Method of applying string to tampon pledgets

The method of applying a withdrawal string to a tampon pledget having front and back faces comprising:

• positioning the string to extend laterally across the front face of the pledget, said string thereby having a generally central portion on said front face and reaches extending out from both sides of the pledget,
• acting on said reaches by drawing a vacuum behind said pledget to pull said reaches back thereby forming the string into a loop looped around the pledget,
• drawing said reaches in the loop into a knotter by drawing a vacuum in the knotter and knotting together the end portions of the reaches in the loop in the knotter, and
• moving the knotted end portions of the loop out of the knotter and through the pledget from back to front to bring part of the loop including the knotted end portions thereof to extend out from the front face of the pledget.

The method of applying a withdrawal string to a tampon pledget having opposite faces and a hole extending therethrough from face-to-face, said method comprising:

• positioning the string to extend across one of said faces of the pledget spaced from the hole, said string thereby having a generally central portion on said one face and reaches extending on both sides of the pledget,
• acting on said reaches pneumatically to form the string into a loop around the pledget,
• securing together the end portions of the reaches in the loop, and
• driving the secured end portions through the hole in the pledget thereby bringing part of the loop including the secured end portions thereof to extend out from said one face of the pledget.

The method of stringing tampon pledgets having opposite faces comprising:

• moving a series of pledgets one after another in a predetermined path, each having one face thereof facing in an outward direction and constituting its front face, the other facing in an inward direction and constituting its back face,
• feeding a string to extend across the front face of each pledget as it moves through a part of said path, said string having a generally central portion on said front face and reaches extending out from both sides of the pledget,
• cutting the string at a zone farther along said path to provide a length thereof as a tampon withdrawal string,
• acting on said reaches farther along said path pneumatically to form said withdrawal string into a loop around the pledget extending back from its back face,
• securing together the end portions of the reaches in the loop farther along said path, and
• driving the secured-together end portions through the pledget farther along said path.

The method of applying a withdrawal string to a tampon pledget having front and back faces comprising:

• positioning the string to extend laterally across the front face of the pledget, said string thereby having a generally central portion on said front face and reaches extending out from both sides of the pledget,
• acting on said reaches by drawing a vacuum in back of said pledget to suction said reaches back thereby forming the string into a loop looped around the pledget,
• drawing said reaches in the loop into a knotter by drawing a vacuum in the knotter and knotting together the end portions of the reaches in the loop in the knotter,
• moving the knotted end portions of the loop out of the knotter and through the pledget from back to front to bring part of the loop including the knotted end portions thereof to extend out from the front face of the pledget.

The method of applying a withdrawal string to a tampon pledget having opposite faces and a hole extending therethrough from face-to-face, said method comprising:

• positioning the string to extend across one of said faces of the pledget spaced from the hole, said string thereby having a generally central portion on said one face and reaches extending on both sides of the pledget,
• acting on said reaches pneumatically to form the string into a loop around the pledget,
• securing together the end portions of the reaches in the loop, and
• driving the secured end portions through the hole in the pledget thereby bringing part of the loop including the secured end portions thereof to extend out from said one face of the pledget.

The method of applying a withdrawal string to a tampon pledget having front and back faces comprising:

• positioning the string to extend laterally across the front face of the pledget, said string thereby having a generally central portion on said front face and reaches extending out from both sides of the pledget,
• acting on said reaches by drawing a vacuum in back of said pledget to suction said reaches back thereby forming the string into a loop looped around the pledget,
• drawing said reaches in the loop into a knotter by drawing a vacuum in the knotter and knotting together the end portions of the reaches in the loop in the knotter,
• moving the knotted end portions of the loop out of the knotter and through the pledget from back to front to bring part of the loop including the knotted end portions thereof to extend out from the front face of the pledget.

The method of stringing tampon pledgets having opposite faces and a hole extending therethrough from face-to-face, said method comprising:

• rotating a series of pledget holders around in a circular path,
• placing a pledget in each holder in a first zone along said path, each pledget having one face facing outward and constituting its front face, the other its back face,
• feeding string to each pledget at a second zone along said path, a length of the string extending across the front face of the pledget and having a central portion on said front face and reaches extending out from both sides of the pledget,
• cutting the string at a third zone along said path to provide a length thereof as a tampon withdrawal string,
• applying a vacuum to act on said reaches in a fourth zone along said path to draw them back around the sides of the pledget thereby forming the withdrawal string into a loop around the pledget extending back from its back face,
• knotting together the end portions of the reaches in the loop in a fifth zone along said path,
• driving the knotted-together end portions of the loop through the hole in a sixth zone along said path, and
• removing each strung pledget from its holder in a seventh zone along said path.