GB1573794A

GB1573794A - Bag opening machinery

Info

Publication number: GB1573794A
Application number: GB600/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Simon Solitec Ltd
Current assignee: Simon Solitec Ltd
Priority date: 1978-01-07
Filing date: 1978-01-07
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: IT1099879B; FR2414015A1; DE2900242A1; NL7810536A; ES474122A1; IT7829215A0

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BAG OPENING MACHINERY (71) We, SIMON-SOLITEC LIM ITED, a British Company, of Bristol Road, Gloucester, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention concerns bag-opening machines of the kind (hereinafter termed of the kind referred to) including a pair of spaced apart oppositely disposed rotatable spiked rollers which are urged inwardly towards one another, thus to grip and convey a bag downwardly past cutting means which serve to sever the bag in two in a generally vertical plane, thus to release the contents of the bag, opposite halves of the severed bag being removed outwardly from said plane by the two spiked rollers respectively.

Various types of bag-opening machine of the kind referred to are known and such have the advantage that the two spiked rollers can be separated by a desired extent to receive bags of a variety of different sizes. There is, however, a small problem in that bags, particularly of smaller size, are not always properly centred and this can lead to difficulties of various kinds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag-opening machine of the kind referred to which overcomes, at least to some extent, the problem aforesaid.

According to the present invention there is provided a bag-opening machine of the kind referred to and which includes a pair of oppositely disposed guide plates whose upper ends are freely rotatable about axes above and parallel with the axes of the two spiked rollers, the arrangement being such that the two plates depend to have their lower ends in sliding contact with the peripheral surfaces of the two spiked rollers respectively, and such that when no bag is present in the machine the plates slope inwardly towards one another at their lower ends.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one form of bag-opening machine embodying the invention.

Of the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic side elevation of the machine; and Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross-section through the machine on the line II--II of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the bag-opening machine is essentially comprised by a pair of spaced rollers 10 and 11 disposed opposite one another with their axes in a common horizontal plane.

The rollers 10 and 11 carry spikes 12 which protrude outwardly from their peripheries for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter.

Each of the rollers 10 and 11 is journalled in bearings carried in dependent arms 13 disposed at opposite ends thereof. The upper ends of the arms 13 are pivotally mounted whereby the rollers 10 and 11 can move outwardly from one another along upwardly directed arcuate paths. Gearing 14 and 15 is provided on the upper ends of the arms 13 associated with rollers 10 and 11 respectively and meshes to ensure that during separation of the rollers 10 and 11, each roller is equally spaced from a central vertical plane indicated at P.

A reciprocable saw blade 16 lies horizontallly in the plane P between the rollers 10 and 11.

A motor (not shown) is provided for reciprocating the blade 16 when the machine is in operation.

A motor 17 is provided and connected by an endless chain to a sprocket wheel 18 rotatable about the axis of rotation of the arms 13 associated with the roller 11 and connected with a pinion 19 and further sprocket wheel 20. The pinion 19 meshes with a pinion 21 connected with a sprocket wheel 22 rotatable about the axis of rotation of the arms 13 associated with the roller 10. Sprocket means 23 and 24 are provided on the ends of the rollers 10 and 11 respectively and are driven by endless chains extending between them and the sprockets 22 and 20 respectively thus to drive the rollers 10 and 11 in the directions of the arrows X.

Guide plates 30 and 31 are provided and pivotally connected for movement about spaced horizontal axes 32 and 33 disposed at the top of the machine. The plate 30 extends downwardly so that its lower end is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller 10 and the plate 31 extends downwardly so that its lower end is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller 11.

As best seen from Fig. 2, each of the plates 30 and 31 is provided with notches 34 along its lower edge so disposed and of such size that the spikes 12 protruding from the roller 10 and 11 can pass therethrough per mitting continuous contact between the lower edges of the plates 30 and 31 with the peri pheries of the rollers 10 and 11 whilst the latter are rotated by drive transmitted from the motor 17.

The outwardly facing surfaces of the plates 30 and 31 carry anti-friction blocks 35 at their lower end to minimise drag on the sur face of the rollers 10 and 11.

The arrangement is such that when no bags are present in the machine the rollers 10 and 11 take up an inner position of minimum spacing under the influence of gravity with the plates 30 and 31 converging towards their lower ends.

Bags to be opened are fed into the machine through the slot between the axes 32 and 33.

In progressing downwardly towards the rollers 10 and 11 the bags will be guided by the plates 30 and 31 so as to arrive centrally over the blade 16.

