Tampon blank winding spindle has longitudinal slit - to receive and hold wadding strip pushed in laterally

摘要

A machine for making tampon blanks comprises a winding spindle, which engages a continuously supplied strip of cotton absorbent wadding or the like, then rotates and winds it to form a cylindrical blank. The winding spindle comprises at least one longitudinal slit extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the wadding strip, a pusher pushes the wadding sideways into this slit, so that it becomes trapped in the spindle. The system enables wadding of variable thickness to be handled effectively, by contrast with a previous arrangement in which rotating forks engage the wadding strip from its narrow side. It is thus not necessary to ensure uniform thickness of the wadding strip. In addn., it is not necessary (as with the forks) to execute a complete forward and return movement, totalling about 100mm, across the width of the wadding; in the present case, it is only necessary for the wadding to be pushed sideways across its width into the spindle.