US3460464A

US3460464A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US3460464A
Application number: US610548A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward J Mccarthy
Original assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Current assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Priority date: 1967-01-20
Filing date: 1967-01-20
Publication date: 1969-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1986-08-12

Description

Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. MCCARTHY 3,460,454

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1967 8' Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Edward J. McCarf/zy ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. MCCARTHY 3, 60

PACKAGING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 20, 1967 a Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edward J McCarfhy ATTORNEY g- 12, 1969 E. J. MCCARTHY 3,460,464

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 34 29s as Fig 4 INVENTOR Edward J McCar/hy ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. MCCARTHY 3,460,464

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ill] I F 7 INVENTOR Edward J McCarf/zy BY -v QM ATTQRNEY Aug. 12,1969

E. J. M CARTHY PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 20, 1967 Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. M CARTHY 3, 6

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20. 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 236 i I .L A l v Fig. 8

A Fig. /0

INVENTOR Edward J. McCarf/xy ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. M CARTHY PACKAGING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 20, 1967 Fl ilL'l ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1969 E. J. MCCARTHY 3,460,464

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 F m" mm omcmn. \u.

now P u55 C7172- EXPhNDS TO SCORE MNE Fig/l I NVEN TOR Edward J McCarf/ry BY M 1 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,460,464 PACKAGING MACHINE Edward J. McCarthy, Eraintree, Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 610,548 Int. Cl. 133% 9/28, 11/00 U.S. Cl. 100-90 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging machine having provision for compressing loosely packed comminuted material within a flexible bag while supporting the bottom and sides of the bag whereby to effect shaping of the filled bag and compacting of the material in a manner such that the bag will retain the shape of the compacted material.

This invention relates to a packaging machine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved packaging machine having provision for co mpressing loose flowable material contained in a flexible bag whereby to provide a firm land solidly packed bag which will retain its shape during transportation and handling of the package.

The invention has for another object to provide a novel and improved packaging machine of the character specified having provision for imparting to the bag a predetermined desired shape during the compre sing operation.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the packaging machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claim at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a packaging machine embodying the present invention with a portion of the upper structure removed;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the drives;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the upper structure of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG, 5 is a Cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the plunging mechanism at a larger scale and showing the air connections;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a plunger showing the air openings therein;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the pockets partly in cross section, also shown at a larger scale;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a pocket shown inv cross section;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of the pocket;

FIG. l1 is a side elevation of a bag showing the different levels of the material in the bag before and after compression of the material; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the completed bag provided with a top closure.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel packaging machine adapted to handle flexible bags filled with a comminuted flow ablc material, such as flour, and which is arranged to compress the loose powdered material in the bag and to shape the bag during the compressing operation to provide a firmly packed flexible bag ready to be top closed and which will retain it shape during handling and transportation of the packaged material.

Prior to the present invention, it has been the commercial practice to package flour in a distinctive type of flexible bag with the flour or other soft pulverized material in its loose and uncompressed condition. Such prior bags soon lose their shape when handled because of the loose condition of the flour in that the side walls become wrinkled and the corners of the package become dogeared, thus detracting from its sales appeal.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for compressing the soft powdered material within the bag while it is supported in a pocket having four side walls and a bottom wall whereby to remove the entrapped or excess air in the material and to form a more or less condensed mass within the bag. In practice, the side walls of the pocket are recessed to form bulging sides in the bag to simulate the appearance of a conventional flour b ag.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, in general, the present packaging machine indicated generally at 10 comprises an intermittently operated rotary machine having a plurality of radially extended pocket indicated generally at 12 and into which successive filled bags 14 are deposited at a receiving st ation 15. The filled bags 14 are delivered in a line by a conveyer 16 from a bag filling and weighing machine not shown, successive endmost bags coming to rest against a stationary plate 18 cooperating with a pusher plate 20 operated in timed relation to the arrival of successive spaced bags and which serves to transfer the endmost bag in the line into a pocket 12 at the receiving station 15. The plate 20 is provided with a rearwardly bent extension 19 at the receiving end of the plate which is arranged to hold back the succeeding bag in the line.

In general, each pocket 12 is provided with a bottom wall 21; a movable back wall 22; and two

pivoted side walls

24, 26, which latter are rocked into their open or spread apart position at the receiving station. The back wall 22 is also moved outwardly a short distance at the receiving station simultaneously with opening of the side walls. In operation, when a filled bag 14 is transferred into an open pocket 12 by the pusher plate 20, the bag engages the slightly outwardly extended back wall 22 and moves inwardly therewith while the back wall returns to its fully retracted position and, simultaneously therewith, the pivoted

side walls

24, 26 are closed upon the sides of the bag whereupon the pusher plate is retracted.

