US2624995A

US2624995A - Bag closing machine

Info

Publication number: US2624995A
Application number: US32332A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard G Allen
Original assignee: Savannah Sugar Refining Corp
Current assignee: Savannah Sugar Refining Corp
Priority date: 1948-06-11
Filing date: 1948-06-11
Publication date: 1953-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-13

Description

Jan, 13, 1953 H. G. ALLEN BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 se e@ sa es INVENTOR. Hou/0rd G. /1//6/7 Mvm.

1m 139 1953 H. ALLEN 2,624,995

BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2V :se se se 89,35 6,1

jan. 13, 1953 H. G. .ALLEN BAG CLOSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 11, 1948 ON ON mN NN @DTN w. n@ d w .W H

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 BAG CLOSING MACHINE Howard G'. Allen, Niagara FalIs, N'. `assignm" to Savannah Sugar Refining Corporatibm Sa-` vannah, Ga.

Apparat-inn June 11, 194s, serial No. 32,332.

(ci. 5a142 5 Claims.

means, for continuously receiving paper bags or like. receptacles whichhavepreviouslybeen lled with material and tucking in the end walls and simultaneously folding the front and back wall of the bag over the top of the contents of) the bag, the bag being delivered with the remainingA upper portions of the front and back ofthe bag extending vertically above the lled portion of `the bag folded substantially at. against each other, the bag being thus. preliminarily closed.

The operation of the apparatus of. the present invention ends with delivery of. the' bag thus closed and is not concerned with] the subsequent folding or wrapping and sealing. of the top of the bag. The thus closed bags maybe iinallyfolded or wrapped and sealed or tied by other automatic machinery with which` the. present' invention is not concerned, or. this subsequent treatmentof the containers or bags may be performed wholly or in part by hand, insofar as the present invention is concerned.

The principles of the present invention aswell as thevarious objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from a. consideration of the following detailed description,. taken in conjunctionfwith the accompanying drawings whereinone 'form of the invention is s et forth. by way of example. It is to be understood.. however, that the invention is not limited to the` precise form shown and that various mechanical modications be made without departing from the, spiritv of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

In. the drawings:

Eig. 1 is a side elevational view ofy one form of the bag tucking and closing apparatus of the present invention with the parts illustrated in the position they assume just after a properly tucked and closed bag has been delivered therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig.. l but. with the parts in the position they occupy after the. cycle of operation of tucking and closing a bag has Ajust begun;

Fig. 3 is a iront elevational view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 with the parts shown in the `position of operation illustrated in Eig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a top plan view showing schematically the. bag ducking and; closing implements. in their relative; pcsiticns.; at vthe beginning of .a bag .closing and; tucking cycle;

2. Fia ,5 is, a View. Similar? w 4.- bfui .Shaving the parts in a more; advanced position of' thetuclr-v ing-v and. closing. cycle;l

Fig- 6i is@ .viav- Similar' Fiss 4i .and 5.51.1@ with the. llafrts` in4 the' position occupynear' the. close. of a, tucking.; and closing cycle; Fig. '7 is a fragmentary elevational viewshowing. schematically aconveyorline and a bag tuck#-4 ing and closing sta-tion therealon-g. the' tucking and closing apparatus having just delivered a pair. ofi closed. bags. and; being inthe:l process. of' receiving a. subsequent pair of. filled bags-.for tft-ick-v ing and closing ;v ,I

Fig.v 8 isa schematic end elevational' vivvof thev apparatus. ofjFig, 7;; l l t y Fig. 9V is a. view similar `tot F'gg.. 7' but showing the tucking and closing implements in engage'- ment with a pair o f bags in the process. or tuck'- ing and closing them; t

Fig. 10 is a schematic endelevational view!- of the. apparatus ofj Fig. 11 isla view similar td Figs. 'irland' @but wherein a pair o f bags. have just. been. tucked and closed and are ready to.. beAv movedQ out dfi the tucking, and closingl station and y Fig. 12 is a. schematic end elevati'onalv vieta of the apparatus of. Fig: 11. v l

