Machine for forming securing loops on sanitary napkins

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR FORMING SECURING LOOPS AT THE ENDS OF SANITARY NAPKINS HAVING A TUBULAR COVERING WHICH EXTENDS OUTSIDE THE ABSORPTION PAD AND FORMS AT EACH END A TUBULAR PART BENDABLE DOUBLE, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A STEPWISE MOVABLE FEED TRACK FOR SAID NAPKINS SUCH THAT AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TUBULAR PARTS HANGS DOWNWARDLY AT ONE SIDE OF SAID TRACK, AN ASSEMBLY LOCATED AT SAID SIDE OF AND BELOW SAID TRACK BEING ROTATABLE AND RECIPROCABLE ALONG ITS AXIS OF ROTATION, SAID AXIS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AND PERPENDICULAR RELATIVELY TO SAID FEED TRACK, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A GUIDE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE TOP THEREOF, A SUCTION DEVICE HAVING A SUCTION OPENING, A CATCH DEVICE AND A CUTTER ARRANGED ABOVE SAID SUCTION OPENING, MEANS FOR RAISING SAID ASSEMBLY INTO A RAISED POSITION AS SAID TRACK MOVES A NAPKIN ABOVE IT, SAID SUCTION DEVICE BEING ADAPTED TO CATCH SAID TUBULAR PART, MEANS FOR LOWERING SAID ASSEMBLY TO A POSITION WHERE SAID TUBULAR PART IS STILL WITHIN SAID SUCTION OPENING, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CATCH DEVICE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TUBULAR PART ADJACENT SAID SUCTION OPENING, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ASSEMBLY TO TWIST SAID TUBULAR PART, AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID CUTTER TO CUT OFF SAID TUBULAR PART ADJACENT SAID SUCTION DEVICE, BENDING MEANS MOVABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TUBULAR PART AS SAID CUTTER CUTS THE END OF SAID TUBULAR PART TO BEND IT DOUBLE AROUND SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO FORM A LOOP, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING ROTATED TO TWIST SAID LOOP, AND MEANS FOR TYING A KNOT IN THE LOOP, SAID KNOT TYING MEANS COMPRISING A GRIPPER DEVICE MOVABLE TO GRIP SAID LOOP, A CHANNEL SHAPED TYING ARM MOVABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS IN WHICH THE CHANNEL OF SAID ARM IS RESPECTIVELY PERPENDICULAR AND PARALLEL TO SAID TRACK, SAID GRIPPER DEVICE BEING OPERATIVE WHEN THE TYING ARM IS IN ITS FIRST POSITION TO WIND THE TWISTED PORTION OF SAID LOOP AROUND THE TYING ARM TO FORM AN EYE, WHEREAFTER SAID TYING ARM IS MOVED TO ITS SECOND POSITION PARALLEL TO SAID TRACK, SAID GRIPPER DEVICE TOGETHER WITH THE GRIPPED PORTION OF SAID LOOP BEING THEN MOVED THROUGH SAID CHANNEL OF SAID ARM AND THROUGH SAID EYE TO FORM SAID KNOT, AND MEANS FOR TIGHTENING SAID KNOT.