U.S. patent application number 12/463308 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-27 for apparatus and method for stretch wrapping of a plurality of tubes.
This patent application is currently assigned to Western Tube & Conduit Corporation. Invention is credited to Sherman Dean Anderson.
Application Number | 20090211200 12/463308 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39525473 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090211200 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anderson; Sherman Dean |
August 27, 2009 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STRETCH WRAPPING OF A PLURALITY OF
TUBES
Abstract
An apparatus and method for wrapping a plurality of tubes which
includes a plurality of supporting stations, each of which includes
a pair of stanchions upon which pulleys are positioned. An endless
belt is threaded along the pulleys and one of the pulleys is driven
by a drive motor to move the endless belt to rotate a bundle of
tubes positioned on the belt. A roll of stretch wrapping plastic
material such as polyethylene is disposed upon a trolley movable
along a rail. The polyethylene plastic film engages the exterior of
the bundle of tubes and as the bundle rotates, the film is moved
from the roll to encompass and wrap the bundle of tubes.
Inventors: |
Anderson; Sherman Dean;
(Pala, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY & LARDNER
555 South Flower Street, SUITE 3500
LOS ANGELES
CA
90071-2411
US
|
Assignee: |
Western Tube & Conduit
Corporation
|
Family ID: |
39525473 |
Appl. No.: |
12/463308 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11637992 |
Dec 13, 2006 |
7540124 |
|
|
12463308 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
53/399 ;
53/215 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 11/04 20130101;
B65B 27/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/399 ;
53/215 |
International
Class: |
B65B 11/04 20060101
B65B011/04; B65B 13/02 20060101 B65B013/02 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes comprising: at least
first and second tube supporting stations, each of said stations
comprising first and second spaced apart stanchions; means
supported by said first and second stanchions for engaging,
supporting and rotating said plurality of tubes, said means having
an uppermost surface that is above the uppermost surface of said
plurality of tubes as said tubes are rotated; a source of wrapping
material; means for supporting said wrapping material adjacent said
tube supporting stations and for moving said wrapping material
along said plurality of tubes to cause said wrapping material to
encircle said tubes as said tubes are rotated.
2. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
1, wherein said means supported by said stanchions is an endless
belt.
3. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
2, wherein said stanchions each include a plurality of pulleys,
said endless belt being supported by said pulleys, and one of said
pulleys is driven to cause said belt to move and rotate said
plurality of tubes.
4. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
3, wherein one of said stanchions further comprises means for
adjusting the vertical position of the belt to accommodate
pluralities of tubes in bundles of differing configurations.
5. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
4, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a movable beam, at
least one of said pulleys being supported on said movable beam.
6. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
1, wherein said wrapping material is a roll of flexible plastic
material.
7. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
6, wherein said means for supporting said wrapping material is a
rail disposed adjacent said tube supporting stations and a trolley
movably supported on said rail, said trolley receiving said roll of
plastic material.
8. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
7, which further includes means for transporting said trolley along
said rail as said tubes are rotated.
9. The method of wrapping a plurality of tubes comprising:
supporting said tubes upon a plurality of endless belts; driving
said belts to impart rotational movement to said plurality of
tubes, each endless belt having an uppermost surface that is above
the uppermost surface of said plurality of tubes as said tubes are
rotated; providing a source of flexible wrapping material; engaging
said plurality of tubes with said wrapping material, whereby as
said tubes are rotated, said wrapping material encircles said
tubes.
10. The method as defined in claim 9, which includes the further
step of moving said source of wrapping material along said
plurality of tubes as said tubes are rotated.
11. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step
of adjusting said plurality of endless belts to receive said
plurality of tubes.
12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein said adjusting is
accomplished by moving a pulley upon which said endless belt is
supported.
13. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes comprising: at
least first and second tube supporting stations, each of said
stations comprising first and second spaced apart stanchions; means
supported by said first and second stanchions for engaging,
supporting and rotating said plurality of tubes; a source of
wrapping material; means for supporting said wrapping material
adjacent said tube supporting stations and for moving said wrapping
material along said plurality of tubes to cause said wrapping
material to encircle said tubes as said tubes are rotated; wherein
one of said stanchions comprises means for adjusting the vertical
position of said means supported by said stanchions, to accommodate
pluralities of tubes of differing configurations, said means for
adjusting remaining in a substantially fixed vertical location as
said plurality of tubes is rotated.
14. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
13, wherein said means supported by said stanchions is an endless
belt.
15. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
14, wherein said stanchions each include plurality of pulleys, said
endless belt being supported by said pulleys, and one of said
pulleys is driven to cause said belt to move and rotate said
plurality of tubes.
16. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
15, wherein said means for adjusting comprises a moveable beam, at
least one of said pulleys being supported on said movable beam.
17. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
13, wherein said wrapping material is a roll of flexible plastic
material.
18. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
17, wherein said means for supporting said wrapping material is a
rail disposed adjacent said tube supporting stations and a trolley
movably supported on said rail, said trolley receiving said roll of
plastic material.
19. Apparatus for wrapping a plurality of tubes as defined in claim
18, which further includes means for transporting said trolley
along said rail as said tubes are rotated.
20. The method of wrapping a plurality of tubes comprising:
adjusting a plurality of endless belts to receive said plurality of
tubes; supporting said tubes upon said plurality of endless belts;
driving said belts to impart rotational movement to said plurality
of tubes; providing a source of flexible wrapping material;
engaging said plurality of tubes with said wrapping material,
whereby as said tubes are rotated, said wrapping material encircles
said tubes; and refraining from vertically adjusting said endless
belts while said tubes are rotated.
21. The method as defined in claim 20, further comprising moving
said source of wrapping material along said plurality of tubes as
said tubes are rotated.
22. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising adjusting
the endless belts by moving a pulley upon which said endless belt
is supported.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/637,992, filed Dec. 13, 2006,
entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STRETCH WRAPPING A PLURALITY OF
TUBES", from which priority is claims, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to wrapping of
articles with a stretchable plastic material and more specifically
to a method and apparatus for wrapping a plurality of metal tubes
with a stretchable plastic material.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] It is known to wrap various articles of various shapes with
stretchable plastic film such as polyethylene or the like.
Generally, in the prior art the wrapping of such items has been
accomplished in one of two ways. The first is to pass the object,
particularly an elongated object to be wrapped through a machine
which is constructed in the form essentially of a cage. On the
outer portion of the cage there is positioned a roll of stretchable
plastic wrapping material and the cage is caused to rotate around
the object to be wrapped. As the cage rotates, the film passes
around the object to cause the object to be wrapped. Either the
cage is caused to move along the length of the elongated object or
alternatively, the cage remains essentially longitudinally
stationary while it rotates and the elongated object to be wrapped
is moved through the center of the cage thus distributing the
wrapping material along the length of the elongated object.
[0004] The other type of film wrapping or stretch wrapping
apparatus is referred to as pallet wrapping. In this type of
structure a pallet is positioned in the center of the wrapping
machine and the pallet with the object to be wrapped is then
rotated causing the film to be pulled from a roll or magazine
thereof causing the wrapping material to surround the object. In
either instance, such wrapping machines are cumbersome, take up a
lot of space, are not portable and are difficult to operate.
[0005] There is thus a need for an apparatus which is essentially
portable, takes up a minimum of space and is easy to use to wrap
elongated objects such as a plurality or bundle of metallic
tubes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is an apparatus for wrapping a
plurality of tubes which includes first and second tube supporting
stations, each of which includes first and second spaced apart
stanchions. Each of the stanchions includes means for engaging,
supporting, and rotating the plurality of tubes. There is provided
a source of wrapping material. Means for supporting the wrapping
material is provided adjacent the tube supporting stations and for
moving the wrapping material along the plurality of tubes to cause
the wrapping material to encircle the tubes as the tubes are
rotated.
[0007] The present invention also is directed to a method for
wrapping a plurality of tubes which includes the steps of
supporting a plurality of tubes for rotation, rotating said tubes,
providing a source of stretchable wrapping material, engaging the
wrapping material with the exterior surface of the rotating
plurality of tubes and moving the wrapping material along the
plurality of tubes while said plurality of tubes are being rotated
to cause said wrapping material to encircle said plurality of
tubes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention is further described in the detailed
description which follows in reference to the noted drawings by way
of a non-limiting example of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention and wherein
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stretch wrapping machine
constructed in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wrapping material being
supported adjacent to the wrapping machine;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a plurality of tubes
being wrapped;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 but from the
opposite end;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the elements of a
supporting station adjusted to receive a large diameter bundle of
tubes; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation similar to FIG. 4 but
adjusted to receive a small diameter bundle of tubes to be
wrapped.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] An apparatus for stretch wrapping elongated objects
particularly a bundle of tubes constructed in accordance with the
present invention includes a plurality, in the preferred embodiment
three, flexible belts which are supported between spaced apart
stanchions to provide a tube supporting station. The three tube
supporting stations are longitudinally displaced one from the other
to provide support along the entire length of the bundle of tubes
that are to be wrapped with stretch wrapping material. The belts
are adjustable in their vertical positioning by moving the
stanchions closer together or further apart to accommodate bundles
of tubes having different diametrical dimensions. If the
diametrical dimension is larger, the stanchions are moved further
away from each other thus causing the vertical position or droop of
the belt to move upwardly. If the bundle of tubes is of a smaller
diameter, then the stanchions are moved closer together causing the
droop or the vertical position of the belt to drop further down.
