Power winding paper towel dispenser

Abstract

Dispenser for rolls of paper toweling of standard size and width, accommodating withdrawal of clean roll toweling from a cabinet for use and rolling the spent toweling in a spent towel compartment in the cabinet, for disposal. The roll of clean toweling is inserted in the cabinet from the top and rests on an inclined divider plate separating a clean towel compartment from the spent towel compartment and also bears against a rear wall of the cabinet. The clean toweling is drawn from the cabinet along the divider plate and passed over a sensing switch which establishes an energizing circuit to a winding motor under the control of a limit switch energizing the winding motor upon withdrawal of the toweling and after a time delay sufficient to dry the hands. The clean toweling, as unrolled, passes out of the cabinet through a slot at the top of a recessed portion of the front of the cabinet for use. The used toweling extends through a slot spaced beneath the first slot into the spent towel compartment and is connected at its free end to a spindle. In passing into the cabinet, the spent toweling passes along the arm of a normally closed limit switch, and when under tension, opens the switch to deenergize a drive motor for the spindle. The spent toweling is wound on the spindle, as the motor is energized and the spindle is releasably coupled to the motor. The top of the cabinet is hinged to afford access to the clean towel compartment to insert a roll of clean toweling in the compartment while the front wall of the cabinet is hinged to afford access to the spent towel compartment.