Apparatuses and method for preparing a paper bag

A method for closing a paper bag, the method comprising:

• preparing, using a mouth preparation finger assembly, a mouth region of the paper bag such that it is formed into a flat mouth portion of the paper bag;
• transitioning the flat mouth portion from engagement with the mouth preparation finger assembly to engagement with a bag folding assembly,
• the bag folding assembly comprising:
• a first jaw assembly and a second jaw assembly centred on a common operational axis,
• wherein:
• each jaw assembly is configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration wherein:
• in the open configuration the respective jaws are spread to be spaced apart from the flat mouth portion of the paper bag, and in the closed configuration the respective jaws are configured to grasp the flat mouth portion of the paper bag such that sliding of the flat mouth portion of the paper bag relative to the respective jaw assembly is inhibited;
• the first jaw assembly and second jaw assembly are arranged with the jaws facing one another such that they are operable to grasp the flat mouth portion of the paper bag towards opposite edges of the flat mouth portion of the paper bag;
• each jaw of the first and second jaw assembly comprises a first lateral end and a second lateral end, the first lateral end and the second lateral end being separated by a width of said jaw, wherein the width of said jaw is perpendicular to the thickness of the jaw and perpendicular to the operational axis;
• the operational axis is positioned between the first lateral end and the second lateral end of each jaw, such that the operational axis is positioned closer to one of the first and second lateral ends as compared to the other of the first and second lateral ends;
• and
• in use, a separation between a longitudinal axis of the paper bag and the operational axis along a first direction remains substantially constant during the rotation operation, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the paper bag and perpendicular to the operational axis;
• and
• folding, using the bag folding assembly, the flat mouth portion in the direction of the centre of the paper bag using a rotation operation by simultaneously rotating the first jaw assembly and second jaw assembly about the operational axis to fold the paper bag by turning the flat mouth portion of the paper bag with respect to the operational axis.