Filling machine for sleeping bags, comforters and the like

A machine for filling sleeping bags, comforters and the like with filling material comprising

• a supporting frame,
• a plurality of elongated fingers movably attached to and above said frame and disposed parallel to one another,
• a spout defining a hollow passageway therethrough fixedly attached to and above said frame, said passageway being in registry with the ends of said fingers, and
• means for effecting movement of said fingers to advance and retract said fingers at least partially through and out of said passageway, said effecting means comprising
• a double acting air cylinder connected to said frame,
• a cable connected to said cylinder for movement therewith in a direction parallel to said fingers,
• a pair of plates disposed along the sides of said frame,
• a series of rollers connected to each of said plates,
• track means disposed on each of said sides of said frame and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said fingers, said rollers of each of said series being mounted on said track means,
• finger supporting means extending above and across the width of said frame and connected to said plates, said fingers being connected along rear end portions thereof to said supporting means, and
• means connecting said cable to said supporting means, whereby said fingers are movable into and out of said spout for advancing a filling material spread upon said fingers into a bag spread around said spout and for extending said filled bag along and around said fingers.