Apparatus for packaging an object

A method for packaging an object, in particular a root ball of a tree, shrub or plant. The object to be packaged is placed in a socket which is surrounded by an elastic reticulate hose, whereupon the object is removed from the socket, during which operation the hose is carried along, this hose subsequently being severed beyond the object. An apparatus used for packaging an object, in particular a root ball of a tree, shrub or plant. This apparatus comprises a socket into which the object to be packaged is introduced, as well as a stock of elastic reticulate hose material from which hoses are formed to surround the socket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a method of packaging an object, in particular a 
root ball (a clot of earth surrounding the roots) of a tree, shrub or 
plant; as well as to an apparatus for packaging an object with the use of 
this method. 
It has so far been common practice to package the root balls of trees, 
shrubs or plants intended for transport and sale in jute, sheets of 
plastic or other packaging material. This packaging is done by hand, the 
root ball being placed on a piece of packaging material, whereupon the 
edges thereof are folded together above the root ball and are tied up. 
This way of packaging has the disadvantage of being particularly 
cumbersome and time-consuming. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a method of 
packaging an object, in particular a root ball of a tree, shrub or plant, 
which can be carried out substantially faster and more efficiently than 
the known method. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for 
packaging an object, in particular a root ball of a tree, shrub or plant, 
with which the packaging can take place in a very fast and efficient 
manner. 
The method according to the invention is characterized in that the object 
to be packaged is placed in a socket which is surrounded by an elastic 
reticulate hose, whereupon the object is removed from the socket, during 
which operation the hose is carried along, this hose subsequently being 
severed beyond the object. 
The use of an elastic reticulate hose as packaging material results in the 
major advantage of eliminating the cumbersome operations of folding 
together and tying the packaging material so that appreciable savings in 
labour are attained. The hose furthermore applies some pressure to the 
object to be packaged, causing it to be adequately held together where 
this may be required. 
While the object is being removed from the socket, the end portion of the 
hose can be grasped by hand so as to displace the hose together with the 
object. 
The object can furthermore be removed mechanically from the socket, if 
required. 
An important embodiment of the method according to the invention is 
characterized in that the introduction of the object into the socket is 
followed by a displacement of the hose and this socket relative to each 
other, in such a way that the hose is moved further over the socket. This 
greatly facilitates the joint displacement of the hose and the object 
during the removal of the object from the socket. 
To this end, it is specifically proposed according to the invention that 
the socket in upright position is loosely carried by a support, the hose 
being passed between the support and the socket, in such a way that the 
hose is displaced upwardly along the socket under the action of gripping 
elements and the socket is carried along by the hose over a short distance 
before striking a stop. 
With this method, the elastic reticulate hose can be supplied with great 
advantage from a roll. 
In order to strengthen the package in cases where this may be required, the 
elastic reticulate hose can be provided on the object in a plurality of 
layers. 
The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a socket into 
which the object to be packaged is introduced, as well as by a stock of 
elastic reticulate hose material from which hoses are formed to surround 
the socket. 
In a favourable embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, 
means are used for moving the hose and the socket relatively to each other 
in such a way that the hose is moved further over the socket. 
This can be attained by arranging a plurality of gripping elements around 
the socket which is supported in its upright position, which gripping 
elements can be moved upwards and downwards and which engage the hose 
during their upward stroke so as to move the hose upwardly along the 
socket, but which release the hose during their downward stroke. 
This upright socket can be loosely carried by a support and be capable of a 
slight upward displacement in relation to this support, which upward 
movement of the socket is limited by a stop. 
The invention furthermore relates to an object, in particular a root ball 
of a tree, shrub or plant, packaged with the use of the method described 
hereinbefore and characterized in that an elastic reticulate hose is used 
as packaging material. 
The invention finally comprises an elastic reticulate hose intended for use 
with the method described hereinabove.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The apparatus shown in the drawings serves specifically for packaging a 
root ball (a clot of earth surrounding the roots) of a tree, shrub or 
plant, before this tree, shrub or plant is transported. 
The apparatus comprises an upright socket 1 in which the root ball which is 
to be packaged can be placed. In the example shown, this socket 1 is 
composed of a cylindrical top part 2, a conical bottom part 3 and a 
central core 4 which is attached underneath this bottom part 3. The 
cylindrical top part 2 and the conical bottom part 3 are built up of rods, 
whereas the central core 4 is preferably solid so as to increase the 
weight of the socket 1. 
