Valve bag placer

An improved bag placer apparatus for placing a bag or the like having a valve an an end thereof upon a filler spout through which the bag is to be filled with a flowable material, the apparatus of the type having means for withdrawing one such bag at a time from a plurality of such bags and having means for gripping the valve end of the withdrawn bag for opening the valve prior to placement thereof on the filler spout;

• the improvement comprising:
• a bag registration apparatus for receiving each said one bag in a substantially horizontal position from said withdrawing means and for presenting each said one bag to said gripping means, and having means for automatically registering each said one bag for location of said valve end in precise position and alignment relative to said gripping means,
• wherein said means for automatically registering comprises:
• means for utilizing the force of gravity to align a first edge of said bag in a first dimension, and
• means for forceably aligning a second edge of said bag in a second dimension, said first and second edges of said bag being perpendicular to one another and lying in the plane of said bag, and
• wherein said means for forceably aligning comprises:
• a solenoid valve actuated fence slideably engaged in substantially perpendicular arrangement with the top surface of said table and adapted for moving towards the center of said table a preselected distance for pushing said second edge of said bag to a preselected position.

An improved bag placer apparatus for placing a bag or the like having a valve at an end thereof upon a filler spout through which the bag is to be filled with a flowable material, the apparatus of the type having means for withdrawing one such bag at a time from a plurality of such bags and having means for gripping the valve end of the withdrawn bag for opening the valve prior to placement thereof on the filler spout;

• the improvement comprising:
• a magazine apparatus having a plurality of tiered shelves for supporting a plurality of vertical stacks of such bags, each such stack comprising a plurality of said bags in horizontal position, the magazine apparatus also having means for sensing when the last bag of a stack has been withdrawn, and having means responsive to said sensing means for positioning another such stack into juxtaposition with said withdrawing, and
• wherein said means for sensing comprises a photoelectric apparatus adapted to transmit a beam of light toward the top horizontal surface of the upper-most one of said tiered shelves and to receive light reflected therefrom, and
• a retroreflective device mounted on the top horizontal surface of each such tiered shelf and adapted to reflect thereon incident light transmitted from said photoelectric apparatus when the last said bag on said shelf has been withdrawn therefrom.

An improved bag placer apparatus for placing a bag or the like having a valve at an end thereof upon a filler spout through which the bag is to be filled with a flowable material, the apparatus of the type having means for withdrawing one such bag at a time from a plurality of such bags and having means for gripping the valve end of the withdrawn bag for opening the valve prior to placement thereof on the filler spout;

• the improvement comprising:
• said gripping means having in combination:
• extendable suction means for securing and pulling an openable portion on a first side of the orifice of said valve,
• a push rod operating in a direction parallel to said suction means extension for restraining a second side of the orifice of said valve, and
• a clamp mechanism for grasping said bag, below said valve orifice,
• whereby said valve is fully opened and said bag is securely gripped for being placed on said filling spout.

An improved bag placer apparatus for placing a bag or the like having a valve at an end thereof upon a filler spout through which the bag is to be filled with a flowable material, the apparatus of the type having means for withdrawing one such bag at a time from a plurality of such bags and having means for gripping the valve end of the withdrawn bag for opening the valve prior to placement thereof on the filler spout;

• the improvement comprising:
• a bag registration apparatus for receiving each said one bag in a substantially horizontal position from said withdrawing means and for presenting each said one bag to said gripping means, and having means for automatically registering each said one bag for location of said valve and in precise position and alignment relative to said gripping means;
• a magazine apparatus having a plurality of tiered shelves for supporting a plurality of vertical stacks of such bags, each such stack comprising a plurality of said bags in horizontal position, the magazine apparatus also having means for sensing when the last bag of a stack has been withdrawn, and having means responsive to said sensing means for positioning another such stack into juxtaposition with said withdrawing means;
• and
• gripping means having, in combination, suction means for extending an openable portion on a first side of the orifice of said valve, a push rod for restraining a second side of the orifice of said valve, and a clamp mechanism for grasping said bag below said valve orifice, whereby said valve orifice is fully opened and said bag is securely gripped for being placed on said filling spout.