Toilet paper rod with self-locking device

Abstract

A self locking device for holding a roll of material comprising a moveable arm adapted to pivot about a support member which extends through the roll. The moveable arm prevents the roll of material from sliding off the support member when it pivots away from the support member. The moveable arm comprises an arcuate slot which abuts against a bar on the support member and limits the pivot about the fulcrum of the support member. The moveable arm allows loading and unloading the roll of material when it is stored within the support member.

Description

BACKGROUND

This invention involves a new device for holding rolls of sheet material which involves a self locking device to prevent rolls of sheet material from falling off the roll holder. More particularly, this invention involves a self-locking mechanism for locking rolls of toilet paper onto a roll holder. The self-locking mechanism fits within the roll holder in order to change the roll of sheet material and rotates out of the roll holder in order to lock the roll of sheet material on the roll holder.

BACKGROUND

Manufacturers of sheet material have for a long time produced products in rolls. Some examples of rolls of sheet material include plastic, steel, aluminum, paper, and fabric.

Known in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,190 (Moser), which discloses a spindle for holding a roll and the spindle has a flange attached to the outer end of the spindle. The flange is attached via a spring and the flange is always outside the spindle. Another paper roll holder in U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,605 utilizes a spring mechanism for securing the roll in place.

Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,995 disclosed a paper towel holder using lanyards. Lanyards wrapped around rolls of paper towels held the rolls of paper towels in place with decorative beads. The roll holder in U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,074 disclosed a stop element consisting of attachment of a screw off cap or disc to a cylinder. Finally, in 1949, U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,074 showed the design of a roll holder, with the stop mechanism always on the exterior of the support spindle and in the shape of a cylinder.

SUMMARY

A roll as heavy and dense as a coil of steel when transported utilizes a support member extending through the coils. The support member is longer than at least a length of a coil of steel. The support member may hold a plurality of coils. A proximate end contains a means for attaching the support mechanism to an anchoring device. The distal end comprises a fulcrum about which a moveable arm can rotate above the coil of steel, and below the roll of steel. The moveable arm while in the support member allows for installation and removal of the coils of steel.

A roll as light as a roll of toilet paper utilizes a self-locking mechanism when a lever rotates about a fulcrum on the support member such that the lever rotates from within the support member, an x-axis, to a height less than perpendicular to a y-axis. The lever rotates back to the center of the support mechanism, the x-axis, and then rotates down from the x-axis of the support member to less than perpendicular to the negative y-axis.

The self-locking device for holding a roll of toilet paper includes a support mechanism adapted to extend through at least one core of toilet paper and has a means for stopping the toilet paper from falling off the support member at the distal end of the support member. The proximate end of the support mechanism has a means for attachment of the self locking device to a surface.

The distal end of the support member has means for stopping the roll of toilet paper from falling off the support member. A fulcrum on the distal end allows rotation of a lever about a first point on the support member. Adjacent the fulcrum is a mechanism for stopping the rotation about the fulcrum. A preferred embodiment for stopping the rotation about the fulcrum includes a bar adjacent the fulcrum at a second point on the support member, the bar having a length at least the diameter of the support member and extending perpendicularly through the support member.

The distal end of the support member comprises a moveable arm which rotates around the fulcrum. The moveable arm comprises a length at least the radius of the core of the roll of material. A preferable length of the moveable arm comprises a length at least the diameter of the core of the roll of material. The moveable arm extends past the core of the roll in order to hold it in place when the core of the roll touches the moveable arm.

The moveable arm comprises a means to lock the roll of paper on the support member. An embodiment of the self locking mechanism involves a circular slot at a first end of said moveable arm, so the moveable arm can rotate about the fulcrum on the support member and an arcuate slot adjacent the circular slot. The moveable arm does not rotate 360 degrees about the fulcrum due to the arcuate slot abutting against the bar on the support member.

The means for stopping the rotation involves limiting the pivot of the moveable arm around the fulcrum. The fulcrum in the distal end of the support mechanism is adjacent a stopping mechanism. A preferred mechanism involves use of a bar on the support mechanism to abut the arcuate slot on the moveable arm.

