Daniel Patrick Findley, Finneytown, OH; and Joseph Allen Eckstein, Sunman, IN.
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 5/31/16
Issued: 8/22/17

A method for transporting a discrete elastic part to a carrier, the method comprising the steps of: providing a frame comprising a first axis of rotation;
providing a transfer member rotatably connected with the frame, the transfer  ember comprising a carrier surface, a first elongate aperture in the carrier surface, and a second elongate aperture in the carrier surface, the first and second elongate apertures each comprising a side edge and an end edge, wherein the side edge is longer than the end edge; rotating the transfer member about the first axis of rotation in a machine direction; rotating the carrier surface about a second axis to a first orientation wherein the side edges of the first and second apertures extend generally perpendicular to the machine direction; positioning the discrete elastic part in a stretched condition on the carrier surface, wherein the carrier surface is in the first orientation; forcing a first portion of the discrete elastic part into the first aperture and a second portion of the discrete elastic part into the second aperture to counteract contraction of the discrete elastic part between the side edge of the first aperture and the side edge of the second aperture; rotating the carrier surface of the transfer member and the discrete elastic part about the second axis of rotation to place the carrier surface in a second orientation wherein the side edges of the first and second apertures extend generally parallel to the machine direction; and sliding the discrete elastic part over the end edges of the first and second apertures in the carrier surface of the transfer member onto a carrier while the carrier surface is in the second orientation.