Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a housing defining an interior for accommodating a roll of sheet material and additionally defining a sheet material outlet communicating with said interior;
• sheet material engagement means having an outer surface for engaging sheet material unwound from a roll of sheet material within the housing interior;
• rotatable sheet material feed roller means having an outer feed roller surface with a coefficient of friction greater than that of the outer surface of said sheet material engagement means located adjacent to said sheet material engagement means;
• a double-ended shaft having first and second ends and supporting said sheet material feed roller means, said double-ended shaft being pivotally mounted relative to said housing to pivot said double-ended shaft about the first end thereof to selectively alternatively move said sheet material feed roller means and the second end of said double-ended shaft toward or away from said sheet material engagement means;
• and
• means for rotating said sheet material feed roller means to transport sheet material engaged by said sheet material feed roller means and said sheet material engagement means toward said sheet material outlet after said double-ended shaft has been pivoted about the first end thereof to move the second end thereof and said sheet material feed roller means toward said sheet material engagement means and exert pressure on said sheet material.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a housing defining an interior for accommodating a roll of sheet material and additionally defining a sheet material outlet communicating with said interior;
• sheet material engagement means comprising a rotatable sheet material engagement member for engaging sheet material unwound from a roll of sheet material within the housing interior;
• sheet material feed means positioned adjacent to said rotatable sheet material engagement member including a rotatable sheet material feed roller and a support member supporting said sheet material feed roller, said support member being pivotally mounted relative to said housing to selectively alternatively move said sheet material feed roller toward or away from said rotatable sheet material engagement member;
• means for rotating said sheet material feed roller to transport sheet material engaged by said rotatable sheet material engagement member and by said sheet material feed roller toward said sheet material outlet after said sheet material feed roller has moved toward said rotatable sheet material engagement member;
• and
• a tucker member connected to said rotatable sheet material engagement member, said tucker member responsive to rotational movement of said rotatable sheet material engagement member to move toward a location between said sheet material feed roller and said rotatable sheet material engagement member to tuck the lead end of a roll of sheet material between said sheet material feed roller and said rotatable sheet material engagement member.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a housing defining an interior for accommodating a primary roll of sheet material having a tail end and a reserve roll of sheet material having a lead end;
• rotatable sheet material engagement means;
• rotatable sheet material feed means mounted for movement toward and away from said rotatable sheet material engagement means;
• a tucker member operatively associated with said rotatable sheet material engagement means;
• means for rotating said rotatable sheet material feed means and for moving said rotatable sheet material feed means toward said rotatable sheet material engagement means, said rotatable sheet material engagement means rotating in response to rotation of said rotatable sheet material feed means and passage of the tail end of a primary roll of sheet material between said rotatable sheet material feed means and said rotatable sheet material engagement means and causing movement of said tucker member to tuck the lead end of a reserve roll of sheet material between said rotatable sheet material feed means and said rotatable sheet material engagement means;
• and
• biasing means biasing said rotatable sheet material engagement means against rotation.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a housing defining an interior for accommodating a primary roll of sheet material having a tail end and a reserve roll of sheet material having a lead end;
• a rotatable sheet material engagement member;
• rotatable sheet material feed roller means mounted for movement toward and away from said rotatable sheet material engagement member;
• a tucker member operatively associated with said rotatable sheet material engagement member;
• and
• means for rotating said rotatable sheet material feed roller means and for moving said rotatable sheet material feed roller means toward said rotatable sheet material engagement member, said rotatable sheet material engagement member rotating in response to rotation of said rotatable sheet material feed roller means and passage of the tail end of a primary roll of sheet material between said rotatable sheet material feed roller means and said rotatable sheet material engagement member and causing movement of said tucker member to tuck the lead end of a reserve roll of sheet material between said rotatable sheet material feed roller means and said rotatable sheet material engagement member, said tucker member being connected to said rotatable sheet material engagement member and rotatable therewith.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a housing defining an interior for accommodating a roll of sheet material and additionally defining a sheet material outlet communicating within said interior;
• sheet material engagement means having an outer surface for engaging sheet material unwound from a roll of sheet material within the housing interior;
• rotatable sheet material feed roller means having an outer feed roller surface with a coefficient of friction greater than that of the outer surface of said sheet material engagement means located adjacent to said sheet material engagement means
• double-ended shaft means supporting said sheet material feed roller means, said shaft means being pivotally mounted relative to said housing to selectively alternatively move said sheet material feed roller means toward or away from said sheet material engagement means;
• means for rotating said sheet material feed roller means to transport sheet material engaged by said sheet material feed roller means and said sheet material engagement means toward said sheet material outlet after said double-ended shaft means has been pivoted to move said sheet material feed roller means toward said sheet material engagement means, said sheet material engagement means comprising a rotatable sheet material engagement member and said outer surface being curved;
• and
• a tucker member connected to said rotatable sheet material engagement member and responsive to rotational movement of said rotatable sheet material engagement member to move toward a location between said sheet material feed roller means and said rotatable sheet material engagement member to tuck the lead end of a roll of sheet material between said sheet material feed roller means and said rotatable sheet material engagement member.