Abstract: There is provided a film dispenser including a pre-stretch assembly, a dancer bar and a dancer bar control assembly. In response to a variation of a film feed requirement, the dancer bar is movable over a displacement range between a first position and at least one second position. The dancer bar is in the first position when a tension in the material web is below a threshold and in the at least one second position when the tension in the material web is equal to or above the threshold. The dancer bar control assembly is connected to the pre-stretch assembly and the dancer bar and is configured to bias the dancer bar with a constant force over the displacement range, monitor a displacement of the dancer bar and generate a speed command based thereon, and send the speed command to a motor to adjust the film delivery speed.

Abstract: There is provided a method for wrapping a load comprising an upper portion defining an upper peripheral surface and a lower portion defining a lower peripheral surface. The method includes configuring a first material dispenser including a first material web in a first starting position and a second material dispenser including a second material web in a second starting position. The method includes and providing a rotation between the load and the material dispensers, such that, upon the rotation, the first material dispenser wraps the upper peripheral surface of the load with the first material web and the second material dispenser wraps the lower peripheral surface of the load with the second material web. The first material dispenser wraps the upper peripheral surface of the load simultaneously while the second material dispenser wraps the lower peripheral surface of the load during at least a portion of a wrapping cycle.

Abstract: A wrapping apparatus, its components, and corresponding methods for wrapping a load in packaging material are described herein. The apparatus has a packaging material dispenser having a frame and a plurality of packaging material supplies. The apparatus also has a load press for wrapping an upper surface of the load, where the load press has a central press section and a peripheral press section which can disengage the upper surface to allow wrapping of at least a part thereof. The apparatus also has an enclosure to prevent access during operation, as well as a packaging material seeking assembly which seeks out the packaging material to be wrapped. The apparatus and methods described allow for an automatic wrapping of a load which minimizes operator intervention, and further allow for the automatic resupply of packaging material.

Abstract: A wrapping apparatus, its components, and corresponding methods for wrapping a load in packaging material are described herein. The apparatus has a packaging material dispenser having a frame and a plurality of packaging material supplies. The apparatus also has a load press for wrapping an upper surface of the load, where the load press has a central press section and a peripheral press section which can disengage the upper surface to allow wrapping of at least a part thereof. The apparatus also has an enclosure to prevent access during operation, as well as a packaging material seeking assembly which seeks out the packaging material to be wrapped. The apparatus and methods described allow for an automatic wrapping of a load which minimizes operator intervention, and further allow for the automatic resupply of packaging material.

Abstract: The method and apparatus are for making a knot with first and second rope-shaped end portions of flexible material wrapped around an article. The method comprises steps of (a) guiding the end portions along a predetermined path; (b) (i) nipping the first end portion at a first point of the predetermined path, (ii) nipping the second end portion at a second point of the predetermined path, and (iii) nipping the second end portion at a third point of the predetermined path; (c) cutting the second end portion between the second and third points to obtain a free end thereof; (d) moving the end portions to obtain a loop; (e) releasing the first end portion from the guiding of step (a) to obtain a free end thereof; and (f) inserting the free ends into the loop to form and tighten the knot.

Abstract: The machine and the method are for fastening a load. The machine comprises a machine frame positioned around a central axis, a delivering carriage including an output delivering device for delivering a flexible material as a rope, first controllable moving device for producing a relative radial movement of the output delivering device with respect to the central axis, a second controllable moving device for producing a relative rotating movement of the rope with respect to the central axis, a third controllable moving device for producing a relative axial movement of rope in a direction parallel to the central axis, and a controller for controlling the relative radial movement by means of the first controllable moving device in view of the size of the load, and the relative rotating and axial movements by means of the second and third controllable moving devices to fasten the load with the rope.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus for wrapping a load with a flexible wrapping material which prevents the flexible material from unwrapping itself after the load has been wrapped. The apparatus includes a supply of flexible wrapping material which can be delivered as a rope or as a full web. The apparatus includes a first finger and a gripper for positioning a portion of a first rope supplied by the supplying means at a predetermined location. The load and the supply are relatively moved to wrap the load with the flexible material. Once the load has been wrapped, a second finger and a guide wheel are provided to position a portion of a second rope supplied by the supply at the predetermined position. The first and second ropes are fastened together at the predetermined position, and the portion of the second rope is cut downstream of the predetermined position.

Abstract: The wrapping machine is for wrapping an article from a roll of film. It comprises a film tail treatment device, a device moving mechanism for moving vertically the film tail treatment device, a device height detector for detecting the height of the film tail treatment device, a clamping mechanism for clamping a portion of the film unrolled from the roll, a clamp moving mechanism for moving vertically the clamping mechanism, a clamp height detector for detecting the height of the clamping mechanism, and a controller for controlling the carriage moving mechanism, the device moving mechanism and the clamp moving mechanism during the wrapping cycle with respect to the heights detected by the carriage, device and clamp height detectors. At the end of the wrapping cycle, the clamp mechanism is positioned at the height required to clamp the portion of the film during operation of the film tail treatment device.

Abstract: In a stretch wrapping system, the film is punctured about half way across its width to form a small hole which is expanded in the prestretch station and the film finally broken by abruptly increasing film tension at the end of a wrapping operation.