Abstract: A paper towel removal accessory for use in removing only the desired number of paper towels at a time from a roll of paper towels. The roll of paper towels is rotatably mounted on a paper towel holder, the paper towel holder being mounted on a support surface. This accessory invention is designed to provide an efficient and reliable device to control and deliver exactly the number of paper towels desired by the user and to do it in single-handed operation. It works equally well with either vertical or horizontal installations, and it is equally efficient when applied with most commercial paper towel holders currently in use and available.

Abstract: A tearing-off roller pair, for tearing off sections or strips divided by perforation cuts from a material web, consists of a first roller with a substantially smooth steel shell and, applied against it, a second roller with a resilient body set into it for increasing the contact pressure, which resilient body projects above its peripheral surface in its unstressed state. To allow a greater retaining force to be exerted on the sections to be torn off, several of the resilient bodies are set in a recess along a cylindrical surface of the second roller.

Abstract: A system for dispensing individual sheet material segments from a roll of sheet material in which the sheet material is separated into individual segments by perforated tear lines. The sheet material roll is continually positioned on support rollers with the lead end of the sheet material passing through a nip defined by the rollers and a member which is biased against the rollers to resist rotation thereof. After passing through the nip the end of the toweling proceeds through a restricted opening. Pulling of the end-most segment by a consumer causes the end-most segment to be separated along the perforated tear line separating it from the adjoining, following segment.

Abstract: Linerless labels are manually dispensed by mounting a roll of the labels for take-off from a stationary shaft. A polygon-cross-section foam core is provided between the shaft and the label roll to provide a brake drag effect to prevent excess label unwind. The non-adhesive face of the labels passes from the roll around a freely rotating guide roller with a non-stick surface which ensures consistent wrap of the labels and no scuffing of the non-adhesive face as the labels are dispensed. The labels pass from the guide roller to a tear surface having a first smooth, coarse, ribbed or grooved pattern metal portion which has low adhesion to the adhesive of the labels, but will stick to the labels sufficiently to provide an anchoring force to a label greater than the force necessary to tear along a perforation of the label, and a second non-stick surface portion.

Abstract: A relatively heavy, free standing dispenser for continuous rolled plastic sheet material separable by tear lines. The roll is supported in a vertical position and is unwound by a steady force applied to the running end which extends through an opening of the dispenser. A sudden force is applied to separate individual sheets when the tear line passes the opening. The mass of the dispenser acts through the roll on the running end to oppose this force causing each sheet to separate cleanly beyond the opening.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for serially dispensing plastic bags from a wound roll of continuous flexible plastic bags joined along perforated severance lines. A box like container is provided which is adapted to receive the wound roll of plastic bags. The container has a bottom panel, a top panel, a rear panel, a front panel, and a pair of opposed side panels. The front panel defines a guide slot for guiding the plastic bags from the wound roll along a predetermined path and further defining a threading slide for threading the plastic bags from the wound roll into the guide slot. A separation tongue is located on the front panel for separating the plastic bags from the wound roll as the plastic bags engage the separation tongue along a predetermined path of travel.

Abstract: A dispenser for flexible webbing includes a dispensing nozzle formed by generally parallel wires bent along tortuous paths. The wires are spaced apart to provide a dispensing opening through which the webbing passes. The wires of the dispensing nozzle frictionally engage the webbing to limit the amount of webbing withdrawn, and to support the webbing during a tearing operation.

Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags, connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap between the finger and tongue. As a bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user. The roll of bags rests in curved grooves in the dispenser that cause the roll to abut and frictionally engage an interior surface of the dispenser, preventing free-wheeling of the roll. The curvature of the grooves causes the component of force which creates the frictional engagement to increase as the size of the roll decreases.

