Improvements in Holders for Rolls of Toilet and other Paper.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by SETH WHEELER, of Colonie, Montgomery, and
North Lansing Street, Albany, in the State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Holders for Rolls of Toilet and other Paper.
I, WALTER JAMES. ALCOCK, of 42, Banner Street, Golden Lane in the
City of London do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to holders for rolls of toilet and other paper and comprises
means for applying friction to the roll of paper and also to improved means for
securing the roll of paper in the holder, whereby the sheets of paper forming the
roll can be removed singly but whereby the removal of the roll itself and of the
roller upon which it is carried is prevented or rendered very difficult until the paper
has been withdrawn therefrom.
My said invention also comprises improved means for uniting the roller and roll
of paper to each other so that they will move in unison and means for retarding
the movement of the said rolls to prevent undue unwinding of the roll of paper
when a sheet of paper is withdrawn therefrom.
In carrying my said invention into practice I preferably provide the holder with
two arms or supports secured to a suitable back-plate having two eyes or clips
which serve as sockets for the said arms or for the cross-pieces to which they are
attached. At the free ends of these arms facing inwardly are provided two
cup-shaped sockets each corresponding in diameter with the ends of the roller for
supporting the roll of paper. The said roller is preferably formed in two parts
lengths or sections separate from one another which sections are perforated axially
from end to end to allow the insertion of a metal or other suitable rod which is
provided with a head or projection at each end thereof. In one of the sections a
portion of the perforation is made of an enlarged diameter to permit the to and fro
motion therein of one of the heads of the rod. The other head of the rod rests
The inner or adjacent
in a recess or countersunk just large enough to contain it.
ends of the sections of the roller have situated between them in recesses therein
formed for the purpose of receiving the same a spiral spring which is compressed
between the two sections when the roller is in position in the holder. The two
sections may be prevented from turning independently of one another by a pair
of rods rigidly fastened in one section and projecting into longitudinal perforations
or recesses in the other section.
The ends of the roller are inserted in the sockets in the arms the sections of
the said rolls yielding and being easily compressed to allow of this while after the
ends are secured in the two cup-shaped sockets they can only be released therefrom
by pressing the sections together which cannot be done without considerable
difficulty until all the paper has been withdrawn from the roll. The ends of the
roller fit evenly and tightly within the cup-shaped socket and the outward pressure
of the sections caused by the aforesaid spring forces the ends of the roller against
the sockets thus setting up sufficient friction to prevent the roll of paper turning
too freely between the arms.
A suitable spring or spring tongue is attached at one end to the outer surface
of the roller and its free end is adapted to engage with the inner portion of the
roll of paper so that upon pulling the end of the web of paper the roll and the
roller will move in unison, thereby by reason of the friction of the said roller in
its sockets preventing the unnecessary or accidental unwinding of a number of
sheets at one pull upon the web. The said spring or spring tongue however may

page_text: in some instances be secured at its centre to the roller its two free ends facing in
opposite directions so that in whichever way the roller is inserted between the arms
the roll of paper and the roll will be locked together.
In some instances I secure in a recess in the periphery of the roller a short lever
having a sharpened outer edge, beneath which lever a suitable spring is provided
which will tend to press the said lever against the roll of paper after the same has
been slipped on to the roller and thus cause the said roller and the paper to move
together in either direction.
In some instances I cause the inner or adjacent ends of the sections to interlock
directly with one another thereby avoiding the use of the pins hereinbefore
described. For this purpose I cause the inner or adjacent ends of the sections to
be undercut, dovetailed or provided suitable projections or teeth so as to engage
with one another thus interlocking the said sections together, the said projections
being sufficiently long to permit of a certain amount of longitudinal movement of
the sections to or from one another without the same becoming disengaged. In
other respects the roll is constructed as explained above. There may be any
desired number of these projections on each of the said sections.
In other instances the ends of the spring are secured in the sections of the roll
for the purpose of preventing the sections from turning independently of one
another.
The roll of paper used in this holder may have its web either perforated,
indented, or weakened in any other manner. I prefer, however, to use a paper
the web of which is weakened by perforations or indentations.
