CA2141741A1 - Automatic bagging machine and method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine and capable of sealing the bag - Google Patents
Automatic bagging machine and method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine and capable of sealing the bagInfo
- Publication number
- CA2141741A1 CA2141741A1 CA002141741A CA2141741A CA2141741A1 CA 2141741 A1 CA2141741 A1 CA 2141741A1 CA 002141741 A CA002141741 A CA 002141741A CA 2141741 A CA2141741 A CA 2141741A CA 2141741 A1 CA2141741 A1 CA 2141741A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- bag
- top end
- filled
- automatic bagging
- bagging machine
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
- B65B5/02—Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/14—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
- B65B51/146—Closing bags
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B9/08—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B9/08—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing
- B65B9/093—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing the web having intermittent motion
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
Abstract
An automatic bagging machine and a method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine which is also capable of sealing the bag is described The machine comprises a sealer and perforator capable of forming bags from a folded sheet while maintaining a top end portion of the bags attached to the folded seam until a filled bag is discharged to a transfer mechanism which positions the bag into a sealing station. The sealing station gathers the upper end portion of the bag and twists a neck portion which is heat-fused by a pin sealer.
Description
.
AUTOMATIC BAGGING MAC~INE AND METEIOD OF PLACING
ARTICLES IN A BAG FORMED BY T~IE MACEIINE AND
CAPABLE OF SEALING TEIE BAG
TEcEINIr~T~ FT~T n The present invention relates to an automatic bagging machine and a method for making the bag in the machine, and placing one or more articles in an open bag held thereby wherein the machine is capable of forming a gathered twisted neck portion which is heat-fused prior to the discharge of the filled bag from the bagging machine.
BAÇKGROU~D AR~
Various milk bagging ~ h;n~q are known for placing pouches containing material therein in an outer bag. Such a machine is, for example, described in my U.S. Patent No. 4,989,391 issued on February 5, 1991.
In this prior art device, milk pouches are conveyed one Z0 at a time into inaividuali~ed compartments of a loading housing by means of pivoted guide plates and once the housing has received the correct number of pouches, usually tIlree pouches, a trap door releases the pouches into a bag . This type of machine has been in use f or many years with minor i~ Uv~ -nts having been made thereto from time to time Elowever, such n-hin~q have relatively slow cycle times due to the fact that it takes time to fill the loading housing as each pouch must be fed individually in sequence, then the housing 3 0 has to discharge its contents into a bag held therebelow, and a trap door needs to be closed before other pouches can be placed into the lbaaing housing.
The automatic bagging machine of the invention described herein is a new generation pouch loading machine wherein the handling capacity of the machine is greatly increased over that of the prior art machine ref erred to above .
21~1741 SU~MARY Ol~ INVENTION
It i8 a feature of the present invention to provide an automatic bagging machine capable of forming 5 a bag from a folded sheet and filling the bag with one or more articles therein while the bag is maintained attached to the folded sheet, and thereafter transferring the bag to a bag closing station where the open top end of the bag is gathered, twisted and heat-10 fused together to form a closed filled bag ready to bedischarged Another feature of the present lnvention is to provide a method of automatically bagging one or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag which is formed by a machine and maintained attached to a folded plastic sheet, and automatically detached therefrom when the filled bag is transferred to a bag ~ealing station where the open top end of the bag is gathered, twisted and heat-fused to form a closed filled bag prior to the discharge thereof from the bagging machine According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides an automatic bagging machine for placing one or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag The machine comprises feed conveyor` means to feed one or more articles disposed singly or in groups at predet~rmi n~ intervals thereon to a bag loading station where the one or more articles are discharged in an open top end of a bag held therebelow. The machine is adapted to form the bag from a folded plastic film sheet and remains attached to the film sheet by a top band portion thereof A disconnectable weakened seam is formed coextenslve with a side edge of the bag. Displaceable band engaging means is provided for engaging a portion of the top band portion to displace the folded film sheet. Conveyor means is provided to support and 21~7~:L
discharge the bag with the one or more articles therein f rom the bag loading station to a transf er means and simultaneously disconnecting the top band portion from an adjacent formed bag. Means is provided to seal the open top end of the filled bag on the transfer means.
Discharge means removes the sealed filled bag from the machine According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically bagging one or more articles in an open top end plastic bag The method comprises the steps of conveying one or more articles disposed singly or in groups and at predet~rmin~A intervals to a bag loading station The one or more articles are discharged in an open top end bag held below the loading station. The open top end bag is formed from a folded plastic film sheet held and conveyed below the loading station. The open top end bag is maintained attached to the folded film sheet in a top band portion thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam disposed coextensive with a side edge of the bag The folded sheet and formed bag are engaged and displaced ,at the top band portion P. top end of a formed bag of the folded sheet is open under the loading station The open top end bag is supported and discharged at said loading station after the one or more articles are discharged therein while simultaneously disconnecting the top band portion from an adj acent formed bag . The f illed bag is then sealed at the open top end.
