Roped stretch wrapping system

Abstract

The present invention comprises a wrapping apparatus having a frame, a reciprocally driven carriage moveably mounted on the frame, the carriage being adapted to hold a rotatable roll of stretchable film material and a film width varying mechanism. A driven rotatable turntable adapted to support a load is positioned adjacent to the frame, and the leading edge of the film material is held adjacent the load. A brake is connected to the film roll to restrict movement of the web of material from the roll and the film width varying mechanism is mounted in the material path so that the film web travels through a pivotable 'C' shaped assembly of the film width varying mechanism to collapse the film web width so that the web edges are formed into rope configurations connected by a membrane of film. The carriage is driven along the frame in one direction to provide a wrap, stops when the sensing mechanism on the carriage indicates that a junction between units on the load is present to deposit the stretched collapsed film web so that each roped edge is placed on an adjoining vertically positioned unit with the membrane connecting the two units. The carriage carries the film roll to the next or subsequent junctions where the wrap cycle is repeated until the package wrap is complete, at which time the material web is severed from the material roll dispenser.