Spiral wrapping apparatus

Claim 1

For use in spiral wrapping a sheet about a longitudinally and horizontally axially elongated generally cylindrical object, the combination comprising (a) a frame including a beam member extending in the general direction of said object axis, and at a higher elevation than said axis, (b) means to rotate said object, (c) support structure carried by the beam to support a sheet roll to rotate about another axis angled from horizontal and to directionally feed the sheet toward and into parallel and close tangency to the object, in a skew feed direction relative to the other axis, in response to rotation of the object, (d) the beam member tilted at a downhill angle such that tension developed in the sheet during said feed thereof produces a force sufficient in itself to displace the support structure lengthwise along the beam member whereby as the object is rotated about its axis said sheet is fed from said roll and becomes progressively spirally wrapped about the object, and said displacement being at a speed corresponding to the axial rate of spiral wrap advancement along the object, (e) the support structure supported to pivot in the same angular tilt direction as said beam, and independently of beam tilt.