In the operation of this holder a pull upon the free end of the web will cause
the roll of paper and its roller to turn together, the friction of the ends of the said
roller causing a strain or tension upon the paper, so that on the pull being continued
till when a sheet of paper is unrolled, the tension will cause the said sheet to
separate at the line of weakness. Thus one hand only need be employed to
withdraw a sheet, and excessive unrolling of the roll of paper is prevented.
While I have described my invention as applied to the common form of holder
with swinging arms, it is equally adapted to holders with rigid arms or brackets,
and the construction shown is especially adapted for use in what are termed "lock
holders," in which the roll of paper cannot be removed from the holder. Where
this is not desired the sectional roller may be dispensed with, and a simple roller
provided with means to engage the roll of paper substituted. Friction may be
applied to this roller by means of a bolt passing through the roller and the arms
of the holder and provided with a nut to compress it longitudinally, or friction
may be applied to the periphery of one or both the projecting ends of the roller.
I do not confine my invention to the specific means shown, as it is obvious that
the resistance necessary to retard the movement of the roller may be applied in
many ways. The first part of the invention—namely, the application of friction to
the roll of paper at its centre can moreover obviously be used with a roller
constructed in one piece or in. two or more sections.
Dated this 6th day of December 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Rolls of Tollet and other Paper.
I, WALTER JAMES ALCOCK, of 42 Banner Street, Golden Lane, in the City of
London do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to holders for rolls or webs of toilet and other paper, and
comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth..

page_text: According to my said invention, 1 provide for locking or securing the roller
carrying the roll of paper to the latter, thereby preventing any tendency of the
said roll to rotate upon the roller when being unwound therefrom; and I so
arrange and mount the said roller in the holder that the sheets of paper forming
the said roll or web can be removed singly, but the unnecessary or accidental
unwinding of a large number of the said sheets at one pull upon the web will be
prevented. The removal, moreover, of the said roller after it has been inserted into
the holder, is prevented or rendered very difficult until the paper has been
withdrawn therefrom.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 2 a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1, showing one form or
modification of my improved holder.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section, and
Figure 4 a transverse section on the line ¹, x', Figure 3, showing the improved
roller hereinafter described.
Figures 5 to 13 are different views illustrating further modifications hereinafter
described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is a roll or web of paper, A* is a back-plate adapted to be secured
against a wall or other surface and having two eyes or clips A¹. B is a cross-
piece supported in the eyes or clips A', and provided with arms or extensions B'.
Each of the arms or extensions B' is provided at its free end with a cup-shaped
socket B facing inwardly. The roller for supporting the roll of paper is of such a
diameter as to fit easily into the said sockets and is preferably formed in two parts,
lengths or sections C, C. D is a rod arranged in a central hole C' formed in the
said parts C, C of the roller. The rod D is provided with two heads or nuts D¹
one of which heads or nuts is arranged in a suitable countersink in the part C of
the roller, and the other of which heads or nuts is adapted to move freely in an
enlarged portion C³ of the said hole C³, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.
E is a spiral spring surrounding the rod D, and the extremities whereof rest in
recesses or cavities C formed in the adjacent ends of the said parts C, C' (as shown
more clearly in Figure 3) so as to maintain the latter normally separated to the
full extent permitted by the rod D. The spiral spring E is compressed between
the two sections when the roller is in position in the holder, as shown in Figure 1.
F, F are other rods rigidly secured in the part C and projecting into and sliding
freely in holes or recesses C³ provided in the part C³, so as to prevent any rotary
movement of the parts C, C₁ relatively to each other, whilst permitting the free
endwise movement thereof.
G is a spring tongue or catch so attached at one end to the outer surface of the
part C or C of the roller, that its free end is adapted to engage with the inner
portion of the roll of paper A (as shown in Figure 2) thereby preventing the said
roll from rotating upon the roller when the paper is unwound.
The roll or web of paper A is placed in position upon the roller C, C¹ and the
ends of the latter are inserted into the sockets B2, the spring E giving or yielding
for this purpose, and reacting so as to expand the said parts C, C' and retain the
said roller firmly in position in the said sockets. It will be seen that the roller can
only be released by pressing the parts C, C₁ together and compressing the spring E,
which cannot be done without considerable difficulty until all the paper has been
withdrawn from the roll. The unnecessary or accidental unwinding of a number
of sheets at one pull upon the web are prevented by the friction of the said roller
in its sockets under the action of the spring E.
