Patent ID: 7536844

Claim:
Apparatus for packaging tyres, comprising: a compression station arranged for receiving a plurality of tyres arranged in horizontal layers to form a tyre batch extending along a generally horizontal first direction, the compression station including a compression mechanism having a pair of vertically spaced compression conveyors arranged for generally vertically compressing the tyre batch therebetween in a generally vertical second direction with a degree of compression in the range of from 15% to 60% of an original height of the tyre batch, the tyre batch being movable along the compression conveyors in the first direction while in the compressed state; a packing station for receiving the compressed batch and including: a strap applicator for applying, under tension, first and second straps formed of a drawable, weldable material, around the batch, the strap applicator comprising: a pair of vertically spaced packing conveyors for receiving therebetween the compressed tyre batch moved thereto in the first direction by the compression conveyors; the packing conveyors being operable for keeping the tyre batch under said compression while receiving the tyre batch from the compression station and during the application of the first and second straps, wherein downstream portions of the packing conveyors are of smaller width than the tyre batch; a first winder mechanism for winding the first strap around the tyre batch about a generally horizontal first axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a second winder mechanism for helically winding the second strap about a second axis extending substantially parallel to the first direction, wherein the second winder mechanism is arranged to encircle downstream portions of the packing conveyors and the tyre batch to wind the second strap around the tyre batch.