Waist elastic applicator for diaper or similar article

Apparatus for transversely applying a tensioned elastic ribbon to a moving web of material which comprises:

• a supporting frame bearing a shaft providing an axis of rotation;
• at least one rotatable radial arm means journaled proximally to said shaft, the arm means having a distally mounted rotatable polygonal head means, said head means having n peripheral edges joining to form n apices, where n is at least 3, said head means having face portions oriented parallel to and being rotatable in a plane lying generally along a radius of the circle of rotation of the arm means and normal to the plane of said circle of rotation;
• drive means for rotating the arm means;
• rotating means for moving the head means (360/n).degree. for each full rotation of the radial arm means;
• feed means for tensioning and suppyling at least one strand of elastic ribbon to the periphery of the head means;
• holding means for retaining the tensioned elastic ribbon on the periphery of the head means and subsequently releasing it from the head means in order to apply it to a moving web;
• and
• anvil means acting against the head means at the time of application of said tensioned elastic ribbon to the moving web, when said web is passed between the head means and anvil means along a path describing a chord or tangent of the circle of rotation of the radial arm means.