Method of packaging load units in weldable plastic foil

Claim 1

Method of packaging load units in weldable plastic foil, comprising the steps of initially wrapping a first, tensible, plastic stretch foil web in a closed path around substantially the whole circumferential area of the load unit by unreeling two individual portions of said first stretch foil web substantially symmetrically from a respective one of two foil supply rolls having substantially parallel vertical rotational axes and having their free foil ends united with each other along a substantially vertical junction line, and advancing said load unit between said rotational axes; uniting said two unreeled web portions of said first foil web with each other along a substantially vertical junction line by welding together said unreeled portions of said first foiled web on the rear side of the load unit, as seen in the direction of advancement of said load unit, said first foil webbing substantially stretched in connection with the wrapping operation and having its upper longitudinal edge located below the top end surface of said load unit; covering the top end surface of said load unit with a second tensible plastic stretch foil, which is made to overlap and cover said upper longitudinal edge of said first stretch foil web, which extends around the load unit; subsequently wrapping a third, tensible and weldable plastic stretch foil web, which is made to cover the major part of first stretch foil web and those portions of the second foil, which overlap said upper edge of said first stretch foil web, in a closed path around substantially the whole circumferential area of said load unit in the same way as said first stretch foil web, said third stretch foil web also being substantially stretched in connection with the wrapping operation, substantially double, dependent flaps formed with said second foil at each vertical edge of the load unit, being pairwise folded in mutually opposite directions during the wrapping of said load unit in said third stretch foil web; uniting the two unreeled web portions of said third foil web with each other along a second, substantially vertical junction line in the same way as the two unreeled portions of said first stretch foil web; and finally joining said second stretch foil spot-wise to said third stretch foil web.