Abstract: A bag dispenser, for separating and dispensing a series of plastic bags where one end is attached to the top of the next bag by perforation lines with a slot therebetween. The series of bags are dispensed from a device comprising a wire frame formed into channels to support the core that the series of bags are rolled onto. The channels allow the core to rotate in place but restrict its linear movement to the vertical direction. The dispenser has two braking devices, a braking bar underneath the roll of bags and a pair of fingers that are attached to the channels to engage the core. The braking bar is positioned transversely to the series of bags so that it supports them. The pair of fingers does not engage the core until the number of bags on the core has decreased and the core has begun to descend. The two braking devices work in combination to retard the rotation and dispensing of the bags and thus to apply a tension to the series of bags.

Abstract: An improved coupon inserter assembly receives a continuous supply of coupons and separates the forwardmost coupon and successive coupons from the web in a controlled fashion. The inserter assembly includes a pair of opposed feed rolls and opposed burst rolls for delivering the forwardmost coupon to a predispense position and deliver that coupon to a point of insertion. The feed rolls and delivery rolls are both driven from a first drive source during a feeding operation. The feed rolls are driven by the first source and the burst rolls are driven by a second drive source during a burst operation.

Abstract: A presser assembly is provided for supporting carton blanking scrap during a blanking operation. The presser assembly includes a presser rail having a first end mounted to a guide cylinder and a second end mounted to a second guide cylinder such that each end of the presser rail is vertically movable independent of the opposite end. This, in turn, prevents jamming of the presser assembly during the blanking operation.

Abstract: Linerless labels are manually dispensed by mounting a roll of the labels for take-off from a stationary shaft. A polygon-cross-section foam core is provided between the shaft and the label roll to provide a brake drag effect to prevent excess label unwind. The non-adhesive face of the labels passes from the roll around a freely rotating guide roller with a non-stick surface which ensures consistent wrap of the labels and no scuffing of the non-adhesive face as the labels are dispensed. The labels pass from the guide roller to a tear surface having a first smooth, coarse, ribbed or grooved pattern metal portion which has low adhesion to the adhesive of the labels, but will stick to the labels sufficiently to provide an anchoring force to a label greater than the force necessary to tear along a perforation of the label, and a second non-stick surface portion.

Abstract: A combined dry sanitary tissue and prewetted personal hygiene wipes dispenser including a rear housing and a front housing, the front housing being movable from an open position to a closed position with the rear housing, the front and rear housings forming a first compartment for a roll of dry sanitary tissue, the compartment having an opening through which the roll of dry sanitary tissue is dispensed. A second compartment is provided inside the first compartment from which a roll of prewetted personal hygiene wipes is dispensed. The second compartment includes a lid having a dispensing port therethrough. There is an orifice through the front housing allowing access to the dispensing port in the lid when the front housing section is in the closed position. The lid is not removable from the second compartment when the front housing is in the closed position. A lock is included for locking the front housing in the closed position.

Abstract: A rack for dispensing plastic bags from a roll of bags joined end-to-end and separated by a line of perforations and either an opening or a rupturable central area between the bags along the perforation line, comprising a rectangular cradle to hold the roll for removal of bags by unrolling them over a horizontal side element and past a pair of snagging elements which intercept the rupturable central area to restrain each ensuing bag as the preceding bag is pulled away from the roll so as to enable the preceding bag to be separated from the ensuing bag along the perforated and open or rupturable central area line. Provision is made to enable the cradle to be mounted either on or under a store counter, or against a wall.

Abstract: In case a long size sheet which is sandwiched by a drive roller and a pressure roller and its tip portion is suspended downwardly with its dead weight from the sheet support surface is cut off in a straight line in a crossing direction with a cutter pen of a plotter capable of shifting the sheet in a crossing direction, firstly, the sheet is cut off in a crossing direction with the cutter pen leaving a predetermined region at the center portion of the sheet. Next, a half-cut or perforation work is applied to the predetermined region at the center portion, and then, the drive roller is rotated in the positive or reverse direction, and the sheet transfers back and forth along its longitudinal direction, and the region of the sheet where the drawing has been performed is shaken off from the other portion of the sheet by the transfer, and thus, the cutting operation of the sheet is completed.