Continuing the general description, each pocket 12 has associated therewith a plunger or tamping member 28 arranged to be lowered into the bag to rest upon the upper surface of the material during the intermittent movement of the pocket to the next station 39 which is idle, and at the following station 32, which comprises a first press station, a pivoted front wall 33 is rocked into cooperative engagement with the front wall of the bag and the ends of the

side walls

24, 26 whereupon provision is made for applying pressure to the t amping member 28 to compress and partially deaerate the material, provision being made for permitting the air to escape during the compressing operation. Each of the supporting walls is recessed on its inner face so that during the compressing operation the walls of the bag are shaped to simulate the bulging walls of a conventional flour bag, After release of the compressing force and outward rocking of the front wall 33. the pocket is moved to a second and similar compressing station 34 where the material is pressed further down into the bag a point below the score line or top closing level of the bag. After passing through an idle station 36, the bag with its compressed material is discharged from its pocket 12 at station 38 where it is transferred into a pocket 40 of a rotary conveyor 42 arranged to deliver the package to a top closing machine, not

shown. The bag is discharged from the pocket 12 by outward movement of the back wall 22, the

side walls

24, 26 being rocked to their open position at the start of the outward movement of the back wall.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the pockets 12 are carried by radially extended arms 44 of a spider 36 secured to and rotatable with a central shaft 48 supported for rotation in an upright bearing member 50 attached to the upper surface of a hollow base 52 of the frame of the machine. The lower end of the central shaft 48 extends through the upper surface of the base and is provided with the driven member 54 of a six-point Geneva mechanism which cooperates with a Geneva driver 56 fast on a shaft 58 supported in the base and in a gear casing 60 attached to the upper surface of the base. As shown in FIG. 2, the drive to the shaft 58 includes a worm gear 62 fast on the shaft 58 and a worm 64 mounted on a horizontal shaft 66 rotatably mounted in the gear casing 60. The horizontal shaft 66 is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 68 to a motor driven line shaft 70 which also drives the other machines in a synchronized packaging line of which the present machine is a part.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the pusher plate 20 for transferring a filled bag from the conveyor 16 into a pocket 12 is carried by parallel links 72 mounted in a bracket 74, one of the links being fast on a shaft 76 carried by the bracket. The shaft 76 is also provided with a cam level 78 fast thereon which carries a roller 80 cooperating with a cam 82 fast on a cam shaft 84 supported in the machine frame. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cam shaft 84 is driven from the Geneva driver shaft 58, through a gear train 86 to a vertical shaft 88 supported in a bracket 90 attached to the base 52. The upper end of the shaft 88 is connected to the cam shaft 84 by bevel gears 92. The cam shaft 84 is supported for rotation in bearing brackets 94, 96 also attached to the base 52. In operation, the filled and weighed bag is transferred from the conveyer 16 into a pocket 12 by the pusher plate 20 in timed relation to the arrival of the intermittently movable pocket at the receiving station 15.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and for a more detailed description of the bag supporting pockets 12, it will be seen that each radially extended arm 44 is of semicircular or inverted U-shape in cross section and that the back wall 22 is carried by a slide bracket 98 supported for reciprocation on a shaft 100 extended radially from and fixed to the spider 46. The shaft 100 is concentric with the semicircular arm 44, and the latter serves as a cover or shield for the underlying reciprocable parts of the mechanism. The slide bracket 98 is provided with a flange portion 103 at its outer end to which the back wall 22 is attached and is urged inwardly by two springs 102 extending between the flanged portion 103 and the spider 46, as shown. The slide bracket is limited in its inward movement by an adjustable stop screw 104 carried by an upstanding portion 106 of the radially extended arm 44. The stop screw 104 is arranged to engage the head of a stud 108 carried by the flange portion 103. During its movement from one station to another the slide bracket 98 with its back wall 22 i positively maintained in its inwardly moved position by the engagement of a hooked portion 110 of a block 112 secured to the inner end of the slide bracket with the inner cylindrical surface of an upstanding rim 114 stationarily supported in an annular flanged member 116 secured to the upper end of the central bearing member 50. However, at the receiving station 15, and also at the discharge station 38, provision is made for reciprocating the slide bracket 98 and its rear wall 22, a cutout 118 being provided in the rim 114 at the receiving station, and cutout 120 being provided in the rim 114 at the discharge station to permit outward move ment of the back wall at these stations.

