Abstract:
Sipping straws are confined in discrete envelopes while advancing in a single file of spaced-apart straws through a wrapping station. The envelopes are obtained from a continuous strip of wrapping paper which is conveyed to the wrapping station in the direction of advancement of the file of spaced-apart straws and is draped around the straws in such a way that one of its longitudinally extending marginal portions overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion with simultaneous formation of a seam rather than an outwardly extending fin. The thus obtained tubular wrapper is thereupon severed in the gaps between successive spaced-apart straws, and the end portions of the thus obtained discrete envelopes are sealed by knurling, e.g., simultaneously with severing of the tubular wrapper.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to improvements in the making of wrapped drinking or sipping straws, and more particularly to improvements in the methods of and apparatus for confining drinking of sipping straws (hereinafter called sipping straws) in tubular envelopes of paper or the like.  
           [0002]    It is well known to confine sipping straws in suitable elongated tubular envelopes of thin paper or the like. As a rule, conventional apparatus for the making and wrapping of sipping straws comprise an extruder that turns out a continuous tube which is normally made of a suitable plastic material (e.g., a transparent or translucent plastic material) and is caused to pass through a cutter. The latter repeatedly severs the leader of the tube to thus convert it into a file or row of discrete sections (hereinafter called straws) of desired length. The thus obtained straws are thereupon wrapped into envelopes in such a way that each envelope exhibits a longitudinally extending flap or fin and is closed at the ends. The making of fins and closing at the ends is accomplished by resorting to suitable knurling tools which interlace overlapping portions of the respective envelopes. Such knurling necessarily involves the making of rather pronounced fins which interfere with predictable confinement of wrapped sipping straws in cardboard boxes or other types of containers. Furthermore, the wrapping operation does not always result in the making of airtight seals and the flaps detract from the appearance of the ultimate products.  
           [0003]    The maximum output of presently known apparatus for wrapping sipping straws is in the range of between about 600 and 1000 per minute. On the other hand, an extruder can turn out 2000 or even more straws per minute. Thus, the extruder must operate at less than full capacity due to the lesser output of the wrapping apparatus.  
           [0004]    Another drawback of presently known and utilized apparatus for making and wrapping sipping straws is that their requirements for wrapping paper or other suitable wrapping material greatly exceed the minimal requirements which must be satisfied in order to adequately confine and preferably seal or substantially seal an individual straw in a tubular envelope. The disparity between the required quantities of wrapping material and the number of wrapped sipping straws which are turned out per unit of time increases with increasing lengths of the straws.  
           [0005]    In addition, the rather limited capacity of conventional straw wrapping or draping apparatus renders it necessary to increase the number of extruding, wrapping and cartoning machines which, in turn, contributes significantly to the overall cost and necessitates the utilization of additional floor space as well as the services of additional attendants.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrapping or draping apparatus for sipping straws.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for on-line making, wrapping and packing sipping straws.  
           [0008]    A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of wrapping sipping straws in an economical manner.  
           [0009]    An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can wrap sipping straws at a rate that is a multiple of the capacities of presently known straw wrapping apparatus.  
           [0010]    Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can wrap sipping straws in such a way that that the space requirements of the ultimate products, e.g., in a box or carton, are less pronounced than those of presently known wrapped or draped sipping straws.  
           [0011]    A further object of the invention is to provide wrapped sipping straws which can be more readily confined in cartons or other types of receptacles than presently known and presently available wrapped sipping straws.  
           [0012]    Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can mass produce wrapped sipping straws with substantial savings in paper or other wrapping material.  
           [0013]    An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can ensure the wrapping of sipping straws in a highly satisfactory manner superior to that achievable by resorting to heretofore known wrapping apparatus.  
           [0014]    Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be readily converted for the wrapping of longer, shorter, smaller-diameter or larger-diameter, rigid or flexible sipping straws.  
           [0015]    A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for wrapping sipping straws the space requirements of which are considerably less than those of presently known apparatus.  
           [0016]    Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be automated to a desired extent and the output of which can be varied within a wide range, e.g., starting at a minimum output at least matching the maximum output of presently known apparatus.  
           [0017]    An additional object of the invention is to provide the above outlined apparatus with a novel and improved straw wrapping unit.  
