US2624165A - Machine for wrapping rodlike articles in tubular wrappers - Google Patents

Description

H. GAMBLE 2,624,165

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RODLIKE ARTICLES IN TUBULAR WRAPPERS.

Jan. 6, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1951 /NVE/VTOR Hada/7 Gau/a. BY

ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 H. GAMBLE:

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RODLIKE ARTICLES IN TUBULAR WRAPPERS '7 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed March 7, 1.951

/N VEN TOP BY W W ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 H. GAMBLE 2,624,165

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RODLIKE ARTICLES IN TUBULAR WRAPPERS Filed March '7, 1951 7 Sheetsj-Sheet 4 Fig-4. 15

/N VEN TOR Hewlj can /fxy R Vl E me, N 5 5 NID 6 Wm. T 1l .t o. ,T W A 4 h 0J 2%6 Cw QWWWS 1w 2mm HW me M L U B U T N I S E um Bm MA AE Gm .L Hw 4R G N I P P A R w R O F1 5 E9 sml 5M? m 9M@ 1l I 1 a 6 M n. ,w a n J. F

S IN TUBULAR WRAPPERS '7 Sheets-Sh'e'et 6 Jan. 6, 1953 v HGAMBLE MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RODLIKE ARTICLE Filed March 7, 1951 I /NvENToR HgJmj Cn-ILL.

Jan. 6, 1953 H. GAMBLE 2,624,165

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RODLIKE ARTICLES INI TUBULAR WRAPPERS Filed MaIOh 7, 1951 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Fig.14.

/NVENTOR BY //L ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1953 MACHINE FOR WRAPPING RIODLIKE ARTICLES IN TUBULAR WRAPPERS Hedwig Gamble, Ponders End, England Application March 7, 1951, Serial No. 214,336 In Great Britain March 15, 1950 11 Claims.

at a time from said hopper, a further fluted drum arranged to receive in each of its flutes an article so fed and bring it into alignment with a wrapper tube, means for moving the tube length-wise along the flute containing such article to cause the tube to pass over the article in such flute, said fluted drum for feeding articles from the hopper comprising several narrow drums assembled on a single-shaft and means being provided whereby the drums may be secured to the shaft with their flutes staggered so that jointly the narrow drums define a common flute of a suitable size for an article to be fed.

The tube, which may be of circular cross-section, may be formed from a web of paper which is folded and sealed to form a continuous paper `tube from which lengths to form wrapper tubes are cut off.

A pusher device may be provided to assist in finally positioning an article in the wrapper tube which is a section cut from the formed tube, as byl scissors. The wrapper tube is cut long enough for its ends to overhand the article and after cutting, the tube enclosing the article may pass Ato sealing devices, such as crimping wheels, to

close the tube ends.

When more than one article is to be enclosed in a single tube, means may be provided for deforming a cylindrical tube to substantially elliptical cross-section so that articles may enter the deformed tube side by side, this method being economical in respect of wrapping material. Deforming may be performed by passing the tube through Xed folders of suitable shape or by squeezing it between pressers. A further presser device may be provided for maintaining the tube in the deformed condition after it emerges from the said folders or pressers.

Means such as a guide trough may be provided for lifting an article in the assembiy drum to eentralize it with the paper tube,the device being adaptable forlifting two or more straws.

Change speed gearing may be provided for the feeding drum so that it may deliver one or two i or, more articles to a single flute of the assembly drum.

The invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an example of a machine for wrapping straws constructed according to the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of the machine showing paper web feeding and tube forming devices.

Figure 2 is an Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational of the feeding and assembly devices of the machine.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow A, and partly in section.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of chine, partly broken away.

Figure 6 shows a device of a feeding drum.

Figure 7 shows a modified form of feeding drum.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating the wrapping of two straws in a single tube.

Figure 1l shows a fragment of Figure 4 illustrating one kind of tube deforming device.

Figures 12 and 13 are end elevations of the device shown in Figure 1l.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrow B.

