ROTARY-PLATFORM AND FOLDABLE-COLUMN WRAPPING MACHINE

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The present invention concerns an improved rotary-platform wrapping machine. Wrapping machines are widely known in the art and comprise a fixed base, whereon there are mounted a rotary platform and the respective fixed actuation drive motor. A transmission chain is mounted on a pinion carried by the shaft of the drive motor and on a larger-diameter toothed wheel, integral with the rotary platform, so that the transmission rate is in the order of 1 to 4.

On the stationary base, usually in the proximity of the drive motor, a column is provided, whereon a reel-carrying carriage is apt to translate vertically, which allows to deliver a film of stretchable plastic material. In order to meet the wrapping requirements of loads of considerable bulk, it is usually provided for the column to be taller than two metres.

As can be easily understood, such a piece of equipment entails evident transport and packaging problems, also in the light of the remarkable bulk differences of the machine on both the horizontal and the vertical plane. For a long time it has been provided to introduce the column into a separate packaging and to mount it on the working premises, which has always implied dimensional and installation problems at the time of use. In order to overcome this problem, a few years ago a wrapping machine mounting a foldable column was designed. In particular, Italian utility model no. 254 922, in the name of FILMA S.r.l., concerns a wrapping machine wherein the column is vertically divided into two portions kept in mutual engagement by a hinge. Such an arrangement is apt to allow the folding of the upper portion of the column on the stationary base and, as a result, to define the reduction of the vertical bulk. However, this solution does not offer fully satisfactory results yet, although it already represents a remarkable improvement over the prior art. Now, it is a matter of finding a solution to the annoying problem of the vertical/horizontal bulk, which - when transporting many pieces of equipment simultaneously - may be economically disadvantageous.

The object of the present invention is hence to overcome the above problem, by manufacturing a rotary-platform wrapping machine which, despite maintaining the working dimensions traditionally used in this type of equipment, reduces its bulk over said equipment when it is set to be wrapped and delivered.

Said object is achieved, in a rotary-platform wrapping machine of the type mentioned in the introductory part of claim 1, through a construction having the features mentioned in the characterising portion of claim 1. Further features and advantages of the invention are in any case more evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, given merely by way of a non- limiting example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein : fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wrapping machine according to the invention, with some parts removed; fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed in circle A of fig. 1 ; fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed in cir- cle B of fig. 2, wherein the position taken up by the column when the wrapping machine is set to be packaged is shown by phantom lines; fig. 4 is a top view of the wrapping machine ready to be packaged; and figs. 5a, 5b and 5c, 5d are different views of the packag- ings used for containing equipment ready for despatch, according to the prior art and according to the present invention, respectively.

As shown, the wrapping machine comprises, in a known man- ner, a base 1 whereon there are mounted a rotary platform 2 rotating about a respective vertical axis X-X, a drive motor assembly 3 and a column 4 which carries a system for the vertical guiding and shifting of a reel-carrying shelf 5.

Fig. 1 shows that with central body Ia of base 1 there is fixedly associated an appendix Ib, whereto the lower end of column 4 is anchored by means of a hinge 6. The horizontal axis

Y-Y of appendix Ib - which is perpendicular to the axis of hinge 6 and runs through the centre of rotation of platform 2 -

is arranged at an angle to the main horizontal axis A-A of the wrapping machine which runs through the same centre of rotation of platform 2 and through the centre of drive motor 3.

Preferably, as shown in the drawing, appendix Ib is shaped approximately as a rectangular triangle, in order to promote a better support of column 4 on the outermost corner thereof.

In order to ensure a secure and stable position of column 4 - both in a working position and in a packaging position - it is provided for the lower end thereof to be anchored to appen- dix Ib by means of hinge means 6 on the front side thereof. For the purpose of a further fixing of column 4 in an upright working position, a side bracket 7 is contemplated, suitably provided with holes 8 for the passing of anchoring screws 7a. Bracket 7 insists against the free side of appendix Ib, as well as against the side of the lower end of upright column 4, and against these sides it is further fixed by means of said anchoring screws.

Column 4 is manufactured in a single piece, hinged to appendix Ib of base body 1 by means of hinge 6 in the way sche- matically shown in fig. 3; the pivot 6a of hinge 6 lies just above the plane of appendix Ib, for example at a height H of about 10 cm from the floor. Moreover, hinge 6 allows to cause column 4 to fold from an upright working position C, wherein column 4 stands at 90° to base 1, to a horizontal packaging po- sition D, wherein the wall of column 4 lies above the upper plane of rotary platform 2 (or of appendix Ib) by a measure K approximately equal to the thickness of hinge 6, for example by 20 mm.

As can be clearly understood from fig. 3, column 4, when it is brought into a packaging position, moves on a vertical folding plane passing through axis Y-Y, which - as said - is oblique to axis A-A. This type of arrangement dramatically reduces the plan bulk - during the packaging phase - of the machine according to the invention over those of the prior art. As a matter of fact, it can be seen in fig. 4, wherein the outline of packaging crate 9 is shown by a phantom line, that a wrapping machine according to the features of the invention can be placed so that column 4 arranges itself with its oblique

axis Y-Y coinciding with the diagonal of the crate, thereby reducing the length dimensions of the packaging with respect to those of the prior art.

As shown in fig. 5a, the packaging crate of prior-art ma- chines, in order to be able to house a column of 2400 mm height, have dimensions of at least 2500x1700x750 mm; in a standard-sized container it is therefore possible to introduce only six crates (see fig. 5b) . As shown in fig. 5c instead, in order to contain a machine according to the invention, the di- mensions of the packaging crate can be reduced to 2280x1700x500 mm; this means that twelve crates (see fig. 5d) may be housed in the same standard container. In other words, the invention offers the opportunity to transport and store three stacks of four crates each, containing equipment according to the inven- tion in the space previously occupied by two stacks of three packaging crates of the prior art.

The invention hence offers - as can be easily understood - the main advantage of providing a wrapping machine of the maximum dimensions which may be desirable in working conditions (column 2400 mm tall) , but at the same time of reduced dimensions when being packaged itself and which maintains in any case the maximum ease of mounting on the premises and at the same time the dimensional features and the stability typical of this type of devices. However, it is understood that the invention must not be considered limited to the particular arrangement illustrated above, which represents only an exemplifying embodiment thereof, but that a number of variants are possible - such as for example the different shape of appendix Ib, or the differ- ent type of hinging of column 4 to base 1, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.