Патент USA US2391617

Dec. 25, 1945.
E. R. CREBBS _
2,391,617.
DISPENSING RECEPTACLE
Filed March 23, 1943
31/
INVENTOR,
EARL R. CREBBS.
Patented Dec. 25, 1945'
2,391,617
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,391,617
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DISPENSING RECEPTACLE
Earl R. Crebbs, San Francisco, Calif.
Application March 23, 1943, Serial No. 480,258
6 Claims. ('01. 206-58)
My invention relates to dispensing receptacles
walls, and carrying upon its upper edge l1, spaced
and more particularly to receptacles for the dis
upstandingtabs I9, preferably formed integral
pensing of paper items such as towels, toilet seat
covers and the like from a roll.
therewith. These spaced tabs are located in di
rect line with T slots (not shown) formed in the
Dispensing receptacles, customarily employed in 5 rolls of tissue or the like at the location of tear
the dispensing of paper products from a roll, in
lines and serve to engage in such T slots as the
corporate thereinmecham'sms such as springs or
material is withdrawn from a roll, thereby facili
weights for resisting the unrolling of the sheet
tating the separation of the tissues along such
material to a degree which will cause the material
to be dispensed under proper tension. The de
gree of tension is deemed proper when it is high
tear lines.
enough to prevent [free unrolling of material and
Y
The tabs are preferably reinforced by wire '
staples 2| applied normal to and across the hinge
line of the tabs to resist bending or breaking of
yet not so high as to cause the material to tear,
these tabs as the tissues are drawn thereover in
other than along a score line or tear line provided
the operation of dispensing the same.
_
for the purpose. The permissible range of tension 15
Within the container, I provide an inclined
in any case is quite limited and this is particu
partition or false bottom 23, extending from the
larly true with the dispensing of such items as
lower front corner 25 of the receptacle to the rear
toilet seat covers, which necessarily must be of
wall H, resting against the same and presenting
thin tissue in order to render them disposable.
a surface 21 at an angle to the inner surface 29
Among the objects of my invention are
of the front wall. This angle is somewhat criti
(1) To provide a novel and improved dispens
cal and may vary slightly for different materials.
ing receptacle of simpli?ed design.
(2) To provide a novel and improved dispens
ing receptacle in which the use of springs, weights,
and the like is rendered unnecessary as a means
for assuring proper tension in the dispensing of
items from a roll carried in such receptacle.
(3) To provide a novel and improved dispens
ing receptacle which may be fabricated entirely
from cardboard or correspondingly cheap ma
terial.
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(4) To provide a novel and improved dispens
ing receptacle which will assure proper tension
within a critical permissible range for the dis
pensing of sheet material from a roll.
(5) To provide a novel and improved dispens
ing receptacle capable of being fabricated eco
nomically.
Additional objects of my invention will be
brought out in the following description of apre
ferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawing wherein,
Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred
embodiment .of my novel and improved dispens
ing receptacle.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane
For toilet tissues, I have found this angle to be
of the order of 150°. ‘
~
The roll 1 from which the material is to be
dispensed is placed between these angularly dis
posed surfaces, withthe tissues unrolling from
the front edge of the roll and being carried over
the tabs l9 on the upper edge of the front wall.
The force of gravity, tending to wedge the roll
between the angularly disposed surface, intro
duces substantial resistance to rotation, it being
noted that the roll rests ?rmly against two sur
faces at all times. Such resistance, coupled with
the drag of the tissues over the tabs, assures
proper tension in the material being withdrawn.
As the material is withdrawn from the roll and
the roll becomes smaller. in diameter, it will auto
matically settle lower and lower into the angular
space formed by the two surfaces, always main
taining the desired frictional contact against
these two surfaces.
‘
v
As previously indicated, the angle between the
two surfaces has been found in practice to be
rather critical, in the successful dispensing of
lightweight tissue such as toilet seat covers. I
have noticed, however, on occasion, when a roll
has been reduced down to the last few turns,
3-3 of Fig. 1.
somewhat erratic operation is apt to develop due
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, enlarged, from
to the lightness of the roll at this stage. By rea
50
Fig. 3 showing a detail of construction thereof.
son of such lightness, bouncing of the roll is apt
The receptacle 5, constructed to a length suf
to occur during the further withdrawal of tissue
?cient to comfortably receive a roll 1 of tissue,
therefrom. This condition I have found could
or the like, comprises a front wall 9, a rear wall
be cured by sloping the front wall inwardly a
I I, bottom l3, and joining end walls IS, the front
matter of 2 or 3 degrees from the vertical, while
wall being of less height than the rear and end
still retaining the substantially 50 degree rela
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2,391,617
tionship between the angularly disposed surfaces.
