Conveyor belt field splicing dispensing container

Abstract

A container is reconfigurable between a shipping configuration in which a roll of material is enclosed therein and a dispensing configuration in which an access passageway is exposed. A free edge portion of the roll may be withdrawn through the passageway in the dispensing configuration. A container sidewall door portion is pivotally attached to the container body and pivots between an open position to expose the passageway in the dispensing configuration and a closed position in the shipping configuration to close off the passageway. The door portion enclosing the passageway is substantially horizontal in the open position and supported by at least one leg, whereby forming a worktable. The free end of the roll may be drawn across the worktable and scored at an appropriate location. The side wall portion and the support leg may be pivoted against the container in storage positions when the container is transported between field sites.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dispensing container for a roll of bulk sheet material, comprising: 
 a container body defined by a plurality of side panels defining therebetween an internal chamber dimensioned to rotatably house a roll of sheet material therein, the container body substantially enclosing the roll of material in a transportation configuration;    at least one container side panel portion opening to configure the container body into a dispensing configuration in which an exposed access passageway communicates with the container chamber and through the passageway a free end of the material may be withdrawn at the option of a user as the roll of material rotates within the chamber;    the container side panel portion closing the passageway at the option of the user to place the container body and the roll of material into the transportation configuration.    
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container side panel portion pivotally attaches to the container body and moves between a closed position substantially covering the passageway and an open position substantially exposing the passageway.  
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the container side panel portion forms a work table in the open position for support of the free end of the material withdrawn from the roll.  
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3 , further comprising at least one support leg pivotally attached to the container side panel portion and pivoting between a storage position and a working position in which the support leg supports the side panel portion in a substantially horizontal orientation in the open position.  
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll of material is rotatably housed within the body chamber in an upright or an inverted orientation at the option of the user, the roll dispensing the free end of the material from the top of the roll in the upright orientation and dispensing the free end of the material from the bottom of the roll in the inverted orientation.  
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll of material includes a pivot shaft having protruding opposite ends and the container body comprises a slot channel in opposite side panels, each receiving a respective pivot shaft end therein to center the roll of material within the body chamber.  
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body further comprises guide rollers for supporting the roll of material in a freely rotating condition within the body chamber.  
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body further comprises means for regulating the speed at which the free end of material is withdrawn from the material roll.  
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 8 , wherein the means for regulating speed comprises an elastic member in frictional engagement against an outer peripheral surface of a spool member supporting the roll of material.  
     
     
         10 . A dispensing container for a roll of bulk sheet material, comprising a container body reconfigurable between a shipping configuration and a dispensing configuration, the body including a plurality of side panels defining therebetween an internal chamber dimensioned to rotatably house a roll of sheet material therein, the container body substantially enclosing the roll of material in the shipping configuration and the container body providing an access passageway in the dispensing configuration through which a fee edge portion of the roll of material may be withdrawn at the option of the user.  
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein the access passageway of the container body is obstructed by a pivotally mounted side panel portion that moves between a closed position substantially covering the passageway and an open position substantially exposing the passageway.  
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 11 , wherein the container side panel portion forms a worktable in the open position for support of the free edge portion of the roll withdrawn through the passageway.  
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the container side panel portion is supported by at least one support leg pivotally attached to the container side panel portion.  
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein the roll of material includes a pivot shaft having protruding opposite ends resident within a respective slot channel in opposite side panels, whereby the roll of material is alternatively housed at the option of the user within the chamber in an upright, top dispensing orientation or an inverted, bottom dispensing orientation.  
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the container body further comprises means for regulating the speed at which the free edge portion of material is withdrawn from the passageway in the upright and inverted orientations.  
     
     
         16 . A method of shipping and dispensing a roll of bulk sheet material, comprising the steps: 
 rotatably seating the roll of sheet material within a container body, the body including a plurality of side panels defining therebetween an internal chamber dimensioned to receive the roll of sheet material;    configuring the container body to substantially enclose the roll of sheet material in a shipping configuration;    providing an access passageway through the container body through which a free edge portion of the roll of material may be withdrawn, the access passageway being enclosed by a side panel door portion pivotal between a closed position substantially covering the passageway and an open position substantially exposing the passageway; and    pivoting the side panel portion into the open position to expose the access passageway in a dispensing configuration.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising positioning the side panel door portion into a substantially horizontal position adjacent the passageway in the open position to form a worktable for supporting the free edge portion of the roll of sheet material withdrawn through the access passageway.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising pivoting the side panel door portion into the closed position to enclose the access passageway and reconfigure the container body back into the shipping configuration.