An improved towel dispenser includes a rotatable driveshaft mounted in a one-way clutch bearing fitted with a pinion which engages a vertically oriented press bar assembly including at its lower portion a rack which engages the pinion to advance paper towel through a dispensing nip upon pivotable motion of the press bar assembly. A dispensing chute located below the dispensing nip includes a lower shelf configured to direct web forwardly toward the front portion of a dispenser. The gear rack is preferably an internal gear rack integrally formed with a unitary press bar assembly member. The dispensing chute is configured such that an angle between a cutting-blade and the outer lip of the shelf makes an angle with a vertical of at least about 25.

A method and associated method are provided or introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the production line. A first nose wire source and first cutter system are provided for supplying the running nose wires to the production line. A reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are staged in a stand-by state proximate to the first nose wire source. Prior to depletion of the first nose wire source, the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are brought up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires from the second cutter system away from the production line. At operational speed of the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system, nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line while diverting nose wires from the first cutter system away from the production line.

A method and associated method are provided or introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the production line. A first nose wire source and first cutter system are provided for supplying the running nose wires to the production line. A reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are staged in a stand-by state proximate to the first nose wire source. Prior to depletion of the first nose wire source, the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are brought up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires from the second cutter system away from the production line. At operational speed of the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system, nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line while diverting nose wires from the first cutter system away from the production line.

A filament dispenser includes a spool, hub, and an axle. The axle is laterally movable from a first position to a second position. The axle is independently rotatable with respect to the spool. In the extended position, the axle may be attached to a second spool, forming an assembly of operably-coupled filament dispensers. In the assembly, the connected spools are independently rotatable.