           [0018]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a production line which employs a straw wrapping apparatus and means for delivering sipping straws from a source (such as an extruder) to the wrapping apparatus, and wherein the delivering means is designed to compensate for eventual fluctuations of the output of the source and/or for eventual fluctuations of the requirements of the wrapping and/or packing apparatus.  
           [0019]    A further object of the invention is to provide a production line which employs at least one straw wrapping apparatus, at least one packing apparatus for freshly wrapped straws and means for transferring wrapped straws from at least one source to the at least one packing apparatus in such a way that the operation of the packing apparatus is not affected by eventual fluctuations of the operation of the wrapping apparatus and/or vice versa.  
           [0020]    Another object of the invention is to provide sipping straws which are produced in the above outlined apparatus or production lines and/or in accordance with the above outlined method.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0021]    One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a wrapped sipping straw which comprises an elongated open-ended tube and an envelope which confines the tube and includes a converted strip of flexible wrapping material. The envelope has two overlapping marginal portions which extend longitudinally of the tube and form a seam wherein one of the marginal portions is bonded to the other marginal portion.  
           [0022]    The seam is preferably formed in such a way that the inner side of the other marginal portion is adjacent the tube and the inner side of the one marginal portion is bonded to the outer side of the other marginal portion.  
           [0023]    It is often preferred to provide the converted strip with end portions which at least substantially close the envelope at the ends of the tube.  
           [0024]    The tube can consist of a plastic material and the converted strip can consist of or at least contain paper.  
           [0025]    The envelope can be further provided with at least one weakened portion which at least partially surrounds the tube intermediate the end portions of the envelope and serves to break (such as tear) in response to the exertion of a pull upon at least one of the end portions relative to the other end portion. The at least one weakened portion can include at least one group (e.g., a circumferentially extending row) of perforations.  
           [0026]    At least one end portion of the converted strip can be closed (or even sealed) by knurling with a suitable tool, e.g., a rotary knife.  
           [0027]    The envelope can have an at least substantially circular cross-sectional outline and is preferably devoid of external radial or substantially radial protuberances (such as the aforediscussed fins of conventional wrappers for sipping straws).  
           [0028]    Another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a method of confining open-ended sipping straws in discrete envelopes. The improved method comprises the steps of gathering unconfined sipping straws into at least one accumulation (e.g., in a hopper) of at least substantially parallel straws, transporting from the accumulation at least one file of spaced-apart successive straws lengthwise toward and through a wrapping station, advancing toward and through the wrapping station a strip of wrapping material having two at least substantially parallel marginal portions, applying an adhesive to at least one marginal portion of the strip not later than at the wrapping station, draping the strip around successive spaced-apart straws of the at least one file at the wrapping station so that the one marginal portion overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion to thus form a seam extending longitudinally of the thus confined straws, and severing the draped strip between successive confined straws.  
           [0029]    The method can further comprise the step of at least partially sealing (e.g., actually merely closing) the draped strip at least at one end of each confined straw. Such sealing step can include knurling the draped strip at one or both ends of each confined straw. The sealing step can be carried out simultaneously with the severing step (e.g., by resorting to a suitable composite or combined severing and sealing or closing tool).  
           [0030]    The method can further comprise the step of applying to longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the strip items of information (such as printed matter) prior to the draping step and in such distribution that each envelope exhibits some of the printed matter (the printed matter can repeat itself so that each envelope carries identical bits or items of information).  
           [0031]    The severing step can include providing each envelope with the aforementioned end portions extending beyond the open ends of the respective confined straws, and such method can further comprise the step of weakening the strip at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart locations so that each discrete envelope is provided with at least one weakened portion where the envelope breaks (such as tears) in response to the application of a pull to at least one end portion relative to the other end portion of the envelope. This simplifies the removal or extraction of the straw from its envelope.  
           [0032]    The adhesive applying step can include applying to the at least one marginal portion of the strip a film of hot melt or another suitable adhesive substance. If the adhesive is a hot melt, it is often advisable to cool the seam downstream of or already at the wrapping station  
           [0033]    The method can further comprise the steps of forming a continuous tube (e.g., as a result of extrusion of a suitable plastic material through the annular orifice of a suitable die), and dividing the tube into a plurality of open-ended sipping straws at a location which can be spaced apart from the aforementioned accumulation. The gathering step then preferably comprises conveying a mass flow of unconfined straws from the aforementioned location to the accumulation.  
