Method and apparatus for wrapping containers

Claim 1

IN A BOX WRAPPING MACHINE HAVING A FORAMINOUS CONVEYOR WITH A SUCTION BOX THEREBELOW AND MEANS FOR APPLYING A SUCTION THERETO; SAID CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO CARRY SUCCESSIVE SHEETS OF WRAPPING MATERIAL, SAID MATERIAL HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING ADHESIVE SURFACE FOR RECEIVING BOXES THEREON WITH MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID MATERIAL PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM; TRANSFER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BOX AND WRAPPING MATERIAL FROM SAID CONVEYOR TO A WRAPPING STATION, SAID TRANSFER MEANS COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING AT LEAST ONE JET BLOCK EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BODY TOWARDS SAID WRAPPING STATION AND CONNECTED TO SIAD BODY, SAID BLOCK INCLUDING AN UNDERSURFACE, FACING SAID CONVEYOR, SAID SURFACE BEING FORWARDLY AND UPWARDLY SLOPED AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE AT LEAST ONE MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL PROJECTING FROM SAID BOX; A PLURALITY OF JET ORIFICES IN SAID UNDERSURFACE, MEANS TO DIRECT AIR EMITTING FROM SAID ORIFICES IN AN OUTWARDLY DIRECTION AND IN FLAT STREAMS ALONG SAID FORWARDLY AND UPWARDLY SLOPED UNDERSURFACE WHEREBY SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID SHEET MATERIAL, ADJACENT SAID SURFACE, IS ATTRACTED TO SAID SURFACE AND HELD IN SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED RELATION; AND GRIPPER MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BODY FOR ENGAGING A WALL OF SAID BOX, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID BODY AND SAID GRIPPER MEANS BETWEEN SAID CONVEYOR AND SAID WRAPPING STATION.