It. will be noted from a. casual inspection off Figs. 7 through 12 that the apparatus; there Sh contemplates a simultaneous: tucking andi closure of pairs of bags.. but this involves merelytlie duplication of4 the tucking and; closing instrumenr talities and for simplicity ofjillustrationth detailed views, Figs; 1.A v2. and 3, show apAV for closing. and tuckng a. single bag-,1 Athe pr ciplesv employed beingl the samev in; bo C To facilitate ready understanding o rtl'ievdetailed apparatus illustratedin Figs,f1 2g a it will probably b'e best to refer rst tothe matic top plan views, Figs. 4;,l 5. land whio s schematically the succession of' eps" in a bag tucking and closing; cy v Referring to Eig. 4, the numr lled paper bag wit-hits top' op i merals 2l .and 22 designate.' a ing paddles which havey j ust b cennf fied top of the bag, the paddles atthe time; of i y tion beingdisposed closer to eacliathen than the normal full open width. of the bag top to fac l'te andinsure proper insertion despite hel pssrbxhty of. the top of the bag beingnct f il c Fig-.5 .Showsnrhe paca-1.a .2f sequent position where thV to` spread and square the' u n the. 'bag and, iiiieeessjfgy; carl the pasaran of the bag against minor dislocation. In Fig. 5, also, a pair of side creasing blades or

fingers

24 and 25 have moved from the position of Fig. 4 to a position against the sides of the bag ready to begin the side tucking operation. In Fig. 5 a pair of bag holding bars 26 and 21 have moved from the spread position of Fig. 4 to a position where they are against the front and back walls of the bag at a point just above the contents thereof and just below the lower edges of the spreading paddles 2| and 22.

From this point on the spreading paddles 2| and 22, the

side tucking fingers

24 and 25, and the bag holding bars 26 and 21 all move simultaneously toward each other in timed relation to tuck the sides of the bag as illustrated in Fig. 6 and wrap the portions of the front and back walls of the bag which are immediately above the contents of the bag over the contents, the remaining upper part of the bag being in flat folded condition as indicated in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. l, the numerals 30 and 3| designate a pair of side frame members which may be supported upon and fixed relative to a supporting tube 32 by means of clamping caps 33, the tube 32 being supported in any desired manner.

The spreading paddles 2| .and 22 and the

side tucking fingers

24 and 25 of the apparatus are supported from a vertically movable head element 35 which has parallel link connection with frame elements 30 and 3| by means of upper and`

lower links

36 and 31 which are bifurcated at their front and rear ends for pivotal connection to the frame elements 30 and 3| and head element 35. `By reason of this parallel link connection, up and down movement of head element 35 may be effected without altering the vertical attitude of the head element and the various instrumentalities associated therewith.

Lower link 31 is pivotally attached to frame .members 36 and 3| by means of a rock shaft ,40 to which the spaced bearings at the rear end of link 31 are fixed. Between frame elements I,30 and 3|., rock shaft 40 carries a cam follower arm 4| which has a cam follower 42 at its outer end for engagement with a lifting cam 43 for .lifting head element 35.` The Weight of the head element and the various parts supported thereby biases links 36 and 31 downwardly to keep cam follower 42 in engagement with cam 43. In Fig. 1 the head element is shown in its raised position and in Fig. 2. the head element has just reached its lower-most position. Cam 43 is fixed to a drive shaft 45 which may be journaled in side frame members 30 and 3l and may be driven in any desired manner (not shown). In Figs. 1 and 2 the rotation of -shaft 45 is counterclockwise.

The construction and operation of the bag top spreading paddles willnow be described. The spreading paddles have previously been designated 2| and 22 in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and that designation is retained in Figs. l, 2, and 3. Paddles 2| and 22 extend downwardly from and are xed to

brackets

48 and 49, respectively. Bracket 48 is connected to head element 35 by means of pairs of upper and lower parallel links 50 and 5|, respectively, pivoted to a bracket 52 formed.

upper links

50 and 53 are pivoted to the

brackets f

52 and 55 of head element 35 by means of rock 4

shafts

56 and 51, respectively, and these rock shafts have

arms

58 and 59 fixed thereto.

The numeral 60 designates a rock shaft journaled in head element 35 and having a pair of forwardly extending arms 6| and 62 fixed thereto. Arm 6| has a depending link 64 pivoted to its outer end which extends downwardly to pivotal engagement with the outer end of arm 58 and arm 62 is similarly connected to the outer end of arm 59 by means of a link 65. It will be seen from the foregoing that clockwise movement of' rock shaft 60 will lower

links

64 and 65 and thus pivot the

links

50 and 53 apart to spread paddles 2| and 22 without disturbing their parallelism.

Rock shaft 69 also carries an operating arm 68 which is fixed thereto and pivotally engages one end of a link 69 at its lower end. The other end of link 69 pivotally engages the outer end of an arm 10 which is fixed to a rock shaft 1|, the latter having also fixed thereto a cam follower arm 12 which has a cam follower 13 at its outer end for engagement with a paddle operating cam 15. As shown in Fig. l, follower 13 is in a position where it is just leaving the highest part of cam 15.

