Importance

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Abstract

A cylindrical film tube is to be fitted over an object. Initially the tube is in a flattened state with its opposite sides touching one another. First two vacuum suckers are contacted to the collapsed tube, one on each of its sides, so as to oppose one another. Vacuum is supplied to these suckers so that they suck and grip the tube. Then they are moved relative to one another in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the tube which they are gripping, so as to shear these surfaces relative to one another and break their contact with one another, in case they are adhering together. Then the suckers are moved apart from one another in the direction perpendicular to the film surfaces which they grip, so as to open up the tube. Lastly, the opened-up tube is fitted over the object. In a preferred embodiment, the shear direction is perpendicular to the generators of the flattened tube. A machine is also disclosed for performing this process repeatedly.

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First Claim