Patent ID: 6986632

Claim:
A method of feeding elongated elements to a hopper of a wrapping machine; the elongated elements ( 2 ) being housed in bulk and in orderly manner inside containers ( 5 ); each container ( 5 ) comprising a top opening ( 9 ) by which to receive and unload said elongated elements ( 2 ); the method comprising the step of picking up a full container ( 5 ) of elongated elements ( 2 ); feeding the full container ( 5 ) to a first hold station ( 54 ) at said hopper ( 3 ); overturning the full container ( 5 ) at said first hold station ( 54 ) by means of a manipulator ( 13 ), so that said opening ( 9 ) faces downwards; placing the full container ( 5 ) on a supporting surface ( 45 a , 45 b ) having a passage ( 44 ) smaller than said opening ( 9 ), so as to partly close said opening ( 9 ) and provide for controlled unloading of said elongated elements ( 2 ); moving said container ( 5 ) along said supporting surface ( 45 a , 45 b ) from the first hold station ( 54 ) to a second hold station ( 55 ) during the controlled unloading of said elongated elements ( 2 ) from the full container ( 5 ) and trough said passage ( 44 ); and removing an empty container ( 5 ) from the second hold station ( 54 ).