I'm so old I Remember when:

[RoyalChick]

I remember these! View attachment 4219133

Those were great!

 

[sourland]

Those were great!

Yep, great spreaders of bacteria.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yep, great spreaders of bacteria.

Nah. The towel you pulled down was clean. It wasn’t the kind that just went round and round.

 

[Evadig]

I remember these! View attachment 4219133

What is it?
From @sourland’s comment it seems like a reusable paper towel in a public bathroom?

 

[sourland]

What is it?
From @sourland’s comment it seems like a reusable paper towel in a public bathroom?

cloth towel, and uncertain if the fresh part was separated from the used

 

[jxp]

cloth towel, and uncertain if the fresh part was separated from the used

There are 2 rollers inside that cabinet with gears that are meshed on the ends. The top roller is full of clean towel cloth. The bottom roller begins empty and takes up the used towel each time someone dries their hands at the same rate the top one dispenses it.

 

[theoldchick]

 

[BigBlueHen53]

After you dried your hands on the clean portion, you were to give it a tug, and the part you had used disappeared down and then up, to be gathered up on the second roller inside. When I was little I imagined a crew of miniature workers inside, washing and ironing the towel and sending it out all clean and fresh. I hoped they had sandwiches and milk and cookies in there!