Plastic shopping bag with promotional strip ad and method and apparatus for producing the same

Abstract

Plastic shopping bags having attached promotional ad strips and apparatus and methods for making them are described. The plastic bags have front and back walls and heat sealed bottom and side seams. In several variations the bags have gusseted side edges and the ad strip are attached within the gussets or above the gussets either by heat sealing one end of the strip to the bottom seal and otherwise adhering the other end of the strip at the upper end of the bag or adhering the strip to the bag at both ends. In non-gusseted bags, the strips are either heat sealed at one end to the bottom seal and otherwise adhered to the upper end of the bag or the strips are adhered at both ends to the upper and lower portion of the front or rear surfaces of the bag. In gusseted T-shirt type handle bags, where the ad strip are heat sealed into both the upper and lower seams of the bag, either inside or outside of the gusset, the intermediate portion of the ad strip is adhered to either the inside or the outside of the gusset of the bag to better control movement of the strip with respect to the bag. The strips are adhered to the bags using glue spotting, cold adhesion or similar methods. The bags are formed from continuous lengths of plastic tubing that is gusseted, heat sealed and cut to length with the ad strips attached as part of the process.

1 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    at least one of said secured together side edges being gusseted;    a plastic strip disposed within said at least one gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusseted side edge;    the first end of said strip being heat sealed to the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from between the portions of the walls defining the gusset.    
     
     
         2 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    at least one of said secured together side edges being gusseted;    a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusseted side edge;    the first end of said strip being heat sealed to the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from the bag walls.    
     
     
         3 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    at least one of said secured together side edges being gusseted;    a plastic strip disposed within said at least one gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusseted side edge;    the first end of said strip being adhered adjacent the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from between the portions of the walls defining the gusset.    
     
     
         4 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    at least one of said secured together side edges being gusseted;    a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusseted side edge;    the first end of said strip being adhered adjacent the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from the bag walls.    
     
     
         5 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the walls;    the first end of said strip being heat sealed to the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from the bag walls.    
     
     
         6 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their side and bottom edges and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of front and back walls between the side edges, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the walls;    the first end of said strip being adhered adjacent the bottom edge of the bag and the second end of the strip being adhered in the vicinity of the top edges of the bag walls;    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from the bag walls.    
     
     
         7 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their first and second side edges and a bottom edge and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    said secured together first and second side edges being folded inwardly from said front and back walls to form a pair of gussets, said gussets having top and bottom edges;    said top edges of the front wall, the back wall, and the gussets terminating in an upper seam;    said bottom edges of the front wall, the back wall, and the gussets terminating in an lower seam, said lower seam being perpendicular to the side edges of the front and back walls;    a U-shaped cut-out, said U-shaped cut-out being disposed in an upper portion of the bag and commencing at a first point along the upper seam spaced inwardly from said first side edge and extending to a second point along the upper seam spaced inwardly from said second side edge, said cut-out extending downwardly toward the lower seam, thereby forming an open mouth and a pair of bag handles;    a plastic strip disposed within at least one gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusset;    said first end of the strip being heat sealed to the lower seam and said second end of the strip being heat sealed to the upper seam; said strip being adhered to the gusset between said first end and said second end; and    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from between the portions of the walls defining the gusset.    
     
