US3605376A

US3605376A - Packaging system employing metal tab bag opening,filling and closing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3605376A
Application number: US520A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas E Piazze
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1970-01-05
Filing date: 1970-01-05
Publication date: 1971-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-20
Also published as: CA922674A

Abstract

A PACKAGING SYSTEM EMPLOYING SQUARE BOTTOM BAGS HAVING TIN TIE CLOSURES IN WHICH THE BAGS ARE STACKED IN A BAG DISPENSING AND OPENING APPARATUS WHICH IS IN THE FORM OF A MAGAZINE ACCOMMODATING A STACK OF THE COLLAPSED BAGS IN GENERALLY UPRIGHT POSITION WITHT THE BOTTOM EDGES RESTING ON THE TOP RUN OF A CONVEYOR IN THE FORWARDLY SLOPING BOTTOM OF THE MAGAZINE, WHICH CONVEYOR IS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY IN RESPONSE TO CHANGE IN PRESSURE AT THE FRONT OF THE STACK WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE FOREMOST BAG OPENS AND MOVES PAST STOP MEMBERS IN THE BOTTOM OF A DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE UPRIGHT, FORWARDLY INCLINED FRONT WALL OF THE MAGAZINE SO AS TO URGE THE BAGS TOWARD THE DISCHARGE OPENING, THE FOREMOST BAG IN THE STACK BEING HELD BY STOP MEMBERS AND CO-OPERATING RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICES ENGAGING BENEATH END PORTIONS OF THE TIN TIE STRIP WHILE AN AIR NOZZLE IS ACTUATED TO DIRECT A BLAST OF AIR DOWNWARDLY ALONG A CURVED GUIDE PLATE AND INTO THE BAG MOUTH SO AS TO BLOW OPEN THE BAG WHICH RELEASES THE BOTTOM AND PERMITS THE BAG TO SWING FORWARDLY TO A VERTICAL POSITION FOR FILLING, WITH THE TIN TIE

STRIP SERVING AS A PIVOT SUPPORT. A SWITCH WHICH MAY BE ACTUATED BY A PRODUCT FEEDING AND COUNTING OR WEIGHING APPARATUS CONTROLS THE OPERATION OF THE AIR NOZZLE AND A MEANS CONNECTED TO THE TIN TIE END LOCKING DEVICES FOR UNLOCKING THE SAME AND RELEASING THE BAG, PERMITTING IT TO DROP FREE OF THE FRAME ONTO A CONVEYOR WHICH ADVANCES IT TO A TOP CLOSING APPARATUS, WITH THE NEXT BAG IN THE STACK BEING OPENED UP AUTOMATICALLY BY A SUCCEEDING BLAST OF AIR AND SWINGING TO FILLING POSITION.

Description

Sept. 20, 1971- 3,605,378

- f T. E; PlAz'zE PACKAGING SYSTEM EQLOYING METAL TAB BAG OPENING. FILLING AND CLOSING APPARATUS Q 'enea Jan. 5. 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR THOMAS E. P/AZZE ATT' YS Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,376

1'. E. PIAZZE PACKAGING SYSTEM EMPLOYLNGJIETAL TAB BAG OPENING. FILLING AND GBOSING APPARATUS v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5. 1970 uvvelvrn THOMAS E. FIAZZ ATT'Ys; o