The belts are driven by motors attached to pulleys, one at each of
the support stations, to cause the bundle of tubes supported on the
flexible belt to rotate. As the tubes rotate, a web of flexible
plastic wrapping material, such as polyethylene is pulled from a
roll thereof supported upon a trolley positioned on a rail that
extends along the length of the apparatus. The web is thus caused
to encompass the bundle of tubes thereby encasing the same in the
flexible wrapping material. The trolley is moved along the rail at
a rate such as to cause the wrapping material to be applied along
the entire longitudinal length of the bundle of tubes. The web of
wrapping material may overlap slightly to maintain a continuous
wrapping of the bundle of tubes.
[0016] The apparatus of the present invention may be readily moved
from position to position, is relatively easy to operate and takes
up a minimum of space as compared to prior art wrapping
machines.
[0017] Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG.
1, there is illustrated at 10 an apparatus constructed in
accordance with the principles of the present invention for
wrapping a plurality of tubes. As is therein shown, the apparatus
includes tube supporting stations 12, 14, and 16. Three such tube
supporting stations are used in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, however, depending upon the
length of the bundle of tubes to be wrapped more or less than the
three tube supporting stations may be utilized. As is illustrated,
the tube supporting stations are longitudinally displaced from each
other. The tube supporting station 12 includes a first stanchion 18
and a second stanchion 20. The stanchion 18 has rotatably secured
thereto first and second pulleys 22 and 24. The second stanchion 20
has rotatably secured thereto third and fourth pulleys 26 and 28.
An idler roller 30 is secured to the second stanchion 20. An
endless belt 32 is threaded around the pulleys 22-28. The pulley 28
is driven a motor 34 to drive the endless belt 32 in a clockwise
direction (as viewed in FIG. 1) so as to impart counter clockwise
rotation to a bundle of tubes (not shown in FIG. 1) which would be
resting on the belt 32.
[0018] Each of the tube supporting stations such as shown at 14 and
16 is constructed in a manner similar to that described with regard
to the tube supporting station 12. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the
loop in the belts is different with the loop in the belt 32 being
very wide, that is the vertical disposition of the bottom 36 of the
belt is higher (as viewed in FIG. 1) than is the bottom of the
belts at the tube supporting stations 14 and 16 as is illustrated
at 38 and 40. It will be understood by those skilled in the art
that when a specific bundle of tubes is being wrapped, the bottom
of the belts at each supporting station at each of the supporting
stations will be adjusted to be at the same vertical height. The
illustration in FIG. 1 is merely to illustrate that the position of
the belts at each supporting station may be adjusted to accommodate
bundles of tubes of differing diametrical dimensions. The
adjustment of the belts is accomplished by laterally positioning
the pulley as shown at 24 in the station 12. Such lateral
positioning is illustrated at the tube supporting station 14 where
the pulley 42 has been moved toward the right thus causing the
bottom of the belt loop as shown at 38 to be lower than the bottom
of the belt loop 36 at the tube supporting station 12. Such
movement of the pulley 42 is accomplished by lateral movement of a
movable beam 43 as illustrated by the arrow 44. The pulley 42 is
supported on the movable beam 43. The position of the idler roller
30 may also be laterally adjusted as shown by the arrow 46. The
adjustment of the idler roller 30 may be accomplished to assure
that the tension in each of the belts is substantially the same
thereby assuring that the vertical disposition of the bottom of the
loops 36, 38, and 40 are substantially the same during any wrapping
operation.
[0019] Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2, there is
illustrated at 50 the disposition of a source of wrapping material.
As is therein shown, a roll 52 of flexible, stretchable plastic
wrapping material such as a polyethylene film 53. The roll 52 of
polyethylene film is supported upon a trolley 54. The trolley 54
includes a base 56 which is supported upon a rail 58 to be more
fully described below. Affixed to the base 56 is an upstanding
flange 60. The flange 60 supports a pair of rollers 62 and 64.
Rotatably attached to the end 66 of the roller 62 is an arm 68
which includes a slot 70 which receives one end 72 of a spool upon
which the roll 52 of wrapping film is supported. The other end of
the spool 72 is fitted within an opening on the flange 60 with the
combination of the flange 60 and the arm 68 securely holding the
roll 52 of the film in place on the trolley 54. The film 53 is
passed over the top of the roller 62 and under the roller 64. As
will be explained more fully below as the bundle of tubes rotates
the film 53 is pulled from the roll 52 during the wrapping
operation.