     
         8 . A plastic shopping bag comprising: 
 a pair of registering front and back walls, said walls being secured together along their first and second side edges and a bottom edge and open across at least a portion of their top edges;    said walls, when pulled apart from each other, defining a space into which articles may be placed;    said secured together first and second side edges being folded inwardly from said front and back walls to form a pair of gussets, said gussets having top and bottom edges;    said top edges of the front wall, the back wall, and the gussets terminating in an upper seam;    said bottom edges of the front wall, the back wall, and the gussets terminating in an lower seam, said lower seam being perpendicular to the side edges of the front and back walls;    a U-shaped cut-out, said U-shaped cut-out being disposed in an upper portion of the bag and commencing at a first point along the upper seam spaced inwardly from said first side edge and extending to a second point along the upper seam spaced inwardly from said second side edge, said cut-out extending downwardly toward the lower seam, thereby forming an open mouth and a pair of bag handles;    a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls above at least one gusset, said strip having a first end and a second end and being of a length not greater than a length of the gusset;    said first end of the strip being heat sealed to the lower seam and said second end of the strip being heat sealed to the upper seam;    said strip being adhered to one of the front and back walls above at least one gusset between said first end and said second end; and    at least a portion of said strip between its first and second ends being detachable from the remainder of the strip and removable from one of the walls of the bag.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having a plastic strip disposed in the gusset, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first side of the blade;    a vacuum element on its second side also adjacent said cutting edge and above the upper wall portion of the gusseted side edge;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the at least one gusset;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing and abutting plastic strip, at which instant the adjacent area of the upper wall portion of the at least one gusset is momentarily raised from its abutment with the plastic strip;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised upper wall portion of the gusset and the plastic strip when the vacuum element momentarily lifts said upper wall portion;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised portion of the gusset, to compress said raised area of the gusset back to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank and against the plastic strip; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts an area of the upper wall portion of the gusset adjacent the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised area of the upper wall portion of the gusset and the cut end of the plastic strip, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving upper edge of the gusset is pressed back down against the cut end of the plastic strip to the plane of the remainder of the cut blank.    
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing being gusseted along at least one side edge and having a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusset of said at least one side edge;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area; said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and the plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge on the first side of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the at least one gusset and abutting plastic strip;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing and abutting plastic strip, at which instant the cut end of the plastic strip is momentarily raised from the side edge of the at least one gusset;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised plastic strip and the side of the gusset when the vacuum element raises said strip;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised portion of the strip, to compress said raised upper cut end of the strip to the plane of the cut blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily raises the cut end of the plastic strip adjacent the second side of the blade, at which instant, the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised cut end of the strip and the side of the gusset, following which, upon the lifting of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving cut end of the plastic strip is pressed back down to the plane of the cut blank.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade;    a vacuum element on its second side also adjacent said cutting edge and above the upper wall portion of the gusseted side edge;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the tubing;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing at which instant the adjacent area of the upper wall portion of the at least one gusset is momentarily raised from its abutment with the lower wall portion of the gusset;    means for inserting a plastic strip of predetermined length into the gusset;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive in at least two locations between the raised upper wall portion of the gusset and the plastic strip when the vacuum element momentarily lifts said upper wall portion;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised upper portion of the gusset, to compress said raised area of the gusset back to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank and against the plastic strip; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts an area of the upper portion of the gusset adjacent the second side of the blade, a plastic strip of predetermined length is inserted into the gusset and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised area of the portion of the gusset and at least two locations on the plastic strip, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving upper edge of the gusset is pressed back down against the plastic strip to the plane of the remainder of the cut blank.    
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing being gusseted along at least one side edge;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive at at least two locations along one side of the gusseted side edge of the bag blank;    means for disposing a plastic strip of a predetermined length along one side of the gusseted side edge of the bag blank over the discharged adhesive;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the plastic strip, to compress said strip to the gusseted side edge of the bag blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive at at least two locations along one side of the gusseted side edge of the bag blank, following which, a plastic strip of a predetermined length is disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge of the bag blank over the discharged adhesive, and the plastic strip is compressed to the gusseted side edge of the bag blank.    
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing having a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges on the first side of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the side edges of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the tubing and abutting plastic strip;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing and abutting plastic strip, at which instant the cut end of the plastic strip is momentarily raised from either of the front and back walls;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised plastic strip and either of the front and back walls when the vacuum element raises said strip;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised portion of the strip, to compress said raised upper cut end of the strip to the plane of the cut blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily raises the cut end of the plastic strip adjacent the second side of the blade, at which instant, the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised cut end of the strip and either of the front and back walls, following which, upon the lifting of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving cut end of the plastic strip is pressed back down to the plane of the cut blank.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive at at least two locations upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges of the bag blank;    means for disposing a plastic strip of a predetermined length upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges of the bag blank over the discharged adhesive;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the plastic strip, to compress said strip to either of the front and back walls of the bag blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive at at least two locations upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges of the bag blank, following which, a plastic strip of a predetermined length is disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges of the bag blank over the discharged adhesive, and the plastic strip is compressed to the wall of the bag blank.    
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of at least one gusset, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having a plastic strip disposed in at least one of the gussets, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first and second sides of the blade;    a vacuum element disposed on the second side of the blade and spaced from said second heating element and above the upper wall portion of the gusseted side edge;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to at least one gusset of the tubing;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing and abutting plastic strip, at which instant the adjacent area of the upper wall portion of the gusset is momentarily raised from its abutment with the plastic strip;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive in at least two locations between the raised upper wall portion of the gusset and the plastic strip when the vacuum element momentarily lifts said upper wall portion;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised upper portion of the gusset, to compress said raised area of the gusset back to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank and against the plastic strip;    means for cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts an area of the upper portion of the gusset spaced from the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive in at least two locations between the raised area of the upper portion of the gusset and a portion of the plastic strip between its first and second end, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the raised upper portion of the gusset is pressed back down against the plastic strip to the plane of the cut blank, a U-shaped cut-out is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having front and rear outer surfaces, closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade;    a vacuum element disposed on the second side of the blade and spaced from said second heating element and above the upper wall portion of the gusseted side edge;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to at least one gusset of the tubing;    an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade carrying the vacuum element;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing and abutting plastic strip, at which instant a portion of the plastic strip disposed above the gusset is momentarily raised from its abutment with either of the front and rear outer surfaces;    means for activating the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive in at least two locations between the raised portion of the plastic strip and either of the front and rear outer surfaces when the vacuum element momentarily lifts said portion of the plastic strip;    means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the gusset, to compress said raised portion of the plastic strip back to the plane of the cut blank;    means for cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the bag; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts a portion of the plastic strip spaced from the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive in at least two locations between the raised portion of the plastic strip between its first and second end and either of the front and rear outer surfaces, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the raised portion of the plastic strip is pressed back down to the plane of the cut blank, a U-shaped cutout is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         17 . A method of fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed within the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing extruded plastic tubing, said tubing moving in a first direction and being flattened and gusseted along at least one side edge;    providing a plastic strip disposed within the gusset of said at least one side edge, said gusset being defined by an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion;    providing a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade with a cutting edge in said cutting station for cutting the gusseted tubing and the plastic strip transversely at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent its cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side also adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first side of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the tubing;    providing an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    moving said gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into said cutting station;    dropping the blade from its first position to its second position to effect cutting the tubing along a first pre-selected transverse line on the tubing;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first side of the blade;    producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing; at which point, the upper wall portion of the at least one gusset on the second side of the blade is momentarily raised by the vacuum element from its abutment with the plastic strip;    causing the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised upper wall portion of the gusset and the plastic strip when the vacuum element lifts said upper wall portion;    providing means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised upper wall portion of the gusset, to compress said raised upper wall portion back to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank and against the plastic strip; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts an area of the upper portion of the gusset adjacent the edge of the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised area of the upper portion of the gusset and the cut end of the plastic strip, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving upper edge of the gusset is pressed back down against the cut end of the plastic strip to the plane of the remainder of the cut blank.    
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating plastic bags each having a open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing extruded plastic tubing, said tubing moving in a first direction and being flattened and gusseted along at least one side edge;    providing a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusset of said at least one side edge, said gusset being defined by an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion;    providing a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade with a cutting edge in said cutting station for cutting the gusseted tubing and the plastic strip transversely at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent its cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side also adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and plastic strip portion on the first side of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the at least one gusset;    providing an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    moving said gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into said cutting station;    dropping the blade from its first position to its second position to effect cutting the tubing along a pre-selected transverse line on the tubing;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade;    producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing; at which point, the cut end of the plastic strip on the second side of the blade is momentarily raised by the vacuum element from the side edge of the at least one gusset;    causing the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised plastic strip and the upper edge of the gusset when the vacuum element raises said strip;    providing means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised upper wall portion of the gusset, to compress said raised upper cut end of the strip to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily raises the cut end of the plastic strip adjacent the edge of the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised cut end of the strip and the upper edge of the gusset, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving cut end of the plastic strip and upper edge of the gusset are pressed back down to the plane of the remainder of the cut blank.    
     