Abstract: A dispenser for cutting and feeding a web of flexible sheet material is described in which a feed roller carries a web cutting blade and a spring connected to an eccentric crank affixed to the feed roll. While initial movement of the web through the mechanism and actuation of the cutter to effect partial separation of the web material is produced by the user's pull on the web, such pull also loads the spring which, upon unloading, delivers the cut web material from the dispenser. The spring is designed to gradually arrest rotation of the feed roll and to be exhausted of stored energy at a predetermined position of the feed roll whereupon the uncut segments of web material are efficaciously severed and the leading end of the succeeding web material is automatically positioned where it can be readily grasped by a subsequent user.

Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags, connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap between the finger and tongue. As a bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user. The roll of bags rests in angled grooves in the dispenser that cause the roll to abut and frictionally engage an interior surface of the dispenser, preventing free-wheeling of the roll.

Abstract: Linerless labels are manually dispensed by mounting a roll of the labels for take-off from a stationary shaft. A polygon-cross-section foam core is provided between the shaft and the label roll to provide a brake drag effect to prevent excess label unwind. The non-adhesive face of the labels passes from the roll around a freely rotating guide roller with a non-stick surface which ensures consistent wrap of the labels and no scuffing of the non-adhesive face as the labels are dispensed. The labels pass from the guide roller to a tear surface having a first smooth, coarse, ribbed or grooved pattern metal portion which has low adhesion to the adhesive of the labels, but will stick to the labels sufficiently to provide an anchoring force to a label greater than the force necessary to tear along a perforation of the label, and a second non-stick surface portion.

Abstract: A dispenser package includes a container having an interior and a dispensing aperture communicating with the interior. A coreless, center-pull roll product is positioned in the interior, the roll product having a central opening and a lead end connected to the innermost convolution. The dispenser package also includes a dispenser nozzle which is maintained in the roll product central opening until dispensing is desired.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a sheet of perforated paper towelling off a roll of paper towelling. The dispenser has a casing with a mounting for the roll in its upper portion and an outlet at the bottom. The outlet is substantially narrower than the width of the towelling. A roller is mounted in the casing for guiding the towelling from the roll mounting to the outlet. The roller maintains the towelling at its full width. The towelling is gathered inwardly in passing from the roller to the outlet. Upon pulling the towelling out of the dispenser, the towelling begins to tear inwardly from its edges along the first line of perforations as the first line of perforations passes over the roller to separate a sheet from the remainder of the towelling. The tearing operation is completed outside the casing leaving a tail end of towelling to be grasped during the next dispensing operation.

Abstract: A dispensing device including a container for a supply of items forming a web. The dispensing device includes a recess formed in an outer wall of the container, a braking unit overlapping the recess. The braking unit includes two lips which work together when items are dispensed and a linear slit between the two lips which enables the items to pass between the two lips, the two lips being fitted with bristles which constitute active elements of the two lips, unattached ends of the bristles of one of the lips extend into, and mesh with, an area of unattached ends of the bristles of the opposite lip. The items are camisole-shaped and sequentially joined bags having a body with a bottom part and handles at the upper part. The bottom part of the body of one of the bags is connected to the leading edge of the handles of the next bag.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing individual sheets from the center of a coreless roll product comprised of a plurality of the sheets forming a wound web. A dispenser nozzle is connected to a support for supporting the coreless roll. The dispenser nozzle has interconnecting portions, one of which has a truncated cone-like configuration and the other of which has a cylindrical configuration. The portion of the nozzle having the cylindrical configuration is located at the exit opening of the nozzle to provide increased contact area for sheets passing therethrough to reduce wear and extend the life of the nozzle.

