US2639069A - Bag filling, closing, and tying machine - Google Patents

Description

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May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 10, 1948 May 19, 1953 E. E. WEST 2,639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND 'TYING MACHINE I Filed Feb. 10, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 I H4 .m-

a2 al TToRNEYs,

May 19, 1953 Filed Feb. l0, 1948 f f c f* E. E. wI-:sT

BAG FILLING, cLosING. AND TYING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ,ECZLUCU'dl-l'. VSf

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TTORNEYS,

May 19, 1953 E, E WEST 639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING'MACHINE Filed Feb. l0, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Zi' arcZE. /V'f ATTORNEYS,

May 19, 1953 E E wEsT 2,639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING MACHINE med Feb 1o, 194e 1o` sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR BY :QM M

l A ORNEY5,

May 19, 1953 E. E. wEsT BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND TYING MACHINE TTORNEKS,

May 19, 1953 E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND 'IIING` MACHINE 10 sheets-sheet 7 Filed Feb. l0, 1948 l A INVENTOR Lummen?. ngi

INVENTOR.v v EJwardE. Wst

,4 TTOWEYJ 1 0 Sheets-Sheet 8 E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING MACHINE May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 10, 1948 INVENTOR Ednua MIE Wgl;

ATToRNEY;

10 Sheets-Sheet BY 714 g E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING'. MACHINE May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 1o, 1948 May 19,A 1953 E. E. WEST BAG lFILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Feb. l0, 1948 Patented May' 19,Y 1953 BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND TYING MACHINE Edward E. West,r Richmond, Va., y asslgnor vto Chase Bag Company, Richmond, Va., a corpo ration of Delaware Application February 10, 1948,`Serial No. 7,393

' 12 Claims. (Cl. 226-2) This invention relates to improvements in bagfilling machines and more particularly to a machine for filling a bag of the open-mesh, drawstring type with a predetermined number of articles such as citrus fruit, vegetables or the like.

The various objects and advantages of the invention will be best understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a bag-filling machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the mechanismk shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 3 is a side view taken from the left of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another portion of a bag-filling machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the details of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the details of the driving mechanism for the apparatus shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevationshowing thedetails of another portion of the machine illustratedv in Fig. 1;

Figs. 8a, b and c illustrate the operation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8; n e e Fig. 9 is a plan view of apparatus shown in Fig. 8; e

Fig. 10 is a side View of apparatus shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a side View in partial section showing certain details of the drive for the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; l

Fig. l2 is a plan view showing certain details of a bag holder;

Fig. 13 is a section view taken along the line I3-I3 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a section view taken along the line I4-I4 of Fig. 11.

Referring particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3, there is a turret head I0 with four equidistantly spaced arms I I. At the ends of each of the turret arms II there is a bag holder I2, which will be described more fully hereinafter, to which a bag I3 may be secured in a position to receive the fruit or other articles that are to be placed in the bag.

The turret head arms II are rotatably supported on the central support or shaft I4 and extend radially therefrom. 'Ihe arms II are rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1, about the shaft I4 and in intermittent steps by a Geneva movement. Forming part of the Geneva movement there is a star wheel I5 rotatably mounted on the central shaft I4 and to which the arms 11 are secured by studs I6, as shown in Fig. 1, 2 or 3. The star wheel VI5 has four equidistantly spaced slots I1 that are periodically engaged by a roller I8 carried by a rotating .ann I9. The engagement of the roller I8 with one of the slots causes the star wheel I5 and the turret head arms II to be racked around one-quarter turn in a clockwise direction. y -1 The rotating arm I9 carrying the roller I8 is secured to a rotating member 20 that is fastened to a vertical drive shaft 2I supported alongside of the central support or shaft I4. A bevel gear 22 secured to the vertical shaft 2| meshes with a second bevel gear 23 secured to a horizontal drive shaft 24. The horizontal shaft 24 is supported by a bearing block 25. The bearingv block 25 is supported on the shaft 2| andis also connected toa collar 25a on the central support I4 by a pin 25h. A pulley 26 secured to one end of the horizontal shaft is engaged by a driving belt 21. "The belt 21 is driven by a pulley 28 on the main drive shaft 29 which is driven through reducing gears 30 by an electric motor 3l.

