Apparatus and method for banding wrapped silverware

An apparatus for banding a wrapped silverware arrangement with a two-sided segment of banding material taken from a roll of banding material and wherein the banding material bears an adhesive on one side thereof which requires appropriate treatment in order that the adhesive is rendered tacky and thereby capable of adhering to a surface against which the adhesive-bearing side of the segment is placed into contact, and wherein the wrapped silverware arrangement includes at least one item of silverware which has been wound within a napkin into a wrapped arrangement of elongated form, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame including means providing a first station and a second station, and wherein the wrapped silverware arrangement is positioned at the second station;
• a jaw assembly supported by the frame and including opposing jaw members which are joined together to accommodate movement of the jaw members relative to one another between an open condition at which the jaw members define an open mouth which enables the jaw members to be lowered across the wrapped silverware arrangement arranged sideways with respect to the open mouth so that the wrapped silverware arrangement is positioned between the jaw members and a closed condition at which the wrapped silverware arrangement is captured between the jaw members in a manner which permits the wrapped arrangement to be rotated about its longitudinal axis while in its captured condition;
• means connected to the jaw assembly for moving the jaw members between the open and closed conditions;
• means associated with the frame for supporting a roll of banding material for rotation about an axis;
• clamp means joined to the jaw assembly for releasably holding a segment of banding material adjacent the jaw assembly including opposing clamp members which are movable toward and away from one another between an open condition at which an end of the banding material segment can be accepted between the clamp members and a closed condition at which the end of the banding material segment is clamped therebetween;
• means for moving the clamp members of the clamp means between the open and closed conditions;
• means disposed at the first station for introducing an end of the banding material segment from the roll of banding material and into a position between the clamp members when the clamp members are in the open condition so that by moving the clamp members to the closed condition while the one end of the banding material segment is positioned between the clamp members, the end of the banding material segment is held between the clamp members;
• means for moving the jaw assembly, while its jaw members are arranged in the open condition and one end of a banding material segment is held between the clamp members, from the first station and onto the wrapped silverware arrangement at the second station so that movement of the jaw members about the wrapped silverware arrangement drapes the banding material segment across the wrapped silverware arrangement and so that subsequent movement of the jaw members to the closed condition captures the silverware arrangement between the jaw members and positions the banding material segment in a U-shaped arrangement about the wrapped silverware arrangement and the release of the banding segment by the clamp members places the one end of the banding material segment in an exposed condition;
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• means supported adjacent the second station for treating a region of adhesive borne by one side of the exposed end of the banding material segment to render the adhesive of the region tacky;
• and
• means disposed adjacent the second station for rotating the wrapped silverware arrangement about its longitudinal axis so that the tacky region of adhesive is moved into contact with another surface region of the banding material segment so that the banding material segment is secured to itself in a band about the wrapped silverware arrangement to form a banded silverware arrangement.

A method for banding a wrapped silverware arrangement with a two-sided segment of banding material bearing an adhesive on one side thereof which requires appropriate treatment in order that the adhesive is rendered tacky and thereby capable of adhering to a surface against which the adhesive-bearing side of the segment is placed into contact, and wherein the wrapped silverware arrangement includes at least one item of silverware which has been wound within a napkin into a wrapped arrangement of elongated form, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a jaw assembly including opposing jaw members which are joined together to accommodate movement of the jaw members relative to one another between an open condition at which the jaw members define an open mouth through which the wrapped silverware arrangement can be moved sideways into a position between the jaw members and a closed condition at which the wrapped silverware arrangement is captured between the jaw members in a manner which permits the wrapped arrangement to be rotated about its longitudinal axis while in its captured condition;
• providing the jaw assembly with clamp means for releasably holding a segment of banding material adjacent the jaw assembly including opposing clamp members which are movable toward and away from one another between an open condition at which an end of the banding material segment can be accepted between the clamp members and a closed condition at which the end of the banding material segment is clamped therebetween;
• introducing an end of the banding material segment between the clamp members at a first station when the clamp members are in the open condition and subsequently moving the clamp members to the closed condition so that the end of the banding material segment is held between the clamp members;
• moving the jaw assembly, while its jaw members are arranged in the open condition and one end of a banding material segment is held between the clamp members, from the first station to a second station at which the jaw assembly is moved onto the wrapped silverware arrangement so that the banding material segment is draped across the wrapped silverware arrangement;
• subsequently moving the jaw members to the closed condition so that the silverware arrangement is captured between the jaw members and the banding material segment is positioned in a U-shaped arrangement about the wrapped silverware arrangement and then moving the clamp members to the open condition to release the banding segment from the clamp members and thereby place the one end of the banding material segment in an exposed condition;
• and
• treating a region of adhesive borne by one side of the exposed end of the banding material segment to render the adhesive of the region tacky;
• and
• subsequently rotating the wrapped silverware arrangement about its longitudinal axis so that the tacky region of adhesive is moved into contact with another surface region of the banding material segment so that the banding material segment is secured to itself in a band about the wrapped silverware arrangement.