The mechanism for effecting recriprocation of the slide bracket 98 and its back wall 22 at the receiving station comprises cam operated mechanism including a roller 122 carried by an arm 124 fast on a vertical shaft 128 mounted to rock in a bracket 129 attached to the machine frame. The roller 122 is arranged to cooperate with an arcuate grooved portion 126 formed in the underside of the block 112. A second arm 130 also fast on the vertical shaft is connected by a link 132 to one arm 134 of a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on a stud 136 carried by a bracket 138 attached to an upright frame member. The second arm 140 of the two-armed lever is provided with a roller 142 for cooperation with a cam 144 fast on a cam shaft 146. The cam shaft 146 is arranged at right angles to the cam shaft 84 and is connected thereto by miter gears 148, 150 as shown. A spring 149 is connected to the arm 140 to hold the roll against its cam. In operation, the roller 122 is maintained in alignment with the circular path of the arcuate grooved portion 126 of the slide bracket as the pocket 12 is indexed to the receiving station 15 so that when the hooked portion 110 rides off the rim 114 and into the cutout 118, the roller 122 holds the slide bracket 98 in its retracted position until the cam 144 operates to reciprocate the slide bracket. Conversely, after the reciprocating movement of the slide bracket 98 is completed, the roller 122 holds the hooked portion 110 in alignment with the rim 114 so that upon indexing of the pocket 12 to the next station, the hooked portion will engage the rim to hold the slide bracket in its retracted position.

The reason for reciprocating the back wall at the receiving station 15 is to effect opening or spreading apart of the

side walls

24, 26 to receive the filled bag and to close the side walls on the filled bag when it is seated in the pocket. The mounting of the pivoted

side walls

24, 26 and the hinged structure thereof to permit outward rocking of the same to receive the bag and inward rocking to close the side walls upon the bag will now be described. As herein shown, the

side walls

24, 26 are connected to opposed

lower hinge members

160, 162, respectively, mounted to rock on

vertical shafts

164, 166 supported in laterally extended

hub portions

168, 170 of the radially extended arm 44. Each

hinge

160, 162 is provided with an arm 172 carrying a roller 174 for cooperation with opposed cam rails 176 secured to and movable with the slide bracket 98. Opposed

upper hinge members

178, 180 also connected to the

side walls

24, 26, respectively, are provided with arms 182 connected by a spring 184 for urging the side walls outwardly. In operation, when the slide bracket 98 with its back wall is moved radially inwardly, the rollers 174 engage inclined portions 186 of the cam rails 176 to rock the

side walls

24, 26 inwardly. Conversely, when the slide bracket 98 with its back wall is moved outwardly, the rollers 174 engage the low portions of the cam ratils 176 to permit the side walls to rock outwardly to their open positions by virtue of the spring 184. In operation, the back wall 22 is moved radial-1y outwardly a relatively short distance at the receiving station sufficient to permit opening of the pocket, and during the last part of the transfer movement of the bag into the pocket, the back wall is retracted to effect closing of the side walls against the bag. As herein shown, the bottom of the bag is supported on a bottom plate 21 attached to the lower ends of the

vertical shafts

164, 166. It will be observed that the back wall 22 is recessed as indicated at 190', and the

side walls

24, 26 are also recessed as indicated at 192 so as to provide bulging walls in the bag upon compression of the material therein.

Upon retraction of the pusher plate 20 and closing of the

side walls

24, 26 against the bag, the pocket 12 is indexed to the next station 30, which is idle, and during its movement to this station, provision is made for partially lowering the plunger or tamping member 28 into the open mouth of the bag, the plunger being further lowered into the bag during its subsequent movement to the next station 32 to rest on top of the material therein. As illustrated in FIG. 9, each pocket 12 is provided with its individual plunger 28 which comprises a hollow cup-shaped member having side walls 194 and a bot-tom wall 196. The plunger is shaped in plan to fit into the bag and to conform generally to the shape of the bulged side walls of the bag defined by the recessed portions of the walls of the pocket with sufficient clearance around the sides thereof to permit easy entrance and withdrawal of the plunger.

