US1993442A - Process for packaging dry granular material - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1935. F. M. GREVEN 1,993,442

PROCESS FOR PACKAGING, DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hum e94,

March 5, 1935. M, GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Florence M. Graven 3% k Siloanqyi,

March 5, 1935. F. M. GREVEN 1,993,442

PROCESS FOR PACIKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL grwwvbob fiarenca M firevezz J; .5. J m MKM March 5, 1935. M, GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 5, 1935. F. M. GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 7mm Flarenz'e M Ereven I'll/l,

Patented Mar. s, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GBANULAB MA'I'EBI Florence M. Greven, Reserve, La.

Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,779

4 Claims. (01. 226-51) This invention relates to a method and means for packaging material in granular, flaked or powdered form which is subject to-deterioration, spoilage, or to changes in physical and chemical 5 conditions when in contact with the air, or when subjected to moisture.

Manufacturers of these various products have for years tried to overcome these difliculties by adopting various types of moisture proof or moisi ture resisting containers, such as special papers, cardboards, and/or fabrics impregnated or coated with moisture resisting compounds. Usually the manufactured products are packed at the finished product temperature and mois- 15 ture, in containers as nearly moisture proof as can be obtained, but always in the presence of the air in and surrounding the product and in the container.

Since it is a well imown physical fact that air 20 is a carrier of moisture, and also that the capacity for carrying moisture increases with the temperature of the air, it is obvious that as nearly a complete removal of the air in the container in contact with the packaged material, would 25 minimize the changes in physical and/or chemical condition due to this air contact. It is obvious that the moist air once removed from the package must be prevented from reentering the same. Therefore, .it is necessary in the practice 80 of this invention to utilize a container which is moisture proof and airproof.

Preferably, the practice of this method for packaging goods in flexible containers or bags requires that the material of the containers shall 35 be composed of at least two thicknesses or layers of moistureproof and airproof material which would also be proof against cracking when exposed to the usual ordinary extremes of temperature, and from which containers or bags prac- 40 tically all of the air can be withdrawn by vacuum after material has been placed therein.

It is the object of the invention to fill such containers directly .from the packaging machine and to withdraw air during the filling of the con- 45 tainer; and to seal the containers automaticallyas soon as they have been filled with the required quantity. This method of packaging would allow the packaging of materials at the temperature of the finished product either hot 50 or' cold. Many products are perfectly finished at temperatures of 100 F. or more, and due to the usual methods of packing, must be cooled in some manner; usually in drums, or scrolls, or by other means,,which not only add to the length of the 66 packaging process, but also add to its cost ot production. In addition to this. the old method causes deterioration in the quality of the finished product by its accumulation not only of undesired moisture from the air but also from a certain amount of dust and undesirable and possibly injurious contamination.

If the hot material is packed in moisture proof and airproof containers directly from the machine, without having come in contact with outside air, the cooling of the material in the sealed l0 airtight package, will increase the vacuum and further protect the material from deteriorating changes.

When cold finished materials are packed by this process, the air is removed from the package and the package sealed instantly in the same manner.

In all instances, the moisture proof and airproof container is placed over the outlet or spout of the machine from which the material is drawn, and the air removed from the container and the eontainer sealed before the package is removed from the outlet or spout of the machine. The vacuum pipe through which the air is withdrawn from the package is inside of the inlet or spout of machine, and an automatic device holds the package firmly from the outside to prevent air from leaking in the package while the seal is being made.