The contour of cam 15 is such that paddles 2| and 22, beginning with the position illustrated in Fig. l, will move to a mid-position between their fully spread and fully closed position and dwell in such mid-position, as indicated in Fig. 4, until they begin to enter a bag during lowering movement of head element 35. Follower 13 is urged resiliently toward cam 15 by an extension coil spring 16 which is anchored at its left end, as viewed in Figs. l and 2, to frame member 36 and at its right end to link 69.

The construction and operation of the blades or fingers for creasing and tucking the side walls of the bag, previously designated 24 and 25, and their mounting and operating instrumentalities willnow be described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the finger 24 is mounted from a flange of head element 35 by means of pivoted links 8| and 82 and finger 25 is supported from a flange 83 of head element 35 by means of -a pair of pivoted

links

85 and 86. This construction maintains a generally erect attitude of the

fingers

24 and 25 during their opening and closing movements. A finger' operating rock shaft is designated 88 in Fig. 3 and serves also as the means for pivotally connecting the spaced bearings of upper link 36 with head element 35. Rock shaft 86 has fixed thereto a pair of forwardly projecting

arms

89 and 90 which loosely engage the upper ends of links 9| and 92, the lower ends of the latter being pivotally attached to the upper ends of

fingers

24 and 25 as at 93 and 94, respectively.

Also fixed to rock shaft 88 is an operating arm 93 and arm 96 pivotally connects at its lower end with the bifurcated forward end of -a link 91, the other 4end of the latter being pivotally connected to the outer end of a rock arm 98 fixed to a rock shaft 99 journaled in the side frame members 30 and 3|. Also fixed to rock shaft 99 is a cam follower arm |00 having a cam follower |0| for engagement with a finger operating cam |02. As shown in Fig. l, follower |0| is just reaching its lowest position on cam |02, in which position the

fingers

24 and 25 are spread their maximum distance. In Figs. 2 and 3 the fingers are moving toward each other by reason of downward movement of links 9| and 92, the contour of cam |02 rising in-this phase of operation.

Fingers

24 and 25 are resiliently urged to an open position andv follower' |0|. isv urged` toward cam |.02 by' an extension coil springV |03 which engageslink 91 at itsy leftv end as viewed. in Figs. l and. 2V and is anchoredr at its right end to head element 35.

The principal remaining operating parts. of theA apparatus beingv described are the bars 23 and 21 for wrapping the front and back wall of the bag. over the top of the contents and for holding the bag closed until they reach other holding means outside the range of operation of the bag tucking and. closing mechanism per` se. This portion` of the mechanism is not supported for. movement up and down with head element 35 but. is carried directly from the frame elements. 30 and 3| by means of arms |04 andV |05, the latter each having spaced pivot pins |01 and |08 near their outer ends for supporting pairs of arms |09 and H0 between which the holding bars 26 and 21 extend.

A holding bar operating cam is designated H4 in Figs. 1 and 2 and acts upon a follower H5 carried by a follower arm H0 fixed toa rock shaft |1v extending between the side frame members 30 and 3|. Rock shaft H1 further carries adjacent its outer ends a pair of upwardly eX- tending arms H8 which pivotally engage a pair of links |20 and |2|. The forward end of link |20 is pivoted to an upward extension |22 of one of theA arms |00 which support bar 20. The link |2| is pivoted at its forward end to one of the arms H0 at the opposite side of frame members 30 and 3| at a point below the pivotal supports |08 of arms H0. An extension coil spring |24 is anchored at its right end, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, to the xed arm |04 and at its left end it. engages link |20 to urge it in a forward holderopening direction, link |2| being urged resiliently forwardly along with link |20.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a fall in the contour of cam H4 will cause rock shaft H1 to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 and will project the links |20 and |2| resiliently forwardly. This will cause bars 2B and 21 to move apart from the position illustrated in Fig. l. In Fig. 2 the profile of cam H4 is rising and accordingly the holding bars 26 and 21 are moving toward each other.

To assist in following the cam profiles in Figs.

l and 2 it may be stated that, as there shown,

holder cam H4 is in theV foreground, side nger cam'. |02 is next behind, lift cam 43 is behind nger cam |02, and paddle cam 15 is in the background.

A full cycle of operation of the apparatus of Figs. l through 3 will now be described, beginning with the mechanism in the position illustrated in Fig. 1. As there shown, a complete tucking and closing operation has just been completed and a tucked and closed bag is readyv to be moved or has just moved from the region of the tucking and closing mechanism and holding

bars

26 and 21 have not yet separated for the receptionof a subsequent bag. Head element 35 is raised in Fig. l, the spreading paddles 2| and 22 `are' at their closest relative positions, and

side'tucking fingers

24 and 25 have just reached their fully separated positions.