The periphery of the star wheel I5 between the slots I1 is arcuate having a radiusslightly greater than the radius of the rotating member 28 so as to permit the member to rotate relative to the star wheel during the period that the roller is out of engagement with the slots I1. This also holdsk thel star wheel and the turret head. arms stationary during the time that the roller I8 is completing a revolution to engage the next slot after moving the star wheel one-quarter turn. The rotating member 28 is cut away beneath the arm I9 carrying the roller I8 to receive the slotted portions of the star wheel and permits the star wheel to turn as the roller I8 engages with one of the slots.

When the turret head arms II are driven in the manner just described, they are progressively advanced in a clockwise direction in intermittent steps to the stations indicated at I, II, III and IV in Fig. 1. At each of these stations, the turret head arms remain stationary for a certain interval of time during which individual operations are being performed at each of the stations. The various operations performed at these stations will be described more fully hereinafter but briefly they are as follows: at station I the bag I3 is placed on the bag holder I2; at station II a predetermined number of fruit or vegetables are fed into the bag; at station III the bag isl closed;

3 and at station IV the bag is tied and discharged from the machine. A bag in being lled passes through the operations at each of the stations in a complete operating cycle of the machine.

The bag I3 which has a drawstring 32 and which may be ofY the mesh typeisplaced on the bag holder I2 atstationlI by theioperatcr. The bag holder I2 consists of a funnel 33 supported by a plate 34 iixed to the arm II. Leaf springs 35 carried by the plate 34 and spaced about the funnel, press against the outersidelwalls 'f the funnel 33. The mouth of the bag is inserted between the leaf springs and the-funnels so that the leaf springs hold the emptybag. implante-temporarily. When the bag is placed on the holder, the drawstring 32 is secured to a hook 36 carried on the outer end of the turret'arm I'I.

As the turret arm II carrying the empty bag I3 moves from station I to station II, a fixed cam follower 31 strikes aleverfBB pivoted on a stud 39 fixedto'the plate '34. vThe .otheriend 'of'the lever 38A engages with aistudl 4|Jsecure'dto a camplate 4I which is `movably supported von 4'the plate 34. The cam plate '4I .isoperatively connected vto four crank levers "42 which .'are carried by th epla'te`3'4 and are spacedabout the outside of the Lfunnel 33. 'The crank levers "42.have 'gripp'ers`43'at .their ends whichare arranged to extend into openings 4'4 yin the side :walls o'f 'the funnel'33.

'When the camfollower`31 strikes the lever 38, it moves .the lever andthe "camplate 41 'through a small angle'relative'tothe plate 3'4. The movement of the cam platein'this mannerrotates the cranks'42 so that 'the grippers43 'engagewith or pass through the bag :I3 and 'extendintothe appropriate openings `4`4 in the "sides of the 'funnel 3|. "The engagementofthegrippers withthe bag in this :manner secure thebag'to the bag holder for "filling and movement of "theiill'ed `bag to Va subsequent'station.

`At station :II the bag -I3 is i'llled with a 'predetermined number 'of fruit, 'vegetables or 'the like .from 'two .downwardly slopingfparallelchutes or"h'oppers 45shownin-Figs. i4 and5. 'The chutes orihoppers '45, as shown rby 'the dotted lines vrin Fig. 3, arerplaced so that/they'discharge the fruit into the 'opening of the V@funnel 33 "and `'the bag held '.thereby'which'are on the Venvd of 'the turret arm positioned at 'station II. `Thechutes-i45 are identical andhave similar counting mechanisms operating in `conjunction :therewith 'except that one is right-handed and one lis leftha'nded. For the Vsake of simplicity, only ithe 'oper'ationof the right-hand unit willbe describedbelow.

