US2254384A - Apparatus for feeding and opening bags and containers - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 2,1941. v| J NOWAK` JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS @da LEON Now/mdk.

Sept. 2, 1941. 1 NQWAK1 JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FO FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS A Filed Dec. 30, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 66 561 L ri 59M @c/EON J. Now/AK, JR. ME-

Sept. 2, 1941. L. .1. NowAK, JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 50, 1937 @M VLEON J. Nom/AK, JR. QL! gg/5.

Sept. 2, 1941. 1 ,.1. NowAK, JR 2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDNG AND OPENING BAGS AND CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 50, 1937 5 Sheets-Shea?l 4 Sept 2, 1941- L. J. NowAK, JR A ,2,254,384

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS vAND CONTAINERS Filed Deo. 30, 1937 5 Sheets-She'et 5 @all/EON J. Now/M ,JR R @E m5;

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE APPARATUSFOB FEEDING AND OPENING BAGS AND. CONTAINERS Leon J. Nowak, Jr., Chicago, Ill. Application December so, 1937, serial No. 182,439

, 21 claims. l(ol. 226-49) A This invention relates to an apparatus for opening bags orcontainers and concerns itself primarily with spreading fingers and a magazine .having relative movement with respect to the spreading ngers for automatically telescoping a bag on such ngers.

The invention further contemplates the use of bags having a notch or depression inthe top wall thereof or having one side wall higher than the other whereby anv entrance lwill be provided 'for the ngers through a relative lateral movement of the fingers and magazine.

` It is an object of this invention to provide such an apparatus that is automatic in its action for opening bags, sustaining the same while they are being filled and moving the filled bags.

It is a further object of this, invention to provide proper controls for such a machine whereby the relative movement between the fingers and magazine may be governed.

With these and other objects in view which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, this invention ycomprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in whichI similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Figure lis a rear elevational view of a bag opening `machine involving this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the machine. f

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in, section and looking at the top of the bag magazine taken substantially upon the line, III- 111 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a bag as it is being opened or expanded.

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a in its fully expanded condition.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view'of the head part of this machine.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line VII-VII of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an enlarged top plan view of a part of the base portion of the machine with the bag lmagazine removed.

Figure 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the bag magazine.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary 'sectional viewv taken upon the line X-X of Figure 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

bag

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the feed hopper.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view through the hopper with adjacent parts in elevation.

Figure 13 4is a view similar to Figure 12 but showing parts in different positions.

Figure 14 isa view similar to Figure 13,'but showing the parts in different positions.

In' referring to the drawings which illustrate the .chosen embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that the machine comprises a supporting base I provided with a pair of 'upstanding standards 2. Adjacent the top portion of the standards there is secured thereon a feed hopper 3. The hopper 3 is provided with a laterally extending bearing 3a (Fig. 6) having apertures for receiving the standards. The bearing 3a may be rigidly secured to the standards in some suitable manner. f

Upon the bottom portion of the hopper adja-y cent the throat thereof are secured four bifurcated bearings 5 and in each of these bearings there is journaled a cylindrical member 6. A pendant finger 1 is secured to each cylindrical member 6. .'Each cylindrical member 6 also has an arm 8 extending in a lateral direction that carries a ball or spherical member 9( Slidably mounted uponthe standards 2, there is a member I0 which is in the form of a bifurcated frame consisting of a bridging strip I I (Fig. 1) provided with a bearing I2 slidably mounted upon the standards 2 and a pair of spaced forwardlv` extending arms I3.. It will be noted that the balls 9 rest upon the arms I3.

The balls 9 are held against the arms I3 of the member I0 by means of at strips I4 which` extend in parallel relation to the arms I3 in superposed relation to the balls and these strips I4 are secured to the arms I3 by means of studs `I5 which may be welded or secured between the arms and the strips. The 'parts I3 and I4 are, however, suiiiciently spaced apart to allow the balls 9 to freely slide therebetween. 'I'he member I0 together with the strips I4 constitutes in effect an actuator for operating the fingers 'I. When the actuator is lowered the fingers 'I converge to receive a bag and when the actuator is that amotor lismounted uponthebase I and In the wall 22, there is a sloping slot ze shown v in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in which a stub shaft 21 is adjustably mounted that supports a roller 28.

