US3174260A

US3174260A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US3174260A
Application number: US178412A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert W Saumsiegle; Ralph L Wing
Original assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Current assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Priority date: 1962-03-08
Filing date: 1962-03-08
Publication date: 1965-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-23

Description

March 23, 1965 R. w` sAuMsn-:GLE ETAL 3,174,250

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1962. 1e sheets-sheet 1 IN VEN TORS Rober W Sau/ns/g/e March 23, 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8. 1962 www.

INVENTORS.. Rober WSau/ns/@g/e Rap/1 L. W/bg BY @www A T TURNE Y March 23 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAI. 3,174,260

PACKAGING: MACHINE Filed March s, 1962 16 SheetsSheet 3 CGN INVENToRs. Robe# W Saum/g/e By Rap/7 L. W/hg A T TORNE Y March 23 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 8, 1962 March 23, 1965 R, w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3,174,250

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8. 1962 l 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNY March 23, 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE l-:TAL 3,174,250

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1962 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. Robe/'f W. SaUmS/g/e uw W m L. n RM @u Num.

March 23, 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3,174,250

PAGKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1962 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 IMQ A T TOfeNf Y March 23, l965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 8, 1962 ATTO/Niv March 23, 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE- ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1962 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG. l5

IN V EN TORS Rober//IZ Saz/ms/'ey/e BY ,9940/1 L. Wing QMCQNQM A T Toe/vir Mal'Ch 23 1965 R. w. sAUMslEGLr: ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed March 8, 1962 LIIIKHJ.

b swung@ PL/.n tor. mmm v NaL N Sh P\ WWP o NM .n EN EN 1 e R A w R au.

.--3N N 4/ mmm March 23 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ErAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 8. 1962 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 FIG. 20

F IG. I9

IN VEN TORS. Robe/'f W Saums/'eg/e BY Rap/1pm@ PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed March 8. 1962 NVENTORS /Qobef WSQU/nS/g/e Pa/phLW/ng Wuhe @am ATTORNEY R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL 3W4,260

5 6 9 l 2W. 2 ,m m

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed March 8. 1962 mNE IN VEN TOR Rober! WSaz/ms/g/e y leap/vz. W/yg @Mudiw Marh 23, 1965 R. w. sAuMslEGLE ETAL. 39174360 PACKAGING MACHINE 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed March 8, 1962 FIG.25

Raw/7 L my IN VEN l OR. Robe/WSaz/ms/'eg/e FIG. 24

Maid! 23, 3965 R. w. sAUMslr-:GLE ETAL 3,174,260

PACKAGING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed March 8, 1962 INVEN TOR. Rober HZ Saum/bg@ United States Patent Oihce 3,174,260 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 This application -is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 105,458, led April 25, 1961.

rl`his invention relates to a packaging machine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved packaging machine particularly adapted for opening `successive dat envelope type bags and inserting articles therein in a simple, rapid and eflicient manner.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter Iappear, the invention consists in the packaging machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end o-f this specitication.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in cross section of a packaging machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the -machine showing the upper portion thereof;

FIG. 3 is -a plan view of the machine with the upper portion removed and showing the driving mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an end view as seen from the right of FIG. 1 showing the intake end of the machine;

FIG. 5 is an end view as seen from the left of FIG. 1 showing the delivery end of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the article advancing mechanism and supporting tray to be referred to;

FIG. 7 is an end View of the same as seen from the line 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation partly in cross section of the bag opening and article inserting mechanism showing an y'article in position to be inserted into the open bag;

FIG. 9 is a detail View in side elevation of a modified form of the bag opening mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the same;

FIG. 1l is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the article fully seated in the bag;

FIG. 12 is a plan view detail of the bag;

FIG. 13 is `a cross sectional View of the same taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a plan View of the bag opening and article inserting mechanism;

FIG. 15 lis a front view of the article inserting mechanism as seen from the line 15*15 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a detail View of a separable driving connection for the inserting member;

FIG. 17 is a View in side elevation of the inserting driving mechanism;

FIG. 18 is an end View of the same;

FIG. 19 is a detail of a portion of the driving mechanism shown in FIG. 17 in a different position of operation;