Asthe turret arm I'I approaches 'station Il, a cam 46 carried 'at the wouter end'of the l'plate "34 on the turret 'arm strikes and depresses a lever 41. 'The Alever'll 'issecured to'a rock shaftf48'to which a release i'lever 4B 'issecured "Ih'efdepression 'of the lever lil imparts a slight 'outward movement to the release lever 49 wh-ich'abuts va pin 51! on adetent 51| 'and `a--pin 52onfa pawl 53. The 'detent/'-I ispivcte'd on a'pan'el 54 and Ais 'held in engagement w'itha'ratc'het wheel -55fbyafspring 5G. 'The-paWl-63 is pivotedfon vtl'ieen'd ro'f la lever 51 -pivoted on the panel and the pawl is held in engagement 'with therat'ch'et 'wheel'1by'a`springf'58- "-Ilhe outward movement Iotf the Arelease lever 49 lifts the detentl andfthepa'wlf "fromengagement w-ith the ratchet -wheel 55 and -ipermits the ratchetwheel to be rotated v-in a counterclockwise direction by zaispring59until a pin 60 carried on therinsideof the ratchet wheel, strikes a stop 6I secured to the panel 53 and thus returns the ratchet wheelto its starting position. The lever l1 lis also connected to 'a paddle stopping lever 62 through a collar 63 and a link 64. The link 64 is connected to a lever 65 that is secured to a rock shaft S6 to which the stop lever 62 is secured by an arm 6l. rI'he downward movement of the lever 4l moves the stop lever 62 into position to engagean armof a paddle wheel 69.

"The paddle wheel 69 is secured to a shaft 1li supported below the chute 4I by a frame 1| and lthe arms 68 of the paddle wheel extend through a slot I2 in the bottom of the chute to engage withthearticles-passing through the chute. The

operation of the paddle wheel is controlled throughtheratchetfwheel 50, in a manner to be 4:1escribed,-but when the ratchet wheel is being returned to starting position, the stop lever 62 prevents thel paddle wheel from turning and thus prevents the discharge of articles from the chute atsuch time.

As the turret head arm II reaches station II, the cam 46 releases the lever 41 permitting the detent "5| andthe pawl Y53 to be reengaged with the ratchet'wheel`55 underthe influence of springs 56 and '58,l respectively. `This`also movesthe stop lever B2 from engagement with the arm 68 ofthe paddlewheel'69 and permits thepaddle wheel'to be vturned by the'weight of the articles passing down the chute and discharging into the bag held bythe turret arm'at Stationv II.

As `thepaddle wheel 69 rotates, it turns vthe shaftl to which awheel "I3 is secured. IThe Wheel I3 has lugs 'l'4exten'ding'radally therefrom and corresponding in'number to the arms of the paddle wheel. As the wheel`l3'rotates, the lugs T4 strike an "arm I5 'carriedby the lever 5l and raise the lever 57 from a positionwherelit is held aga-inst a stop 'I6 by a. spring lTI. Them'ovement of lever 5l in this manner 'moves the'pawl 53 downwardly -and racks 'the ratchet wheel '55 around 'one step. When the lug 1f. releases the armvl, the lever 5l is returned by the spring 1-1 andthe pawlis moved back into engagement with the lfollowing tooth on the ratchet wheel. As'the pawlis .being moved back in this manner, the detentl' holdsthe'rat'chet'wheel in its advanced position.

This operation continues until the ratchet Wheel 'has been advanced "a predetermined number of teeth corresponding to the number of articles'required'to iill the bag. After the ratchet wheel has been advanced the predetermined number "of "teeth, 'an'adjustable pin 18 carried on the outer side of the ratchet wheel strikes a stop T9 hel'di'by'an arm "'80 'which is supported in'nxed position from a shaft 8| on which the ratchet wheel turns. When the pin 18 strikes the stop 19, the pawl 5'3 is held vagainst further movement by the ratchet'wheel and'this prevents lever lfroin beinglifted by the lugs 14 and prevents the paddle wheel from turning and fruit from being discharged Irom the chute until the ratchet wheel is reset to starting 'position by the next movement of the turret head.

The adjustable stop pin I8 may be placed in any one vof a's'eriesof holes 82 spaced about the ratchet wheel soas to regulate the distance that the `ratchet wheel 'can 'be racked around 'and thereby vset the mechanism to discharge from the chutes the `.numbero'f articles that, depending on their size, will be required to ll the bag.

As `the fruit falls into the bag, the bag and any fruit contained therein are jogged to settle the 'fruit in thebag to the least possible volume so 'as to insure that all of the fruit will remain in the bag when the drawstring is drawn to 'close the mouth of the bag. This jogging is done by apl'ateLSS, shown best in Fig. 3, which is supported underneath the bag being filled at station II by a lever 84. The lever 84 is pivoted 011 a stud 85 and its end` engages with a cam 86 which is rotated by the main drive shaft 29. This imparts an oscillating motion to the plate 83 bringing it into and out of engagement with the bag during the filling operation.