Abstract: A system for facilitating the sequential dispensing of individual bags from a roll comprising a roll of bags, the bags being formed together in a roll, each bag having perforations along the leading edge to facilitate its separation from the next following bag and an elongated slit centrally located between the perforations, a dispenser for receiving and supporting the roll of bags comprising a housing of a generally semi-cylindrical configuration, the housing having an interior end and an exterior end, a transverse opening formed in the housing at its interior end, a transverse slot formed in the housing at its exterior end, with the transverse slot separating the housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, lips formed in the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing on opposite sides of the slot with the lips being in a curvature in a direction opposite from the curvature of the remainder of the housing, a finger formed in the center of the slot extending upwardly from the lower portion adap

Abstract: A ticket assembly including a casing and at least one cover part which is pivotally connected to the casing is disclosed. The casing has provided therein a feed path, which functions to guide a strip of mutually connected tickets during its passage through the casing and includes a ticket outfeed aperture and mutually opposing guide surfaces in the proximity of the outfeed aperture. The bottom guide surface of the ticket strip feed path includes a bead which extends across a part of the feed path. The bead terminates short of the feed path so as to leave surfaces which constitute an extension of the feed path. The bead thus coacts with upper guide surface in aiding in the separation of the connected tickets.

Abstract: An adjustable dispenser nozzle apparatus for a paper towel container of either rolled or folded towels. The apparatus comprises a base, an adjustable fixture and an inner sleeve. The base includes a plurality of extensions separated by slits. The fixture is adjustable and as it is further threaded onto the base the extensions of the base become narrowed, resulting in a smaller exit aperture for the dispenser nozzle. Furthermore, the bottom part of the base, which is comprised of a plurality of extensions, as well as the bottom part of the inner sleeve, have sharp edges. Thus, providing a suitable surface upon which the dispensed towel may be torn.

Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags, connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap between the finger and tongue. As a bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user. The roll of bags rests in angled grooves in the dispenser that cause the roll to abut and frictionally engage an interior surface of the dispenser, preventing free-wheeling of the roll.

Abstract: A parting tool is attached to a tractor feed mechanism for separating the guide strip from the tractor feed paper as the paper passes through the mechanism. The parting tool includes a blade intersecting the plane of the paper for shearing the paper along the perforations connecting the guide strip to the sheets of paper.

Abstract: A roll of plastic bags is wound on an axle which is adapted to be retained within a dispensing device. The bags may be of any configuration but, preferably, are of the type known as a star seal with individual bags separated by perforated separation lines. The bags are wound around a core which can be retained on the axle so that the roll can rotate with respect to the axle when the axle is fixed within the dispensing device. A slot is provided in each separation line between adjacent bags, the slot adapted to engage a complementary tongue in the dispensing device for separating the individual bags. The width of the roll is such relative to the tongue that when an individual bag has been separated from the roll, portions of the next bag on the roll extend forwardly of the tongue where they are in a position to be grasped by a user and subsequently severed from the roll. The roller may include a feature for retarding rotation of the roll of bags relative to the axle.

Abstract: The specification discloses a sheet material dispenser for which the angle between axis along which sheet material is dispensed and the dispenser container may be changed. A dispensing funnel is provided on a ball that rotates about its center within a socket mounted on the container. Sheet material extends from the center of a stationary supply of sheet material around a guide bar, through openings in the ball and the container, and to the exterior of the container through the opening of the funnel. Sheet material is manually extracted from the funnel. A stabilizing member extends into a hollow core to the supply of sheet material to stabilize the supply. An access hole is formed in the container to allow adjustment and refeeding of sheet material without unlocking the container.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for serially dispensing flexible plastic bags from a wound package of bags which are joined along perforated severance lines, including a panel, and at least one elongate dispensing slot extending through the panel. The slot includes relatively narrow and linearly aligned outer edge portions, and a laterally extending tongue positioned between the outer edge portions. Also, an opening is located on one side of the tongue. In use, the opening is used to facilitate thread-up of the initial bag through the slot, and the two outer edge portions serve to engage and hold the bag in the slot. During withdrawal, the tongue engages the central portion of the bag, and when the tongue engages the next perforated severance line, or the bottom of the cut out in the case of T-shirt bags, a significant resistance is imparted which causes the severance line to rupture, with the next bag positioned in the slot and ready to be engaged and withdrawn.

