US3600049A

US3600049A - Sheet material dispensing cabinet, conversion unit and method

Info

Publication number: US3600049A
Application number: US878359A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lehyman J Bastian
Original assignee: Scott Paper Co
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Tissue Co
Priority date: 1969-11-20
Filing date: 1969-11-20
Publication date: 1971-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-17

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material into a cabinet capable of dispensing sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, involving the attachment of feed means beneath an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall of the cabinet through the use of fastener means operating through spaced-apart portions of the dispensing opening, the opposite ends of the fastener means serving to hold guide plates disposed inside of the cabinet in an upright position so as to control the position of the roll from which the sheet material is being unwound.

Description

United States Patent Lehyman J. Bastian Media, Pa.

Nov. 20, 1969 Aug. 17, 1971 Scott Paper Company Delaware County, Pa.

[72] Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee [54] SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSING CABINET,

CONVERSION UNIT AND METHOD 18 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,115,998 12/1963 Joyce et a1.

3,128,024 4/1964 Downham ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus for converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material into a cabinet capable of dispensing sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, involving the attachment of feed means beneath an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall of the cabinet through the use of fastener means operating through spaced-apart portions of the dispensing opening, the opposite ends of the fastener means serving to hold guide plates disposed inside of the cabinet in an upright position so as to control the position of the roll from which the sheet material is being unwound.

PATENTEU we: Han 3.600.049

sum 1 or 3 INVENTOK Lehymon J. Bastion ATTORNEY PATENTED AUG] 7 |97| SHEET 2 [If 3 \WUUDDWWQDA INVENTOR. Lehymon J. Bastian ATTORNEY.

PATENTEI] AUG] 1 I97! 3, 600 O49 sum a nr 3 INVENTOR.

Fig. 9 I Lehymcm J. Bastion BY/M ATTORNEY.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the invention This invention relates to the dispensing of sheet material and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for converting a dispensing cabinet normally adapted to dispense folded sheet products into a dispensing cabinet capable of dispensing sheet products from a roll. The method and apparatus of the present invention have particular application in the dispensing of consumer-type sheet materials such as disposable paper towels and the like.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art In the past, paper towels have commonly been dispensed either in the form of single sheets from a stack of folded and generally interfolded and interleaved sheets, or in the form of a strip being unwound from a roll of sheet material. The sheet material on the strip sometimes is divided or separated into individual sheets by spaced transverse lines of weakness such as a series of perforations.

The forms of dispensing cabinets utilized to dispense each of these forms of materials have generally been quite different from one another, and the markets which these forms of materials were designed to fill are often quite distinct. Therefore, users were able to install a cabinet for folded paper towels and to be assured of always obtaining a supply of folded paper towels at the desired price to fill the cabinet. Similarly, users were able to purchase a cabinet for dispensing paper towels from a roll and to be assured of a continuity of supply of towels in that form at a favorable price.

However, recently, there has been a desire on the part of many users to convert their cabinet to permit towels in the other form to be dispensed due to any one of many reasons. For instance, the price on a given form of product may be more favorable, making it desirable to dispense that product. In such an instance, it would be desirable to be able to convert the cabinet to allow it to dispense the other form of sheet material without permanently altering the cabinet and without preventing ultimate use of the cabinet to dispense sheet material in the first form. Not only would permanent alterations in the cabinet tend to mar the appearance of the cabinet, should it be desirable later to recommence dispensing the form of product originally dispensed, but oftentimes, the dispensing cabinets are leased from a cabinet supply house or from the supplier of the sheet material under an agreement whereby the lessee agrees not to permanently alter or damage in any other way the leased cabinet. However, it has not been possible in the past to dispense sheet material on a roll from a dispensing cabinet which was designed to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material in a satisfactory manner. The only practical solution reached was to replace the cabinet or to extensively modify it, either of which alternatives involved a great deal of expense, even where permitted.

Accordingly, it is the chief object and advantage of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for converting a cabinet, normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof, into a cabinet capable of dispensing sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material.