An elongated platform 29 rests upon the rollers 25 and 28. Upon' the left hand end of the platform 29 there is secured a bearing 38 in which a lcranll; pin 3l is journaled. This crank pin 3| ls connected to the lower end of a link 32 which is pivoted at its upper end on a pivot pin 33 mounted in a bearing 34 on the rear end of the wall 22 which it will he noted extends-upwardly at its rear end as indicated at 35 to provide a post or standard for such a purpose. Thus the platform 29 is pivotally anchored at its rear end to the base l. At the forward end of the platform, there is a pendant pin 36 (Fig. 9) for 'a purpose that'will later appear. An angle member 31 is secured to the bottom of the platform rearward of the roller 25 for coactionwith said roller in a predetermined position as will later appear.

' The bag magazine 38 is supported upon the platform 29 as shown in Fig. 1. This magazine may consist of a sheet metal plate bent to provide a bottom 38a and parallel side walls 38h. A U- shaped member 39 is welded or secured externally of the front end of the magazine so as to extend down the sides and across the bottom thereof. A plate 40 is secured to the bottom -of the U- shaped member and extends rearwardly and provides a gap between it and the bottom of the magazine for receiving the front end of the platform 29. This plate has a slot 4I (Fig. 9) in its free end for receiving the pendent pin 36 on the platform. This construction will maintain the forward end of the magazine against shifting movements. The rear end of the magazine has a downwardly turned ange 42 through which screws 43 extend that areV threaded into the bearing 30. Thus the magazine is firmly attached to the platform 29.

Spaced a short distance from theforward end of the magazine are side braces 44 that are attached to the exterior surfaces of the side walls of the magazine. Leaf springs 45 are attached to these braces and these leaf springs extend through long slots 46 cut in the side walls' of the magazine. The leaf springs 45 extend to the forward end of the magazine where they are provided with inturned lips 45a for retaining the bags. Adjustable screws 41 which extend through. the sides of the U-shaped member 39 abut the leaf springs 45 for adjusting the inward deflection zine between the inturned lips 45a and the forward wall 49 of a movable abutment or carriage 50 that is adapted to be automatically advanced by a spring motor 5l, best shown in Figs. 9 and plates 50a are provided with flanges 52 at their lower endsv which are welded to the ange 48a of plate 49.

A shaft 53 is secured in the side walls 58a of the carriage and supports the spring motor 5I which consists of a coil or clock spring 54 secured at its inner end -to the shaft 5,3 at 55' and secured at its outer end to a drum ,55 surrounding the coil spring. The tendency ofthe spring 54 is to unwind and rotate the drum 55.

A pair of spaced flexible straps 56 (Fig. 9) are secured at their rear end to the drum and wound -therearound and then extended along the bottom of the magazine to the front end thereof where they extend through slots 51 in a downwardly sloping extension 58 on the bottom of. the magazine. The forward ends of these straps are anchored to the bottom of the extended bottom 58 of the magazine by means of a strip 59 and screws 60. l

It might be here mentioned that when the forward end of the magazine is tilted upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the sloping extension 58 will be in a substantially 'horizontal plane' and will be pressing kagainst the bottom of the `bag so as to maintain the same substantially horizontal. This extendedbottom 58 may also serve to support the bag while it is being Vfilled.

The tendency of the spring 54 is to rotate the drum 55 in a clockwise direction and wind up the straps 56, and thuswise cause the carriage to advance as the bags are removed from the magazine. The carriage is provided with a handle 6I whereby it may be manually pulled rearwardly when it is desired to replenish the magazine with empty y In referring now to Fig. 1, it will be noted that a rod 62 is secured at its upper end to one of the bearings l2 of the actuator. The lower end of this rod has an arm 62a attached thereto as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A roller 63 is journaled upon the end of the 'arm for engagement. by a cam 64 secured to the shaft 20.