The socket 1 is loosely carried by a support 5 which, in the embodiment 
shown, consists of supporting elements 6 which are supported by a 
horizontal ring 7 and may pivot about horizontal axes and which can come 
into supporting contact with the conical bottom part 3 of the socket 1 
(FIG. 1). The ring 7 is detachably fastened to horizontal arms 8, which 
are fixed to the machine frame 9. 
This machine frame 9 carries at its upper side a stop ring 10, the inner 
circumference of which is at least substantially aligned with the top edge 
of the socket 1. A small gap is arranged between the stop ring 10 and the 
top edge of the socket 1. As the drawing indicates, the stop ring 10 is 
detachably connected to the upper plate 12 of the machine frame 9 with the 
aid of spring-loaded pins 11. 
An elastic reticulate hose 13 is supplied from a roll. This hose 13 is 
moved over the central core 4 underneath the socket 1 and is passed 
between the supporting elements 6 and the socket 1, so that the hose 13 
surrounds the entire socket 1 and may protrude over some distance above 
the socket 1. 
A plurality of gripping elements 14, arranged around the socket 1 between 
the rods thereof, can move up and down, engaging the horizontal threads of 
the hose 13 during their upward stroke (FIG. 3) and displacing the hose 13 
upwardly, but releasing these horizontal threads of the hose 13 during 
their downward stroke. 
In the example shown, these gripping elements 14 are provided with gripping 
claws 15 that are operative in one direction only. These gripping elements 
14 are fastened detachably and adjustably to a horizontal ring 16, which 
in the example shown is supported by vertical rods 17 guided in sleeves 18 
that are attached to the machine frame 9. The rods 17 carry lower rollers 
19 which are kept in contact with cams 20 under the influence of springs. 
These cams 20 are secured on a shaft 21 which is driven by an electric 
motor 22 through a transmission. 
Of course, it is possible to use other driving elements for the upward and 
downward motion of the ring 16, such as hydraulic or pneumatic elements. 
Instead of the gripping elements 14 with their reciprocating motion, use 
can also be made of other elements for realizing a displacement of the 
hose 13 and the socket 1 relative to each other, in such a way that the 
hose 13 is moved upwardly over the socket 1. 
When the root ball of a tree, shrub or plant has been placed in the socket 
1, the motor 22 is turned on, causing a reciprocating vertical motion to 
be imparted to the ring 16 and the gripping elements 14. As a result, the 
gripping elements 14 will act upon the hose 13 and pull this hose upwardly 
over the socket 1. Each upward stroke of the gripping elements 14 causes 
the socket 1 to be entrained over a short distance by the hose 13 until 
this socket 1 strikes the stop ring 10 (FIG. 2). This creates a slight 
amount of clearance between the conical bottom part 3 of the socket 1 and 
the supporting elements 6, which facilitates the upward motion of the hose 
13 along the socket 1. The socket 1 and the hose 13 can be moved 
downwardly over a slight distance during the downward stroke of the 
gripping elements 14, until the socket 1 rests upon the supporting 
elements 6. As a result, an upper gap is formed for the passage of the 
hose 13. 
During the upward motion of the hose 13 along the socket 1, the tree, shrub 
or plant can be lifted, while the hose 13, on account of its upward feed, 
will continue to surround the root ball automatically. Once the root ball 
has been lifted entirely from the socket 1, the hose 13 is severed 
underneath the root ball, whereupon the hose 13 closes itself elastically 
and can even be closed further if required. The apparatus is then ready 
for packaging a subsequent root ball. 
When the hose 13 protrudes over some distance above the socket 1, the end 
of the hose can be turned down around the root ball into the socket 1, so 
that the hose 13 is eventually applied in two layers on the root ball. 
Since the socket 1 as well as the supporting elements 6, the gripping 
elements 14 and the stop ring 10 can be readily detached and substituted, 
the apparatus can be adapted with particular ease for packaging objects of 
different dimensions or shapes. 
In addition to the packaging of root balls of trees, shrubs or plants, the 
apparatus according to the invention can also be used for packaging 
numerous other objects, such as products of agriculture or horticulture, 
industrial products or waste products. 
The invention is not restricted to the example shown in the drawing, which 
can be varied in various manners within the scope of the invention.