It is an additional object and advantage of the present invention to provide such apparatus which is removably attachable to the cabinet being modified, by means operable through the dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof in a manner such that the original form of the cabinet is in no way irreversibly altered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its broadest aspects, the invention is the combination of a housing defining a space and normally adapted to contain a stack of folded sheet material, but capable of containing a roll of wound sheet material to be dispensed, which housing has a bottom wall with an elongate dispensing opening therein through which the sheet material is withdrawn, and feed means disposed beneath the dispensing opening and and removably attached to the housing, the -feed means being adapted to receive sheet material issuing through the dispensing opening and to grip successive portions thereof to draw the sheet material from the housing. This combination allows the above cabinet to dispense sheet material from a wound roll. The invention also includes fastener means for removably attaching the feed means to the bottom wall of the housing. The fastener means are preferably operable through spaced-apart terminal portions of the dispensing opening to eliminate the need to make any permanent modification in the housing. The apparatus also preferably includes spaced guide plates disposed inside the housing upon the bottom wall, over portions of the dispensing opening. The guide plates are adapted to control the lateral position of a wound roll of sheet material disposed within the housing upon the bottom wall by frictional contact with at least one of the ends thereof. Preferably the guide plates each include an inwardly projecting portion on their surface directed toward the roll of sheet material which controls the frictional contact between the end of the roll and the guide plate so that the roll is inhibited from turning askew to the dispensing opening.

The invention also comprises apparatus for converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof, into a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material. The conversion apparatus comprises feed means adapted to be disposed beneath the dispensing opening in the bottom wall of the cabinet so as to receive sheet material issuing through the dispensing opening and to grip successive portions of the sheet material so as to draw it from the housing, and fastener means operable through spaced-apart portions of the dispensing opening to removably secure the feed means to the bottom wall.

The invention also comprises a method for converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof, into a cabinet capable of dispensing sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material. The method includes the steps of inserting feed means into position beneath the dispensing opening in the bottom wall so that sheet material issuing through the dispensing opening from a roll of sheet material disposed in the cabinet is introduced into the feed means so as to be drawn from the roll, and inserting fastener means through spaced-apart portions of the dispensing opening in a manner such that the feed means are removably secured to the bottom wall. In a preferred embodiment, guide plates are held in place on the bottom wall by means of the fastener means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional side elevation view of a portion of a towel cabinet for dispensing folded paper towels from a stack of folded paper towels, illustrating the manner in which the cabinet functions;

FIG. 2 is a schematic section side elevation view of the cabinet illustrated in FIG. 1, after the cabinet has been modified in accordance with the invention to permit a continuous strip of paper toweling to be dispensed from a wound roll mounted therein;

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional front elevation view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conversion unit of the invention, partly in sectional;

FIG. 5 is a partial top view of the feed means taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view illustrating the disposition of a roll of sheet material in the dispenser when the major portion of the sheet material has been unwound therefrom;

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of a roll of sheet material in the dispenser when the major portion of the sheet material has been unwound therefrom, showing the manner in which the guide plates of the apparatus of the invention prevent the roll from becoming askew to the dispensing opening; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic elevation view of a portion of the apparatus of the invention, illustrating the manner in which the inwardly projecting portions of the guide plates coact with the ends of the roll of sheet material to maintain its alignment with the dispensing opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional form of towel cabinet is shown which is normally adapted to dispense paper towels from the stack 10 of folded paper towels which have portions interleaved with portions of succeeding towels in the stack. This interleaving or interfolding insures that upon withdrawal of one towel from the dispensing opening in the bottom wall of the towel cabinet, the lower portion of the succeeding towel in the stack will be simultaneously withdrawn through the opening so that it may be grasped by a user. The towels are usually of the multifold or the single-fold variety, the single-fold type being shown in FIG. 1.

