Method and associated apparatus for imparting a helical curl to ribbon material for making a decorative element

Abstract

This invention provides a method and associated apparatus in which decorative ribbons of varying thickness, width, and material can be automatically produced, curled, grouped, and combined in a decorative element which is packaged for distribution. The apparatus serves to impart a helical curl to at least one of a plurality of ribbon strands, meters the strands into preselected lengths, separates the lengths from the ribbon stock, and packages the resulting coiled ribbon arrangements for distribution to customers. The apparatus includes one or more roll stands for storing rolls of ribbon stock, a feed unit for advancing the ribbon through the apparatus and imparting a tendency to curl the strands, a tension regulator unit for accumulating metered lengths of the stands and regulating the advancement of the ribbon strands through the apparatus, and a packaging unit for attaching the ribbon on a placard, to form a decorative element having a cluster of curled ribbon strands.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.