Method and apparatus for pre-draping an object receiving station with flexible binding

摘要

An apparatus and method are disclosed for forming a loop of flexible binding about objects positioned seriatim in an object receiving station. The apparatus includes a chain loop driven around the object receiving station. While a previously bound first object is in the receiving station, the chain is driven in one direction to move carrier rollers on the chain so as to pull the trailing portion of a binding through a major portion of the locus of a closed path around the receiving station while the lead end of the binding is held adjacent the receiving station. Spaced portions of the binding are guided from the interior of the path around the receiving station to maintain the binding in the configuration spaced outwardly of the receiving station. Subsequently, the first bound object is removed from the receiving station and a second object is positioned therein. The guiding of the interior of the binding around the receiving station is terminated so as to permit the binding to contact the second object while further pulling the trailing portion of the binding to complete the closed path and then form a tensioned loop about the second object.