     
         19 . A method for disposing a plastic strip, such as one or a series of coupons or advertisements, within at least one gusset of a plastic shopping bag formed of front and back walls secured along at least their side and bottom edges with at least one of its side edges being gusseted, and securing the ends of said plastic strip within said gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 extruding a pre-selected plastic composition into a tube;    flattening said tube by passing it between a first pair of rollers;    moving the flattened tube in a first direction into a gusseting station where at least one side edge of the flattened tube is pressed inwardly between the pair of opposed front and back walls to separate said walls temporarily to form an open gusset of a first predetermined width along said side edge of said flattened tube;    continuing to move the flattened tube in said first direction with said walls still temporarily spaced apart;    providing a series of spots of adhesive on the inside of one of the spaced apart walls, said spots being disposed at a second predetermined distance from each other;    providing a second roller disposed adjacent the spaced apart walls at a 45 degree angle to the first direction;    providing a roll of plastic strip having a width not greater than said first predetermined width;    feeding the plastic strip from said roll in a second direction transverse to the first direction onto said second roller, thereby to be redirected to said first direction, and inserted between the spaced apart walls defining the gusset, and in contact with each adhesive spot;    cutting the plastic strip as it moves along with the gusset into predetermined lengths;    causing the tube to be reflattened and the spaced apart walls defining the gusset to be closed about the cut strip lengths by passing them between a third pair of rollers downstream of the entry of the strip between said walls, thereby adhesively securing the cut strip lengths within the gusset at each point where a spot of adhesive has been deposited; and    cutting the flattened gusseted tube into a series of blanks for further processing into bags.    
     