' In carrying the invention into effect the machine comprises a frame I, Figure 1, on which is fixed a support 2 for a reel 3 of Wrapping material which is drawn as a web 4 by feed rollers 5 and after passing through printing rollers 6 where it is printed in one or more colours, three printing rollers being shown, the web passes through tube forming apparatus of any suitable kind, for example, a device comprising a crimping stick 1. The crimped seam is formed by an outer crimping roller 8 and a small crimping roller 9 heldinside the tube. These crimping devices are well known and no further description appears to be necessary. The seam of the tube may be secured either by crimping or adhesive, but generally crimping is preferable and simpler, the crimping of an empty tube being comparatively easy. The leading end of a continuous tube l0 formed in this manner is advanced towards an article wrapping position.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 beyond the frame i carrying the reel and printing mechanism is an assembly unit between the frames Il of which, is a conveyor band I2 above which are supported an assembly drum I3 and an article feed drum I4. The conveyor band I2 moves-at right angles to the line of movement of the conenlarged View of a fragment of the whole mafor altering the speed 3 tinuous tube ID, Figure 1, and the drums |3 and I4 are mounted across the conveyor.

The article feeding drum I4 is a fluted drum, see Figure 3, which rotates at the base of a hopper or magazine |5 in which straws are placed so that they lie with their axes substantially parallel with the drum flutes. At the outlet of the hopper, that is where the drum emerges and carries-straws out in its flutes, are brushing rollers I6 or the like which brush back surplus straws and prevent more than one from passing out in a. single flute. The feed drum moves continuously and deposits the straws in turn Vinto succeeding utes of the assembly drum i3. The latter moves intermittently and the transfer of -a straw -is Y effected just as the drum i3 is stopping, the speeds of the two drums being suitably correlated. Shields Il and I8 prevent straws from leaving the utes of the respective drums except where desired.

When a flute of the assembly drum reaches its uppermost position, marked P in Figure 3,

the straw in the flute is ih alignment vwith the paper tube lli. A'lifting device described later is provided to lift the straw slightly', at least at the en'd near the 'paper tube, so 'asto `fat'zilit'ate its entry into the tube. The continuous tube is rfed along the drum flute and it is cut just before its leading edge touches a stop, formed by a ila-t plate or shield 25, on the remote side of 'the 'drum I3 when the tube and straw end are hush and thus the assembly quickly'completed. in this way `the `cut tube is located in position with respect'to the width ofV the drum but the straw is not yet .properly located in the tube lengthwise.

Referring again to Figures l and 2, the cutting of the tube Ii! is elfee'ted by scissors El'pivoted Yat 22 `'andclosed lto effect cutting by a spring 23. The continuous tube passes through a guide 24 to steady it near the cutting position. The guide travel'swith the scissors, both members being supportedon a bracket 25 which is reciprocated lon guide rods 25 and 27 by a connecting rod 2S, which is coupled to a crank pin 2li mounted on a cam 3,`whchals`o functions as a crank disc. The little end of the connecting rod has pivcted 'thereto at 3| a double armed lever, one arm 32 of which comprises two pins 33. The other arm V34 'ofthe lever has attached thereto a hat plate 35 which is in rubbing vcontact with the rim Vof the icam-3|l A 'spring 55 tends'to pull the arm 32 downwards. t will be seen that as the "cam rotate's, the scissors move to "and fro and the plate 3'5iiio'vesup'and down,according tothe contour of 'the cam, under vthe tension of the A'spring This movement causes the pins '33 'to open lthe scissors 'against the tension of lthe spring 23 and 'the 'spring 'closes the'scissors at the proper time `tojeifect cutting. Cutting takes place when the yscissors `aremov-ing at about the same speed `as v'the tube T5 andthe closed scissors thereafter accelerate and'push the cut piece of tube along theiute of the drum E3 for about 1/2" to the -A few other features vshown in Figure 3 to fa'cilitatethe feeding and manipulation of the straws will now be described. The hopper l5 is provided with an oscillating back plate 3l pivoted at 38 and operated by a connecting rod 39 coupled to a crank'pin 45 fixed on a crank disc 4| mounted on the end of a spindle 42 on which the brush rollers it are mounted. The straws can fall from a flute of the drum I4 when saidflutepasses the lower end of the shield |S lbut should Vthey "fail to do so, positive removal is Va wormwlreel v65 which effected by a pair of pins 43 which are fixed to y from at the proper time.

When the leading end of the cut tube under the 'action `of `the scissors reaches plate Eil the assemblydrum l5 moves on one flute pitch.