The plunger 28 is provided with an upright member 198 having a flange portion 199 attached to the bottom wall 196, the member 198 being carried by

parallel arms

200, 202 pivotally connected to a hub 204 mounted fast on the central shaft 48 to rotate With the spider 46. The upper parallel arm 200 (is provided at its outer end with a downward-1y inclined extension 206 which carries a roller 208 for cooperation with the upper edge of an annular cam 210. A spring 212 connected to the upper arm 200 and to its radially extended arm 44 holds the roller 208 against its cam 210. In operation, the high part of the cam 210 is arranged to elevate the plunger 28 to a position well above the mouth of the open bag in which position the plunger is disposed at the receiving station 15, and during its movement to

stations

30 and 32, the cam 210 permits the plunger to be lowered by virtue of the spring 212 to rest on the upper surface of the material in the bag.

As herein shown, the annular cam 210 is supported by angle brackets 214 attached to an annular platen 216 which in turn is supported by upright frame members 218 attached to the base 52 of the machine. During its travel from the receiving station 15 to the idle station 30 and then to the first press station 32, the front wall of the bag in the pocket is guided by an .arcuate rail 220 supported by bars 222 attached to the machine frame.

Similar rails

226 and 228 extend between the first and

second press stations

32, 34 and between the second press station 34 and the discharge station 38, respectively.

When the pocket 12 with its bag supported on three n sides and the bottom is moved to the first press station 32, the pivotally mounted front wall 33 is rocked into position against the front of the bag, the front wall engaging the longitudinal edges of the

side walls

24, 26 to complete the support of the filled bag on four sides. The front wall is provided with angle clips 230 arranged to embrace the side walls to prevent spreading of the same during the compressing operation. As herein shown, the front wall 33 is carried by an arm 231 pivotally mounted on a stud 232 carried by a bracket 234 attached to an upnight frame member 218. The front wall is connected by a toggle arm 236 and by spaced

toggle arms

238, 239 arranged to straddle the frame member, the spaced toggle arms being mounted fast one at each end of an eccentric stud 240 journaled in the upright frame member. The arm 238 is connected by a rod 244 to an arm 246 fast at one end of a rocker shaft 248 which is journaled in bearing brackets 250 mounted on the base 52. The rocker shaft 248 is also provided with an arm 252 fast thereon which carries a roller 254 for cooperation with a cam 256 fast on the cam shaft 146. Thus, in operation, when the pocket 12 comes to rest at the first press station 32, the pivoted front wall 33 is rocked into cooperating engagement with the

side walls

24, 26 with the plunger 28 resting on top of the material within the bag. It will be observed that the front wall 33 is also recessed to provide a bulging front wall in the compressed package. In operation, the toggle links 236, 239 break upwardly to rock the front wall 33 outwardly, and the links are moved down to a point immediately before dead center is reached to rock the front wall to its closed position in cooperation with the side walls. In practice, the toggle linkage is adjusted so that the front wall 33 is seated against the front of the bag and the pocket side walls before the toggle reaches dead center so as to avoid breaking of the toggle downwardly and the eccentric stud 240 to which the

links

238, 239 are clamped rocks with the links to move the actual center of the stud toward the pocket and thus serves to provide a small additional extension of the toggle linkage toward the pocket whereby to fully and firmly seat the front wall against the pocket.

Provision is now made for applying substantial pressure against the plunger 28 to compress the material in the bag. As herein shown, see FIG. 4, the upper end of the upright member 198 which carries the plunger is provided with a pawl engaging bar 258 for cooperation with a pawl 260 carried by one arm 262 of a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on a stud 264 journaled in a bracket 266 attached to the platen 216. The second arm 268 of the two-armed lever is connected by

toggle links

270, 272 to a stud 274 also carried by the bracket 266, the stud 274 also having a pair of spaced arms 278 fast thereon which are arranged to adjustably support herebetween a swivel ball joint 280 connected by a yieldable link 282 to one arm 284 of a multiple arm lever pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft 248. A second arm 286 of the multiple arm lever is provided with a cam roll 288 which 00- operates with a cam 290 fast on the cam shaft 146.