My invention, therefore, pertains to a process of packaging material in which the air is almost an entirely exhausted by mechanical means from a flexible container made from air tight and moisture proof material, and involves a sealing of the container immediately after the filling thereof so as to retain the filled package under vacuum after the sealing.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 40 but showing bag sealing elements in diii'erent position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a central vertical section, to an enlarged scale, illustrating valve mechanism forming part of the present invention: 7

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, to

on the A the same scale as Figure 4, but showing the valve mechanism in a different position:

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 8; 56

Figure 8 is a perspective of one of the valve elements forming part of this invention;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bag holding device forming part of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail of one of the bag sealing elements embodying this invention;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of a heating element used to eiiect sealing of bags after being filled by the mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary central vertlc section through a modified form of the invention;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation with parts shown in section of the machine shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a horizontal section taken on the line 14-14 of Figure 12; and

Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating one of the valve plates of the mechanism shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14. i

As shown in the drawings, the invention comprises a special attachment designated generally by the reference numeral 1 adapted to be suitably secured to the discharge hopper 2 for feeding granular material, such as granulated or powdered sugar, to the attachment 1. The attachment 1 comprises an outer casing 3 having an outwardly extending flange 4 secured to or formed between its ends. A gasket 5 of rubber. or similar material, is seated in the recess formed by the flange 4, and the lower part of the easin! 3.

An inner casing 6 extends downwardly from the upper part of the casing 3. and is spaced apart from the casing 3 at its lower end to form a vacuum chamber 7 having an outlet 8 connected detachabiy to a conduit 9 leading to any suitable means for creating a vacuum within the chamber 7. On the outer walls of the inner casingii, a pair of bars 10 and 11 are suitably secured to extend across the casing 3 and have their outer ends suitably secured to the inner wall of the said casing 3. These bars 10 and 11. at their lower ends are curved transversely to receive the arcuate knuckles 12 and 13 of valves 14 and 15 which are mounted to rotate on rods 16 and 17, respectively, extending parallel with the bars 10 and 11 and suitably secured at their opposite ends to the inner surface of the outer casing 3.

The valve 14 has a rear wall 18 spaced apart therefrom to form a conduit for the passage of air from the outside of the attachment 1 to the vacuum chamber 7, and thence through the conduit 9 to the vacuum producing machine. The lower end of the valve 14 is provided with a slot 19 and the upper end of the valve 14 is provided with a series of slots 20 (see Figures 6 and 8). The other valve 15 is likewise provided with a wall 21 spaced rearwardly from the front wall of the valve 15 to form a chamber 22. The lower end of the valve 15 is provided with a slot 23; while the upper end thereof is provided with a series of slots 24, similar to the slots 20 at the upper end of the valve 14.

The opposite ends of the valve 14 have a pair of triangular end walls 25 and 26 extending perpendicularly therefrom; and the valve 15 (see Figure 8) has similar triangular end walls 2'! and 23 extending perpendicularly therefrom. The valve plates 14 and'15 are adapted to be moved from the open position shown in Figure 4 to the closed position shown in Figure 5, by

means of an operating rod 29, which extends slidably through a packing gland 30 near the upper end of the outside casing 3. The rod 29 is bent near its lower end to slide in a slot 31 formed in the inner casing 6. The lower end of the rod 29 is pivoted to a pair of links 32 and 33 which have thiir free ends pivotally connected to the end walls 36 and 27 of the valve plates 14 and 15.

The rod 29 at its lower end is provided with a horizontal extension 34 which extends clear across the discharge valves to be pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of a second pair of links 35 and 36 which have their free ends connected to the end walls 25 and 28 of the valve plates 14 and 15. It will be obvious from inspection of Figures 6 and 7 that the valves may be closed and opened at will by moving the rod 29' up or down through the packing gland 30.

The contacting edges of the valve plates 14 and 15 are lined with rubber, or some similar resilient material, and suitable provision is made throughout the parts contacting with each other and with the end walls of the casing 6 to ensure an air-tight fit when the valves are closed. The opposite walls of the outer casing 3 are provided at their lower ends with triangular blocks 3'! and 38, preferably of rubber, to form an air-tight support for the rear walls 18 and 21 of the valve plates 14 and 15 when the valves are in closed position, as shown in Figure 5.

