Abstract: Elastomeric materials such as elastomeric nonwoven webs of elastomeric meltblown fibers, elastomeric films or elastomeric molded materials are attained by forming, e.g., extruding or meltblowing, a polystyrenic poly(ethylenebutylene) thermoplastic block copolymer at elevated temperatures of at least about 290 degrees Centigrade, e.g., from about 290 degrees Centigrade to 345 degrees Centigrade. The resulting products retain good elastic elongation and strength properties. In the case of elastomeric nonwoven webs of elastomeric fibers, other fibers such as cellulosic fibers, e.g., cotton fibers, may be combined with the elastomeric fibers by known methods to provide an elastomeric nonwoven web comprising a blend of the elastomeric fibers with other fibers. Such web or film materials are useful generally in applications utilizing webs or sheets of elastic fabrics or the like, for example, in making composite materials in which an elastic layer of material is bonded to a gatherable web.

Abstract: A laminate which is elastic in at least one direction, includes an elastic sheet having at least one nonelastic nonwoven web joined thereto at least at two areas. The nonelastic web is gathered between the two areas. The sheet is formed from an aromatic polyetherurethane and the nonelastic nonwoven web includes spunlaced hydraulically entangled polyester fibers. The nonelastic nonwoven web may also include rayon or wood pulp fibers.

Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to an extrudable elastomeric composition formed by blending from at least 10 percent, by weight, of an A-B-A' block copolymer where "A" and "A'" are each a thermoplastic endblock which includes a styrenic moiety and where "B" is an elastomeric poly(ethylene-butylene) midblock with up to at least about 90 percent, by weight, of at least one polyolefin which, when blended with the A-B-A' block copolymer and subjected to an effective combination of elevated temperature and elevated pressure conditions, is adapted to be extruded in blended form, with the A-B-A' block copolymer. Fibrous nonwoven elastomeric webs may be formed from the extrudable composition and processes for forming the fibrous nonwoven elastomeric webs are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for producing a composite nonwoven elastic web including a nonwoven elastic web joined to a fibrous nonwoven gathered web is disclosed. The process includes the steps of (a) providing a nonwoven elastic web having a relaxed unbiased length and a stretched, biased length; (b) stretching the nonwoven elastic web to its stretched, biased length; (c) forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the nonwoven elastic web while maintaining the nonwoven elastic web at its stretched, biased length; (d) forming a composite nonwoven elastic web by joining the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the nonwoven elastic web while continuing to maintain the nonwoven elastic web at its stretched length; and (e) relaxing the nonwoven elastic web to its relaxed length to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web.

Abstract: Garments having a medial section which includes a gathered crotch portion and transversely opposed side sections are made by stretching an elastic layer transversely of the garment and stretch-bonding it to a gatherable non-elastic layer. Upon release of the elongating forces, the medial portion of the resulting composite contracts to form gathers and provides an elasticized portion which enhances fit and comfort of the garment. The elastic material may be liquid-impervious and the non-elastic material may be breathable whereby the medial portion of the garment, which may comprise a disposable diaper or panty, is rendered leak-proof or at least leak-resistant and the side portions are breathable for enhanced comfort. A method for making the garment comprises stretching the elastic material transversely to elongate it and maintaining it in its transversely elongated condition while bonding it by any suitable means to the gatherable non-elastic material.

Abstract: A process for producing a gathered nonwoven web having elastic characteristics is disclosed. The process includes the steps of (a) providing an extendable and retractable or contractable forming surface; (b) extending the forming surface to its extended length; (c) forming a fibrous nonwoven gatherable web directly upon a surface of the forming surface while maintaining the forming surface at its extended length to separably join the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web to the forming surface while continuing to maintain the forming surface at its extended length; (d) contracting the forming surface to its contracted length to gather the fibrous nonwoven gatherable web and (e) separating the gathered fibrous nonwoven web from the forming surface. The gathered fibrous nonwoven web formed by the disclosed process is also disclosed and described.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for forming and dispensing individual wrappers of varying lengths from a supply roll of flat-folded tubular film is provided. The apparatus includes a rotatable turret which defines a plurality of appertures and has a plurality of hollow mandrels secured thereto in such manner that the interior of each hollow mandrel is communicatively connected to a respective apperture. In operation, a mandrel and tubular film loaded on the external periphery thereof is rotatively indexed from a stock receiving station to a stock dispensing station where the tubing is sealed, loaded with a product and severed to form an individual wrapper. A guide bullet is provided at the stock receiving station to assist in the loading of the tubular film onto the external periphery of a hollow mandrel upon the mandrel being indexed to the stock receiving station. In a preferred embodiment the guide bullet may be retracted through the interior of a mandrel by way of a reciprocal thrust rod.

Abstract: There is provided a method for making a supply of partially separated multibag units, comprising first passing a perforated chain of side-sealed bags through a first set of driven nip rollers, then passing said chain directly to a second set of nip rollers having a partial nip of selected width less than the width of said chain, while driving said second nip rollers at a speed greater than said first nip rollers sufficient to partially separate the bags at their respective lines of perforation, and while cyclically completing the nip of said second nip rollers at predetermined intervals corresponding to the number of bags desired in each multibag unit. Associated apparatus for making said partially separated multibag units is also provided.