The cabinet comprises a housing, only the lower portion of the housing being shown, including a backwall 11, a front wall 12, and a bottom wall 13 having an elongate dispensing opening 14 therein. Normally the front wall 12 of the cabinet is hinged (in a manner not shown in FIG. 1) to permit its interior to be exposed so that a fresh stack of towels can be inserted into the cabinet. It is this general type of cabinet which the invention enables one to convert so that towels can be dispensed from wound roll disposed in the cabinet.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the manner in which the towel cabinet of FIG. 1 can be converted in accordance with the invention. Thus, feed means, indicated generally by reference numeral 15, are disposed beneath the dispensing opening 14 in the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet. The feed means 15 are attached to the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet by fastener means 16 extending through spaced-apart terminal portions of the dispensing opening 14, that is, the portions at or near the ends of the dispensing opening 14. In this manner, the fastener means 16 do not interfere with the passage of sheet material through the central portion of the dispensing opening 14 between the spaced fastener means 16. In the embodiment shown, two spaced guide plates 17 are disposed within the cabinet over the terminal portions of the dispensing opening 14 and are secured in those positions by the fastener means 16. A roll 18 ofwound sheet material such as paper toweling is disposed within the cabinet and has its leading end 20 fed through the dispensing opening 14 and through the feed means 15 so that upon operation of the feed means 15 as by turning the crank handle 21, successive portions of the sheet material are gripped and drawn from the cabinet housing so as to be dispensed.lt can readily be seen that should it be desirable to reconvert the towel cabinet to its original form to enable it to dispense folded sheet material from a stack 10, the fastener means 16 may beundoneandthefeedmeansl5and theguide plates]7removed,leavingthe original cabinet with no physical changes. One of the advantages is that all of the above changes may be conveniently made in the field without requiring special equipment.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate in greater detail a preferred embodiment of the conversion unit of the present invention. The conversion unit comprises apparatus which can be removably attached to a towel cabinet, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, to enable it to dispense sheet material from a wound roll of sheet material disposed within the cabinet. The conversion apparatus basically comprises feed means 15 to which the fastener means 16 are attached and two spaced guide plates 17 cooperable therewith but adapted to be disposed inside the cabinet on the side of the bottom wall 14 opposite the feed means 15, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The feed means include a feed roller 22 and a pressure roller 23 which are arranged parallel and adjacent to one another to form a pressure nip through which the sheet material passes. The feed roller 22 has a plurality of relieved sections 24, or sections of lesser diameter, along its length so that only spaced raised sections 25 of its surface contact the pressure roller 23. The

rollers

22 and 23 are rotatably carried by bearing

members

26 and 27 carried by spaced

end plates

28 and 30, respectively.

Thus, the feed roller 22 has an axially extending portion (not shown) of reduced diameter which projects into a corresponding hole (not shown) in the bearing member 26. A spring clutch 31 encircles that end of the feed roller 22 and one end of the spring 31 is attached to the end plate 28, in a manner preventing the spring 31 from rotating with the feed roller 22. The spring 31 acts as a directional control device in that it frictionally grips the feed roller 22 and prevents it from rotating in one direction but freely allows it to rotate at the opposite direction. The opposite end of the feed roller 22 is carried by one end of another spring clutch 32. The opposite end of the spring clutch is carried by a collar 29 afiixed to a through-extending end of the crank handle 21. The crank handle 21 is rotatably carried by the end plate 30 and is adapted to be turned by a user. The ends of the spring clutch 32 wrap the end of the feed roller 22 and the end of the crank handle 21, respectively, in such a way that the crank 21 will only drive the feed roller 22 when it is turned in one direction. Only slippage occurs between the spring clutch 32 and the crank handle 21 or the feed roller 22 when it is turned in the opposite direction. The combination of the spring 31 and the spring clutch 32 prevents the sheet material disposed between the two rolls from being fed back into the cabinet in which case, dispensing continuity would be broken and the cabinet would have to be opened to correct the interrupted feed.

A bearing member 27 is similarly attached to the end plate 30 and rotatably carries the end of the crank arm 21. Each of the bearing

members

26 and 27 has an upper portion for rotatably carrying the ends of the pressure roller 23 in a manner such that pressure is applied to press it into contact with the feed roller 22. Thus, the bearing member 26 has a portion 33 which rotatably carries one end of the pressure roller 23 while the bearing member 27 has a portion 34 which rotatably carries the other end of the pressure roller 23. Compression spring means 35 are contained in each of the

portions

33 and 34 and are adapted to apply a biasing force against the ends of the pressure roller 23 toward the feed roller 22.

An outwardly depending flange 36 is attached to each of the

end plates

28 and 30 and carries a bolt 37 which is adapted to pass through the terminal portions of the dispensing opening 14 to secure the feed means 15 to the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet. A nut 38 is provided which cooperates with each bolt 37.

