US2547856A - Dispenser for napkins or similar articles - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1951 A. E. COFRIN ET AL DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS oR SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1946 INVENTOR. Qwkrz E Coin/z, BY Jamzw/Z WHO 0e, M M)3 1 L April 3', 1951 A. E. COFRIN ET AL DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1946 INVENTOR-S @zaiuz E 60261, BY fiamae/Z H Patented Apr. 3, 1951 '1 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES Austin E. Cofrin, Green Bay, and Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignors to'Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,306

4 Claims.

dispenser economical in its operation, since it per mits the withdrawal of only one napkin at a time.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser which exposes only a small portion of each napkin as it is moved into position for withdrawal.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser which presents a portion of each napkin prior to its being withdrawn from the dispenser in a manner permitting free access to that portion, each succeeding napkin being left in the same position as was held by the napkin preceding it prior to. the withdrawal of the latter; which presents a portion of each napkin prior to itsbeing withdrawn from the dispenser through an opening which, because of its novel construction, protects the exposed portion of each napkin from soiling while still in the dispenser; which may be readily opened and closed during a reloading operation; and which has a novel and simple pressure spring and plate construction for continual feeding of the napkins into dispensing position.

Further objects and advantages of this inven- A tion will become evident as the description proceeds, and from an examination or the accom- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure'Z is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the pressure plate and the resilient strip associated with same; with one side of the dispenser in open position.

vFigure 4 is a view in horizontal cross-section of a'portion of one of the end walls of the dispenser shown in Figure 1, the view being taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l. r

As shown in the drawings, the dispenser may be constructed having two oppositely disposed end walls through which the napkins are dispensed', the dispenser being formed with two identical halves. This, of course, is only one form 2 of a dispenser embodying the invention since it could be readily constructed so that the napkins would be dispensed through one or more of the vertical walls.

In the embodiment of the invention shown,'

the dispenser has the two side walls I formed integrally with the top wall 2. The lower edges of the side walls I are bent inwardly to form the flanges 3 which overlap and are secured to two opposite edges of the base plate 5. Secured to the other two edges of the base plate are the hinges 5 to which are attached the end walls 6 which are thereby permitted to open outwardly. The end walls t have the perpendicular marginal flanges l which are formed to fit within the side walls I and the top walls 2 when the end walls ginal flange 1 entering'between the spring latches ill and the side walls l when the end wall dis. closed. This arrangement allows. the end wall I, 6 tobe readily swung open when desired by ap-" plying the proper'outward pressure to it.

The end wall 6 has the opening ll therein,the

upper marginal edge [2 of the opening being disposed substantially at the mid-point of the wall 6. The outer surface of the end wall 6 above the opening I [has a generally convex disposition,

as best shown in Figure 4, the marginal edges of that surface adjacent the top wall 2 and the side walls I being sharply rounded to form the flange 1, with the amount of curvature rapidly diminishing toward the center of the end wall 6.

The marginal edges of the opening H are folded inwardly to presenta smooth,rounded down at its outer extremities into the side marginal edges E3 of the opening ll as shown in Figure 1.

These side marginal edges [3 lie in'. a plane intersecting the end wall 6 along a linev l2, rounding into the lower marginal edge 14 of the opening I l at their lower extremities. The upper portions l of the side marginal edge l3 form a continuation of the narrow lip formed by the upper edge l2, the projection of the lip from the end wall 6 being gradually reduced as the side marginal edges I3 extend downwardly and inwardly as described, the lip terminating substantially at the midpoints of the side marinal ed es it.

The lower marginal edge [4 of the opening H curves inwardly throughout its length, the adjacent portion l6 of the end wall 5 immediately below the edge l4 being dished inwardly.

Thus the opening II is set in the end wall 6 at an angle to the vertical, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower edge 14 thereof being offset inwardly. In addition, the upper marginal edge l2 of the opening II has a generally convex disposition, as best shown in Figure 4, and the lower marginal edge [4 thereof has a generally concave disposition, as best shown in Figure 2.

' The contours of the end wall 6 just described, in combination with the disposition of the opening II, are designed to maintain the supply of napkins I! or similar articles in a position permitting ready access to the short, outer fold [8 of the napkin adjacent the opening II.

The pressure plate I9, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, isdesigned to aid in maintaining the napkins I! inthis position. This pressure plate is carried by the resilient strip which urges it toward the end wall 6, the plate, in turn, urging the napkin l1 toward that wall. The resilient strip 28 is rigidly attached to the pressure plate adjacent the bottom edge 2|. of the plate at the point 22, immediately below the lower end Of the narrow outwardly curved ridge 23., This ridge has a breastbone shape and is positioned to exert a pressure on the napkins l! which, in combination with the contours of the end wall 6 above described, causes the, napkins toassume a convexed disposition throughout their upper portions (when viewed fromoutside the dispenser). This pressure is especially operative at the location of the opening H, sincethe lower edge 14 of the opening is inwardly depressed and confines the lower portion of the napkins more closely than the convex portion of the end wall 8 above the opening. This lower edge l4 also operates to give'thelower portion of the napkins a concave disposition.

