roll supporting means are provided for supporting therebetween the various rolls of sheet material therein. The arrangement is such that the largest of the three rolls of sheet material to be dispensed, is preferably supported by the bottom-most roll supporting means to take advantage of the enlarged volume of the housing in this area.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the respective rolls of sheet material are disposed between its respective supporting means 30 so that the free end of the respective sheet of material overlie one another in a plane parallel and adjacent to the front wall or closure 24 of the housing when the same is in its closed position. Accordingly, as seen in FIG. 2, it will be noted that the free end of each of the respective sheets of material is extended through the slotted opening 29 formed in the bottom of the housing. Each of the roll supporting means 30 include a pair of

complementary trunnions

31, 32 with each pair vertically spaced along the opposed side assemblies 16 of the housing internally thereof. Referring more specifically to FIG. 3, the respective

complementary trunnions

31, 32 of each pair includes a cup shaped

member

31A, 32A which is concaved outwardly of its adjacent side assembly, and which terminates in a circumscribed laterally extending flange 32A, 328. As shown, a

33, 34 supports each of the

respective trunnions

31, 32 to its adjacent side Wall assembly 16. In accordance with this invention, the trunnion 31 for supporting one end of the roll is mounted for axial movement along its respective supporting pin 33, the latter having one end fixed to the side wall 16A. The other trunnion 32 of the pair is fixedly connected to one end of its support pin 34 with the other end of the pin extended outwardly through aligned

openings

35, 36 in the inner and

outer wall

16A, 16B of the adjacent side wall assembly 16. Fixed to the extended end of pin 34 is a knob 37 to effect rotation of the pin 34 and trunnion 32.

A spring means 38 is interposed between each of the

respective trunnions

31, 32 to normally bias the associated trunnions inwardly and away from the adjacent side wall assembly. Accordingly, it will then be noted that one trunnion 32 and its connected pin 34 of each pair is mounted for axial displacement relative to its adjacent side wall assembly, and the other supporting trunnion 31 is mounted for axial displacement along its supporting pin 33. Because of the relative axial displacement of the

respective trunnions

31, 32, it will be readily noted that the roll of sheet material therebetween may be readily attached and detached from between the respective supporting trunnions. Thus, the core and/ or respective rolls,

of sheet material is readily releasibly secured between its respective supporting trunnion.

As the spring means 38 normally exert a bias on each of the

respective trunnions

31, 32, the trunnions are prohibited from rotating unless a force is applied in a positive manner, as by turning of the turn knob 37 connected to the pin of one of the trunnions. Thus, with a roll of sheet material disposed between a pair of

complementary trunnions

31, 32, the force of the springs is sufficiently great so that turning of the knob in one direction or the other will effect rotation of the roll of material therebetween accordingly. Thus, dispensing of any of the respective sheets of material stored within the housing is effected only upon the positive actuation of the respective turn knob 37 in one direction or the other. For this reason an operator can dispense the material only by the turn of the knob. The force of the spring 38 is sufficiently great to prohibit dispensing by pulling on the free end of the material. For this reason, the material is dispensed only by turning of the knob. When the knob has been rotated to dispense a given length of material, the selected material can be readily separated from its respective roll by bringing it in contact with the cutting or serrated edge 28 of the front wall. It will be noted that the direction of force or tug applied to the material in effecting the cutting thereof is such as to prohibit the opening of the front closure 24. Consequently, closure 24 of the housing can be simply retained in its closed position by a minimal frictional retention during the dispensing operaton, as the force applied to effect cutting of the material dispensed is opposite to that which is required to effect the opening of a front wall housing.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the dispensing of the respective sheets of material stored within the dispenser can be dispensed only upon a positive actuation of the respective turn knob 37. Also, the construction described enables the respective rolls of sheet material to be readily rolled or unrolled, as may be desired, thereby minimizing waste. Also, it is to be noted that the rolls of the respective sheet material can be rolled or unrolled without effecting the opening of the front wall closure to gain access to the rolls stored therein.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top wall 17 of the housing may be provided with key shaped openings 39 to provide a means for supporting the housing from beneath a shelf or the like. Also, the back wall of the housing may be provided with similar key shaped openings 40 to facilitate hanging of the dispenser against a vertical supporting surface, as for example, a kitchen wall or the like. If desired, a suitable handle 41 may be secured to the closure to facilitate the opening and closure thereof.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the housing 15 of the dispenser is constructed and arranged so as to be relatively rugged yet light weight, and which can be readily fabricated and assembled with a minimum of effort and a maximum of ease. Also, the arrangement is such that the material of the respective rolls can be positively rolled or unrolled by effecting turning of the knobs in one direction or the other as may be desired so that only the desired length of sheet material is dispensed.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of the invention. In this form of the invention, the dispenser or housing 66 for the plurality of rolls of sheet material is similar to that hereinbefore described with respect to FIGS. 1 through 4. However, in the modified form of the invention of FIG. 6, the trunnion means 61, 62 on which the respective rolls 63 are supported have been modified to further simplify their construction, and thereby effecting a reduction in manufacturing costs accordingly.