     
         20 . A method for disposing a plastic strip, such as one or a series of coupons or advertisements, along one side of at least one gusset of a plastic shopping bag formed of front and back walls secured along at least their side and bottom edges with at least one of its side edges being gusseted, and securing the ends of said plastic strip along said gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 extruding a pre-selected plastic composition into a tube;    flattening said tube by passing it between a first pair of rollers;    moving the flattened tube in a first direction into a gusseting station where at least one side edge of the flattened tube is pressed inwardly between the pair of opposed front and back walls to separate said walls temporarily to form an open gusset of a first predetermined width along said side edge of said flattened tube;    continuing to move the flattened tube in said first direction while compressing said walls back down to the plane of the remainder of the flattened tube;    providing a series of spots of adhesive on the outside of one of the walls along one side of at least one gusset, said spots being disposed at a second predetermined distance from each other;    providing a second roller disposed adjacent the spaced apart walls at a 45 degree angle to the first direction;    providing a roll of plastic strip;    feeding the plastic strip from said roll in a second direction transverse to the first direction onto said second roller, thereby to be redirected to said first direction, and disposed on the outside of one of the walls along one side of at least one gusset, and in contact with each adhesive spot;    cutting the plastic strip as it moves along with the flattened tube into predetermined lengths;    causing the cut plastic strip lengths to be compressed together with the flattened tube by passing them between a third pair of rollers downstream of the placement of the strip upon said wall, thereby adhesively securing the cut strip lengths above the gusset at each point where a spot of adhesive has been deposited; and    cutting the flattened gusseted tube into a series of blanks for further processing into bags.    
     
     
         21 . A method of fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing extruded plastic tubing, said tubing moving in a first direction and being flattened and having first and second side edges;    providing a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges;    providing a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade with a cutting edge in said cutting station for cutting the tubing and the plastic strip transversely at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent its cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side also adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing and plastic strip portion on the first side of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the side edges of the tubing;    said vacuum element being disposed adjacent the portion of the blade edge which, upon the blade being lowered to its second position, cuts through the tubing;    providing an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    moving said plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into said cutting station;    dropping the blade from its first position to its second position to effect cutting the tubing along a pre-selected transverse line on the tubing;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade;    producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing; at which point, the cut end of the plastic strip on the second side of the blade is momentarily raised by the vacuum element from either of the front and back walls;    causing the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised plastic strip and either of the front and back walls when the vacuum element raises said strip;    providing means adjacent the first side of the blade to compress said raised upper cut end of the strip to the plane of either of the front and back walls; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first side of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily raises the cut end of the plastic strip adjacent the edge of the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised cut end of the strip and either of the front and back walls, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the adhesive receiving cut end of the plastic strip is pressed back down to the plane of the cut blank.    
     
