Automatic turret bagging machine

An automatic turret bagging machine for bagging a group of liquid pouches in a bag, said machine comprising a turret transport mechanism having four article receiving compartments;

• drive means to displace said compartments in synchronism from an article loading position, an article discharge position, an intermediate position and an article unloading position;
• each said compartment having a circumferential side wall, an open top end and a bottom trap door;
• said compartments being dimensioned to receive a group of two or more liquid pouches oriented in a predetermined manner by loading means at said loading position;
• a bag opening and holding mechanism for positioning and holding an open top end of a bag under said bottom trap door of said compartments at said article discharge position, controllable release means to release said bottom trap door of said compartments upon reaching said article discharge position to release said pouches contained in said compartment into said open top end of a bag positioned thereunder, transport means to displace said bag with said pouches therein away from said bag opening and holding mechanism, control means to synchronize the operation of said drive means, said bag opening and holding mechanism, said loading means and said controllable release means, detection means to detect the number of pouches being loaded into said compartment at said article loading position, said detection means providing a signal to said control means when the number of pouches is improper whereby said means to displace said control plate is rendered inoperative when said compartment reaches said article discharge position and said bag opening and holding mechanism is also rendered idle whereby said compartment is not discharged and said trap door follower means remains engaged with said control plate until it reaches said article unloading position wherein said improper number of pouches are discharged for recycling.