Baler system and method

The method of forming bales of a uniform plurality of elongated, filled primary bags that includes the steps of:

• a. supporting a succession of said filled primary containers arranged on their sides in a row with their longitudinal axes in spaced side-by-side relation in one direction along a path extending longitudinally of said row to a discharge point;
• and discharging said primary bags from said path at said point;
• b. suspending from its upper end an upwardly opening, elongated, empty master bag vertically in a receiving position for receiving filled primary bags from said discharge point;
• c. accumulating at an accumulating station between said discharge point and an empty master bag in said receiving position, a predetermined number of filled primary bags less than said uniform plurality, as they are discharged from said point;
• then
• d. discharging the primary bags so accumulated at said accumulating station into said master bag in said receiving position and at approximately the same time, discharging directly from said discharge point past said accumulating station into said master bag additional primary bags in a number to fill said master bag with additional primary bags of sufficient number to make up said uniform plurality thereof.

The method of forming bales of discrete articles comprising the steps of:

• a. suspending a plurality of primary bags of predetermined uniform size having lateral sides and upwardly opening upper ends from said upper ends, with said bags arranged in a horizontally disposed first row;
• b. moving said primary bags in one direction in a path extending longitudinally of said first row;
• c. depositing a plurality of said articles into each primary bag to an approximately uniform total weight at a first point along said path and during said movement of said bags, and then;
• d. closing the upper open end of each primary bag at a second point along said path and at substantially the same time securing said upper end closed, and thereafter;
• e. releasing each bag from suspension from its upper end and continuing its movement along said path, supported from below, to a discharge point for discharge one at a time from said path;
• f. suspending a succession of master bags of uniform size and upwardly opening upper ends from their upper ends, arranged in a horizontally disposed second row for movement successively to receiving position below said discharge point, and receiving therein a predetermined uniform plurality of the primary bags discharged from said discharge point;
• g. moving each master bag away from said receiving position after it has received said plurality of primary bags therein, and closing the upper end of each master bag during said last mentioned movement and securing it closed.
• h. said movement of said master bags to and from said receiving position being intermittent with each master bag being stationary while in said receiving position;
• i. accumulating a group of primary bags in number less than said predetermined uniform plurality at an accumulating station between said discharge point and the master bag at said receiving position during the period of movement of a filled master bag away from said receiving position and the replacement of an empty master bag in said receiving position, then;
• j. discharging the primary bags so accumulated at said accumulating station followed by additional primary bags discharged directly from said discharge points in a number to make up the deficiency between the number of accumulated bags and the total predetermined uniform plurality of bags for the master bag in said receiving position.

In apparatus for baling a predetermined plurality of uniformly filled primary packages in larger master containers comprising:

• a. a conveyor for supporting and moving a succession of said filled primary packages for movement to a discharge point for successive discharge at said point and downward movement from the latter under the influence of gravity along a predetermined path into a master container at a package receiving station spaced below said point, and conveyor actuating means connected with said conveyor actuatable for effecting said movement;
• b. a container support spaced below said discharge point at said receiving station for supporting a master container for receiving packages discharged from said discharge point;
• c. an accumulator between said discharge point and said receiving station including an obstruction at a location along said path supported for movement from a closed position extending across said path obstructing downward movement of primary packages along said path, to an open nonobstructing position for free downward passage of packages past said location, and vice versa;
• d. obstruction actuating means connected with said obstruction intermittently actuatable for moving said obstruction from said closed position to said open position upon a predetermined number of said uniformly filled primary packages less than said predetermined plurality, being accumulated on said obstruction, and for holding said obstruction in said open position until additional primary packages in a number to complete said predetermined plurality have been discharged from said point and passed said obstruction;
• and
• e. control means actuatable in response to movement of uniformly filled primary packages at said discharge point operatively connected with said obstruction actuating means for effecting said movement of said obstruction from said closed position to said open position and for effecting movement of said obstruction to said closed position immediately after said predetermined plurality of said packages have passed said location.

Baler apparatus for supporting bags for movement from a bag attaching station to a receiving station and from said receiving station to a releasing station, comprising:

• a. bag supporting means for suspending an empty bag having an open end at said attaching station with its open end uppermost for movement, in succession, to said receiving station and to said releasing station, and moving means connected with said supporting means for so moving said bag;
• b. said bag supporting means including bag clamping elements supported for movement downwardly into the open upper end of said bag and from collapsed condition to expanded spaced relation therein against two opposite inner sides of said bag at said open end during said movement of said bag to said receiving station, and for movement toward each other and upwardly out of said open end to said collapsed condition during movement of said bag to said releasing station;
• c. said clamping elements having portions integral therewith extending oppositely outwardly and upwardly relative to the bag into which said elements are adapted to extend when moved to said expanded condition at said receiving station for guiding objects into said bag;
• d. element actuating means connected with said elements actuatable during movement of said bag supporting means to said receiving station and to said releasing station for moving said elements to said spaced, expanded relation and thereafter to said collapsed condition at said releasing station, in succession;
• e. conveyor means for supporting objects thereon for movement to a discharge point for discharge of said articles at said point, and conveyor actuating means connected with said conveyor means for effecting said movement;
• f. means supporting said bag supporting means when at said receiving station below said discharge point for receiving objects discharged from said conveyor means;
• g. a support at said receiving station in a predetermined elevated position for supporting the lower end of a bag in said receiving position for supporting the weight of objects discharged into said bag at said receiving station;
• h. means supporting said support for downward movement from said elevated position and relative to a bag thereon at said receiving station upon actuation of bag supporting means for moving the bag with the articles therein from said receiving station to said releasing station.

Baler apparatus for supporting bags for movement from a bag attaching station to a receiving station and from said receiving station to a releasing station, comprising:

• a. bag supporting means for suspending an empty bag having an open end at said attaching station with its open end uppermost for movement, in succession, to said receiving station and to said releasing station, and moving means connected with said supporting means for so moving said bag;
• b. said bag supporting means including bag clamping elements supported for movement downwardly into the open upper end of said bag and from collapsed condition to expanded spaced relation therein against two opposite inner sides of said bag at said open end during said movement of said bag to said receiving station, and for movement toward each other and upwardly out of said open end to said collapsed condition during movement of said bag to said releasing station;
• c. said clamping elements having portions integral therewith extending oppositely outwardly and upwardly relative to the bag into which said elements are adapted to extend when moved to said expanded condition at said receiving station for guiding objects into said bag;
• d. element actuating means connected with said elements actuatable during movement of said bag supporting means to said receiving station and to said releasing station for moving said elements to said spaced, expanded relation and thereafter to said collapsed condition at said releasing station, in succession;
• e. a turret supporting a plurality of said bag supporting means for movement in a horizontally disposed annular path successively to and past said attaching station, receiving station and said releasing station;
• f. each of said bag supporting means including a pair of spaced opposed bag spreaders supported for movement from retracted positions within the open end of one of said bags to extended positions in yieldable engagement with the two inner sides of said bag other than said two opposite sides for releasably suspending an empty bag therefrom during movement of said attaching station toward said receiving station and means for yieldably urging said bag spreaders to said extended positions;
• g. said clamping elements being positioned between said bag spreaders when in said expanded spaced relation in clamping engagement with said two opposite inner sides, and means stationary relative to said clamping elements outside said two opposite sides of a bag when said clamping elements are in said expanded spaced relation and said bag is releasably suspended from said bag spreaders.