The bags are gripped on opposite sides by the spikes of the rollers 10 and 11 respectively and conveyed downwardly over the reciprocating blade 16, thus to be severed in two in the vertical plane P, thereby releasing their contents. The opposite halves of the bags impaled on the spikes 12 of the rollers 10 and 11 respectively are led to the opposite sides of the machine to be stripped from the rollers 10 and 11 by any suitable mechanism.

It will be understood that the machine is capable of handling a variety of different sizes of bags and that such may be fed to the machine in random order, each bag being properly centred by cooperation with the oppositely disposed guide plates 30 and 31.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, instead of providing means for stripping the severed halves of the bags from the rollers 10 and 11, means may be provided for retracting the spikes of the outwardly facing portions of the peripheries of the rollers, thus to release the bag halves.

Again, for example, the rollers 10 and 11 need not be mounted on the lower ends of swinging arms 13 but may be arranged for outward movement on ramps or slides carrying their bearings.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A bag-opening machine of the kind referred to and which includes a pair of oppositely disposed guide plates whose upper ends are freely rotatable about axes above and parallel with the axes of the two spiked rollers, the arrangement being such that the two plates depend to have their lower ends in sliding contact with the peripheral surfaces of the two spiked rollers respectively, and such that when no bag is present in the machine the plates slope inwardly towards one another at their lower ends.

2. A bag-opening machine according to claim 1 wherein each of the guide plates is provided with notches along its lower edge so disposed and of such size that the spikes protruding from the roller against which it rests can pass therethrough permitting continuous contact between the lower edge of the plate and the periphery of the roller.

3. A bag-opening machine according to claim 2 wherein the lower edge of each of the guide plates is provided with blocks of nonfriction material which contact the surface of the roller on which it rests.

4. A bag-opening machine substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the figures of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

the sprockets 22 and 20 respectively thus to drive the rollers 10 and 11 in the directions of the arrows X.

Guide plates 30 and 31 are provided and pivotally connected for movement about spaced horizontal axes 32 and 33 disposed at the top of the machine. The plate 30 extends downwardly so that its lower end is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller 10 and the plate 31 extends downwardly so that its lower end is in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller 11.

As best seen from Fig. 2, each of the plates 30 and 31 is provided with notches 34 along its lower edge so disposed and of such size that the spikes 12 protruding from the roller 10 and 11 can pass therethrough per mitting continuous contact between the lower edges of the plates 30 and 31 with the peri pheries of the rollers 10 and 11 whilst the latter are rotated by drive transmitted from the motor 17.

The outwardly facing surfaces of the plates

30 and 31 carry anti-friction blocks 35 at their lower end to minimise drag on the sur face of the rollers 10 and 11.

The arrangement is such that when no bags are present in the machine the rollers 10 and

11 take up an inner position of minimum spacing under the influence of gravity with the plates 30 and 31 converging towards their lower ends.

Bags to be opened are fed into the machine through the slot between the axes 32 and 33.

In progressing downwardly towards the rollers 10 and 11 the bags will be guided by the plates 30 and 31 so as to arrive centrally over the blade 16.

The bags are gripped on opposite sides by the spikes of the rollers 10 and 11 respectively and conveyed downwardly over the reciprocating blade 16, thus to be severed in two in the vertical plane P, thereby releasing their contents. The opposite halves of the bags impaled on the spikes 12 of the rollers 10 and 11 respectively are led to the opposite sides of the machine to be stripped from the rollers 10 and 11 by any suitable mechanism.

It will be understood that the machine is capable of handling a variety of different sizes of bags and that such may be fed to the machine in random order, each bag being properly centred by cooperation with the oppositely disposed guide plates 30 and 31.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, instead of providing means for stripping the severed halves of the bags from the rollers 10 and 11, means may be provided for retracting the spikes of the outwardly facing portions of the peripheries of the rollers, thus to release the bag halves.

Again, for example, the rollers 10 and 11 need not be mounted on the lower ends of swinging arms 13 but may be arranged for outward movement on ramps or slides carrying their bearings.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A bag-opening machine of the kind referred to and which includes a pair of oppositely disposed guide plates whose upper ends are freely rotatable about axes above and parallel with the axes of the two spiked rollers, the arrangement being such that the two plates depend to have their lower ends in sliding contact with the peripheral surfaces of the two spiked rollers respectively, and such that when no bag is present in the machine the plates slope inwardly towards one another at their lower ends.
2. A bag-opening machine according to claim 1 wherein each of the guide plates is provided with notches along its lower edge so disposed and of such size that the spikes protruding from the roller against which it rests can pass therethrough permitting continuous contact between the lower edge of the plate and the periphery of the roller.
3. A bag-opening machine according to claim 2 wherein the lower edge of each of the guide plates is provided with blocks of nonfriction material which contact the surface of the roller on which it rests.
4. A bag-opening machine substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the figures of the accompanying drawings.