FIG. 20 is a detail View of the elevating mechanism associated with the delivery conveyer;

FIG. 21 is a side elevation of a modified arrangement of the article advancing mechanism;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation of a further modified form of lbag opening lmechanism including a modiiied form of a magazine for supporting a stack of bags;

FIG. 23 is a detail view of the modiiied form of bag opening mechanism shown in FIG. 22 and showing a portion of the bag magazine;

FIG. 24 is an end view of the bag opening mechanism and bag magazine shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a plan view of a portion of the bag opening lmechanism shown in FIG. 22; yand FIG. 26 is a side elevation of a modied form of the article advancing mechanism to be described.

In general the present invention contemplates a novel packaging machine particularly adapted for opening flat envelope type bags, inserting articles therein and transferring successive filled bags onto a discharge conveyer for delivery to a subsequent machine, not shown, for trimming and sealing the mouths of the filled bags. The illustrated machine is adapted to insert articles of merchandise into flat bags of relatively thin, transparent sheet plastic material, such as polyethylene sheet material, and the articles of merchandise to be packaged may have considerable thickness, the illustrated articles comprising a bakery product, such as a group of connected roll-s, inserted as a unit into the bag.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a stack of lat plastic bags is supported in a magazine, and provision `is made yfor opening the mouth of the uppermost bag and expanding -or inating the bag by means of a lstream of air which maintains the bag in its open condition while the article to -be packaged is inserted therein. rlhe mouth portion of the illustrated bag is provided with an extended flap along one wall, herein shown as the lower wall of the flag bag, leaving the upper edge of the mouth portion exposed to be lifted and expanded by the stre-am of air directed thereagainst, and provision is made for gripping and temporarily retainin-g in the magazine the extended portion ofthe lower wall of the mouth portion during the bag opening operation. In most instances a stream of air directed against the exposed edge of the mouth of the bag is suflicient to lift the upper wall of the flat bag to permit air to enter between opposed w-alls of the bag to inflate the same. However, in a modified form of the invention air operated means is provided for first mechanically separating the upper wall yfrom the lower wall of the bag along a small portion of the mouth to permit air to enter between the walls to expand the bag. While the bag is thus held in its open position provision is made for rockingV a pair of opposed mouth spreading and article guiding arms within the mouth of the bag to engage and hold the open end of the bag in its spread open condition to receive -the 4article to be packaged. Successive articles to be packaged `are *moved into operative relation to an article inserting member movable longitudinally of the machine which is arranged to engage the article and advance the same between the spreader arms and into the bag. A longitudinally movable tray which also enters the bag is arranged to support the article therein, and in operation continued movement of the tray and the inserting member serves to pull 4the retained end of the bag out of the magazine, pull the mouth of the bag off the mouth spreading and `article guiding means and deliver the filled bag onto the discharge conveyer in one continuous operation. Thereafter, the spreader arms are contracted, and the supporting tray and inserting member are retracted to their initial positions in readiness -for a succeeding cycle o-f operation.

Provision is also made in `the illustrated embodiment of the invention for moving successive articles into operative position to be engaged by the inserting member, an article being moved into such operative position during a portion of the preceding cycle. Control means is also provided for detecting the presence of an article in position to be engaged by the inserting member and for discontinuing operation of the machine at the end of a cycle vadvanced into position to be inserted during such cycle.

Provision is also made for discontinuing operation of the machine when a stack of bags in the magazine is depleted, and also for discontinuing operation of the machine in the event that an article is delivered to the conveyer without a bag.

Referring now to the drawings, represents a stack of fiat plastic bags supported in a magazine which may include a vertically movable platform 12 detachably secured to a stack supporting and elevating unit indicated generally at 14. The bags are retained on the platform 12 by an inverted U-shaped retainer 16, the vertical legs of which extend through spaced openings 17 provided in an extended flap portion 18 of the bag. As shown in detail in FIGS. 12 and 13, each bag is provided with an upper wall or ply 20 and a lower wall or ply 22, the flap 18 extending from the lower wall 22 as shown. The horizontal leg of the U-shaped retainer 16 bears against the top of the stack, and the vertical legs extend loosely through the platform 12 and through a downwardly bent extension 24 thereof. The closed end of the bag is provided with a gusseted portion 26, and the outer end of the Iplatform 12 is downwardly inclined, as shown to compensate for the relatively thicker 4-ply gusseted ends of the bags. The stack supporting and elevating unit 14 is arranged to urge the stack upwardly, and a stationary hooked member 28 extended over the horizontal leg of the retainer 16 is arranged to maintain the top of the stack at a constant level as successive uppermost bags are withdrawn from the stack.

