Bagging apparatus

An article bagging apparatus having an upper scoop and a lower scoop, wherein the upper scoop and lower scoop are horizontally advanced together and inserted into a bag through an opening of the bag, and the upper scoop is then displaced upward relative to the lower scoop, thereby expanding the bag vertically, and the upper scoop and lower scoop are retracted together to pull the expanded bag in a direction of retraction of the upper scoop and lower scoop, thereby allowing an article placed in a path of retraction of the lower scoop to enter the bag through the opening, the article bagging apparatus comprising:

• a lower drive unit driving the lower scoop in a longitudinal direction along which the upper and lower scoops are advanced and retracted;
• a coupling unit that couples together the upper scoop and lower scoop so that the upper scoop and lower scoop move together horizontally while allowing the upper scoop to be displaced vertically relative to the lower scoop;
• an upper guide rail extending in the longitudinal direction and configured to support the upper scoop such that the upper scoop is movable along the upper guide rail in the longitudinal direction;
• an upper drive unit vertically moving the upper guide rail;
• and
• a stationary frame immovably supporting the upper drive unit and lower drive unit;
• wherein, when the upper scoop and the lower scoop are about to enter the opening of the bag, the upper drive unit moves the upper guide rail down to lower the upper scoop toward the lower scoop, and when the upper scoop and the lower scoop have entered the bag, the upper drive unit moves the upper guide rail up to displace the upper scoop upward away from the lower scoop to expand the bag vertically.