WO1999015407A2

WO1999015407A2 - A filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1999015407A2
Application number: PCT/NZ1998/000141
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Charles Welton Hogg
Original assignee: Chequer Corporation Limited
Priority date: 1997-09-25
Filing date: 1998-09-23
Publication date: 1999-04-01
Also published as: WO1999015407A3; AU9368698A; AU734020B2

Abstract

A filling apparatus comprising a pair of flexible pathways (1,2). Operating means (20) are also provided to move the flexible pathways (1, 2) between a position where engaged bags are substantially closed and a position where engaged bags are substantially open.

Description

TITLE

A FILLING APPARATUS

BACKGROUND

When filling and sealing chains of flexible bags, usually bags made of plastics material, it is common to open the bag, place an insertion cone part way into a bag and then to release the material which is to be inserted into the bag through the cone. Such cones have proved to be a relatively reliable way of preventing product jams but such constructions do have some disadvantages, for example, it is difficult to gas flush the product and bags. In order to speed up the filling procedures, consideration has been given to duplex methods, that is to say methods which will fill two bags at a time. Multiple fillers at present available use rotary filling systems which by their very nature suffer from complexity of construction and operation.

OBJECT

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filling apparatus which will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention consists in filling apparatus for bags of flexible material, the filling apparatus comprising a pair of flexible pathways which in use carry parts of a string of bags or parts engaged with a string of bags, and operating means to move the flexible pathways between a position where the bag or bags or parts engaged with the bags are substantially closed and a position where the bag or bags or the parts engaged with the bags are substantially open.

Preferably the pair of flexible pathways combine to provide one or more openings through which the bags can be filled.

Preferably two openings are provided.

Preferably the flexible pathways are fixed at one end and connected to the operating means at or adjacent the other end and at least one point intermediate of the length of the flexible pathway.

Preferably at least three intermediate connecting points are provided. Preferably the operating means comprise a pair of parallelogram linkages connected through a member or members also connected to the non-fixed end of the flexible pathways.

Preferably a chute is provided over the open mouth or open parts engaged with the bags through which the bags may be filled.

Preferably two chutes are provided.

Preferably the chutes are mounted on an apertured plate, each chute directing material in use through the aperture.

Preferably the chute is positionable and removable from the apparatus so that different sized chutes can be provided.

Preferably a plurality of plates are provided.

Preferably the flexible pathways each have a rebate on the lower parts of mutually inwardly facing faces.

Preferably the flexible pathways are connected to the operating means by clips, each clip providing a channel through which the bag or parts engaged with the bag pass.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 : is a perspective exploded view of parts of filling apparatus according to the invention,

Figure 2: is a perspective view showing parts of Figure 1 in an assembled manner,

Figure 3: is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in an assembled manner, and

Figure 4: is a cross section on "AA" in Figure 3. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings filling apparatus is provided as follows. The filling apparatus as shown in the figures is mounted on a framework which framework includes means to draw a string of bags of flexible material such as plastics material. In the preferred form each plastic bag has a tape attached to each side of the mouth and each tape carries a support rail which is able to be supported on the apparatus. A mechanism is provided to draw the tapes through the apparatus and also to separate the tapes from the bags after filling and sealing. Such drawings mechanisms, sealing mechanisms and cutting mechanisms are well known in the art.

The filling apparatus of the invention comprises a pair of flexible pathways, 1 and 2, formed of a suitable rubber or plastics material. In the preferred form the pathways 1 and 2 are substantially fixed at one end 5, for example, by connection to a mounting block 6, the position of which, in use, is fixed relative to the remainder of the machine. This may be achieved by providing the mounting block 6 depending from a plate 7. Further uses of the plate 7 will be described further hereinafter.

The other ends of the flexible pathways are connected to a block 10 which is moveable, for example, by providing grooves 11 at each side of the block which run on guide rails 12 in use. The guide rails 12 may be supported from the plate 7, for example, by means of suitable spacers 13. Thus with the block 10 in the position shown in Figure 3, the flexible pathways are in an open position as will be described further hereinafter and with the block 10 at the opposite ends of the guides 12, the flexible pathways are positioned in a straight or at least straighter manner, for example, as indicated at 2 in Figure 1.

The block 10 may be moved, for example, by a lever 15 pivotally connected at one end to the block 10 and at the other end pivotally connected to a short arm 16, pivotally connected to the plate 7 at 17. A linear activator, piston and cylinder assembly 20, bears on the lever 15 to effect the required movements of the block 10.

