Continuous, high-speed method for producing a pant-style garment having a pair of elasticized leg openings

A continuous, high-speed method for producing a pant-style garment having a pair of fully elasticized leg openings, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) metering a first tensioned elastic ribbon and a second tensioned elastic ribbon tangentially toward a plurality of mandrels, each of said mandrels being spaced apart by a gap along a common centerline and having a top surface and side walls depending therefrom whereby at least a portion of each of said tensioned elastic ribbons projects above said uppermost surface of said mandrels;
• b) clamping said first and second tensioned elastic ribbons between each of said plurality of mandrels by pushing said first tensioned elastic ribbon toward said common centerline and by pushing said second tensioned elastic ribbon toward said common centerline, thereby encircling said side walls of each of said mandrels, as said first and second tensioned elastic ribbons meet at said common centerline;
• c) sealing said first and second tensioned elastic ribbons where they are clamped together in order to form a ribbon seal between each of said plurality of mandrels;
• d) cutting said first and second tensioned elastic ribbons within said ribbon seal between each of said plurality of mandrels so that when cut, said tensioned elastic ribbons form individual tensioned garters about said side walls of said plurality of mandrels, each said tensioned garter having an upper portion being upward of said mandrel top surface and a lower portion, said upper portion of said tensioned garter having sufficient tension to cause said upper portion of said tensioned garter to fold over onto said top surface of said mandrel to form a garter flange while said lower portion of said tensioned garter clings to said side walls of said mandrel;
• e) placing a substrate having two mutually opposed longitudinal edges, and a longitudinal centerline adjacent to said garter flange;
• f) sealing said substrate to said garter flange thereby forming a continuously sealed garter comprising a continuous seal, said sealed garter having an inner edge and an outer edge;
• g) removing said lower portion of said sealed garter from said substrate;
• h) weakening said continuous seal inboard of said inner edge thereby forming an unsecured substrate portion inboard of said inner edge;
• i) stripping said substrate and said garter flange from said mandrel while applying vacuum from said top surface of said mandrel to said unsecured substrate portion within said continuous seal so that said inner edge is broken when said substrate and said tensioned garter are stripped off said mandrel, thereby releasing said substrate from said mandrel and forming an aperture about which said tensioned garter contracts;
• j) folding said substrate along said longitudinal centerline thereby aligning said longitudinal edges of said substrate;
• k) joining said folded substrate in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline, along a plurality of lines of joinder extending from said longitudinal edge to said tensioned edge of said aperture;
• and
• l) cutting said substrate through said lines of joinder to form a pant-style garment having a pair of elasticized leg openings.