This has a tendency to increase the snagging
effect of the tabs upon the tissues, thereby re
ducing the “lift” upon the roll during dispensing.
With the roll engaged surfaces adjusted, the dis
pensing of tissue from a roll can be efficiently
realized.
Following the severance of a tissue along a
previously prepared tear line, a decided natural
tendency exists for the leading tissue of the roll
to fall back into the receptacle. Were this per
mitted to occur following the severance of each
tissue from a roll, the practical utility of the dis
pensing receptacle would necessarily be impaired.
I have found that this natural tendency of the
leading tissue of a roll to fall back into the re
ceptacle can be turned to advantage in maintain
ing such tissue within a position convenient for
grasping, preliminary to the withdrawal of the
tissue from the dispensing receptacle. ThisI~
accomplished by providing a substantially stiff
member presenting an edge parallel to the upper
edge of the front wall, across the path of move
ment which the leading tissue would normally
take in falling back into the receptacle, such
member being preferably spaced from the front
wall edge to permit freedom of withdrawal of the
tissue from the receptacle. This spacing is of
, substantial importance in the dispensing of toilet
seat covers particularly, as they are die cut to
form interior flaps and tabs which introduce
considerable looseness and play in the tissue dur
ing dispensing thereof.
Such member need not, and preferably does
objects of my invention as previously set forth.
While I have described this preferred embodi
ment in considerable detail, it is apparent that
the same may be revised or altered without de
parting from the fundamental aspects of my in
vention, and I accordingly do not desire to be
limited in my protection to the specific details
described except as may be necessitated by the
appended claims.
I claim:
1. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues
or the like from a roll, comprising a front wall, a
rear wall, said front wall sloping toward the rear
wall at a slight angle to the vertical, and an in
clined surface between said front and rear wall
forming an acute angle with the inner surface
of said front wall.
2. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues or
the like from a roll, comprising a front wall, a
rear wall, said front wall sloping toward the rear
wall at a slight angle of the order of 3 degrees to
the vertical, and an inclined surface between said
front and rear wall forming an acute angle of the
order of 50 degrees with the inner surface of said
front wall.
3. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues or
the like from a roll, comprising front, rear, bot
tom and end walls, said front wall having spaced
upstanding tabs on the upper edge thereof’ for en
gagement in suitable slots provided in the tissues
to arrest withdrawal of tissues at a tear line
thereon.
4. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues or
the like from a roll, comprising front, rear, bot
not, extend to the level of the upper edge of the 35 tom and end walls, said front wall having spaced
front wall, for during the tearing of one tissue
from another, it has been noted that the remain
ing tissue will be pulled sufficiently over the upper
edge of the front wall as to engage the blocking
edge in its attempt to fall back into the recep
tacle.
In the preferred embodiment of my invention
as illustrated in my drawing, such edge 31 is
provided by a closing ?ap “constituting a part
upstanding tabs on the upper edge thereof for
engagement in suitable slots provided in the
tissues to arrest withdrawal of tissues at a tear
line thereon, and a staple across the hinge line
of each tab to reinforce the same.
5. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues or
the like from a roll, comprising a front wall, a
rear wall, said front wall being of less height than
said rear wall and having a pair of spaced up
of a cover 35 for the receptacle, and lying in a 45 standing tissue-engaging tabs on the upper edge
thereof, and a cover having a depending ?ap ad
plane slightly behind though preferably parallel
jacent said front wall and terminating in an edge
to that of the front wall 9 and terminating above
at approximately the level of said tabs and in
the level of the upper edge of the front wall, leav
ing a substantial space 36 through which to draw 50 spaced relationship to the upper edge of said
front wall.
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the tissues or the like.
6. A receptacle for the dispensing of tissues’ or
The cover is hingedly secured to the upper edge
the like from a roll, comprising a front wall, a
of the rear wall H, as by adhesive tape 31, and
rear wall, said front wall being of less height than
preferably slopes downwardly toward the front
wall, to discourage the parking of lighted ciga 55 said rear wall and having a pair of spaced up
standing tissue-engaging tabs on the upper edge
rettes or other objects on the receptacle, the
thereof, and a cover having a depending ?ap ad
front corners of the cover being cut out to pro
jacent said frontwall and terminating in an edge
vide ?nger openings 39 for the grasping and re
at approximately the level of said tabs and in
moval of tissues.
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spaced relationship to the upper edge of said
From the above description of a preferred em
bodiment of my invention, it ‘will be apparent 60 front wall, said cover also having cutouts at the
front corners thereof to provide ?nger openings
that I have developed a cheap and economical
for the withdrawal of tissues from said, recep
dispensing receptacle for the dispensing of tissues
tacle.
or the like from a roll, which receptacle is of sim
EARL R. CRE'BBS.
pli?ed construction, and otherwise ful?lls the