E~RIEF n~RIPTION OF l;lRAWING~
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. l is a simplified side view of the automatic bagging machine of the present invention;
-214~41 FIG 2 is a simplified top view of the automatic bagginq machine;
FIG 3 is a slde view showing the construction of the vertical cutting, sealing and perf orator bar 5 which forms bags from a folded film sheet;
FIG. 4 i8 a fragmented side view showing the bags formed by the automatic bagging machine using the bar sealer which perforates, seals and cuts the folded film sheet;
FIG. 5 is a simplified top view showing the construction of the bag transfer ml~h~nirm and the sealing stations; and FIG. ~; is a simplified end view of the bag sealing station where the top end portion of the bag is 15 gathered, rotated, and heat-fused by a pin sealer.
DES~RIPTION OF PR~F~R~n EMR~ s Ref erring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown generally 20 at 10 the automatic bagging machine of the present invention. As herein shown, the machine comprises a angulated feed conveyor 11 for feeding one or more articles 12 -singly or in groups at predet~rm; nGfl intervals therealong to a bag loading station 13, 25 wherein a chute 14 is provided to orient and drop the single or group of articles therebelow in an open top end bag 14. The open top end bag 14 is formed in the machine from a roll 15 of foldea plastic film sheet material 16, as shown in Fig 4. It is pointed out 30 that at the loading station 13 the open ended bag 14 is still attached to the folded film sheet material 16 by a top end band portion 17 which is formed with a disconnectable weakened seam 18 which extends coextensively with a side edge 19 of the bag 20 formed 35 at the perforator and sealing station 21 As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, a displaceable band engaging means is constituted by a _ _ _ _ _ pair of endless timing belts 22 disposed in side-by-side contact re1atimnqhi~ along a juxtaposea straight belt section 23 for grasping the top end portion 17 of the folded film sheet 16, as shown in Fig. 4.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the folded film sheet from the roll 15 is fed by a danser roll assembly 25 to the inlet end 26 of the juxtaposed straight belt section 23 by a guide roll 27. A date stamp device 28 may be provided at this location to stamp the date on the fil~ sheet material in the area of each bag to be formed by the machine 10 when its contents need to be given a bagging date or other date of use.
The folded sheet material 16 fed at the inlet of the straight section 23 of the timing belts 22 is conveyed through a bridge area 28 of the juxtaposed stralght belt sections 23 where the timing belts 22 are held separated by idler rolls 29.
Referring now additionally to Fig 3, there is shown the construction of a vertically displaceable and sealing ana perforating bar assembly 30 which is displaceable against the folded film sheet material 16 and at predet~rm; n~d intervals as the folded film sheet is displaced by the timing belts As herein shown, the sealing and perforating bar assembly 30 has a lower cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 and a top perforator bar 32 consisting of a plurality of serrated cutters 33 The top perforator bar section 32 and the cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 is urged against the opposed side walls 20 ' and 20" of the folded film sheet 16, disposed in front of a backing plate 9, to slit the sheet and simultaneously seal same to form the bag side edge 19 Simultaneously, the perforating top section 32 penetrates the top section or band of the folded film sheet to form the weakened seam 18 along the top end portion 17, as shown in Fig. 4 As shown in Fig. 3, the vertical seal and perforator area of the folded film sheet 16 passes in front of the heat 21~1~41 cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 and perforator 32 which are powered by a pneumatic cylinder 34. A heater guard 35 is spring-loaded by springs 36 and protects the film sheet from the heated cutter and sealing bar 5 31.
Referring again to FLg 2, it can be seen that as the folded sheet material is conveyed away from the bridge area 28, it is fed along a bag opening path 37 def ined at the bag loading station 13 whereby the opposed side walls 20 ' and 20" of the bag 20 formed at the bridge area 28 are guided away from one another to cause a ~orwardmost one of the formed closed bags to open in a top end thereof or receiving one or more articles therein. The open ended bag is herein shown 15 at 38 in Fig. 2. As herein shown, the articles are comprised of a group of three milk pouches 39 which are oriented side by side on the feed conveyor 11 and discharged within the open ended bag 3 8 . ~owever, the machine can also handle single artlcles and not limited 20 to milk pouches.
