Cut and seal method and apparatus

An apparatus for forming a stream of individual pouches, comprising:

• a folder configured to form a tubular structure from a ribbon of web;
• a feeder configured to feed the tubular structure along a path to a nip;
• a plurality of rotors, at least one of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of sealing jaws, a knife, and an anvil, the plurality of rotors configured to seal a transverse portion of the tubular structure, and the knife and the anvil configured to sever the sealed transverse portion so as to form a severed, completed pouch beyond the nip;
• and
• an open-ended pouch catcher configured to catch the severed, completed pouch beyond the nip, the pouch catcher including,
• side walls, and
• a stripper, the stripper including,
• upper edges of the side walls, the stripper configured to strip severed, completed pouches from the anvil, the knife, or the plurality of sealing jaws if stuck thereto, the upper edges of the side walls having arcuate edge portions converging at an apex and configured to reduce escape of the completed pouches.