     
         22 . A method for disposing a plastic strip, such as one or a series of coupons or advertisements, upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges of a plastic shopping bag formed of front and back walls secured along at least their side and bottom edges said method comprising the steps of: 
 extruding a pre-selected plastic composition into a tube;    flattening said tube by passing it between a first pair of rollers;    moving the flattened tube in said first direction while providing a series of spots of adhesive on the outside of one of the walls between the side edges, said spots being disposed at a second predetermined distance from each other;    providing a second roller disposed adjacent the spaced apart walls at a 45 degree angle to the first direction;    providing a roll of plastic strip;    feeding the plastic strip from said roll in a second direction transverse to the first direction onto said second roller, thereby to be redirected to said first direction, and disposed on the outside of one of the walls between the side edges, and in contact with each adhesive spot;    cutting the plastic strip as it moves along with the flattened tube into predetermined lengths;    causing the cut plastic strip lengths to be compressed together with the flattened tube by passing them between a third pair of rollers downstream of the placement of the strip upon said wall, thereby adhesively securing the cut strip lengths to either of the front and back bag walls at each point where a spot of adhesive has been deposited; and    cutting the flattened tube into a series of blanks for further processing into bags.    
     
     
         23 . A method of fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of at least one gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing extruded plastic tubing, said tubing moving in a first direction and being flattened and gusseted along each side edge;    providing a plastic strip disposed within at least one gusset;    providing a cutting station, s aid station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade with a cutting edge in said cutting station for cutting the gusseted tubing and the plastic strip transversely at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating element on its first and second sides adjacent its cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side spaced from said second heating element;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the tubing including its gussets and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first and second sides of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    providing an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    moving said gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into said cutting station;    dropping the blade from its first position to its second position to effect cutting the tubing along a first pre-selected transverse line on the tubing;    heat sealing the bottom and top cut edges of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first and second sides of the blade;    producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing; at which point, the upper wall portion of the at least one gusset on the second side of the blade is momentarily raised by the vacuum element from its abutment with the plastic strip;    causing the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised upper wall portion of the gusset and the plastic strip when the vacuum element lifts said upper wall portion;    providing means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the raised upper wall portion of the gusset, to compress said raised upper wall portion back to the plane of the remaining portion of the cut blank and against the plastic strip;    cutting a U-shaped opening commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts an area of the upper portion of the gusset spaced from the edge of the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised area of the upper portion of the gusset and a portion of the plastic strip between its first and second end, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the raised upper edge of the gusset is pressed back down against the plastic strip to the plane of the cut blank, a U-shaped opening is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         24 . A method of fabricating plastic shopping bags each having front and rear outer surfaces, closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing extruded plastic tubing, said tubing moving in a first direction and being flattened and gusseted along each side edge;    providing a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset;    providing a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade with a cutting edge in said cutting station for cutting the gusseted tubing and the plastic strip transversely at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating element on its first and second sides adjacent its cutting edge and a vacuum element on its second side spaced from said second heating element;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the tubing including its gussets and the plastic strip portion on the first and second sides of the blade;    said vacuum element, when the blade is lowered to its second position, extending to the at least one gusset of the tubing;    providing an adhesive injector disposed adjacent the side edge of the blade and proximate to the portion of the blade edge carrying the vacuum element;    moving said gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into said cutting station;    dropping the blade from its first position to its second position to effect cutting the tubing along a first pre-selected transverse line on the tubing;    heat sealing the bottom and top cut edges of the tubing including its gusset and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade;    producing a vacuum in the vacuum element when the blade is moved to its second position to cut the tubing; at which point, a portion of the plastic strip disposed above the gusset is momentarily raised by the vacuum element from its abutment with either of the front and rear outer surfaces;    causing the adhesive injector momentarily to discharge a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised portion of the plastic strip and either of the front and rear outer surfaces when the vacuum element lifts said portion of the plastic strip;    providing means adjacent the first side of the blade and in line with the gusset, to compress said raised upper wall portion of the plastic strip back to the plane of the cut blank;    cutting a U-shaped opening commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the blank; and    whereby, when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the tubing and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, and the vacuum element on the second side of the blade momentarily lifts a portion of the plastic strip spaced from the edge of the second side of the blade, and the adhesive injector discharges a pre-selected quantity of adhesive between the raised portion of the plastic strip between its first and second end and either of the front and rear outer surfaces, following which, upon the raising of the blade to its first position, the raised portion of the plastic strip is pressed back down to the plane of the cut blank, a U-shaped opening is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing and feeding said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    means for closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein and compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    means for moving said plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip material on the first side of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom edge of the bag and the strip material will be adhered within the gusset.    
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for locating said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    means for compressing said plastic strip material against said tubing thereby adhering said strip material to the tubing adjacent said gusseted side edge;    means for moving said flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and the plastic strip material disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge on the first side of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing along one side of the gusseted side edge and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom edge of the bag and the strip material will be adhered above the gusset.    
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing and inserting plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    means for closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein and compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the predetermined length of plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered within the gusset.    
     