Thisarrangement creates a reverse bend in the napkinswith a concave disposition underlying a convex disposition above,- all of which combines to cause the short outer fold l8 of the napkins adjacent the openingli to extend Vertically down from the upper edge l2 of the opening and out of association with the inwardly bent portion of the napkins. The lower end 24 of the fold i8 is then in a position which permits free access to it by anyone desiring to withdraw a napkin from the dispenser. The inwardly dished portion of the end wall 6 permits ready grasping of the end by one or more of the fingers and the thumb, since a finger or fingers may be easily inserted behindlthe end 24 and the thumb may then beclamped down on the finger or fingers, with the end 24 locked therebetween.

. In the embodiment illustrated, the two depending resilient strips 26 are formed of one continuous piece ofv material which is bent to form two ends dependingfrom a short, straight center section 25. This center section 25 is secured to the top wall 2 by the slotted plate 26 which is rigidly attached to the midpoint of the underside of the top wall 2 by the rivets 21. The depending strips 20 emerge through the slots in the plate 26 and are formed to normally urge the pressure plates toward the walls 6, as described above. The method of securing the strips 20 to the pressure plates l9 maintains them in a position which allows pressure to be applied by the ridges 23 to the napkins in the manner described above.

Each resilient strip 20 could, of course, be mounted independently of the other, the method of forming and mounting utilized here being only a matter of convenience.

The form of the pressure plate and resilient strip combination. described above provides a very simple construction, which is nevertheless effective. This effectiveness is attained without the use of complicated, articulated joints between the plates and the supporting members, and between the supporting members and the top wall, which has been a common method used in the past. The need for separate spring members to urge the supporting members toward the side walls has also been eliminated.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the base plate 4 has the upwardly turned, vertical sides 28 adjacent the inner surface of the side walls I. These sides 28 are provided with the inwardly protruding tongues 29 which act as stops for the pressure plate [9 when there are no napkins between the plate-and the end wall 6. The laterally extending portions 30 on each side of; the

pressure plate are positioned to meet and be restrained by the tongues 29 when the plate is in such an extreme outward position.

The overhanging character of the upper edge I2 in relation to the lower edge I4 of the opening H is particularly desirable from the standpoint of preventing soilage of the napkins while still in the dispenser. Any foreign matter falling onto the dispenser from above will be prevented from entering the opening I l by this feature. In addition, the depending lower end 24 of the fold l8 forms a screen for the opening ll which'is not contiguous with the remaining portion of the napkins adjacent the opening. Thus, any soiling that may occur will probably be confinedentirely to this end 2 3 of the outermost napkin.

The drawings and the above discussion are not intended torepresent the only possible form of this invention as mentioned above, in regard to details of construction. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, ascircumstances may suggest orrender expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of this in-.

vention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for folded napkins and the like comprising a plurality of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, one of said side walls having an elongated opening therein extending across said wall, said opening being disposed so asto exposethe free end of the short" outer fold of a napkin and the like within said dispenser adjacent to said opening, the portion of said wall above said opening and the upper marginal edge of said opening beingcurved outwardly and the portion of said wall below said opening and the lower marginal edge of said opening being curved inwardly, a pressure plate Within said dispenser having a central projectingportion protruding toward said opening and spring means depending from said top wall adaptedv to urgesaid pressure.

plate toward said Side wall having said opening therein, said pressure plate in turn being adapted to urge a stack of napkins and the like disposed between said pressure plate and said side wall toward the latter.

2. A dispenser for folded napkins and the like comprising a plurality of side walls; a top wall, and a bottom wall, one of said side walls having an elongated openin therein extending across said wall, said opening being disposed so as to expose the free end of the short outer fold of a napkin and the like within said dispenser adjacent to said opening, the portion of said wall above said opening and the upper marginal edge of said opening being curved outwardly and the portion of said wall below said opening and the lower marginal edge of said opening beingcurved inwardly, a pressure plate disposed within said dispenser, a resilient strip depending from said top wall and being secured at its lower extremity to the lower portion of said pressureplate, said pressure plate having a centrally and vertically disposed convex ridge therein protruding toward said opening, said pressure plate, being disposed within said dispenser so that said ridge in said plate and said opening are at substantially the same level and said napkins or the like are forced against said lower margin of said opening by said plate. 7

3. In a dispenser for napkins and the like, a wall having an elongated opening therein extending across said wall, one of the longitudinal margins of said opening and the portion of said wall adjacent thereto being curved outwardly, the other longitudinal margin of said opening and the portion of said side wall adjacent thereto being curved inwardly, a pressure plate within said dispenser, and means adapted to urge said pressure plate toward said wall, said pressure plate having a centrally disposed convex ridge therein protruding toward said wall and being disposed transversely of said opening so that said napkins or the like are forced against said lower margin'of said opening by said plate.

4. In a dispenser for napkins and the like, a Wall having an elongated opening therein, the portion of said wall adjacent the upper longitudinal margin of said opening and said upper margin being curved outwardly, and the portion of said wall adjacent the lower longitudinal mar-' gin of said opening and said lower margin being curved inwardly the transverse margins of said opening being angularly disposed with respect to said Wall, so that the lower portions of said transverse margins are offset inwardly, a pressure plate within said dispenser,and means adapted to urge said pressure plate toward said wall, said pressure plate having a centrally disposed convex ridge therein protruding toward said wall.

AUSTIN E. COFRIN. SAMUEL N. HOPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,216,713 Marcuse Feb. 20, 1917 1,819,753 Morris Aug. 18, 1931 2,069,264 Morris Feb. 2, 1937

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