US2017838A - Bag - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, `1935. 'I y W N BAKER ETAL 2,017,838

' lNvENToRs fil .Patented Oct.` 22, 19354 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG tion of Delaware Application November 15, 1934, Serial No.` 753,118

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in open-mouth gussetted bags, particularly, but not necessarily, multi-ply bags of large size and adaptedto contain about onehundred pounds of pulverulent materials. Y

Essentially, the primary object of our invention is to devise some means integral with the bag structure itself 4whereby the filling of such bags is accomplished without disrupting the folds of the gussets. A disadvantage inherent in paper bags of the open mouth type is their tendency to become disarranged in the filling operation to such an extent that it is impossible to guide them through the usual closing mechanism, which closi ing mechanism is preferably a sewing machine adapted to apply a line of stitches across the open mouth of the bag.

A secondary object of our invention is to obtain the primary object in such a manner that the appearance of the bag is not noticeably altered. Paper bags appeal strongly to consumers who have heretofore relied upon bags made of'co'arse textiles. One of the reasons that large paper bags have become commercially successful is that they prsent a smooth exterior upon which ne print and appealing designs may be carried. An advantage of our invention lies in the preservation of this smooth, unbroken exterior.

Bags made in accordance with our invention are peculiarly adapted to be lled and closed by the type of machine set forth in copending application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall, Serial No. 757,772, filed December 17, 1934.i In

such a machine, as the bag is being filled, the

open mouth is unrestrained and unsupported.

The Weight of the material tends to bulge the gusv sets outwardly whereupon the operator must take time to rearrange the gussets at the mouth of the bag before the bag can be presented to the closing machine. Our invention prevents this delay in the operation of the type of machine set forth in the aforementioned application, as

well as in any type of machine wherein gussetted bags are filled and closed. I

Our invention is set forth in detail in the following specincation and illustratedin the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of our invention, the bag being broken away at its middle portion;

Fig. 2 is a partial View of a bag showing one corner thereof and a simple form of our invention applied thereto;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Fig. 2 showing ramifications of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view of the upper portion of a bag made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 8 is an 'end view of the open mouth of a 5 bag having our invention applied 'thereto as the bag appears when filled, or partially filled;

Fig. 9 shows the manner in which the gussets of an ordinary bag become disrupted during the filling operation; l lo Fig. l 'is a large scale view of one end of an open bag mouth illustrating the invention lapplied to a multi-ply bag; and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a lling and closing machine wherein the bag is filled and closed.

An open mouth bag, as it is sold to the consumer, consists of a tubular blank having gussets 2l formed therein .by folding inwardly the edges of a attened, tubular blank. The bottom 20 of the bag is closed by a closure extending through the'gussets -and which is preferably a line of stitches, or which may be staples, or other closing means indicated in Fig. 1 at 22. Preferably, the bag is manufactured with a strip 23 of ad- 25 herent material, such as gummed crepe paper, folded over the end of the bag to prevent sifting of materials through the stitches or through the stitch holes, and also to protect the stitches andv preserve the uniformity of appearance of the bag. 30

Heretofore bags in the condition described were then ready for use with the resulting disadvantages indicated above.

Our invention consists in applyinga gussetholding means to the open end of the bag. For

reasons of simplicity of manufacture and maximum strength the form of gusset-holding means illustrated in Figs. 1, 8 and 10 is preferred. `This means consists essentially of a wire staple 24, clinched through the corners of the bag with 40 the body of the-staple lparallel to the mouth of the bag, and a. strip of reinforcing material 25 bent in U-shape around the side of the bag with the ends of the strip underlying the body and clinched points of the staple. This strip of reinforcing material is preferably'tough fibrous material, but of course metallic or other bendable strip materials may be substituted therefor. This reinforcing strip is practically necessary in connection with large ,multi-ply, bags designed to contain heavy materials since the expanding force exerted by the charge being dump-edinto the bag is often tremendous and would rip the gussets open in spite of the staples. Fig. 2 merely shows a stapled gusset with the reinforcing strip omitted.

Greater strength, or a more pleasing appearance, may be obtained with` other forms of stapling means such as the well-known eyelet illustrated at 26 in Figs. 3 and 4, or rivet 21 illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Other forms of stapling means will readily suggest themselves. Observations have convinced us that the enlarged heads of eyelets are advantageous in packaging some materials where the blow struck by the falling charge is sharper andheavier than with other materials. Likewise, the greater gripping ability of a clinched rivet is desirable in certain instances and the mechanism of some types of closing machines make the rivets desirable since they can be forced to lie practically flush with the surface of the bag.

Each form of holding means herein illustrated is similar to others in that the holding means consists of an element forced through the plies of the bag and clinched in some manner to hold the gussets in place.

Fig. 9 serves to illustrate the reason for the preferred form of reinforcing means comprising a strip of material bent around the edge of the bag as in Figs. 8 and 10, the said Fig. 9 showing the manner in which the gussets of an ordinary bag tend to open and become disarranged during the filling operation and as the sides of the bag bulge outwardly due to the presence of the filling material therein. Figs. 8 and 10 show the preferred form of reinforcing means applied to the mouth of a bag in accordance with the present invention, the reinforcing means comprising a strip of material bent around the end edge of the bag. Of course, the reinforcing means could consist of two separate pieces of material, each placed between an end of the gusset holding element and the adjacent surface of the bag. The illustrated form is preferred because it materially H increases the force required to rip the gusset-holding element through the bag. The gussets are formed by bending the edges 55 of a flattened tubular blank inwardly so that 4the edge of the bag will be at the fold lines 56 rather than at 55.

