Abstract: Banding apparatus in various embodiments include accelerator members for accelerating plastic bands downstream along a floating mandrel for propelling them at high speed with significant kinetic energy in being ejected off from an end of the mandrel toward and around articles to be banded. In one apparatus belts accelerate elongated label bands to more than 1,000 feet per minute. The peripheries of tear-off rollers turn continuously at a first speed for tearing successive bands off from perforated plastic tubing which may be pre-perforated label tubing. Alternatively, plastic tubing may be perforated during operation by continuously feeding flattened tubing between perforator and anvil rollers positioned upstream from the mandrel. Accelerator members shown as rollers or as revolving belts have repetitive first and second peripheral speeds alternating with each other in cycles.

Abstract: Banding apparatus, which is capable of high speed operations, opens perforated, heat shrinkable, plastic tubing by use of a floating mandrel. Rollers or fingers, which exert force against the sides of the mandrel, are used to feed the tubing, tear the tubing at the perforations to form bands, and then push the bands off the mandrel and onto or over containers or articles to be banded.

Abstract: A banding machine is made capable of dependable, high-speed operation by being provided with a rotatably mounted, driven, "C" shaped arm which holds each opened band in a tilted position for being picked up by the article to be banded as it is conveyed past the banding station.

Abstract: Banding apparatus is made capable of using thin plastic shrink tubing by being provided with a plurality of mechanical fingers that hold each band as it is cut from the tubing and thereafter shape the band into a polygonal or a circular configuration before the band is pushed off the fingers and over the article to be banded.

Abstract: Apparatus for removably attaching inserts to articles by means of shrinkable plastic bands, comprising in combination:(1) means for feeding an opened band of shrinkable plastic film into vertical alignment with an article banding station,(2) means for (a) shaping an insert into generally cylindrical form, such that the diameter of said cylindrical shaped insert is less than the diameter of said opened plastic band, but greater than the article over which the insert is to be placed, and (b) feeding said cylindrical shaped insert into vertical alignment with said opened band at said article banding station, said means comprising: (i) a movable plate provided with at least one cylindrical aperture extending through said plate, said aperture communicating on its peripheral side with a slot extending to the edge of said plate and (ii) means for feeding said insert into said aperture and for conforming said insert to the cylindrical inner surface of said aperture,(3) means for telescopingly pushing said opened band

Abstract: The apparatus produces heat-shrinkable plastic caps having a metal containing top, and is comprised of:(a) at least one mandrel having a flat end-face,(b) means for placing a metal containing disc coated with heat sensitive adhesive on the end-face of said mandrel,(c) means for placing a band of preselected length of heat-shrinkable plastic over said mandrel,(d) heating means for pre-shrinking said plastic band to conform to the shape of said mandrel and to overlay the edge of said disc, said heat-shrinking means imparting insufficient energy to activate the adhesive on said disc, and(e) electric induction heating means for rapidly heat-sealing said disc to the portion of said band overlaying the disc by activating the heat-sensitive adhesive on said metal containing disc by the heat generated by induction in said metal.