P 20, 1971 1'. E. PIAZZE PACKAGING SYSTEM EMPLOYING METAL TAB BAG OPENING, FILLING AND CLOSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mad Jan. 5. 1970 l N VENTOR THOMAS E. PIAZZ E United States Patent 01 Iice 3,605,376 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,376 PACKAGING SYSTEM EMPLOYING METAL TAB BAG OPENING, FILLING AND CLOSING APPARATUS Thomas E. Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, NY. Filed Jan. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 520 Int. Cl. B65b 43/36 U.S. Cl. 53-29 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging system employing square bottom bags having tin tie closures in which the bags are stacked in a bag dispensing and opening apparatus which is in the form of a magazine accommodating a stack of the collapsed bags in generally upright position with the bottom edges resting on the top run of a conveyor in the forwardly sloping bottom of the magazine, which conveyor is operated intermittently in response to change in pressure at the front of the stack when the bottom of the foremost bag opens and moves past stop members in the bottom of a discharge opening in the upright, forwardly inclined front wall of the magazine so as to urge the bags toward the discharge opening, the foremost bag in the stack being held by stop members and co-operating releasable locking devices engaging beneath end portions of the tin tie strip while an air nozzle is actuated to direct a blast of air downwardly along a curved guide plate and into the bag mouth so as to blow open the bag which releases the bottom and permits the bag to swing forwardly to a vertical position for filling, with the tin tie strip serving as a pivot support. A switch which may be actuated by a product feeding and counting or weighing apparatus controls the operation of the air nozzle and a means connected to the tin tie end locking devices for unlocking the same and releasing the bag, permitting it to drop free of the frame onto a conveyor which advances it to a top closing apparatus, with the next bag in the stack being opened up automatically by a succeeding blast of air and swinging to filling position.

This invention relates to a system for packaging products in fiat or square bottom bags of the type which are provided with tin tie closure strips and is particularly concerned with improvements in methods for dispensing and automatically opening bags in a bag packaging line which enables the line to be operated automatically with increased efficiency and higher production.

Bags of the square or fiat bottom style or type are produced from paper and similar flexible sheet materials in great quantities for packaging a large variety of products. When used for some products, such as, bakery products, fruit and other produce, sugar and the like, bags of this type are frequently provided with tin tie closure strips enabling the bags to be easily closed by rolling down the collapsed bag mouth and bending in the projecting ends of the associated tin tie strip while at the same time permitting ready re-opening without destruction of the tie strip which may again be used for reclosing of the bag. While this type bag has had widespread use it has certain disadvantages in that it does not lend itself to high speed operations and most often the slow speed with which it can be fed and opened limits the output of the packaging line or operation in which it is used. It is a general object of the invention, therefore, to provide a system for packaging with this type bag which employs an improved apparatus for dispensing the bags from a stack and automatically opening the same at a faster rate than when opened by the apparatus heretofore provided in packaging lines of the character described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved system for dispensing square bottom bags which have tin tie closure strips from the end of a stack in which they are disposed in collapsed relation and for opening up successive bags in a positive manner so that each bag is held in a position to be filled with the desired product and thereafter freed from the dispensing and opening apparatus with the next succeeding bag in the stack being automatically opened up and positioned for filling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bag opening, filling and closing system wherein bags of the square bottom type having tin tie closures are stacked in collapsed condition in a magazine having a 'bottom floor which slopes downwardly and forwardly toward an upright, forwardly inclined front wall in which there is a discharge opening and associated means for suspending the leading bag in the stack by engaging projecting ends of the tin tie strip while the bag is opened up and freed from the stack at the bottom by a blast of air directed into the mouth of the bag, after which the suspending means is withdrawn to allow the bag to drop free of the magazine and permit it to be advanced to a closing station,

