REPETITIVE HIGH-DENSITY PACKING MECHANISMS FOR ARRANGING SUSPENDED LENGTHS OF ELONGATED ITEMS IN A DESIRED ORIENTATION AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

摘要

Methods and devices for loading carrier members (50) with suspended elongated product (25) include straddling suspended elongated product (25) over a carrier member (50) having a width so that portions of the elongated product (25) are serially draped over the carrier member (50) along a desired length thereof and wiping, pushing, or pulling adjacent segments closer together to increase the amount or density of the product (25) on the carrier member (50). The straddling is carried out so that the draped elongated product (25) defines suspension regions that contact the carrier member (50) intermediate lengths of the elongated product (25) that hang from opposing sides of the carrier member (50). At least one of the suspended regions on the carrier member (50) is moved in a predetermined direction at a second time. The straddled elongated product (25) is thus arranged so that serially consecutive suspension regions are more closely positioned together on the carrier member (50) based on the first and second moving steps.