System for applying adhesive to sheet material

Apparatus for applying adhesive to sheet material, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• adhesive applicator means having a contact surface engageable with said sheet material and defining a slit at said contact surface, said adhesive applicator means selectively having either a first configuration wherein said slit is closed or a second configuration wherein said slit is open;
• passageway defining means defining a passageway extending between a source of adhesive and said slit;
• and
• actuator means in operative association with said adhesive applicator system to change said adhesive applicator system from said first configuration to said second configuration for delivering adhesive from said passageway to said contact surface through said open slit, said adhesive applicator means including a holder element defining an opening at said contact surface and a hollow flexible element mounted on said holder element, said slit being formed in said hollow flexible element, and said slit being closely adjacent to and in at least partial registry with said opening, said holder element including a first holder element segment and a second holder element segment, said holder element segments being pivotal relative to each other about a predetermined pivot axis, said hollow flexible element having separate sections thereof fixedly mounted on each of said holder element segments, and relative pivotal movement between said holder element segments operable to bend said hollow flexible element to selectively open or close said slit.