Method and apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine

An apparatus for feeding bags to a packaging machine, the apparatus comprising:

• a horizontal bag-making machine for forming connected bags such that bag are connected in a belt shape, while feeding belt-shaped film, successively, in a longitudinal direction of the film and for cutting and separating individual bags from said connected bags;
• a positioning conveyor for conveying bags fed out from said horizontal bag-making machine and positioning the bags in a prescribed position;
• a feed conveyor for conveying and successively feeding bags manufactured by said horizontal bag-making machine toward a belt conveyor of a conveyor magazine-type bag feeder of a packaging machine and successively feeding the bags;
• and
• a first, second, and third transport means provided between said positioning conveyor and feed conveyor, wherein
• said first transport means comprises
• a swing arm that swings up and down in a vertical plane, and
• a suction member provided on said swing arm and capable of sucking onto a bag surface,
• so that said first transport means upwardly pulls out bags positioned on said positioning conveyor, and changes an attitude of the bags to a vertical attitude in which bag mouth are oriented upward;
• said second transport means comprises
• a transport arm that swings in a horizontal plane,
• a support member provided in said transport arm so as to turn in a horizontal plane, and
• a bag-clamping member provided in said support member and capable of opening and closing,
• so that said second transport means clamps onto and receives bags held in the vertical attitude by said suction member, transports the bags toward a prescribed position while the bags are being held in the vertical attitude, and rotates the bags to orient a bag surface thereof in a feed direction of said feed conveyor;
• and
• said third transport means comprises
• a swing arm that swings up and down in a vertical plane, and
• a suction member provided in said swing arm and capable of sucking onto the bag surface,
• so that said third transport means sucks onto and receives bags held in the vertical attitude by said bag-clamping member, changes the attitude of the bags to a horizontal attitude, orients the bag mouths in the feed direction of said feed conveyor, and places the bags on said feed conveyor.