Apparatus and method for forming and loading a magazine for prewound spools of web material

A method of forming and loading a substantially cylindrical container, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substantially rectangular metal blank for the side wall of such a substantially cylindrical container, said blank having an opposed pair of side edges and an opposed pair of end edges;
• providing a pair of substantially circular end caps for such container;
• providing a mandrel having an exterior surface about which said blank may be formed, said exterior surface being configured so that when said blank is formed about said exterior surface from near one side edge to near the other side edge and said blank is then removed from said mandrel, said blank springs to an open noncircular form in which said side edges are spaced apart;
• forming said blank about said mandrel from near one side edge to near the other side edge;
• removing said blank from said mandrel following said forming;
• inserting a product into said open noncircular form;
• closing said blank about said product so that said side edges are brought into close proximity and said end edges form substantially circular edges;
• and
• applying one of said end caps to each of said substantially circular edges to complete such substantially circular container.

Apparatus for forming and loading substantially cylindrical magazines for prewound spools of strips of material, comprising;

• a source of prewound spools;
• a source of substantially rectangular metal blanks for the side walls of such substantially cylindrical magazines, each said blank having an opposed pair of strip withdrawal lips and an opposed pair of end edges;
• a source of substantially circular end caps for such magazines;
• mandrel means for forming said blanks, said mandrel means having an exterior surface configured so that when said blanks are formed about said exterior surface from near one strip withdrawal lip to near the other and said blank is then removed from said mandrel means, said blank springs to a very open shell form in which said strip withdrawal lips are spaced sufficiently far apart to permit such a prewound spool to pass laterally between said strip withdrawal lips;
• means for forming said blank about said mandrel means from near one strip withdrawal lip to near the other;
• means for removing said very open shell from said mandrel means following said forming;
• means for laterally inserting said prewound spool between said strip withdrawal lips of said very open shell;
• means for closing said very open shell about said prewound spool so that said end edges of said blank form substantially circular edges;
• and
• means for applying one of said end caps to each of said substantially circular edges to complete such substantially cylindrical magazine.