Rotary film clamp assembly for film wrapping or packaging machines, and method of operating the same

Abstract

A film clamping mechanism for use in connection with film wrapping apparatus comprises a pair of film clamping fingers or members which are movable between first and second CLOSED and OPENED states for respectively clamping and releasing a leading end portion of a wrapping film, and between first and second RAISED and LOWERED states for respectively clamping the leading end portion of the wrapping film at the commencement of the film wrapping operation and for maintaining the leading end portion of the wrapping film during the film wrapping operation. In this manner, since the clamping fingers are disposed at their LOWERED state during the film wrapping operation, such clamping fingers or members do not pose any interference with the carriage assembly upon which the supply of wrapping film is disposed whereby the carriage assembly can be disposed at its lower-most position in order to securely wrap loads having relatively small height dimensions as well as to shorten the film wrapping operation as well as to reduce the amount of wrapping film required for a particular film wrapping operation.