Patent GB-1372671-A (GB)
Title: Load of goods comprising a plurality of superposed layers and a method and a machine for producing said load
IPC: B65B35/50
Filed: 1973-01-29
Abstract: 1372671 Wrapping loads PLATMANUFAKTUR AB 29 Jan 1973 4450/73 Heading B8C A load comprises several superposed layers of goods, the load being wrapped in shrinkable plastics film and the bottom layer of the load terminating a distance from the side edges of the layer, or layers, of goods positioned immediately above, so that two longitudinal spaces are formed, the film extending into said spaces so as to cover the outwardly, and downwardly, facing sides of said spaces, wherein the bottom layer is separately wrapped in plastics film, and the film enclosing the upper layer, or layers, of goods is welded to the film enclosing the bottom layer at least along two parallel longitudinal sides. In a wrapping machine for forming a load, Fig. 6, a first number of articles 5, advanced by a conveyer 4, is fed on to a feeder plate 10 which moves to the left at the same speed as the conveyer 4, and simultaneously, a plastics film web 15, supplied from a roll 13, is pulled, by a welding head 18 moving with the plate 10, to co-operate with a corresponding fixed head 17 of a welding unit 17 18 and weld the web 15 to a similar kind of web 16 supplied by a roll 14, the web 15 then extending immediately above a conveyer 6 on an elevator carriage 8 located in its uppermost position the lowermost of which is shown in Fig. 6. The first stripper 11 of two stripper plates 11, 11<SP>1</SP> is then lowered and the plate 10 is retracted so that the first layer 1 of articles is deposited on the film 15 resting upon the conveyer 6. After the plate 10 has been advanced again, and the carriage 8 has been lowered a step, to deposit the next layer 2 of articles, which is greater in number than the first layer 1, the welding head 18 is carried up to the head 17 to close completely the lower layer 1 of articles in a banderole 27, the outermost stripper plate 11<SP>1</SP> being lowered as the plate 10 is withdrawn, to deposit the second layer 2. As successive layers 3, 3 are laid the welding head 18, at each advancement of the plate 10, does not meet the fixed head 18 so that the layers 2, 3, 3, are not individually wrapped, however the heads 17, 18 do meet again after the top layer 3<SP>1</SP> has been deposited to form a banderole 24 around the layers 2, 3, 3, 3<SP>1</SP>. The completed load 7 is then moved, by the conveyer 6, into a heat-shrinking unit, Fig. 4, which comprises a hollow framework 28 which has air-nozzles 29 supplied with hot air, or electric heaters, and which may be provided with smoothing brushes, the framework 28 being lowerable over the load 7. Pistonoperated, air-heated, pressure plates 30, 30 are located at either side of the conveyer 6 for sticking loose portions 25 of the banderole 24 to the banderole 27. If the film is to enclose the load 7 entirely wider webs 15, 16 are used, and the ends of the banderoles 24, 27 are welded together by units (20), Fig. 7, not shown. When completely wrapped the load may be moved by a fork truck (33), Fig. 2, not shown, and stacked, Fig. 1, not shown. In a modification, Fig. 8, not shown, layers (2, 3, 3<SP>1</SP>) of goods are stacked upon a separately-wrapped bottom layer (27) which has its wrapping welded by welding units (30, 30) to the wrapping (57) of the upper layer.