A front guide plate 40 is disposed in front of the

rollers

22 and 23 and extends from end plate 28 to end plate 30. The front guide plate 40 has a portion 41 extending upwardly beyond the level of the flanges 36 which is adapted to contact the lower surface of the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet and which determines the spacing of the

roller

22 and 23 and the nip formed thereby from the dispensing opening 14. The front guide plate 40 also has a rearwardly directed lower portion 42 disposed beneath the pressure nip and tenninating in a rearwardly directed cutting edge 43, which preferably is serrated to form sharp cutting teeth, as shown in FIG. 5. This permits the sheet material withdrawn from the cabinet by means of the feed means 15 to be severed from the remaining material in the cabinet by a user.

The feed means 15 also includes a rear guide plate 44 which extends from a point closely spaced from the pressure roll 23 to a forward point generally beneath the front face of the front guide plate 40. The rear guide plate 44 extends from end plate 28 to end plate 30 and is secured thereto as by flanges 39 secured, as by welding, to the end plates. The

guide plates

40 and 44 define an arcuate dispensing passageway 45 terminating in a second dispensing opening 46 beneath the dispensing opening 14 in the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet being converted.

"Two

guide plates

47 and 48 are disposed inside the cabinet above the bottom wall 13. Each of the

guide plates

47 and 48 has an upstanding, roll-contacting portion 50, an intermediate portion 51 which is generally horizontal, and a downwardly depending portion 52 connecting to the intermediate portion 51 and adapted to fit into the dispensing opening 14in the bottom wall 13. This fixes the position of the guide plates 47 and I 48 relative to the dispensing opening 14 and holds them rigidly in place when fastener means 16 are utilized in combination therewith. The bolts 37 are adapted to pass through holes 53 in the horizontal portion 51 and the nut 38 is utilized to secure each

guide plate

47 and 48 in position.

If a roll of sheet material to be dispensed is to be rotatably mounted in the cabinet rather than frictionally resting on the bottom wall 13 thereof, each of the

guide plates

47 and 48 may include a pair of spaced holes'54 therethrough disposed on opposite sides of the dispensing opening 14, as shown in FIG. 6. A pair of rollers 55 may be rotatably carried by the

guide plates

47 and 48 by corresponding holes 54 so as to extend between the

guide plates

47 and 48 and to form a cradle for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material within the cabinet.

In accordance with the invention, the upstanding portion 50 of each

guide plate

47 and 48 has an inwardly projecting portion 56 on its surface which is directed toward the roll of sheet material in the cabinet. This inwardly projecting portion 56 is preferably disposed immediately above the dispensing opening 14 in the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet being converted. It has been found that such a projecting portion 56 controls the friction between the guide plate and the end of the roll of sheet material being dispensed so that when the sheet material is almost depleted from the roll, frictional forces are not generated which would turn the roll askew to' the dispensing opening 14, thereby causing wrinkling and ultimate tearing of the sheet material as is described below. Preferably, the inwardly projecting portion 56 extends upwardly from a point closely spaced from the bottom wall to a point where it will contact the ends of the roll being dispensed or the ends of the roll core when most of the sheet material has been removed from the roll. The portion 56 should extend inwardly at least for a distance sufficient to keep the ends of the roll from contacting the inwardly directed faces of the

guide plates

47 and 48 and thereby generating frictional forces.

F IG. 7 illustrates the manner in which a roll 57 which is almost depleted turns askew to the dispensing opening 14 in the bottom wall 13 of the cabinet. When the roll 57 turns in this manner, the roll 57 generally has one end contacting at least one of the guide plates 17 and it becomes jammed into the guide plate, causing overlapping and wrinkling of the sheet material being drawn through the feed means. It may even result in tearing of the sheet material when tension created by the jam becomes sufficient. Thus, movement of the roll 57 of sheet material toward one of the guide plates 17 is caused by increased tension in the sheet material extending from the roll 57 to the feed means 15. This increased tension is believed to result from any one of several factors, such as different tensile or stretch properties in the paper, or variations in the diameter of the web-contacting portions of

rollers

22 or 23 along their length, resulting in a different rate of feed of paper through one side of the feed means compared with that being fed through the other side of the feed .means 15. This tension tends to increase when the ends of the roll 5.7 generate force components laterally spaced from the dispensing opening 14 due to contact of those portions of the guide plate with a portion of the end of the roll 57 which is not directly over the I dispensing opening 14 when the roll is aligned parallel thereto.

