Wrapping apparatus and related wrapping methods

Apparatus for wrapping a pallet load, which is shaped generally as a rectangular solid having vertical sides and upper edges defining upper corners and lower edges defining lower corners, with a wrapping film, which is applied selectively as a film rope or as a film sheet, the apparatus comprising

• (a) means for supporting the pallet load in an elevated position, in which each such corner of the pallet load is exposed,
• (b) a supporting structure disposed in a fixed position above the pallet load,
• (c) a rotary arm supported by the supporting structure and arranged to be rotatably driven about a vertical axis extending through the pallet load, the rotary arm being disposed above the pallet load in any rotated position of the rotary arm,
• (d) an upright member depending from the rotary arm so as to be outwardly spaced from the pallet load in any rotated position of the rotary arm,
• (e) a carriage mounted to the upright member and arranged to be selectively driven in an upward direction along the upright member and in a downward direction along the upright member,
• (f) means for driving the rotary arm rotatably about the vertical axis in such manner that the upright member sweeps a cylindrical path around the pallet load,
• (g) means for driving the carriage selectively in an upward direction along the upright member and in a downward direction along the upright member,
• (h) means for dispensing a wrapping film from the carriage selectively as a film rope, in which the wrapping film is bunched into a rope-like configuration, and as a film sheet, in which the wrapping film remains substantially at full width,
• (i) means mounted on said carriage including a rope guide moveable between an extended position over said upper edges and below said lower edges and a retracted position away from said vertical sides for guiding the film rope selectively so as to guide the film rope across the edges defining each of the upper and lower corners of the pallet load as the rotary arm is driven rotatably with the carriage at a suitable position along the upright member in the extended position of the rope guide and so as to avoid interference between the rope guide and the pallet load as the carriage is driven in either direction along the upright member in the retracted position of the rope guide, and
• (j) means for moving the rope guide selectively between the extended position and the retracted position.