Method and apparatus for making articles having bristles

A method of making an elongated article comprising the steps of feeding at least one base string along an axis, wrapping at least one monofilament around the axis to and over the at least one base string to produce a number of monofilament wraps which are transported by the at least one base string;

• feeding at least one locking string into contact with the at least one base string, whereby the monofilament wraps are disposed between the at least one base string and that least one locking string;
• pressing the at least one base string into frictional engagement with the at least one locking string to thereby capture the monofilament wraps there between;
• and
• cutting the wraps to thereby form at least one elongated article having two rows of monofilament segments connected between the base strings and the locking strings.

An apparatus for making an elongated article comprising:

• means for feeding at least one base string along an axis;
• means for wrapping at least one monofilament around the axis to produce a number of monofilament wraps per length of base string which are transported by string;
• means for bonding the wraps to the base string;
• and
• means for cutting the wraps at a point downstream of where the wraps are bond to the base string to thereby form an article having two rows of monofilament segments connected to the base string.

An apparatus for making an elongated article comprising:

• means for feeding a base string along a first support;
• means for wrapping at least one monofilament around a second support to form a plurality of loops,
• means for feeding the loops transversely over the at least one base string;
• means for pressing the loops into contact with the base string, whereby the loops are transported by and with the at least one base string;
• and means for bonding the wraps to the base string to form an article having two rows of monofilament loops connected to the base string.

An apparatus for making an elongated article comprising:

• means for feeding at least one base string along an axis,
• means for wrapping at least one monofilament around the axis and over the at least one base string to produce a number of monofilament wraps which are transported by the at least one base string, means for feeding at least one locking string into contact with the at least one base strings, whereby the monofilament wraps are disposed between the base strings and the locking strings;
• means for pressing the at least one base string, into frictional engagement with the at least one locking string to thereby capture the monofilament wraps therebetween, and
• means for cutting the wraps to thereby form at least one elongated article having two rows of monofilament segments connected between the base string and the locking string.