Method and apparatus for manufacturing surgical sponges

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for the manufacture of surgical sponges defined by a sponge body with at least a segment of a string, preferably containing a material opaque to x-rays, joined to the sponge body. The apparatus provides for the manufacture of the surgical sponges in an automatic manner and continuous manner by feeding a length of the string from a string supply and an end portion of sponge from a supply of sponge in directions substantially ninety-degrees to one another to an area of intersection area where a segment of the string overlies the sponge at a selected distance from the end thereof remote to the supply of sponge. The string segment is joined to the sponge, preferably by an ultrasonic welding mechanism. The sponge end containing the joined string is then severed at a preselected location depending upon the width of sponge body desired. The cutting mechanism used to sever the sponge and the welding mechanism are moveable as a single unit to alternately place the welding mechanism over the segment of the string and cutting mechanism at the preselected location on the sponge. The sponge bodies serially connected by the string at spaced apart locations are separated into discrete surgical sponges by sequentially displacing the string-connected sponge bodies to a string and sponge cutting arrangement where the string is first cut at an edge of each sponge and then an excess of the sponge adjacent this edge of each sponge is severed.