US1588647A - Method of and apparatus for packaging material - Google Patents

Description

June 15 1926. 1,588,647

' A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MATERIAL Filed May 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v )lde/m er/lBaztes.

June 15 1926.

A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MATERIAL Filed May 6. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ade/mer/fBazea June 15 1926.

A. M. BATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUSFOR PACKAGING MATERIAL s Shets-Sheet 5 Filed May 6. 1925 flde/mer/IBazc-es.

attowwqdn Patented June 15, 1936.

.v um'rso s'rATss lra'rsurorrics.

ar. am; or cm'caeo, rumors, assxexoa re earns vamfa nae conrm, or 10400, m nors. a coaroasnon or wns'r vraemmj lemon or arm 2mm ron. racxaems xa'ra'arar.

Applieatlon'fled' an a, 1025. Serial No. 28,321.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for packaging material. The in.- vention has for its object to providea'process and 1lzpparatus by which material may a be inser in success ve sections of an elongated tube of suitable bag-formwglmaterial and the tube closed about the c arges to form bags. More specifically, the invention has for ts object the provision of a method I and apparatus whereby charges may be in-.

serted t ough openings injthe side of a tube of indefinite length. The details and minor Y objects of the invention will appear as the descri tion proceeds.

In t e accompan ing drawings forming a f part ofthis ,spec', cation, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus appropriate for.

carrying out my process; Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3'is a partial front elevation of parts 4 shown in Fig. 1, showing their positions at a'difl'erent stage of the process; 'Fi 4 is a partial vertical section suhstantia 1y on the line 4-4, Fig.

tion through the ower end ofthe feed s out andflthe cooperating'portion of the oat; Fig. 6 is a detail section substantially on the line 6--6, Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is'a rear elevation of the float; Fig. 8 is-a section similar to Fig.

4, showing an alternative-form of float and float-anchoring means; Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the float shown in Fi 8'; Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion of t e float stem shown'in Fig. '8; .35 and Fig, 11 is a section detail of another form of floatranchoring arrangement. The form of apparatus illustrated is mounted upon a framework 20 from whichrise guides 21 for a vertically adjustable .40 sewing head 22 and guides-23 for charge forming and discharging'apparatus 24. A roller cage 25 is suspended by rods or cables 26 in operative relation to t e charge delivering apparatus. The ca s has mount- 4 ed therein a lower pair of rol ers 27 and an n per pair of rollers 28. A tube 29 of suita le bag forming materialis threaded be tween the pairs of rollersand over a float 30. Tube 29 may be supplied from any suit- 50 "able source, as from a coil or? ackage of previously formed tubing or" rom ap aratus whichdforms the tubing progressive y as it is use The float comprises a tubular bodypor- 2; Fig. his a detail secs.

beneath flange or we 43 comprises plates 33 between which there is a' rod 34 carr ing rollers 35 and a rod 36 carryling r0 era 37. Preferably the rollers on t e two rods are arranged in stag ered relation, as shown'in Fig. 6, so that fairly large rollers may be used without having their outer sides excessively "far I apart. Y

Front and rear plates 38 are attached to a cross-piece 39 above rollers 35 and 37, and at their upper ends are fastened-to a block 40. End pates 33 and cross-piece-39 may be integra with the stembelow' rollers 35 and 37 as indicated on the drawings, or they ma be separable; if desiredj he upper end of the rear side of body portion '31 of the float is provided with a shearing edge 41. Above this cutting edge there is a resiliently mounted flapper 42 havi a flange or toe 43 at its lower end. The c -arge-forming apparatus is provided with a downwardly directed discharge spout 44 having a knife 45 on the front side of its lower end. Y

Rollers 35 and 37 rest upon the walls of bag-tube 29 which in' turn rest upon rollers 27 so thatthe-position of the float is-determined by the sition of the cagescarrying rollers 27; T e cage is so adjusted that, when the cage and float are swung to the pcsitionjin whlch'they are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, knife 45 shears the wall of tube 29 across shearing edge 41 and 'enters'the tube which strikes against the front of the float, preventing knife 45 from contacting the wall of the float and determining the distance which the float may be pushed to the rear. When in this position, the bottom of discharge spout 44 registers with the'opening formed in the side of tube 29 and with the hollow interior of the float, so that material may be discharged through the spout into the bag-tube.

