Hauni Richmond, Inc.

Hans-Joachim Oppe

Peter M Preisner

Alfred Hinzmann

Sipping straws are confined in discrete envelopes while advancing in a single file of spaced-apart straws through a wrapping station. The envelopes are obtained from a continuous strip of wrapping paper which is conveyed to the wrapping station in the direction of advancement of the file of spaced-apart straws and is draped around the straws in such a way that one of its longitudinally extending marginal portions overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion with simultaneous formation of a seam rather than an outwardly extending fin. The thus obtained tubular wrapper is thereupon severed in the gaps between successive spaced-apart straws, and the end portions of the thus obtained discrete envelopes are sealed by knurling, e.g., simultaneously with severing of the tubular wrapper.

Method of wrapping drinking straws

Apparatus for wrapping drinking straws

Digital tampons carrying strings are surrounded in tubular envelopes while being confined in and advancing with upright cylindrical carriers. The envelopes are formed around the carriers so that their lower ends extend beyond the lower ends of the respective carriers. The lower ends of successive envelopes are closed by providing them with at least partially overlapping panels. Prior to being separated from the respective carriers, the closed ends of the envelopes are deformed by heated profiled tools which provide the outer sides of the closed ends with centrally located recesses surrounded by smooth ring-shaped portions. The strings are automatically curled along the marginal portions at the upper sides of the respective closed ends in response to downward movement of the tampons in their carriers not later than in the course of the deforming step. The tampons are thereupon advanced downwardly so that they strip the tubular envelopes off the respective carriers, and the upper ends of the envelopes are closed or closed and sealed during advancement beyond the stripping station.

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Midlothian, VA, United States of America

Hans-Joachim Oppe