           [0034]    A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for confining elongated open-ended sipping straws in discrete envelopes. The improved apparatus comprises a facility for temporary storage of an accumulation of unconfined (unwrapped) straws, means for transporting at least one file of spaced-apart successive straws from the facility lengthwise along a predetermined path, means for advancing to a predetermined portion of the path a strip or web of wrapping material having two preferably parallel marginal portions, means for applying an adhesive to at least one marginal portion of the strip not later than in the predetermined portion of the path, means for draping the strip around successive spaced-apart straws in the predetermined portion of the path so that the at least one marginal portion overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion, and means for severing the draped strip between successive confined straws.  
           [0035]    The apparatus can further comprise means (such as an extruder) for forming a continuous tube, means for dividing the continuous tube into a plurality of open-ended straws, means for gathering the thus obtained straws into a pile (e.g., into a mass flow) and means for conveying the mass flow of straws from the pile to the facility.  
           [0036]    The apparatus can further comprise means for at least partially closing or sealing the draped strip at the ends of the confined straws. Such sealing or closing means can comprise means for knurling the draped strip at one or both ends of each confined straw. The just discussed sealing or closing means can form part of the severing means or vice versa.  
           [0037]    The apparatus can further comprise means for applying to longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the strip items of information prior to draping of the strip so that each envelope exhibits at least one item of information (e.g., printed matter denoting the name of the manufacturer, the trademark of the owner, the dimensions and/or the color of the straw, and/or other data).  
           [0038]    The draping means can comprise means for causing one side of the other marginal portion of the strip to overlie the straws in their path and for causing one side of the one marginal portion to overlie and to adhere to the other side of the other marginal portion.  
           [0039]    The severing means can include means for providing each envelope with end portions extending beyond the open ends of the respective confined straws, and such apparatus can further comprise means for weakening the strip at a plurality of spaced-apart locations so that each discrete envelope can exhibit at least one weakened portion where the envelope breaks or is expected to break in response to a pull upon at least one end portion relative to the other end portion of the envelope.  
           [0040]    The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved method, apparatus and product themselves, however, both as to their construction and their modes of operation, together with numerous additional important features and attributes thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0041]    [0041]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a finished envelope;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a convoluted strip of wrapping material prior to bonding of the two marginal portions of the strip to each other;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing a series of steps forming part of one embodiment of the improved method;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing a series of steps forming part of another embodiment of the improved method;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of an apparatus which embodies one presently preferred form of the invention;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the apparatus as seen from the right-hand side of FIG. 5; and  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0048]    [0048]FIG. 1 shows a portion of a wrapped sipping (drinking) straw  10  which comprises an elongated straw  11  having open ends  11   a,    11   b  and normally constituting an extrudate. The tube  11  is confined in an elongated envelope  12  constituting a converted elongated portion  13   a  (FIG. 2) of a continuous (endless) strip or web  13  (FIG. 5) of cigarette paper or another suitable flexible wrapping material for sipping straws.  
         [0049]    As shown in FIG. 2, the portion  13   a  of strip  13  has two elongated parallel marginal portions  13   b,    13   c  which overlap each other and form an elongated seam  13   d  (FIG. 1) when the conversion of the portion  13   a  into an envelope  12  is completed downstream of a wrapping station WS shown in each of FIGS.  3  to  7  (see particularly FIGS. 5 and 7). The envelope  12  further comprises two end portions  12   a,    12   b  which are respectively adjacent the open ends  11   a,    11   b  of the confined straw  11  and have knurled terminal parts  12   a′,    12   b′ serving to at least partially seal (e.g., merely close) the respective end portions  12   a,    12   b.    
         [0050]    It is often preferred to provide the elongated median portion of the envelope  12  with at least one weakened portion  13   e  which enables the user to gain access to the confined straw  11  with a minimum of effort or with a lesser effort. The weakened portion  13   e  which is shown in FIG. 1 has an annular or an arcuate row of perforations extending circumferentially of the envelope. The weakened portion  13   e  can be caused to break by tearing the wrapping material between neighboring perforations in response to the exertion of a pull upon the two end portions  12   a,    12   b  or in response to the exertion of a pull upon one (e.g.,  12   a ) of the end portions  12   a,    12   b  while the part of the envelope  12  at the other side of the row of perforations is held against movement or is pulled away from the one end portion  12   a.    