In some instances, the spring tongue & is secured at or near its centre to the
part C or C' of the roller in such a manner that it has two free ends pointing in
opposite directions (as shown in Figures 5 and 6) so that the roll or web of paper
will be locked or secured to the roller in both directions.

page_text: Instead of the spring tongue or catch G I sometimes employ a short lever,
knife-blade or catch H pivoted at one end in a suitable recess formed in the
periphery of the part C or C₁ of the roller, and acted upon by a suitable flat
spring I (as shown in Figures 7 and 8) which spring tends to press the said lever,
knife-blade or catch against the roll of paper when the latter has been placed in
position on the roller, and thus lock them together.
Instead of the guide-rods F, I may employ either of the methods shown in
Figures 9 to 13 for preventing the parts C, C of the roller from rotating
relatively to each other. In the arrangement shown in Figures 9 and 10, I
provide upon each of the adjacent ends of the parts C, C' of the roller, a suitable
projection or tooth adapted to engage with each other and thus interlock the parts
or sections together, the said projections or teeth are of sufficient length, however,
to admit of a certain amount of longitudinal movement of the said parts or sections
relatively to one another without becoming disengaged.
It is obvious that I can use two teeth or projections upon each of the adjacent
ends of the parts C, C' as shown in Figures 11 and 12, or that I can employ any
other convenient number of the said teeth or projections, or other suitable means
for preventing rotary movement of the parts C, C relatively to each other whilst
permitting the necessary longitudinal movement thereof. I sometimes firmly secure
the ends of the spring E in the said parts or sections C, C¹ of the roller, as shown
in Figure 13.
The roll or web of paper used in the holder above described may be either
perforated, indented, or weakened in any other manner at suitable intervals.
prefer, however, to use a web of paper which is weakened by perforations or
indentations.
In using the said holder, a pull upon the free end of the web will cause the roll
of paper and its roller to rotate together, the friction at the ends of the roller
causing a strain or tension upon the paper, so that, on the pull being continued
until a sheet of paper is unrolled or unwound, the tension will cause the said sheet
to separate at the line of weakness. Thus one hand only need be employed to with-
draw a sheet, and excessive unrolling or unwinding of the roll of paper is prevented.
Although I have hereinbefore described my improvements as applied to the
common form of holder with swinging arms, it will be readily understood that they
are also advantageously applicable to holders with rigid arms or brackets, the
construction shown being especially adapted for use in what are termed "lock-
holders," in which the roll of paper cannot be removed from the holder when once
inserted except sheet by sheet. Where this is not desired, the sectional roller may
he dispensed with, and a simple roller provided with means to engage the roll or
web of paper be substituted therefor. Friction may be applied to this roller by
means of a bolt passing through the roller and the arms of the holder, and provided
with a nut to compress it longitudinally, or friction may be applied to the periphery
of one or both of the projecting ends of the roller. I do not confine my invention
to the specific means shown, as it is obvious that the resistance necessary to retard
the movement of the roller may be applied in many ways. The first part of the
invention, namely, the application of friction to the roll of paper at its centre, can
be used with a roller constructed in one piece or in two or more sections.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination, with a roller, of a roll of paper, and suitable means for
securing or locking the said roll and roller to each other so that they will rotate
together, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of a roll of paper, a roller with which the same moves
in unison, and means for retarding the rotary movement of the said roller in its
holder and for preventing its withdrawal therefrom until the paper has been
unwound from it, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.

page_text: Third. A roller for holding a roll of toilet or other paper, composed of sections
restrained from rotation but capable of longitudinal or endwise movement
relatively to each other, and a spring or springs arranged between the said sections,
for the purposes above specified.
Fourth. The improved holder for rolls or webs of toilet and other paper,
constructed substantially as described with reference to either of the forms or
modifications illustrated in the accompanying drawing and operating as, and for
the purposes, above specified.
Dated the 3rd day of September 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.