Dispenser cabinet for sheet material and transfer mechanism

In a dispenser for sequentially dispensing sheet material from first and second supplies thereof, a feed mechanism for receiving material from either of said supplies and for dispensing said material, and means for sensing the presence of said first supply material at said feed mechanism when feeding said first supply material and for transferring said second supply material to said feed mechanism upon sensing the absence of said first supply material at said feed mechanism, said feed mechanism including a pair of parallel and engaging feed rolls at least one of which is rotatably driven to dispense material, said material from said first supply extending around at least a portion of one of said rolls and between said rolls when said material is being fed, said sensing and transferring means including means for sensing the presence of said first supply material around said one of said rolls, and means for transferring said second supply material to between said rolls in response to said sensing means sensing the absence of said first supply material from around said one of said rolls, said means for transferring including a transfer roll normally spaced from said feed rolls when said rolls are dispensing said first supply material, said transfer roll receiving said material from said second supply between said transfer roll and said feed rolls, said transfer roll being mounted for movement to between said feed rolls to deliver said second supply material thereto to begin feeding thereof in response to said sensing means sensing the absence of said first supply material from around said one of said feed rolls, said one of said feed rolls having at least one annular slot formed in the surface thereof concentric therewith, said material from said first supply covering said slot along at least a portion of the surface of said roll when said material is being fed, said sensing means sensing whether said slot is covered or uncovered along said portion of said surface, and transfer means being responsive to said sensing means sensing that said slot is uncovered to deliver said second supply material to said feed rolls, said sensing means including a sensing member slidingly engaging said first supply material over said slot when said material is being fed and being mounted for movement into said slot in the absence of said first supply material from thereover, said sensing member bing positioned between said transfer roll and said feed rolls when said first material is being fed and blocking movement of said transfer roll to between said feed rolls, said sensing member entering said slot upon passage of a tail end of said first supply material therepast to free said transfer roll for movement to between said feed rolls to deliver said second supply material thereto to thereby initiate feed of said second supply material.

In a dispenser for sequentially dispensing sheet material from first and second supplies thereof, a feed mechanism for receiving material from either of said supplies and for dispensing said material, and means for sensing the presence of said first supply material at said feed mechanism when feeding said first supply material and for transferring said second supply material to said feed mechanism upon sensing the absence of said first supply material at said feed mechanism, said feed mechanism including a pair of parallel and engaging feed rolls at least one of which is rotatably driven to dispense material, said material from said first supply extending around at least a portion of one of said rolls and between said rolls when said material is being fed, said sensing and transferring means sensing the presence of said first supply material around said one of said rolls and transferring said second supply material to between said rolls in response to the absence of said first supply material from around said one of said rolls, said one of said rolls having at least one annular slot formed in the surface thereof concentric therewith, said first supply material covering said slot along at least a portion of the surface of said roll when said material is being fed, said sensing and transferring means sensing whether said slot is covered or uncovered by said first supply material along said portion of said surface and delivering said second supply material to between said feed rolls in response to said slot being uncovered.

In a device for dispensing sheet material from rolls thereof, a cabinet;

• sheet material feed means within said cabinet having a pair of feed rolls rotatably engaging and forming a material feed nip, said cabinet having a station for a primary roll of said sheet material from which said material extends in a run around at least a portion of one of said feed rolls and into said nip, said cabinet also having a station for a reserve roll of said sheet material from which said material extends in a run to a point adjacent said nip, and transfer means for introducing said reserve roll material from its position adjacent said nip into said nip in response to movement of said primary roll material from around said one feed roll, said transfer means including means for sensing the presence of said primary roll material around said one feed roll when said material is being fed, and a transfer roll extending generally parallel to said feed rolls, said reserve roll material extending in said run to between said transfer roll and said nip, said transfer roll being mounted to move to adjacent said nip to introduce said reserve roll material into said nip in response to said sensing means sensing the absence of said primary roll material from around said one feed roll, said one feed roll having at least one annular slot formed in the surface thereof concentric therewith, said primary roll material extending around said one feed roll covering at least a portion of said slot when said material is being fed, said sensing means including a material feeler engaging the primary roll material over said covered portion of said slot for being blocked from entry therein by said material, said material feeler mounted for movement into said slot in the absence of said primary roll material thereover, said transfer roll being responsive to said material feeler entering said slot to introduce said reserve roll material into said nip.

In a dispenser for paper from rolls, a cabinet having a dispensing opening;

• paper feed means for delivering paper from the interior of said cabinet through said dispensing opening, said cabinet having a station for a primary paper roll from which the paper web extends in a run to feeding engagement with said feed means, said cabinet also having a station for a reserve paper roll from which the paper web extends in a run to adjacent said feed means, and transfer means for urging the reserve paper web from its position adjacent said feed means into operative engagement with said feed means in response to movement of a tail end of said primary roll web out of feeding engagement with said feed means, said feed means including a pair of feed rolls operatively engaging and forming a paper feed nip, said primary paper web extending in said run to around at least a portion of one of said feed rolls and through said nip, said transfer means including means for sensing movement of a tail end of said primary paper web from around said one feed roll and a transfer roll extending generally parallel to said feed rolls and mounted for urging said reserve paper web into said nip in response to said sensing means sensing movement of said tail end of said primary roll web from around said one feed roll, said one feed roll forming at least one annular opening therealong and concentric therewith, said primary roll web extending over and covering at least a portion of said opening when said primary roll web is being fed, said sensing means including a web feeler engaging said primary roll web over said opening during feeding thereof and mounted for movement into said opening upon passage of said tail end of said primary roll web therepast, said transfer roll being responsive to movement of said web feeler into said opening to urge said reserve roll web into said nip.