         [0051]    The outer side of the marginal portion  13   c  and/or the inner side of the marginal portion  13   b  is coated with a film of a suitable adhesive (e.g., a hot melt) which bonds the two marginal portions to each other to thus form the aforementioned seam  13   d.  It is clear that the seam can be formed by bonding the inner side of the marginal portion  13   c  to the outer side of the marginal portion  13   b.  Regardless of the exact nature of the seam  13   d  (i.e., whether the marginal portion  13   b  is located at the outer side of the marginal portion  13   c,  or vice versa), a feature of the invention resides in that the marginal portions  13   b,    13   c  are caused to form a seam  13   d  in lieu of a conventional protuberance (such as a flap or fin) which is located at the outer side of and is pivotable relative to the elongated cylindrical main portion or section of a standard envelope. Reference may be had to wrapped straws distributed by Sweetheart, Chicago, Ill. under the mark “Sweetheart”. The fins or flaps of the envelopes of such conventional wrapped straws are obtained by knurling and, therefore, the quantity of wrapping material for the making of envelopes exhibiting fins considerably exceeds the quantity of wrapping material which is needed for the making of envelopes  12  of he type shown in applicants&#39; FIG. 1.  
         [0052]    The steps of one presently preferred embodiment of our method of making wrapped sipping straws ( 10 ) of the type shown in FIG. 1 are shown schematically in FIG. 3. The first step  20  involves the making of a continuous tube  31  which is normally furnished by an extruder  30  (FIGS. 6 and 7) and is advanced length-wise (arrow  32  in FIGS. 6 and 7) toward and through a cutter  33  serving as a means for dividing the tube  31  into a single file of discrete elongated open-ended sipping straws  11  which are gathered into a pile  34  on a stack former  35 . In FIG. 6, the stack former  35  includes the upper reach of an endless belt or chain conveyor  36  installed in a frame  37 .  
         [0053]    The next step of this relatively simple method involves a manual transfer (at 40) of sets or groups of parallel straws  11  from the pile  34  into a hopper  38  to gather an accumulation  39  of parallel straws upstream of the wrapping station WS. A presently preferred mode of wrapping successive spaced-apart straws  11  of a file of such straws in the running strip  13  will be described with reference to FIG. 5.  
         [0054]    The last step  41  of the method including the steps represented by the blocks of the diagram shown in FIG. 3 includes manually packing preselected numbers (e.g., twenty, fifty, hundred or more) of wrapped straws  10  into suitable containers (not shown), such as cardboard or plastic boxes, bags or the like.  
         [0055]    The method including the steps already described with reference to the diagram of FIG. 3 normally further comprises oe or more additional steps (such as the application of items of information to the strip  13 , providing the strip  13  or the elongated portions  13   a  of the strip  13  with weakened portions (such as perforations)  13   e,  cooling the seam  13   d  to promote setting of the adhesive, and/or others); such step or steps are carried out by instrumentalities which are or can be identical with or analogous to those which will be described in connection with FIGS.  4  to  7  and/or which are described and shown in the referenced patents.  
         [0056]    The first three steps of the method represented by the block diagram of FIG. 4 are or can be identical with the first three steps of the aforedescribed method represented by the block diagram of FIG. 3 and are identified by similar reference characters. The manual handling step  40  of FIG. 3 is replaced by an automatic step  43  carried out by a series of conveyors including the aforementioned endless belt or chain conveyor  36  and additional endless conveyors  36   a,    36   b.  The conveyors  36 ,  36   a  and  36   b  (see particularly FIG. 6) carry out the gathering step which involves automatically conveying or transporting a mass flow  42  of several layers or strata of straws  11  from the pile  34  into the hopper  38  to form the accumulation  39 .  
         [0057]    The outlet of the hopper  38  discharges straws  11  into the wrapping station WS, and the wrapped straws  10  issuing from the station WS enter the range of an interface  44  (including the conveyors  59 ,  60  shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) which couples the outlet of the wrapping station WS with a packing station  45  including a suitable cartoner  61  (shown schematically in FIGS. 6 and 7).  