The turret arm carrying the lled bag is then moved to station III where it is again stopped momentarily. Shortly after leaving station III, on the next movement of the turret arm, a fixed cam follower 8'! strikes a second lever arm 88 which is pivoted on the stud 39 below the lever 38. An end of the lever 88 is secured to the cam plate 4| and moves the cam plate in an opposite direction to the rotation caused by the lever 39. This rocks the crank 42 so as to withdraw the grippers 43 from the openings 44 in the side walls of the funnel 33 and from engagement with the bag.

When the bag is released in this manner, the filled bag slips off of the bag holder I2 and falls by its own Weight until the bottom of the bag rests on a platform 89. When the bag falls to the platform, the drawstring 32 is retained by hook 36 and is pulled tight so as to close the mouth of the bag.

The platform 89 is rockably supported at one edge on an axle 90 and is held in a'horizo'ntal position by a loaded spring 9| which surrounds the axle and bears against the under side of the platform 89. The axle 90 and the platform 89 are supported by rods 92 extending upwardly from a supporting framework 93. The upward movement of the platform 89 under the influence of the loaded spring 9| is limited by a stop 94 that is secured to one of the supporting rods 92. The stop 94 holds the platform at a substantially horizontal position and prevents it rising above that position. As the arm continues to move,`

the bag is slid toward the unsupported edge of the platform 89 which tilts downward to an angle of about 45 and drops the bag into a discharging hopper 95. When the bag is removed, the platform 89 is returned to horizontal position by the spring 9|.

As the turret arm moves from stationy III to station IV, the drawstring 32 is guided inside of a guide 90 and along the outer edge of a curved plate 91. The guide 96 is supported on a rod 98 from a bracket 99 and the plate '91 is supported on a knot tying mechanism as shown best in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. The guide 93 and the plate 91 position the drawstring 32 so that it passes behind a spring-held guide |0| as it moves along the plate 0l'. The spring-held guide |0| isvpivot-ed at |02 on a plate 99a and an arm |03, also supported on the plate 99a, is opposed to the guide |0| at its inner end. As the drawstring enters behind the guide |0|, the guide rotates through a small angle until the `drawstring 32 moves to a position where the guide is permitted to return to its closed position. When the turret arm reaches station IV, the lower end of thje drawstring is thus held between the spring-held guide |0| and the lever |03 in engagement with a rotatable knotter head.r 'I'he rotatable knotter head has a hooked nger |05 and a finger |04 pivotally mounted on the knotter head in kopposed relation t0 the hooked finger |05. `As shown best in Fig. 8, the drawstring 32 `extends in back of the ends of the hooked finger |05 and the pivoted finger |04 and in front of the shanks thereof when the bag reaches station IV. Thus, when the knotted head is rotated the fingers |04 kwhich are secured to an axle ||9.

and |05 engage with lthe downwardly extending portion of the drawstring and wrap the drawstring around the shanks of the knotter fingers.

The knotter finger 04 that is pivotally supported at |04a on the knotter head is normally urged into engagement with the hooked finger |05 by a spring |0412. The end of the pivoted yknotter finger |04 engages with a fixed cam ||8 that is shaped to move the pivoted finger 04 away from the hooked finger A|05 at an appropriate time to permit the upwardly extending portion of the drawstring 32 to enter between the knotter fingers as they are rotated.

The rotatable knotter head is secured to a shaft |06 that is rotatably supported in spaced bearings |0'| mounted on the bracket 99. A bevel gear |08 secured to the knotter shaft |06 is intermittently driven in timed relation to the operation of the machine by a bevel gear |09 secured to a cross shaft ||0 and, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 9, the cross `shaft ||0 has a second bevel gear secured thereto that is driven by a bevel gear I2 secured to a vertical drive shaft I3. As shown best in Figures 3 and 7, the drive shaft ||3 is driven through a spur gear ||4y that meshes with a gear 5 rotatably mounted on the central support |4. The gear ||5 is secured to an intermittent gear I6 that is driven by gear segment ||1 secured to the shaft 2| as shown in Figs. 13 and y14. The segmental gear IIB and the gear ||5 secured thereto are turned one-third of a revolution by the gear segment for each revolution of the shaft 2| The ratio of the gear ||5 and the spur gear 4 is 3 to l so that the shaft I3 and thus, the knot tying mechanism |00, is rotated a complete revolution for each movement of the gear l5 and for each complete revolution of the shaft 2|. As previously explained, the turret arms are also moved one quarter turn for each revolution of the shaft 2|.

