Method and machine for banding a palletized load

A machine for helically banding the vertical side faces of a palletized load with a band of plastic film whose width is a fraction of the height of the load, which comprises:

• a stand;
• a table supporting the load in a fixed position during the banding of the load and with which supply means for the load may be combined;
• a moveable carriage supporting a reel of film having an axis with a generally vertical direction;
• mechanical means for supporting and guiding the carriage, which means are carried by the stand, such that the carriage may be displaced in a displacement resulting from the combination of an ascending and/or descending vertical displacement, and of a displacement in a horizontal loop surrounding the load;
• carriage drive means capable of ensuring its effective displacement in an at least substantially helical path, about a vertical axis, surrounding the load with a view to helically banding it with the band of film;
• wherein it comprises, in addition and in combination;
• means for deviating in its own plane the band of film originating from the reel of film and for vertically offsetting the downstream delivered section of the band of film with respect to the reel of film, which means are on the one hand carried by the carriage at least substantially opposite the reel of film and on the other hand may be deformed during the banding operation between two extreme configurations corresponding to two separate extreme states, an active one in which they ensure the deviation and the maximum vertical offsetting and an inactive one in which the deviation and offset are zero or minimal, respectively;
• means for controlling and driving the deviating and vertical-offsetting means in order to switch them from their active state to their inactive state, or vice versa, which are automatic and controlled by the position of the carriage, in particular by the relative position of the carriage with respect to the table in the vertical direction;
• such that in a certain relative situation of the carriage during the banding operation, operation of the control and drive means results in the downstream delivered section of the band of film applied to the load being offset relatively in the vertical direction with respect to the reel of film.

A machine for helically banding the vertical side faces of a palletized load with a band of plastic film whose width is a fraction of the height of the load, which comprises:

• a stand;
• a table supporting the load in a fixed position during the banding of the load and with which supply means and removal means for the load may be combined;
• a moveable carriage supporting a reel of film an axis with a generally vertical direction;
• mechanical means for supporting and guiding the carriage, which means are carried by the stand, such that the carriage may be displaced in a displacement resulting from the combination of an ascending and/or descending vertical displacement and of a displacement in a horizontal loop surrounding the load;
• carriage drive means capable of ensuring its effective displacement in an at least substantially helical path, about a vertical axis, surrounding the load with a view to helically banding it with the band of film;
• wherein it comprises, in addition and in combination:
• means for deviating in its own plane the band of film originating from the reel of film and for vertically offsetting the downstream delivered section of the band of film with respect to the reel of film, which means are on the one hand carried by the carriage at least substantially opposite the reel of film and on the other hand may be deformed during the banding operation between two extreme configuration corresponding to two separate extreme stages, an active one in which they ensure the deviation and the maximum vertical offsetting and an inactive one in which the deviation and offset are zero or minimal, respectively, the deviating and vertical-offsetting means comprising at least two rods for returning and guiding the band of film which are parallel to one another, spaced transversely apart from one another and at least substantially face one another, namely an upstream rod and a downstream rod over which passes in this order the band of film originating from the reel of film so that they are able to guide the deviated and offset band of film, forming two folds, an upstream one and a downstream one, respectively;
• these two rods being carried by the carriage and being able to move as a unit and to be locked between two separate extreme positions, inclined to the vertical and vertical, respectively, corresponding to the two extreme active and inactive states;
• means for controlling and driving the deviating and vertical-offsetting means in order to switch them from their active state to their inactive stage, or vice versa;
• such that in a certain relative situation of the carriage during the banding operation, operation of the control and drive means results in the downstream delivered section of the band of film applied to the load being offset relatively in the vertical direction with respect to the reel of film.

A machine for helically banding the vertical side faces of a palletized load with a band of plastic film whose width is a fraction of the height of the load, which comprises:

• a stand;
• a table supporting the load in a fixed position during the banding of the load and with which supply means and removal means for the load may be combined;
• a moveable carriage supporting a reel of film having an axis with a generally vertical direction;
• mechanical means for supporting and guiding the carriage, which means for carried by the stand, such that the carriage may be displaced in a displacement resulting from the combination of an ascending and/or descending vertical displacement, and of a displacement in a horizontal loop surrounding the load;
• carriage drive means capable of ensuring its effective displacement in an at least substantially helical path, about a vertical axis, surrounding the load with a view to helically banding it with the band of film;
• wherein it comprises, in addition and in combination:
• means for deviating in its own plane the band of film originating from the reel of film and for vertically offsetting the downstream delivered section of the band of film with respect to the reel of film, which means are on the one hand carried by the carriage at least substantially opposite the reel of film and on the other hand may be deformed during the banding operation between two extreme configurations corresponding to two separate extreme states, an active one in which they ensure the deviation and the maximum vertical offsetting and an inactive one in which the deviation and offset are zero or minimal, respectively;
• means for controlling and driving the deviating and vertical-offsetting means in order to switch them from their active state to their inactive state, or vice versa;
• an element for longitudinally pleating or curling an edge of the band of film, which element is carried by the carriage downstream from the deviating and vertical-offsetting means.

A machine for helically banding the vertical side faces (1) of a palletized load (2) with a band of plastic film (5) whose width is a fraction of the height of the load (2), which comprises;

• a stand (6);
• a table (7) supporting the load (2) in a fixed position during the banding of the load (2) and with which supply means and removal means for the load (2) are combined;
• a moveable carriage (8) supporting a reel of film (9) having an axis (9a) with a generally vertical direction;
• mechanical means (10) for supporting and guiding the carriage (8), which means are carried by the stand (6), such that the carriage (8) may be displaced in a displacement resulting from the combination of an ascending and/or descending vertical displacement, and of a displacement in a horizontal loop surrounding the load (2);
• carriage (8)-drive means (11) capable of ensuring its effective displacement in an at least substantially helical path, about a vertical axis (12), surrounding the load (2) with a view to helically banding it with the band of film (5);
• and, in addition, carried by support means (26), a set of means (25) comprising:
• means for transversely cutting the band of film (5), which means are activated at the end of the banding of the load (2);
• means for temporarily securing the first end part of the band of film (5) originating from the reel of film (9), which means are active before the beginning of the banding operation;
• means for combining the last end part of the band of film (5) with the banded load (2), which means are active at the end of the banding operation;
• and means for controlling and operating the cutting means, the securing means and the combining means;
• which support means (26) are arranged in order to enable means (25) to slide in the vertical direction, wherein it comprises, in addition and in combination:
• firstly means (27) for deviating in its own plane the band of film (5) originating from the reel of film, (9) and for vertically offsetting the downstream delivered section (28) of the band of film (5) with respect to the reel of film (9), which means (27) are on the one hand carried by the carriage (8) at least substantially opposite the reel of film (9) and on the other hand may be deformed during the banding operation between two extreme configurations corresponding to two separate extreme states, an active one in which they ensure the deviation and the maximum vertical offsetting and an inactive one in which the deviation and offset are zero or minimal, respectively;
• and secondly means (29) for controlling and driving the deviating and vertical-offsetting means (27) in order to switch them from their active state to their inactive state, or vice versa;
• such that in a certain relative situation of the carriage (8) during the banding operation, operation of the control and drive means (29) results in the downstream delivered section (28) of the band of film (5) applied to the load (2) being offset relatively in the vertical direction with respect to the reel of film (9);
• and wherein the support means (26) are essentially placed beneath the means (25), between the latter and the level of the support table (7), which results in the space above the means (25) being freed.