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag dispensing, opening and filling system for square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips wherein a stack of the bags in collapsed condition are disposed in a magazine which has a forwardly inclined front wall with a discharge opening therein, a power driven means for urging the bags toward the discharge opening which is actuated by a sensing device responsive to change in the forward pressure of the leading bags in the stack, a releasable bag support means for engaging the extended ends of the tin tie closure strip on the leading bag so as to temporarily hold the same in suspended relation while an air nozzle directs a blast of air into the mouth of the leading bag thereby opening the bag and freeing the bottom thereof from the magazine, with the bag suspending means being withdrawn when the bag is filled, permitting the same to drop free of the magazine for advance to a closing mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a system for automatically packaging products in square bottom bags having tin tie closures wherein the product is measured or counted and delivered in successive batches to a filling station where the bags are dispensed by a magazine containing a stack thereof with associated means for delivering successive bags in upright opened condition and temporarily supporting the same until the bag is filled when the support is withdrawn, allowing the filled bag to drop onto a conveyor which advances it to a mechanism for closing the top and folding the tin tie ends.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan View illustrating an automatic packaging line for bakery products or the like which embodies the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a square bottom bag having a tin tie closure, the bag being the type employed in the packaging line of FIG. 1 and being shown in the opened up condition;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, to a larger scale, of the bag dispensing and opening apparatus employed in the packaging line of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view, with portions broken away, of the dispensing and opening apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the view being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the bag dispensing and opening apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, to a larger scale and with portions broken away; and

FIG. 8 is a largely schematic view illustrating a por tion of the electrical controls for operating the apparatus.

Referring first to FIG. 2, there is illustrated, in opened up condition, a square bottom or rectangular bottom bag 10 of the type which is adapted to be used in the practice of the present invention. The bag 10, in the position illustrated, has front and back side walls 11 and 12, in folding end or

side walls

13 and 14 extending between the corner forming edges of the front and back walls 11 and 12 and a bottom wall 15 connecting the bottom corner forming edges of the four side walls. A tin tie closure strip 16 is secured to the top margin of the back wall 12 which is in the plane of the back wall 12 and which is of sufficient length to provide

end extensions

17 and 17. The bottom wall 15 is formed so that in the collapsed or flattened condition of the bag, as shown in FIG. 6, it lies folded into the plane of the collapsed front and back walls on a hinge line coinciding with the bottom edge of the back side wall 12. The bottom wall 15 automatically hinges into a plane normal to the front and back walls 11 and 12 when these walls are spread apart to fully open position as shown in FIG. 2.

The system for dispensing and opening the bags 10 and filling the same with a product is illustrated in FIG. 1 in connection with a packaging line for bakery products, for example, doughnuts which are advanced on the conveyor run 18 to a loading device at 19 which is positioned in front of a bag dispensing and opening apparatus 20 in position for loading the desired number of doughnuts into each bag 10 when it is opened up and held at the front of the dispensing apparatus 20. When the bag 10 is loaded with the desired number of doughnuts, a mechanism is actuated to release the filled bag which drops onto the conveyor 21 and is advanced to a top closing apparatus at 23.

The bag dispensing and opening apparatus 20* (FIGS. 4 to 7) comprises a magazine forming frame having a bottom or floor forming plate 24 which extends between a pair of parallel, vertically disposed bottom side plates 25 and 25'. The floor plate 24 is disposed at an angle to the horizontal bottom edge of the side plates 25 and 25' and slopes downwardly and forwardly toward the front frame assembly 26 which is in a plane normal to the plane of the fioor plate 24. The front side frame members 27 and 27' which extend in upright, forwardly inclined relation from the forward ends of the side plates 25 and 25' are connected at the top by a cross plate 28 on the front of which there is mounted a curved guide plate 30 for directing air into the mouth of the foremost bag in the stack, the latter being indicated at 31 in FIG. 4. The air guide plate 30 is curved about a vertical axis with its lower end terminating at the top of the opening 32 in the frame assembly 26 through which the bags are discharged.

Side guide bars

33 and 33 are adjustably mounted, to accommodate different size bags, on a pair of parallel, spaced cross bags 34 which extend between upstanding rear extensions 35 and 35' and carry at their forward ends small stop plates 36 and 36' which extend inwardly and for a slight distance into the path of side portions of the bags as they are urged forwardly in the stack 31. A front plate 37 extends between the side plates 25 and 25' in the plane of the front frame assembly 26, along the top edge of which a pair of

stop members

38 and 38 which extend a short distance above the plane of the floor plate 24 into the path of the bags, and normally limit the forward movement of the bottom portions of the bags in the stack 31. The front plate 37 is mounted on rock shaft 39 which extends between the side plates 25 and 25' and forms part of the control for

