Apparatus for dispensing towels and the like

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING TOWELS ONE AT A TIME FROM THE TOP OF A STACK OF TOWELS: MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE STACK TOWELS; A SHAFT EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ABOVE THE STACK TOWELS; A TOWEL DISCHARGE CHUTE SPACED BELOW AND LATERALLY IN FRONT OF SAID SHAFT; AN ARCUATE MEMBER FIXED TO SAID SHAFT, SAID ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING A FRONT PORTION THEREOF SPACED A GREATER DISTANCE FROM SAID SHAFT THAN A REAR PORTION THEREOF WITH SAID PORTIONS MERGING ALONG A SMOOTH SURFACE; AT LEAST ONE POINTED PIN PROJECTING FROM SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER AT AN INCLINATION SUCH THAT WHEN SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER IS DIRECTLY BELOW SAID SHAFT SAID PIN EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER AND FORWARDLY TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE CHUTE; MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RELATIVE HEIGHTS OF SAID STACK SUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID SHAFT TO CAUSE SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER TO CONTACT THE TOP TOWEL OF THE STACK WHEN SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER IS DIRECTLY BELOW SAID SHAFT; DRIVE MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID SHAFT BACK AND FORTH ABOUT IT AXIS THROUGH AN ANGLE LESS THAN 360*; AND CONTROL MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID DRIVE MEANS TO OSCILLATE SAID SHAFT OVER A COMPLETE CYCLE BEGINNING AND ENDING AT AN ANGUALR POSITION WHERE SAID PIN IS DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF THE LOWERMOST POINT IN ITSS PATH OF TRAVEL, SAID PIN SWINGING FORWARDLY AND UPWARDLY ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT DURING A FIRST PART OF THE CYCLE AND THEN SWINGING DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY PAST THE LOWERMOST POINT IN ITS PATH OF TRAVEL DURING THE SECOND PART OF THE CYCLE AND THEN SWINGING FORWARDLY AGAIN DURING A TERMINAL PART OF THE CYCLE.