In this form of the invention, it is to be noted that the roll of sheet material 63 is supported at one end on a relatively fixed trunnion 61 and at its other end on a trunnion 62 which is reciprocally mounted relative to its adjacent side wall 64 of the housing for movement in and out of the housing. The axial movable trunnion 62 is also rotatably mounted for affecting the drive of the roll 63 supported thereon to unwind the sheet material there- As shown, the fixed trunnion 61 comprises a supporting pin 66 which extends inwardly from the inner wall 67 of the side wall assembly 68 in a manner similar to that described with respect to FIGS. 1 through 4. Mounted on the inner end of the support pin 66 is a cup shaped trunnion 61A which is adapted to be received within one end of the roll 63 for supporting the same within the housing. The end Wall of the trunnion cup 61A is provided with an aperture 69 through which the head end 66A of the pin support 66 extends. The diameter of the aperture or opening 69 in the end of the trunnion cup 61A is made greater than the diameter of the pin projecting therethrough. This is to provide the trunnion cup 61A with a limited amount of lateral movement relative to the pin 66. To fix the trunnion cup 61A against axial movement along the support pin 66, a shoulder or stop washer 76 is fixed to the pin 66 adjacent the inner wall of the trunnion cup 61A. With the construction described, it will be noted that the trunnion cup 61A is free to tip a limited angular amount with respect to the support pin 66 securing the same to the side wall assembly 68 of the housing 60. Preferably, the diameter of the trunnion cup 61A is such that it is readily received in the core 63A of roll 63, i.e. the cup 61A is made somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the core 63A on which the material is supported.

The other trunnion 62 for supporting the other end of the roll 63 comprises a supporting pin 71 which extends outwardly through the side wall assembly 64 of the housing. As shown, the outer end portion of the support pin 71 has fixed thereto a turn knob 72 by which the trunnion 62 may be rotated. The inner end of the trunnion pin 71 has fixed thereto a plurality of arcuate shaped spring, leaf fingers 73 which are adapted to be inserted into the end of the core 63A for supporting the same thereon. A coil spring 74 is interposed between the inner wall 64A of the side wall assembly 64 and the hub of the spring fingers 73 to exert a bias on the spring fingers 73 which normally maintain the same inwardly of the side wall assembly 64. Accordingly, it will be noted that in the operative position, as shown in FIG. 6, the spring fingers 73 are adapted to be received within the bore of the core 63A which supports the roll 63 of sheet material. Due to the inherent resiliency of the spring fingers 73, the latter are frictionally engaged against the internal surface of the core 63A. The arrangement is such that rotation of the turn knob 72 will effect rotation of the roll 63 supported between the fixed trunnion 61 and the movable trunnion 62.

As best seen in FIG. 6, the turn knob 72 is provided with a plurality of notches 72A which are spaced about the circumferential edge portion thereof. Notches 72A cooperates with a projecting pawl 74 blanked out of the outer wall 64B side wall assembly 64 whereby the coaction therebetween functions in the nature of a ratchet which will permit the turn knob 72 to be rotated in one direction only. With this construction, it becomes apparent that a housewife will be unable to rewind the roll of material. Thus the dispenser of the form described with respect to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, prohibits a housewife from intentionally and/ or otherwise rewinding the roll of sheet material so that the free end thereof is retracted to a position within the housing where it would then be rendered unaccessible.

With the

specific trunnions

61 and 62 described, with respect to FIG. 6, it will be noted that due to the tilting movement permitted, cup 61A relative to its supporting pin 66, the roll 63 of sheet material can be slightly pivoted a limited angular degree. This limited angular movement facilitates the positioning and removal of the roll of material between the respective trunnions 61 and 62.

Thus, with the construction of FIGS. 6 to 8, the relative number of component parts can be reduced with the further advantage that the modified trunnions will permit rotation of the roll material 63 in one direction only. Also, the particular fixed trunnion 61 is constructed to permit the roll 63 of material to be angularly displaced to facilitate the positioning or removal of the roll of material and/ or core to and from between the trunnions of the dispensing housing.

