Abstract: A tool for manually dispensing and applying a web of elongated flexible stock material such as a plastic stretch film from a roll of the stock material having a shaft that supports the roll. The tool includes a flexible gripper having a cylindrically shaped body defining an open center, an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a relatively rigid cylindrical sleeve having a hollow center received in the open center and having a length less than the length of the gripper. This assembly has a gripping surface so that the operator can grip the shaft and hold it tightly without affecting the braking force on the shaft. The operator can compress the upper portion of the gripper inwardly onto the shaft when the gripper and cylindrical sleeve are mounted on the shaft, creating a braking mechanism that slows or stops the rotation of the shaft and at the same time apply a differential pressure to the roll to firmly hold the roll as strongly as necessary.

Abstract: A dispensing tool for dispensing a stock material in web or tape form supplied in a roll on an open core with the stock material being under a selected tension. The tool includes a head forceably receivable in the core to support the stock material roll. The head has a spindle forming a handle, and a friction producing manually grippable unit is carried by the spindle. The manually grippable unit includes a split cylindrical member in which the spindle is journalled with the split cylindrical member being readily deformable to selectively grip the spindle and thereby restrain pay out of the stock material from the roll and thus tension the stock material. In order to facilitate gripping of the split cylindrical member in an operator's hand, a sleeve of rubber-like material having a foam appearing surface is telescoped over the split cylindrical member.

Abstract: A stretch film wrapping device for rotatably supporting a roll of film and dispensing the film at a selected tension includes a base member, a hub member having a device for mounting a roll of stretchable film, a shaft, a means for joining the shaft to the base and hub members to permit rotation of the hub member with respect to the base member. The means joining the shaft to the base and hub members includes a friction device for resisting rotation of the hub member with respect to the base member. The friction device includes a pair of friction surfaces mounted on the shaft. One of the friction surfaces is non-rotatably mounted to the base member and the other is non-rotatably mounted to the hub member. The friction device retards rotation of the hub member with respect to the base member. Each of the friction surfaces has an annular area extending radially outward from the shaft for frictional contact between the friction surfaces.

Abstract: A stretch film wrapping device for rotatably supporting a roll of plastic film having a tubular rigid central core includes a pair of opposed core holders interconnected by a length adjustable axle member to effect clamping of the film roll between the core holders. The bottom core holder is mounted on a base member. The top core holder is rotatably mounted on the axle member and is axially shiftable upwardly thereon. A top tension control assembly above the top core holder at the top of the axle member adjusts the clamping force on the film roll and includes a spring which engages the top core holder to resist upward axial shifting of the top core holder when the axle member is adjusted to reduce the distance between the core holders to effect clamping of the film roll between the core holders.