Web free end control for wrapping machines

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES IN WRAPPING MATERIAL SUPPLIED IN THE FORM OF A WEB, WHICH APPARATUS INCLUDES AN ARTICLE RECEIVINGF MEMBER ON WHICH AN ARTICLE TO BE WRAPPED IS INITIALLY PLACED, AND THE WEB HAS A FREE END THAT IN ITS INITIAL POSITON IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE ARTICLE RECEIVING MEMBER AND ALONGSIDE AN ARTICLE TO BE WRAPPED, AND WHEREIN SAID FREE END OF THE WEB OF WRAPPING MATERIAL IS FOLDED ABOUT THE ARTICLE TO BE WRAPPED UPON TRANSPORT OF THE ARTICLE THROUGH THE WRAPPING APPARATUS, AND WHEREIN THE WEB IS SEVERED AT A POINT ABOVE SAID INITIAL POSITION TO PROVIDE A SUBSEQUENT FREE END WHICH FALLS INTO SAID INTITIAL POSITION ADJACENT THE ARTICLE RECEIVING MEMBER AFTER A LENGTH OF WEB SUFFICIENT TO WRAP THE ARTICLE HAS BEEN DRAWN OFF, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID APPARATUS OF: WEB FREE END POSITIONING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT AN EDGE OF SAID ARTICLE RECEIVING MEMBER AND ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE FREE END OF THE WEB WHEN IN ITS INITIAL POSITION, SAID POSITIONING MEANS INCLUDING (1) A FIRST MEMBER ALONGSIDE THE FREE END OF THE WEB AND HAVING A PORTION AGAINST WHICH THE FREE END IS HELD IN POSITION AND (2) MEANS CAUSING A DIFFERENTIAL AIR PRESSURE ALONG SAID FREE END OF THE WEB, THE LAST SAID MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR DIRECTING A FLOW OF AIR AWAY FROM THE FIRST MEMBER TO CAUSE THE FREE END OF THE WEB TO BE HELD IN POSITION AGAINST SAID FIRST MEMBER UNTIL AFTER AN ARTICLE TO BE WRAPPED ENGAGES THE WEB AND PREVENT THE FREE END FROM BECOMING ENTANGLED IN ELEMENTS OF THE APPARATUS.