         [0058]    The operation of the endless belt or chain conveyors  36 ,  36   a,    36   b  can be, and preferably is, automated in order to ensure that the hopper  38  invariably contains an adequate accumulation of parallel straws  11 , namely an accumulation which suffices to guarantee continuous operation of various devices at the wrapping station WS even if the speed of the extruder  30  must be reduced for a certain interval of time or even if the extruder is brought to a full stop for a maximum anticipated period of time (e.g., for the purposes of cleaning, other maintenance, repair, replacement of parts, failure of the means for supplying a plasticized material to the extruder and/or other problems).  
         [0059]    Analogously, the hopper  38  should be capable of taking up the output of the extruder  30  if and when one or more devices or units at the wrapping station WS are caused to operate at less than normal speed or are brought to a complete stillstand.  
         [0060]    The units at the wrapping station WS include a fluted rotary collating drum  50  which is located below an outlet in the bottom portion of the hopper  38  and serves to transport sideways successive straws  11  of a series of parallel straws into the range of a belt conveyor  51  serving to propel a file of successive straws of the series in the flutes of the collating drum  50  into an elongated straight (normally at least substantially horizontal) path defined by a so-called garniture  52  wherein successive spaced-apart straws  11  are confined in the strip  13 .  
         [0061]    The strip  13  is supplied by an expiring bobbin or reel  53  which is rotatably and removably mounted in the frame  37 . From the bobbin  53 , the strip  13  advances through a splicer  54 , thereupon through a printer  55  which provides longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the strip with information, thereafter along a paster  56 , and finally into the garniture  52 . The printer  55  can apply items of information (such as printed matter including the trademark and the name and address of the manufacturer and/or the distributor, the dimensions of the straws and/or others) in such distribution that the envelope  12  of each finished product (wrapped straw)  10  bears all of the information. The paster  56  (for example, a so-called hot melt glue gun) supplies adhesive which forms a film on the marginal portion  13   b  and/or  13   c  of the running strip  13 .  
         [0062]    Garnitures of the type adapted to be utilized at  52  can be identical with those used in cigarette and filter rod making machines, e.g., in machines described and shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,665 (granted Oct. 29, 1991 to Heitmann for “WRAPPING MECHANISM FOR ROD MAKING MACHINES OF THE TOBACCO PROCESSING INDUSTRY”), 4,185,644 (granted Jan. 29, 1980 to Heitmann et al. for “DISTRIBUTOR FOR CIGARETTE MAKERS OR THE LIKE”), 4,721,119 (granted Jan. 26, 1988 to Ludszeweit et al. for “ROD MAKING MACHINE WITH MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF WRAPPING MATERIAL”) and 3,974,007 (granted Aug. 10, 1976 for “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER ROD SECTIONS OR THE LIKE”).  
         [0063]    Apparatus for making perforations in running webs or strips of wrapping material (such as cigarette paper or so-called tipping paper for use in machines for the making of filter cigarettes) are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,281,670 (granted Aug. 4, 1981 to Heitmann et al. for “APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE PERMEABILITY OF WRAPPING MATERIAL FOR ROD-SHAPED SMOKERS&#39; PRODUCTS”) and 4,469,111 (granted Sep. 4, 1984 to Pinck et al. for “APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING WEBS OF WRAPPING MATERIAL FOR TOBACCO OR THE LIKE”). Such apparatus can be utilized to provide the strip  13  with weakened portions  13   e  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0064]    The disclosures of the above-enumerated patents are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0065]    The only important difference between the patented garnitures and the garniture  52  in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 of the present application is that the conveyor  51  shown in FIG. 5 is operated to propel successive straws  10  from successive peripheral flutes of the drum  50  at intervals which are required to establish between successive straws  11  in the garniture  52  gaps of a width which suffices to sever (at  57 ) the strip  13  at selected distances from the open ends  11   a,    11   b  of the two neighboring straws  11 . This enables the knurling tool (e.g., a toothed wheel having two portions flanking a circular knife of the severing means  57 ) to provide the end portions  12   a,    12   b  of the envelopes  12  with the knurled ends  12   a′,    12   b′ at requisite distances from the open ends  11   a,    11   b  of the respective confined straws  11 .  
         [0066]    The severing means  57  is followed by two accelerating rollers  58  which propel successively formed discrete wrapped sipping straws  10  into the axially parallel peripheral flutes of the indexible drum-shaped conveyor  59  forming part of the aforementioned interface  44 . The conveyor  59  serves to transfer successive wrapped straws  10  onto the upper reach of the endless belt-shaped conveyor  60  of the interface  44 . The conveyor  60  delivers a flow of wrapped straws  10  to the packing station  45  where the cartoner  61  introduces arrays of predetermined numbers of wrapped straws  10  into discrete receptacles in the form of cartons, boxes, bags or the like. For example, the cartoner  61  can be designed to introduce arrays of wrapped straws  10  into boxes in a so-called quincunx formation which is customary in the packets of plain or filter cigarettes.  
