Package wrapping apparatus with package actuated web severing tool

Claim 1

In package wrapping apparatus having a wrapping table, a roll film stand from which a web of roll film is trained and a web severing tool, the improvement in which said tool comprises cooperating web severing parts including a knife and a web snubber, a movable frame on which one of said parts is mounted for movement with respect to the other part, bias means for biasing said parts apart, and package operated means for overcoming the bias of said bias means and moving said frame to cause said knife to cooperate with said web snubber and sever said web by mechanical knife action in response to the pressure of a package, said package operated means comprising a package rest and motion transmitting connections from said rest to said movable frame, said web snubber comprising spaced nips which embrace the knife causing the knife to pierce the web snubbed between said nips, and means including guard means and shield means, said guard means surmounting said nips to block operator contact with the knife at the time the web makes contact with the knife and after it has pierced the web, said shield means movable as one with said package rest and surmounting said knife when said parts are biased apart by said bias means to block operator contact with the knife when said parts are biased apart.