Patent ID: 6994408

Claim:
A sheet product roll dispenser, comprising: a) an openable cabinet for holding a roll of spirally-wound sheet product, the spirally-wound sheet product having a free end; the free end being releasably held in a nip between an advance roller and a pinch roller; the advance roller being turned by an advance motor connected rotationally to the advance roller; the advance motor being started and stopped by the blocking of a first electromagnetic beam by a user, so that the sheet product advances when the beam is blocked and stops when the beam is allowed to pass; b) means for cutting the sheet product transversely to the direction of advancement; the means for cutting the sheet product transversely comprising a cutter assembly driven transversely by a cut motor; the cut motor being controlled by the blocking of a second electromagnetic beam by a user; the cutter assembly further comprising a vertical cutter axle mounted between bearings in a housing, and a circular blade having a circular cutting edge mounted fixedly to the axle in concentric and perpendicular relation to the axle; the cutter assembly slidably held by a traverse rod mounted on a first side of the sheet product transverse to the direction of advancement; the traverse rod having opposite ends, and having at least one park position located at either or both opposite ends; the means for cutting the sheet product transversely to the direction of advancement further comprising a fixed blade having a straight cutting edge mounted on a second side of the sheet product and transverse to the direction of advancement; the traverse rod being mounted so as to bring the circular cutting edge into shearing engagement with the straight cutting edge along the entire length of the fixed blade, and so as to cut the sheet product fully transversely in one pass; and c) means for releasably clamping the sheet product above and below the straight cutting edge.