Gum stick wrapping machine

A gum stick wrapping machine comprising a gum breaking mechanism for separating prescored slabs of gum into individual sticks and including upper and lower toothed breaker wheels journalled for rotation about parallel axes with the teeth thereof in intermeshing relation to form a nip therebetween and means for rotating said breaker wheels in opposite directions at the same peripheral rates, said lower breaker wheel having an annular groove opening outwardly through its peripheral surface, means for feeding prescored slabs into said nip, a first transporting and folding mechanism including a walking beam gum stick transport for receiving each successive stick at said nip as it is separated from a slab by said breaker wheels and intermittently advancing it along a generally horizontal straight line feed path, said walking beam gum stick transport being supported forwardly of said breaker wheels for reciprocal movement in a generally orbital path of travel toward and away from said breaker wheels between forward and rear positions, respectively, and having a finger thereon positioned within said annular groove rearwardly of said nip when said walking beam gum stick transport is in its rear position for engaging a stick upon its separation from a slab at said nip to withdraw the stick from the breaker mechanism and advance it along said feed path, said transporting and folding mechanism including a folding channel for receiving a wrapper and a stick advanced by said walking beam gum stick transport and forming a portion of the wrapper to a generally U-shaped configuration about the stick, said transporting and folding mechanism having at least one folding means associated with said folding channel for engaging and folding a wrapper formed about a stick as the stick and its associated formed wrapper are advanced within the folding channel by said walking beam gum transport, and means for positioning a wrapper in the path of a stick advanced by said walking beam gum stick transport.