US 6,206,322 B1 · Towel dispenser with anti-free wheel mechanism

Abstract

A towel dispenser for dispensing roll towel material, such as paper towel, cloth towel and the like. The dispenser includes an anti-free wheel mechanism incorporated therein to prevent the towel material from being pulled out of the dispenser without activating a dispensing mechanism. By preventing towel material from pulled out of the dispenser, excessive towel useage is prevented, thereby preventing towel material wastage. The anti-free wheel mechanism includes a latch that is secured to a pivoting lever of a dispensing mechanism, with the latch engaging with a dispensing gear of the dispensing mechanism to prevent rotation thereof when the lever is at its upper position. The latch is designed to disengage from the dispensing gear as the lever starts to move downward during a dispensing stroke.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A towel dispenser, comprising:

a housing;
a dispensing mechanism associated with said housing for dispensing towel stored within said housing, said dispensing mechanism including a dispensing lever moveably supported by said housing whereby said lever is moveable from a first position to a second position and from said second position back to said first position, and a dispensing gear rotatably supported by said housing, said dispensing gear in driving engagement with said dispensing lever and rotatable thereby in a first direction;
and
a latch fixed to said dispensing lever and moveable therewith when said dispensing lever moves between said first and second positions, said latch engaged with said dispensing gear to prevent rotation thereof in said first direction whenever said dispensing lever is at said first position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Towel dispenser with anti-free wheel mechanism

Life of this patent

Towel dispenser with anti-free wheel mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10