It will be noted from Figure 6, that the discharge spout itself is substantially rectangular in cross section. However, as most of the bags with which this attachment will be used are of the substantially fiat type, the outer casing 3 extends beyond the end walls of the spout and are curved to meet at points 39 and 40 which receive the creases in the opposite sides of the bags and.

position them properly'to receive material being discharged through the attachment 1.

The bag receiving part of the attachment is designed to receive the upper end of the bag snugly with its upper edge fitting closely against the gasket 5. In order to allow the bag to be readily positioned. the front part of the bag receiving member 41 is pivoted so that it may be lowered from the full line position shown inFigure 9 to the dotted line position. The bag is placed with one of its creases against the rear point 39 while the part 41 is lowered into the bag; then the bag with the part 41 is raised to the full line position shown in Figure 9 where it is held by means of the bell crank member 42, which is pivoted to the casing 3 and normally pressed against the bag by means of a spring 43.

It will be understood that when the bag 13 is positioned against the gasket 5, and the valves 14 and 15 are opened to discharge material thereinto, the suction device connected to the conduit 9 will draw air from the bag, causing its side wall to collapse, except where the bag is supported above the knuckles of the valve plates 14 and 15. As the material discharges into the bag, the vacuum continues to draw air out of the bag and out of the material being discharged. It will be understood, of course, that the vacuum will be just sumcient to draw the air from the bag and the material without drawing the material up through the valve plates. As soon as the material of 'a predetermined weight, or volume. shall have been discharged into the bag, it becomes necessary to seal the same while the vacuum device is still in operation. After the proper filling of the bag, the valves 14 and 15 are moved to closed posi- 1,sas,44a

oi the attachment 1. such mechanism is mus tion, but the apertures through the upp and lower edges of the valves still hold the upper part of the bag under suction and continue to hold it so until the sealing shall have been eflected.

a As previously stated, these bags are flexible and made of moisture proof and airproo! material.

The inside of the bag near the upper end thereofis coated with an adhesive which is normally dry during the filling of the bags but which is adapted to be softened by heat to cause the opposite sides of the bag to adhere to each other. To eflect this seal, the framework of the machine is provided with rollers adapted to be electrically or otherstandards 44 and 45 have 'slidably mounted therein, the rods 48 and 49 carrying rollers 50 and 51 extending into cam grooves 52 and 53 formed in cam disks 54 and 55, respectively, which are secured to a shalt 56 rotated from any suitable source 01' power. The rod 48 is reduced at its outer end to form an extension 56 slidably mounted in a sleeve 57 in which a. coil spring 58 is arranged to serve as a butter for the movements of the extension 56.

The sleeve 57 terminates at its outer end in brackets 59 and 60 adapted to receive the trunnions 61 and 62 of the rollers 63 and 64, respectively, The rod 49 at the other side of the apparatus is provided with a similar arrangement to support the opposite trunnions of the rollers 63 and 64. The trunnions of the rollers 63 and 64 are hollow, as are the rollers themselves. Wires 65 and 66 are conducted through the hollow trunnions to heating coils 67 mounted within the rollers in any well known manner.

At the other side 01' the packing mechanism a single heated roller 68 is mounted to rotate between the ends oirods 69 and '10 slidably mounted in the standards 46 and 47; and these rods are similarly provided with coil springs for the purpose of causing the rollers 68 to exert a yielding pressure against the sides of the bag 13 whenall three of the rollers are forced toward each other, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The rods 69 and 70 are operated by cam disks 54- and 55' mounted on a shaft 56' parallel to the shaft 56. These two cam disks 54' and 55' and the shaft connected thereto, are paired with the corresponding cam disks and shaft for operating the rods 48 and 49 on the other side of the discharge spout.

The invention is not particularly concerned with any special form of cam mechanism or with any special means for operating the same. The means shown in a diagrammatic and fragmentary manner in the drawings and described herein are intended merely to show some appropriate method for sealing the bags under vacuum. It will be understood that the cam disks on opposite sides of the bag B will be operated from a. suitable source of power so that they move toward and from the bag in synchronism; and so that when they are in sealing contact with the bag they will be heated so as to cause the adhesive on the inner surface of the bag to become soft enough to make a proper sealing contact throughout the width of the bag.

