Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for individually wrapping drinking straws applies a web of wrapping material to sequentially supplied straws while providing separately: (i) a crimping station for the wrapping material which secures it about the straws by providing longitudinal and transverse crimps and (ii) a cutting station for separating the wrapped straws. The discrete locations of the crimping and cutting stations enables faster and more reliable production by separating operations, which reduces the amount of mechanical interaction between dies at a single location, thereby reducing die bounce. Speed increases of 15-20 percent are readily achieved.

Abstract: Containers are conveyed through an oven on a conveyor to cause a foamable material on each container to foam and become a heat insulative layer. The containers are supported on respective holders of the conveyor, which prevent the containers from contacting one another. Preferably, the holders support the containers loosely, to enable the containers to wobble relative to the holders under the influence of oven air currents and conveyor vibration. The holders thus do not make contact with any given point on their respective containers for a time period that is sufficient to enable the holders to draw enough heat away from the container to adversely affect the foaming operation. The containers are conveyed in single file, along a serpentine path through the oven.

Abstract: A bottom for a paper cup is formed by advancing a punch against a paperboard web to push the web against a cutting edge which cuts out a circular cup bottom blank from the web. The punch is kept in a forward state to clamp an outer peripheral portion of the blank immovably against a surface of a sleeve. A reciprocable draw is advanced against a center portion of the blank to push the center portion into a circular opening of the sleeve while maintaining the clamping force, to cause the center portion of the blank to become stretched. The clamping force is then progressively released to permit the outer peripheral portion to enter the opening and become bent to form a lip extending at a substantially right angle. The lip is compressed within a gap formed between the draw and a surface of the opening. Because of the stretching of the blank, pleats formed in the lip are only in the form of micropleats that are flattened in a non-folded over state.

Abstract: A bottom for a paper cup is formed by advancing a punch against a paperboard web to push the web against a cutting edge which cuts out a circular cup bottom blank from the web. The punch is kept in a forward state to clamp an outer peripheral portion of the blank immovably against a surface of a sleeve. A reciprocable draw is advanced against a center portion of the blank to push the center portion into a circular opening of the sleeve while maintaining the clamping force, to cause the center portion of the blank to become stretched. The clamping force is then progressively released to permit the outer peripheral portion to enter the opening and become bent to form a lip extending at a substantially right angle. The lip is compressed within a gap formed between the draw and a surface of the opening. Because of the stretching of the blank, pleats formed in the lip are only in the form of micropleats that are flattened in a non-folded over state.

Abstract: Containers are conveyed through an oven on a conveyor to cause a foamable material on each container to foam and become a heat insulative layer. The containers are supported on respective holders of the conveyor, which prevent the containers from contacting one another. Preferably, the holders support the containers loosely, to enable the containers to wobble relative to the holders under the influence of oven air currents and conveyor vibration. The holders thus do not make contact with any given point on their respective containers for a time period that is sufficient to enable the holders to draw enough heat away from the container to adversely affect the foaming operation. The containers are conveyed in single file, along a serpentine path through the oven.

Abstract: A pressure fluid actuator having an elongated tubular chamber, a slot extending longitudinally along the wall of the chamber, a flexible hose member within the chamber and an improved reciprocally movable bracket having an upper portion extended through said slot and connected to a workpiece, which is slidable along the exterior of said chamber, and a lower portion having a rotatably mounted shaft with a pair of rollers for engagement with said flexible hose member to create a reciprocal movement of the bracket.