Patent ID: 7987651

Claim:
Apparatus for enclosing bales of materials with at least four substantially rectilinear sides in which flexible sheet materials are pre-formed into tubes having one open end into which the bales are inserted leaving the tube open end projecting loosely beyond the end of the bale, comprising: a. A receiving station for receiving a bale from an associated bale source, said receiving station including a table aligned with a powered bale pusher positioned to urge said bale along a linear path extending beyond said table, b. opposing powered sleeve segments mounted for selective concomitant positioning between an aligned position along said linear path and a retracted position offset from said linear path, said sleeve segments receiving said bale therein at said position along said linear path and receiving a preformed tube externally thereon at said retracted position; c. a tube positioning apparatus including a reciprocating carriage, selectively moveable along a line offset from said linear path and passing through said retracted position, and a set of grippers mounted on said carriage for selective engagement with said tube open end to position said open end over said sleeve segments at said retracted position; d. electric control apparatus that signal said sleeve segments to move to said retracted position during the operation of positioning said tube open end over said sleeve segments and to said aligned position prior to said powered bale pusher arm moving the bale into said sleeve segments; and, e. a tube end folding station mounted along said linear path and including a plurality of articulated arms engaging and closing said tube about said bale after said bale is urged through said sleeve segments, wherein said control apparatus coordinates movement of said bale pusher and said sleeve segments such that a successive tube is positioned on said sleeve segments while said bale remains in said tube end folding station and said bale pusher returns to said receiving station.