GB2149753A

GB2149753A - Sack construction

Info

Publication number: GB2149753A
Application number: GB08330534A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Leonard Baker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-16
Filing date: 1983-11-16
Publication date: 1985-06-19
Also published as: GB8330534D0

Abstract

In order to provide an arrangement of bags or sacks which may be handled with a fork lift without the use of pallets, there is provided a complex of bags or sacks comprising a series of bags or sacks 1, 2, 3 and 3a inter-connected by webs 5, whereby, when filled, the bags or sacks 1, 2, 3 and 3a may be stacked in superposition with the webs 5 forming loops at the sides of the stack. The lowermost bag or sack 1 has a further web 4 to fold in between itself and next bag or sack 2 in the stack to form an extra loop substantially aligned with the loop inter-connecting the first and second bags or sacks 1 and 2, but at the opposite side of the stack. The complex is formed from a continuous tube of plastics material heat sealed at intervals to form the webs. The tube may be formed into lateral gussets to reinforce the edges of the webs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sack construction This invention relates to sacks or bags, and more particularly to a complex of sacks and bags which may be readily stacked for storage or handling.

In the handling of sacks or bags of granular materials, such as fertilizers, grain and the like, the sacks or bags are normally stacked individually on to pallets for handling by fork trucks. Pallets are normally constructed of timber and their use in transport means that empty pallets need to be returned. However, the rate of loss is high with the result that considerable expense is incurred in replacing pallets.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a complex of bags or sacks comprising a series of bags or sacks inter-connected by webs, whereby when filled the bags or sacks may be stacked in superposition and the webs form loops at the sides of the stacks.

The lower loops in particular are strongly held and when the stacks are bound may be used to handle the stack by means of a fork truck or other device having parallel elongate support members.

It is preferred that the lowermost bag or sack should have a further web to fold in between itself and the next bag or sack in the stack and form an extra loop substantially aligned with the loop interconnecting the first and second sacks, but at the opposite side of the sack. The invention further includes a stack formed from a complex of bags or sacks in accordance with the invention as set forth above.

The complex could be formed from a continuous tube of plastic material sealed at intervals to form the webs. The heat sealing could be continuous over the whole area of the web or at the ends of the webs or on a zig zag or other configuration over part of the web area.

If required the tube could be formed into lateral gussets to reinforce the edges of the webs.

The bags formed in the tube could be filled via punctures in the webs and the punctures would be closed by the heat sealing to form the webs.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l is a perspective view of part of a complex of bags or sacks in accordance with one form of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the complex in Figure 1 arranged in the stack; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a possible modification to the fork truck to handle the stack; and Figure 4 illustrates a possible alternative handling mode.

Figure 1 shows an end portion of a complex in accordance with a preferred form of the invention. It consists of a first sack or bag 1 and second and third sacks or bags 2 and 3 respectively. An elongate web 4 is formed at one side of the sack or bag land in between each of the sacks or bags in the complex there is provided a somewhat shorter web 5. The elongate web 4 may be effectively a bag which is not filled, together with a web to simulate a web 5. It will be appreciated that if the sacks or bags 1,2 and 3 are formed by filling a length of a tube of plastics material, the webs are formed by a heat sealing the tube. The heat sealing to form the webs 5 is over a greater area than is conventional in forming sacks and the perforations to assist tearing are not formed.

The heat sealing may be over-substantially the whole area of the web 5 and it may be a zig zag or other configuration dispersed over the area. It may be possible to heat seal only by two transversely extending narrow seals. Thefilling of the sacks or bags may be achieved by inserting a filling nozzle into a puncture in the tube and sealing to puncture, after withdrawal of the nozzle, while forming the webs.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, the sack or bag 1 is at the bottom of the stack, and the web 4 is folded in above it. The sack or bag 2 is then folded, as indicated by the arrow 6 in Figure 1 so as to overlie the sack or bag 1 and the web 4 which thus forms a loop at the left hand side of the stack as illustrated in Figure 2. The web 5 then forms a loop at the right hand side of the stack. The sack or bag 3 then again overlies the sack or bag 2 and this stacking is continued with further bags illustrated by the reference numeral 3a until a stack of the required height is obtained. In this case the stack is seven bags high. This folding or stacking may be achieved on the same machine as the bags are filled, and conventional strapping indicated by the reference numeral 8 is applied to integrate the stack.In this form the loops formed by the web 4 and the lower most web 5 may be used for supporting the stack for transport on a fork truck.

Figure 3 shows at 11 the conventional tines of a fork truck, and shows at 12 a pair of somewhat closer spaced tines, which are offset from each other so as to mate with the loops formed by the web 4 and the lowermost web 5. In addition Figure 3 shows a further paid of tines 13 which may engage with the loops formed by the webs 5 above the web 4 and lowermost web 5, if four point support of the stack is appropriate.

As an alternative to fork lift trucks for handling, use may be made of a trolley having tines at appropriate heights for engagement with the loops. Figure 4 shows a lower pair of tines 15 which could support two stacks in suspension. For this purpose, it is preferred that the uppermost sack in each stack should have a web extending from its distal side into the space between itself and the next lower sacK so as to form an uppermost loop analoguous to the loop formed by the web 4. Figure 4 also shows an upper pair of tines 16 which may be inserted to support two stacks in the more conventional manner from the bottom. Thus the trolley could handle a total of four stacks. This is particularly useful with light but bulky materials, in enabling a substantial level to be handled without any individual stack being too unwielding in size. In order to strengthen the webs 4 and 5, their edges may have folded-in gussets which are heat sealed down, thereby increasing the thickness and rigidity of the edge portions of the web by a factor of 2. These gussets are simply formed into the tube of plastics material.

Various other modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A complex of bags or sacks comprising a series of bags or sacks inter-connected by webs, whereby when filled the bags or sacks may be stacked in superposition with the webs forming loops at the sides of the stack.

2. A complex as claimed in claim 1, in which the lowermost bag or sack has a further web to fold in between itself and next bag or sack in the stack to form an extra loop substantially aligned with the loop inter-connecting the first and second bags or sacks, but at the opposite side of the stack.

3. A complex as claimed in claim 1 or 2, formed from a continuous tube of plastics material heat sealed at intervals to form the webs.

4. A complex as claimed in claim 3, in which the heat sealing is continuous over the whole area of each web.

5. A complex as claimed in claim 3, in which the heat sealing is at the ends of the webs only.

6. A complex as claimed in claim 3, in which the heat sealing is on a zig zag or other configuration over a part of each web area.

7. A complex as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, in which the tube is formed into lateral gussets to reinforce the edges of the webs

8. A complex as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7, in which the bags formed in the tube are filled via punctures in the webs and the punctures are closed by the heat sealing to form the webs.

9. A complex of bags or sacks substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A stack formed from a complex of bags or sacks as claimed in any of the preceding claims.