EP2778076B1 - Device for strapping packing units - Google Patents

Description

• mit einem Packtisch, auf dessen Oberseite das zu umreifende Packstück gelagert ist,
• mit einer Einschubvorrichtung, welche ein Umreifungsmittel durch einen das Packstück umgebenden Umreifungsmittelkanal einer Spann- und Verschlussvorrichtung zuführt,
• mit einer als Wagen ausgebildeten Anordnungseinrichtung zur Anordnung eines Kantenschutzmittels, welches plattenartig ausgebildet ist und mit einer Anordnungsfläche an das Packstück angelegt ist,
• mit einem Magazin zur Vorhaltung mehrerer Kantenschutzmittel,
  welche mit Ihren Anordnungsflächen übereinanderliegend im Magazin gestapelt sind,
• mit einer Entnahmeeinrichtung, welche ein einzelnes Kantenschutzmittel aus dem Magazin entnimmt und der Anordnungseinrichtung zuführt,
• mit einer oberhalb des Packtisches angeordneten Pressplatte, die einen oberhalb des Packstückes angeordneten Umreifungsmittelkanalabschnitt trägt und eine kanalabschnittsparallele, spaltartige Ausnehmung aufweist,

mit Laufschienen, die von der Pressplatte getragen sind und in welche der Wagen eingehängt und entlang derer der Wagen unterhalb der Pressplatte verfahrbar ist,
Vorrichtungen zum Umreifen von Packstücken sind aus dem druckschriftlich nicht belegbaren Stand der Technik hinlänglich bekannt. Sie sind mit Anordnungseinrichtungen für Kantenschutzmittel ausgestattet. Diese ordnen vor dem Umreifungsvorgang ein Kantenschutzmittel zwischen dem Packstück und dem Umreifungsmittel an. Auf diese Weise werden empfindliche Packstückkanten vor einer Beschädigung durch das Umreifungsmittel geschützt.The invention relates to a device for strapping packages,

• with a packing table, on the upper side of which the package to be strapped is mounted,
• with a slide-in device which feeds a strapping means through a strap channel surrounding the package to a tensioning and closing device,
• with an arrangement arrangement designed as a carriage for arranging an edge protection means, which is designed plate-like and is applied to the package with an arrangement surface,
• with a magazine for providing a plurality of edge protection means,
  which are stacked with their arrangement surfaces one above the other in the magazine,
• with a removal device which extracts a single edge protection agent from the magazine and supplies it to the arrangement device,
• with a pressing plate arranged above the packing table, which carries a strap channel section arranged above the package and has a channel-section-parallel, slot-like recess,

with rails, which are carried by the press plate and in which the carriage mounted and along which the carriage is movable below the press plate,
Devices for strapping packages are well known from the documentally unassignable prior art. They are equipped with edge protectors. These arrange an edge protection means between the package and the strap before the strapping process. In this way, sensitive package edges are protected from damage by the strap.

Most of the locating means are grippers which receive a board of cardboard or plastic from a magazine and arrange accordingly at the package edge to be protected. These plates may have a material weakening zone, along which the edge protection means is deformed during strapping in order to encompass the edge to be protected.

So shows US Pat. No. 7,428,865 B1 a generic device in which a gripping arm an edge protection means applies to a package and this is guided along rails.

It is an object of the invention to provide a generic device with an advantageous device for arranging an edge protection means on a package.

This object is achieved first by a device having the features of claim 1, according to which the carriage has drive wheels which rest on the underside of the press plate, and driven by a motor arranged on the car - move the car in the direction of the package.

An essential advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the arrangement device is arranged on the press plate itself and can only be moved along the press plate. In this case, it is sufficient in case of doubt, if the arrangement means can be moved in one direction and on a direct path along the press plate to the package zoom and after arrangement of the edge protection means in the same way away from the package.

In order to ensure a safe process along the press plate, it is provided that the press plate carries rails, in which the carriage is mounted and along which the carriage is movable below the press plate.

