Method and apparatus for wrapping a load

A non-powered packaging material transporting surface for use in combination with a load support surface of a wrapping apparatus for wrapping a top and bottom of a load, comprising:

• non-driven rollers aligned in an inline configuration;
• and
• a packaging material support guard adjacent to said non-driven rollers, said packaging material support guard bridging gaps between the inline rollers, thereby preventing capture of packaging material between said non-driven rollers;
• wherein said non-driven rollers rotate as packaging material, wrapped around a load on a top surface of the load support surface and around the non-powered packaging material transporting surface on the underside surface of the load support surface, is moved along the transporting surface.

A method of wrapping a top and bottom of a load with packaging material, comprising:

• positioning a load on a load support having an upper load support surface and a lower non-powered packaging material transporting surface including non-driven rollers in an inline configuration;
• dispensing packaging material from a packaging material dispenser and providing relative rotation between the dispenser and the load to wrap packaging material around the top and bottom of the load and over the non-powered packaging material transporting surface;
• and
• rotating the non-driven rollers of the non-powered packaging material transporting surface by moving the packaging material over the rollers as the load is removed from the upper load support surface.