As shown in Fig. 1, the open top end bag 38 is also supported on a discharge conveyor 40 to support and discharge the open ended bag with the one or more articles 12 having been positioned therein at the bag 25 loading station Once the open top end bag 38 is filled the discharge conveyor 40 moves the bag to a discharge position 38 ' and opens the next formed bag under the loading station or discharge chute 14 After the next bag is filled with the articles 12 the 30 discharge conveyor 40 is operated through another cycle and the bag 38 ' at the discharge position is moved to a transfer compartment 41, and in the process of doing so the weakened seam 18 is ripped away from the top end portion 17 of the adjacent filled bag at the discharge 35 location 38 ' by the weight of the filled bag.
Accordingly, the bag 14 is now free from attachment to the folded film sheet material 16.
21~17~1 Referring now to Fig. 5, it can be seen that the transfer compartment 41 is constituted by a shuttle table 42 having a pair of tray-like compartments 41 on which the open ended filled bag 38 ' is disposed. The tray-like compartments 41 have a bottom wall 43 formed by an actuable transfer conveyor and opposed side walls 44. The shuttle table 42 is displaceably supported on linear slide rails 45 for transverse displacement of the shuttle table 42 with respect to the axial displacement of the discharge conveyor 40 to position one of the tray-like compartments, herein compartment 41 ', adjacent a sealing station 46 whereby the open top end of the filled bag 38 ' may be closed and sealed.
lmhe bottom wall 43 of the transfer conveyor is actuated to transfer the filled open top end bag 38 ' into the sealing station when the other tray-like compartment 41 receives another f illed bag, herein bag 3 8 " .
Ref erring to Figs . 5 and 6, it can be seen that the sealing stations 46 are each comprised of a driven support conveyor 47 on which the transferred filled open top end bags 38 ' or 38" are received while a top end portion 50 of the bag is engaged by gathering means in the form of a series of rotary brushes 51 disposed in close relationship and along two parallel rows 52.
The rows 52 of rotating brushes 51 are in meshing relationship with one another and disposed to tighten and lift the top end portion 50 of the illed open top end bags 3 8 ' or 3 8 " .
Pusher means, in the form of drawer rollers 53, may also be provided at the exit end of the parallel rows 52 of rotating brushes 51 to engage the top end portion of the f illed bag as it is conveyed toward a rotator ~ ch~ni rm 54 to engage and form a twisted portion 55 in the top end portion of the bag.
3 5 In order to f orm the twisted top end portion it is necessary to gather the top end portion of the bag, and this is done by a gathering plate 55 secured to a 21~174~
draw arm 56 displaceable in the axial direction of the conveyor 47. The gathering plate is provided with a gather1 ng cavity 57 to urge a portion of the top bag portion against a further gathering cavity 58 provided in the rotator rechAn; pm 54, As more clearly seen in Fig 6, the rotator m~rhAni rm is comprised of two spaced apart stationary discs 58 and an intermediate rotating disc 59 secured to a rotating drive shaft 60. All of the discs 58 and 59 have an aligned gathering cavity 58 to receive the gathered neck portion 55 of the bag 38 ' . Once the gathered neck portion is received within the aligned cavities the intl~rm~ Ate disc 59 is rotated by about 90 degrees to twist the gathered neck portion. Once this twisted neck portion is formed the hot pins 61 of the pin sealer 60 move ~n and out of the gathered neck portion to heat-f use the plastic material to seal the twisted neck portion and seal the filled bag The sealed filled bag is then discharged by the conveyor 47 Z0 which also constitutes a driven support discharge conveyor for the bagging machine 10.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the method of operation of the bagging machine will now be summarized. As herein shown, the articles 12 are fed along a feed conveyor 11 to a drop chute 14 positioned at a loading station 13 above an open top end bag 38 The articles may be single articles or a group of articles, such as groups of milk pouches. At the loading station the articles are discharged in an 3 0 open top end of the bag 3 8 .
The open top end bag 38 is formed from a folded f ilm sheet material held and conveyed below the loading station. The open top end bag 38 remains attached to the folded film sheet material 16 in a top end band portion 17 thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam 18 disposed coextensive with a side edge 19 of the bag 20 being formed.
21417~1 g The folded sheet material is engaged and ~isplaced by its top end portion. When displaced under the loading station 13, the top end of a forwardmost one of the formed bags 20 is opened and supported on a 5 di3charge conveyor ~0. The filled bag is then moved further to its discharge position at 38 ' while the other bag is being i~illed. The discharge conveyor 40 is then actuated to discharge the filled bag 38 on~o the transfer compartment 41 where the top end band 10 portion detaches itself and the filled open top end bag is freed In forming the bag 20 there is comprised the step of cutting and heat sealing a vertical portion of the folded film sheet and simultaneously forming the 15 axial perforated tear seam 18 in the top end band portion 17 prior to displacing the folded sheet to the bag loading station.
The transfer compartment moves the filled bag into a sealing station where the open top end of the 20 bag is gathered, twisted and fused by a pin sealer.