The stack supporting and elevating unit 14 includes a head portion 30 provided with opposed inwardly bent retaining `plates 32 forming a grooved track. The underside of the platform 12 is provided with a pair of angle bars 34 arranged to be fitted into the grooved track to detachably secure the platform to the head portion 30 for convenience in replacing a platform, from which the bags are depleted, with a loaded platform. The head portion 30 is supported `at the upper ends of a pair of spaced vertical rods 36, only one of which is shown, and whichl are slidingly supported in spaced brackets 38 secured to an upright bar 40. The bar y40 is secured by bolts 41 to a portion of the machine frame. Provision is made for resiliently urging the slide rods 36 upwardly with a substantially constant tension and, as herein shown, the lower ends of the rods are connected by a tie bar 42 through which ,the end of a cord 44 is extended and secured. The cord 44 is guided around `a pulley 46 mounted on a stud secured to a plate 48 extended from the upright bar 40, and the cord then extends into a recoil unit indicated generally at 50 supported on a stud 52 carried by a bracket 54 extended from and secured to the upright bar 40. The recoil unit 50 may comprise any of the conventional commercially available types of such units, which are spring loaded to apply tension to the cord whereby to move the stack upwardly as successive bags are withdrawn from the stack. It will be noted that the U-shaped retaining member 16 remains stationary against the hooked member 28 as the platform moves up, the latter sliding on the vertical legs thereof. Provision is also made for locking the head portion 30 in its lowered position for convenience when a loaded platform is to be detachably secured to the head portion. As herein shown, the head portion is provided with an opening 56 into which the rounded end of a spring pressed rod 58 may be fitted when the platform is in its `lowered position. The rod 58 is mounted to slide in an opening provided in a bracket 60 secured to the upright bar 40 by bolts 62. The outer end of the rod 5S is provided with a handle 64, and in operation when the rod is pulled outwardly the elevating unit is released to urge the stack upwardly as described.

It will be observed that the bags are retained in the stack. by their flap portions 18,*leaving the upper edge or mouth portion of the upper wall 20 exposed, and provision is made for expanding the bag by means of a stream of air arranged to enter under the upper wall while the bag is retained in the stack by the retaining member 16. While the stream of air directed against the exposed edge of the upper wall is sufficient -in most instances to lift the upper wall and to expand the bag, in a modified form of the invention provision is made for initially lifting the upper wall slightly to break the` adherence of the upper wall to the lower wall of the bag at the mouth thereof so as to-provide an opening therebetween to admit air. As herein shown, see FIGS. 9 and l0, the mouth opening means may comprise a curved leaf spring extended from a supporting plate 68 and having a coiled end portion 70 arranged to extend above the front edge of the upper wall. Cooperating with the leaf spring 65 is a flexible flapper 72 also secured to and extended from the supporting plate 68 and which extends above and in engagement with the upper surface of the leaf spring. The flapper 72 and the curved leaf spring 65 normally extend above the front edge of the upper wall, and in operation when a stream of air is directed under the supporting plate and under the apper in a direction toward the mouth of the bag, the free end of the apper is caused to vibrate up and down causing the free end of the curved leaf spring 65 to be moved up and down into and out of engagement with the exposed edge of the mouth. The curved shape of the leaf spring 65 is such that the coiled end of the spring is also caused to move or extend itself a short distance longitudinally of the bag when it is pressed down against the exposed edge of the mouth so that the frictional contact of the coiled end moved longitudinally a short distance will break the contact between the upper and lower walls in an amount sufficient to permit air to enter the mouth of the bag to effect expansion thereof.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and ll, a stream of air is directed toward the mouth of the bag by a blower 74 whose delivery end is secured to an end wall 76 of an air chamber 78. The end wall 76 is secured to the underside of the supporting plate 68 which also serves as the upper wall of the chamber. The chamber is further defined by spaced side Walls 80, and a valve plate 82 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pin 84 extended between and secured to the spaced end walls. The valve plate 82 is arranged to be rocked on its pivot from a position in which the front of the chamber is open, and the back thereof is closed as shown in FIG. 8, to a position as shown in FIG. 1l, wherein the back is open and the front closed. The valve plate S2 is rocked to the position shown in FIG. 8 to open the frontof the charnber by a roller 86 carried by an arm 8S fast on a rocker shaft 96 and which cooperates with a cam piece 92 secured to the underside of the valve plate S2. At this time the forward end of the plate 82 rests against the hooked member 28, and the rearwardly extended portion of the plate engages the yinner face of the end wall 76 as'shown. In operation, when the `roller arm 88 is rocked to an upright position, as shown in FIG. 11, the valve plate will rock in a clockwise direction by gravity and by the force of the air to present the forward end of the plate 82 in engagement with the front edge of the supporting plate 68 to cut olf the air through the front of the chamber, and the rearwardly extended portion of the plate 82 will fall away from the end Wall 76 to provide a passageway for escape of the air from the blower 74. It will be understood that the blower is in continuous operation when the machine is running.