It will be evidentl that When the motor rotates shaft 20 in an anti-clockwise direction., the arm 23 will rotate in an anti-clockwise direction and elevate or tilt the magazine upwardly. In the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and '1 the fingers 1 are in their converging relation and within the mouth of the foremost bag in the magazine as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. I'he bags 48 are formed with a depression 48a (Fig. 2) in the top of one side thereof. By positioning the bags in the magazine with the depression 48'a foremost.

it will be evident that as the `bags -in the magazine are gradually advanced the foremost side of 10. The carriage 50 is preferably formed' from which is an angle plate having a lower flange 49a riding upon the base of the magazine. These side azine is elevated, the fingers 1 will be in proper position within the mouth of the foremost bag. While the depression 48a is shown as a notch, it is intended to include a bag structure in which. one side wall is higher than the other.

As the magazine is elevated by the crankarm 23, the foremost bag will be telescoped over the ngers 1. When the bagv has been telescoped over the ngers, the cam 64 will elevate the rod 62 and the actuator for expanding the bag to open position. This expanding force will hold the bag on the ngers while it is being filled.

The bag, however, may also rest upon the extended bottom 58 of the magazine when it is being filled as shown in Fig. 1. Y

- Substantially at the time that the bag has been expanded, the motor will be stopped for a. predetermined period as will now be set forth. Upon one of the upper bars H of the actuator, there is secured at its lower end a leaf spring 65 .best

shown in Figs. 12 to 14. The upper end 'of this spring engages a trip lever 66 having adownwardly hooked end 66a for confining the upper end of the spring'. The trip lever 66 is secured to one end of a shaft 61 journaled in the hopper and extending beyond both sides thereof. The trip lever 66 is secured to the shaft upon one side of the hopper while an arm 68 is `secured to the shaft upon the other side of the hopper. The arm 68 carries an adjustable counterweightl 69. A pin projecting from the bearing on the hopper forms a fulcrum for leaf spring 65 as will later more fully appear.

It will be noted that the shaft 61 extends across the mouth of the hopper. A plate 1I within the hopper has one edge secured to the shaft 61. While the plate 1l may be attached to the shaft in various ways, in the present instance, a sheet metal sleeve 12 is secured upon the shaft with its edges brought together as indicated at 13 for forming a fiange to which the plate 1I is attached.

The plate 1I is fashioned in accordance with the interior contour of the hopper so that it can pass from the full line position shown in Fig. 12 to the full line position shown inFig. 14.

Upon the end `of the shaft 61 adjacent the weight arm 68, there is secured a clamp 14 (Figs. 6 and 11) which carries a mercoid switch 15 connectedby conductors 16 and 11 to one side of a supply circuit to the motor. l

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 12, the mercoid switch willbe closed and the motor will be operating. When the actuator is elevated for expanding a bag, the spring 65 will flex or fulcrum against the pin 10 as shown in Fig. 13 and elevatelthe trip lever 66 imparting a partial rotation toshaft 61 which will be suf- ,ficient for opening the mercoid switch and stopping the motor when the magazine is in the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 1 in which position the bottom of the bag rests upon the extension plate 58.'

