Apparatus for producing prefolded diapers

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCING PREFOLDED AND SECURED DIAPERS FROM A CONTINUOUS WEB OF TEXTILE MATERIAL COMPRISING: (A) SUPPLY MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPLY A CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL: (B) DRIVEN FEEDING MEANS ADAPTED TO FEED THE CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS IN AN ELONGATE PATH OF TRAVEL THROUGH SAID APPARATUS; (C) FOLDING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SUPPLY MEANS AND ADAPTED TO FOLD THE CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL WITH A TRIPLE REVERSE FOLD TO FORM A CENTER PANEL COMPRISED OF FOUR FOLDED-OVER LAYERS OF MATERIAL AND TWO SIDE PANELS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OUTWARDLY FROM EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER PANEL COMPRISED OF TWO FOLDED-OVER LAYERS OF MATERIAL; (D) SECURING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FOLDING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE FOLDED CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL AND PERMANENTLY SECURE THE WEB IN THE FOLDED CONDITION; (E) CUTTING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SECURING MEANS FOR TRANSVERSELY CUTTING THE FOLDED AND SECURED CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL INTO INDIVIDUAL DIAPERS OF A PREDETERMINED LENGTH; AND (F) MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING OPERATION OF AT LEAST A PART OF SAID FEEDING MEANS DURING THE OPERATION OF SAID CUTTING MEANS WHEREBY THE FEEDING OF THE FOLDED AND SECURED WEB OF MATERIAL WILL BE STOPPED IN THE AREA OF SAID CUTTING MEANS TO INSURE AN EVEN CUT THEREOF, SAID MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING THE OPERATION OF SAID FEEDING MEANS COMPRISING SPRING CLUTCH MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CUTTING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO BE DISENGAGED UPON ACTUATION OF SAID CUTTING MEANS.