A particularly simple, safe and particularly advantageous supply of the carriage with energy and control signals is ensured by the fact that contact rails are arranged on the underside of the press plate which are contacted by sliding contacts of the car and via which the power supply and control signals are fed.

As mentioned above, the pressure plate carries the strapping channel sections arranged above the package and has channel-like, gap-like recesses. These allow the exit of the strap upon retraction and tightening about the package from the strap channels and passage through the platen located below the upper strap channel section. These gap-like recesses are usually much more prepared than necessary for the passage of the strapping.

A particularly preferred embodiment is characterized accordingly by the fact that the rails are formed of sheets, wherein each sheet is fixed on each side of a gap-like recess on the press plate and wherein each sheet forms a relation to the press plate projecting, gap-narrowing track section, in which the Carriage is hooked to the bracket on the press plate.

The main advantage herein lies in the simple retrofitting of existing devices with the above-described arrangement device for edge protection in the form of the car, especially since the contact rails can also be easily applied from below to the underside of a press plate.

The arrangement device according to the invention, configured as a carriage, can further develop you by the fact that the carriage has a press plate near clamping rail and a press plate remote clamping rail and the removal device promotes the edge protection means in a clamping gap formed by the clamping rails.

The main advantage of the aforementioned clamping rails with nip is the purely mechanical support of the edge protection means, which is substantially free of wear.

In order to compensate for positional and thickness tolerances of the edge protection means, it is provided that at least one clamping rail, preferably the press plate remote clamping rail, has clamping gap widening folds, which forms a funnel-like insertion section for the edge protection means. Thus, a safe loading of the car with edge protectors is possible.

A secure mounting of the edge protection means between the terminal rails in the nip can be ensured if at least one of the clamping rails relative to the other clamping rail is mounted relatively movable and by means of a carriage-side clamping device clamping gap narrowing displaced.

Alternatively, it is provided that one of the clamping rails, preferably the lower clamping rail, has at least one opening and a carriage-side clamping device engages through this opening by clamping gap narrowing.

The latter embodiment can be further developed in that the clamping device has an opening which extends through the arm, which is formed from an elastic material.

Finally, it is provided that the device is provided with a first sensor which detects the relative position of the carriage to a first reference point and that the device is provided with a second sensor which detects the relative position of the package to a second reference point and that the device a controller is provided, which controls the travel of the car from the relative positions of the carriage and package.

The device can be further developed in that the control controls the conveying of an edge protection agent into the nip on the basis of the relative position of the carriage.

Finally, it is provided that the first and second reference points are identical.

Figur 1:

eine perspektivische Gesamtansicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung,

Figur 2:

die Ansicht gemäß Figur 1 in Perspektive von unten,

Figur 3:

eine Ausschnittsvergrößerung gemäß Ausschnittskreis II in Figur 2,

Figur 4:

eine Vertikalschnittansicht durch ein Magazin zur Bevorratung von Kantenschutzmitteln,

Figur 5:

die Ansicht gemäß Fig. 4 mit ausgefördertem Kantenschutzmittel,

Figur 6:

eine perspektivische Ansicht auf eine Entnahmeeinrichtung,

Figur 7:

eine Frontalansicht auf eine an einer Pressplatte der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung gehaltene Anordnungseinrichtung für Kantenschutzmittel,

Figur 8:

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Anordnungseinrichtung,

Figur 9:

eine perspektivische Ansicht auf die Anordnungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 7 mit eingefördertem Kantenschutzmittel,

Figur 10:

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Anordnungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 9 bei Anordnung eines Kantenschutzmittels an einem Packstück.

A better understanding of the invention and further advantages will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment. Show it:

FIG. 1:

an overall perspective view of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 2:

the view according to FIG. 1 in perspective from below,

FIG. 3:

an enlarged detail according to section circle II in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4:

a vertical sectional view through a magazine for storing edge protection means,

FIG. 5:

the view according to Fig. 4 with discharged edge protection,

FIG. 6:

a perspective view of a removal device,

FIG. 7:

a front view of a held on a press plate of the device according to the invention arrangement for edge protection means,

FIG. 8:

a vertical section through the arrangement device,

FIG. 9:

a perspective view of the arrangement device according to FIG. 7 with conveyed edge protection agent,

FIG. 10:

a perspective view of the arrangement device according to FIG. 9 when arranging an edge protection means on a package.

