Abstract: Apparatus for providing resiliently compressible articles, which by being compressed have been lended a considerably reduced volume, with a casing formed of heat sealable pliable sheet material preventing the articles from regaining their original volume. The articles are first precompressed to a volume which is smaller than said reduced volume. The precompressed articles are thereafter introduced into a tube which is formed of a lengthy web of pliable sheet material by heat sealing overlapping longitudinal margin portions of the web so as to unite them. The articles introduced into the tube are prevented from expanding to said reduced volume, in which they fill out the tube, until the heat sealing seam of the tube has attained sufficient strength. The tube can be closed between the introduced articles by transverse heat sealing seams.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for forming a multi-layer protective envelope around an object that is generally prismatic or cylindric in shape the object while being rotated about a stationary, horizontal axis is wrapped-around with a web of thin, heat-shrinkable and heat-softenable plastic film having a width that exceeds the length of the object, successive portions of said web after having arrived at the periphery of the object and as the object rotates being exposed to a heating radiation while passing a zone extending along the full length of the object and also inwardly over portions of the end surfaces thereof. Layer after layer of said film will thereby shrink to tightly surround the object, including at least the radially outer marginal portions of the ends thereof, and also laminate together into a tough unitary casing.