     
         28 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for locating plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    means for compressing said plastic strip material against said tubing thereby adhering said strip material adjacent the gusseted side edge;    means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing being gusseted along at least one side edge;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered above the gusset.    
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for locating plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive upon either of front and back walls and between side edges of extruded flattened plastic tubing;    means for compressing said plastic strip material against either of said front and back walls thereby adhering said strip material to either of said walls;    means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip material disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges on the first side of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed upon either of the front and back walls between the side edges of the tubing and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom edge of the bag and the strip material will be adhered to either of the front and back walls.    
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for locating plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive upon either of front and back walls and between side edges of extruded flattened plastic tubing;    means for compressing said plastic strip material against either of said front and back walls thereby adhering said strip material to either of said walls;    means for moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating element serving to heat seal the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed upon either of the front and back walls between the side edges and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered to either of the front and back walls.    
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of at least one gusset, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing and feeding said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    means for closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein and compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having plastic strip material disposed in at least one of the gussets, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and enclosed plastic strip material on the first and second sides of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the blank; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the top and bottom edges of the bag and the strip material will be adhered within the gusset, a U-shaped cut-out is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having front and rear outer surfaces, closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, said apparatus comprising: 
 a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    means for unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    means for activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    means for locating said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    means for compressing said plastic strip material against said tubing thereby adhering said strip material adjacent the gusseted side edge;    means for moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having plastic strip material disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    said heating elements serving to heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and the plastic strip material on the first and second sides of the blade;    means for reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    means for cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the bag; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed above the gusset and the plastic strip material is then compressed against the tubing and when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip material on the first and second sides of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the top and bottom edges of the bag and the strip material will be adhered above the gusset, a U-shaped cut-out is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         33 . A method for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    feeding said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein;    compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    moving said plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and enclosed plastic strip material on the first side of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom seam of the bag and the strip material will be adhered within the gusset.    
     
     
         34 . A method for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    locating said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    compressing said plastic strip material against said side of the gusseted side edge thereby adhering said strip material to said side edge;    moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing being gusseted along at least one side edge and having a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusset of said at least one side edge;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset and the plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge on the first side of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge and the plastic strip material is compressed against the bag along one side of the gusseted side edge and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom seam of the bag and the strip material will be adhered above the gusset.    
     
     
         35 . A method for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, at least one side edge being gusseted, and an open top edge, the at least one gusseted side edge being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    inserting plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein;    compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the predetermined length of plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered within the gusset.    
     
     
         36 . A method for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge, at least one gusseted side edge and a plastic strip disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    locating plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    compressing said plastic strip material against said side of the gusseted side edge thereby adhering said strip material to said side edge;    moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing being gusseted along at least one side edge;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing including its gusset on the first side of the blade; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed along one side of the gusseted side edge and the plastic strip material is compressed against the bag along one side of the gusseted side edge and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered above the gusset.    
     