The entire sequence of operation of the trans~er conveyors and the timlng belt is controlled by a control panel 70 which can be programmed to set the speed of operation of the bagging machine and monitor 25 its operation. As herein shown, the entire bagging machine is supported on a frame 71 which also supports a spare roll 72 of folded film sheet material. It is also pointed out that the machine may be adapted to effectuate the folding of a single sheet roll, and such 3 0 is encompassed in the claims submitted herewith .
It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modif ications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended 3 5 claims
AUTOMATIC BAGGING MAC~INE AND METEIOD OF PLACING
ARTICLES IN A BAG FORMED BY T~IE MACEIINE AND
CAPABLE OF SEALING TEIE BAG
TEcEINIr~T~ FT~T n The present invention relates to an automatic bagging machine and a method for making the bag in the machine, and placing one or more articles in an open bag held thereby wherein the machine is capable of forming a gathered twisted neck portion which is heat-fused prior to the discharge of the filled bag from the bagging machine.
BAÇKGROU~D AR~
Various milk bagging ~ h;n~q are known for placing pouches containing material therein in an outer bag. Such a machine is, for example, described in my U.S. Patent No. 4,989,391 issued on February 5, 1991.
In this prior art device, milk pouches are conveyed one Z0 at a time into inaividuali~ed compartments of a loading housing by means of pivoted guide plates and once the housing has received the correct number of pouches, usually tIlree pouches, a trap door releases the pouches into a bag . This type of machine has been in use f or many years with minor i~ Uv~ -nts having been made thereto from time to time Elowever, such n-hin~q have relatively slow cycle times due to the fact that it takes time to fill the loading housing as each pouch must be fed individually in sequence, then the housing 3 0 has to discharge its contents into a bag held therebelow, and a trap door needs to be closed before other pouches can be placed into the lbaaing housing.
The automatic bagging machine of the invention described herein is a new generation pouch loading machine wherein the handling capacity of the machine is greatly increased over that of the prior art machine ref erred to above .
21~1741 SU~MARY Ol~ INVENTION
It i8 a feature of the present invention to provide an automatic bagging machine capable of forming 5 a bag from a folded sheet and filling the bag with one or more articles therein while the bag is maintained attached to the folded sheet, and thereafter transferring the bag to a bag closing station where the open top end of the bag is gathered, twisted and heat-10 fused together to form a closed filled bag ready to bedischarged Another feature of the present lnvention is to provide a method of automatically bagging one or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag which is formed by a machine and maintained attached to a folded plastic sheet, and automatically detached therefrom when the filled bag is transferred to a bag ~ealing station where the open top end of the bag is gathered, twisted and heat-fused to form a closed filled bag prior to the discharge thereof from the bagging machine According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides an automatic bagging machine for placing one or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag The machine comprises feed conveyor` means to feed one or more articles disposed singly or in groups at predet~rmi n~ intervals thereon to a bag loading station where the one or more articles are discharged in an open top end of a bag held therebelow. The machine is adapted to form the bag from a folded plastic film sheet and remains attached to the film sheet by a top band portion thereof A disconnectable weakened seam is formed coextenslve with a side edge of the bag. Displaceable band engaging means is provided for engaging a portion of the top band portion to displace the folded film sheet. Conveyor means is provided to support and 21~7~:L
discharge the bag with the one or more articles therein f rom the bag loading station to a transf er means and simultaneously disconnecting the top band portion from an adjacent formed bag. Means is provided to seal the open top end of the filled bag on the transfer means.
Discharge means removes the sealed filled bag from the machine According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically bagging one or more articles in an open top end plastic bag The method comprises the steps of conveying one or more articles disposed singly or in groups and at predet~rmin~A intervals to a bag loading station The one or more articles are discharged in an open top end bag held below the loading station. The open top end bag is formed from a folded plastic film sheet held and conveyed below the loading station. The open top end bag is maintained attached to the folded film sheet in a top band portion thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam disposed coextensive with a side edge of the bag The folded sheet and formed bag are engaged and displaced ,at the top band portion P. top end of a formed bag of the folded sheet is open under the loading station The open top end bag is supported and discharged at said loading station after the one or more articles are discharged therein while simultaneously disconnecting the top band portion from an adj acent formed bag . The f illed bag is then sealed at the open top end.
E~RIEF n~RIPTION OF l;lRAWING~
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. l is a simplified side view of the automatic bagging machine of the present invention;
-214~41 FIG 2 is a simplified top view of the automatic bagginq machine;
FIG 3 is a slde view showing the construction of the vertical cutting, sealing and perf orator bar 5 which forms bags from a folded film sheet;
FIG. 4 i8 a fragmented side view showing the bags formed by the automatic bagging machine using the bar sealer which perforates, seals and cuts the folded film sheet;
FIG. 5 is a simplified top view showing the construction of the bag transfer ml~h~nirm and the sealing stations; and FIG. ~; is a simplified end view of the bag sealing station where the top end portion of the bag is 15 gathered, rotated, and heat-fused by a pin sealer.