While the bag is held in its expanded or inflated condition, as shown in FIG. 8, provision is made for rocking a pair of opposed mouth spreading and

article guiding arms

94, 96 into the open mouth. During the bag opening operation the

opposed spreader arms

94, 96 are in their contracted position, as shown in FIG. 2 and in broken lines in FIG. 14, and when so disposed the front edge of the upper wall 20 of the bag when expanded will be lifted above the forward ends of the contracted spreader arms so that the mouth of the bag surrounds said forward ends as shown in FIG. 8. Thereupon, the spreader arms are rocked outwardly to their full line positions shown in FIG. 14 to spread the mouth portion and to form a guide for the article to be inserted into the bag.

As herein illustrated, the

opposed spreader arms

94, 96 comprise elongated tapering guides substantially of inverted L-shaped cross section, the open ends of the arms facing each other so as to form a guide for the article to be inserted. The tapering arms are secured at their wider or dared ends to slotted arms 98 arranged substantially at right angles to the spreader arms, the slotted arms being adjustably secured by bolts 100 to the upper ends of pivot studs 102. The pivot studs 102 are supported for rotation in spaced brackets 104 secured to the underside of the supporting plate 68. As shown in FIG. 15, the lower ends of the pivot studs 182 are provided with bevel gears 196 which mesh with bevel gears 188, the latter being fast on the rocker shaft 90.

Provision is made `for rocking the shaft 99 to effect spreading of the

arms

94, 96 within the bag and to simultaneously rock the valve plate 82 to close the forward end of the air chamber. As herein shown, the shaft 9G is provided with a slotted arm 110 fast thereon which is connected by a link 112 to one larm of a bell crank 114 pivotally mounted on a shaft 116 supported in the machine frame. The second arm of the bell crank is provided with a roller 118 which cooperates with a cam 128 fast on a cam shaft 122. The cam shaft 122 is arranged to be rotated through driving means including an electric motor 124 connected by a heit 126 through a variable drive unit 12S to a speed reducing unit 136. The output shaft of the speed reducing unit is provided with a bevel gear 132 which is in mesh with a bevel gear 134 fast on a continuously rotated drive shaft 136 journaled in the machine frame.

Also mounted on the drive shaft 136 is a conventional magnetic clutch unit, indicated generally at 138, see FIG. 3, and which has associated therewith a spur gear 14? which is free on the shaft 135 when the clutch is deenergized and is caused to rotate with the shaft when the clutch is energized. The spur gear 14B is in mesh with a large gear 142 fast on the cam shaft 122, and another spur gear 144 also in mesh with the large gear 142 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 146 supported in the machine frame. The gear 144 is associated with a magnetic brake unit, indicated generally at 148, arranged to hold the gear 144 stationary when the brake is energized. Both the magnetic clutch unit and the magnetic brake unit form part of an electrical control circuit wherein when the clutch unit is energized the brake unit is deenergized and, conversely, when the clutch unit is deenergized the brake unit is energized.

