Apparatus and method for applying cornerboards to a load

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

• providing a load on a load transport surface;
• providing at least one magazine containing cornerboards;
• retrieving a cornerboard from within the magazine with a gripper;
• transporting a cornerboard from the magazine in a direction parallel to a direction of movement of the load on the transport surface;
• sensing the first side of a corner of the load as the cornerboard is transported in the parallel direction;
• stopping transport of the cornerboard in the parallel direction upon sensing the first side of the corner such that a first leg of the cornerboard is proximate to the first side of a corner of the load;
• transporting the cornerboard in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the load on the load transport surface;
• sensing the second side of the corner of the load as the cornerboard is transported in the transverse direction;
• stopping transport of the cornerboard in the transverse direction upon sensing the second side of the corner such that a second leg of the cornerboard is proximate to the second side of the corner of the load;
• dispensing packaging material from a packaging material dispenser;
• and
• moving the packaging material dispenser and the load relative to one another to wrap the packaging material around the cornerboard and load.

An apparatus for wrapping a load with packaging material, comprising:

• a packaging material dispenser for dispensing packaging material;
• a load transport surface having a longitudinal axis;
• at least one magazine for containing cornerboards;
• a cornerboard gripper movable in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load transport surface, and movable in a second direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the load transport surface, the cornerboard gripper being movable into the magazine;
• a first sensing element for sensing a first side of a corner of a load as the cornerboard gripper moves in the first direction;
• a second sensing element for sensing a second side of the corner of the load as the cornerboard gripper moves in the second direction;
• control means for stopping movement of the cornerboard gripper uoon the sensing of a side of a corner of the load;
• and
• means for providing relative movement between the packaging material dispenser and the load to wrap packaging material around the cornerboard and load.

An apparatus for wrapping a load with packaging material, comprising:

• a packaging material dispenser for dispensing packaging material;
• a load transport surface having a longitudinal axis;
• a drive shaft parallel to the load transport surface;
• a transport arm mounted on the drive shaft;
• a cornerboard gripper movable in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load transport surface and movable in a second direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the load transport surface, wherein the gripper is mounted on the transport arm and is movable along a length of the transport arm between a free end and a mounted end of the transport arm;
• and
• means for providing relative movement between the packaging material dispenser and the load to wrap packaging material around the cornerboard and load.

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

• providing a load on a load transport surface having a longitudinal axis;
• providing four magazines, each magazine containing cornerboards, wherein two magazines are positioned upstream of the load, one on either side of the load transport surface, and two magazines are positioned downstream of the load, one on either side of the load transport surface;
• transporting a cornerboard from each of the magazines in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load transport surface;
• sensing the first side of a corner of the load as the cornerboard is transported in the parallel direction;
• stopping transport of the cornerboard in the parallel direction upon sensing the first side of the corner such that a first leg of the cornerboard is proximate to the first side of a corner of the load;
• transporting each of the cornerboards in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the load on the load transport surfaces;
• sensing the second side of the corner of the load as the cornerboard is transported in the transverse direction;
• stopping transport of the cornerboard in the transverse direction upon sensing the second side of the corner such that a second leg of the cornerboard is proximate to the second side of the corner of the load;
• dispensing packaging material from a packaging material dispenser;
• and
• providing relative movement between the packaging material dispenser and the load to wrap the packaging material around the cornerboards and load.