Plastics film dispenser

A plastics film dispenser, said dispenser including a support structure comprising a housing (1) having a front wall (2), back wall (3), end walls (4,5) and a bottom (6), said front wall (2) terminating above said bottom and providing an outlet (27) from said housing, a socket (25,26) on each end wall, a roll of plastics film (47) supported in said sockets (25,26), guide means (36,37) in said housing to guide film from said roll (47) to said outlet (27), said guide means comprising a fixed flap (36) and a movable flap (37) pivotally mounted in said housing, said flaps having a substantial width and provided with a length extending continuously transversely across said outlet (27), said movable flap (37) normally overlying said fixed flap (36) with said film therebetween, film severing means (41) located adjacent said outlet, brackets (28,29) at each end of said outlet, a drop plate (34) extending across said outlet (22) and mounted in said brackets (28,29), said drop plate (34) movable from a normal position wherein film being withdrawn from said dispenser is maintained clear of said film severing means (41) to an active position where said severing means is exposed to said film for contact by said severing means to sever a length of film from said roll (47), said flaps (36,37) spaced inwardly from said outlet (27), inwardly from said film severing means (41) and inwardly from said guide means (36,37), said film severing means (41) comprising an electrically heated wire fixed in said housing across said outlet (27) and connected to an external source of power through a low-voltage transformer.