SLEEVE MAKING APPARATUS

An automated sleeve transfer apparatus and method adapted to receive continuous webs of material including pairs of left and right sleeves alternating between cuff-to-cuff and shoulder-to-shoulder relation and having a die cutting mechanism for receiving the pairs of sleeves from the webs is disclosed having a circular wheel having rotatable vacuum plates on its circumference for carrying pairs of sleeves along a circular path to a transfer point, a conveyor for transferring successive severed pairs of cuff-to-cuff sleeves from the die cutting mechanism to the vacuum plates on the circumference of the circular wheel, a mechanism within the circular wheel for rotating the vacuum plates to turn each sleeve end for end to rearrange the sleeves from cuff-to-cuff to shoulder-to-shoulder relation while moving along the circular path before said transfer point, a second conveyor for receiving successive severed pairs of shoulder-to-shoulder sleeves from the die cutting mechanism and for conveying the sleeves in spaced relationship along a linear path tangent to the circular path at said transfer point, and a control of the vacuum supplied to the vacuum plates so that successive rearranged pairs of sleeves are transferred as they arrive at the transfer point and are placed in the space between and overlapping successive sleeve pairs on the second conveyor moving along the path and with the cuffs of the sleeves in alignment.