FIG. 8 illustrates the manner in which projecting portions 56 on the guide plates 17 control the position of the roll 57 relative to the dispensing opening 14. Thus, the projecting portions 56 on the guide plates 17 restrict the force components generated by friction so that they have certain directions and are disposed over the dispensing opening 14 It has been found that this arrangement maintains the roll 57 generally parallel with the dispensing opening 14 even when the sheet material on the roll 57 is substantially depleted.

F IG. 9 schematically illustrates by vectors the direction and approximate relative magnitude of force components generated when one end of the roll 57 contacts the projecting portion 56 of one of the guide plates 17. It can be seen that the frictional force B generated by contact between the roll 57 and the projecting portion 56 substantially counteracts in direction and amount the force tending to turn the roll 57 askew due to the tension A generated from withdrawing the sheet material from the roll through the dispensing opening.

It can be seen from the above discussion and drawings that the present invention provides a method and apparatus for converting a cabinet, adapted to dispense folded sheet material from a stack, to a cabinet capable of dispensing sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material. In addition, the conversion is accomplished without permanently altering the cabinet. Thus, the feed means are removably attached to the cabinet by fastener means operating through the dispensing opening already present in the cabinet.

It will be apparent from the above description that various modifications in the apparatus described may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the nature of the fastener means or the feed means could be quite different from those described. In addition, the configuration of the guide plates might be different. For example, the roll might be rotatably carried on trunnions supported by the guide plates within the cabinet. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific details described herein, except as may be required by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet for dispensing sheet material, the combination of:

a housing defining a space normally adapted to contain a stack of folded sheet material, but capable of containing a roll of wound sheet material to be dispensed, said housing having a bottom wall with an elongate dispensing opening therein through which sheet material is withdrawn,

feed means disposed beneath said dispensing opening and removably attached to said housing, said feed means being adapted to receive sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening and to grip successive portions thereof to draw said sheet material from said housing,

whereby said cabinet is adapted to dispense sheet material from a wound roll.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including fastener means for removably attaching said feed means to the bottom wall of said housing, said fastener means being operable through spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including spaced guide plates disposed inside said housing upon said bottom wall over portions of said dispensing opening, said guide plates being adapted to control the lateral position of a wound roll of sheet material disposed within said housing upon said bottom wall, by frictional contact with the ends thereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said guide plates each include an inwardly projection portion on their surface directed toward the roll of sheet material, said portion extending upwardly from a point closely spaced from the bottom wall to a point whereby the ends of said roll frictionally contact one of said inwardly projecting portions when the roll is laterally displaced to one side so that the guide plate inhibits the roll from turning askew to the dispensing opening.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said guide plates are disposed over spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening and are held in position by through-extending portions of saidfastener means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said guide plates has an upwardly extending roll contacting portion, a horizontal intermediate portion, and a downwardly depending portion connected to said intermediate portion and adapted to fit into said dispensing opening to control the position of said guide plates.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3, including two rotatably v mounted support rollers arranged parallel to and spaced apart from one another between said guide plates, said support rollers being carried by said guide plates and being disposed parallel to and on opposite sides of said dispensing opening, whereby said support rollers are adapted to rotatably support a roll of wound sheet material being dispensed.

8. Apparatus for converting a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof into a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, said apparatus comprising:

feed means adapted to be disposed beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall so as to receive sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening and to grip successive portions of said sheet material so as to draw said sheet material from said housing, and

fastener means operable through spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening to removably secure said feed means to said bottom wall,

whereby sheet material from a spirally wound roll may be dispensed from said cabinet when said apparatus is attached thereto.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, including two guide plates adapted to be inserted over spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening on the side of said bottom wall opposite said feed means, and to be held in position on said bottom wall by said fastener means in spaced-apart positions, whereby the guide plates control the lateral position of a wound roll of sheet material disposed within said housing upon said bottom wall by frictional contact with at least one of the ends thereof.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said guide plates include an inwardly projecting portion of their surface directed toward the roll of sheet material, said portion extending upwardly from a point closely spaced from the bottom wall to a point whereby the ends of said roll frictionally contact one of said inwardly projecting portions when the roll is laterally displaced to one side so that the guide plate inhibits the roll from turning askew to the dispensing opening.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said guide plates are disposed over spacedapart portions of said dispensing opening and are held in position by through-extending portions of said fastener means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of said guide plates has an upwardly extending roll contacting portion, a horizontal intermediate portion, and a downwardly depending portion connected to said intermediate portion and adapted to fit into said dispensing opening to control the position of said guide plates.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9, including two rotatably mounted support rollers arranged parallel to and spaced apart from one another between said guide plates, said support rollers being carried by said guide plates and being disposed parallel to and on opposite sides of said dispensing opening, whereby said support rollers are adapted to rotatably support a roll of wound sheet material being dispensed.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said feed means comprise two rotatably mounted rollers arranged with their axes parallel to one another,