At this point the lift cam 43, the side finger cam |02, and the holding bar cam H4 are all operating. through dwell portions, and paddle cam 15 begins to fallv off to an intermediate dwell portion where theV paddles are partly separated, approximately" as. illustrated. in Fig..- 4.. Afterthe paddles have reached this intermediate-position Y6 and are. arrested in. such. position. the holding bars 20 and 21 mdvev tof full open position` by reason of the engagement; ofY follower H5 with the falling contour of. cam H4 and a low dwell portion of cam H4 permits springs. |24 to hold the holdingbars apart for a predetermined period according to the extent of such low dwell portion.

As soon asA holder bars 20 and. 21 are open, a filled bag may be moved therebetween by' any suitable conveying means and at. this point cam 43 falls oif to permit the head element. 35 to descend and project the partly open spreading paddles 2| and 22. into the open mouth or top of the bag. Before the paddles are fully inserted they begin to spread to full' open position since the intermediate dwell of cam 1.5 then. ends and its contour again falls. to a lowestdwell portion wherein the paddles are fully spread andr fully inserted.

Just' prior to full spreading and. insertion of the paddles in the foregoing manner; tucking

fingers

24 and 25 begin to close and they reach the partly tucking position shown in Fig 3 prior to the beginning of the rise in the contour of cam which forces the paddles 2|.A and 22 together. By virtue of this timing the side fingers 24,v and 25 positively tuck thev sides ofthe bag against the spring resistance of the paddle spreading spring 15. This causes follower 153 of the paddle control cam 15 to leave the cam because. ofl the-late timing of the rise on cam 15.

The actual tucking operationis thus performed with the tucking

fingers

24 and 25 moving inwardly positively and the paddles 2| andv 22 resisting such movement resiliently by means of the spring 10. The resilient urge of spring 16 is, of course, low enough to permit the tucking' fingers to pull the paddles resiliently toward each other and thus perform the tucking operation with the bag held taut by spring 16. This mode of operation also eliminates any need for critical timing of the cams 15 and |02 during the tucking and closingv phase of operation.

The rise in the contour of cam H4 which causes holding bars 264 andl 21 to close coincides with the closing or tucking movement of fingers 24 andv 25 as established by the rise in the contour of cam |02, so that

bars

25 and 21 move inwardly against the front and back of the bag simultaneously with ther tucking operation -to fold the front and back of the bag over the top of its contentsy the remainder of the. upper end of the bag being held finally between holdingI bars and 21 as shown in Fig. 12.

At `this time the rise in the contour of cam- 43 lifts head element 35 and withdraws the paddles 2| and 22 andthe tucking iingers 24 and'25 upwardly until they are entirely clear of the bag, the holding bars 25 and 21 remaining closed to hold the bag in tucked and closed position until it is moved from Ithe tucking and closing apparatus.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 7 through 12 and, referring specifically to Fig. 1,y a pair of bags 20 are shown being moved from between holding

bars

26 and 21 by movement of a conveyor belt |30 upon which the bags rest. Immediately upon leaving their positions between bars 20 and. 21 the tucked and closed tops of bags 20 pass-between closely spaced rails i3! which replace bars 20 and 21 in holdingl the bag tops tucked and closed. To facilitate movement of the bags from between

bars

26 and 21 toa position between rails |.3J|, the; entrance ends of the latter may-'be flared as in Figs. 7' and 8. In the position of Fig.

7 7 paddles 2| and 22 and side tucking iingers 24 and are in their raised positions.

So far as the principles of the present invention are concerned, which principles involve merely the bag tucking and closing apparatus per se, it may be assumed that conveyor belt operates intermittently, moving a pair of bags to the tucking and closing position and then stopping While that operation takes place. Actually, the entire tucking and folding apparatus is mounted for movement in the same direction as in timed relation with belt |30 and for retrograde movement to a starting position. The tucking and closing operation is performed without interruption of the conveyor belt |30 and bags 20 during the forward movement of the entire tucking and closing apparatus. Since no claim is made to this renement of the apparatus, no further reference will be made thereto and the foregoing description presupposes that the conveyor belt |30 stops for the tucking and folding operation, merely for the sake of simplicity of understanding, either mode of operation being feasible.

