Apparatus for inserting liners in bags

Apparatus for inserting liners in open-mouth bags, each liner being an open-mouth bag having a bottom end closure at the opposite end from the mouth, said apparatus comprising:

• a table for holding a stack of bags with the bags in the stack in generally horizontal position extending longitudinally of the apparatus and with the mouths of the bags directed toward one end of the apparatus constituting its rearward end;
• means on the table for locating the stack in predetermined position longitudinally and transversely relative to the apparatus;
• vacuum grip means movable downwardly from a raised retracted position above the table into engagement with the upper wall of the uppermost bag of a stack positioned on the table and then movable upwardly while gripping said upper wall to open the bag and lift it above the stack for insertion of a liner therein;
• means for raising the lowering said vacuum grip means;
• an inserter comprising a carriage and a pair of bars extending forward from the carriage in side-by-side spaced relation movable forward longitudinally of the apparatus generally in the horizontal plane of the opened bag from a rearward retracted position wherein the forward ends of the bars are rearward of the mouth of the opened bag through a forward stroke above the table for entry of the bars in the opened bag to insert a liner therein and for forward movement of the bag with the liner therein to an outfeed position wherein the forward end portion of the bag is forward of the stack;
• vacuum grip means at the forward ends of the bars for gripping a liner for forward movement of the liner with the bars into the opened bag;
• means for moving the carriage to move the carriage and said bars longitudinally of the apparatus through a forward stroke from the retracted position and then through a rearward position return stroke back to retracted position;
• means for holding a roll of liners in which the liners are interconnected end-to-end in series at transverse lines of weakness each defining the mouth end of a liner and the bottom end of the next liner;
• means for feeding the liners forward and bringing the leading end of the leading liner downwardly in front of the forward ends of said bars;
• means for snapping off the leading liner;
• means for drawing a vacuum in the liner vacuum grip means to grip the snapped-off liner and for cutting off the vacuum after insertion of the liner;
• and
• outfeed means forward of the table engageable with a lined bag in the outfeed position between said bars for feeding the lined bag forward.