         [0067]    As already mentioned hereinbefore, the exact construction of the parts at the packaging station  45  forms no part of the present invention.  
         [0068]    [0068]FIG. 5 further shows a spare bobbin or reel  62  for a second strip  63  having a leader at the splicer  54 . The reference character  64  denotes a so-called cooler bar which is adjacent the path of the freshly formed seam  13   d  at the garniture  52  to promote the setting of the adhesive film previously applied by the hot melt glue gun  54 . This renders it possible to place the severing means  57  into close or immediate proximity to the garniture  52 .  
         [0069]    [0069]FIG. 6 shows several level sensors  65  which are adjacent the accumulation of unconfined straws  11  in the hopper  38  and transmit signals to the signal processing arrangement (not specifically shown) in an electronic control unit  66  (FIG. 7) which automatically regulates the operation of various belt conveyors, drums and other mobile parts in order to ensure the establishment and maintenance of adequate supply of unwrapped straws  11  in the hopper  38 , proper synchronization of the drive means  67 ,  68  for the shafts mounting the reels  53 ,  62  when the supply of strip  13  is nearly exhausted, synchronization of the speed of the printer  55  with the speed of the running strip  13 ,  63 , etc.  
         [0070]    [0070]FIG. 7 further shows a hot melt glue container  69  and a so-called chiller  70 .  
         [0071]    The relationship between the speeds of the propelling conveyor  51  and the so-called garniture tape  52   a  of the garniture  52  can be selected in such a way that the width of the gaps between successive spaced-apart unwrapped straws  11  entering the wrapping station WS is or approximates 30 mm. This normally suffices to ensure that the end portions  12   a,    12   b  of each envelope  12  will have an optimum or an acceptable length, e.g., for proper engagement by the fingers of a user preparatory to breaking of the weakened portion  13   e.    
         [0072]    It has been found that the utilization of a garniture ( 52 ) in lieu of a conventional (knurling) device for providing the conventional envelopes or wrappers with finned longitudinally extending seals results in savings of wrapping material in the range of up to and in excess of 10-20 percent.  
         [0073]    Furthermore, apparatus of the type shown in FIGS.  3  to  7  can turn out wrapped sipping straws  10  at a rate of up to 2000 per minute. On the other hand, the output of conventional apparatus is in the range of 600-1000 per minute. The improved apparatus can be automated to a desired extent (e.g., as explained with reference to FIG. 4 in comparison with the operation described with reference to FIG. 3), and necessitates a minimum of maintenance and supervision; this results in savings of not less than two employees per line and shift. Moreover, the floor space requirements of the improved apparatus are substantially below those of conventional apparatus, and the filling of boxes, cartons, bags and/or other receptacles for preselected numbers of wrapped sipping straws  10  is simplified because the envelopes  12  are devoid of fins. This renders it possible to confine larger numbers of novel wrapped straws  10  in containers which can accept fewer conventional wrapped straws with external fins. Still further, the possibility of confining larger numbers of wrapped straws  10  in containers capable of accepting fewer conventional wrapped straws with fins renders it possible to achieve savings in connection with the transport of boxes or like containers to storage and to purchasers.  
         [0074]    Still further, the quality of envelopes  12  is superior to that of conventional envelopes with fins because the confined straws  11  are less likely to be damaged and/or defaced during introduction into containers as well as during withdrawal from containers and during removal from the envelopes.  
         [0075]    Several components of the aforedescribed apparatus which is shown in FIGS.  5  to  7  constitute optional features. For example, the mass flow conveyor system  36 ,  36   a,    36   b,  the automatic splicer  54 , the printer  55 , the means (shown in FIG. 5, as at  71 ) for providing the strip  13  with weakened portions  13   e,  the conveyors  59 ,  60  of the interface  44 , and the cartoner  61  constitute desirable and advantageous but optional features.  
         [0076]    Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of the above outlined contribution to the method of and apparatus for confining sipping straws in envelopes of paper or the like and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.