DES~RIPTION OF PR~F~R~n EMR~ s Ref erring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown generally 20 at 10 the automatic bagging machine of the present invention. As herein shown, the machine comprises a angulated feed conveyor 11 for feeding one or more articles 12 -singly or in groups at predet~rm; nGfl intervals therealong to a bag loading station 13, 25 wherein a chute 14 is provided to orient and drop the single or group of articles therebelow in an open top end bag 14. The open top end bag 14 is formed in the machine from a roll 15 of foldea plastic film sheet material 16, as shown in Fig 4. It is pointed out 30 that at the loading station 13 the open ended bag 14 is still attached to the folded film sheet material 16 by a top end band portion 17 which is formed with a disconnectable weakened seam 18 which extends coextensively with a side edge 19 of the bag 20 formed 35 at the perforator and sealing station 21 As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, a displaceable band engaging means is constituted by a _ _ _ _ _ pair of endless timing belts 22 disposed in side-by-side contact re1atimnqhi~ along a juxtaposea straight belt section 23 for grasping the top end portion 17 of the folded film sheet 16, as shown in Fig. 4.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the folded film sheet from the roll 15 is fed by a danser roll assembly 25 to the inlet end 26 of the juxtaposed straight belt section 23 by a guide roll 27. A date stamp device 28 may be provided at this location to stamp the date on the fil~ sheet material in the area of each bag to be formed by the machine 10 when its contents need to be given a bagging date or other date of use.
The folded sheet material 16 fed at the inlet of the straight section 23 of the timing belts 22 is conveyed through a bridge area 28 of the juxtaposed stralght belt sections 23 where the timing belts 22 are held separated by idler rolls 29.
Referring now additionally to Fig 3, there is shown the construction of a vertically displaceable and sealing ana perforating bar assembly 30 which is displaceable against the folded film sheet material 16 and at predet~rm; n~d intervals as the folded film sheet is displaced by the timing belts As herein shown, the sealing and perforating bar assembly 30 has a lower cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 and a top perforator bar 32 consisting of a plurality of serrated cutters 33 The top perforator bar section 32 and the cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 is urged against the opposed side walls 20 ' and 20" of the folded film sheet 16, disposed in front of a backing plate 9, to slit the sheet and simultaneously seal same to form the bag side edge 19 Simultaneously, the perforating top section 32 penetrates the top section or band of the folded film sheet to form the weakened seam 18 along the top end portion 17, as shown in Fig. 4 As shown in Fig. 3, the vertical seal and perforator area of the folded film sheet 16 passes in front of the heat 21~1~41 cutting and sealing vertical bar 31 and perforator 32 which are powered by a pneumatic cylinder 34. A heater guard 35 is spring-loaded by springs 36 and protects the film sheet from the heated cutter and sealing bar 5 31.
Referring again to FLg 2, it can be seen that as the folded sheet material is conveyed away from the bridge area 28, it is fed along a bag opening path 37 def ined at the bag loading station 13 whereby the opposed side walls 20 ' and 20" of the bag 20 formed at the bridge area 28 are guided away from one another to cause a ~orwardmost one of the formed closed bags to open in a top end thereof or receiving one or more articles therein. The open ended bag is herein shown 15 at 38 in Fig. 2. As herein shown, the articles are comprised of a group of three milk pouches 39 which are oriented side by side on the feed conveyor 11 and discharged within the open ended bag 3 8 . ~owever, the machine can also handle single artlcles and not limited 20 to milk pouches.
As shown in Fig. 1, the open top end bag 38 is also supported on a discharge conveyor 40 to support and discharge the open ended bag with the one or more articles 12 having been positioned therein at the bag 25 loading station Once the open top end bag 38 is filled the discharge conveyor 40 moves the bag to a discharge position 38 ' and opens the next formed bag under the loading station or discharge chute 14 After the next bag is filled with the articles 12 the 30 discharge conveyor 40 is operated through another cycle and the bag 38 ' at the discharge position is moved to a transfer compartment 41, and in the process of doing so the weakened seam 18 is ripped away from the top end portion 17 of the adjacent filled bag at the discharge 35 location 38 ' by the weight of the filled bag.
Accordingly, the bag 14 is now free from attachment to the folded film sheet material 16.