.In order to Mpermit the ends of the wrapper to be closed, the straw, which is of course shorter than the tube, is pushed further into the tube by `aA reciprocating pusher 41, Figure 5, so as to position the straw to make it centrally disposed with respect to the tube length. A guide plate |45 prevents this operation from displacing -the paper tube, see Figures 4 andi-1 where the guide is shown but, Vfor clearness, v.not in its proper position. It is adjusted to a position Vfurther to the left of the assembly drum. At a lower position the enclosed straw is ejected by the pins 45 and drops into two pairs of crimping wheels 48 which crimp the ends of the tube which extend beyond the straw to seal up the tubular wrapper. Y-L'at'er the wrapped straws fall onto the conveyor hand 2. The crimping wheels may, if desired, be engaged under spring pressure,

for instance, each wheel of one pair is spring loaded, as-shown -in Figure 3, and the pressure can be adjusted. This enables the crimping to be fairly loose, that is, -just secure enough for packing and transport, but Yvery easily opened. lSome users prefer such loose seams yas in opening Ya tightly crimped seam one is liable to tear or spoil the vend of the straw..

The machine is driven by a pulley 49 xed to a main shaft 50, Figure 1. A sprocket wheel 5| on `the shaft 50 drives a similar sprocket wheel 52, -Figure 5, by a chain 53 and nearly all the parts shown -inFigures 3, Lland 5 are driven from a worm shaft 54 to which the sprocket wheel 52 is fixed. On the shaft 50, Figure 2, is a gear wheel 58 which drives a similar gear Wheel 59 on which is mounted a sprocket wheel 60 which drives the printing rollers by a chain 55. The wheel 59 drives a similar gear wheel |58 whereby the scissors are driven through elliptical `gear wheels V56 and l51. The wheel |58 also drives Va similar gear wheel |00 which drives a smaller gear wheel |0| on the spindle of the upper crimping wheel 8. A small gear wheel A| 02 is .also xed on the crimping wheel spindle and this gear wheel drives another |03, on which is a sprocket wheel |04 rhaving a chain |05 on it by which the roller 5 is driven.

The worm shaft 54 has a double threaded worm Y5| on it which has a portion of its thread of zero lead. This worm gears with a wormwheel S2 xed on a shaft 63 to which the assembly drum is xed. Thus as the shaft 54 rotates continuously, the drum |3 is intermittently driven, this ty-pe of drive being Well known.v A further dou-ble nworm 64 on the shaft 54 drives has a pulley 66 'on its shaft El. This pulley is connected by a cross belt, part of which is shown at 68, Figures 4 and 5, toapulle'y 69 fixed on the spindle 42. A gear wheel 'l0 on the shaft V|51 drives an idler gear wheel 1| which drives another gear wheel 12 on a reciprocate the slide pins 43 shaft.13 to which is attached a roller 14 which drives the conveyor I2.

The gear wheel 12 drives an idler gear wheel 15 which engages a gear wheel 18 on a shaft 11 lon which one pair ofthe crimping wheels 48 is carried. The pairs of crimping wheels are coupled by equal gear wheels (not shown). On the shaft 11 there is also a sprocket wheel 18 on which is mounted a chain 19 which also runs on a large sprocket wheel 89 fixed to a shaft 8| which carries the f'luted feed drum I4.

On the worm shaft 54 there is also fixed a disc cam 82 on which runs a roller 83 pivoted on a cam lever 84 pivoted at 85. At the top of the cam lever is a slot 86 in which a pin 81 works, this pin being fixed to a slide 88 which carries the straw pusher 41. The slide runs in a guide 89 and a spring 90 cooperates with the cam to 88 and pusher 41 at the proper times.

At the right hand end, Figure 5, of the camshaft 54'is a cam 9| which, in cooperation with a spring 92, oscillates an arm 93 fixed to the f spindle 46 and thus moves the pins 45 up and down at the correct times. The spindle 44 is rocked vby an arm 94 xed to it and having a roller 95 at its free end which engages a crown cam 96 fixed on the shaft 54. A spring 91 pulls the roller against the cam and thus the ejector are moved up and down as required.

If it is desired to wrap two or more straws in each tube it is only necessary to increase the relative speeds of the drums, the top drum going twice as fast for two straws and so on. Thus two straws are fed into a single assembly drum fiute and thereafter wrapped as before.

The removal of the straws from a hopper by a fiuted drum can only be done satisfactorily if one straw only is taken out by one flute. If the fiutes are made wider so vas to take two straws, feeding is not reliable. For instance, one straw may drop askew into the wide flute so that the Y axis of the straw is not parallel to the ute and that there is suiicient length of this straw will block the flute so that the second Therefore it is really singly from the hopper means changing the and assembly drums.

straw cannot move in. essential to feed straws and, as stated above, this speed ratio of the feeding vThis could be done by changing the sprocket wheel 80 but as this is an inconvenient method,

I the arrangement shown in Figure 6 is provided.

