Packaging apparatus

An apparatus for applying a tube of flexible elastic plastic material in stretched encirclement of at least two generally cylindrical containers creating a package thereby as containers are continuously carried therethrough, said apparatus comprising a plurality of continuous series of groups of jaw elements mounted on each of a pair of continuous loops of conveyor elements, the pair of conveyor elements arranged so that portions of their closed paths of travel are closely adjacent and opposing one another, forming a package making path extending longitudinally of the apparatus, means for delivering two rows of containers to said package making path and means for delivering packages of pairs of said containers from said package making path, the jaw elements of each group on each of said conveyors formed to be movable relative to one another, wherein the jaw elements are arcuate, shell-like devices, cantilever secured to container receiving bases, the groups of jaw elements being arranged on their respective conveyor to present pairs of directly opposing, interacting groups as they pass along the package making path, the combination of directly opposing groups of jaw elements forming a series of tube applying stations adapted for continuous movement along the package making path, means for controlling the position of the jaw elements relative to each other to move opposing groups of jaw elements apart and together thus opening and closing the tube applying stations in a consecutive repeating pattern so that convex surfaces of the opposing groups of said elements face each other when in a closed position to permit unstretched tubes to be applied therearound and so that concave surfaces face each other when in an open position to accomplish the stretching of the tubes as the conveyor elements carry the groups of jaw elements continuously along the package making path, first to stretch tubes permitting an array of containers to be placed within the tube applying station and second to permit the package to be removed from the tube applying stations, means for transferring a succession of tubes in flattened condition to the tube applying stations and means to place containers within the stretched tubes carried by said opened jaw elements.