At the sides of flapper 42 there are ears 46 "so mounted that they' tend' to move to the of the float as viewed in Fig. 1.

At the distance of a; bag-length below shearing edge 41 the float is provided with an irregularity which may be felt through tub e29. InFigs. 4"and7 this irregularity platform 48 adapted to' support the bottom of the bag while the charge is be" de osited. In front of and below plat orm 48 there is a conveyor 49, and sewing head 22 is so adjusted as to be a bag-length above wnveyor 49.

It is generally desirable to have some printed matter, indicated by wa of example at 50, on each bag; and in or er that this rinted matter maybe roperl-y positioned on the bags, the bag-en s must come at the proper places along the tube. The tube is shown with indicating marks 51 located thereon'so that, if the tube is severed at these marks, the resultant bags will have the printed matter properly positioned thereon.

The sewingmachine is-provided with two needles, not shown, adapted to sew seams along lines 52; andpreferably means is provided for guiding a tape 53 beneath the 7 needles, so that the seams may be reinforced. I

fairly apparent from the foregoing descrip- This is especially desirable where the bagtube is made of paper. A knife, not shown,

isoperated in connection with the needles and sewers the .bag walls and reinforcing ta e between the seams.

Vhen the tube is swung to one side, as shown in Fi 3, there is a tendency for the tube to wri 'le or fold on the side next the sewing machine, as at 54. This may be taken advantage of to-assist in making a pleat or bellows fold at the end of the seam,

' which shortens the seam, strengthens its ends and aids in making a square-ended bag.

As the tube is fed throughthe machine, it is first straightened, by the filled lower portion coming in line with the upper portion, and then bent in the opposite direction, so that a similar fold may be made easily at the other end of the scam. p

A different form of float 55 is shown in Fig. 8. The body of this float is substan tially the same as that shown in Figs. 4 and 7 except, that instead of an integral bead 47, there is provided a removable bead member 56 having a suspending shank 57 adapted to hook over the upper edge of the float.

As :will be seen, this bead member may be easil. removed at any time and re laced by anot er member having a shank 0 different length. I

A float-suspending roller 58 is shown in f Fig. 8, and float 55 is provided with a hook- I shaped member 59 adapted to fit over roller 58. A- bag tube-60 is led from any suitable source and threaded over the hook 59 and float 55. The book is shown provided with .of the'hook and rollers 62 being mounted in flanges 64 on the lower side of the book. In

this way the up er wall of the tube rides over rollers 61 w ile the float and hook are supported on rollers 62 which ride on the lower wall of the tube. Flanges; 63 and 64 may be extended to stiffen the hook longitpldinally, and assist in holding it in proper s a e.

If desired, the float .might be provided with a stem 65 such as shown in Fig. 11, with spaced rollers 66 inplace'ofthe nested rollers shown in Figs. 4; and 6;- but this requires either a greater s reading of the bag tube orsmaller rollers t an'wherthey are nested, and therefore the form, shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is preferred.

In the form of float shown, the lower corners are flattened and extended outward at 67 so as to form two substantiall parallel plates at the opposite sides of the Get at its lower end. \Vhen desired, these plates may tion, but may be stated connectedly as follows:

The float is arranged with its stem in the. v cage, so that rollers '35 and 37 rest upon rollers 27. Then a bag-tube is led from any suitable source and passed between rollers 28, around the float stem, between rollers 27, around the float and downward until its lower end is level with the sewing machine, when its lower end is closed by sewing a seam thereacross. Y

Then, if desired, the bag-tube is raised until plates 67 press the corners out and open up the end of the bag, whereafter the.

tube is pulled down until the first mark 51 from the closed end is felt to be in alignment with bead 47. A groove around the float at this point may be felt through the wall. of the tube, but it has been discovered that an outwardly projecting bead is felt more readily, and is thereforepreferable. Then the float is swung to the rear. Asthe float is pushed to the rear, knife 45 shears through the tube wall and the discharge spout comes into registry with the slit that is opened in this manner,'as' seen in Fig.5. While the parts are in that position,'with' the closed end of the bag-tube resting on platform 48, a properly weighed or measured charge of material is passed through the dischargespgut and float into the bottom end of the tu e.

