Dispensing apparatus

Claim 2

A dispensing device for dispensing paper articles from a roll of said articles comprising a base having an upstanding post with said roll having a hollow core received over said post, gripping means on the upper end of said post extending across at least a portion of an upper edge of said roll, biasing means between said post and said gripping means for normally maintaining said gripping means spaced from said upper edge so that said roll is freely rotatable on said post, said biasing means accommodating movement of said gripping means toward said base to grip and hold said roll in a predetermined position between said gripping means and said base so that an article can readily be severed from said roll.

Claim 3

A dispensing device as defined in claim 1, in which individual articles in said roll are defined by a perforated line and in which said base has an upstanding abutment adjacent a periphery thereof alignable with a perforated line so that said abutment will aid in initiating tearing of said article from said roll.

Claim 4

A dispensing device as defined in claim 1, in which said base is a substantially circular member having a circular opening at its center and said post is circular and has a reduced diameter portion at its lowered end received into said circular opening with friction gripping means between said base and said reduced diameter portion on said base.

Claim 5

A dispensing device as defined in claim 1, in which said circular post is hollow and is formed of two substantially identical halves with latch means between said halves for interconnection to each other.

Claim 6

A dispensing device as defined in claim 4, in which said substantially identical halves are hollow semi-circular members having a wall means spaced from an upper end and an inwardly-directed shoulder adjacent said upper end with an opening therein and in which said gripping means includes a plunger extending through said opening and having an outwardly-directed abutment adapted to engage said shoulder.

Claim 7

A dispensing device as defined in claim 5, in which said biasing means includes a coil spring in said post positioned between said wall means and a lower end of said member on said gripping means.

Claim 8

A dispensing device as defined in claim 5, in which said plunger is slidably supported in said post and said gripping means has an opening receiving an upper end of said plunger and being frictionally gripped therein.

Claim 9

A dispensing device as defined in claim 7, in which said gripping means includes a hollow circular member having at least one fin for engaging said upper edge of said roll.

Claim 10

A dispensing device as defined in claim 8, in which said hollow circular member has a center socket defining said opening for receiving said plunger.

Claim 11

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing selected segments of a roll comprising a base having a central opening and a post having a lower end received into said central opening, said post including a plurality of hollow segments with one segment having projections adjacent an edge while an adjacent segment has slots on an adjacent edge for receiving said projections to assemble the segments to form said post, said post having a reduced diameter portion at its upper end with a plunger slidably supported therein, biasing means in said post biasing said plunger to an outwardly-extended position, and gripping means received onto a free end of said plunger, said gripping means and plunger being movable from said extended position to grip the roll between said base and said gripping means to prevent rotation thereon and allow selected segments of said roll to be severed.

Claim 12

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing selected segments of a roll comprising a base having a central opening and a post having a lower end received into said central opening, said post including a plurality of hollow segments with one segment having projections adjacent an edge while an adjacent segment has slots on an adjacent edge for receiving said projections to assemble the segments to form said post, said post having a reduced diameter portion at its upper end with a plunger slidably supported therein, biasing means in said post biasing said plunger to an outwardly-extended position, and gripping means received onto a free end of said plunger, said gripping means and plunger being movable from said extended position to grip the roll between said base and said gripping means to prevent rotation thereon and allow selected segments of said roll to be severed.

Claim 13

A dispensing apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which said post includes two semi-circular hollow segments with projections on opposite edges of one segment and the other segment having slots on opposite edges receiving said projections.

Claim 14

A dispensing apparatus as defined in claim 10, further including abutment means extending above a peripheral portion of said base defining a tearing edge.