Automatic film changer for a film wrapping machine

1. Film exchange apparatus, for installing a fresh roll of wrapping film disposed upon a carriage assembly which is adapted to be separably mounted upon a film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly that is mounted upon a film wrapping machine, comprising:

first and second separable carriage assemblies respectively having spools disposed thereon for respectively removably mounting rolls of wrapping film thereon, and respectively having first rollers disposed thereon for cooperating with second rollers disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly in defining a film feed mechanism for feeding wrapping film from a roll of wrapping film toward a load to be wrapped within the wrapping film;

a support arm assembly for removably mounting and supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies thereon such that either one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies can be removed from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine and mounted upon said support arm assembly, and removed from said support arm assembly and mounted upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine; and

a motorized drive for moving said support arm assembly with respect to the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine such that when a roll of wrapping film, disposed upon a first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies which is disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, needs to be replaced, said first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, can be removed from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine and deposited upon said support arm assembly, while a second one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, having a fresh roll of wrapping film disposed thereon and disposed upon said support arm assembly means, can be subsequently installed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine.

2. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said support arm assembly for removably mounting and supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies thereon, comprises:

an upstanding mast member having a vertically oriented axis; and

first and second sets of support arms disposed upon opposite sides of said upstanding mast member for respectively supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member.

3. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:

a support plate;

said upstanding mast member being rotatably mounted upon said support plate so as to be angularly rotatable around said vertically oriented axis.

4. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said motorized drive for moving said support arm assembly with respect to the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine comprises:

a first motor drive for moving said support plate in a translational mode toward and away from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine; and

a second motor drive for rotating said upstanding mast member around said vertically oriented axis between first and second angular positions so as to selectively dispose a first one of said first and second sets of support arms toward the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine when said upstanding mast member is disposed at a first one of said first and second angular positions such that said first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, can be removed from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine and mounted upon said first one of said first and second sets of support arms, and to selectively dispose a second one of said first and second sets of support arms toward the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine when said upstanding mast member is disposed at a second one of said first and second angular positions such that said second one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon said second one of said first and second sets of support arms, can be removed from said second one of said first and second sets of support arms and mounted upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine.

5. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising:

slots respectively disposed upon said first and second separable carriage assemblies for engaging and disengaging pins disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine defining slotted connections with said pins disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine so as to permit said first and second separable carriage assemblies to be mounted upon and removed from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine.

6. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising:

piston-cylinder assemblies mounted upon said upstanding mast member and operatively connected to said first and second sets of support arms disposed upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member for respectively moving said first and second sets of support arms with respect to said upstanding mast member in order to remove said first and second separable carriage assemblies from the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, and to install said first and second separable carriage assemblies onto the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, by said slotted connections.

7. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising:

a programmable logic controller for controlling said first motor drive, said second motor drive, and said piston-cylinder assemblies.

8. Film exchange apparatus, for installing a fresh roll of wrapping film disposed upon a carriage assembly which is adapted to be separably mounted upon a film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly that is mounted upon a film wrapping machine, comprising:

a film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly, having first rollers disposed thereon, mounted upon a film wrapping machine;

first and second separable carriage assemblies respectively having spools disposed thereon for respectively removably mounting rolls of wrapping film thereon, and respectively having second rollers disposed thereon for cooperating with said first rollers disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly in defining a film feed mechanism for feeding wrapping film from a roll of wrapping film toward a load to be wrapped within the wrapping film;

a support arm assembly for removably mounting and supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies thereon such that either one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies can be removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine and mounted upon said support arm assembly, and removed from said support arm assembly and mounted upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine; and

a motorized drive for moving said support arm assembly with respect to said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine such that when a roll of wrapping film, disposed upon a first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies which is disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of said film wrapping machine, needs to be replaced, said first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, can be removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine and deposited upon said support arm assembly while a second one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, having a fresh roll of wrapping film disposed thereon and disposed upon said support arm assembly can be subsequently installed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine.

9. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said support arm assembly for removably mounting and supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies thereon, comprises:

an upstanding mast member having a vertically oriented axis; and

first and second sets of support arms disposed upon opposite sides of said upstanding mast member for respectively supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member.

10. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , further comprising:

a support plate;

said upstanding mast member being rotatably mounted upon said support plate so as to be angularly rotatable around said vertically oriented axis.

11. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said motorized drive for moving said support arm assembly with respect to said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine comprises:

a first motor drive for moving said support plate in a translational mode toward and away from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine; and

a second motor drive for rotating said upstanding mast member around said vertically oriented axis between first and second angular positions so as to selectively dispose a first one of said first and second sets of support arms toward said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine when said upstanding mast member is disposed at a first one of said first and second angular positions such that said first one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon the film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, can be removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine and mounted upon said first one of said first and second sets of support arms, and to selectively dispose a second one of said first and second sets of support arms toward said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine when said upstanding mast member is disposed at a second one of said first and second angular positions such that said second one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies, disposed upon said second one of said first and second sets of support arms, can be removed from said second one of said first and second sets of support arms and mounted upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine.

12. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:

pins disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine; and

slots respectively disposed upon said first and second separable carriage assemblies for engaging and disengaging said pins disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine for defining slotted type connections with said pins disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine so as to permit said first and second separable carriage assemblies to be mounted upon and removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine.

13. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising:

piston-cylinder assemblies mounted upon said upstanding mast member and operatively connected to said first and second sets of support arms disposed upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member for respectively moving said first and second sets of support arms with respect to said upstanding mast member in order to remove said first and second separable carriage assemblies from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, and to install said first and second separable carriage assemblies onto said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, by said slotted connections.

14. The film exchange apparatus as set forth in claim 13 , further comprising:

a programmable logic controller for controlling said first motor drive, said second motor drive, and said piston-cylinder assemblies.

15. A method of performing a film exchange operation whereby a fresh roll of wrapping film can be installed onto a film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon a film wrapping machine, comprising the steps of:

mounting a film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly, having first rollers disposed thereon, upon a film wrapping machine;

providing first and second separable carriage assemblies respectively having spools disposed thereon for respectively removably mounting rolls of wrapping film thereon, and respectively having second rollers disposed thereon for cooperating with said first rollers disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly in defining a film feed mechanism for feeding wrapping film from a roll of wrapping film toward a load to be wrapped within the wrapping film;

providing a support arm assembly for removably mounting and supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies thereon such that either one of said first and second separable carriage assemblies can be removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine and mounted upon said support arm assembly, and removed from said support arm assembly and mounted upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine;

removably mounting a first separable carriage assembly, having a fresh roll of wrapping film removably disposed thereon, upon said support arm assembly; and

moving said support arm assembly with respect to said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine such that when a roll of wrapping film, disposed upon a second separable carriage assembly that is disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, needs to be replaced, said second separable carriage assembly, disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine, can be removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine while said first separable carriage assembly, having the fresh roll of wrapping film disposed thereon, can be subsequently installed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising the step of:

providing first and second sets of support arms upon opposite sides of an upstanding mast member, having a vertically oriented axis, for respectively supporting said first and second separable carriage assemblies upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising the step of:

rotatably mounting said upstanding mast member upon a support plate so as to be angularly rotatable around said vertically oriented axis.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:

moving said support plate in a translational mode toward said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine such that said second set of support arms, mounted upon said upstanding mast member, can approach said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine so as to remove said second separable carriage assembly from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine;

moving said support plate in a translational mode away from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, after said second set of support arms, mounted upon said upstanding mast member, have removed said second separable carriage assembly from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine;

angularly rotating said upstanding mast member around said vertically oriented axis thereof such that said second separable carriage assembly, mounted upon said second set of support arms, is disposed away from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine while said first separable carriage assembly, mounted upon said first set of support arms and having the fresh roll of wrapping film removably disposed thereon, is disposed toward said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine; and

moving said support plate in a translational mode toward said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine such that said first set of support arms, having said first separable carriage assembly mounted thereon, can approach said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine so as to install said first separable carriage assembly, having the fresh roll of wrapping film removably disposed thereon, onto said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon said film wrapping machine.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising the step of:

respectively providing slots upon said first and second separable carriage assemblies for engaging and disengaging pins disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine so as to define slotted connections with said pins disposed upon said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly of the film wrapping machine so as to permit said first and second separable carriage assemblies to be mounted upon and removed from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:

mounting piston-cylinder assemblies upon said upstanding mast member; and

operatively connecting said piston-cylinder assemblies to said first and second sets of support arms disposed upon said opposite sides of said upstanding mast member for respectively moving said first and second sets of support arms with respect to said upstanding mast member in order to remove said first and second separable carriage assemblies from said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, and to install said first and second separable carriage assemblies onto said film roll mounting and dispensing carriage assembly mounted upon the film wrapping machine, by said slotted connections.