Abstract

A common intermittent drive mechanism intermittently rotates a feed roller and a cutter rotor. An intervening gear and the radii of the feed roller and the cutter rotor differentiate the circumferential speed of the roller and the rotor to provide a slip between a continuous strip-like dispenser sheet fed by the feed roller and the cutter rotor surface. A suction means in the cutter rotor surface holds the dispenser sheet while allowing the slip thereof. When the movement of the cutter rotor is interrupted, a cutter is actuated and separates the individual articles from the remaining dispenser sheet. While the separated article is carried by the moving surface of the cutter rotor for a distance greater than the pitch of the article wrapped in the dispenser sheet, another single article is moved into the position for separation, and this procedure is repeated. The apparatus may comprise chain driven grippers which, in cooperation with a cam arrangement and a spring, grips the separated article and removes it from the cutter rotor surface to carry to the next process station.