[0020] Means is provided to move the trolley 54 on the rail 58 as
the wrapping operation progresses. In accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, a hand bar 74 is provided. The
operator once the wrapping operation starts, grips the hand bar 74
and pushes the trolley 54 in the direction of the arrow 76 to cause
the film 53 to be evenly wrapped around the bundle of tubes as the
bundle is rotated by movement of the belts by the drive motors.
[0021] By reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated a
bundle 80 of tubes being wrapped with the flexible film 53. As is
also shown particularly in FIG. 3, the trolley 54 has been moved
toward the left in FIG. 3 from its original end position
immediately adjacent the stanchion 20. As illustrated in FIG. 3,
the belt 32 passes under the bundle 80 of tubes and over the pulley
28 and moves to cause the bundle 80 of tubes to rotate in a counter
clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 3) thereby pulling the web
of film 53 from the roll 52 thereof to wrap the bundle of tubes 80.
It should also be noted that the bundle of tubes 80 is held
together by a plurality of bands, one of which is shown at 82. The
bands such as shown in 82 are spaced along the bundle 80 of tubes
to maintain the integrity of the bundle during wrapping operation.
It should also be understood that although the bundle 80 of tubes
is shown to be circular in configuration that any geometric form
may be utilized, such for example, as placing the bundles of tubes
in a square or other polygonal configuration and then securing the
same with such bands to maintain the integrity of the geometric
configuration. As a result, it will be understood by those skilled
in the art that a bundle of tubes or other elongated objects having
any geometric configuration may be wrapped with the stretch
wrapping material utilizing the apparatus constructed in accordance
with the present invention.
[0022] The rail 58 upon which the trolley 54 traverses is better
seen in FIG. 4. As above indicated, the trolley 54 is moved along
the rail as the wrapping operation occurs. As above indicated, an
operator will grasp the hand rail 74 and push the trolley 54 along
the rail 58 as the wrapping operation occurs. Alternatively, the
trolley 54 may include a drive motor which has a gear or frictional
engagement with the rail 58 with appropriate control mechanisms to
sense the dispensing of the film 53 from the roll 54 thereof and
thus move the trolley 54 in a manner and at a speed to provide
appropriate wrapping of the bundle of tubes 80 as they are rotated
by the belts.
[0023] As is better illustrated in FIG. 4, the adjustability of the
position of the pulleys is seen. As is therein shown, a movable
beam 84 has a plurality of openings as shown at 86 through 94. When
it is desired to adjust the looping of the belts as above described
in conjunction with FIG. 1, a pin may be removed allowing the beam
54 to be moved in or out depending upon the original position of a
pulley and the desirability of adjustment to provide the
appropriate position of the bottom of the loop of the belt. Once
such is done, the pin or other securing apparatus will then be
reinserted in place to maintain the position of the pulley as
desired. Obviously, one of the pulleys at each of the supporting
stations on the stanchions such as the one disposed at 18 in FIG. 1
will be identically adjusted. Although there is illustrated a
plurality of openings in the beam 84 to accomplish the adjustment
such may be done by an appropriate drive mechanism at each of the
supporting stations which can be activated to move the stanchions
supporting the pulleys to the desired position by inputting
appropriate command signals.
[0024] By referring now more particularly to FIG. 5, there is
provided a schematic illustration in side view thereof of the
apparatus of the present invention. As is illustrated in FIG. 5,
the bundle of tubes 80 is relatively large and the endless belt 32
has been positioned so that the bottom 36 of the loop is elevated
upwardly to provide a greater open area to receive the bundle of
tubes 80. As above described, such has been accomplished through
the use of the movable beam 84 to move the pulley to the left as
viewed in FIG. 5. The pulley 28 is driven to cause the belt 36 to
move in the direction shown by the arrow 96 thereby pulling the
wrapping film 53 from the trolley 54 to cause it to encircle and
wrap the bundle of tubes 80 by causing the bundle 80 to move in a
counter clockwise direction as shown by the arrow 98.
[0025] In FIG. 6, to which reference is hereby made, the pulley 24
has been moved toward the right by movement of the beam 84 as above
described to cause the bottom 36 of the belt loop to be lower
thereby accommodating a bundle of tubes 100 which has a smaller
diametrical dimension than the bundle of tubes 80 shown in FIG. 5.
Otherwise, the operation of the wrapping apparatus as shown in FIG.
6 is identical to that as shown in FIG. 5 as above described.
[0026] There has thus been disclosed a stretch wrapping apparatus
which is easy to operate, takes up a minimum of space, and may be
moved from position to position to accommodate the wrapping of a
bundle of elongated objects such as tubes, as well as a method of
wrapping such tubes.
* * * * *