METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ELASTIC BAND ONTO A MOVING WEB

The present invention generally resides in method and apparatus for intermittently appling pieces of elastic band (5) severed into a predetermined length onto a moving continuous web (8) at predetermined positions. The apparatus comprising elastic band transfer means (11) including a plurality of independently rotatable rotor elements (26) coaxially supported in rotatable fashion and carrying on respective arc-shaped outer surfaces suction members (12) wherein the respective rotor elements (26) carrying the respective suction members (12) are adapted to be rotated along common circumferential path and the respective rotor elements (26) are coupled to a drive wheel (20) eccentrically located relative to a rotational center of the respective rotor elements and adapted to be rotated at a constant speed by a rotatable slider crank mechanism; suction distributor means (13) for the respective suction members, adapted to operate synchronously with rotation of the drive wheel (20); means to feed continuous elastic band tangentially to the circumferential path of the respective suction members (12); means intermittently cooperating with one of the respective suction members (12) periodically advanced by the elastic band transfer means (11) to a predetermined position to sever the continuous elastic band; and web feeding means located in opposition to an end position of transport of the severed piece of elastic band along the circumferential path so that the piece of elastic band may be effectively transferred onto the web (8). This apparatus may further comprise means by which at least one ends of the respective suction members (12) are pivotally supported by the respective rotor elements in laterally displaceable fashion so that the one ends are laterally displaced as the respective rotor elements rotate.