Method for making a bundle (10) of the type comprising a plurality of containers (11) positioned along at least one row and wound in a heat-shrunk film (12) due to a heat-treatment effect; said method comprising the steps of: a) arranging a heat-shrinkable film (12) around said containers (11) ordered along at least one row in order to obtain an open tunnel (13) along the transverse direction (20) with respect to the longitudinal direction of advancement (20), said open tunnel (13) identifying along said transverse direction (20) lateral over-edge portions (14) with respect to said containers (11); b) handling said over-edge portions (14); c) supplying said containers (11) and said heat-shrinkable film (12) to a heat-treatment device, so that said over-edge portions (14) are compacted to said containers for heat-shrinking; in which said step of handling said over-edge portions comprises the step of making said over-edge portions (14) at least partially adhere to said containers (11).

A cutting method in a packaging machine using extensible film includes feeding products, wound in a continuous packaging or in a bundle of products, to a cutting unit; cutting the continuous packaging into finished groups of products using a movable cutting device that advances with the packaging to be cut and makes a transversal cut along the perimeter of the packaging; and bringing the movable cutting device back and performing a new cutting step simultaneously in two points of the packaging spaced from each other, with two vertical sections cut at a first point and two horizontal sections are cut at a second point to create a finished packaging. The packaging machine includes a cutting device, a slide moving forward and backward, and a side cutting device and an upper and lower cutting device spaced apart and acting simultaneously on the packaging to cut in two points vertically and horizontally.

Disclosed is a method for packaging articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or for grouping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) to form bundles (32) by way of helically wrapping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or the groupings, which are transported in a conveying direction (18) in an article flow or piece goods flow (14), into multiple layers of an elastic film about a longitudinal axis extending through the article flow or piece goods flow (14), with the elastic film being applied under tension. A film packaging (30) for the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that moves continuously in conveying direction (18) is formed thereof, which film packaging (30) is provided with perforations (42) in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or is severed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between consecutive articles, piece goods, containers (12), or, as the case may be, between article pairs, piece good pairs, or container pairs, or between groups of a plurality of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that are being conveyed next to each other, thereby forming bundles (32) that are conveyed one after the other.

The bundles (32) that have been separated from each other are sorted, assembled into layers, palletized, and/or stacked in transport stations and/or in handling stations (34) disposed downstream, with the film packaging (30) being severed at in each case specified and/or variable spacings to preceding separating locations for the purpose of separating bundles (32) of variable sizes or, as the case may be, bundles (32) with a variable number of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) gathered together by means of film.

A device (1) for grouping and combining articles (5) into packages with different package sizes is disclosed. The device comprises a dividing unit (3), by which groups (6a, 6b, 6c) can be formed from moving articles (5). Further, it consists of a cutting station (18) for cutting to length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) from a supply roll, a workstation (40) for applying the cut-to-length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) onto the groups (6a, 6b, 6c) of articles, and a shrinking tunnel (50), in order to produce the packages. The dividing unit (3) and the cutting station (18) are operatively connected to one another by a control unit (S), which has information relating to a layer to be produced from the packages.

A packaging method includes feeding products, ordered into two rows, into a first ring winding unit of extensible film and winding the products in a first film having a first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle; feeding the wound products to a second ring winding unit of extensible film in a second film having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle with two layers of film; and feeding the continuous packaging or bundle into a cutting unit, which moves in synchrony with, and cuts, the continuous packaging or bundle transversely into finished groups of products. A ring winding machine is provided at each of the two ring winding units, obtaining a continuous winding also when the film becomes exhausted in at least one of the two ring winding machines. A packaging machine is also provided.

Packaging method using extensible film and machine therefor includes feeding the groups of products, spaced apart and separate from each other, into a first and a second winding units to wind the groups of products with a first and a second extensible film disposed in opposite rotation directions to form a continuous packaging wrapped in two layers of film in opposite directions; and advancing the continuous packaging into a cutting unit, which cuts the continuous packaging transversally into finished groups of products. The winding step in each of the two ring winding units is selectively and alternately actuated with one of two ring winding machines provided at each of the two ring winding units, thereby achieving a continuous winding of groups of products even when the extensible film in at least one of the two ring winding machines at each of the two ring winding units is exhausted.

An apparatus for packaging piece goods compilations includes a first wrapping device for wrapping up the piece goods with a film element, and a further wrapping device for wrapping up the piece goods with a film element, wherein the piece goods can be fed to the first wrapping device so as to be wrapped up with a film element, and wherein during working operation of the apparatus, the first wrapping device and the further wrapping device can be selectively used in order to wrap the piece goods up.

A selectively reconfigurable wrapping machine [A] for sequentially wrapping upright products. An infeed conveyor carries products to a wrapping station module where a tube of shrink-wrap material, pulled from rolled storage [B], is formed about the products by a film directing and tracking module generally designated [C] by use of a film plow [D]. Marginal edges of the shrink-wrap material are joined by a selectively configurable bottom seal module [E] which pulls the tube in to form a selectively positionable longitudinal bottom seal. A film sealing and cutting module [G] has opposed sealing heads [G2L, G2R] carried to face each other with fixed angular orientation such that the heads travel with products in the tube for a distance as it moves giving sealing dwell time for nonstop operation. A microprocessor-driven control system provides user setup controls.

The present invention relates to a container sleeving method for arranging sleeves around a plurality of containers, the method includes: transporting an array of containers past a sleeve discharge unit; arranging a sleeve of heat shrinkable foil around a container passing by the sleeve discharge unit by shooting the sleeve from the sleeve discharge unit towards the container; detecting whether the sleeve has been correctly arranged around the container; and, if the sleeve has not been arranged correctly around the container, continue transporting one or more containers along the sleeve discharge unit and discontinue shooting one or more sleeves towards the containers.

Manipulator for manipulating over-edges of a plastic film wrapped on containers for making a bundle of containers of the type including a vertical support rod provided with a motorization for rotating around own vertical axis. The rod supports a mechanism for stretching and drawing said over-edges alongside said containers; and a device for pressing the over-edges against the containers. The device for stretching and for drawing alongside and he device for pressing are arranged one above the other along the development of the vertical support rod.