It is intended that when the rollers 68, 64 and 63 come into sealing contact, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, suitable mechanism will be set in operation to pull the bag through the sealing rollers and remove it from the discharge mouth trateddiagrammaticallyinl 'igures 1, 2 audit of the drawings. a

In the drawings this mechanism includes a shaft 71 continuously rotating and having a spur gear '72 secured to the end thereoi. The trunnion 62 has suitably secured thereto a pinion l3 adapted to mesh with the spur gear '12 just as soon as the rollers 63, 64 and 68 move into sealing contact with the bag. The rotation 01' the gear '12 causes the pinion .73 to impart its rotation to the roller 64; and this rotation draws theupper end of the bag and seals the same as it passes through the heated and sealing rollers. At the expiration of the sealing operation, the cams,of course, move the rollers back to the inoperative position shown in Figure l to permit the filling of the next bag.

As previously stated, the invention is not particularly concerned with the mechanism for sealing the bag, since this involves nothing more than the design and skill 01 the mechanic. The

invention is concerned primarily with the peculiar valve mechanism by which the vacuum may be maintained not only while the valves are open, but also while they are closed and continuously until the bag is withdrawn from filling position on the discharge end 01' the attachment. The

invention is further concerned with the method the valve operating mechanism on the outside walls of the discharge spout to eliminate the linkages and cross rods within the discharge spout of Figures 4 and 5. In this iorm of the invention, an operating rod 74 is mounted to slide through a packing gland 75 formed centrally through one side of the vacuum chamber casing 3. The rod 75 extends downwardly into the chamber 3 and is pivotally connected at its lower end to an arm '76 projecting laterally from the center of a shaft 77 which is rotatably mounted in brackets 78, 79, 80 and 81 within the vacuum chamber. The opposite ends of the shaft 77 are rigidly connected to operating rods 82 and 83 each of which is slotted at its outer end to receive pivot pins 84 extending laterally from links 85 which at their lower ends are pivotally connected to a pair of links 86 and 87 adapted to move the valves 88 and 89 to open or closed position. The valves 88 and 89 are otherwise in every respect similar to the valves 14 and 15 of Figures 4 and 5.

It is thought that the invention and numerous 01 its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. and it is obvi ous that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing irom the spirit or scope oi my invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages; the. form herein described being a preferred embodiment for th purpose of illustrating my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In packaging apparatus for fluent substantially dry solid material, a discharge spout, valve mechanism within said spout, means for holding a flexible container in air-tight connection with said spout, meansfor operating said mechanism to control the flow of material therethrough, means for subjecting the material to a vacuum during its flow from said spout, and means for sealing the container under vacuum.

2. In packaging apparatus for fluent solid material, a discharge spout, valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spaced apart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means for holding the open end of a flexible container against said stop, means tor evacuating the space between said casing and spout, and means for sealing the container while the interior themes! and its contents are subjected to the vacuum in said space.

3. In packaging apparatus for fluent solid material, a discharge spout, valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spaced apart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means for holding the open end of a flexible container against said stop, means for evacuating the space between said casing and spout, means for sealing the container while the interior thereoi' and its contents are subjected to the vacuum in said space. said sealing means comprising rollers suspended from opposite sides of said casing, and means tor moving simultaneously the rollers into sealing contact with the container on opposite sides thereof.

4. In packaging apparatus tor fluent solid-material, a discharge spout, valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spaced apart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means for holding the open end 0! a flexible container against said step, means for evacuating the space between said casing and spout, means for sealing the container while the interior thereof and its contents are subjected to the vacuum in said space, said sealing means comprising rollers suspended from opposite sides of said casing, and means tor reciprocating said rollers simultaneously into and out. of sealing contact with the opposite sides 0! said container.

FLORENCE M. GREVEN.

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