The control circuit includes means for detecting the presence of an article placed at the intake end of the machine in a position to be advanced during one cycle of operation into operative position to be inserted into a bag during the succeeding cycle of operation. As shown in FG. 2, the detecting means may comprise a conventional photocell unit d disposed at one side of the intake end of the machine, and a cooperating light source unit 151 disposed at the opposite side thereof and arranged so that an article yplaced at the intake end of the machine will cut off the iight source and actuate the photocell. 1n operation the clutch is energized and the brake is deenergized when an article is placed at the intake end of the machine in the path of the light source to initiate a cycle of operation of the cam shaft 122. The circuit further includes a crank operated, one-revolution limit switch 152, see FIG. 3, arranged to deenergize the niagnetic clutch unit 138 and energize the magnetic brake unit 14S to bring the cam shaft 122 to rest at the end or one revolution unless a succeeding article is placed at the intake end of the machine in the path of the light source. Thus, in operation the machine will operate continuously through successive cycles as long as successive articles are placed at the intake end of the machine in a position to be detected by the photocell unit.

As illustrated in FlGS. 2 and 4, the intake end of the machine includes a supporting table or platen 154 and a pair of opposed, laterally adjustable hollow guide members 155, 158 mounted thereon providing a path through which the articles are guided into the machine. As shown in FIG. 2, an article 160, herein shown as comprising a group of bakery rolls, is disposed in position A in front of a longitudinally movable inserting member, indicated generally at 162, ready to be advanced from position A and inserted into the open bag when a cycle of operation is initiated. Now, when a succeeding article, shown in position B, is placed in the intake path to intercept the light source of the detecting means and initiate a cycle of operation, the inserting member is moved longitudinally to engage and insert article A into the open bag, and during the same cycle provision is made for advancing the article in position B to position A to be inserted into a bag during a succeeding cycle of operation.

The means for advancing the article from position B to position A includes a pivotally mounted and longitudinally movable pusher member indicated generally at 164 in FIGS. l and 4. The pusher member is provided with a plurality of spaced iingers 166 arranged to be extended up through longitudinally extended slots 168 formed in the platen 154 to engage the rear of the article in position B and to move longitudinally in the slots to advance the article to position A. As shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lingers 166 are secured at their lower ends in a transverse bar 170 attached to a tie bar 171 extended between spaced arms 172 fast on a rocker shaft 174. The rocker shaft 174 is journaled in a laterally extended portion of a bracket 17 6 carried by a longitudinally reciprocal unit, indicated generally at 178, which is mounted to slide on longitudinally extended upper and lower rods supported at their ends in spaced

upright members

181, 183 attached to the machine frame, see FIG. l. One end of the rocker shaft 174 is provided with an arm 187 fast thereon which carries a roller 182 for cooperation with a stationary cam 184 secured to an elongated plate 189 supported from the machine frame. In operation when the reciprocable unit 178 is in its retracted position, as shown iin FIG. l, the pivotally mounted pusher member 164 is in its downwardly rocked position with the cam roller 182 resting on a lower guide rail 186 and immediately in front of a pivotally mounted curved end piece 185 of the stationary cam 184. When the reciprocable unit is moved forwardly the roller rides up over the end piece 185 onto the upper surface of the cam 184 to rock the pusher lingers up through the slots to the position shown in FIG. 6. When the reciprocable unit 176 reaches the end of its forward stroke the cam roller 182 rides olf the forward end of the upper surface of the cam 184 and falls by gravity onto the lower guide rail 186 to cause the pusher unit to be rocked downwardly preparatory to being returned to its initial position. During the return stroke the cam roller 182 follows the guide rail 186, and when it approaches its `fully retracted position it will engage an angular rear edge ofthe pivotally mounted cam piece 185 to rock the same upwardly to permit passage of the roller beyond the cam piece whereupon the latter will rock by gravity to its initial position to be engaged by the roller 182 during the succeeding cycle of operation to again lift the pusher member 164 up during the `forward stroke of the reciprocable unit 178. A leaf spring 191 carried by the plate 189 may engage a pin 193 extended from the cam piece 135 to assist in rocking the same downwardly.

