The method of manufacturing an absorbent pad for utilization as a diaper or an adult incontinent brief, wherein a pair of continuous bands of adhesive are applied to the backing sheet of the pad, prior to assembly thereof. The nozzles eject adhesive onto a moving web comprising the backing sheet. The nozzles are shifted sideways during their extrusion of adhesive, from a first location to a second location, thus generating a pair of non-linear bands of adhesive on the backing sheet. The nozzles are again shifted from their second location to their original first location upon receipt of proper signals from a control mechanism. The elastic band is not shifted when the nozzles are, thus effectuating securement of the elastic bands only on the portions of the backing sheets where the adhesive was applied at the first location.

A machine for applying continuous bands of adhesive generally longitudinally along an absorbent pad, which pad may comprise a diaper or an adult incontinent brief. The machine includes a pair of adhesive ejecting nozzles which direct adhesive onto the backing sheet of the pad as the sheet is moved therepast. The nozzles are intermittently directed to their respective sides, under control of a counting apparatus, so as to effectuate a pair of non-linear bands of adhesive onto the sheet. A pair of elastic bands are guided onto the sheet so as to attach themselves only in intermediate portions of the adhesive bands on the backing sheet. The nozzles are also withdrawable from the backing sheet when the sheet is not moving, so as to prevent their burn through. The nozzles movement is controlled by piston and cylinder units under solenoid regulation, which has received signals from the counting apparatus.

A roll coating machine for applying liquid materials onto sheet material workpieces. The machine has particular application in the area of coating flexible foam sheets with stiffening or adhesive agents. The roll coater incorporates mechanisms for controlling the spacing between coating rollers which apply the liquid materials onto one or both sides of the workpiece and enables automatic adjustment for various thickness of material. Automatic adjustment is provided through accurate force balancing of one of the rollers and applying a highly controlled net force acting on the rollers such that the rollers self-adjust based on compression of the workpiece. Another mechanism provided in the machine of this invention incorporates pre-gauging and a cam adjustment mechanism for setting separation distance which can be used independently or in conjunction with a force balancing approach mentioned previously.