21~17~1 Referring now to Fig. 5, it can be seen that the transfer compartment 41 is constituted by a shuttle table 42 having a pair of tray-like compartments 41 on which the open ended filled bag 38 ' is disposed. The tray-like compartments 41 have a bottom wall 43 formed by an actuable transfer conveyor and opposed side walls 44. The shuttle table 42 is displaceably supported on linear slide rails 45 for transverse displacement of the shuttle table 42 with respect to the axial displacement of the discharge conveyor 40 to position one of the tray-like compartments, herein compartment 41 ', adjacent a sealing station 46 whereby the open top end of the filled bag 38 ' may be closed and sealed.
lmhe bottom wall 43 of the transfer conveyor is actuated to transfer the filled open top end bag 38 ' into the sealing station when the other tray-like compartment 41 receives another f illed bag, herein bag 3 8 " .
Ref erring to Figs . 5 and 6, it can be seen that the sealing stations 46 are each comprised of a driven support conveyor 47 on which the transferred filled open top end bags 38 ' or 38" are received while a top end portion 50 of the bag is engaged by gathering means in the form of a series of rotary brushes 51 disposed in close relationship and along two parallel rows 52.
The rows 52 of rotating brushes 51 are in meshing relationship with one another and disposed to tighten and lift the top end portion 50 of the illed open top end bags 3 8 ' or 3 8 " .
Pusher means, in the form of drawer rollers 53, may also be provided at the exit end of the parallel rows 52 of rotating brushes 51 to engage the top end portion of the f illed bag as it is conveyed toward a rotator ~ ch~ni rm 54 to engage and form a twisted portion 55 in the top end portion of the bag.
3 5 In order to f orm the twisted top end portion it is necessary to gather the top end portion of the bag, and this is done by a gathering plate 55 secured to a 21~174~
draw arm 56 displaceable in the axial direction of the conveyor 47. The gathering plate is provided with a gather1 ng cavity 57 to urge a portion of the top bag portion against a further gathering cavity 58 provided in the rotator rechAn; pm 54, As more clearly seen in Fig 6, the rotator m~rhAni rm is comprised of two spaced apart stationary discs 58 and an intermediate rotating disc 59 secured to a rotating drive shaft 60. All of the discs 58 and 59 have an aligned gathering cavity 58 to receive the gathered neck portion 55 of the bag 38 ' . Once the gathered neck portion is received within the aligned cavities the intl~rm~ Ate disc 59 is rotated by about 90 degrees to twist the gathered neck portion. Once this twisted neck portion is formed the hot pins 61 of the pin sealer 60 move ~n and out of the gathered neck portion to heat-f use the plastic material to seal the twisted neck portion and seal the filled bag The sealed filled bag is then discharged by the conveyor 47 Z0 which also constitutes a driven support discharge conveyor for the bagging machine 10.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the method of operation of the bagging machine will now be summarized. As herein shown, the articles 12 are fed along a feed conveyor 11 to a drop chute 14 positioned at a loading station 13 above an open top end bag 38 The articles may be single articles or a group of articles, such as groups of milk pouches. At the loading station the articles are discharged in an 3 0 open top end of the bag 3 8 .
The open top end bag 38 is formed from a folded f ilm sheet material held and conveyed below the loading station. The open top end bag 38 remains attached to the folded film sheet material 16 in a top end band portion 17 thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam 18 disposed coextensive with a side edge 19 of the bag 20 being formed.
21417~1 g The folded sheet material is engaged and ~isplaced by its top end portion. When displaced under the loading station 13, the top end of a forwardmost one of the formed bags 20 is opened and supported on a 5 di3charge conveyor ~0. The filled bag is then moved further to its discharge position at 38 ' while the other bag is being i~illed. The discharge conveyor 40 is then actuated to discharge the filled bag 38 on~o the transfer compartment 41 where the top end band 10 portion detaches itself and the filled open top end bag is freed In forming the bag 20 there is comprised the step of cutting and heat sealing a vertical portion of the folded film sheet and simultaneously forming the 15 axial perforated tear seam 18 in the top end band portion 17 prior to displacing the folded sheet to the bag loading station.
The transfer compartment moves the filled bag into a sealing station where the open top end of the 20 bag is gathered, twisted and fused by a pin sealer.
The entire sequence of operation of the trans~er conveyors and the timlng belt is controlled by a control panel 70 which can be programmed to set the speed of operation of the bagging machine and monitor 25 its operation. As herein shown, the entire bagging machine is supported on a frame 71 which also supports a spare roll 72 of folded film sheet material. It is also pointed out that the machine may be adapted to effectuate the folding of a single sheet roll, and such 3 0 is encompassed in the claims submitted herewith .
