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US 4,230,204 AGranted
Checkout counter with bag delivery means
AssigneeH. J. Langen & Sons Limited
InventorsMarinus J. M. Langen, Edgars H. Strauss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The checkout counter of the present invention is designed to locate an open bag in an ideal position in relation to a counter top of a packing station and to automatically deliver an open bag to the packing station from the bag dispenser which dispenses bags in a level below the optimum bag supporting position. The bag making machine is incorporated in the counter below the counter top and dispenses open bags at a level which is lower than the optimum level required for packing. An elevator mechanism is provided for receiving the bags from the bag making machine and elevating the bags to the required optimum level and the bags are transported along a support shelf at the required optimum level.
Claims6
A checkout counter comprising:
- (a) a counter top supported in a generally horizontally disposed first plane, said counter top having an input section extending inwardly from one end thereof toward the other end thereof and a packing section extending rearwardly from the input section,
- (b) a packing platform extending longitudinally of said counter rearwardly from said input section in a generally horizontally disposed second plane spaced below said first plane to support an upwardly opening bag with its open end disposed at a convenient loading height with respect to said packing section,
- (c) means in said counter below said input section adapted to dispense an open bag in a generally upright upwardly opening configuration in a generally horizontally disposed third plane spaced below said second plane a distance sufficient to permit said bag to assume a generally upright configuration when disposed below said input section of said counter top,
- (d) elevator means disposed adjacent said dispenser means for movement between a lowered position and a raised position, said elevator means being arranged to receive a bag dispensed into said third plane as aforesaid when in said lowered position and being operable to raise a bag from said third plane to an elevated position in which it is supported in said second plane in alignment with said packing platform when said elevator means is moved from said first position to said second position;
- and
- (e) conveyor means extending along said packing platform and adapted to engage a bag disposed in said elevated position and drive it in a direction away from said input section along the packing platform toward said other end of said counter top.
3 more elements
A checkout counter comprising:
- (a) a counter top supported in a generally horizontally disposed first plane, said counter top having an input section extending inwardly from one end thereof toward the other end thereof and a packing section extending rearwardly from the input section,
- (b) a packing platform extending longitudinally of said counter rearwardly from said input section in a generally horizontally disposed second plane spaced below said first plane to support an upwardly opening bag with its open end disposed at a convenient loading height with respect to said packing section,
- (c) means in said counter below said input section adapted to dispense an open bag in a generally upright upwardly opening configuration into a bag receiving station disposed in a third plane spaced below said second plane a distance sufficient to permit said bag to assume a generally upright configuration and disposed below said input section of said counter top,
- (d) conveyor means mounted below said counter top for movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of said packaging platform,
- (e) a plurality of bag transporters each having a support face arranged to underlie and support a bag when the bag is in said generally upright configuration, said transporters being mounted on said conveyor so as to be carried by said conveyor through said bag receiving station and along said packing platform, each bag transporter being mounted for movement relative to said conveyor between a lowered position in which the support face thereof is disposed in said third plane and a raised position in which the support face thereof is disposed in said second plane, and
- (f) means for raising and lowering said bag transporters between said lowered and raised positions to locate each transporter in the lowered position when driven into and through said bag receiving station and to elevate each transporter to said raised position after it is driven rearwardly from said input section of said counter top.
3 more elements
A checkout counter comprising:
- (a) a counter top supported in a generally horizontally disposed first plane, said counter top having an input section extending inwardly from one end thereof toward the other end thereof and a packing section extending rearwardly from the input section,
- (b) a packing platform extending longitudinally of said counter rearwardly from said input section in a generally horizontally disposed second plane spaced below said first plane to support an upwardly opening bag with its open end disposed at a convenient loading height with respect to said packing section,
- (c) means in said counter below said input section adapted to dispense an open bag in a generally upright upwardly opening configuration into a bag receiving station disposed in a third plane spaced below said second plane a distance sufficient to permit said bag to assume a generally upright configuration and disposed below said input section of said counter top,
- (d) conveyor means mounted below said counter top for movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of said packing platform,
- (e) a plurality of bag transporters each having a support face arranged to underlie and support a bag when the bag is in said generally upright configuration, said transporters being mounted on said conveyor so as to be carried by said conveyor through said bag receiving station and along said packing platform, each bag transporter being mounted for movement relative to said conveyor between a lowered position in which the support face thereof is disposed in said third plane and a raised position in which the support face thereof is disposed in said second plane, and
- (f) means for raising and lowering said bag transporters between said lowered and raised positions to locate each transporter in the lowered position when driven into and through said bag receiving station and to elevate each transporter to said raised position after it is driven rearwardly from said input section of said counter top,
- (g) said platform having a plurality of longitudinally elongated slots extending therethrough, and each of said transporters has a plurality of pusher fingers extending upwardly therefrom, said pusher fingers being disposed below said platform when said transporters are in said lowered position and projecting upwardly through said slots in said platform when said transporters are in said raised position for moving bags along said platform in use.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.