Apparatus and method for filling bulk materials into open-mouth bags, including the following steps: a) an open-mouth bag is appended from beneath to a filling spout of a filling station by way of an at least partially upwardly motion, so that the bottom end of the open-mouth bag is freely suspended; b) the filling process is started and bulk material is introduced into the open-mouth bag so that the freely suspended bottom end of the open-mouth bag unfolds; and c) the filling spout is lowered, so that the unfolded bottom end of the open-mouth bag is supported.

An automated wrapping technique for vehicle components is disclosed. A component to be wrapped is secured to a fixture, which in turn is coupled to an actuator. A grabber arm grabs a length of wrap from a feed roll. The grabber arm removes the backing and spreads the wrap over the component. The actuator pushes the component upward until the wrap contacts the component surface. An applicator may concurrently smooth the wrap and evacuate trapped air. The wrap may be cut around the periphery of the component, and hemmed. A controller provides instructions to automate the wrapping mechanism.

An automated wrapping technique for vehicle components is disclosed. A component to be wrapped is secured to a fixture, which in turn is coupled to an actuator. A grabber arm grabs a length of wrap from a feed roll. The grabber arm removes the backing and spreads the wrap over the component. The actuator pushes the component upward until the wrap contacts the component surface. An applicator may concurrently smooth the wrap and evacuate trapped air. The wrap may be cut around the periphery of the component, and hemmed. A controller provides instructions to automate the wrapping mechanism.

The current disclosure involves the arrangement and efficient deployment of self-adhering flexible sheet material in individual segments to encircle a bale of harvested material and isolate it from the wind, precipitation, and other elements as it remains in the field following the formation of the bale attendant with harvesting of the crop, until collected for further processing. For use with harvested crops such as cotton or hay, the individual wrapping segments further comprise adhering members, which cause a portion of a wrapping segment, generally found at what is considered a trailing end during a wrapping cycle, to releasably attach to adhering members on an opposite surface of the same wrapping segment.

The current disclosure involves the arrangement and efficient deployment of self-adhering flexible sheet material in individual segments to encircle a bale of harvested material and isolate it from the wind, precipitation, and other elements as it remains in the field following the formation of the bale attendant with harvesting of the crop, until collected for further processing. For use with harvested crops such as cotton or hay, the individual wrapping segments further comprise adhering members, which cause a portion of a wrapping segment, generally found at what is considered a trailing end during a wrapping cycle, to releasably attach to adhering members on an opposite surface of the same wrapping segment.

Devices and method for accurately measuring the length of film feeding into a pre-stretch carriage from a supply roll and the length of film exiting after the pre-stretch carriage in order to accurately determine the actual percentage of film stretch occurring during the wrap cycle are provided. A first idler roller mounted on the frame of a pre-stretch carriage before the pre-stretching rollers and second idler roller mounted to the frame after the pre-stretching rollers are included. Optical rotary encoders are driven directly by idler roller shafts as stretch film passes around the shafts during film application. Systems including internet of things (HOT) devices can be fitted or retro fitted to a wide variety of stretch wrapping machines.

Devices and method for accurately measuring the length of film feeding into a pre-stretch carriage from a supply roll and the length of film exiting after the pre-stretch carriage in order to accurately determine the actual percentage of film stretch occurring during the wrap cycle are provided. A first idler roller mounted on the frame of a pre-stretch carriage before the pre-stretching rollers and second idler roller mounted to the frame after the pre-stretching rollers are included. Optical rotary encoders are driven directly by idler roller shafts as stretch film passes around the shafts during film application. Systems including internet of things (HOT) devices can be fitted or retro fitted to a wide variety of stretch wrapping machines.

This invention provides a process and apparatus for folding the film edges of a heat shrink film to create an overlap whereby the tear strength of openings in a bundle wrapped with heat shrink film.

This invention provides a process and apparatus for folding the film edges of a heat shrink film to create an overlap whereby the tear strength of openings in a bundle wrapped with heat shrink film.

A bagging mechanism for packaging ice into plastic bags is provided. The bagging mechanism includes a roll support for supporting a roll of plastic, a feeding unit for feeding a predetermined length of plastic from the roll of plastic along a feeding path, a sealing unit positioned along the feeding path for sealing the length of plastic across a width thereof to define a bottom and a top of the plastic bag, a breaching unit positioned along the feeding path downstream from the sealing unit for breaching at least one layer of the length of plastic, thus defining an opening at a top of the plastic bag, and a spreading unit positioned downstream from the breaching unit, the spreading unit having a plurality of elongated fingers adapted to extend between layers of the plastic and hold the top of the plastic bag open while it is filled with ice.