IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEPTACLES FOR WATER CLOSET PAPER, WRAPPING PAPER, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Augustus Miles, of Copake, Columbia County,
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEPTACLES FOR WATER CLOSET PAPER, WRAPPING
PAPER, AND THE LIKE.”
Sealed the 29th September 1877 and dated the 9th August 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Augustus Miles at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1877.
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS MILES, of Copake, Columbia County, State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEPTACLES FOR
WATERCLOSET PAPER, WRAPPING PAPER, AND THE LIKE."
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement partially in section, and
Figure 2 a transverse sectional elevation of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the Figures.
This Invention consists in a combined paper holder and cutter, a cabinet, case
bolder, cylinder, or receptacle of any desired construction and size, and of any
ornamental or other configuration, enclosed and adapted to contain a roll or rolls of
paper of any given kind, and provided with a slot or other opening, out of which.
the end of the roll of paper can be drawn, and in addition provided with a cutter,
knife, or analoguous appliance, arranged in such relation to the slot that when. any
given quantity of paper shall have been drawn thereout, such quantity can by a
simple movement of the band drawing it, be brought against the cutter, and evenly
and quickly severed transversely to its length, all substantially as herein-after more
fully set forth and claimed.
The object of the Invention is economy in the purchase and in the consumption
of paper, inasmuch as paper in rolls is cheaper than in sheets, and when cut off in
only such quantities as are immediately needed is not liable to be used in excess
or wasted. It is applicable for use with various kinds of paper, from the heavy
wrapping papers of commerce to the fine medicinal paper for watercloset use, and
is of general utility wherever paper is consumed in quantities.
Referring to the Drawings making part of this Specification, A represents a
•

page_text: cylindrical cabinet mounted upon a stand B, the cabinet, however, may be of any
desired configuration, and be mounted upon a bracket or any other rest, and con-
structed as convenience of manufacture may dictate; in the form represented in the
Drawing it is provided with a trap C to permit the introduction of the roll of paper,
but one of its heads may be removable, or the paper may be introduced by any
convenient method; D is the slot through which the end of the roll of paper passes
when drawn out; E is a cutter, angled over the slot in the manner shown, and
rigidly secured in relation thereto, it is made either sharp or serrated, or otherwise
constructed to sever the paper; F is a guard or fender represented as made of wire,
and intermediate between the slot and cutter, its function being to deflect the end
of the paper into the proper position relatively to the cutter to prevent the end
from slipping back into the case, and to retain it in such position that it can be
readily grasped after each tearing off; I, J, are rods (or rollers in the larger form of
apparatus) set longitudinally" across the base of the case, upon which the paper
travels in its unrolling, the rod I forming in the apparatus represented in connection
with the interior guard plate K the slot proper.
The cutter, fender, and interior guard plate are attached to the trap in the form
of apparatus depicted in the Drawing, the whole being locked when drawn by a
catch L, and being adapted to be raised together, as in dotted lines in Figure 2, but
such arrangement is merely for convenience of construction, and any other can be
substituted without in the least departing from the Invention; G is the roll of
paper mounted upon a removable shaft or spindle playing in journals within the
case. Tension is exerted upon the roll by a spring arm M to prevent the paper
from unrolling too rapidly, and likewise to prevent it from rolling the end back
into the case out of reach.
It is obvious that one or more cases may be combined to form a composite holder
if so desired, and that the Invention is of applicability to any fabric or substance
made in lengths, and requiring to be quartered to given sizes, the proper modifications
in structure and arrangements of parts being made; it is also applicable to twine and
the like.
When it is desired to place two or more rolls of paper side by side, so that
their ends will emerge from the same slot, it is simply necessary instead of one
shaft to simply separate spindles and mountings, and when the interior' of the
cabinet is circular the rolls can be laid within, without shaft or spindle whatever.
The cutter may be applied to the case in any desired way, as may also the fender,
or the two may be combined and applied as a single device.
Such being the construction of the improvement, when the roll is in place, and
its end has been passed through the slot and about the fender, the paper is torn off by
a quick movement of the hand drawing it upwards and against the cutter, the
guard acting to throw the roll end down and into place to be grasped for the next
severance,
Having thus described the Invention, I claim,
1. A case A for holding a roll of paper G, provided with an opening D through
which the paper is drawn, in combination with a cutter E, against which the paper
is torn.
2. In combination with cutter E and the slot D, a guard or fender F, for the
purpose specified.
3. In combination with a paper holding case A, and in relation to an opening D
therein a fixed serrated edge cutter E, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with a case or receptacle for holding paper, a device applied
thereto for cutting such paper to any desired size as required for use, essentially as
specified.
5. In combination with a roll of paper enclosed within a case, a cutter adapted to
cut the roll of paper into sheets.
6. In combination with the holder A and with the roll of paper G, the tension
arm M, for the purpose specified.

page_text: 7. In combination with the trap C, the cutter E, fender F, and interior guard
plate K, arranged as shown.
8. The rod I in relation with interior guard plate K, so as to form the slot D as
described.
9. In combination with the case A and its slot D, the roller rods I, J, as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Augustus Miles, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, A.D. 1877.
In the presence of
J. BONSALL TAYLOR.
W. C. STRAWBRIDGE.
יז
WILLIAM AUGUSTOS MILES.
(LA.S.)