The stopping mechanism on the moveable arm involves at least one orifice through which a rod may pass. One opening rotates about the fulcrum; a second orifice has a shape of an arcuate slot. The arcuate slot limits the rotation of the moveable arm by abutting against the bar in the support mechanism.

When the moveable arm is within the support member, a roll of material, preferably a toilet paper roll, may be installed or removed from the support member. In a preferred embodiment the moveable arm is a planar piece with at least two slots. The slot at the first end of the planar piece allows the planar piece to pivot to less than 90 degrees above the support member, pivot back to within the support member, and pivot to less than 90 degrees below the support member. The planar piece is of sufficient length to extend past the core of the roll of material in order to block it from falling off the end. In a most preferred embodiment the second end of the planar piece has an orifice that is sufficient to receive a padlock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a self locking device unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the toilet paper rod with self-locking device for holding multiple rolls of toilet paper consists of a rod 2 with sufficient length to hold a plurality of rolls of toilet paper. The proximate end 3 has a means for attachment to a surface. The rod 3 is attached to a holder within a wall of a portable toilet. The distal end 4 has a fulcrum 5 and a pin 6 around which the moveable arm 7 rotates. Arcuate slot 8 limits the angle of rotation about fulcrum 5 when pin 6 abuts against arcuate slot 8. Moveable arm 7 pivots around fulcrum 5 to an angle limited by arcuate slot 8 and back again.

Moveable arm 7 is in a roll-loading position when moveable arm 7 is within member 2. Member 2 supports the roll of sheet material by extending though its core.

Moveable arm 2 then rotates out of the support member 2 in order to lock the roll of toilet paper and prevent it from sliding off support member 2. Moveable arm 7 rotates from a position within the x-axis of support member 2 to a position almost perpendicular to support member 2. Moveable arm 7 may not rotate more than 90 degrees above the x-axis of support member 2 due to the interaction between arcuate slot 8 and pin 6. Moveable arm 7 may, however, rotate to 90 degrees in the opposite direction down below the x-axis. As long as the moveable arm 7 has a length sufficient to extend past the core of the roll to at least the rift layer of material wound around the core, the moveable arm prevents a plurality of rolls from sliding off the support member. The direction of the rotation may be in any direction of the z axis.

The toilet paper rod with self-locking device may be made of any material. The material may be metallic, organic, inorganic, silicone, or plastic.

Thus a novel toilet paper rod with self-locking mechanism has been described. It will be appreciated that the device has been described in terms of several embodiments, which are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. Accordingly, although specific embodiments have been described, these are examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device comprising:

a member adapted to extend through a core of the roll of material, said member comprising:

a proximate end, said proximate end comprising means for attachment to a surface,

a distal end, said distal end comprising a moveable arm connected to said member,

whereby said moveable arm comprises means to pivot from a roll-loading position to a roll-locking position, said roll-loading position comprising said moveable arm fitting generally within said member, said roll-locking position comprising said moveable arm pivoting out of said member to an angle sufficient to hold said roll of material on said member.

2. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim 1 wherein said moveable arm pivots to a substantially 90 degree angle relative to said support member.

3. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim wherein said member comprises a fulcrum about which the moveable arm may pivot and said member comprises a means to limit said pivot.

4. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim 3 wherein said moveable arm comprises means to limit said pivot.

5. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim 1 wherein said member and said moveable arm comprise means to limit said pivot about said member.

6. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim 1 wherein said distal end comprises a fulcrum, said moveable arm pivots around said fulcrum, said member comprises means to limit said pivot, and said moveable arm comprises means to limit said pivot about said fulcrum.

7. A toilet paper rod with self-locking device according to claim 6 wherein said moveable arm comprises an arcuate slot and said member comprises a pin extending through said arm perpendicular to a length of the member, whereby said member abuts against said pin.

8. A method for constructing a toilet paper rod with self-locking device comprises:

mounting a moveable arm on a member for supporting a roll of material, wherein said member comprises a distal end and a proximate end, said proximate end comprises means for attachment to a surface and said distal end comprises a fulcrum, rotating the moveable arm about said fulcrum, and locking the roll of material onto said member.