     
         37 . A method for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    locating plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive upon either of front and back walls and between side edges of extruded flattened plastic tubing;    compressing said plastic strip material against either of said front and back walls thereby adhering said strip material to either of said walls;    moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    said tubing having a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing and the plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges on the first side of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed upon either of the front and back walls between the side edges and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the bottom seam of the bag and the strip material will be adhered to either of the front and back walls.    
     
     
         38 . A method for fabricating plastic bags each having an open top edge and a plastic strip upon at least one of the front and back walls between the side edges, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    locating plastic strip material of a predetermined length with applied cold adhesive upon either of front and back walls and between side edges of extruded flattened plastic tubing;    compressing said plastic strip material against either of said front and back walls thereby adhering said strip material to either of said walls;    moving flattened plastic tubing in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at pre-selected points along its length to produce the series of blanks;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side, said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying a heating element on its first side adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed upon either of the front and back walls between the side edges and the plastic strip material is compressed against the tubing and the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating element on the first side of the blade heat-seals the cut edge of the tubing on the first side of the blade, leaving an openable bag mouth on the second side of the blade, the plastic strip material will be adhered to either of the front and back walls.    
     
     
         39 . A method for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed between said upper and lower wall portions of at least one gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    opening a gusset in extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    feeding said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive into said gusset;    closing said gusset with said plastic strip material disposed therein;    compressing said plastic strip material against said upper wall portion and said lower wall portion of said gusset, thereby adhering said strip material to either of said upper and lower wall portions;    moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having a plastic strip disposed in at least one of the gussets, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and enclosed plastic strip portion on the first and second sides of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the blank; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed in the opened gusset and the gusset is then closed and the upper and lower wall portions compressed against the strip material and when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the top and bottom edges of the bag and the strip material will be adhered within the gusset, a U-shaped cut-out is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.    
     
     
         40 . A method for fabricating plastic shopping bags each having front and rear outer surfaces, closed side and bottom edges, first and second side gussets, a partially open top edge, and a pair of bag handles terminating at the top edge, the gussets being comprised of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion in abutment with each other, and a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roll of plastic strip material, said strip material having parallel first and second side edges and being mounted in an unwind stand;    unrolling said roll of plastic strip material from said unwind stand;    providing a cold adhesive applicator; said applicator being disposed to apply either of a continuous and non-continuous bead of cold adhesive between the first and second side edges of said plastic strip material;    activating said cold adhesive applicator as said plastic strip material is unrolled from said unwind stand;    locating said plastic strip material with applied cold adhesive along one side of a gusseted side edge of extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing;    compressing said plastic strip material against said side of the gusseted side edge thereby adhering said strip material to said side edge;    moving extruded flattened and gusseted plastic tubing having a plastic strip disposed upon at least one of the front and rear outer surfaces above at least one gusset, in a horizontal plane into a cutting station, said station having a horizontal planar blade receiving area over which the flattened tubing is moved to be cut into a series of rectangular blanks;    providing a blade for cutting the tubing transversely at the cutting station at pre-selected points along the tubing length to produce the series of blanks of a predetermined length;    said blade being reciprocatable between a first upper poised position, and a second lower cutting position on said planar blade receiving area;    and said blade being of a length at least as great as the width of the gusseted tubing;    said blade having a first side and a second side;    said blade further having a cutting edge and carrying first and second heating elements on its first and second sides adjacent said cutting edge;    heat sealing the cut bottom and top edges of the bag including its gussets and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade;    reciprocating the blade between the first and second positions to effect cutting of the tubing at said pre-selected points;    cutting a U-shaped cut-out commencing at the sealed top edge of the bag blank and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge of the bag; and    whereby, when the plastic strip material is disposed above the gusset and the plastic strip material is then compressed against the tubing and when the blade is brought down against the tubing to cut it transversely, the heating elements on the first and second sides of the blade heat seal the cut bottom and top edges of the bag and the plastic strip on the first and second sides of the blade, the plastic strip material will be heat sealed into the top and bottom edges of the bag and the strip material will be adhered above the gusset, a U-shaped cut-out is then cut in the bag blank commencing at the sealed top edge and extending downwardly toward the bottom edge, thus yielding an open mouth and a pair of bag handles.