As herein shown, the pawl 260 is fast on a stud 292 rockingly mounted in the arm 262 and is normally rocked out of the path of engaging bar 258. The pawl is arranged to be rocked into operative alignment with the bar when the pocket comes to rest at the first press station so that upon downward rocking of the arm 262, after the front plate is rocked into position, pressure will be applied to the material. In order to rock the pawl into and out of operative pressure applying position the stud 292 is also provided with an arm 294 fast thereon, the free end of which is arranged to cooperate with the upper end of a vertically reciprocable cam member 296 mounted in a slide bearing 298 attached to the bracket 266. A spring 300 connected between the arm 294 and the slide bearing 298 serves to hold the free end of the arm in engagement with the upper end of the vertically reciprocable cam member 296. The slide member 296 is connected by a link 302 to the arm 238 of the front wall toggle linkage so that in operation when the front wall is closed upon the edges of the side walls of the pocket at the first press station 32, the cam member 296 will be lowered to permit the pawl 260 to rock into alignment with the engaging bar 258 by virtue of the spring 300.. The pawl 260 is notched to provide a horizontal surface 303 engageable with the top of the bar 258 and a vertical surface 304 which rests against one side of the bar to limit the rocking movement of the pawl to align the pawl with the bar.

Substantial pressure is now applied to the material through the cam operated toggle linkage described to partially compress the material in the bag. In order to support the bottom plate 21 of the pocket to resist or counteract the pressure applied to the top of the material, a pair of adjustable disks 306 are provided at the press station which are threadedly engaged in the bracket 234 as shown. In operation, the upper surfaces of the disks 306 are aligned substantially with the underside of the bottom plate 21 so that when the pocket is indexed to the press station, the bottom plate will be supported by the disks. Provision is also made for stabilizing the press supporting bracket 266 mounted on the annular platen 216 by providing a stabilizing rod 308 connected between the top of the bracket 266 and a shouldered portion 310 of a stationary hub 375 surrounding the central shaft 48. It will be understood that the annular cam 210 provides substantial clearance at the first press station 32 to avoid contact of the roller 208 with the cam during the pressing operation.

In practice, when the powdered material is compressed in the bag, any air intermixed with the material and displaced by the plunger is forced out and must escape through the top of the bag. In order to prevent discharge of some of the powdered material with displaced air escaping around the sides of the plunger during the plunging operation, the bottom wall 196 of the plunger is pro vided with the two circular inserts 311, each having a plurality of screened openings 312 through which the air may escape. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the screened openings 312 are arranged in two circles equally spaced from the center of the rectangular plunger, as shown in FIG. 7. The lower end of the plunger 28 is connected to its flange portion 199 and to the bottom wall 196 by a screw 197. The inserts 311 are connected to the flange portion 199 by screws 313. The screened openings 312 communicate with annular passageways 314 in the inserts 311, each passageway having an opening extending up through the flange and through raised hub portions of the flange which are provided with nipples 316. The nipples are connected by flexible conduits 318 to each end of a connecting pipe 320 supported from the hub 204. The pipe 320 is connected intermediate its ends by an upright conduit 322 to a block 324 directly connected by a nipple 326 to a vacuum valve 328. The block 324 is also connected by a pipe 330 to an air relief or atmospheric valve 334 disposed at a preceding station. The

valves

328, 334 are arranged in pairs one above the other and are supported for rotation with the pockets 12 by a plate 336 attached to the flange 380 of a rotary bearing hub 378. A rotary manifold 338 is supported between the flange 380 and a collar 382, and the parts are secured together and to the hub 204 by bolts 384 extending through the parts as shown.

Each relief valve 334 comprising the upper valve is provided with an atmospheric opening, and each vacuum valve 328 is connected by a flexible conduit 342 to one of a plurality of nipples 344 radially extended from the rotary manifold 338. Each nipple 344 is connected to a passageway 348 in communication with a central passageway 350 formed in the rotating shaft 48. The upper end of the shaft 48 is connected to a conventional rotary air seal fitting indicated generally at 346 having a rotating portion 352 connected to the shaft and a stationary housing 354, the latter being connected by a conduit 356 to any usual or preferred regulated source of vacuum. As shown in FIG. 4, the shaft 48 is provided with an upper bearing bracket 358 which is connected to a cross brace 360 extended between upright frame members 362 attached to the annular platen 216.

