Double wrap packaging apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load in the form of a rectangular prismatic stack of cartons comprising means to advance the load, means for establishing a curtain of A first heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane through which plane the load may be advanced to wrap the first film about the leading, top and bottom faces of the load, means to draw the film across the trailing face of the load, means to clamp the first film together across said trailing face, means to heat seal the film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the film between the heat sealed lines, means to establish a curtain of a second heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane, means to orient the load with respect to the plane of said second film, means to advance the load through the curtain of said second film to wrap the second film about the top, bottom and the two faces not covered by the first film, means to draw the second film across the now trailing face of the load, means to clamp the second film together across said now trailing face, means to heat seal the second film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the second film between the heat sealed lines, at least one of said first and second films extending beyond the edges of the faces of the prism wrapped by that film, and means to heat shrink both films and to heat laminate the films together where they overlap.

Claim 3

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load in the form of a rectangular prismatic stack of cartons comprising means to advance the load, means for establishing a curtain of a first heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film wider than said load through which plane the load may be advanced to wrap the first film about the leading, top and bottom faces of the load, means to draw the film across the trailing face of the load, means to clamp the first film together across said trailing face, means to heat seal the film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the film between the heat sealed lines, means to heat shrink the first film in the proximities of those edges of the load wrapped with the first film, means to establish a curtain of a second heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film wider than said load, means to orient the load with respect to said second film, means to advance the load through the curtain of said second film to wrap the second film about the top, bottom and the two faces not covered by the first film, means to draw the second film across the now trailing face of the load, means to clamp the second film together across said now trailing face, means to heat seal the second film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the second film between the heat sealed lines, and means to direct heat against the top, bottom and the two faces covered by said second film to heat shrink both films and to heat laminate the films together where they overlap.

Claim 4

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load in the form of a rectangular prismatic stack of cartons comprising means to advance the load, means for establishing a curtain of a first heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film wider than said load through which plane the load may be advanced to wrap the first film about the leading, top and bottom faces of the load, means to draw the film across the trailing face of the load, means to clamp the first film together across said trailing face, means to heat seal the film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the film between the heat sealed lines, means to heat shrink the first film in the proximities of those edges of the load wrapped with the first film, means to establish a curtain of a second heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film wider than said load, means to orient the load with respect to said second film, means to advance the load through the curtain of said second film to wrap the second film about the top, bottom and the two faces not covered by the first film, means to draw the second film across the now trailing face of the load, means to clamp the second film together across said now trailing face, means to heat seal the second film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the second film between the heat sealed lines, and means to direct heat against the top, bottom and the two faces covered by said second film to heat shrink both films and to heat laminate the films together where they overlap.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for establishing the curtain of the first film and the means for establishing the curtain of the second film each comprise a pair of supply rolls of film and a structure for supporting the film transverse to the direction of advance of the load.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 including means to rotate the load approximately 90* about a vertical axis, which means are located between the means for establishing the curtain of the second film and the means to direct heat to shrink both films.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means each also include a pair of sets of tension rollers biased apart to tension the curtains.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means to heat shrink the first film comprise infra-red heaters located along the path of the load in positions where they heat the portions of the first film proximate the edges of the load wrapped by the first film.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means to direct heat against the top, bottom and the two faces covered by the second film comprise infra-red heaters above, below and on either sidE of the path of the load through the machine.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 2 including means to rotate the load approximately 90* about a vertical axis, which means are located between the means for establishing the curtain of the first film and the means to shrink the first film.

Claim 11

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load in the form of a rectangular prism comprising in sequence a first conveyor, a first support frame to suspend a first vertical curtain of a first film supplied under tension from supply rolls above and below said first curtain, the first conveyor including portions on either side of the first curtain to advance the load through the first curtain, a turntable for rotating the load 90* about a vertical axis, a second conveyor, a first heater frame supporting infra-red heaters in locations where they heat the proximities of the edges of the load as it passes through the frame, said second conveyor extending through said first heater frame, a second support frame to suspend a second curtain of a second film supplied under tension from supply rolls above and below said second curtain, a third conveyor to advance the load through the second curtain, a second turntable for rotating the load 90* about a vertical axis, a fourth conveyor, and a second heater frame supporting infra-red heaters along the inner sides of the frame, said fourth conveyor extending through said second heater frame.

Claim 12

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load in the form of a rectangular prism comprising in sequence a first conveyor, a first support frame to suspend a first vertical curtain of a first film supplied under tension from supply rolls above and below said first curtain, the first conveyor including portions on either side of the first curtain to advance the load through the first curtain, a turntable for rotating the load 90* about a vertical axis, a second conveyor, a first heater frame supporting infra-red heaters in locations where they heat the proximities of the edges of the load as it passes through the frame, said second conveyor extending through said first heater frame, a second support frame to suspend a second curtain of a second film supplied under tension from supply rolls above and below said second curtain, a third conveyor to advance the load through the second curtain, a second turntable for rotating the load 90* about a vertical axis, a fourth conveyor, and a second heater frame supporting infra-red heaters along the inner sides of the frame, said fourth conveyor extending through said second heater frame.

Claim 13

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load having the form of a rectangular prism comprising means to advance the load, means for establishing a curtain of a first heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane through which plane the load may be advanced to wrap the first film about the leading, top and bottom faces of the load, means to draw the film across the trailing face of the load, means to clamp the first film together across said trailing face, means to heat seal the film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the film between the heat sealed lines, said first film extending beyond the edges of the faces of the prism wrapped by it, means to establish a curtain of a second heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane, means to orient the load with respect to the plane of said second film, means to advance the load through the curtain of said second film to wrap the second film about the top, bottom and the two faces not covered by the first film, means to draw the second film across the now trailing face of the load, means to clamp the second film together across said now trailing face, means to heat seal the second film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the second film between the heat sealed lines, said second film extending beyond the edges of the faces of the prism wrapped by it, and means to heat shrink both films and to heat laminate the films together where they overlap.

Claim 14

Apparatus for wrapping and consolidating a load having the form of a rectangular prism comprising means to advance the load, means for establishing a curtain of a first heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane through which plane the load may be advanced to wrap the first film about the leading, top and bottom faces of the load, means to draw the film across the trailing face of the load, means to clamp the first film together across said trailing face, means to heat seal the film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the film between the heat sealed lines, said first film extending beyond the edges of the faces of the prism wrapped by it, means to establish a curtain of a second heat sealable, heat shrinkable plastic film in a plane, means to orient the load with respect to the plane of said second film, means to advance the load through the curtain of said second film to wrap the second film about the top, bottom and the two faces not covered by the first film, means to draw the second film across the now trailing face of the load, means to clamp the second film together across said now trailing face, means to heat seal the second film in the clamped portion along spaced parallel lines of heat sealing, means to sever the second film between the heat sealed lines, said second film extending beyond the edges of the faces of the prism wrapped by it, and means to heat shrink both films and to heat laminate the films together where they overlap.