While the instant invention has been described with respect to several embodiments thereof, it will be readily appreciated and understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple roll dispenser for dispensing sheet materials packaged in rolls on tubular cores comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of opposed side walls, a top wall connected therebetween and a back forming wall connected between said side walls to define an open front housing,

(b) a closure for the open front of said housing,

() means for pivoting said closure to the side walls of said housing for movement between open and closed positions,

((1) said closure having its lower edge portion defining a cutting edge,

(e) and said wall portions of said housing defining a slotted opening at the bottom thereof adjacent said cutting edge of said closure, said slotted opening being substantially co-extensive in Width to said cutting edge,

(f) a plurality of roll support means on the side walls of said housing for supporting therebetween the rolls of sheet material to be dispensed,

(g) said roll support means being disposed in vertically spaced relationship to support the respective cores of said rolls of sheet material one above the other whereby the free end of the material of each said roll overhang in superposed planes substantially parallel to and adjacent said closure with the free ends of the respective sheets extending through the slotted opening formed in the bottom of said housing,

(h) each of said roll support means including a pair of opposed complementing trunnions,

(i) pin means for rotatably mounting the respective trunnions of each trunnion means to its respective side walls,

(j) a spring normally biasing each of said trunnions away from its respective side wall for holding therebetween the core of a roll of sheet material, said spring means normally resisting the turning of said rolls,

(k) and actuating means disposed exterior of said housing and operatively connected to one of said respective pairs of trunnions to effect rotation thereof against the bias of said spring means whereby rotation of the respective actuating means elfects the dispensing of the selected sheet of material through the slot opening adjacent the cutting edge of said closure to any desired length.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the mounting pin of one of said trunnions is fixed to its respective side wall with the trunnions mounted for axial displacement therealong, and the pin of the other complementary trunnion being mounted for axial displacement through its respective side wall, and said actuating means including a turn knob connected to the extended end ,of said axially movable pin.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each .said side walls of said housing include an inner Wall ction and an outer wall section to define a double wall nstruction.

The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein the mounting pin is fixed in the inner wall section of ective double side Wall construction.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the back forming wall of housing is formed with an outwardly curved concave portion for accommodating an enlarged roll of sheet material.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said trunnions of said trunnion means includes a cup shaped portion ooncaved inwardly of said housing and a laterally extending circumscribing flange, said inwardly crup shaped portion being adapted to be received with the core of said roll.

7. A multiple roll dispenser for dispensing sheet material packaged in rolls on tubular cores comprising in combination,

(a) an open front housing,

(b) said housing including opposed side wall assemblies, each including an inner side wall member and and outer side wall member defining a reinforced double wall construction,

(c) each of the respective outer side wall members terminating in an inwardly turned beaded edge along the front thereof and an inwardly turned flange along the rear edge thereof,

(d) and each of said inner side members having one of its respective front edges secured to the beaded edge of its complementing outer side wall member and having a flange along the opposed edge therevof complementing the flange of said outer side wall member,

(e) a top wall interconnected between said side wall assembly,

(f) and a rear wall connected to and between the inturned flanges of said side wall members,

(-g) said rear wall having an inwardly turned extension along the bottom thereof to define a partial bottom wall for said housing,

(h) a closure for the open front of said housing,

(i) means for pivo-tally connecting said closure between said side wall assemblies for movement between open and closed positions,

(j) said closures including a front wall panel terminating in inwardly turned flanged edges along the sides thereof,

(k) said pivoting means connecting the flange edges of said closure to said side wall assemblies adjacent -the lower end portion thereof,

(1) and said closure having a cutting edge along the bottom edge thereof,

(m) the bottom edge of said closure defining with the adjacent edge of said bottom wall a slot through which said sheet material is dispensed,

(n) a plurality of roll supporting means disposed within housing in vertically spaced relationship,

(0) each of said supporting means including a pair of opposed complementary trunnions connected to each of said side Wall assemblies,

(p) each of said trunnions including a cup shaped member having a laterally extending circumscribing flange,

(q) a pin for supporting each of said trunnions to the adjacent side wall assembly,

(r) one of said trunnions being mounted for axial movement along its respective pin and the other trunnion fixed to its respective pin whereby both the latter trunnion and its pin is axially displaceable, said latter pin extending through the wall members of the adjacent side assembly,

(s) spring means normally biasing each of said trunnions inwardly of said housing,

(t) and a turn knob connected to the extended end of said pin extended through the walls of said side assembly for effecting rotation of said roll of sheet material supported thereon.

