Artificial tree limb tapering machine

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TAPERING THE TIP END OF ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIMBS FORMED OF CONSTANT LENGTH, PRECUT PLASTIC FILAMENTS CAPTURED BY A PAIR OF TWISTED WIRES WITH THE FILAMENTS NORMALLY PROJECTING RADIALLY OF THE LIMB AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LIMB AXIS COMPRISING; MEANS FOR MOVING A SERIES OF SPACED LIMBS ALONG A PATH THROUGH SAID APPARATUS, MEANS FOR RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THOSE FILAMENTS WITHIN THE TIP SECION OF EACH LIMB DURING TRANSPORT TO REDUCE THEIR ELASTIC MEMBORY, MEANS FOR BENDING SAID HEATED FILAMENTS AWAY FROM THEIR RIGHT ANGLE, RADIAL POSITION TO A POSITON GENERALLY IN LINE WITH THE AXIS OF SAID LIMB AND TOWARD SAID TIP EXTREMITY, AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THOSE HEATED FILAMENTS AT THE TIP EXTEMITY IN THEIR IN-LINE POSITION FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAN THOSE HEATED FILAMENTS SPACED INWARDLY THEREOF, WHEREBY, UPON COOLING, SAID LIMB IS PROVIDED WITH A TIP SECION CHARACTERIZED BY A FULL TAPER RATHER THAN MERE IN-LINE MATTING OF SAID SECTION FILAMENTS.