The bag may now be filled by pouring the material into the hopper 3. As the `material descends through the hopper, it will swing the plate 1l substantially to the position shown in Fig. 14, an operation which will disengage'the trip lever 66 from the spring .65 as shown in Fig. 14. When the weight of the material passing through the hopper ceases to act upon plate 1 I, the counterweight 69 will come into action for restoring the parts to the full line positions shown in Fig. 12. When the parts are thuswise restored, the hooked trip lever 66 will engage over the end of the leaf spring 65 and the motor will be set in operation for returning the magazine to its lowered position. During Athis operation, the roller 25 on crank arm 23 will strike the angle 31 and shift the magazine rearwardly from under the bag which may then descend of its own weight and drop upon thev base or fioor. Asthe magazine is lowered and brought to its original position, its final movement will be in a horizontal forward direction. This forward movement will cause the magazine to shift or slide the filled bag forward, in front of the magazine. This forward movement of the filled bag produced by the magazine may be utilized for feeding the filled bags away'from the apparatus to a conveying belt or the like. Thus it will be apparent that the means for feeding the empty bags to the ex'- panding fingers, is also utilized to feed the bags in a direction away from the machine. l

It will be appreciated that a simple and novel 4mechanism has'been provided for opening and 'varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore,-do not purpose limiting th'e patent granted. hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: v

l. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pivoted fingers converging substantially to a point, a bag magazine, means for shifting said magazine for telescoping a bag over said fingers and bringing their converged ends Asubstantially to the bag bottom, and means for pivotally moving and spreading said fingers for opening said bag.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pivotally mounted fingers normally converging substantially to a point, a magazine adapted for containing bags, means for tilting .said magazine for telescoping a bag upon said Afingers and'bringing the converged ends of the fingers 'to a position adjacent the bag bottom, and means for-swinging and spreading said fingers for forcibly opening said bag substantially throughout its length.

3. In an apparatus ofi'the class described, a stationary support, a plurality of fingers having bearings pivoted to said support, saidflngers having weighted arms extending laterally from said bearings and effective for normally causing said fingersto converge, an actuator having a connec- Y tion with saidarms and means for operating said actuator for movng said arms for spreading. said fingers.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a stationary support, fingers adapted to extend into a bag, each of said fingers having a bearing at its uppermost end pivoted onsaid support, arms laterally extending -from said bearings and having their outermost ends lying in l. a common plane, an actuator connected to said arms, and means for operating said actuator for swinging said arms and spreading said fingers.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingers, a magazine for confining containers, means including a mo,- tor for elevating said magazine for telescoping a container upon said fingers, means for spreading said fingers for opening said container, and means for temporarily rendering said motor ineffective when said fingers are spread apart.

6. In any apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingers, a magazine adapted for confining bags, means including a motor for elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag on said fingers, means actuated yby said motor for spreading said fingers, and means for shutting off said motor when said fingers are spread and a bag is being filled, s aid means acting to start said motor when said lbag is' substantially lled for lowering said magazine.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a

plurality of pendant bag opening ngers normal- 1y in converging relation, a magazine Y adapted for containingbags, means including a motor for a elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag on said ngers, means actuated by said motor for operating said fingers for expanding said bag and Y plurality of pendant bag opening fingers normally in converging relation, a. magazine adapted for containing bags, means including a. motor for causing relative movement between said magazine and fingers for telescoping a bag on said ngers, means actuated by said motor for spread--v ing said lingers when said bag is telescoped thereon, and means responsive to the 'actuation of said ngers for shutting off said motor while said bag is being filled, said magazine supporting saidA bag while it is being lled. l Y

/9. A bag opening apparatus comprising bag opening fingers, a magazine adapted for containing bags, means for moving said magazine for telescoping a 'bag over said ingers, said magazine including a member for supporting said bag while it is being iilled with material,

10. A bag opening apparatus comprising bag opening fingers normally in converging relation, a' magazine for containing empty bags, means for moving said magazine for telescoping an empty bag over said ngers, means for spreading said fingers for opening said bag and means movable with said magazine for sustaining saldi-bag while it is being lled.

11. Ina bag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bag openingiingers, a magazine forcontaining .bags and having an extended inclined bottom' portion, means for elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag over said fingers and bringing the inclined bottom portion to a substantially horizontal position, and means for spreading said fingers for opening said Ibag, said bag moving upon the extended portion of said bottom and being supported thereby while being filled.

