FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to an apparatus for wrapping goods on a pallet.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The most common method of shipping or transporting a number of cases or boxes is to create a stack of cases or boxes on a pallet. For security and to protect a pallet during the transportation thereof, the pallets are wrapped in a covering of stretch film.

The most common method of wrapping pallets is the use of a rotary pallet wrapping machine, otherwise known as a "spiral" or "full web" machine. There are two main types of rotary pallet wrappers: i) the pallet is placed, either physically or by means of a conveyor-belt system, onto a platform, which rotates, thereby pulling the stretch film around it; or ii) the pallet remains stationary and the stretch film dispenser is located on an arm which rotates around the pallet. k

However, there is a tendency, especially if the items being packaged are wrapped at a temperature above room temperature (eg. when hot sauces are packaged) or they are being transported over large distances, for condensation to occur within the pallet. This condensation could cause damage to the packaged goods and rust canned goods.

In order to minimise or eliminate the effects of condensation within the wrapped pallet, the stretch film is physically punctured at numerous points to allow the pallet to "breathe". This is not only a time-consuming process that requires someone to physically puncture holes in the film, but also weakens the protection which the film provides to the pallet.

Another approach is to use film that is already pre-punched. Applicant is aware of such a film that is available from Greece, but the film is very expensive and not a cost-effective option. Furthermore, the pallet can only be wrapped with one layer of this pre-punched film because any second layer would cover up the breathing holes provided by the first layer.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved apparatus for automatically wrapping pallets and allowing the wrapped pallet to "breathe" whilst not reducing the protective nature of the film used in such a process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for wrapping goods on a pallet, the apparatus comprising a base section for receiving a pallet and dispensing means for dispensing a material to wrap goods on the pallet, the dispensing means including rotating means to allow the material to be twisted while being applied to the goods on the pallet. The rotating means may move in an oscillating motion. In one form of the invention the rotating means may move through a 180 degree oscillating motion. In another form of the invention the rotating means may move through a 360 degree oscillating motion.

In the preferred form, the dispensing means comprises a head unit which is moveable up and down a substantially vertical track while the pallet is rotatable on a rotating platform which forms part of the base section.

The dispensing means may be in the form of a head unit which is connected to a rotating arm, the arm which has the head unit connected thereto being rotatable around goods on the pallet.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for wrapping goods stored on a pallet, the method including receiving the pallet on a base section, dispensing a material to wrap the goods received on the pallet by means of a dispensing means, and rotating the dispensing means by a rotating means to allow the material to be twisted while being applied to the goods received on the pallet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for wrapping goods on a pallet in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus from one side thereof; Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus from the other side thereof; Figure 4 is front view of a head unit and track of the apparatus; and Figure 5 is a side view of the head unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring firstly to Figure 1 , a first embodiment of an apparatus for wrapping goods on a pallet is generally designated 10 and comprises a substantially horizontal base 12 and an upright frame 14. The frame 14 carries a vertical track 16 onto which a dispensing head unit, generally designated 18, is moveably mounted. The base 12 includes a rotating platform 20 onto which a pallet 22, having goods 23 received thereon, can be loaded.

The dispensing unit 18 is well-known in the art and can be driven by rack-and-pinion, chain or any other suitable drive means which are also well-known in the art. A spool 24 for receiving a roll of stretch film 26 and three rollers 28 are mounted on a base plate 30 of the dispensing unit 18 to assist in pre-tensioning the stretch film 26. The roll of stretch film 26 is placed on the spool 24 and the free end thereof is wound around the outer surface of each roller 28. A roller 31 cooperates with a roller brake to further assist in pre-tensioning the film 26. The free end of the film 26 is then fed between two rollers 32 comprising a film clamp, the rollers 32 being in close rotational contact with each other to ensure that the film 26 is adequately pre-tensioned.

During operation of the apparatus 10, a pallet 22 on which is located goods, is loaded onto the rotating platform 20, either manually or by means of a conveyor belt (not shown). The dispensing unit 18 is located at its lowermost position on the vertical track 16. The exposed end of the film 26 between the rollers 32 is then pulled until enough film 26 is exposed to allow it to be tied onto the platform 20. Alternatively, a hook (not shown) can be provided on the platform 20 for receiving the free end of the stretch film 26.