Abstract: A center-pull dispenser housing has a top and a support, the support defining a dispensing aperture. A coreless roll of sheet material is disposed on the support with the lead end of the sheet material extending from the coreless roll center through the dispensing aperture. The coreless roll has either channels or projections formed at the ends thereof which cooperate with stabilizing elements on the housing to resist movement of the coreless roll and collapse of the coreless roll as it nears depletion.

Abstract: A system for dispensing individual sheet material segments from a roll of sheet material. The sheet material is separated into individual segments by perforated tear lines which are shaped to incrementally pass through a nip formed by nip rollers due to a pulling force exerted on an end-most segment by a user. A drag force opposed to the pulling force is exerted on the sheet material by the nip rollers so that the tear line tears as it passes through the nip. Tearing along the perforated tear line is not completed until a portion of an adjacent segment is presented for pulling by a subsequent user.

Abstract: An apparatus device for ripping woven textile goods has a table having an upper surface, near and far longitudinal edges, and a transversely elongated slot extending between the edges and having transversely spaced near and far slot ends, the goods normally lying on the table extending across the slot. At least one outer rail extends transversely along the slot and at least one inner rail riding on the outer rail is displaceable therealong between a far end position projecting past the far slot end and a near end position projecting past the near slot end. A carriage displaceable substantially the full length of the inner rail is also displaceable between a far end position past the far slot end and a near end position past the near slot end. A ripping element on the carriage can be displaced on displacement of the carriage and inner rail between their end positions fully across the goods lying on the table across the slot to tear them weftwise.

Abstract: A dispensing hopper fastened in a paper roll holder at the bottom for dispensing a paper roll, the improvement comprising a hopper body having a rotary seat revolvably secured thereto at the bottom to hold an oscillating member permitting it to oscillate on an axle disposed in radial direction through said rotary seat, wherein said oscillating member has an opening vertically through the center thereof which is consisted of two opposed tapered holes with a small hole connected therebetween, and two V-shaped retaining notches on the top edge thereof at two opposite locations at right angles to said axle. The leading end of the crepe paper of the paper roll is inserted through the tapered hole on the hopper body and lead out of the opening on the oscillating member. Pulling the crepe paper from the paper roll causes the oscillating member to oscillate to a matched angle permitting the crepe paper to be firmly retained in either V-shaped retaining notch for easy splitting.

Abstract: The device for cutting wiping materials stored in a unit which automatically dispenses them in the form of a narrow, concertina-folded strip is outstanding in that it is made up of two profiled, metal blades with a cutting edge (5 and 6) mounted, so as to elastically hinge, between two pairs (1-2) and (3-4) to feed the folded material, at a determined point so that when the said pairs are rotated, the blades are gradually superimposed from one end to the other, during the rotation whilst remaining in permanent contact and in a position substantially parallel to the rotation axes of the pairs of toothed wheels throughout the cut in order to provide shearing type cutting of the folded strip of material inserted between the said pairs and fed by manually pulling the strip projecting from the unit causing the pairs to rotate.

Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags, connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap between the finger and tongue. As a bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user.

Abstract: A ticket issuing machine having a stocker for containing a continuous form, a paper carrier device for carrying the continuous form supplied from the stocker to an inlet of a carrier line, a paper separating device for separating the continuous form at a score thereof in the carrier line, and a printing/recording device for printing or recording data on the continuous form. The paper separating device includes a blade retained so as to be movable toward and away from a score formed in the continuous form, which blade has a rounded bursting portion adapted to face the score, and a blade driving mechanism for driving the blade so as to bring the blade into abutment against the score for separation of the continuous form at the score. Accordingly, the continuous form can be reliably separated at the score with a small force.