Abstract: An integral hinged blow molded container having a single wall is produced by inflating a parison within a mold having a hinge forming area with a draw ratio of greater than 1 whereby the parison is reduced to thickness within the hinge forming area relative to the adjacent area. The thus formed parison is severed about a circumference adjacent the formed hinge to create a top portion and a bottom portion openable and closable about the hinge.

Abstract: An integral hinged blow molded container having a single wall is produced by inflating a parison within a mold having a hinge forming area with a draw ratio of greater than 1 whereby the parison is reduced in thickness within the hinge forming area relative to the adjacent area. The thus formed parison is severed about a circumference adjacent the formed hinge to create a top portion and a bottom portion openable and closable about the hinge.

Abstract: A plurality of multi-walled bags of flexible plastic material is formed by taking a longitudinally folded flat web of a first flexible plastic film; at least partially separating the superposed plies of said first flexible plastic film at the edge opposite the fold line and moving the film past a corona discharge electrode between the separated plies of the film to pre-treat at least a part of the inwardly facing surface of each of said two plies; taking a longitudinally folded flat web of a second flexible plastic film; corona discharge-treating the outwardly facing surfaces of the two plies of said second flexible plastic film; passing the pre-treated web of said second flexible plastic film over a diverter guide into the space between the two at least partially separated plies of said first flexible plastic film to bring the fold lines of the first and second flexible plastic film webs substantially into register with the two webs moving synchronously in a single direction; and sealing the composite of the

Abstract: The invention deals with means for producing a manifold for a strutted film. In particular, the connection of a plastic tubular conduit to a strutted film to form a fluid tight communication between the strut passageway and the interior of the conduit is disclosed. The present method is especially advantageous where the struts of the strutted film, as a result of their method of manufacture, are not readily heat sealable. Where necessary, the method may also be applied to provide a manifold for a group of individual tubes.

Abstract: A vacuumizing and sealing operation on a package comprises initially reducing the external pressure on the package, before sealing of the package, to a value at which the flexible film covering of the package is capable of ballooning, and ensuring heating of the flexible film of the package, preferably while an intermediate pressure is maintained (at which intermediate pressure ballooning could just be sustained without excessive evacuation to reduce the thermal capacity of the circulating air). Finally the pressure inside and outside is reduced still further before re-pressurizing.

Abstract: A pasteurizable and/or cook-in shrink film is provided that includes a first or sealing layer of a nonlipophillic polymeric material having a softening point greater than that of the following shrink layer; a second or shrink controlling layer, melt bonded to the first layer, of an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer; a third or adhesive layer, melt bonded to the second layer, of a chemically modified polyethylene being irradiatively cross-linkable and having functional groups with a relatively strong affinity for the following barrier layer; a fourth or barrier layer, melt bonded to the third layer, of a hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; a fifth or adhesive layer as in said third layer, melt bonded to the fourth layer; and a sixth or abuse layer, melt bonded to the fifth layer. An associated method for making the film is also provided that includes full coextrusion and selective irradiation and orientation.

Abstract: When hanging from a conveyor line, cleaned eviscerated, whole poultry is stiff and in a "rigor mortis" type condition. This condition makes it very difficult to compress the stretched-out, stiff bird into a compact, plumb-appearing shape so that it can be readily placed into a bag for further packaging. Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus in which a cam actuated tray picks up the bird while it is hanging from shackles, and pushes the bird towards its legs so that the legs are forcibly flexed and the stiffened condition is overcome. Once this initial flexing takes place the legs can easily be repositioned either manually or on most automatic loading equipment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vacuum packaging goods in heat shrinkable, thermoplastic bags in a vacuum chamber equipped with flexible, heated diaphragms that can be collapsed upon a filled bag to heat it to shrinking temperature.

Abstract: A blow molded single-walled closable container having a compression molded hinge portion is produced by closing a blow mold with a restricted central portion about a parison so as to form two hinge portions and severing the thus formed article into two sections with each of the sections forming a closable container having a top portion and a bottom portion connected by a hinge portion.

Abstract: The invention comprises an oriented multi-layer film having a different orientation distribution between at least two layers and a novel process for forming oriented multi-layer films having a different orientation distribution between the layers. An important feature is the formation of a first tubular layer which is folded and fed into the interior of a second tubular layer of smaller diameter. Upon inflation of the inner tubular layer of larger diameter to its maximum unstretched diameter the smaller diameter outer tubular layer will be stretched and will also be oriented if the stretching occurs while the temperature of the smaller diameter outer tubular layer is maintained within the orientation temperature range of that material.

Abstract: A heat sealable and shrinkable, coextruded, multi-layer packaging film having a propylene homopolymer base layer and a skin layer of a preferred blend of 60% to 80% propylene-ethylene copolymer with propylene homopolymer provides a sealing temperature range of up to 30.degree. C.

Abstract: A reclosable package, e.g. for food products, is made by sealing one side of a closure strip to a first thermoplastic sheet; enclosing a product between that first sheet and a second thermoplastic sheet with the closure strip inside the enclosure; and, sealing another side of the closure strip to the second sheet while the strip and product are so enclosed.