Transfer device for gripping and depositing a filled bag and for moving it into a closing device

A transfer device for gripping a filled bag having an open end with at least one pair of opposed edges being held in a suspended position at a filling neck having bag clamps for holding the open end of the bag while it is being filled, depositing the bag onto a conveyor belt, and, in synchronization with the conveyor belt, moving the bag into a bag closing device, said transfer device comprising:

• (a) a clamping assembly having two approximately vertical arms each having a free upper end and a lower end, with horizontal clamping strips attached to said upper ends of said arms for the purpose of clamping the open end of the bag below the bag clamps of the filling neck, said arms being synchronously rotatable by actuating means connected to their lower ends so as to move their free upper ends toward or away from each other to close or open, respectively, said clamping strips, and with said arms being spaced apart so as to have the conveyor belt extending between them in the direction of the opposed edges of the open end of the bag;
• (b) a linear drive unit for moving said clamping assembly over the conveyor belt in the direction of the opposed edges of the open end of the bag;
• and
• (c) a lifting unit for said clamping assembly and said linear drive unit, for depositing the bag clamped in between said clamping strips onto the conveyor belt and, in synchronization with the conveyor belt, moving the bag into a bag closing device, with said actuating means for said clamping assembly, said linear drive unit and said lifting unit being positioned below the conveyor belt.