Enhanced apparatus for filling bags

A method for filling bags comprising the following steps:

• feeding first bags (16) from a feeding station (12) to a filling station (18) by way of a conveyor belt (14), wherein the filling station (18) comprises:
• a selector device (36), integrated in the filling station (18), the selector device (36) comprising a movable case (37) for an alternating opening and closing of parallel and side-by-side transportation lines (24, 24′), said selector device being hinged to an upper end of a diaphragm (28) separating the transportation lines (24, 24′), wherein the selector device (36) is adapted to automatically sort and select the first bags (16) fed by the feeding station (12) and to move them onto transportation lines (24, 24′) suitable for transferring said first bags (16), after being sorted, towards respective collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′);
• a separator means (64) which is vertically movable along a guide (65), wherein the guide (65) is aligned with the diaphragm (28) along a longitudinal axis of the filling station (18), wherein the separator means (64) is positioned between the collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′), wherein vertical movement of the separator means (64) intersects the longitudinal axis of the filling station, and wherein the separator means (64) is positioned between the collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′);
• wherein the respective collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′) each comprise
• a funnel-shaped container (52, 52′) open above and closed below by way of a pair of opposed flaps comprising a first flap (54, 54′) and a second flap (56, 56′), respectively, hinged to said funnel-shaped container (52, 52′),
• an actuator (58, 58′) connecting the funnel-shaped container (52, 52′) to the second flap (56, 56′), and
• a lever (60, 60′) connecting the second flap (56, 56′) to the first flap (54, 54′) in order to transmit motion from the second flap (56, 56′) to the first flap (54, 54′),
• wherein the actuator and lever are adapted to synchronously and simultaneously open and close the first flap (54, 54′) and the second flap (56, 56′);
• feeding a second bag formed in a meshed material feeding station (20) to the filling station (18) and below the collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′),
• moving the separator means (64) down into the second bag, which is open, in order to allow the second bag to receive the first bags (16);
• operating the selector device (36) which sorts the first bags (16) coming from the feeding station (12) alternatingly into each of the transportation lines (24, 24′), said first bags (16) being moved to the collection/accumulation devices (50, 50′) by way of conveyor belts (26, 26′) in the respective transportation lines (24, 24′);
• opening the flaps (54, 56;
• 54′, 56′) in each individual collection/accumulation device (50, 50′) simultaneously and synchronously to make the first bags (16) fall by gravity into the second bag;
• making the separator means (64) slide along the guide (65) and progressively lift the separator means (64) upward as the second bag gets filled with the first bags (16);
• moving the second bag filled with the first bags (16) in the direction of the closing and cutting station (22) where said second bag is closed above and subsequently vertically cut along a separation portion and separated from a second adjacent bag to be filled or being filled;
• wherein said steps are controlled by a control unit based on signals provided by sensors.