After the lower end of the tube has received its charge in the manner described above it is swung forward and to one side and r0 ped onto conveyor 49. A fold is formed in the side of the tube next the sewingmachine and the tube is fed through the machine. As it is fed, a fold is formed in .are severed between the seams.

In thisway the filled end of the tube is closed and cut off to form a filled package,-

a at the ends of the slit. v

and the tube is closed above the line of severance and is ready to have the operation repeated. I

It will be readily understood that, when the float and bag-tube are withdrawn from the filling spout, flapper 42 presses the wall of the tube outward beyond the upper edge 41 of the float, and ears 46 spread the sldes of the tube at the ends of the slit and pressthe tube-walls back, so that the .tube'moves' downward without catching and tearing the wall above the'slit. v

It will be understood that the height of the sewing head above belt 49' is adjusted to equal'the length of the desired bag, that the charge-forming apparatus is adjusted so that the end of the discharge spout is two bag-lengths above platform 18, and that .cage 25 is adjusted so that edge 41 slips in i immediately beneath knife 45 when the float is swung back to filling posit-ion. Bead 47 is, of course, one bag-length from edge 41.

Where the length of the bags 'is to be varied with considerable frequency, it is sometimes desirable to use a removable beadmember, such as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, which may be changed-whenever desired, and avoid the necessity of having a float for each different length and also avoid the delay incident to removing and replacing a float.

\Vith some materials and for some purposes it is possible to make the float short, and to have only one bag-length below the filling slit at the time of filling. The objection to this method of procedure as a general practice is that it renders difficult proper filling of the bag, because of the room taken up by the float, and there is danger of thecharge not all passing out of the feed. pipe before the tube is withdrawn therefrom. I

The forms of float-supporting or anchoring devices shown in Figs. 8 and 11 make no material differences in the manner of operating the device.

If desired, filling openings may be formed I in the tube when the tube is first formed or at any subsequent time before it reaches the float, but forming the opening at the same time the feed s out is registered therewith prevents any difficulty in obtaining proper registration of the feed spout with the opening.

' 'Difl'erent forms of openin s and feedspouts may be used, but a straight transverse slit is advantageous as it may be formed at the point where a bag will be divided from the tube, and so require no additional clonecting t ings.

sure. Furthermore, such a slit i'sbest opened by spreading the intermediate 'ortions of the two edges substantially equa distances on the op osite sides of a straight line conl ie two ends of the-slit. In this way the maximum opening is formed with a minimum of strain on th'elw'alls of the tube Salt, beans, rice and similar materials require little settling or packing in bags, and fairly satisfactory results are obtained with little more manipulation of the filled tubeend than naturally accompanies its movement from platform 48to conveyor 49, and the closing of the. tube above the charge; Where the nature ofthe packaged material or other circumstances render-more packing or settling desirable, a jigging table may be substituted for latform 48, the feed spout may be so lengt ened that the material will drop into the tube with self-packing force, or other settling or packing expedients may be employed without material change in the essential features of the process.

I prefer to make the closures by sewing seams, but other forms of vclosures'could be used while employing some of the elements of this invention nPaper is referred to as a suitable material for the bag-tubes, but other suitable materials may be used. In general, while one form'of the method and apparatus has been described. insufficient detail to enable anyone skilled in the art to use the invention, and variationsin different elements ofthe combination have been mentioned and described, no attempt has been made to enumerate all of the possiblevariatio'ns-which may be made in the method and apparatus within the scope of the appended claims, which define the invention.

What I. claim is z- 1. A process of packaging material, which consists in inserting, a charge through an opening in the side of an elongated tube, closing the tube above the charge and-severing the tube above the closure. 4 I

i 2. A process of packaging material, whic consists in inserting a plurality of. charges of material through a plurality of openings in the side of an elongated tube, and closing the tube on each side of each of said open 3. A process of'packaging material, which consists in inserting a charge of material through an opening in the side of an elongated tube having a closed end, positionin the inserted charge against the cl-oseden of the tube, and closing the tube between the charge and the opening.

