Apparatus for forming hollow tube flexible tape

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end and an operative side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base:
• the full-fold means having a full fold tape-entrance guide positioned horizontally above the tube-forming base and extended from a first full-fold support on a predetermined side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of flat tape being formed into tube tape,
• the full-fold tape-entrance guide being in sliding contact with an adhesive side of folded flat tape traveling from the transition-fold means to the full-fold means,
• a top full-fold guide positioned horizontally above the tube-forming base and extended from a top full-fold support on the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape at a position between the transition-fold means and the cut-off end of the tube-forming base,
• the top full-fold guide having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of the top full-fold guide being in sliding contact with a top adhesive side of the half-folded tape traveling from the transition-fold means to the full-fold means, and the upper surface of the top full-fold guide being in sliding contact with a bottom non-adhesive side of the half-folded tape,
• a bottom full-fold guide positioned horizontally above the tube-forming base at a position between the top full-fold guide and the cut-off end of the tube-forming base and extended from a bottom full-fold support on a second predetermined side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape being formed into tube tape,
• the bottom full-fold guide being in sliding contact with a bottom adhesive side of full-folded tape traveling from the full-fold means towards the cut-off end of the tube-forming base,
• the bottom full-fold guide and the top full-fold guide being disposed at different heights relative to each other above the tube-forming base, and
• compression guide means positioned between the bottom full-fold guide and the cut-off end for compressing together the full-folded tape overlapping seams.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end and an operative side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base;
• a half-fold means for forming laterally half-folded tape extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base, the half-fold means having a top half-fold member, an intermediate half-fold member and a low half-fold member;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base;
• a full-fold means extended from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base;
• and
• the half-fold means further having a tape-entrance guide extended from an entrance-guide support on a first side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-half of a width of the flat tape to be formed into the tubular tape,
• the tape-entrance guide being in sliding contact with a non-adhesive side of the flat tape entering the tube-tape-forming apparatus from the feed end of the tube-forming base,
• a half-fold guide having the low half-fold member, the intermediate half-fold member and the top half-fold member, the half-fold guide being mounted to the tube-forming base,
• the half-fold guide positioned between the tape-entrance guide and the transition-fold means and in line in half-folding relationship with flat tape that is in sliding contact with the tape-entrance guide,
• the low half-fold member having a first upper surface extended from a low half-fold support on a first side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-half of a width of the flat tape,
• the intermediate half-fold member having a first lower surface, a first end surface and a second upper surface positioned between the low half-fold member and the top half-fold member and extended from the low half-fold support for a distance of at least one-half of a width of the flat tape,
• the top half-fold member having a second lower surface extended from a top half-fold support on a second side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-half of a width of the flat tape,
• the low half-fold support having a first inner surface,
• the top half-fold support having a second inner surface, and
• the first upper surface of the low half-fold member, the first inner surface of the low half-fold support, the first lower surface, the first end surface and the second upper surface of the intermediate half-fold member, the second inner surface of the top half-fold support and the second lower surface of the top half-fold member defining a first U-shaped slot, whereby the flat tape traveling from the tape-entrance guide is in sliding contact through the first U-shaped slot with the half-fold guide to form laterally half-folded tape.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end, an operative side, an edge and a mounting side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base, the mounting side having a lower end, the lower end connected to the edge of the tube-forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base, the full-fold means having a full-fold guide on the tube-forming base, the full-fold guide having a U-shaped slot, whereby the looped-folded tape traveling from the transition-fold means is in sliding contact through the U-shaped slot with the full-fold guide to form a full-folded tape having overlapping seams, and
• a compression guide extended from the mounting side and positioned between the full-fold guide and the cut-off end for compressing together the full-folded tape overlapping seams.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end, an operative side, an edge and a mounting side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base, the mounting side having a lower end, the lower end connected to the edge of the tube-forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base, the transition-fold means comprises a transition-fold guide having a transition member and a transition member support, the transition member support being mounted to the tube-forming base, the transition member depending from the transition member support, having an outside periphery and having a size and a shape to form laterally half-folded tape into a looped-folded tape with the adhesive sides of the looped-folded tape in sliding contact with the outside periphery of the transition member as looped-folded tape travels from the half-fold means to the full-fold means;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base, the full fold means having a full-fold guide on the tube-forming base, the full-fold guide having a U-shaped slot, whereby the looped-folded tape traveling from the transition-fold means is in sliding contact through the U-shaped slot with the full-fold guide to form a full-folded tape having overlapping seams, and
• a compression guide extended from the mounting side and positioned between the full-fold guide and the cut-off end for compressing together the full-folded tape overlapping seams.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end, an operative side, an edge and a mounting side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base, the mounting side having a lower end, the lower end connected to the edge of the tube-forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base, the full-fold means having a full-fold guide having a low full-fold member, an intermediate full-fold member and a top full-fold member on the tube-forming base,
• the full-fold guide positioned between the transition-fold means and the cut-off end and in line in full-folding relationship with a looped-folded tape having an adhesive side that is in sliding contact with the transition-fold means,
• the low full-fold member having a third upper surface extended from a low full-fold support on a second side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the intermediate full-fold member having a third lower surface, a second end surface and a fourth upper surface positioned between the low full-fold member and the top full-fold member and extended from the low full-fold support for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the top full-fold member having a fourth lower surface extended from a top full-fold support on a first side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the low full-fold support having a third inner surface,
• the top full-fold support having a fourth inner surface,
• the third upper surface of the low full-fold member, the third inner surface of the low full-fold support, the third lower surface, the second end surface and the fourth upper surface of the intermediate full-fold member, the fourth inner surface of the top full-fold support and the fourth lower surface of the top full-fold member defining a second U-shaped slot, whereby the looped tape traveling from the transition-fold means is in sliding contact through the second U-shaped slot with the full-fold guide to form a full-folded tape having overlapping seams, and
• a compression guide extended from the mounting side and positioned between the full-fold guide and the cut-off end for compressing together the full-folded tape overlapping seams.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end, an operative side, an edge and a mounting side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base, the mounting side having a lower end, the lower end connected to the edge of the tube-forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base, the transition-fold means comprises a transition-fold guide having a transition member and a transition member support, the transition member support being mounted to the tube-forming base, the transition member depending from the transition member support, having an outside periphery and having a size and a shape to form laterally half-folded tape into a looped-folded tape with the adhesive sides of the looped-folded tape in sliding contact with the outside periphery of the transition member as looped-folded tape travels from the half-fold means to the full-fold means;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base, the full fold means having a full-fold guide having a low full-fold member, an intermediate full-fold member and a top full-fold member on the tube-forming base,
• the full-fold guide positioned between the transition-fold means and the cut-off end and in line in full-folding relationship with a looped-folded tape having an adhesive side that is in sliding contact with the transition-fold means,
• the low full-fold member having a third upper surface extended from a low full-fold support on a second side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the intermediate full-fold member having a third lower surface, a second end surface and a fourth upper surface positioned between the low full-fold member and the top full-fold member and extended from the low full-fold support for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the top full-fold member having a fourth lower surface extended from a top full-fold support on a first side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-fourth of a width of the flat tape,
• the low full-fold support having a third inner surface,
• the top full-fold support having a fourth inner surface,
• the third upper surface of the low full-fold member, the third inner surface of the low full-fold support, the third lower surface, the second end surface and the fourth upper surface of the intermediate full-fold member, the fourth inner surface of the top full-fold support and the fourth lower surface of the top full-fold member defining a U-shaped slot, Whereby the looped tape traveling from the transition-fold means is in sliding contact through the U-shaped slot with the full-fold guide to form a full-folded tape having overlapping seams, and
• a compression guide extended from the mounting side and positioned between the full-fold guide and the cut-off end for compressing together the full-folded tape overlapping seams.

