Abstract: A portable chuck for dispensing under tension a roll of wrapping material wound about a tubular core is disclosed herein. The portable chuck includes an expandable spindle insertable within one end of the tubular core, and a handle for selectively expanding the spindle so as to create a braking force between the outside surface of the expandable spindle and the inside surface of the tubular core. The chuck is formed from first and second chuck pieces, each of which includes a semi-cylindrical spindle portion, collar, and handle portion. The fulcrum means is disposed between the first and second adjacent chuck pieces above the collar of each for allowing a relative rocking motion between the first and second adjacent chuck pieces, whereby the spindle portions are drawn away from one another at a mechanical advantage as the handle portions are manually squeezed toward one another.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispenser for a web of wrapping material having a conveniently operable manual braking mechanism. The invention generally comprises first and second side members adjacent to each side of a roll of wrapping material, respectively. Each of these side members has a bearing member disposed thereon for supporting the core of said roll and for permitting the core and roll to rotate incident to a dispensing operation. At least one of the bearing members is insertable into the core and has an expandible bearing surface on which the core end can rotate when the surface is in its unexpanded state. A manually operated means associated with one or both of the side plates operates to expand the bearing surface at the film is paid out, thereby acting as a braking means to apply tension to the film as it is applied.