4. A process of packaging material, which consists in inserting a charge of material through atransverse slit in the side of an elongated tube having a closed end, positioning the charge against the closed end of the tube, closing the tube between the charge its and the slit, and completing the severance of the tube at the slit,

5. A process of packaging material, which consists in insertin a plurality of charges of material throug h a plurality of transverse slits in the side of an elongated tube, closing the tube-on each side of each of said slits and completing the severance of the tube at each slit.

6. A process of packaging material, which consists in simultaneously forming an opening in the side of an elongated tube and placing a feed pipe in position-to discharge material into the tube through said opening, inserting a charge of material through said pipe into said tube and closing the tube be tween the charge and theopcning. I

7. A process of packaging material, which consists in simultaneously forming a transverse slit in the side of a tube and placing a feed pipe in position to discharge material into the tube through the slit, insertinga charge of material through said pipe into said tube, closing the tube between thecharge .and slit, and completing the severance of the tube at'the Slit.

8. The process of inserting material into a tube having an opening in its side, which consists in expanding the tube below the opening, collapsing the tube above the opening, and inserting matcrial through the opgping into the expanded portion of the tu 9. The process of inserting material into a tube having a transverse slit in its side, which consists'in separating the edges of the slit by placing the central portions of said edges on opposite sides of a straight line connecting the ends of the slit and inserting a char e'of material between the separated edges into the tube.

10. The process of inserting material into a tube having a transverse slitinits side, which consists in separating the edges of the tube material at the slit by holding one edge away from the opposite wall of the tube while pressing the other edge towards said opposite wall, and inserting material between the separated edges and in a'direction suhestantially parallel with the axis of the tu i 11. The process of inserting material into a tube having an opening in its side, which consists in positioning a portion of the tube vertically, maintaining a portion below said opening expanded, collapsing the portion immediately above-the opening, and dropping material through the opening into the expanded portion of the tube.

12. The process of inserting material into a tube having a transverse slit in its side, which. consists in positioning a portion of thetube vertically, maintaining the tube below the slit in expanded condition, collapsing the tube above the slit and droppinga charge of material through the slit into' th'e expanded portion of the tube.

13. The process of; packaging material, which comprises positioning a portion of a tube vertically, simultaneously formin a slit in the side of the tube and separating the edges of the slit to form a downwardly directed opening finto the tube, and droping into the tube.

14. The process of packaging material, which comprises feeding forward a collapsed tube,expanding the end of the tube, feeding successive charges into the expanded end of the tube through longitudinally spaced openings in the side of the tube, and closing the tube on each side of the opening nearest each charge before depositing the next charge.

15. A process in accordance 'with claim 14, wherein the openings are formed successively as the-yore needed.

16. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closures are formed by sewing.

17 A process in accordance with claim 14;, in which the closures are formed by sewing and the tubc'is severed between the seams as the seams are formed.

18. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closures areformed by sewing parallel seams through a reinforcing tape placed across the tube.

19. A process in accordance with claim 14, in which the closures are formed by sewing and the tube is bent before'sewing so that it wrinkles on the sidewhere the seam is be gun, and a bellows-fold is formed where the tube is thus wrinkled.

'20. A process of forming a closure above a charge, in an elongated bag-tube, which comprises bending the empty tube above the charge to one side, forming a bellows-fold in the side of the tube towards which it is bent, sewing a seam acrossthe tube, beginning at said bcllows-fold, and straightening the tube and forming a bellows-fold in the other side thereof while the sewing is taking place.