By the arrangement just described, the knotter fingers |04 and |05 are rotated through 360 after the filled bag arrives at station IV. When the knotter fingers |04 and |05 are rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 10, they engage the portion of the drawstring 32 extending below the center line of the shaft |08 and loop the drawstring about the knotter fingers |04 and |05 as previously described. During the continued rotation, the finger |04 is opened by the fixed cam I8 and the unlooped portion of the drawstring 32 enters between the fingers |05 and |04. At the proper time the cam ||8 releases the finger |04 so that the unlooped portion of the drawstring is held between the knotter fingers 04 and |05 and is posi- --tioned behind a projection |040 on the pivoted finger |04.

As the knotter turns, the hopper is raised slowly to place the proper tension on the drawstring and to permit the loop to be formed around theknotter fingers |04 and |05. As shown best in Fig. 6, the hopper is supported on arms |9a The axle ||9 is journalled infbearings |20 and a lever |2| is secured to the end of the shaft. The lever |2| is connected by a linkage |22 to an oscillating shaft |23. The shaft |23 is held lby a bracket |24 which is secured to the central shaft I4 and has an arm |25 fixed to its end. The arm |25 carries a follower |26 which is periodically engaged by one of a pair of rollers |21 carried 'on a rotating gear .raise the hopper.

'-ls-se'curedI-te the bevel geari 22.

'zgear` |2\8"to`the1'pinion2gear-|3| is f2 to 1 setbat gvtlfref'g'ear IZBf-rnakes ac'omplete revolution fortwo irevolutionsl f the shaft` 2 'andfduringffeach-half P'evolution ofthe .gear |28,one"ef the rollers/|21 -engageswvith the follower- |25te raise'thel'hopper 'in properly ltimed relation to -'the operation l of the fkliotten After fthe fdrawstring 32 has #been I-wrapped 'around the knetter lingers 04 and |05 and the `unlooped portion of the drawstring -grasped "be- 'tween the knetter? fingers, Y the 1 drawstring is disengaged from the'h-oek env the yturret', head arm ybyy an arm |32. The ar1n|"32'isfsecured to asleeve |33'which ispivoted en astrid-|34 extending' from 'the fra-meSS. Th'efariwlzisbiased` out ofenlgagenient withthe drawstring underfspringten- 'sion fand' is moved inte engagement -with `v the drawstring at appropriate Vtime yby 'I a lever |36 which issecuredl to` sleeve- |34. The--endfof -`the lever |35 is periodically eng-agedby studs |36 carried/by the gear I-G. 'Whenthelever |35'isin rreleased position, it returns under spring/tension to-aipesition' against a= stop |31'.

When the drawstring lhas been disengaged .from the hook, thehopper-55 is-lewered and as illus- `trated'in Fig.-8b, vthe 4weight of the lled bagpulls the portion of the `drawstring that has been -wrapped'aroundthe knetter ngers |84 and |135 off of the knetter ngersWith-the unlooped portion of tliedrawstring 32'held between Ithe knetter lingers '|34 and |055. As illustrated in lFig. Se, when `the .portion of the drawstring 32 wrapped around the i knetter yiingers '|04 and |05- slips oil of theknotterngers;it passes overadoubled end Thex ratio vof the 5 fro or loep iermed'by the unloeped'lportion'held by .40

theknetter ngers'and the free end ofy the drawlstring-sothat a--loep isformed with ak'notbelow it. The'knotis thereafter drawn tight underthe weight of the bag. This forms a bow Vl-:net in which-the length of the loop-is' determinedfbythe distance ef thepreieetion lillcsfrernJ the endef 4vthe knetter finger |04. f As the pullon'the knotted drawstring-is' continued theleopY ef thef'knetfsna'ps out from between-theknotter'lingers |04fand-ft'05.

