Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of covering a stack formed of articles supported on a support pallet with a stretch film, with the apparatus including at least four reefing fingers movable in horizontal and vertical directions for picking up a film cover in four corners of the cover in a bellow-like manner, and four rigid stretching elements associated with respective reefing fingers, with the method including moving the reefing fingers horizontally into four corner regions of the cover and placing the cover around the reefing fingers in a bellows-like manner, moving, before an end of the placing process, the stretching elements radially outwardly and above the respective associated reefing fingers and moving the stretching elements, after reefing and before start of a pull-over process, inward in a direction toward the stack until the stretching elements are located closer to the stack than the respective reefing fingers, moving the reefing fingers away from the stack and thereafter, pulling the cover over the

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for shrinking a shrink film cover covering a stack of goods and having a free edge thereof located beneath the stack bottom, which method and apparatus includes providing a shrink frame, movable vertically along the stack, for applying hot air to the shrink film cover to provide from below upwards thermal energy necessary for shrinkage of the shrink film cover, providing an arrangement for inflating the shrink film cover with hot air to form a space closed by the shrink film cover, with overpressure being maintained in the closed space until application of the thermal energy ends, and delivering hot air from the shrink frame to a lower region of the shrink film cover into a collecting compartment located beneath a stack bottom and, thereafter, from the collecting compartment into the space closed by the shrink film cover.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production of a packaged unit completely enclosed by a heat shrinkable foil where the unit is made up of a plurality of layers of items of the same general shape stacked one layer on another with a final layer being inset relative to the subjection layers forming inset spaces for receiving support members of a lifting device in the final package condition of the unit. Initially, a shrinkable foil is placed over the stack and is shrunk onto it. Next, the stack is inverted so that the final layer is located at the bottom. The apparatus reduces the space requirement for producing the packaged unit with the stack being moved as little as possible and increasing production output. The tool for shaping the foil on the stack are combined with at least one of the foil applying unit and a frame of the shrinkage unit and with the conveying device for the stack.

Abstract: An arrangement for sliding and shrinking a hood of shrinking foil over and onto a stack formed by a number of packaging objects. The arrangement includes a vertically movable frame with shrinking devices provided in the upper region of the frame and gripping elements for grasping and pulling down the lower edge of the shrinking foil. A lifting device arranged centrically underneath the stack serves to raise the stack from a conveying device which transports the stack into and out of the arrangement according to the invention. The lifting device raises the stack so that the lower edge of the hood of shrinking foil can be shrunk onto the stack up to the region of the conveying device. Subsequently, the lifting device is lowered. The vertical distance between the gripping elements and the shrinking devices is adjustable.

Abstract: An arrangement for manufacturing non-pelletized packaging units which are completely surrounded with shrinking foil. The packaging units are formed by several layers of objects which are stacked on top of each other in such a way that at least two parallel recesses are formed into which support members of a lifting device can engage. The arrangement includes a single shrinking foil application device and a single shrinking device forming a combined arrangement and having a common conveyor and support track. Shaping tools of a shaping device are permanently assigned to an appropriate conveyor surface of a turning device. The shaping tools can be moved into position for shaping the shrinking foil in the recesses after a first shrinking foil has been applied and shrunk onto the stack. After turning the stack, the shaping tools are moved into a release position.

Abstract: In an apparatus for automatically handling stacks of bags, initially the bags are formed into stacks, each stack is moved onto and along a conveying track and then unloaded from the track to a loading surface. The support surface on the conveying track for the stacks of bags has a number of recesses into which a prong-shaped support member can be inserted for lifting a stack from the track without using a pallet. The prong-shaped support member includes a stripping plate so that by moving the support member transversely of the plate, the stack on the support member can be displaced onto a loading surface. A carriage movable over the conveying track provides the support surface of the stack of bags. The conveying track includes upper rails for moving the carriage from the stack-forming end to the unloading end and lower rails for returning the carriage to the stack-forming end.

Abstract: In a loading apparatus, sacks are moved from a supply source along a conveyor to a device which arranges the sacks into a layer. From this device, the layer of sacks is moved over a double conveyor belt structure to a member which loads the layer directly onto a loading surface or onto a previously deposited layer of sacks on the loading surface. To provide continuous operation of the apparatus even when a loading surface is being replaced, the different parts of the apparatus can operate at variable speeds. The double conveyor belt structure which normally moves continuously supplying layers to the loading member, switches to a step-wise movement and stores a number of layers of sacks until the loading surface is replaced and ready to be loaded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a palletless package having a plurality of layers of objects, the bottom layer of which is formed with cavities to receive the fork arms of a lift truck. A stack of the objects to be packaged is first formed in a palleting device by placing the objects in a plurality of layers each having the same base area. Then, an additional layer of objects is placed on top of the stack in such a way that at least two recessed cavities are formed on opposite sides of the additional layer. A first shrink-on foil bonnet is then pulled over the top of the completed stack in a bonnet pullover device and the stack is transported to a first shrinking furnace where the first bonnet is heat shrunk onto the stack. The stack is then transported to a turnover device where it is rotated 180.degree. so that the additional layer and the recessed cavities are repositioned to the bottom of the stack.