(57) An apparatus is disclosed (Figure 1) wherein one or more articles are packaged as
a unit by the wrapping of a film (56) of shrinkable plastics material thereabout,
the film being provided as a continuous web. The apparatus is sdapted to the packaging
of plural articles arranged in a plurality of rows. The apparatus receives articles
in nested rows and is provided with means (14) for automatically bringing adjacent
articles into transverse alignment The articles are then moved in clusters (C) to
a wrapping ststion (40) where a continuous film (56) is engaged over the top of each
cluster (C) and held in place by an upper conveyor (106) while at the same time the
cluster is being engaged by and supported by a lower conveyor (68) which moves in
unison with the upper conveyor (106). Film drawing means (116) then moves down between
each pair of adjacent clusters and draws the necessary film, after which the film
is severed into individual wraps followed by the directing of a rear bottom fiap (84)
into underlying relation with respect to the rear part of the cluster. Thereafter,
the partially wrapped cluster is moved onto a platform (68) wherein the front flap
(62) is both tightly drawn with respect to the cluster and positioned beneath the
cluster and the rear flap (64). The apparatus also includes spacer means (124) movable
in between partially wrapped adjacent clusters to stabilize and maintain the spacing
thereof.
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