Asthe hopper continues-tolower,y asp'ring held |38 engages 'with 'the 'bottom of the fhopper onone sideand'causes the'hopperte tilt about hinges |39 which secure the'hepper'along-itsotlrer'sidete oneofthe suppertin'garms fHSa. The tilting ofthe hopper causes'the filledbagtoeslide yclear of the maehine'and ente-theiflee'rorfa conveyor belt if one is provided. As the heppentilts, 'its finally reaches'a position vwherefit clearsithe arm ISS-and is permitted to return 'toits initial position. In returning te itsinitial position, the `hopper pushes the spring held arm "|38 'back against compression spring |49 which presses against the arm |33 through a yred 44| Tand 'a collar M2. Thearm |38 is-pivotedat 1Min-'a bracket |44.

It will be understood that fthe Avarious operations 'described above are-'being performed 'si- .rnultaneeusiy at'ea'ch of the stations rwhen the machine is -in operation. It will also be'lndersteed that various 'changes y'and modifications Iin the mechanism described and illustrated may -be made by those skilled inthe art Without departing from 'the scope ef the invention as 'de- 'nned by the appended claims.

What'isiclaimed is:

1 In a bag-lling machineff the class `de .-scribed, the combina-tien comprising a, Vrotatable sknotteri-head including llahooked linger, a movfabl'efflngerfpivetally supported en the 'knetter head in op'pesedirelation 1tosaid hooked finger and a `"spring holding said Emovable `nger in engagement withthe hooked "finger, said lingers being positioned tofengage withfadrawstring of la filled bag and "a'xedearn Vengaging with the movable'ilnger, :Said -Cam'being designed `to move L'said r'movable rrger' away from tthe hooked finger :tozpermit'thedrawstring 'of thefbagto enter be- T'ft'ween the -ingerseduring rotation of the knetter head.

:2.1Inf'a bagelling rinachine 'of the class de- `s`cribed, lthe *combination v4as 'defined in claim vl wherein fatfprojeetionfcarriedby the movable fingerextends-leetween'the fingers Awhen they -a're lin engagement said projection 4engaging with "theffperti'emof "the-drawstring held between the lingers to form an elongated loop of a bow knot.

'f3.fInfabag/filling machine of 'the class de- 'f-s'cribed, the-'combination 'as defined in claim `1 v`includingafhopper lecatedbeneath the knetter fliead"forfsilpportingithe b'ag withits drawstring 'in Cengagement lvith 'the' fingers on the 'knetter ahead fand-'means for raisin'g'and leweringsald hopper as the knetter head is rotated.

"4. vIn -a bag-filling v"rn'achine of =thefelass y'described, the cembinatie'nfof a retatable'knotter zheadincluding a heekedllingerf'a-mevable fin- "ger'piv'otally suppeiteden the-'knetter head'ln f'ppose'd relation to thehooked'ngerfa spring 'normally holding the'linovable 'finger' in engage- A"ment-with'thehookedlinger 'and `a member carried *by one 'of v'said' fingers and extending between the lingers" when they are inengagei'nent, "said (lin'gersibeing positioned te engage with a. drawstringof aniiedlbag'whenthe knetter head is rotatedgafxed camengaging with the end tof 4thernovaiile"'ilng'er, 'said cam being designed "to Yopen Ithe'tingers te'pe'rmit the drawstring te enter the fingers as the knetter head is rotated, a 'hopper locatedbeneath Vvthe knetter head for Supporting the filled bag with its drawstring in engagement vwith the fingers of the knetter head and means for raising and lowering the hopper iuri'n'g the rotatienofthe knetter.

`5. 'In a bag-lling machine vof the class delseribe'd, the combination -as dened in claim 4 including a vguide engaging with and positioning theldrawstring lfor engagement by the ngers of the knetter head.