The rotating platform 20 is then set in motion and the pallet 22 rotates pulling the stretch film 26 out from between the rollers 32. The stretch film 26 is wrapped around the lower part of goods stored on the pallet 22 as the pallet 22 rotates. At a pre-determined point or at the push of a button, the dispensing unit 18 starts rising up the vertical track 16 which causes the stretch film 26 to start wrapping around goods on the pallet 22 in overlapping layers. At a pre-determined point, or at the push of a button, the dispensing unit 18 commences a 180° cycle about its vertical axis by rotating through 90° from its vertical axis and then rotating back, through its rest position, to a point which is 90° from the vertical axis and 180° from the first part of its cycle. This cycle is indicated by circle A in Figure 4. The first part of the cycle is from position A1 and terminates at position A2.

In an alternative arrangement, at the pre-determined point or at the push of a button, the dispensing unit 18 commences a 360° cycle about its vertical axis. In this case, the dispensing unit 18 does this by rotating through 180° from its vertical axis and then rotating back, through its rest position, to a point which is 180° from the vertical axis and 360° from the first part of its cycle. In this alternative arrangement, the dispensing unit 18 thus begins its cycle at position A1 and the cycle moves it back to where it started from and thus also terminates at position A1.

This cycle is then repeated as the pallet 22 rotates. This creates a weave pattern in the stretch film 26, the weave pattern being formed by the stretch film being twisted while being applied to the goods, as illustrated in Figure 1. At a pre-determined point determined by a computer software program, or at the push of a button, the dispensing unit 18 returns to its rest position and stops rotating about its vertical axis in an oscillating motion to form the overlapping layer of stretch film 26 at the upper portion of the goods on the pallet 22, as also illustrated in Figurei .

Once the top portion of goods on pallet 22 has been wrapped, the platform 20 stops rotating, the stretch film 26 is cut at position B (Figure 1) and the free end is tucked under a layer of stretch film 26 on the goods on pallet 22. The dispensing unit 18 may include a cutting device (not shown) which may facilitate the cutting of stretch film 26 at position B.

The process of wrapping a pallet thus consists of two distinct types of phases: 1) two overlapping phases which occur at the beginning (initial overlapping) and at the end of a wrapping cycle (final overlapping), whereby the lower- and uppermost portions of the goods stored on a pallet are wrapped in overlapping layers of plastic by a slowly rising dispensing unit, mounted on a vertical track, whilst the pallet rotates; and 2) a rotation phase which occurs inbetween the initial and final overlapping phases, whereby the dispensing unit rotates through 180° or 360° about its vertical axis to create a weave pattern in the stretch film. v

This weave pattern (Figure 1) allows the pallet 22 to "breathe" and thus prevents condensation or moisture from accumulating within the wrapped goods on pallet 22. It thus also prevents potential damage to the goods on pallet 22.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the dispensing unit 18 is connected to a rotating arm (not shown). The arm to which the dispensing unit 18 is connected is rotatable around goods received on pallet 22. In this way, the dispensing unit 18 itself is rotatable around the goods through a 180° or 360° cycle as the arm rotates around the goods about substantially the vertical axis of the goods on the pallet. In this embodiment the pallet 22 does not rotate but remains stationary. The rotating arm is also further able to move up and down as required in order to apply the stretch film to the goods on a pallet 22, in a weave pattern as shown in Figure 1.

As in the first embodiment, the stretch film is applied in two distinct types of phases, namely two overlapping phases and a rotation phase. The overlapping phases occur at the beginning (initial overlapping) and at the end of a wrapping cycle (final overlapping). In these overlapping phases, the lower- and uppermost portions of the goods stored on a pallet are wrapped in overlapping layers of plastic by a slowly rising dispensing unit which is connected to the rotating arm, whilst the rotating arm rotates around the pallet.

The rotation phase occurs in-between the initial and final overlapping phases, whereby the rotating arm is rotated through 180° or 360° about substantially the vertical axis of the goods on the pallet, thus rotating the dispensing unit connected to the rotating arm around the goods on the pallet, in order to create a weave pattern in the stretch film.