8| has two sprocket wheelsl The feed drum shaft 89A andIlB mounted on rotatable thereon. Between the sprocket wheels is a ring 98 keyed to the shaft 8|. A pin 99 can be shifted to couple either sprocket wheel to the ring 98'and this to the shaft 8| so the drum can rotate either at an even ratio speed with the assembly. drum, that is, one flute to one flute or at twice this speed, that is, two flutes to one iiute. Thus in the second case two straws are delivered to each flute of the assembly drum. The sprocket wheels are driven by two chains marked 19A and 19B and it will be understood that the driving sprocket wheel 18 is a double one in this case. This construction is given merely by way of example and any suitable change-speed device may be incorporated in the feed drum drive.

The machine is designed to handle various lengths of straws ferent lengths of diameters of straws. The drums are shorter than the straws, as longer or shorter straws can always be handled by the same drums, provided it so that they are freely and consequently to feed dif-E tube and also to wrap various flute to support a straw firmly so that it cannot fall out of the sides of the drum, that is out of the end of the fiute. The feeding and cutting of various lengths of tubing can be catered for by change gears or the like on the respective parts of Figure 1. The variation in diameter of the straws to be wrapped would, however, normally mean changing the feed drum as two small straws might fall into a large flute and be fed together. A single assembly drum is generally sufficient for several diameters of straw but the changing of the feed drum is wasteful and not suitable for the average operator who is usually an unskilled girl. To overcome this difficulty three short drums are used side by side on the feed drum shaft as shown in Figure '7. The middle drum marked |4B is fixed to the shaft 8| but the others I4A and |4C respectively are fixed to the middle one by bolts |96 passing through quadrant slots |91. The flutes are large enough to take the largest straw and are preferably constructed so that the teeth between the flutes are rather like ratchet teeth in appearance, as illustrated. When the three drums are assembled with the flutes in alignment the largest straws can be handled but if the side drums I4A and |4C are turned round on the shaft 8| the back surfaces of the flutes of the outer drums co-operate with the front surfaces of the flutes of the middle drum to form smaller effective flutes. Sufficient adjustment is providedto cover all sizes and the adjustment is a perfectly simple operation. Alternatively, the middle drum can be adjustable and the outer ones fixed to the shaft, when it is only necessary to shift the middle one and then lock it in position and the flutes of the outer drums will be in permanent alignment.

The crimping wheels 48 are also adjustable for position and are xed by set screws along their shafts to engage the tube material extending beyond the ends of the straws. The hopper I5 is also adjustable, having one slidable side |08 carried on rods |89 so as to alter the width of the f hopper for various lengths of straws.

A counting device may be fitted on the machine and a suitable construction is shown in Figure 5. The device comprises stops I I@ to arrest wrapped straws on the conveyor band I2. These stops consisting of thin wires or bars are lifted and lowered so that when the stops are down, straws accumulate side by side, then the bars lift and the assembled straws pass forthwith into a chute. To operate this counting device a further worm ||2 is fixed on the worm-shaft 54 and engages with a wormwheel H3. To the wormwheel is fixed a snail cam H4 which periodically lifts a pivoted lever ||5 carrying a bar IIB in which two stops II9 are fixed, one at each side of the band I2. 1f desired a bell signal device may be added, suitably geared to the wormwheel |I3 to indicate when a large number of wrapped straws, say 598, has accumulated in the chute so that `the operator can remove them.

. the straws may cause difficulties. Such increase in the diameter of the -tube requires more paper and in the interest of economy it is desirable to keep the width of the paper strip from whichthe 7 tube. isrnadev as .small as possible.. YTo this end rneans'arerprovidedv to deform a cylindrical tube so..A that itwill take, for'example, two strawsside byside.

As ,previously described the tube is causedA to slide over the straws and the deformation of` the tube may be effected by pressing it byA two fixed or movable pads, described later, between which the cylindrical tube passes. The diameter 'of the cylindrical tube is so chosen that when pressed in this'manner to deforin it, the widthfof the tube, that-is the maior axis thereof is sulicient to-allow two straws, side by side, to enter easily, see Figure 9. After the straws have been inserted, the tube is released and changes to substantiallyy cylindrical shape again, see Figure 10. As the straws `will easily move into a tube, once the initial entry has been effected, it is only strictly necessary to press the tube at the place where thel straws start to enter, but as the tube is generally moved while the straws are still, it will be understood that the deformation. of the tube takes place locally and continuously and as the tube moves, each part passing between the pads is deformed in turn. A modification, where the pressure is maintained is described later.

