Apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags

In an apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags in a continuous, cyclic operation, including a substantially vertically oriented hollow mandrel of rectangular cross section having two opposite long sides and two opposite short sides;

• means for continuously forming a hose about the mandrel from a sheet being advanced thereto;
• two transverse shoes arranged for vertical reciprocation between an upper location at a lower terminus of the mandrel and a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location;
• the transverse shoes being further arranged for horizontal reciprocation towards and away from one another for pressing together a first hose portion in the upper location, providing a transverse seam thereon and subsequently releasing the hose at a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location;
• a dispensing device filling a hose portion, terminating at the transverse seam, with goods by gravity;
• and a cutting device for cutting through the transverse seam at a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location for severing a filled and sealed hose portion, constituting a bag, from the hose;
• the improvement comprising
• (a) folding means for engaging, at said upper location, opposite sides of a second hose portion situated immediately above the first hose portion for forming inwardly oriented bottom flaps of the second hose portion;
• said folding means comprising a resilient spreader attached at one end to either short side of said mandrel at said lower terminus thereof;
• each spreader being, in a relaxed state, oriented downwardly and away from said mandrel;
• (b) clamping means arranged for vertical reciprocation between said upper location and a location spaced vertically downwardly from said upper location;
• said clamping means including ear clamps arranged to cooperate, when in said upper location, with a respective said spreader and a respective said transverse shoe for forming said bottom flaps;
• and means for firmly grasping the hose at the bottom flaps thereof and pulling downwardly said hose upon movement of said clamping means and said transverse shoes downwardly from said upper location;
• (c) backup means arranged for vertical reciprocation between said upper location and a location spaced vertically downwardly from said upper location for maintaining said bottom flaps in a spread-out state along the entire cross section of the hose during the downward movement of said clamping means;
• (d) control means for maintaining each spreader, in its stressed state, in a downward orientation flush with the respective short side of said mandrel;
• said control means including a control arm supported adjacent either said spreader;
• each control arm having a pivotally supported end and a free end and a roller carried at the free end for engagement with the respective spreader;
• and
• (e) a shaft supported on said transverse shoes for vertical reciprocation with said transverse shoes as a unit.

In an apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags in a continuous, cyclic operation, including a substantially vertically oriented hollow mandrel of rectangular cross section;

• means for continuously forming a hose about the mandrel from a sheet being advanced thereto;
• two transverse shoes arranged for vertical reciprocation between an upper location at a lower terminus of the mandrel and a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location;
• the transverse shoes being further arranged for horizontal reciprocation towards and away from one another for pressing together a first hose portion in the upper location, providing a transverse seam thereon and subsequently releasing the hose at a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location;
• a dispensing device filling a hose portion, terminating at the transverse seam, with goods by gravity;
• and a cutting device for cutting through the transverse seam at a location spaced vertically downwardly from the upper location for severing a filled and sealed hose portion, constituting a bag, from the hose;
• the improvement comprising
• (a) folding means for engaging, at said upper location, opposite sides of a second hose portion situated immediately above the first hose portion for forming inwardly oriented bottom flaps of the second hose portion;
• (b) clamping means arranged for vertical reciprocation between said upper location and a location spaced vertically downwardly from said upper location;
• said clamping means including means for firmly grasping the hose at the bottom flaps thereof and pulling downwardly said hose upon movement of said clamping means and said transverse shoes downwardly from said upper location;
• (c) backup means arranged for vertical reciprocation between said upper location and a location spaced vertically downwardly from said upper location for maintaining said bottom flaps in a spread-out state along the entire cross section of the hose during the downward movement of said clamping means;
• (d) pressing shoes arranged for firmly pressing together the hose immediately vertically above said transverse shoes independently from the horizontal position of said transverse shoes;
• and
• (e) securing means mounting said pressing shoes on said transverse shoes for vertical reciprocation with said transverse shoes at a unit and for simultaneous, oppositely oriented horizontal displacement relative to said transverse shoes.