Improvements in Rolls of Toilet and Wrapping Paper.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rolls of Toilet and Wrapping Paper.
I OLIVER HEWLETT HICKS, of Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of
Illinois, United States of America, gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLS OF TOILET AND WRAPPING PAPER, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention has special reference to improvements upon that class of toilet paper
rolls which consists of a length or web of paper weakened at regular intervals by
a line of transverse perforations or slits, or otherwise, and wound into roll form, and
from which a sheet or sheets of paper are adapted to be removed by the user by
tearing the web on one or the other of the lines of weakness.
Rolls of the character referred to are usually hung in fixtures which permit of
their revolution when the free end of the paper is pulled and the common practice
is when a sheet of paper is desired to be detached to draw upon the free end until
one or more sheets have been reeled off and then by a lateral tearing motion, cause
the severance of said sheet or sheets from the body of the roll.
Unless, however, care is taken to unwind just the right quantity from the roll
before the tearing operation is performed the separation is very apt to take place close
to the body of the roll and the result is, that it is difficult to find the new end when it
is desired to detach the next sheet.
I have remedied this defect in the old style of roll, by employing two lengths or
webs instead of one in the construction of the roll and by so arranging these lengths
or webs with respect to each other as that the perforations slits or other expedients
resorted to to produce the lines of weakness in one length of web, shall come between
the lines of weakness in the other length or web; whereby when the end of one
length or web is drawn upon to remove a sheet therefrom the end of the other length
or web will be likewise drawn out and when the said sheet is removed the end of said
second length or web will be exposed in position ready to be grasped and drawn upon
when another sheet is desired and so on till all the paper in the roll is used up.
In forming my improved rolls I preferably employ tissue paper of a soft and
flexible quality and make the transverse lines of weakness in the two webs by
perforating, slitting or otherwise.

page_text: To combine the two webs in a single roll I preferably wind each roll separately and
then bring them together by winding them around a single mandrel or former, having
a care that the lines of weakness of one web shall come between those of the other
web and preferably midway between or, in other words, at the middles of the sheets
as will be readily understood.
Each roll is preferably provided with the customary central core of pasteboard or
stiff paper.
In the accompanying drawings the figure represents a perspective view of a roll
embodying my invention, A representing one web, B the other web; C the lines of
weakness, in this instance secured by perforating the webs, and D the stiff paper or
pasteboard core.
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While my invention is primarily adapted to toilet paper in roll form it is evident
that its usefulness is not confined to such narrow limits as this, and that it may be
applied to whenever paper in detachable sheets is put up in roll form.
By the use of the term "roll" herein, I do not desire to be understood as limiting
myself to a round or cylindrical roll merely as my invention is applicable to and
intended to cover two or more weakened lengths or webs such as described wound
together into any form of package or bundle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
A roll or bundle of paper consisting of two or more lengths of paper each
weakened transversely at intervals and wound together with the lines of weakness
of one length between those of the adjoining length; whereby upon drawing the
end of one of the lengths to detach a sheet therefrom, the end of the adjoining
length will be brought into position to be grasped for the next operation; sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of April 1889