Mechanism for paper dispenser

Apparatus for dispensing a predetermined length of paper material, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame having an upper portion, said upper portion containing means for retaining a paper supply roll;
• a first roller rotatably supported within said frame beneath said supply roll retaining means;
• a second roller in engagement with said first roller, said first and second rollers forming a nip through which paper from the retained paper supply roll extends along a paper travel path, said path extending through said nip and through a lower portion of said frame;
• a knife assembly attached to the lower portion of said frame beneath said first and second rollers, said knife assembly including at least one cutting blade attached to a lever element, said knife assembly being pivotable between a retracted position and a paper cutting position extending into said paper travel path;
• first biasing means attached to said lever element for biasing said knife assembly to said retracted position;
• a throw arm attached to one end of said first roller, said arm being rotatably movable along with said first roller and disposed along an exterior side of said frame;
• second biasing means for biasing said throw arm and said first roller to an initial rotational position;
• and
• a translatably movable cam follower attached to the same exterior side of said frame as said throw arm, said cam follower having a first bearing surface in contact with an engagement end of said lever element of said knife assembly and a second bearing surface for contacting said throw arm over at least a portion of a rotational path taken by said throw arm during rotation of said first roller to allow metered dispensing of said paper material.