8. A dispsenser for multiple rolls of sheet material disposed on respective tubular cores comprising in combination,

(a) opposed side wall portion and an interconnecting back portion to define an open front housing,

(b) a ol osure for said open front,

(c) means for pivoting said closure to said housing for movement between open and closed positions, (d) means adjacent the lower edge portion of said closure defining a cutting edge,

(e) said side Wall portions of said housing defining with said closure :at the bottom thereof a slotted opening adjacent the cutting edge,

(.f) and a plurality of roll supporting means mounted on the side Wall of said housing for supporting therebetween the rolls of sheet material,

(g) said roll support means being disposed in vertically spaced relationship to support the respective rolls one above the other whereby the free end of respective sheets overhang in superposed planes substantially parallel to and adjacent said closure with the free ends of the respective sheets extending through the slotted opening,

('11) each of said rolls support means including a pair of opposed complementing trunnion-1s,

(i) means for connecting one of said trunnions in a relatively fixed position to one side wall,

(j) and means mounting the other of said trunnions for axial movement relative -to the other side Wall portion,

(k) said axial movable tnunnions including a plurality of spring fingers adapted to he received Within the core of the roll supported thereby,

(1) said fingers fricti-onally engaging the internal surface of the core to effect the drive thereof,

(111) spring means normally biasing said axial movable trunnion-s inwardly of said adjacent side wall,

(11) and means extending to the exterior of said housing to eifect the drive of said trunnion and rolls supported thereon.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said relatively fixed trunnion includes a support pin fixed to said side Wall, and a trunnion cup mounted on said fixed pin for limited angular movement relative thereto to enhance the positioning and removal of said roll between opposed tvunnions.

10. The invention as defined in claim 8 and including means for eifecting the drive of said roll in one direction only.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED WILLIAM W. DYER, ]R., Primary Examiner.

J. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A MULTIPLE ROLL DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIALS PACKAGED IN ROLLS ON TUBULAR CORES COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, (A) A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, A TOP WALL CONNECTED THEREBETWEEN AND A BACK FORMING WALL CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS TO DEFINE AN OPEN FRONT HOUSING (B) A CLOSURE FOR THE OPEN FRONT OF SAID HOUSING, (C) MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID CLOSURE TO THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, (D) SAID CLOSURE HAVING ITS LOWER EDGE PORTION DEFINING A CUTTING EDGE, (E) AND SAID WALL PORTIONS OF SAID HOUSING DEFINING A SLOTTED OPENING AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF ADJACENT SAID CUTTING EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE, SAID SLOTTED OPENING BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE IN WIDTH OF SAID CUTTING EDGE, (F) A PLURALITY OF ROLL SUPPORT MEANS ON THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING FOR SUPPORTING THEREBETWEEN THE ROLLS OF SHEET MATERIAL TO BE DISPENSED, (G) SAID ROLL SUPPORT MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORT THE RESPECTIVE CORES OF SAID ROLLS OF SHEET MATERIAL ONE ABOVE THE OTHER WHEREBY THE FREE END OF THE MATERIAL OF EACH SAID ROLL OVERHANG IN SIPERPOSED PLANES SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND ADJACENT SAID CLOSURE WITH THE FREE ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE SHEETS EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOTTED OPENING FORMED IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOUSING (H) EACH OF SAID ROLL SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSED COMPLEMENTING TRUNNIONS, (I) PINS MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING THE RESPECTIVE TRUNNIONS OF EACH TRUNNION MEANS TO ITS RESPECTIVE SIDE WALLS, (J) A SPRING NORMALLY BIASING EACH OF SAID TRUNNIONS AWAY FROM ITS RESPECTIVE SIDE WALL FOR HOLDING THEREBETWEEN THE CORE OF A ROLL OF SHEET MATERIAL, SAID SPRING MEANS NORMALLY RESISTING THE TURNING OF SAID ROLLS, (K) AND ACTUATING MEANS DISPOSED EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID RESPECTIVE PAIR OF TRUNNIONS TO EFFECT ROTATION THEREOF AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID SPRING MEANS WHEREBY ROTATION OF THE RESPECTIVE ACTUATING MEANS EFFECTS THE DISPENSING OF THE SELECTED SHEET OF MATERIAL THROUGH THE SLOT OPENING ADJACENT THE CUTTING EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE TO ANY DESIRED LENGTH.