6. 'An'apparatus of Ithe type described for filling 'a 'bag having a drawstring closure with a "predetermined 'number of articles, closing the mouth ef thebagy tying the drawstring and discharging the'lled bag, the combination which includes a. seriesof radially extending arms'rotatable as a. unit about-a fixed axisyafmember carriedV atthe end of each of said -arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed .position on each Iof Is'aid-armsysaid members including grippers engaging with Ithe-sides of the bag, operating levers lconnected ter-the grippers and-a draw- 'string-eng'agingimember engaging with the drawstring ofthe bag,-anintermittent-movement convnected -to said( arms for moving the arms asa unit about the fixed axisand positioning thefarms sequentiallyv ata series of spaced positions, afeed mechanism located at one of said positions for delivering apredetermined number of articles to 'the bag at'said position, cams engaging with and operating vthe grippereoperating levers upon 'yineve'm'en'tef the arms, sai'd `'cams being posi- "tlend "to bring ithe grippers 4into "engagement with theusides of the bag prior to the bag-filling position of the armsand to release the grippers from engagement with the bag at the position of the arms following said bag-filling position, a pivotedl platform located beneathy the filled bag at said bag-releasing position, said platform being tiltable downwardly under the weight of the filled bag, a reciprocating hopper located at the position of the arms following said bag-releasing position, said hopper being positioned to receive the lled lbag from said tiltable platform upon movement of the arms, a knotting mechanism positioned to engage with the drawstring of the bag as the bag is moved from they platform to the hopper, means for operating said -'knotting mechanism to tie a knot 'in the drawstring and means for simultaneously raising thehopper during operation of the knotting mechanism. l

7. An apparatus of the type described for filling a `baghaving a :drawstring closure with a predetermined Vnumber of articles closing the mouth of the bag, tying the drawstringy and discharging the filled bag,'the combination of a series of radially extending arms, said arms being rotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, a member carried at the end of each of said arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed position on each of said arms, said members including grippers engaging with the sides ofthe bag, operating levers connected to the grippers and a drawstring-engaging member engaging with the drawstring of the bag, an intermittent movement connected to said arms for moving the arms as a unit about the fixed axis and positioning the arms sequentially at a series of spaced positions, a feed mechanism located at one of said positions for delivering a predetermined number of articles to the bag at said position, cams engaging with and operating the gripper-operating levers upon movement of the arms, said cams being positioned to bring the grippers into engagement with the sides of the bag prior to the bag-filling position of the arms and to release the grippers from engagement with the bag at the position of the arms following said bag-filling position, a pivoted platform located beneath the filled bag at said bag-releasing position, said platform being tiltable downwardly under the weight of the filled bag, a reciprocating hopper located at the position of the arms following said bagreleasing position, said hopper being positioned to receive the filled bag from said tiltable platform upon movement of the arms, a knotting mechanism engaging with the drawstring of the bag as the bag is moved from the platform to the hopper, means for operating said knotting mechanism to tie a knot in the drawstring, means for simultaneously raising the hopper as the knot is tied, and means for tilting the hopper to discharge the lled bag therefrom as said hopper is lowered.

8. An apparatus of the type described Afor lling a bag having a drawstring closure with a predetermined number of articles, closing the mouth of the bag, tying the drawstring and discharging the filled bag, the combination of a series of radially extending arms, said arms being rotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, a member carried at the end of each of said arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed position on each of said arms, said members including grippers engaging with the sides of the bag, operating levers connected to the grippers and a drawstring-engaging member engaging with the drawstring of the bag, an intermittent movement connected to ,said arms for moving the arms asa. unit about the `fixed axis and positioning the arms sequentiallyat `a seriesof spaced positions, a feed mechanism located at one of said positions, said feed mechanism ybeing capable of deliveringa predetermined numberof articles to the bag at said position, means for initiating operation of said `feed mechanism-said means being operable. by the bag-supporting arms in their movement from one position to the next position, cams engaging with and operating the gripper-operating levers upon movement of the arms, said cams-being'positioned `to bring the grippers into` engagement with the sides of the bag prior to thebag-lling position of the arms and to release-fthe .grippers from engagement withthe .bag at a position of the arms following saidnbag-filling position, a pivoted platform located beneaththe filled bag `at' said bag-releasing position, said .platform being tiltable downwardly under the .weightof the filled bag, a reciprocating hopper located yat a position of the armsfollowing the .bag-releasing position, said hopper being positioned to receive the filled bag from said'tiltable platform,.a knotting mechanism engaging with 4the drawstring of the bag as the bag ismoved from the platform to' the hopper, means for operatingsaid knotting mechanism to tiea knot in a drawstring and means for raising the hopper as the knot is being tied.