A tube-tape-forming apparatus for forming tubular tape having overlapping seams, comprising:

• a tube-forming base having a feed end, a cut-off end and an operative side, the operative side being intermediate the feed end and the cut-off end of the tube forming base;
• a half-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the feed end of the tube-forming base, the half-fold means comprising
• a tape-entrance guide extended from an entrance-guide support on a first side of the tube-forming base for a distance of at least one-half of a width of the flat tape to be formed into the tubular tape,
• the tape-entrance guide being in sliding contact with a non-adhesive side of the flat tape entering the tube-tape-forming apparatus from the feed end of the tube-forming base, and
• a half-fold guide on the tube-forming base, the half-fold guide having a first U-shaped slot, whereby the flat tape traveling from the first tape-entrance guide is in sliding contact through the first U-shaped slot with the half-fold guide to form laterally half-folded tape;
• a transition-fold means extending from the operative side proximate a center portion of the tube-forming base, the transition-fold means comprising a transition-fold guide having a transition member, the transition member having an outside periphery, being extended from the tube-forming base and having a size and a shape to form laterally half-folded tape into a looped-folded tape with the adhesive sides of the looped-folded tape in sliding contact with the outside periphery of the transition member as looped-folded tape travels from the half-fold means to the full-fold means;
• and
• a full-fold means extending from the operative side at a predetermined distance from the cut-off end of the tube-forming base.