Packaging a strip of material by folding and cutting the folded package

A method of forming at least one package of a strip of sheet material comprising:

• providing a strip of the sheet material from a supply thereof, the strip having a first surface, a second surface, a first side edge and a second side edge;
• forming the strip into a stack having two opposed first sides, two opposed second sides and two opposed ends by repeatedly folding the strip back and forth to form a plurality of folded strip portions of the strip, with each folded strip portion being folded relative to one next folded strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent folded strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first line such that,
• the portions thus form a plurality of first fold lines arranged at one of the first sides of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines arranged at the other of the first sides;
• the folded strip portions have the first side edges thereof aligned and the second side edges thereof aligned;
• the strip is traversed across the stack from one of the first sides of the stack to the other of the first sides of the stack;
• and
• the strip has the first and second surfaces thereof generally parallel to the ends of the stack;
• and, after the stack is completed, cutting a plurality of cutting planes through the stack from one first side to the opposed first side and from one end to the opposed end at spaced positions across the stack so as to divide the stack into a plurality of separate stack portions each having a separate strip therein, the cutting of each cutting plane being arranged so as to effect cutting in a single cutting stroke completely through all the folded strip portions of the stack.

A method of using a strip of sheet material comprising:

• providing a strip of the sheet material from a supply thereof, the strip having a first surface, a second surface, a first side edge and a second side edge;
• forming the strip into a stack having two opposed first sides, two opposed second sides and two opposed ends by repeatedly folding the strip back and forth to form a plurality of folded strip portions of the strip, with each folded strip portion being folded relative to one next folded strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent folded strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first line such that,
• the folded strip portions thus form a plurality of first fold lines arranged at one of the first sides of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines arranged at the other of the first sides;
• the folded strip portions of the stack each have the first side edges thereof aligned and the second side edges thereof aligned;
• the strip is traversed across the stack from one of the first sides of the stack to the other of the first sides of the stack;
• and
• the strip has the first and second surfaces thereof generally parallel to the ends of the stack;
• cutting through the stack along a cutting plane from one first side to the opposed first side and from one end to the opposed end, so as to divide the stack into separate stack portions each containing a strip portion, the cutting plane extending in a direction generally parallel to the second sides;
• taking one of the stack portions and withdrawing the strip portion therefrom;
• and slitting the strip portion longitudinally at a plurality of transversely spaced locations on the strip portion to form a plurality of narrower strips side by side.