Multi-orientation towel dispenser

A paper towel dispenser comprising:

• a cassette adapted to hold a plurality of paper towels therein arranged in a stack;
• a housing surrounding the cassette;
• a dispensing slot in the housing through which the plurality of paper towels may be serially dispensed, the dispensing slot being at a first end of the housing;
• wherein the dispensing slot and first end are oriented upwardly when the housing is in a first orientation;
• wherein the dispensing slot and first end are oriented downwardly when the housing is in a second orientation;
• wherein the first and second orientations are 180° apart;
• a pusher plate positioned on an end of the stack opposite from the dispensing slot;
• a spring acting upon the pusher plate to urge the stack toward the dispensing slot;
• and
• a cover on a second end of the housing opposite from the dispensing slot when the housing is in the second orientation;
• the plurality of paper towels being serially dispensed from the housing when the housing is in each of the first and second orientations.

A method for filling a paper towel dispenser with a stack of paper towels, the method comprising:

• releasing a latch mechanism thereby enabling a spring to urge a cassette from a housing of the paper towel dispenser in either a first direction or an opposite second direction depending upon an orientation of the housing, the cassette having an open face sized and configured to receive there through the stack of paper towels;
• inserting the stack of paper towels into the cassette via the open face;
• collapsing the cassette with the stack of paper towels therein into the housing;
• and
• engaging the latch mechanism to thereby releasably retain the cassette and stack of paper towels within the housing.