As herein illustrated, see FIG. l, the reciprocable unit 17 8 is arranged to be driven through connections from a closed cam 199 fast on the cam shaft 122. A cam lever 7l 192, pivotally mounted at 194 in the machine frame, carries a roller 196 for cooperation with the cam, and the outer end of the cam lever is connected by a link 198 to a lever 200 pivotally mounted at 202. The lever 292 is connected by a link 204 to a carriage 206 forming part of a motion multiplying mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The carriage is provided with a gear 208 supported for rotation therein and which is in mesh at its lower edge with a stationary rack 210 secured to the machine frame. The upper edge of the gear 208 is in mesh with a second rack 212 which is secured by bolts 214 to the reciprocable slide unit 178. As shown in FIG. 7, the slide unit 178 includes upper and lower slide blocks 216 which slide on the rods 180 and which are connected by an upright plate 218 to which the pusher member bracket 176 is connected by bolts 220. The carriage 286 is guided for longitudinal movement and, as herein shown, the carriage is provided with spaced lower rollers 222 which ride on tracks 224 secured to opposite sides of the stationary lower rack 210. The carriage is also provided with spaced upper rollers 226 which ride on tracks 228 secured to opposed sides of the upper rack 212. With this construction it will be seen that when the carriage 206 is moved forwardly through a predetermined distance with the gear 208 rolling on the stationary rack 210, the upper rack 212 will be moved forward a relatively greater distance than the carriage so as to effect a relatively long travel of the pusher member 164. Also mounted on the laterally extended portion of the bracket 176 of the reciprocable unit 178 is an elongated tray 230 which extends below and beyond the forward end of the platen 154 to provide a movable support for the article during the inserting operation and during transfer of the article and the bag onto the discharge conveyer indicated generally at 232.

From the description thus far it will be seen that during the initial portion of a cycle of operation an article to be packaged is moved from position B to position A and, simultaneously therewith, the article which was in position A is moved `forward by the inserting member 162 to insert the article in the open bag so that the intake path is clear to permit movement of a succeeding article into the position previously occupied by the article in position A. During the inserting movement the article will be pushed oif the forward end of the platen 154 onto the moving tray 238, the latter being extended into the open bag to support the article as it is pushed between the

opposed guide members

94, 96 and into the bag by the inserting member 162. In operation the inserting member 162 is moved forward in a continuous movement from the full line position shown in FIG. 1 to the furthermost broken line position indicated at 234 to transfer the lilled bag onto the conveyer 232, the tray 230 also being moved along with but independently of the inserting member to support the article and the bag as it is moved across the void between the inserting station and the conveyer. In practice, when the forward end of the article is fully seated in the bag during the continuous movement of the inserting member with the forward end of the tray inserted within the bag, the flap end 1S of the bag held in the stack by the retaining member 16 is forcibly withdrawn therefrom by such movement of the inserting member. In operation the tiap portion 18 is withdrawn from under the horizontal leg of the retaining member and off the vertical legs thereof. As illustrated in detail in FIG. l2, in order to facilitate withdrawal of the hap 18 from the .vertical legs of the retaining member, the openings in the flaps are provided with slits 19 extending from the openings to the edge of the flap.

Referring again to FIG. l, it will be seen that at the end of the forward stroke of the inserting member 162, as indicated at 234'in FIG. 1, the filled bag is deposited on the conveyer 232 with the end of the bag in engagement with an adjustable stop rail 235 supported from one side of the conveyer. Thereafter, during the retracting stroke, the inserting member is withdrawn from the bag and is then rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated at the broken line position 236. During the continued return movement of the inserting member it continues its clockwise rotation so that when it is returned `to its initial position the inserting member will assume its downwardly rotated position in back of the article deposited at position A in readiness .for a succeeding inserting operation,

As herein shown, the inserting member, indicated gener-ally at 162, comprises a bent plate having a vertical pusher leg 238 and a rearwardly extended angular leg 239, the ends of both legs being connected to a semicircularly curved rod 240. The upper end of the rod is connected to a collar 242 which is detachably secured to a reduced diameter threaded end of a shaft 244 by a hand nut 246. The shaft 244 is journaled in -a lbearing 248 secured to a longitudinally reciprocable bracket 250. Provision is made for reciprocating the bracket 250 through cam operated motion operated multiplying mechanism indicated generally at 252 and for controlling the position of the inserting member 162 during reciprocation of the bracket 250 through driving mechanism indicated generally at 254 in `a manner such as to maintain the inserting member in a downwardly rotated or inserting position during the forward stroke thereof and to effect withdrawal and clockwise rotation of the inserting member to its initial position during the retracting stroke thereof.

As illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the bracket 250 is supported for longitudinal reciprocation on a stationary grooved rail 256 in which upper and lower rollers 25S are arranged to ride. The grooved rail is supported between and secured to upright end plates 260 attached to the machine frame. The bracket 250 is further supported for reciprocal movement on an elongated -rod 262 also supported between the end plates 260 and which extends through a slide bearing 264 to which the lower end of the bracket 25@ is secured. The slide bearing 264 is secured by bolts 265 to the upper face of an elongated upper rack 266 which forms a part of the motion multiplying mechanism 252. The rack 266 is in mesh with a gear 268 mounted for rotation in a carriage 270 and which is also in mesh with a lower stationary rack 272 `attached to the machine frame. The carriage is also provided with upper and lower rollers 274 arranged to ride on elongated rails 275 secured to the upper and

lower racks

266, 272. The carriage is connected by a relatively short link 276 to the upper end of a lever 278 pivotally mounted at 280 in the machine frame as shown in FIG. 1. The lever 278 is connected yby a link 282 to a crank arm 284 fast on the cam shaft 122. In operation, when the cam shaft 122 is rotated through one revolution, the carriage will be reciprocated as the gear 268 rolls along in mesh with the lower rack 272, and the Iupper rack 266, also in mesh with the gear 268, will Ibe reciprocated through a relatively greater distance than the carriage 270 to provide a relatively long movement of the bracket 250 and the inserting member 162 carried thereby. As shown in FIG. 3, the end of the crank arm 284 is arranged to engage and close the switch 152 to bring the cam shaft to rest at the end of one revolution unless a succeeding article is in operative position at the .intake end of the machine to be detected by the photocell as above described.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the shaft 244 to which the inserting member is secured is provided with a sprocket 286 connected by a chain 288 to 4a sprocket 290 loosely mounted on a shaft 292 journaled in the bracket 250. A chain tightener sprocket 291 carried by a pivotally mounted arm 293 is urged in tightening engagement with .the chain by a spring 295. The shaft 292 is also provided with a gea-r 294 fast thereon which is in mesh with a vertical rack 296 movable in guides 298 secured to the bracket 250. The lower end of the rack 296 is provided with a cam roll 389 arranged to cooperate with a stationary cam track 302. to effect vertical reciprocation of the rack when the bracket 250 is reciprocated longitudinally.

Claims

6. IN A PACKAGING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A STACK OF FLAT ENVELOPE TYPE BAGS, EACH HAVING AN UPPER WALL AND A LOWER WALL, ONE WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH AN EXTENDED FLAP PORTION, MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID EXTENDED FLAP PORTIONS FOR RETAINING THE STACK ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS LEAVING THE EDGE OF SAID UPPER WALL FREE AND EXPOSED, MEANS FOR DIRECTING A STREAM OF AIR AGAINST SAID EXPOSED EDGE, A LONGITUDINALLY RECIPROCABLE MECHANICALLY OPERATED ELEMENT FRICTIONALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE MARGINAL PORTION OF SAID EXPOSED EDGE FOR BREAKING THE ADHERENCE OF THE UPPER WALL TO THE LOWER WALL TO PERMIT THE AIR TO ENTER THEREBETWEEN TO EXPAND THE BAG IN READINESS TO RECEIVE AN ARTICLE TO BE PACKAGED, AND MEANS FOR INSERTING AN ARTICLE INTO THE OPEN BAG ARRANGED TO EFFECT WITHDRAWAL OF THE FLAP PORTION FROM SAID RETAINING MEANS UPON CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID INSERTING MEANS AFTER THE ARTICLE IS FULLY SEATED IN THE BAG.