12. In an apparatus for opening a bag having a notch in its upper edge, a plurality of rod-like lingers normally in converging relation and hav-,f

` ing spaced apart supports at one set of their corresponding ends, a magazine adapted for retainwhen the material ceases passing said 14. In a lbag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingers normally in converging relation, a magazine adapted for containing empty bags, means for pivotally securing one end of said magazine for longitudinal and upward pivotal movement, means including a motor for elevating said magazine for telescoping a bag upon said fingers, means actuated by said motor for spreading said fingers for opening said bag, means for stopping said motor when said.

bag is expanded and-being lled, and means for causing said motor to start when said bag is lled for lowering said magazine and moving the same to its original position.

15. In a bag opening apparatus, pendant iingers, a magazine for containing empty bags, means for pivotally anchoring the rear end of said magazine for arcuate swinging movement, means including a motor for elevating the forward part lof said magazine for telescoping a bag on said ngers, means actuated by said motor for spreading said fingers for opening said bag and temporarily stopping said motor while said bag is being lled, means for starting the motor for causing said magazine to move away from said lled bag and allowing said filled bag `to drop in the path of said magazine, said magazine upon its return movement moving said lled bag in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

16. In a bag opening apparatus, pendant iingers normally in converging relation, a magazine `adapted for containing empty bags, a swingable support pivotally connected to the rear end of said magazine, means for elevating said maga- Y zine for telescoping a bag on said fingers. means ing a. stack of empty 'bags with the notched porvtionforemost for receiving the converging ends means for spreading said fingers.

' 13. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingers, a magazine adapted for containing a stack of empty 'bags, means including a motor for elevating said magazine for telescoping the foremost bag in said stack upon said ngers, means actuated by said motor for spreading said fingers for opening said bag, a feed hopper above said bag, a'shaft vjournaled on. said hopper, a mercoid switch carried by said shaft and connected toV said motor, means for rocking said shaft when said fingers are spread for tilting said switch for stopping said motor, a plate secured upon said shaft withfin said hopper and responsive to material passing through said hopper for maintaining said switch inoperative, and means connected to said shaft for rocking said shaftl for closing said switch for spreading said fingers for opening said bag, means for filling said bag and causing the same to drop in the path of said magazine, said elevating means returning said magazine toa horizontal position and moving said filled bag.

17. In a bag apparatus, bag opening members, a magazine for containing empty bags, means for moving said magazine in a given path to and from said bag opening members, and means releasing a lled bag for descent from said bag opening members independently of said magazine, said magazine having a movement in.

said given path for propelling a. lledbag after 1t has descended from said bag opening meni- V bers.

18. In a bag opening apparatus, a plurality of pendant bag opening fingers, a magazine containing bags, means for alternately elevating and returning said magazine, said magazine when being elevated telescoping a bag over said iingers and moving the bag to a filling position, means for spreading the ngers for vopening said bag, a member for supporting the bag during filling, and means for withdrawing said member from underneath said filled bag and allowing the lled bag to drop in the path of said magazine, said magazine upon its return movement moving said filled bag in a lateral direction.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, a bag magazine, means for successively elevating and returning the magazine to a normal position, movement of said magazine to its elevated position delivering a bag to a lling position, and means operative at the elevated position of said magazine for interrupting its movement and rethe cessation o! ow of material into said bag for re-establishing movement of said magazine, whereby said magazine is returned to normal position.

20. In an apparatus of the class described for opening a collapsed bag having a lateral entrance in its upper edge, a plurality of pivoted fingers converging substantially to a point and adapted to enter said lateral entrance in the bag, a bag magazine, means for shifting said magazine for telescoping a bag over said fingers and bringing their converged ends substantially to the bag bottom, and means for pivotally moving and spreading said iingers for opening said bag, the

movement of said fingers being such as to open\15 a bag in at least two directions disposed at an angle to each other.

21. In an apparatus o! the class described, a'

said'bag thereon.

\ LEON J. NOWAK. JR.

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