In the figures, a device according to the invention is provided overall with the reference numeral 10.

In their entirety in FIG. 1 In perspective device 10 initially comprises a packing table 11, which is provided with a plurality of rollers 12 arranged one behind the other in a plane.

Laterally on the device 10, a horizontally arranged bayonet box 13 is provided. In this are horizontally below a package 14 movable, not visible here lower Umreifungsmittelkanalabschnitte, the so-called bayonets arranged. A bridge 15 spans the packing table 11 and holds a pressing plate 16 which is vertically movable along the vertical bridge supports 17. On a front side 18 of the pressing plate 16 magazines 19 are arranged, which serve the storage of the device 10 with edge protection means 20. For this purpose, 20 vertically erected U-profiles 21 form the actual supply shaft 22, in which the edge protection means 20 are located one above the other. In addition, the magazine 19 carries a vertically directed Bearing 23 for receiving a conveyor in the form of a drag chain 41st

On the side mounted bayonet box 13, the total provided with the reference numeral 24 insertion device for the strap is arranged, which, wound on drums 25, is stored.

In addition to the in FIG. 1 not shown, arranged in the bayonet box 13, lower Umreifungsmittelkanalabschnitten side, vertically directed Umreifungsmittelkanalabschnitte 26 are attached to the package 14 facing inner sides of the bridge supports 17. To form the surrounding the package 14 Umreifungsmittelkanals, beyond serving upper Umreifungsmittelkanalabschnitte, which are held on the pressing plate 16 and not specified here. The pressure plate 16 also holds the tensioning and locking means by which the strap is tensioned around the package 14 and the ends of the strap are joined together.

A strapping process using the in FIG. 1 illustrated device 10 begins with the insertion of the package 14 on the packing table 11, wherein the direction of movement of the package 14 is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the packing table rollers 12. As soon as the package 14 has assumed its correct position with respect to the two strapping channels present here, the insertion device 24 removes the strapping means from the drums 25 and initially feeds this to the tensioning and closing device. From there, the strap is guided over the respective upper channel section to the first vertical channel section, through the bayonet moved in the meantime under the package 14, to the second vertical channel section and back to the tensioning and closing device. The free end is held there, whereupon a withdrawal of the strapping takes place. Here, the strap from the Umreifungsmittelkanälen in known Way pulled out and stretched around the package 14. The pressing plate 16 is at this time on the top of the package 14. After tensioning the strapping around the package 14, the strapping ends are joined together.

FIG. 2 shows the device 10 according to FIG. 1 , but in perspective view from below. This illustration shows that the pressure plate 16 carries on its underside rails 30 and is provided with arranged between the rails 30 contact rails 31. In addition, the arrangement means 32 for the edge protection means 22 is held on the package 14 on the underside in terms of in the paper plane upper right corner between the press plate 16 and bridge support 17.

A better illustration of the aforementioned components is the FIG. 3 to take a partial view of the FIG. 2 according to the local section II shows.

This illustration also shows that the pressure plate 16 has gap-like recesses 33 on the underside, which are directed orthogonally to the direction of movement of the package 14 on the packing table 11 or directed parallel to the rollers 12. These gap-like recesses 33 are also aligned parallel to the upper strapping channel sections above them and serve primarily to allow the strap to pass the upper strap channel section and the pressure plate 16 during retraction and tensioning to be applied to the package 14. In this case, the gap-like recesses 33 are formed significantly wider relative to the strapping.

