Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A continuous web of wrapping material for catamenial tampons or other commodities is advanced lengthwise first through a station where it is acted upon by a perforating knife to weaken longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the web transversely of the direction of advancement. The web is thereupon converted into a continuous tubular body and the leader of the tubular body is engaged by a pair of rolls which pull the leader in the direction of lengthwise advancement of the web in order to break the material of the web along successive weakened portions. The thus obtained discrete tubular envelopes are moved sideways, one end portion of each envelope is closed, a commodity is introduced through the other end portion, and the other end portion is closed to confine the commodity at both ends. Such mode of making tubular envelopes ensures that the material of the web is not wasted at all and that the envelopes need not be stored prior to reception of commodities.

Abstract: A catamenial tampon is assembled from a cylindrical pledget of compressible absorbent material, such as rayon or cotton, and a rectangular blank of foraminous sheet material. The central portion of the blank is placed adjacent one end face of the pledget, and the pledget is then pushed axially through a tubular die with its one end face leading so that the annular portion of the blank around the central portion is draped around the entire peripheral surface of the pledget and the converted blank forms a cup with an annular rim extending beyond the other end face of the pledget. The rim is then folded over the other end face of the pledget, and the resulting assembly is provided with a removal cord subsequent to simultaneous reduction of the diameters of the cup and pledget to complete the making of a tampon which is ready for use or for insertion into the tube of an applicator.

Abstract: One end of a drawstring which is connected to a catamenial tampon at the other end is pulled downwardly by suction while an intermediate portion of the drawstring is convoluted around a hollow mandrel to form a closed loop. The one end of the drawstring is then drawn into the mandrel by suction to convert the loop into a relatively loose knot which is or can be tightened by exerting a pull by suction upon the one end while and after the convoluted portion of the drawstring is stripped off the mandrel.

Abstract: An applicator for tampons has a sleeve for the tampon and for a portion of a reciprocable pusher which can expel the tampon by causing the latter to flex outwardly a set of domed petals at the front end of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed by advancing a strip of degradable material longitudinally, by forming spaced-apart portions of the strip with transversely extending rows of hourglass-shaped webs, by converting the strip into a tubular envelope with a seam extending in parallelism with the axis of the envelope, by severing the envelope across the rows of webs so that the envelope yields a series of tubes each having a circumferentially extending set of petals (halves of webs) at each of its ends, and by cutting each tube midway between its ends to form shorter tubes (sleeves) each of which has a set of petals at one end. The petals are thereupon domed to close the respective ends of the sleeves and the other ends of the sleeves are formed with indentations which center the respective pushers.

Abstract: Discrete sheets of separator material for use in dry cells are introduced tangentially into an annular clearance between the cylindrical internal surface of an outer tool and the cylindrical peripheral surface of an inner tool, and the inner tool is rotated about its axis while one or more spring-biased rollers urge the sheet in the clearance against its peripheral surface so that the sheet is converted into an inner tube which tends to expand radially and is introduced into an outer tube in response to axial shifting of the inner tool. A shoulder between the inner tool and a support for the inner tool pushes one end face of the inner tube from the clearance, and the inner tube is free to expand radially into contact with the internal surface of the respective outer tube in response to complete expulsion from the outer tool.

Abstract: An arrangement for orienting and conveying barrels of catamenial tampon inserters includes a support which is constituted by a plurality of alternating cylindrical first and second support elements which rotate in opposite directions. Each first support element forms with the associated second support element a receiving channel, and an upper run of a V-belt conveyor is arranged at the bottom of this receiving channel and advances longitudinally of the support elements. The barrels are piled on top of the support elements in a randomly oriented collection, such as a layer or pile, and enter the respective receiving channels only when assuming one of two orientations. The engagement of the lowermost barrel with the external surfaces of the support elements causes the barrel to turn toward a position of parallelism with the axes of the support elements.

Abstract: The serrated end portions of the barrels of catamenial tampon inserters are permanently deformed into a substantially hemispherical shape by applying heat and pressure thereto in depressions provided at the periphery of a container which accommodates a confined body of liquid, such as silicon oil, and a heating device which maintains the temperature of the body of liquid within a predetermined range. The heating device includes an electric heater which extends only over a part of the trajectory of movement of the deforming depressions. The barrel preforms are supplied to alternate depressions of an odd number of depressions and the final assemblies are discharged only after they have completed more than a full circle about the axis of rotation of the container.