Patent ID: 6260342
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: A41G

Abstract:
An apparatus for forming a decorative twisted spiral garland from at least one continuous ribbon web from a ribbon supply, and a pair of continuous wires from a wire supply, the apparatus comprising:structure establishing an axis,a loop frame including a pair of spaced elongated rods extending alongside the axis,ribbon guide mechanism for guiding the at least one ribbon strip from the ribbon supply to the outside of the loop frame,a loop-forming drive assembly rotating at least one of the loop frame and the ribbon supply about the axis for wrapping the ribbon strip around the loop frame to form a series of ribbon loops,a wire guide assembly for guiding the wires from the wire supply respectively into paths substantially parallel to the axis and outside of and respectively along opposite sides of the ribbon loops,a twist drive assembly for twisting the wires together in a spiral along the axis thereby to twist the ribbon loops, anda withdrawal mechanism engageable with the twisted wires and ribbon loops for advancing them along the axis simultaneously with forming of the loops and twisting of the wires to withdraw the loops from the loop frame and form an elongated twisted spiral garland.