Apparatus for and method of making handles and applying same to a bag

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF EQUIPPING A BAG WITH HANDLES IN MAKING A SHOPPING BAG, THE STEPS OF WITHDRAWING FROM A SUPPLY ROLL A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF CORDING AND CONCURRENTLY THEREWITH FORMING SUCH LENGTH INTO A LOOP-SHAPED HANDLE, SEVERING SUCH HANDLE FROM THE CORDING SUPPLY, FORMING A FASTENER STRIP OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH AND DEFORMING THE SAME TO FORM A SLACK-PROVIDING LOOP THEREALONG, SECURING SUCH HANDLE TO SAID FASTENER STRIP ALONG AREAS THEREOF OVERLAID BY SUCH HANDLE AND DEFORMING SUCH OVERLAID AREAS TO FORM FROM THE MATERIAL COMPRISED BY SUCH SLACK-PROVIDING LOOP A PAIR OF CHANNELS RESPECTIVELY RECEIVING THE OVERLYING PORTIONS OF SUCH HANDLE THEREIN, ADVANCING THE HANDLE-EQUIPPED FASTENER STRIP INTO AN ASSEMBLY STATION, ADVANCING A BAG INTO SUCH ASSEMBLY STATION IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE HANDLEEQUIPPED FASTENER STRIP THEREAT, AND ASSEMBLING THE HANDLE AND THE FASTENER STRIP WITH SUCH BAG.