Patent ID: 7975456

Claim:
A method for disposing goods within a hood so as to be wrapped or packaged, comprising the steps of: drawing off a length of a flattened tubular member, within which the goods are to be wrapped, from a supply roll, wherein said flattened tubular member effectively comprises two webs integrally connected to each other at two oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions thereof such that said two webs are disposed in surface-to-surface contact with each other over the entire transverse width dimension of said flattened tubular member; expanding said flattened tubular member so as to cause said two webs, integrally connected to each other at said side edge portions thereof, to be moved away from each other such that said two webs are no longer disposed in surface-to-surface contact with each other over the entire width dimension of said flattened tubular member; engaging folding devices with said two oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions of said expanded tubular member; moving said folding devices toward each other so as to fold said expanded tubular member inwardly at said two oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions thereof so as effectively define two V-shaped folds at said two oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions thereof wherein apex portions of said two V-shaped folds will now extend toward each other and toward the middle of said expanded tubular member so as to define two new oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions of said expanded tubular member having said V-shaped folds interposed therebetween, said folding devices being moved toward each other in directions which are substantially parallel to said transverse width dimension of said flattened tubular member, and contracting said expanded tubular member in conjunction with moving said folding devices toward each other; using sealing means to seal said expanded tubular member after said folding devices have formed said V-shaped folds at said two oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions of said expanded tubular member so as to form said hood such that said two new oppositely disposed longitudinally extending side edge portions of said expanded tubular member, within the vicinity of said sealing means, will no longer have its two webs disposed in surface-to-surface contact with each other but will include said V-shaped folds therebetween; and severing said hood from residual flattened tubular member disposed upon said supply roll at a location interposed between said sealing location and said supply roll.