The two rails 31 in FIG. 3 are each associated with a gap-like recess 33 and close to the edge of the recess 33rd schraubbefestigt. In this case, each running rail 30 protrudes in a gap-narrowing manner relative to the pressing plate 16. The gap-narrowing section of the running rail 30 forms a raceway for the arrangement device 32, also referred to as carriage 32, from. Of the FIG. 3 is also clear that a total of five contact rails 31 are arranged parallel to the rails and spaced from each other on the underside of the pressure plate 16 to supply the carriage 32 via the sliding contacts with electricity and control signals.

After this detailed overview of the generic device 10 will now be based on the FIGS. 4 . 5 and 6 first detail on the magazine 19 for storage with edge protection means 20 and the associated removal device 42 are received before the device designed as a carriage assembly device 32 is described below.

FIG. 4 shows the vertical section through the disposed on the pressing plate 16 magazine 19, wherein the cutting plane is placed parallel to the direction of movement of the package 14 on the packing table 11.

In FIG. 4 First, the supply shaft 22 is shown, limited by the two U-profiles 21, in which a plurality of edge protection means 20 are stacked with their contact surfaces 35 one above the other. The magazine 19 also carries a motor 36 which can put a gear 37 in rotation. The teeth 38 of the gear 37 engage in intermediate spaces 39 which are formed between adjacent support webs 40 of a drag chain 41. These support webs 40 are arranged on the top of the drag chain 41 facing the press plate 16, which also carries - also on its upper side - a removal device 42, which in the present illustration of FIG. 4 located below the storage bay 22 is located.

The drag chain 41 with its multiplicity of drag chain links 43 arranged on one another has a plurality of sliding elements 44 on the underside facing away from the press plate 16. In the present exemplary embodiment, each individual drag chain link 43 carries a respective sliding element 44 in the form of a rotatably mounted roller 12 which is oriented parallel to the press plate.

The drag chain 41 is back stiff. This means that she is one way flexible. Here in the presentation of FIG. 4 the chain is deflectable counterclockwise towards its top. A counter-movement down is blocked.

The drag chain 41 is used in the interplay of the removal device 42 the discharge of Katenschutzmitteln 20 from the supply chute 22 in the conveying direction A under the press plate 16 to be transferred there to the carriage 32. For this purpose, the motor 36 drives the gear 37, which moves the drag chain 41 out of the magazine 19 with the removal device 42 connected in a movement-coupled manner in the discharge direction A. For this purpose, the magazine 19 at its end facing the pressing plate 16 has a discharge opening 45. The sliding elements 44 run while minimizing friction on the magazine bottom 46th

The advantage of using the drag chain 41 with its back stiffness properties is clear when comparing the FIGS. 4 and 5 recognizes that the drag chain 41 after exiting the magazine 19 through the Ausförderöffnung 45 lacks any support on the underside.

Since the individual members of the drag chain 41 can only be pivoted upwards, that is to say to the pressure plate 16, support on the underside when leaving the edge protection magazine 19 in the discharge direction A is not necessary. The drag chain 41 is so far self-supporting and maintains its press plate parallel, horizontal orientation.

The FIGS. 4 and 5 is also removable, that the upper side on the drag chain 41 arranged support webs 40 of the removal device 42 are arranged downstream in Ausförderrichtung A. They bear against the top of the individual drag chain links 43 approximately to the same extent as the removal device 42, in particular its separating web 47. As a result, the edge protection means 20 slipping by gravity after removal of an edge protection means 20 by the removal device 42 are supported on the support webs 40. This ensures that a sufficient distance remains between the supply stack of edge protection means 20 and the link chain 41 in order to arrange the removal device 42 again after removal of an edge protection means 20 under the supply stack, in order then to discharge another edge protection means 20 in a next cycle. In a preferred embodiment, the support webs 40 are designed to be rotatable as rollers or rollers, so that a friction-minimized Ausördern the link chain 41 is also guaranteed against the voltage applied to the supply chute 22 edge protection means.

From the FIGS. 4 and 5 Another advantage of the back-rigid link chain 41 becomes clear. The ability to pivot upward in the direction of the pressure plate 16 makes it possible to deflect the link chain 41 into the vertical in a rear end region of the magazine 19 located in the discharge direction A and to store it in a vertically arranged bearing shaft 23. This makes it possible to minimize the overall space of the device 10.

