Patent ID: 7758482

Claim:
An apparatus ( 21 ) for assembling a collapsible enclosure assembly ( 1 ) onto a container ( 11 ), the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) being of the type comprising a plurality of collapsible walls ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) and which is adapted to be supported, when erected, on the container ( 11 ) so that, in situ, the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) encloses a region above the container ( 11 ), the apparatus ( 21 ) comprising: a carriage configured to move a collapsed enclosure assembly ( 1 ) from a storage position to an assembly position ( 36 ), wherein the carriage comprises a first planar element ( 41 ) that is movable between the storage position and the assembly position ( 36 ) and against which the collapsed enclosure assembly ( 1 ) can rest, and a retainer to grab a collapsed enclosure assembly ( 1 ) from the storage position and to retain the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) on the first planar element ( 41 ); an actuator to move the walls ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) of the collapsed enclosure assembly ( 1 ) when in the assembly position ( 36 ) relatively apart to expand the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) so as to be of generally tubular form, the actuator including a finger ( 47 ) positionable externally of the enclosure assembly and positionable internally of the enclosure assembly, wherein when internally located, the finger ( 47 ) engages with an internal surface of one of the walls of the enclosure assembly and when driven, the finger ( 47 ) expands the walls relatively apart, wherein the actuator to move the walls ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) of the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) relatively apart is arranged to pull an opposed wall away from a first wall of the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) and includes a second planar element ( 51 ) against which the opposed wall of the collapsed enclosure assembly ( 1 ) can rest, and wherein the finger is movable between a first orientation where the finger ( 47 ) is insertable through an aperture of the respective wall ( 2 , 3 ) of the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) to a second orientation whereby the finger ( 47 ) retains the respective wall ( 2 , 3 ) of the enclosure assembly ( 1 ) on the second planar element ( 51 ) but is not removable through the aperture; and a mounter to mount the expanded enclosure assembly ( 1 ) on a corresponding container ( 11 ).