In one construction of deforming device shown in Figures 11 to 13 the cylindrical paper tube moves as before towards the straws. Between the end of the tube and the near ends of the straws are two pressers H7 and H8, consisting of short concave ormers. The cross section of each former at the end near the'tube is a circular arc and at the end near the straws an elliptical arc,

the section changing' progressively from one shape to the other, see Figures l2 and 13. The concavities are directed towards one another and although the formers do not touch, they substantially dene a circle at one end and an ellipse at the other.

Thus the section of the tube changesY from a cylinder to an ellipse, though it must be understood that these terms are descriptive only, for the tube may be deformed so as to be of a section consisting of two semi-circular arcs joined by straight lines and the term substantially elliptical is meant to include such a shape. This shape can be made by formers comprising two at plates suitably disposed and converging to eiect a mere flattening of the tube. Instead of employing xed ormers, suitable formers may oe cam-operated to move towards and away from one another. This construction is shown in Figures Lland 1.

A shaft is is mounted in bearingson the base plate of the machine and has on it a sprocket wheel |29 which is driven by the chain 53 previously mentioned. At one end of this shaft is a crown cam |2| which engages a roller |22 at the'lower end of' an arm |23 of a bell crank lever.

The other arm |2S has a presser |25 fixed to it.

As the cam |2| rotates, the bell crank is oscillated by the cam anda spring |26 about its'pivot |27. Another arm |28 carrying a top presser |29 is pivoted at |39 and geared to the arm |24 by toothed quadrants l3 and |32. Thus the two pressers are moved towards and away from one another at the necessary times. After the tube has been moved over the straws to enclose them it expands to substantially cylindrical shape as in Figure and it is cut and closed as previously described. Where these pressers are used the cut takes place just at the left of the presser |1||8 or 29 and nally located by theguide ll as the drum moves-on.

8 kAs previouslyA described the vflutes ci" thev -assembly drum serve also asa-lead for the endless tube ofr paper which moves: along: and outside the straws and wraps them. Ify then there vis much v"difference in the `diameter of the tube lfor different wrappings itiis obvious that Without further provision the assembly drum would have to bechanged forsingle or'double wraps. Iffa drum with vlutesfwideenough to permit two straws to lie thatis, one or'two'straws per tube, when the ute is used for snglestraws, they are not sufiiciently kept in position so that the; paper tube can slide over a. straw. The correct position of the straws is .roughly in line with the axis of the tube'and even with singlestraws it is'desirable to ensure this alignment. The changing of the drumzfor another, when a different number of lstraws is tofbe pui-into asingle'tube is a long job requiring someV dismantling of the apparatus concerned. To avoid this diiiiculty thereV is provided a tapering guide trough, for example a V 'guide |33 asshown in Figures 4, 1'1 and 14 Aadapted to engagean end of one orr morel straws contained ina/liuto of the assembly drum 'I 3l and guide them sothat they areV centralised with respect to the bore-of the Wrapper tube.

As previouslymentioned, the strawsare always longer than the assembly drum. The end of the straw outside the drum-von theside of the oncoming paper tube is guided into the paper tubeby the guide or trough |33 and as soon as the drum is in the stopping position, to permit the tube to slide in, the guide is'lifted by a cam |34 on the shaft H9 against-the action of a spring |35. The guide which 4is shaped in V form is wide on the straw sidevand `narrow on the. side where the tube moves on. This tapering construction of thev guide trough forces the straw into a certain position corresponding or parallel to the4 axis of the tube. It is then of no importanceat allwhere the straw lies in the flute; `the guide brings the straw into the exact position and the tube can slide over the straw. The guide |33 is supported on a slidable rod |35 work-ingin a guide |31. One end of a lever |38 engages the rod and is raised by the cam |34 at the necessary times. If desired, the guide E33 can be attached to the lower presser |25 where such is used thus saving separate operating mechanism. The tube deforming devices previously described facilitate the entry of two or more straws but there is a tendency for the deformed-tube to return to its shape immediately itha's passed throughthe jaws of the device. On the whole it is best to maintain the oval form of the tube for awhile and this may be donc by attaching to the upper presser Il' a at spring or a thin bar E33, Figure 11, which has on yits further end a pad which rests on the upper side of the tube. A similar thin bar may be fitted on the presser 29 to operate when it is in its lower position, slightly bending the top side of the tube and so maintaining approximately its oval shape until a certain amount of the straw is inside the tube. The bar |39 is only shown in Figure 1l but its attachment to the presser |29 is obvious.