9.' An apparatus of the type described for filling a bag having a drawstring closure with a predetermined number of articles, closing the mouth of the bag, tying the drawstring and discharging the filled bag, the combination of a series of radially extending, bag-supporting arms, said arms being rotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, means on said arms for securing a bag in openmouthed position at the ends thereof, said means being operable by movement of the arms to secure the bag to the arms and to release the bag from said arms, means on each of said arms for holding a bag closing drawstring, an intermittent movement connected to said arms for moving the arms as a unit about the fixed axis and positioning the arms sequentially at a series of spaced positions, means for feeding a predeterminedV number of articles to the bag at one of said spaced positions, transferring means for receiving a filled bag at a second oi said positions upon release of the filled bag from the bag-supporting arm at said position, a reciprocable hopper located at a third of said positions, said hopper being positioned to receive the filled bag from said transferring means, a knotting mechanism engaging with the drawstring of the bag as the arms move from the second to the third of said spaced positions, means for operating the knotting mechanism to tie a knot in the drawstring at said third position and means for raising the hopper as the knotting mechanism is operated.

10. In a bag-filling apparatus of the type described wherein a series of bags having drawstring closures are supported in open-mouthed position at the ends of a series of rotatable arms and are moved by said arms in intermittent steps through a series of spaced positions where the operations of filling the bag, closing the filled bag, tying the drawstring and discharging the bag are performed simultaneously at each of said positions and in sequence on the individual bags, the combination of a feed mechanism for delivering a number of articles to a bag at the first of said positions, means for initiating operation of said feed meansby movemenaot the bagssupponting arms; in moving the bagltol said first position, a pivoted. platform positioned beneath. artlled. bal at the second. of said positioneren receiving a Jled bag from. oney of the: armsnat: said-1 position', said. platform being tiltable; downwardlyl under the weight. of the bag, a. reeinrocable. hopper 1o.- cated at the thirdg otl said positions,.said1 hopper being: positioned tol receive the filledy bag from said platformanda knotter; locatedat said third position for tying the drawstring of. the-.nllad bag.

11. Ina llinz a drawstringtypeof bag and tying; the.` drawstring; of thef bag. after filling', the. combination r Whchiineludes means. for ming.l a. lnot ina drawstring closing` a bag, said means. including. a. rotatable; knotterhead.l en.- gaging-.with the. drawstringotthe bai, .avatically reciprocabie hopper located. beneath` the. knetter head, said hopper, supporting the bagA thereon with: the: drawstring iny positions. for' engagement with, thevr knot-ter. head1drivenneansJ for ro.- tatng.. said: knotter: head and. raising, the hopper as said ltnotimfy head'is-.rotatem 12= In a machina fmtllimzv a drawstringtypeof bag and tying. the. drawstring;-V of'. the.v bag after filling, the; oombinationwhich `inludesuneams for tying a. knot; in a. drawtringt closing arbagi. said means includingfarotatabie knetter head engage ing with. the` drawstring: oi. the bag; a. vertically i2 reciprocabie hopper locatedi bcneathz the knohr head, seidihopper being; pivoted along# one: side thereof: and supporting the bag thereon with' the drawstring in position for engagement with the kniotterI heads; drive.- meanslor rotating said' knottel'. head; and. raising the hopper as said l'znliit!` heady isrotated anni a; member positioned to en gage with and totiltthe-hopper about its pivoted side.- as. the hopper returns from its raised pa- Sin;

EDWARDE. WIST.

Referenes Citedf n. the file 0i. this DMS UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number' Name Date 480,226 Benedict Aug.. 2, 1892 619,834 Nickerson Peb. ZI., 1899 659,024l Gerbracht et;v al. Oct. 2, 1900 1,084,799 Heinzen Ian. 20;.1914 1,119,693." Gutlenv Dec. 1, 1914 1,425,802 Sparks Aug; 151922 1,518,310 Dalton Dec. 9;` 1924 1,726,060 Doble Aug. 27', 1929 1,900,907l Buxton Mar. 14,1933 2,060,645 Suppiger et a1 Nov. 10,1936 2,204,126" Domke June 11,1940 2,459,530' Johnston Jan. 18, 1949 23460,'489 Burka'rd Feb. 1, 1949 2,464,689 Dashew` Nov. 23, 1949

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