21. In apparatus for'packaging material, means to support a tube movably, a float adapted to be positioned within the tube, means to maintain the float stationary while the tube is advanced therearound, and means to feed material through an opening in the side ofthe tube and through the float into the tube beyond the float,

22. In apparatus for packaging material, a float, means to maintain the float stationary while a tube is moved forward therearound, and a feed pipe in position to feed material through an opening in the side of a tube which is positioned around the float and into a portion of the tube held expanded by the float. H v

23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the float has a tubular portion adapted to register with the feed pipe.

ping a charge of materialthrough the open- 24. Apparatus in accordance. with claim 22, wherein the feed pipe has a knife on its lower edge adapted to form a feed opening through the tube. f

25. Apparatus in, accordance with claim 22, wherein there is a pair of rollers between which the tube passes as it approaches the float, and means anchoring the float to a member inside the tube on the other side of the rollers and too large to pass between the rollers.

26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the float has a tubular portion below the feed pipe and a flapper above the tubular portion normally pressing the walls of the tube outward as far as the tubular portion.

27. In apparatus for. packaging material, a float comprising a tubular portion and a flapper, means to maintain the'float station'- ary while a tube is moved forward therearound, and a feed pipe having an "end adapted to press back the flapper and register with the tubular portion ofthe float.

28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 27, in which there is a knife on the feed pipe adapted to form a transverse slit in the tube and to enter between the flapper and the tubular portion of the float.

29. A paratus in accordance with claim 22, in w ich the float is longer than the portion of the tube required to enclose one charge of material.

30. A paratus in accordance with claim 22, in w ich the tubular portion of the float is longer than one bag length of the tube and has an irregularity thereon one bag length from its upper end easily felt through the wall of the tube. v

31. In apparatus for packaging material, means to feed material through an opening in the side of a tube and means to form a closure across the tube on each side of the openin 32. i pparatus in accordance with claim 31, in which the means to feedmaterial comprises a feed pipe outside of the tube and afloat inside of the tube.

a bag-tube, and a float adapted to be inserted within a bag-tube and having an anchoring device adapted to cooperate with said anti-friction device to retain the float in place while a bag-tube is moved past said devices and floattically adjustable.

36. In packaging apparatus, means to in-' sert successive charges through a'- series of longitudinall spaced openings in the side of a tube an a sewing head ada ted to sew parallel seams, one on each side 0 each 0 ning, and having cutting means adap to complete the severance of the tube walls where the opening occurs. 37. In packaging apparatus, an antifriction device adapted to contact the outside of a bag-tube, a float adapted to have a bagetube passed therearound, means to maintain the float a fixed distance from said anti-friction device, a charge-forming and feeding device opposite said float, and closure forming means below said float and feeding means.

38. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the anti-friction device is ver- 39. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the feeding means is vertically adjustable.

40. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein the closure forming means is vertically adjustable.

41. Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, wherein a knife is attached to the feeding means and is adapted to form a transverse slit in the tube.

42. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring device comprises anti-friction means adapted to contact the interior of the bag-tube wall opposite where the wall is contacted on the exterior by the first said antifriction device.

43. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anti-friction device comprises a pair of rollers on opposite sides of the tube.

44. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring device comprises two sets of rollers adapted to contact respectively the opposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube.

45. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, wherein the anchoring device comprises two sets of staggered, overlapping rollers adapted to contact respectively the opposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube.

46. Apparatus in accordance with claim 35, in combination with means outside of said float cooperating with said float to form plpepings in a bag-tube passed over said 47. In apparatus of the character described, a pair of parallel rollers adapted to receive a bag-tube therebetween, a float adapted to be inserted within a bag-tube, and an anchoring device attached to the float and comprising two .sets of rollers adapted to contact respectively the opposite interior surfaces of a bag-tube alon lines where the exterior of said bag-tube is contacted by the first said rollers.

f 48. Apparatus in accordance with claim 50. Apparatus in accordance with claim 47, wherein the two sets of rollers of the 22, in which the float has a tubular ortion, anchoring device are staggered and overlonger than one bag-length'ofth'e tu said lapping. rtion having an integral outwardl pro- 5 49. pparatus in accordance with claim Jecting beadtherearound one bagength 22, in which the float has a tubular portion from its upper end. longer than one bag-length of the tube, said In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my portion having an integral head there name to this specification. around one bag-length distant from its upi ADELMER M. BATES.v

* per end,

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