The piston and cylinder assembly 20 may be mounted to a supporting block 21 which again may be connected to the underside of the plate 7.

The desired open shape of the flexible pathways 1 and 2 may be achieved by connecting the flexible pathways to moveable clips. The moveable clips, for example, clips 30, 31 and 32, may be mounted on suitable parallelogram type linkages 33, one end of which is pivotally mounted on the block 10, the other end of which is pivotally mounted on the fixed block 6. Intermediate points carry the clips 30, 31 and 32. Thus with the block 10 in the figure shown in Figure 3 the parallelogram linkages 33 will be in the position shown. If the block 10 is moved to the other end of the guides 12, then the parallelogram linkages cause the clips 30 and 32 to move inwardly to place the flexible pathways 1 and 2 in a substantially straighter side-by-side position.

Extending downwardly through the plate 7 may be a pair of chutes 40 and 41 which pass through apertures 42 and 43 respectively. The lower ends of the chutes 40 and 41 may terminate in an apertured plate 44 which in use sits substantially on top of the flexible pathways 1 and 2.

The clips 30, 31 and 32 comprise inner and outer plates 50 and 51 spaced apart by spacers 53, one in each flexible pathway.

Around the plate 51 is a member 55 which is curved inwardly and upwardly so that the member 55 defines a narrow mouthed passageway 56, through which the bag tape 57 and the support rail 58 pass. The mouth of the passageway allows the bag or bag tape material 57 to extend therethrough but not the support rail 58.

In use, with the parallelogram linkages 33 as shown in Figure 3, material may be discharged through the chutes 40 and 41 into the bags which are to be filled. When filled the linear activator such as piston and cylinder assembly 20 is operated to move the block 10 to the opposite ends of rails 12 pulling the flexible pathways 1 and 2 into a straight or at least straighter configuration. The bag pulling mechanism then pulls the string of bags until the next two bags are in the desired location, whereupon the piston and cylinder assembly 20 operates to return the block 10 to the position shown in Figure 3 where the bags are in an open position. These bags may then be filled through the chutes 40 and 41 and the cycle continued.

The provision of the flexible passageways or guides allows the movements to be kept in synchronisation and the flexible pathways or guides allow a sufficient seal to be made from the bag through to the chutes and the apparatus supplying the chutes with product. This allows the product to be gas flushed, and in the preferred form the bag is pre-flushed and the product is pre- flushed and dropped into the pre-flushed bag.

Thus it can be seen that in the preferred form of the invention apparatus is provided which has the advantage that cones entering the bags are not required. This enables the use of gas flushing of the products and bag. The double fill arrangement described allows a speed increase of about 80% over a single fill apparatus thus lifting filling speed, for example, from about 42 per minute to about 75 per minute. By mounting the apparatus described on a plate, the plate can be readily changed so that alternative chute configurations as well as other parts of the apparatus can be used.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Filling apparatus for bags of flexible material, the filling apparatus comprising a pair of flexible pathways which in use carry parts of a string of bags or parts engaged with a string of bags, and operating means to move the flexible pathways between a position where the bag or bags or parts engaged with the bags are substantially closed and a position where the bag or bags or the parts engaged with the bags are substantially open.

2. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair of flexible pathways combine to provide one or more openings through which the bags can be filled.

3. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein two openings are provided.

4. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flexible pathways are fixed at one end and connected to the operating means at or adjacent the other end and at least one point intermediate of the length of the flexible pathway.

5. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least three intermediate connecting points are provided.

6. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the operating means comprise a pair of parallelogram linkages connected through a member or members also connected to the non-fixed end of the flexible pathways.

7. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a chute is provided over the open mouth or open parts engaged with the bags through which the bags may be filled.

8. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein two chutes are provided.

9. Filling apparatus as claimed in either one of claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the chute or chutes are mounted on an apertured plate, the, or each chute directing material in use through the, or an aperture.

10. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the chute or chutes are positionable and removable from the apparatus so that different sized chutes can be provided.

1 1. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein a plurality of plates are provided.

12. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flexible pathways each have a rebate on the lower parts of mutually inwardly facing faces.

13. Filling apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein preferably the flexible pathways are connected to the operating means by clips, each clip providing a channel through which the bag or parts engaged with the bag pass.

14. Filling apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.