Each

valve

328, 334 is provided with an operating lever 364 for cooperation with a valve stem 366 and each operating lever carries a roller 368 for cooperation with its respective

stationary cam

370, 372. The upper cam 372 comprising the air relief cam is supported on a collar 374 keyed to a stationary hub portion 375 attached to the bearing bracket 358. The lower cam 370 comprising the vacuum valve cam is connected to depending spacer members 376 secured to the underside of the cam 372. The lower end of the stationary hub 375 extends into and is aligned with a bearing hub 378 forming a part of the rotary manifold 338. As herein illustrated, there is a vacuum valve 328 and an atmospheric valve 334 associated with each plunger 28. The vacuum valve 328 associated with the pocket at the first press station 32 is connected to the plunger openings 'at this station. However, the atmospheric valve 334 disposed above the valve 328 at the first press station is connected by the pipe 330 to the plunger openings at the second press station 34. In operation, when the pockets come to rest at the

press stations

32, 34 both the vacuum valve 328 and the atmospherio valve 334 associated with the pocket at the first press station are opened by their

respective cams

370, 372 so that the vacuum is connected to the plunger openings 312 at the first press station 32 and the plunger openings 312 at the second press station 34 are open to the atmosphere. Thus, in operation, vacuum is applied to remove the excess air during the first press operation only, and simultaneously therewith, the atmospheric valve is opened to permit release of air displaced during the second press operation. As illustrated, the vacuum valve cam 370 is designed to permit closing of the vacuum valve at the start of the next indexing movement of the pocket away from the first press station, while the cam 372 holds the atmospheric valve 334 open during movement of the pocket through the remaining indexing stations until after the pocket presses the intake station 15 at the start of a new cycle of operation. Thus, the vacuum is applied only at the first press station to withdraw the air displaced during the first press operation While the air displaced at the second press station may escape to the atmosphere. In practice, it was found that when running some material the vacuum valves could 'be eliminated and the plunger openings connected to the atmosphere only to release the displaced air during the press operations at both

stations

32 and 34.

After the first press operation at station 32, the pawl 260 engaged with the bar 258 is elevated and the front wall 33 is rocked away from the front of the bag leaving the plunger 28 in its lowered position in engagement with the material in the bag. The pocket 12 is then indexed to the second press station 34 where the material is further compressed. The second press station 34 may comprise a duplicate of the first press station except that the pawl 260 is made considerably longer than the pawl at the first press station to effect compression of the material to a lower level in the bag.

When the pocket 12 comes to rest at station 34, the front wall 33 is rocked into engagement with the front of the bag simultaneously with the front Wall at the first press station by auxiliary linkage connected to be operated by the same cam 256 as the front wall 33 at station 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the auxiliary linkage for operating the front wall 33 at the second press station includes a similar link 244 connected between a similar arm 239 of the front wall toggle mechanism and one arm 390 of a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on a stud 392 carried by a bracket 394 attached to the base 52 of the machine. The second arm 396 of the two-armed lever is connected by a link 398 to an arm 400 formed integrally with the arm 252 which latter carries the roll 254 for cooperation with the cam 256. Thus, in operation, the pivoted front walls 33 at the first and second press stations are opera-ted simultaneously by the cam 256.

Likewise at station 34 the pressing operation is performed simultaneously with the pressing operation at station 32 by auxiliary linkage operated by the same cam 290. The auxiliary linkage for operating the press mechanism at the second press station 34 includes a similar yieldable link 282 connected between similar links 278 and an arm 402 fast on a stud 404 carried by a bracket 406 attached to the base 52. A second arm 408 also fast on the stud 404 is connected by a link 410 to an arm 412 formed integrally with the arm 286 of the multiple arm lever which carries the cam roll 288 for cooperation with the cam 290. Thus, in operation, each

press station

32, 34 is operated by the same cam having the same throw. However, the compression at the second press station 34 extends the plunger 28 deeper into the bag by virtue of the longer pawl 260. It will be understood that the cam 210 is designed to provide substantial clearance for the roller 208 at the second press station also so as not to interfere with the compressing operation.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the material in the filled bag is initially at a level indicated at 414 relative to a line 416 representing the top closing level of the bag when it is received in the pocket 12. The first press operation is arranged to partially compress the material in the bag to a level a short distance above the top closing level, as indicated at 418; and the second press operation is arranged to further compress the material to a level a short distance below the top closing level as indicated at 420. In practice, the material is permitted to expand upwardly a short distance to a level corresponding substantially to the top closing level 416 during its travel out of the machine and to the top closing mechanism of the following machine in the line.

Upon completion of the compressing operation at the second press station 34 the front wall 33 is retracted and the toggle operated press pawl '260 is elevated whereupon the pocket is indexed to station 36 which is idle. The pocket is then indexed to the discharge station 38 where the filled bag is transferred from the pocket 12 into the pocket 40 of the top closing conveyer 42. During movement of the pocket from the second press station to the discharge station, the plunger 28 is elevated out of the bag by the cam 210.

