A wrapping apparatus includes a main body having an annular frame rotatably coupled thereto useful for wrapping one or more objects in packaging material. The frame includes a plurality of packaging material mounts that are configured to dispense such packaging material, and a gathering attachment including an aperture may be removably coupled to the wrapping apparatus proximate at least one of the packaging material mounts to gather the packaging material into a string for wrapping around the one or more objects. Free ends of the packaging material and the string may be secured at or near one or more objects to be wrapped, and the frame may be rotated to cause the packaging material to unwind and wrap the objects simultaneously with both the string and other packaging material.

A pallet wrapping system with at least two guides sets configured to narrow the width of stretch film to form a banded edge on the stretch film. A plurality of rollers is positioned adjacent to the plurality of guides to facilitate passing the stretch film through the plurality of guides. A first roll of stretch film positioned to pass stretch film to the first set of guides, and a second roll of stretch film positioned to receive banded stretch film from the first set of guides, layer the banded stretch film onto unhanded stretch film to form an unbanded composite stretch film, and then pass the unhanded composite stretch film to the second set of guides to form a banded composite stretch film having a banded first ply with a width equal to the first width and a banded second ply with a width equal to the second width.

According to illustrative embodiments, a novel pallet wrap is provided. In some preferred embodiments, the pallet wrap includes: an expandable slit sheet paper having a slit pattern including a plurality of slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of open cells upon expansion in a machine direction. In some embodiments, the pallet wrap includes a novel expandable slit sheet paper adapted for enabling wrapping of a pallet assembly. In some embodiments, the pallet wrap includes an expandable slit sheet paper and a support wrap, wherein the expandable slit sheet paper is configured to be wrapped around a pallet assembly and the support wrap is configured to surround at least a portion of the expandable slit sheet paper wrapped around the pallet assembly.

A method of wrapping a palletized load includes providing an apparatus with a first wrapping system and a second wrapping system, banding a top edge and bottom edge of stretch film from each of the first wrapping system and the second wrapping system, overlapping the stretch film from the first wrapping system with the stretch film from the second wrapping system to create a composite stretch film, and wrapping the composite stretch film around the palletized load. The edges of the stretch film may be banded by passing the stretch film through a set of adjustment arms. The composite stretch film may have a plurality of sections, where each section is separated from adjacent section by a banded border, a first section, third section, and fifth section each has one layer of stretch film, and a second section and a fourth section each has two layers of stretch film.

A pallet wrapping system with a support bar and at least two adjustment arms coupled to the support bar. The at least two adjustment arms are configured to narrow the width of a stretch film for wrapping a palletized load. Each of the adjustment arms has a captive nut, a stud, a guide, and an adjustment knob. The captive nut is coupled to and configured to translate along the support bar. The stud has a fixed end coupled to the captive nut and a free end extending away from the support bar. The guide has a cylindrical body with an aperture extending through the cylindrical body and a support flange extending outward from the cylindrical body. The stud extends through the aperture. The adjustment knob is coupled to the free end of the stud. The location of each of the adjustment arms along the support bar is adjustable.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine (1) that includes a roping carriage (300) configured to manipulate a sheet of film into a reduced-width rope form to secure a load (L) of goods to a pallet (P).

A method for securing a palletized load is provided. The method comprises dispensing a first stretch film vertically inserted over a first support member, dispensing a second stretch film having an upper lateral side edge and a lower lateral side edge and being vertically inserted over a second support member, edging at least one of the upper lateral side edge and the lower lateral side edge of the second stretch film to obtain an edged second stretch film, partially overlapping the edged second stretch film and the first stretch film, passing the combined stretch film through a pre-stretcher, and wrapping the combined stretch film around the palletized load. The height of the stretch film can be adjusted using a height adjustment device. A third stretch film can be dispensed and combined with the first and second stretch films.

The present disclosure is directed to an insulation packaging system. The insulation packaging system includes a plurality of insulation packages with first ends and second ends. The plurality of insulation packages defining an axis. A first film wraps around the axis to compress and couple the plurality of insulation packages together, while a second film wraps around the first and second ends of the plurality of insulation packages. The first and second films are different films.

A method, apparatus and program product may utilize packaging material quality compensation to sense changes in certain characteristics of a packaging material that can be associated with increased risks of film breaks, and automatically make certain changes in machine settings to mitigate the impact of those enhanced risks.

A stretch film dispensing apparatus gathers the stretch film into a flattened strap for use in securing an object to a pallet for shipping. The stretch film can be converted into a string or rope by passing it through one or more of a hook, funnel, apparatus, set of gears, or the like to effect stretching and/or twisting of the film into a string or rope. The string or rope is then pressed between two rollers biased together with sufficient force to flatten the string or rope into a flattened strap that maintains its structural integrity to be used as a replacement for plastic or metallic strapping.