I. claim:

l. A machine for wrapping elongate articles in tubular wrappers, comprising a hopper having an article outlet, a uted drum rotatably supported in position to receive articles singly from said outlet, a fluted assembly drum imit rotatably positioned to receive successively in each of its flutes an article from the rst drum, means for intermittently turning the assembly drum unit to successively bring each iiute to a predetermined station, a wrapping tube forming means,

meansfor moving the tube lengthwise into and along an article carrying flute of the assembly drum unit when such ute comes to rest at said station to cause the tube to pass over the article, said drum unit comprising a plurality of drum sections assembled on a common shaft, and means by which the drum sections may be secured against relative turning movement with the flutes thereof vstaggered whereby the drum sections jointly denne a common flute of a size to receive an article of predetermined size.

2. A machine of the character stated in claim l, with means for deforming the cross section of the leading end of the cylindrical wrapping tubeV to substantially elliptical form while the tube is passing over an article whereby two or more articles may enter the tube side by side.

3. A machine of the character stated in claim 2, with a presser adapted to engage the tube and maintain the deformed shape of the tube beyond said deforming means.

4. A machine of the character stated in claim 1, with a change speed gear mechanism coupling the uted drum and the assembly drum unit for facilitating the rotation of the first drum at different speeds relative to the intermittent rotation of the assembly drum unit for effecting the transfer of articles from one, two or more iiutes of the rst drum into a single flute of the assembly drum unit.

5. A machine of the character stated in claim l, with a guide positioned to engage the article in the ilute of the assembly drum unit when such flute reaches said station for positioning the article substantially in alignment with the wrapping tube.

6.' A machine of the character stated in claim 2, withia guide positioned to engage the article in the flute of the assembly drum unit when such flute reaches said station for positioning the article substantially in alignment with the wrapping tube.

'7. A machine for wrapping elongate articles in tubular wrappers, comprising a hopper having an article outlet, a fluted drum rotatably supported in position to receive articles singly from said outlet, a fluted assembly drum unit rotatably positioned to receive successively in each of its flutes an article from the rst drum, means for intermittently turning the assembly drum unit to successively bring each flute to a predetermined station, a wrapping tube forming means, means for moving the tube lengthwise into and along an article carrying flute of the assembly drum unit whenvsuch ute comes to rest at said station to cause the tube to pass over the article, means for severing the tube after a predetermined length thereof has passed over the article, said drum unit comprising a plurality of drum sections, a rotatable shaft common to and having the drum sections mounted thereon, one of said drum sections being fixed to the shaft and the other drum sections being free for turning movement on the shaft, and means coupling the free turning drum sections with the fixed drum section whereby all of the sections may be secured against relative turning movement with the flutes thereof staggered whereby the drum sections jointly define a common flute of a size to receive an article of predetermined size.

8. A machine of the character stated in claim 7, with means for deforming the cross section of the leading end of the cylindrical wrapping tube to substantially elliptical form while the tube is passing over an article, said last means comprising a guide through which the tube passes, having a substantially circular contour at the end in which the tube enters and a substantially elliptical contour at the end from which the tube emerges.

9. A machine of the character stated in claim 7, with means for deforming the cross section of the leading end of the cylindrical wrapping tube to substantially elliptical form while the tube is passing over an article, said last means comprising two spaced presser members between which the tube passes, means supporting said members for movement toward and away from one another for applying compression to the tube passing between them, and mechanism for effecting the movement of said members toward one another to apply the desired compression to the tube.

10. A machine of the character stated in claim 9, with a guide positioned at the end of the assembly drum unit toward which the tube advances, for engaging an article carried in the assembly drum unit flute upon reaching said station and guiding sai-d article to a position substantially in alignment with the advancing wrapping tube.

11. A machine of the character sta-ted in claim '7, with a tube pressing means adapted to engage the tube and maintain the deformed shape thereof after the tube passes the said deforming means.

HEDWIG GAMBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,465,921 Herz et al Aug. 21, 1923 2,068,407 Goldstein Jan. 19, 1937

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