As herein illustrated, the pocket 12 comes to rest at the discharge station 38 in alignment with the pocket 40, and in order to transfer the bag from the pocket 12 to the pocket 40 provision is made for moving the back wall 22 radially outwardly to first effect opening of the pivoted

side walls

24, 26 of the pocket and during continued outward movement of the back wall 22, the bag is transferred into the pocket 40. In operation, when the pocket 12 approaches the transfer station 38, a roller 422 carried by an arm 424 is aligned with the arcuate grooved portion 126 formed in the underside of the block 112 to hold the back wall in its retracted position when the hooked portion 110 comes into alignment with the cutout 120 formed in the annular retaining rim 114. The arm 424 is mounted fast on -a vertical stud 426 journaled in a bracket 428 attached to the machine frame. A second arm 430 also fast on the stud 426 is connected by a link 432 to an arm 434 pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft 248. A second arm 436 formed integrally with the arm 434 carries a cam roll 438 for cooperation with a cam 4 40 fast on the cam shaft 146.

In operation, the roller 422 carried by the arm 424 is rocked to move the slide bracket 98 and its back wall 22 outwardly until the bag is transferred to the pocket 40 whereupon the slide bracket is retracted to its initial position to present the hooked portion 110 through the cutout 120 so that the hooked portion will again engage the retaining rim 11 4 upon initial movement of the pocket from the discharge station at which time the arcuate groove 126 moves away from the roller 422. The bag with the material compressed therein and transterred to the pocket 40 is then provided with a top closure produced by another machine in the line of packaging machines to produce the package illustrated in FIG. 12 wherein the bag is provided with bulging side walls to simulate a conventional flour bag, the compressed condition of the material serving to provide a. firm and solidly packed bag which will retain its shape during handling and transportation of the bag.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a bag filled with a compressible material, said supporting means comprising a bottom support and four side walls, and means engageable with the top of the material for compressing the same in the bag to provide a firm and solidly packed bag capable of holding its compressed shape during handling and transportation thereof, said bag support including a movable back wall and two adjacent walls interconnected with said back wall to move from an open to a closed position.

2. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a bag filled with a loosely packed comminuted material, said supporting means comprising a bottom support and four side walls, each of said side walls being recessed, and means engagea-ble with the top of the material for compressing the same into the bag and into said recesses to provide a firm and solidly packed bag having bulging side walls capable of holding its shape during handling and transportation thereof, said bag support including a normally open front wall movable into cooperating engagement with the remaining walls prior to the compressing operation.

3. In a packaging machine of the character described having a plurality of opera-ting stations, in combination, means for supporting a bag filled with a loosely packed compressible material, said supporting means comprising a bottom support and four side walls, compressing means comprising a plunger engageable with the top of the material for compressing the same in the bag to provide a firm and solidly packed bag capable of holding its compressed shape during handling thereof, and means cooperating with said plunger for permitting escape of the air displaced from the material during the compressing operation, said compressing means including a first compressing station for effecting an initial compressing operation, and a second compressing station for effecting a final compression operation.

4. A packaging machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said side walls are recessed to provide a solidly packed bag having bulging side walls.

5. A packaging machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the air escape means includes screened openings in the bottom of the plunger, and means connecting said openings to the atmosphere.

6. A packaging machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the air escape means includes screened openings in the bottom of the plunger, and means connecting said openings to a source of vacuum.

7. A packaging machine as defined inclaim 3 wherein the initial compressing operation effects compression of the material to a point above the top closing level of the bag, and wherein the final compressing operation elfects compression of the material to a point below said top closing level.

8. In a packaging machine of the character described, in combination, a pocket for supporting a bag filled with a compressible material, said pocket comprising a bottom support, a movable back wall and hinged side walls, means for reciprocating said back wall, and means interconnecting said back wall and the hinged side walls for rocking the side walls to their open position upon forward movement of the back wall, said side walls being rocked to their closed position upon. retracting movement of the back wall.

9. In a packaging machine of the character described, in combination, a pocket for supporting a bag filled with a compressible material, said pocket comprising a bottom support, a movable back wall and hinged side walls, means for reciprocating said back wall, and means interconnecting said back wall and the hinged side walls for rocking the side walls to their open position upon forward movement of the back wall, said side walls being rocked to their closed position upon retracting movement of the back wall, means for transferring a filled bag laterally from a supply thereof into the open pocket, said back wall being retracted to eifeclt closing of the side walls about the bag when the latter is fully seated in the pocket.