FIG. 6 shows the removal device 42 together with edge protection means 20 in a perspective view. The removal device 42 is approximately tray-like and initially comprises a receiving surface 48, on which a auszuförderndes edge protection means 20 rests. The receiving surface 48 is bounded laterally by walls 49 which run parallel to the discharge direction A and have a height substantially corresponding to the thickness of the edge protection means 20. A separation web 47 arranged at the rear in the discharge direction A and directed transversely to the discharge direction A likewise has a height which essentially corresponds to the thickness of the edge protection means 20. It is provided with retaining teeth 51 on its stop surface 50 facing the edge protection means 20. These engage in movement of the removal device 42 in the discharge direction A in a narrow side of the edge protection means 20 a. This prevents the edge protection means 20 from tending upward in the vertical direction during the discharge operation. Faulty conveyance is thus reliably avoided and the reliability of the removal remains guaranteed. In the FIG. 6 In the separating web 47 introduced bore 52 serves to fasten the removal device 42 on the link chain 41st

From the description of the magazine 19 and the removal device 42 is a major advantage of the magazine 19 can be seen. The held in the supply stack edge protection means 20 are supplied by the gravity of the removal device 42, so that further funding is unnecessary.

Based on FIGS. 7 to 10 The arrangement device 32 or the carriage 32 is now described, to which the edge protection means 20 is transferred from the removal device 42 and which applies the edge protection means 20 to the package 14 for protecting the package edges in front of the strap.

In FIG. 7 a partial view of the device 10 is shown. It shows a section of the press plate 16 and a front view of the carriage 32. The view is parallel to the gap-like recesses here 33 directed. Shown here is the transfer position of the removal device 42 to the carriage 32. For this purpose, the link chain 41 was discharged from the right in terms of the drawing plane side under the pressure plate 16 in the direction A. The edge protection means 20 is transferred to the carriage 32.

For receiving the edge protection means 20, the carriage 32 has an upper, close to the press plate clamping rail 53 and a parallel, press plate remote clamping rail 54. Between the clamping rails 53 and 54 is located by the spacing of a nip 55th

At the magazine 19 facing ends of the clamping rails 53 and 54 are folded and form a funnel-like widening 56, which facilitates the insertion of the edge protection means 20 in the nip 55 and compensates for positional and thickness tolerances of the edge protection means 20. Shown in FIG. 7 In addition, the rails 30 which are fixed to the pressing plate 16 and engage in the respective gap-like recesses 33 narrowing in a gap. This over the edge of the gap-like recess 33 given supernatant forms the raceways for the carriage 32, which is mounted there with wheels 57.

Shown are also the contact rails 31, which are contacted by carriage-side sliding contacts 58.

Drive wheels 59 of the carriage 32 are frictionally engaged on the underside of the press plate 16, in particular on the underside of the rails 30 and allow, driven by a motor 60, the movement of the carriage 32 in the direction of package 14 for conditioning the edge protector 20 on a package edge 71 to be protected The engine 60 itself is in FIG. 7 not shown. This will be on FIG. 8 directed.

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through the carriage 32, wherein the cutting plane was placed parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage 32 along the pressing plate 16.

Of the FIG. 8 It can be seen that the carriage 32 is provided with a clamping device 61, which initially comprises an arm 62 on which an elastic sleeve 63 is placed. The arm 62 is arranged with its first end via a holder 64 pivotally mounted on the carriage 32. The pivot axis 65 of the arm 62 is press plate parallel and directed orthogonal to the direction of movement B of the carriage 32. As FIG. 8 can be seen, the elastic sleeve 63 is disposed at the free end of the arm 62.