. During the filling of the bag the side walls 51 tend to be bowed outwardly, spreading the gussets so that the bag approaches a rectangular shape, which is unobjectionable as far as the body of the bag is concerned but must be restrained at the open mouth. 'I'he gusset-holding means hold the gussets in place at the mouth of the bag so that the edge 55 is held in reentrant position at the mouth and bulges beyond edges 56 slightly below the mouth. There is thus a considerable outward force on the gusset walls slightly below the open end and the fold lines 56 come together at a considerable angle, thus tending to rip the outer leg of the staple 25, or the outer edge of whatever holding means is used, through the bag rather than to place a distributed strain upon the entire end of the holding element. The reinforcing strip 26, if folded around the side edge of the bag, brings the folds 56 together at point 58 and restrains the gussets to such an extent that the outward force is distributed evenly throughout the extent of the gusset-holding means.

Figs. l to 6 show forms of holding means so related to the lip of the bag that the usual closing mechanism will apply a line of ,closure 3| of stitches or staples below the stapling means; neither the staple nor the reinforcing strip interfering with the action of the closingmechanism.

This location of the stapling means is bound to be advantageous primarily because of the treatment which a large filled bag usually receives in shipment. As is well known, these bags are dropped or thrown many times and may burst before reaching their ultimate destination. To relieve the excessive strains on the closing line and thereby strengthen one point at whichbreakage is liable 5 to occur, certain types of closures have been devised, such as that set forth in the patent to W. Noyes Baker, No. 1,913,825, dated June 13, 1933. It is apparent that placing the holding means below the line of closure would reduce the efficacy of such closures, and likewise might in itself lead to loss of material if the holding means should be pulled through the material of the bag.

However, there are certain types of closing machines which will not permit this relationship of the stapling means and the line of closure, and for this reason the staple, or other holding means, may be placed below the line of closure as indicated in Fig. '7, but in no event should it be placed far below. y 20 Figs. 8 and 10 show how the mouth of a bag made in accordance with the present invention tends to open, as, the bag mouth is spread to receive a filling spout through which the material may be dumped, such as the filling spout in Fig. 11. Fig. 11 diagrammatically represents a filling and closing machine having a conveyor 4 I, a filling means indicated by the spout 40 and a closing means indicated by a sewing head 42. The center line of the sewing needle is indicated at 43 as slightly below the staple 24 and reinforcing strip 25 applied to the bag 26 being filled. Such a machine'is detailed in the aforementioned application of Robert N. Cundall and Lincoln A. Cundall. This machine is also adapted to apply 35 a strip of gummed material, similar to strip 23, over the end of the bag carrying the holding means. An advantage of our invention is that the holding means is covered by strip 45 so that the uniform appearance of the bag is preserved.

Other modifications in form and arrangement will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and we do not intend to be limited to the exact details set forth herewith, but the scope of our invention is to be determined by the following claims which are to be broadly construed.

We claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a heavy-duty, open-mouth, paper shipping bag comprising a -iiattened tubular body portion provided with gussets extending along its opposite longitudinal edges, a closure at one end of said body portion forming a gussetted bag having an open mouth at one end, and means for preventing spreading of the ends of said gussets adjacent. said open mouth during the filling of the bag and the subsequent closing of said open mouth, comprising fastening means located adjacent to, and on each side of, the open mouth within the area of the gussets, said fastening means being ofrsuicient strength to withstand strains set up in those portions of the gussets adjacent the open mouth by theloperations of filling and closing the bag, and by the outward bulging of the intermediate portion of the bag when lled.

2. As an article of manufacture, a heavy-duty, open-mouth, paper shipping bag comprising a flattened tubular body portion provided with gussets extending along its opposite longitudinal edges, a closure at one end of said body portion forming a gussetted bag having an open mouth at one end, and means for preventing spreading of the ends of said gussets adjacent said open mouth during the filling of the bag and the subsequent closing of said open mouth, comprising elements passing through the plies of the bag and the gussets, said elements being located adjacent to, and on each side of, the open mouth within the area of the gussets, and being of sufiicient strength to withstand strains set up in those portions of the gussets adjacent the open mouth by the operations of lling and closing the bag, and by the outward bulging of the intermediate portion of the bag when lled.

3. As an article of manufacture, a heavy-duty, open-mouth, paper shipping vbag comprising a iiattened tubular body portion provided with gussets extending along its opposite longitudinal edges, a closure at one end of said body portion forming a gussetted bag having an open mouth at one end, and means for preventing spreading of the ends of said gussets adjacent said open mouth during the filling of the bag and the subsequent closing of said'open mouth, comprising elements passing through the plies of the bag and the gussets and reinforcing means placed between the surface of the bag and the ends of said elements, said means being located adjacent to, and on each side of, the open mouth within the area of the gussets, and being of sucient strength to withstand strains set up in those portions of the gussets adjacentthe open mouth by the operations of lling and closing Vthe bag,

and by the outward bulging of the intermediate portion of the bag when lled.

4. As an article of manufacture, a heavy-duty, open-mouth, paper shipping bag comprising a flattened tubular` body portion provided with gussets extending along its opposite longitudinal edges, a closure at one end of said body portion forming a gussetted bag having an open mouth at one end, and means for preventing spreading of the ends of said gusset-s adjacent said open mouth during the filling of the bag and the subsequent closing of said open mouth, comprising elements passing through the plies of the bag and the gussets and a strip of reinforcing material bent around each longitudinal edge of the bag and having its ends positioned between the surface of the bag and the ends of one of said elements, said means being located adjacent. to, and on each side of, the open mouth within the area of the gussets, and being of sufcient strength to withstand strains set up in those portions of the gussets adjacent the open mouth by the operations of filling andclosing the bag, and by the outward bulging of the intermediate portion of the bag when lled.

HARRY C. KNODE. J. WALKER GRIMM. t W. NOYES BAKER.

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