:10. In a packaging machine of the character described, in combination, a pocket for supporting a bag filled with a compressible material, said pocket comprising a bottom support, a movable back wall and hinged side walls, means for reciprocating said back wall, and means interconnecting said back wall and the hinged side walls for rocking the side walls to their open position upon forward movement of the back wall, said side walls being rocked to their closed position upon retracting movement of the back wall, means for transferring a filled bag laterally from a supply thereof into the open pocket, said back wall being retracted to efiect closing of the side walls about the bag when the latter is fully seated in the pocket, :a front wall movable into cooperating engagement with the side walls to complete the four sides of the pocket after the bag is transferred thereto, means for then compressing the material in the bag, said front wall being moved out of engagement with the side walls after the compressing operation, and means for thereafter moving said back wall forwardly to open said 'side walls and to discharge the bag from the pocket.

11. An intermittently operated rotary packaging machine of the character described, in combination, a

plurality of radially extended pockets for supporting filled bags and movable to a plurality of opera-ting stations including a bag receiving station, a compressing station, and a discharge station, each of said pockets having a bottom support, a radially reciprocable back wall and hinged side walls, said side walls arranged to be opened and closed upon forward and retnacting movement respectively of said back wall, a supply conveyer, means at said bag receiving station for opening the pocket, means for transferring successive filled bags from the conveyer into successive open pockets, said pockets being closed upon seating of a bag therein, a front wall at said compressing station movable into cooperating engagement with the bag and said side walls to complete support of the bag on four sides, a plunger for compressing the material in the bag, said front wall being moved out of engagement with the pocket after the compressing operation, and means at said discharge station for moving said back wall forwardly to open said side walls and to discharge the bag from the pocket.

12. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the back wall of each pocket is carried by a reciprocable slide member and is resiliently retained in its re-tracted position against an adjustable stop, an annul ar retaining ring cooperating with said slide member to prevent inadventent forward displacement of the back wall, said ring having cutouts at said bag receiving station and said discharge station to permit forward movement of said slide member and its back wall at said stations.

'13. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein a plunger is associated with each pocket, each plunger provided with screened openings in the bottom wall thereof connected to the atmosphere to permit escape of displaced air during the com-pressing operation.

14. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein a plunger is associated with each pocket, each plunger provided with screened openings connected to a source of vacuum to remove the air displaced during the compressing operation.

15. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein a plunger is associated with each pocket, and means for raising and lowering said plunger into and out of the bag.

16. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the operating stations include a second compressing station and wherein the material is compressed to a point above a top closing level at said first compressing station, and is then compressed to a point a short distance below said top closing level at said second compressing station.

17. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said back wall, side walls and front wall are recessed and wherein the compressing operation packs the material and the adjacent walls of the bag into said recesses.

18. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein a plunger is associated with each pocket and is arranged to rest on top of the material at the compressing station, and means engagea'ble with the plunger for applying substantial pressure to perform the compressing operation.

19. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the operating stations include a second compressing station also having a front wall movable into cooperating engagement With the bag and said side walls, and cam operated means for simultaneously moving both of said front walls into operative relation to their respective pockets at said compressing stations.

20. A packaging machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the operating stations include a second compressing station and wherein a plunger is associated with each pocket and is arranged to rest on top of the material at each compressing station, and cam operated means engageable with the plunger at each compressing station for applying substantial pressure to perform the compressing operation simultaneously at each compressing station.

21. A packaging machine as defined in claim 20 wherein the 0am operate-d pressure applying means includes a pawl engagearble with the upper end of an upright menrber extended from the plunger at each compressing station, the pawl at the first compressing station being of a length to effect compression to a predetermined level in the bag, and the pawl at the second compressing station being of a length to effect compression to a predetermined lower level in the bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 801,963 10/1905 Beaty 100-90 980,949 1/1911 Heybach 141-80 XR 1,025,882 5/1912 Rose 53-124 XR 1,221,313 4/1917 Gwinn 53-124 XR 2,607,435 8/1952 Dohse 100-90 2,959,900 1l/1960 Wollett 100-90 XR 3,035,513 5/1962 Johnson 100-218 3,112,777 12/1963 Lohse 141-80 3,352,231 11/1967 Thomson 100-90 3,377,945 4/1968 Da-vis 100-90 BILLY J. WILHlTE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.