Pallet stretch-wrap apparatus

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with a plastic film comprising

• a first vertical roll of wrapping film,
• said first roll of film being fixed in place,
• a second vertical roll of wrapping film, which is normally spaced from said first roll,
• a load support and wrapping area disposed between said first roll and said second roll,
• horizontally movable carriage means for supporting said second roll of film and moving said second roll toward and away from said first roll along a single substantially straight line path of travel having a first end and a second end,
• said path of travel being such that, when said carriage means is at said first end thereof, said second roll of film is remote from said first roll and the film extends as a curtain from said first roll to said second roll across the space between them, said curtain of film enclosing a portion of a load to be wrapped, and, when said carriage means is at said second end of said path of travel, said second roll of film is adjacent to said first roll and said film completely surrounds said load, a portion of the film of said first roll overlapping a portion of the film of said second roll and thereby forming a region where the overlapping films form two layers of film material, and
• means for sealing said films together at said overlapping portion to complete the wrapping of said load.

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with stretchable film comprising

• first means including a fixed first roll,
• second means including a second roll on a movable carriage, said second roll being movable with said carriage along a first path from a first position remote from said first roll to a second position adjacent to said first roll,
• wrapping film on said first and second rolls and forming a film curtain between said rolls,
• third means for moving a load into said curtain of film to cause said film to envelop a portion of said load, movement of said second roll by said second means to a position adjacent to said second roll causing said film to completely envelop said load, and
• sealing means for sealing said film about said load.

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with film comprising

• a platform having an area for receiving a pallet load, said platform being positioned adjacent to a first path of travel along which said pallet load travels on its way to said area of said platform,
• a first roll of wrapping film and a second roll of said wrapping film, said film extending between said first and second rolls, said rolls defining the ends of a second path disposed generally transverse to said first path and positioned ahead of said area on said first path whereby, when a pallet load travels along said first path, it meets said film before it reaches said area and said film partially envelops said load when it reaches said area,
• said first roll of film being disposed vertically and fixed in place,
• first means for moving said load along said first path of travel into said curtain of film to cause said film to partially envelop said load, and
• carriage means for supporting said second roll of film vertically and moving said second roll along said second path of travel so that said film is completely wrapped around said pallet load when said second roll is moved to the second end of said second path of travel adjacent to said first roll.

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with film comprising

• a platform having a front edge and a top surface which has an area for receiving a pallet load to be wrapped, said pallet load being adapted to be driven along a first path of travel which lies generally perpendicular to said front edge of said platform,
• a drive track disposed beneath said top surface of said platform adjacent to said front edge thereof,
• said pallet load having a front surface which is adapted to be aligned with the front edge of said platform,
• a first roll of wrapping film disposed vertically on said platform adjacent to the front edge of said platform and adjacent to one corner of said pallet load when the load is in place for wrapping,
• a first clamping bar disposed vertically on said top surface of said platform between said corner of said pallet load and said first roll of film,
• a second roll of wrapping film vertically disposed adjacent to the front edge of said platform,
• an idler roll disposed vertically between said second roll of film and said pallet load,
• a movable carriage supporting said idler roll and said second roll of film vertically for moving said second roll along a second path of travel having a first end and a second end, said second path of travel being generally transverse to said first path, said first end of said path placing said idler roll and said second roll remote from said first roll and said second end placing said idler roll and said second roll adjacent to such first roll,
• when said movable carriage is at said first end of said second path of travel, said film extends from said second roll, about said idler roll, about three sides of said load, about said clamping bar, to said first roll,
• when said movable carriage moves along said path of travel toward said second end, it wraps said film about the front surface of said pallet load to complete the wrapping thereof, and it also provides two layers of film on said first clamping bar,
• a second clamping bar on said movable carriage and pivotable to engage said first clamping bar with said two layers of film between them, and
• heat-sealing means for sealing together said two layers of film held between said first and second clamping bars.

Stretch-wrap packaging apparatus comprising

• a load area at which a load is positioned to be packaged,
• first means forming a curtain of film in front of said load area,
• said film extending partially about said load area and a load positioned thereat when a load has been moved onto said load area,
• said first means including a portion movable across said load area and the load positioned thereat to cause said film to completely envelop said load,
• said first means including first and second rolls on which said film is wound and between which said film extends, as a curtain, when said first and second rolls are spaced apart, said first roll comprising said movable portion and being movable toward and away from said second roll,
• second means for moving a load along a path extending across said curtain of film to said load area, and
• sealing means for sealing said film securely about said load.

Apparatus for stretch wrapping a load with stretchable film comprising

• a work area at the end of a first path of travel at which said load is wrapped and sealed, and first means for moving said load along said first path to said work area,
• first and second spaced-apart rolls carrying film which extends as a curtain between them, said rolls being spaced apart on a second path disposed athwart said first path and positioned ahead of said work area so that said curtain of film is disposed ahead of said work area, and said film partially envelops said load when said load moves along said first path to said work area and into said curtain of film,
• second means for moving one of said rolls toward the other to cause said film to completely envelop said load, and
• sealing means adjacent to the other of said rolls for sealing the film about said load.

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with stretchable film comprising

• a fixed first roll,
• a second roll including means for moving said second roll along a path from a first position remote from said first roll to a second position adjacent to said first roll,
• wrapping film wound on said first and second rolls and extending as a curtain between said first and second rolls when said rolls are spaced apart,
• a load to be wrapped disposed on one side of said path and positioned between said first and second rolls, when said rolls are spaced apart, said curtain of film extending from said first roll, around the greater portion of said load, to said second roll, when said first and second rolls are spaced apart, whereby, when said means moves said second roll toward said first roll, the film completely envelops said load, and
• sealing means for sealing said film about said load.

Apparatus for stretch-wrapping a load with stretchable film comprising

• first means including a first vertically oriented roll of wrapping film, said first means holding said first roll of film fixed in place but rotatable to remove lengths of film therefrom,
• second means including a second vertically oriented roll of said wrapping film, said second means being movable along a first path from a first position remote from said first roll to a second position adjacent to said first roll,
• said film extending as a curtain between said first and second rolls, and presenting a vertical front surface and a vertical rear surface,
• third means for moving a load, to be packaged in said film, along a second path and into said curtain of film, said third means moving said load from a position in front of and facing said front surace of said curtain of film to a position behind said film and facing said rear surface thereof, whereby said film encloses the greater portion of the surface of said load, and
• sealing means adjacent to said first means for sealing said film about said load when said first roll and said second roll are positioned adjacent to each other.