At a time between the positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 the holding bars 2S and 21 open and a subsequent pair of bags is moved into the tucking and folding position by the conveyor belt |30 and the head element to begin the tucking and folding operation. Figs. 9 and 10 indicate the same approximate position of parts as Figs. 2 and 3. Figs. 11 and 12 indicate the relative positions of parts immediately at the conclusion of a bag tucking and closing cycle, after head element has raised and before the tucked and closed bags have begun to move to positions between rails |3|. The tucking and folding parts in Figs. 11 and 12 are in substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. Bag tucking and closing apparatus comprising a pair of generally parallel relatively nat bag spreading elements of substantially the same width as the bag and insertable in the open top of a bag and movable toward and away from each other atwise, a pair of bag tucking blades disposed in a common plane extending between said spreading elements and generally parallel thereto, said blades being movable toward and away from each other edgewise, resilient means for urging the spreading elements away from each other and other means for moving the spreading elements toward each other against the urge of the resilient means to permit insertion of the spreading elements in the top of a bag, said resilient means being subsequently operative to move the spreading elements away from each other in the top of the bag to spread and square the same, and means for subsequently moving the tucking blades toward each other whereby the tucking blades move against the sides of the bag to tuck the same between the front and back of the bag to tuck and close the same over the bag contents.

2. Bag tucking and closing apparatus comprising a pair of generally parallel relatively iiat bag spreading elements insertable in the open top of a bag and movable toward and away from each other flatwise, a pair of bag tucking blades disposed in a common plane extending between said spreading elements and generally parallel thereto, said blades being movable toward and away from each other edgewise, resilient means for urging the spreading elements away from each other and other means for moving the spreading elements toward each other against the urge of the resilient means to permit insertion of the spreading elements in the top of a bag, said resilient means being subsequently operative in the top of the bag to spread and square the same. and means for subsequently moving the tucking blades and the spreading elements both toward each other in timed relation whereby the tucking blades move against the sides of the bag to tuck the same between the front and back of the bag to tuck and close the same over the bag contents.

3. Bag tucking and closing apparatus comprising a pair of generally parallel rela-tively flat bag spreading elements insertable in the open top of a bag and movable toward and away from each other flatwise, a pair of bag tucking blades disposed in a common plane extending between said spreading elements and generally parallel thereto, said blades being movable toward and away from each other edgewise, resilientmeans for urging the spreading elements away from each other and other means for moving the spreading elements toward each other against the urge of the resilient means to permit insertion of the spreading elements in the top of a bag, said resilient means being subsequently operative in the top of the bag to spread and square the same, and means for subsequently moving the tucking blades and the spreading elements both toward each other in timed relation whereby the tucking blades move against the sides of the bag to tuck the same between the front and back of the bag, and a pair of spaced bars parallel to the spreading elements and movable toward each other against the outside of the front and back of the bag just above the contents thereof to close the same over the bag contents.

4. Bag tucking and closing apparatus comprising a pair of generally parallel relatively flat bag spreading elements insertable in the open top of a bag and movable toward and away from each other atwise, a pair of bag tucking blades clisposed in a common plane extending between said spreading elements and generally parallel thereto, said blades being movable toward and away from each other edgewise, resilient means for urging the spreading elements away from each other and other means for moving the spreading' elements toward each other against the urge oi' the resilient means to permit insertion of the spreading elements in the top of a bag, said resilient means being subsequently operative in the top of the bag to spread and square the same, and means for subsequently moving the tucking blades and the spreading elements both toward each other in timed relation whereby the tucking blades move against the sides of the bag to tuck the same between the front and back of the bag. a pair of spaced bars parallel to the spreading elements and movable toward each other against the outside of the front and back of the bag just above the contents thereof to close the same over the bag contents, and means for raising the spreading elements and the tucking blades to withdraw them clear of the top of the bag. 5. Bag tucking and closing apparatus comprising a pair of generally parallel relatively flat bag.r spreading elements insertable in the op-en top of a bag and movable toward and away from each other atwise, apair of bag tucking blades disposed in a common plane extending between said spreading elements and generally parallel thereto, said blades being movable toward and away from each other edgewise, resilient means for urging the spreading elements away from each other and other means for moving the spreading elements toward each other against the urge of the resilient means to permit insertion of the spreading elements in the top of the bag, said resilientl means being subsequently operative in the top of the bag to spread and square the same, and means for subsequently moving the tucking blades and the spreading elements both toward each other in timed relation whereby the tucking blades move against the sides of the bag to tuck the same between the front and back of 10 the bag to close the same over the bag contents, and means for raising the spreading elements and the tucking blades to Withdraw them clear of the top of the bag.

HOWARD G. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,979,496 Schilbach Nov. 6, 193% 2,083,067 James June 8, 1937 2,257,777 Anderson Oct. 7, 1941 2,327,267 Howard Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 473,664 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1937