It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modif ications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended 3 5 claims
Claims (29)
1. An automatic bagging machine for placing two or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag, said machine comprising feed conveyor means to feed one or more articles disposed singly or in groups at predetermined intervals thereon to a bag loading station where said one or more articles are discharged in an open top end of an open bag held therebelow, said machine being adapted to form said bag from a folded plastic film sheet and remaining attached to said film sheet by a top band portion thereof, a disconnectable weakened seam is formed coextensive with a side edge of said bag, displaceable band engaging means for engaging a portion of said top band portion to displace said folded film sheet and formed bags, conveyor means to support and discharge said bag with said one or more articles therein from said bag loading station to a transfer means and simultaneously disconnecting said top band portion from an adjacent formed bag, means to seal said open top end of said filled bag on said transfer means, and discharge means to remove said sealed filled bag from said machine.
2. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bag is formed by a vertically displaceable sealing and perforating bar assembly displaceable against said folded film sheet at predetermined intervals as said folded film sheet is displaced by said displaceable band engaging means.
3. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said displaceable band engaging means is constituted by a pair of endless timing belts disposed side by side and having juxtaposed straight belt sections for grasping said top band portion of said folded film sheet therebetween.
4. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said vertically displaceable sealing and perforating bar has a lower cutting and sealing section and a top perforating section, said top perforating section forming said weakened seam and being aligned adjacent said top band portion of said folded film sheet in a bridge area of said juxtaposed straight belt sections where said belt sections are held separated by idler rolls.
5. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said juxtaposed straight belt sections are guided away from one another along a bag opening path at said bag loading station to cause one of said formed bags to open in a top end thereof for receiving said one or more articles therein.
6. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said articles are comprised of groups of three milk pouches oriented side by side and spaced at said predetermined intervals on said feed conveyor means
7. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said conveyor means to support and discharge said bag is a belt discharge conveyor on which said filled bag is supported at a bag discharge position, said belt conveyor transferring said filled bag to said transfer compartment and causing said top band portion of said bag to rip along said weakened seam.
8. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said transfer compartment is constituted by a shuttle table having a pair of tray-like compartments on which said open-ended bag is disposed, said tray-like compartments having a bottom wall formed by an actuable belt transfer conveyor and opposed guide side walls.
9. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shuttle table is displaceably supported on linear slide rails for transverse displacement with respect to the axial displacement of said belt discharge conveyor to position one of said tray-like compartments adjacent said means to seal said open top end of said filled bag positioned therein, said belt transfer conveyor being actuated to transfer said filled open top end bag to said means to seal said open top end of said filled bag when said other of said pair of tray-like compartments receives a filled open top end bag from said discharge conveyor.
10. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means to seal said open top end of said filled bag comprises a driven support belt conveyor on which said transferred filled open top end bag is received and displaced toward a heat sealing means while a free top end portion of said bag is engaged by gathering means which draws said bag free top end portion together, pusher means to push said drawn top end portion into a rotator mechanism at said sealing means to engage and form a twisted top end portion, said heat sealing means being actuable to heat-fuse said twisted top end portion to close said filled bag.
11. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said gathering means is comprised of a series of rotary brushes disposed in close relationship and along two parallel rows, said rows of rotary brushes being in meshing relationship with one another and oriented to tighten and lift said top end portion of said filled open top end bag.
12. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein there is further provided drawer rollers at an exit end of said parallel rows of brushes to engage and draw said top end portion toward said heat sealing means.
13. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 12 wherein said pusher means is comprised of a gathering plate secured to a draw arm for gathering part of said top end portion and draw it into a gathering cavity of said rotator mechanism to form a gathered neck portion which is retained captive by said rotator mechanism and twisted by said rotator mechanism.
14. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rotator mechanism is comprised of two spaced apart stationary discs and an intermediate rotating disc secured to a rotating drive shaft, all said discs having a gathering cavity and aligned with one another to receive said gathered neck portion of said bag, said intermediate disc being rotated to twist said gathered neck portion.
15. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said discharge means is constituted by said driven support belt conveyor.
16. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to seal said open top end of said filled bag comprises a driven support belt conveyor on which said transferred filled open top end bag is received and displaced toward a heat sealing means while a free top end portion of said bag is engaged by gathering means which draws said bag free top end portion together, pusher means to push said drawn top end portion into a rotator mechanism at said sealing means to engage and form a twisted top end portion, said heat sealing means being actuable to heat-fuse said twisted top end portion to close said filled bag.
17. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein said gathering means is comprised of a series of rotary brushes disposed in close relationship and along two parallel rows, said rows of rotary brushes being in meshing relationship with one another and oriented to tighten and lift said top end portion of said filled open top end bag .
18. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein there is further provided drawer rollers at an exit end of said parallel rows of brushes to engage and draw said top end portion toward said heat sealing means .
19. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 18 wherein said pusher means is comprised of a gathering plate secured to a draw arm for gathering part of said top end portion and draw it into a gathering cavity of said rotator mechanism to form a gathered neck portion which is retained captive by said rotator mechanism and twisted by said rotator mechanism.
20. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 19 wherein said rotator mechanism is comprised of two spaced apart stationary disc and an intermediate rotating disc secured to a rotating drive shaft, all said discs having a gathering cavity and aligned with one another to receive said gathered neck portion of said bag, said into intermediate disc being rotated to twist said gathered neck portion.
21. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 20 wherein said discharge means is constituted by said driven support belt conveyor.
22. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein a drop chute is provided at said bag loading station and disposed above said open top end bag to direct said one or more articles therein.
23. An automatic bagging machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disconnection of said top band portion of said filled formed bag is effected by said conveyor means discharging said filled bag after said adjacent formed bag has been also filled with said one or more articles therein.
24. A method of automatically bagging one or more articles in an open top end plastic bag, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) conveying one or more articles disposed singly or in groups and at predetermined intervals to a bag loading station;
(ii) discharging said one or more articles in an open top end bag held below said loading station;
(iii) forming said open top end bag from a folded plastic film sheet held and conveyed below said loading station;
(iv) maintaining said open top end bag attached to said folded film sheet in a top band portion thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam disposed coextensive with a side edge of said bag;
(v) engaging and displacing said folded sheet with formed bag at said top band portion;
(vi) opening a top end of a formed bag of said folded sheet under said loading station;
(vii) supporting and discharging said open top end filled bag adjacent said loading station while simultaneously disconnecting said top band portion from an adjacent formed bag; and (viii) sealing said open top end of said filled bag.
(i) conveying one or more articles disposed singly or in groups and at predetermined intervals to a bag loading station;
(ii) discharging said one or more articles in an open top end bag held below said loading station;
(iii) forming said open top end bag from a folded plastic film sheet held and conveyed below said loading station;
(iv) maintaining said open top end bag attached to said folded film sheet in a top band portion thereof by forming a disconnectable weakened seam disposed coextensive with a side edge of said bag;
(v) engaging and displacing said folded sheet with formed bag at said top band portion;
(vi) opening a top end of a formed bag of said folded sheet under said loading station;
(vii) supporting and discharging said open top end filled bag adjacent said loading station while simultaneously disconnecting said top band portion from an adjacent formed bag; and (viii) sealing said open top end of said filled bag.
25. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said step (iii) comprises cutting and heat sealing a vertical portion of said folded film sheet and simultaneously forming an axial perforated tear seam in said top band portion prior to displacing said folded sheet to said bag loading station to form a bag in said folded film sheet
26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said step (vi) comprises the step of separating opposed side walls of one of said bags at said top band portion under said loading station to form said open top end bag,
27. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein prior to said step (viii) there is provided the step of discharging said filled open top end bag to a transfer mechanism to position said filled bag adjacent a sealing station, while discharging another filled open top end bag on said transfer mechanism and simultaneously transferring said transferred filled bag in said sealing station.
28. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said step (viii) comprises:
(a) gathering and drawing a free top end portion of said filled bag between rotary brushes;
(b) pushing said drawn top end portion into a rotator mechanism to engage and form a twisted top end portion; and (c) heat sealing said twisted top end portion to close said filled bag.
(a) gathering and drawing a free top end portion of said filled bag between rotary brushes;
(b) pushing said drawn top end portion into a rotator mechanism to engage and form a twisted top end portion; and (c) heat sealing said twisted top end portion to close said filled bag.
29. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein there is further provided the step of (d) discharging said closed filled bag.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002141741A CA2141741A1 (en) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-02-03 | Automatic bagging machine and method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine and capable of sealing the bag |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002141741A CA2141741A1 (en) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-02-03 | Automatic bagging machine and method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine and capable of sealing the bag |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2141741A1 true CA2141741A1 (en) | 1996-08-04 |
Family
ID=4155175
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002141741A Abandoned CA2141741A1 (en) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-02-03 | Automatic bagging machine and method of placing articles in a bag formed by the machine and capable of sealing the bag |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2141741A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6119441A (en) * | 1999-04-19 | 2000-09-19 | Glopak Inc. | Automatic bagging machine |
| CN116853637A (en) * | 2023-09-05 | 2023-10-10 | 微网优联科技(成都)有限公司 | Film tearing device and method for fully automatically tearing off adhesive film on PCB |
-
1995
- 1995-02-03 CA CA002141741A patent/CA2141741A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6119441A (en) * | 1999-04-19 | 2000-09-19 | Glopak Inc. | Automatic bagging machine |
| CN116853637A (en) * | 2023-09-05 | 2023-10-10 | 微网优联科技(成都)有限公司 | Film tearing device and method for fully automatically tearing off adhesive film on PCB |
| CN116853637B (en) * | 2023-09-05 | 2023-11-21 | 微网优联科技(成都)有限公司 | Film tearing device and method for fully automatically tearing off adhesive film on PCB |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |