US 5,305,579 A · Device for expanding and slipping on bags

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and method for expanding bags and slipping them on to a filling neck, especially bags with side folds, which are fed individually on to an aligning table, with the bag opening being positioned at the front, there being provided at least first suction means which are supported at the aligning table and which, in the region of the bag opening, are movable against the lower bag wall; at least second suction means which are supported at the aligning table and which are movable against the upper bag wall, the two sets of suction means being removable from one another while being vacuum-loaded; a pair of expanding blades which are movable into the seams of the side folds, which are secured to first pivot elements and are pivotable around a horizontal pivot axis positioned above the aligning table; a pair of bag grips with pairs of claws which are pivotable around rotational axes positioned parallel to the plane of the aligning table and, in consequence, may be opened and closed and are arranged in such a way that they each grip the two side folds in the region of the bag opening; as well as pivot elements for the bag grips which are pivotable around the same horizontal axis positioned above the aligning table as that of the first pivot elements for the expanding blades.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In a system for filling bags in which the bags are fed individually onto an aligning table with the bag opening being positioned at the front, the improvement comprising a device for expanding bags and slipping them on to a filling neck, said device comprising:

(a) first suction means which are supported at the aligning table;
(b) second suction means which are supported at the aligning table and disposed opposite said first suction means, said first and second suction means being movable away from one another while being vacuum-loaded so as to open the bag;
(c) a pair of bag grips disposed opposite one another, each comprising a pair of claws which may be opened and closed to grip a portion of the opposing sides of the bag in proximity to the open end of the bag;
(d) first pivot means comprising first pivot arms with said bag grips arranged at their free ends, said first pivot arms being pivotable around a first horizontal axis positioned above the aligning table;
and
(e) second pivot means comprising second pivot arms shorter than said first pivot arms and having a pair of expanding blades arranged at their free ends, and pivotable around a second horizontal axis parallel to said first horizontal axis on a radius which is smaller than that of the first pivot arms, said pair of expanding blades being movable into the open end of the bag by rotation of first pivot arms rotating about said first horizontal axis.

3 more elements

Apparatus for expanding and slipping the open ends of bags onto a filling neck which is located at a predetermined location for at least a predetermined time period, comprising:

(a) aligning means for receiving and positioning a bag in a predetermined position;
(b) means operative to separate the opposite walls of the bag near the open end of the bag when the gag is moved into said predetermined position;
(c) a pair of expanding blades mounted on a second pair of pivot arms rotatable around a second pivot axis by second actuating means operative, when said opposite walls of the bag near the open end of the bag have been separated, to rotate said pair of expanding blades into the open end of the bag, each expanding blade then being in proximity to one of the sides of the open end of the bag;
(d) a pair of opposed gripping means, each mounted on one of a first pair of opposed pivot arms, which are rotatable around a first pivot axis parallel to said second pivot axis and controlled by a first actuating means and operative, when said pair of expanding blades are rotated into the open end of the bag, to grip a portion of the opposing sides of the bag in proximity to the open end of the bag;
(e) said first actuating means being operative, when the opposing sides of the bag in proximity to the open end of the bag have been gripped by said pair of opposed gripping means, to swing the open end of the bag in an arcuate path from said aligning means to the filling neck and to swing said pair of expanding blades and said opposed gripping means in synchronization with the open end of the bag toward the filling neck;
and
(f) said second actuating means being further operative to rotate said second pair of pivot arms to remove said expanding blades from the open end of the bag at a predetermined point along said arcuate path.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Device for expanding and slipping on bags

Life of this patent

Device for expanding and slipping on bags

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19