Apparatus for strapping loaded pallets

Claim 1

APPARATUS DISPOSED AT A STRAPPING STATION FOR STRAPPING A LOAD TO A PALLET HAVING SPACED SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A PLATFORM AND DEFINING A HORIZONTAL OPENING EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SPACED SUPPORT MEANS BELOW SAID PLATFORM COMPRISING MEANS FOR COMPRESSING THE LOAD DISPOSED ON THE PALLET, A STRAP GUIDING MEANS COMPLETELY ENCIRCLING THE PLATFORM AND SAID LOAD INCLUDING RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED CHUTE MEANS POSITIONED TO EXTEND THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID PALLET, SAID CHUTE MEANS HAVING A PASSAGEWAY FOR STRAP THERETHROUGH DEFINED BY A RESILIENTLY MOUNTED CLOSURE, MEANS FOR EXTENDING THE CHUTE MEANS THROUGH SAID OPENING TO GUIDE THE STRAP THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR DIRECTING A STRAP THROUGH SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPLETELY AROUND THE LOAD AND THROUGH THE OPENING DEFINED BY THE PALLET, MEANS FOR TENSIONING THE STRAP ABOUT THE LOAD AND PALLET, MEANS FOR TENSIONING THE STRAP ABOUT THE LOAD AND JOINT, AND MEANS FOR RETRACTING THE CHUTE TO PERMIT THE STRAPPED LOADED PALLET TO BE REMOVED FROM SAID STRAPPING STATION.