In FIG. 9 It is shown that the press plate remote clamping rail 54 is provided with openings 66 which are directed parallel to the arms 62 and arranged above the arms 62. The two arms 62 present here in the concrete exemplary embodiment are, as already mentioned, pivotably arranged on a holder 64 and connected to the holder 64 via an intermediate holding rail 67. Both arms 62 are attached to the same rail 67. The carriage 32 carries an electromagnet 68 which is located between the press plate remote clamping rail 54 and arranged on the support rail 67 angle plate 69. When the electromagnet 68 is supplied with electricity, the magnetic forces cause a displacement of the angle plate 69 upwards in the direction of pressure plate 16, which has a corresponding movement of the arranged on the support rail 67 arms 62 with their attached elastic sleeves 63 result. These penetrate through the openings 66 and lie on the underside, that is, on the arrangement surface 35 of the edge protection means 20, and exert on the latter a clamping force. This clamping force holds the edge protection means 20 between the clamping rails 53 and 54.

FIG. 9 as well as the FIG. 7 , Beyond that, it can be seen how the provided with the removal device 42 back rigid drag chain 41 has pushed the discharged edge protection means 20 in the nip 55 of the carriage 32. It also follows from these illustrations that the discharge direction A of the drag chain 41 and the direction of movement B of the carriage 32 are oriented orthogonal to one another. While the discharge direction A of the drag chain 41 extends parallel to the direction of movement of the package 14 through the bridge 15, the carriage 32 moves in the direction of movement B transversely to the direction of movement of the package 14 along the pressing plate sixteenth

In FIG. 8 and 10 In contrast, the position of the carriage 32 for the arrangement of the edge protection means 20 on the package 14 is achieved. The edge protection means 20 is deposited with its arrangement surface 70 on top of the package 14, wherein it has a projection over the carriage 32 facing edge of the package 14. In a next step, the strapping is now placed around the package 14 and tensioned, whereby a deformation of the edge protection means 20 along the edge 71 to be protected and the carriage 32 facing around takes place. As a result of the deformation, the arrangement surface 35 of the edge protection means 20 rests on a part at the top of the package 14 and at another part on the side surface of the package 14. The strap itself is passed over the edge protection means 20 so that the edge 71 of the package 14 to be protected has no contact with the strap.

In FIG. 10 Furthermore, a first sensor 72 can be seen, which is arranged on a rear part 73 of the carriage 32 directed towards the nearby bridge support 17. About this sensor 72, the distance between the carriage 32 and a first fixed reference point, for example, the bridge support 17 is continuously measured. In the FIGS. 7 and 9 second sensors 74 are shown, which detect the distance of the package 14 to a second fixed reference point. The second fixed reference point may also be the bridge support 17.

A controller, not shown in the drawings, which knows the location of the two fixed reference points detected from the relative position of package 14 to the fixed reference point and carriage 32 to the fixed reference the necessary travel of the carriage 32 in the direction B in the direction of package 14 to the edge protection means 20th to arrange on the package 14. About the position detection of the carriage 32 by the controller selbige is also able to determine the time for the removal of an edge protection means 20 by means of drag chain 41 and removal device 42 from the magazine 19.

In summary, an advantageous device 10 has been shown, which is equipped with a simple and reliable constructed magazine 19 for stocking with edge protection means 20 and with a reliably operating arrangement means 32 for edge protection means 20 on a package 14. Care has been taken to ensure easy retrofitting existing systems both with a magazine 19 and with an arrangement device 32.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

contraption

11

packing table

12

roll

13

bayonet box

14

package

15

Bücke

16

press plate

17

bridge support

18

front

19

magazine

20

Edge protection means

21

U-profile

22

supply shaft

23

storage shaft

24

insertion device

25

drum

26

vertical strap channel sections

30

runner

31

contact bar

32

arranger

33

slit-like recesses

35

disposing area

36

engine

37

gear

38

tooth

39

gap

40

supporting web

41

drag chain

42

removal device

43

Drag link

44

Slide

45

Ausförderöffnung

46

magazine bottom

47

Separiersteg

48

receiving surface

49

wall

50

stop surface

51

retention tooth

52

drilling

53

Clamping rail, close to press plate

54

Clamping rail, press plate remote

55

nip

56

widening

57

Wheel

58

sliding contact

59

drive wheel

60

engine

61

clamper

62

poor

63

elastic sleeve

64

holder

65

swivel axis

66

perforation

67

retaining rail

68

electromagnet

69

Winkelblech

71

to be protected edge

72

first sensor

73

back

74

second sensor

A

Ausförderrichtung

B

movement direction

Claims (11)