Abstract: Apparatus for crumpling and dispensing dunnage from a roll of stock paper material, includes a frame having a pair of side walls for guiding sheet paper from the roll of paper in a converging manner, each side wall including an inclined central section for guiding the sheet paper in the converging manner and two angle supports for supporting the inclined central section in an inclined manner, two roll supports for supporting the roll of paper at a diverged end of the pair of side walls, a connecting section for connecting the pair of side walls at a converged end of the pair of side walls, the connecting section including a reduced dimension corrugated-shaped opening for crumpling the converging paper exiting therethrough, for substantially maintaining the paper in the crumpled form and for maintaining a portion of the crumpled paper in an extended manner through the opening; and a box-like housing for holding the frame, the box-like housing including an opening in alignment with the reduced dimension opening

Abstract: A dispenser is provided for facilitating the dispensing of individual bags of a roll of plastic bags. The individual bags on the roll are separated by a tear line which includes a line of perforations and a central gap. The dispenser comprises a cylindrical container which has an elongated slot in its peripheral surface substantially parallel to the axis of the container. The container slot is wide enough to permit the bags to be pulled through it and it includes a tongue in its central area adapted to engage the gap in the tear line so that it can temporarily hold each bag as it is pulled through the slot thereby enabling the user to rupture the tear line.

Abstract: A device to tear the perforated margins off of a stack of computer paper is described. The device has a base which contains a waste receptacle in one embodiment that will catch the removed margins. The device uses a lower and upper elastic rib in one embodiment and a lower elastic rib only in another embodiment. The clamping mechanism is pivotal and the design is such that a given force on the handle will provide a greater than the given force clamping the paper margins. The clamping mechanism is either activated by hand or by power means, preferably an electric solenoid.

Abstract: A rolled paper dispenser comprises a receptacle configured to hold a roll of paper. The receptacle includes a base, side walls and a top. The top has an opening formed therein so that the free end of the roll of paper may extend out of the receptacle. The dispenser may include means for guiding the paper toward the opening in the top of the receptacle, and means spaced apart from the opening in which a user may engage the paper to tear off a selected length of the paper from the roll. The rolled paper dispenser may be formed a rectangular box or it may include a tapered section formed in the top of the receptacle for guiding the paper toward the opening in the top of the receptacle. The dispenser may includes at least one slot formed in the dispensing section so that a user may engage the paper in the slot to tear off a selected length of the paper from the roll.

Abstract: There is disclosed a web handling apparatus including a printer for printing on longitudinally extending multi-portion webs, with the web including a plurality of longitudinally extending web portions and connected at a longitudinal line of weakening between each adjacent pair of web portions, each web portion including record members, guide structure for causing adjacent web portions to move along different paths or planes to effect tearing and resultant separation of the web portions at each line of weakening, and a rewinder for drawing on the separated web portions and winding them into separate rolls.

Abstract: An adhesive tape holder having a base and a roller plate is disclosed. An urging member having an urging plate is formed at one end of a notch formed on the roller plate. A pressing plate is disposed on the slot formed at the other end on the notch. The urging plate is in contact with the adhesive tape such that the rotation of hte adhesive tape roll mounted onto a roller will pull it the tape and cut out at a desired length.

Abstract: The computer paper tab stripper has an elongated preferably generally rectangular block with a flat bottom, preferably with a non-slip rubber tread or the like, a flat top spaced above the bottom and interconnecting two opposite sidewalls and two opposite endwalls. Preferably, the length of stripper is slightly less than that of a computer paper to be stripped of its tab so that the tab ends stick out of opposite ends of the stripper and are easy to grip. One of the sidewalls is sloped to form a side ramp of preferably about incline 45.degree. to enable the computer paper to be slid up the ramp easily and over a spaced array of vertical pins in the top, which pins are adapted to fit through openings in the computer paper tab. The pins preferably include a truncated cone portion. An elongated preferably rectangular top lid is hinged to the top of the block on the side opposite the ramp and is adapted to move between a lid-up position and a lid-down position.

