Converting machine gum box

A rotary converting machine gum box comprising back, opposite end and bottom wall portions disposed longitudinally adjacent an adhesive metering roll, said bottom wall portion also including a doctor blade for the surface of said metering roll, said wall portions and metering roll surface defining a fluid adhesive pond enclosure, the improvement comprising:

• A. An adhesive circulation system including first pump means for delivery of adhesive to one end of said pond enclosure from an atmospherically enclosed reservoir vessel and second pump means to induce withdrawal of adhesive from the other end of said pond enclosure to said reservoir vessel;
• B. A rotatively driven screw shaft positioned between said gum box ends axially parallel with said metering roll, said screw shaft having a major diameter helix element with a lead advancing from said one wall end to said other wall end to positively induce adhesive flow within said gum box from one end to the other in flooding contact with said metering roll surface;
• and,
• C. Sealing wall means defining a seal chamber for isolating a screw shaft penetration region of said one end wall from said pond enclosure, said sealing wall having an aperture therein approximately the same as said major helix diameter to receive said screw shaft therethrough whereby rotation of said screw shaft purges adhesive from said shaft penetration region of said one end wall.