Method and apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags

A method of manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising the steps of:

• supplying polymeric tube in the form of a web;
• seaming said tube transverse to said web at locations along said web that are spaced apart a predetermined distance;
• severing said web into individual bags adjacent the seams;
• positioning substantially the entire length of a predetermined number of bags seriatum over a mandrel to form outwardly of said mandrel a batch of nested bags;
• and
• removing a batch of nested bags from said mandrel.

A method of manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising the steps of:

• supplying polymeric tube in the form of a web;
• seaming said tube transverse to said web at locations along said web that are spaced apart a predetermined distance;
• severing said web into individual bags adjacent the seams;
• transporting a predetermined number of bags seriatum onto a mandrel to form a batch of nested bags;
• removing a batch of nested bags from said mandrel;
• rolling said batch of nested bags into a roll of bags including providing a pair of elongated wrapping rods transverse the batch, grasping an end of the batch between said rods and rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods;
• longitudinally withdrawing said rods from the roll of bags after said step of rolling;
• and
• folding said roll along its longitudinal axis by placing a force on a central portion of said roll.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising:

• material feeding means for feeding a web of material having a tubular cross-sectional configuration;
• seaming means for forming a seam transverse the web;
• a generally planar mandrel having a width smaller than a width of the web;
• material transporting means between said seaming means and said mandrel for repeatedly transporting a portion of the seamed web onto said mandrel;
• severing means between seaming means and said mandrel for severing the web into individual bags;
• and
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising:

• material feeding means for feeding a web of material having a tubular cross-sectional configuration;
• seaming means for forming a seam transverse the web;
• a plurality of generally planar mandrels extending radially outwardly from an axle and indexing means for indexing said axle, wherein each of said mandrels has a width smaller than a width of the web and each of said mandrels includes a perforated tube;
• material transporting means between said seaming means and said mandrel for repeatedly transporting a portion of the seamed web onto said mandrel;
• severing means between seaming means and said mandrel for severing the web into individual bags;
• receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags;
• and
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel including means for applying compressed air to said tube when the respective mandrel is indexed to a position adjacent said receiving means.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising:

• material feeding means for feeding a web of material having a tubular cross-sectional configuration;
• seaming means for forming a seam transverse the web;
• a generally planar mandrel having a width smaller than a width of the web;
• material transporting means between said seaming means and said mandrel for repeatedly transporting a portion of the seamed web onto said mandrel;
• severing means between seaming means and said mandrel for severing the web into individual bags;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• and
• rolling means positioned in relationship to said mandrel to receive a batch of nested bags removed from said mandrel for rolling the batch of nested bags into a roll, said rolling means including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags that is removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving, rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods, said rolling means further including positioning means for selectively positioning said rods either together or spaced apart, said positioning means including biasing means for biasing first ends of said rods together and wedge means selectively longitudinally movable toward and away from said ends for forcing said ends apart to space said rods apart and for allowing said biasing means to bias said ends together to position said rods together.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising:

• material feeding means for feeding a web of material having a tubular cross-sectional configuration;
• seaming means for forming a seam transverse the web;
• a generally planar mandrel having a width smaller than a width of the web;
• material transporting means between said seaming means and said mandrel for repeatedly transporting a portion of the seamed web onto said mandrel;
• severing means between seaming means and said mandrel for severing the web into individual bags;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• and
• separating means between said seaming means and said transporting means for separating opposing walls of the web, said separating means including first and second perforated bars and means for drawing a vacuum on said bars.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polymeric bags comprising:

• material feeding means for feeding a web of material having a tubular cross-sectional configuration;
• seaming means for forming a seam transverse the web;
• a generally planar mandrel having a width smaller than a width of the web;
• material transporting means between said seaming means and said mandrel for repeatedly transporting a portion of the seamed web onto said mandrel;
• severing means between seaming means and said mandrel for severing the web into individual bags;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• rolling means positioned in relationship to said mandrel to receive a batch of nested bags removed from said mandrel for rolling the batch of nested bags into a roll, said rolling means including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags that is removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods, said rolling means further including withdrawing means for withdrawing said rods from said receiving means and positioning means for selectively positioning said rods either together or spaced apart, wherein said positioning means and rotating means are mounted to a platform and further wherein said withdrawing means includes means for moving said platform away from said receiving means.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags comprising:

• means for manufacturing a plurality of nested bags on a mandrel;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel including means for positioning said mandrel in a downwardly facing vertical orientation;
• and
• rolling means for rolling a batch of nested bags into a roll including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving means and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags comprising:

• means for manufacturing a plurality of nested bags on a mandrel;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• and
• rolling means for rolling a batch of nested bags into a roll including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving means and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods, said rolling means further including positioning means for selectively positioning said rods either together or spaced apart, said positioning means including biasing means for biasing first ends of said rods together and wedge means longitudinally movable toward and away from said ends for forcing said ends apart to space said rods apart and for allowing said biasing means to bias said ends together to position said rods together.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags comprising:

• means for manufacturing a plurality of nested bags on a mandrel;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• and
• rolling means for rolling a batch of nested bags into a roll including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving means and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods, said rolling means further including positioning means for selectively positioning said rods either together or spaced apart and withdrawing means for withdrawing said rods from said receiving means, wherein said positioning means and rotating means are mounted to a platform and further wherein said withdrawing means includes means for moving said platform away from said receiving means.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags comprising:

• means for manufacturing a plurality of nested bags on a mandrel;
• removing means for removing bags from said mandrel;
• rolling means for rolling a batch of nested bags into a roll including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving means and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods;
• and
• sensing means for sensing the position of said rods and for causing said rotating means to position said rods at a predetermined orientation when said rotating means is not rotating.

An apparatus for manufacturing nested polyethylene bags comprising:

• means for manufacturing a plurality of nested bags on a mandrel;
• removing for removing bags from said mandrel;
• rolling means for rolling a batch of nested bags into a roll including receiving means for receiving an end of a batch of bags removed from said mandrel by said removing means, a parallel pair of elongated wrapping rods positioned to receive the end of the batch of bags from said receiving means and rotating means for rotating said rods about an axis that is parallel to and located between said rods, said rolling means further including withdrawing means for withdrawing said rods from said receiving means;
• and
• folding means for folding a roll of nested bags along the longitudinal axis of said roll.