Method of and apparatus for wrapping loadable objects

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• extruding an object through a press nozzle into an area defined between a pair of guide plates;
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object;
• and then
• spirally winding film around said object in a direction that is generally orthogonal to a direction in which said continuous strip of film and continuous string of film were spirally wound around said object,
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object comprises alternately spirally winding, in the same direction, said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film around said object such that on said object turns of said continuous strip of film are parallel to turns of said continuous strip of film.

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• extruding an object through a press nozzle into an area defined between a pair of guide plates;
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object;
• and then
• spirally winding film around said object in a direction that is generally orthogonal to a direction in which said continuous strip of film and continuous string of film were spirally wound around said object,
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object comprises alternately spirally winding said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film around said object such that said continuous string of film is positioned on said continuous strip of film along the length of said object.

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• extruding an object through a press nozzle into an area defined between a pair of guide plates;
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object;
• and then
• spirally winding film around said object in a direction that is generally orthogonal to a direction in which said continuous strip of film and continuous string of film were spirally wound around said object,
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object comprises simultaneously spirally winding said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film around said object.

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• extruding an object through a press nozzle into an area defined between a pair of guide plates;
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object;
• and then
• spirally winding film around said object in a direction that is generally orthogonal to a direction in which said continuous strip of film and continuous string of film were spirally wound around said object,
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object, with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive, comprises revolving a film feeder about a first axis along a circular path while
• (i) supplying said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film from said feeder, and
• (ii) advancing said object through said circular path and along said first axis.

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• extruding an object through a press nozzle into an area defined between a pair of guide plates;
• and
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object,
• wherein extruding an object through a press nozzle comprises conveying an object from an object feeder through said press nozzle, and
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object, with a portion of said press nozzle and said guide plates inclusive, comprises revolving a film feeder about an axis along a circular path while
• (i) supplying said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film from said film feeder, and
• (ii) advancing said object through said circular path along said axis.

A method of wrapping an object, comprising:

• placing an object on and between sleeve pallets that are adapted to accept a fork of a forklift;
• and
• alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with said sleeve pallets inclusive such that said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film are overlapped with one another along a length of said object,
• wherein alternately spirally winding a continuous strip of film and a continuous string of film around said object with said sleeve pallets inclusive comprises simultaneously spirally winding said continuous strip of film and said continuous string of film around said object with said sleeve pallets inclusive.