1. Device (10) for strapping packaged items (14),

   - having a packing table (11) on the upper side of which the packaged item (14) to be strapped is stored;

   - having an insertion device (24) which supplies a strapping means through a central strapping duct which surrounds the packaged item (14) to a tensioning and closing device,

   - having an arrangement unit (32), which is configured as a carriage (32), for arranging an edge-protection means (20) which is configured so as to be plate-like and bears on the packaged item (14) by way of an arrangement face (35);

   - having a magazine (19) for keeping available a plurality of edge-protection means (20) which, with their arrangement faces (35) lying on top of one another, are stacked in the magazine (19) ;

   - having a removal unit (42) which removes a single edge-protection means (20) from the magazine (19) and supplies it to the arrangement unit (32);

   - having a compression plate (16) which is disposed above the packing table (11) and which bears a central strapping duct portion which is disposed above the packaged item (14) and has a gap-shaped clearance (33) which is parallel with the duct portion;

   - having running rails (30) which are supported by the compression plate and into which the carriage (32) is fitted and along which the carriage (32) is displaceable below the compression plate (16);

   characterized in that the carriage (32) has drive wheels (59) which bear on the lower side of the compression plate (16) and, driven by a motor (60) which is disposed on the carriage (32), move the carriage (32) in the direction of the packaged item (14) .
2. Device (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that contact rails (31), which are contacted by sliding contacts (58) of the carriage (32) and by way of which the power supply and control signals are infed, are disposed on the lower side of the compression plate (16) .
3. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the running rails (30) are formed by metal panels, wherein in each case one metal panel is fastened in each case to one side of a gap-type clearance (33) on the compression plate (16), and wherein each metal panel configures a track portion which projects in relation to the compression plate (16) and constricts the gap and into which the carriage (32) is fitted for mounting on the compression plate (16) .
4. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriage (32) has a clamping rail (53) which is close to the compression plate and a clamping rail (54) which is remote from the compression plate, and the removal unit (42) inwardly conveys the edge-protection means (20) into a clamping gap (55) which is formed by the clamping rails (53, 54).
5. Device (10) according to Claim 4, characterized in that at least one clamping rail (53, 54), preferably the clamping rail (54) which is remote from the compression plate, has chamfers which widen the clamping gap and which form a funnel-type introduction portion (56) for the edge-protection means (20) .
6. Device (10) according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that at least one of the clamping rails (53, 54) is mounted so as to be movable in relation to the other clamping rail (53, 54) and by means of a carriage-side clamping unit (61) is displaceable in a manner that constricts the clamping gap.
7. Device (10) according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that one of the clamping rails (53, 54), preferably the clamping rail (54) which is remote from the compression plate, has at least one throughhole (66), and a carriage-side clamping unit (61) engages through this throughhole in a manner that constricts the clamping gap (66).
8. Device (10) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the clamping unit (61) has an arm (62) which engages through the throughhole (66) and which is formed from an elastic material.
9. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (10) is provided with a first sensor (72) which detects the relative position of the carriage (32) to a first reference point, and in that the device (10) is provided with a second sensor (74) which detects the relative position of the packaged item (14) to a second reference points, and in that the device (10) is provided with a controller which, based on the relative positions of the carriage (32) and the packaged item (14), controls the displacement path of the carriage (32).
10. Device (10) according to Claim 9, characterized in that, based on the relative position of the carriage (32), the controller controls the inward conveying of an edge-protection means (20) into the clamping gap (55).
11. Device (10) according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the first and the second reference point are identical.

Images