Abstract: The present invention provides in association, a plurality of endless abrasive belts wound about an axis into a coil, and a two-way opening packaging carton for enclosing and protecting the plurality of endless abrasive belts. The carton may be opened from the top or from an end. A pair of pads inside the carton are used to protect the abrasive belts. The carton is a versatile article which may be stored in various arrangements and may be used to store belts even after it is opened.

Abstract: A pipe burster for cracking gas and other pipes preparatory to inserting a replacement pipe in the passage so formed. The burster comprises an elongated body tapering in the lengthwise direction and made up first and second parts 2,14 extending in said direction. The parts are connected by a transverse pivot pin 20. The first part 12 is received within the second part and carries a piston and cylinder 22 by which the parts are separable. The circumference of the body is substantially a closed curve and within the length of the first part the circumference is increased by said separation. Therefor the burster makes a clearance by said separation into which the burster can be advanced. In a modification more than one piston and cylinder is provided.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for feeding a web of rolled flexible sheet material, such as soft paper towels, out of a dispenser. The mechanism includes a feed roller within the dispenser and a web cutting blade in the feed roller and projectable and retractable therewith as the feed roller rotates. A contoured cam is attached to an end of the feed roller, and a spring-loaded cam follower presses against the contoured cam. The cam follower, through the cam, controllably assists in the rotation of the feed roller during the feed roller cycle when the blade cuts the web and thereafter to feed a free end of the material to an accessible position outside of the dispenser. The needed maximum pull forces by the user on the material to cut and withdraw the material from the dispenser are thereby significantly minimized, and the likelihood of the soft towel material tearing off in the user's wet hands is accordingly reduced.

Abstract: A manually operable clamp for removing the sprocket feed margin strips from continuous computer print-out paper when the strips are removably attached along perforated tear lines. In the preferred form, the jaws of the clamp are integrally connected by a live hinge and have elongated rectangular mating clamping surfaces which are provided by U-shaped channel portions of the jaws. The clamping surface of one jaw has a plurality of pin-receiving openings therein while a plurality of pins project from the other clamping surface. The size and spacing of the sprocket tooth receiving openings in the margin strips. The inner side of the U-shaped channel portion of the jaw having the clamping surface with pin-receiving openings serves as a fence against which the elongated edges of margin strip abut when the openings in the margin strips are in alignment with the pin-receiving openings.

Abstract: Tearing device for the tearing off of a band (26) in a desired point provided with a zone (90) arranged to make the tearing easier, such as a weakening by means of perforations or slits provided along a predetermined line, comprising at least a first pair of opposed and perfectly cylindrical rollers (30,32) driven at a first rotation rate, and at least a second pair of opposed rollers (50,52), each having at least a planar bevel (54,56), the second roller pair being positioned downstream with respect to the first pair and being normally stationary with the bevels facing each other, the rollers (54,56) of the second pair being driven, upon receiving a command signal coming from a detector (74) at a rotation rate definitely higher than that of the first pair of rollers, thus causing the band to be torn in the desired zone.

Abstract: A dispensing nozzle comprising a plate overlying a bore defined through a countertop for the passage of bags therethrough from a subjacent storage position. The plate defines an elongate zig-zag slot for the restrictive movement of bags therethrough upon a manual pulling of a leading bag. Each manually pulled leading bag is automatically severed from a following bag secured thereto along a line of severance by slot-developed resistance. Introduction of the forwardmost bag of a bag package is facilitated by an enlarged opening laterally of one side of the slot and communicated with the slot through a relatively narrower neck portion. The nozzle may include a tubular sleeve receivable in the countertop bore, with the plate secured to or integrally formed with the sleeve across one end thereof.