spring bias means adapted to press one of said rollers toward the other to form a pressure nip,

whereby said rollers grip successive portions of sheet material feed therebetween.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein one of said rollers is adapted to be driven when sheet material is to be dis ensed through said feed means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said feed means include a front guide plate disposed in front of said pressure nip, and

terminating in a rearwardly directed cutting edge, and

a rear guide plate extending from a point beneath said rollers and behind said pressure nip to a forward point beneath the front edge of said front guide plate,

whereby said front and rear guide plates define an arcuate dispensing passageway terminating in a second dispensing opening beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall.

17. A method of converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongated dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof, into a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, comprising the steps of inserting feed means into position beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall so that sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening from a roll of sheet material disposed in said cabinet is introduced into said feed means so as to be drawn from said roll, and

inserting fastener means through spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening in a manner such that said feed means are removably secured to said bottom wall.

18. A method according to claim 17, including attaching upstanding guide plates to said bottom wall over spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening by means of said fastener means.

Claims

1. In a cabinet for dispensing sheet material, the combination of: a housing defining a space normally adapted to contain a stack of folded sheet material, but capable of containing a roll of wound sheet material to be dispensed, said housing having a bottom wall with an elongate dispensing opening therein through which sheet material is withdrawn, feed means disposed beneath said dispensing opening and removably attached to said housing, said feed means being adapted to receive sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening and to grip successive portions thereof to draw said sheet material from said housing, whereby said cabinet is adapted to dispense sheet material from a wound roll.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said guide plates are disposed over spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening and are held in position by through-extending portions of said fastener means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3, including two rotatably mounted support rollers arranged parallel to and spaced apart from one another between said guide plates, said support rollers being carried by said guide plates and being disposed parallel to and on opposite sides of said dispensing opening, whereby said support rollers are adapted to rotatably support a roll of wound sheet material being dispensed.

8. Apparatus for converting a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongate dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof into a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, said apparatus comprising: feed means adapted to be disposed beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall so as to receive sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening and to grip successive portions of said sheet material so as to draw said sheet material from said housing, and fastener means operable through spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening to removably secure said feed means to said bottom wall, whereby sheet material from a spirally wound roll may be dispensed from said cabinet when said apparatus is attached thereto.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said guide plates are disposed over spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening and are held in position by through-extending portions of said fastener means.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said feed means comprise two rotatably mounted rollers arranged with their axes parallel to one another, spring bias means adapted to press one of said rollers toward the other to form a pressure nip, whereby said rollers grip successive portions of sheet material feed therebetween.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein one of said rollers is adapted to be driven when sheet material is to be dispensed through said feed means.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said feed means include a front guide plate disposed in front of said pressure nip, and terminating in a rearwardly directed cutting edge, and a rear guide plate extending from a point beneath said rollers and behind said pressure nip to a forward point beneath the front edge of said front guide plate, whereby said front and rear guide plates define an arcuate dispensing passageway terminating in a second dispensing opening beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall.

17. A method of converting a cabinet normally adapted to dispense sheet material from a stack of folded sheet material through an elongated dispensing opening in the bottom wall thereof, into a cabinet adapted to dispense sheet material from a roll of wound sheet material, comprising the steps of inserting feed means into position beneath the dispensing opening in said bottom wall so that sheet material issuing through said dispensing opening from a roll of sheet material disposed in said cabinet is introduced into said feed means so as to be drawn from said roll, and inserting fastener means through spaced-apart portions of said dispensing opening in a manner such that said feed means are removably secured to said bottom wall.