operating belts

40 and 40 as hereinafter described. The belts 40 and 40' are mounted in laterally spaced relation on rear and

front pulleys

41, 41' and 42, 42, the latter being idler pulleys mounted on short shafts 43, 43- extending from the side plates 25 and 25'. The pulleys 41 are mounted on a cross shaft 44 at the rear end of the frame on which there is mounted at sprocket 45 connected by the chain 46 with the output sprocket 47 on a drive motor 48 suitably mounted beneath the floor plate 24 as shown in FIG. 4. The top nm of each of the conveyor belts 40 and 40' rides on the top face of the floor plate 24 so that these belts engage the bottom edges of the collapsed bags in the stack 31 and are operated to urge the stack forwardly towards the discharge opening 32 in the front frame 26 when driven by the motor 48. The forward end of plate 24 is notched out at 49 and 49" to accommodate the

conveyor belts

40 and 40. The drive motor 48 for the belts 40 and 40' is controlled by a switch 50 mounted at the forward end of the frame which is normally closed. A switch actually arm member 51 is mounted on the rock shaft 39 which carries the front stop plate 37 for operating the normally closed switch 50' according to the movement of the stop plate 37. When the stop plate 37 is moved forward a predetermined distance by pressure at the forward end of the stack 31 the motor circuit is interrupted. When the pressure is relieved by withdrawal of the bottom portion of the foremost bag in the stack and the stop plate 37 swings rearwardly, the switch 50 is opened to operate the

belts

40 and 40* so as to urge the stack 31 forwardly.

At the top of the discharge opening 32 a stop finger 55 is mounted on the air guide plate 30 with the lowermost end extending into the path of the top margin of the bags. A pair of angular stop fingers 56 and 56' are mounted on the lower edge of the cross plate 28 and extend into the path of the tin tie strip 16 at opposite ends of the latter. The stop fingers 56 and 56' have associated releasable plate-like locking members 57 and 57' which are carried on the free ends of arms 58 and 58', the latter extending from the rock shaft 60. The shaft 60 is mounted in bearing forming brackets 61 and 61' extending from the top cross plate 28 and carries a rock arm 62, the free end of which is connected to the end of the piston 63 of air cylinder 64 supported on an angular bracket 65 on the top cross plate 28. The

locking plates

57 and 57, in one position thereof, extend beneath the

opposite ends

17, 17 of the tin tie strips 16 of the leading bags in the stack 31. Rotation of the rock shaft 60 by the air cylinder 64 withdraws the locking plates 57 and 57' so as to release the tin tie strip on the foremost bag and permit the bag suspended. thereby to drop free of the magazine.

The air nozzle is mounted on a bracket 71 extending upwardly of the cross plate 28 with the end of the nozzle pointed so as to direct a blast of air along the guide plate 30 toward the mouth of the leading bag in the stack 31. A weight 72, with an upright member 73, may be placed at the rear of the stack to help maintain the rearmost bags in upright position, the weight resting on

belts

40, 40 and being urged forwardly by friction upon movement of the belts.

The control arrangement, illustrated in FIG. 8, for operating the apparatus includes a switch 74 and

air valves

75 and 76 which control the operation of the bag release arms 58 and 58' and the air nozzle 70, respectively. The

valves

75 and 76 are operated by cams 77 and 78 mounted on a cross shaft 79 which has a belt drive connection 80 with a drive motor 81 and includes a single revolution clutch 82. The cam discs 77 and 78 are arranged to operate the

valves

75 and 76 in the proper timed sequence to release a previously opened bag and thereafter blow open the next succeeding bag in the stack. The cam discs 77, 78 and the drive therefor may, of course, be mounted between the side frame plates 25, 25'. The switch 74 may be connected into the control for the product feed mechanism, as indicated, so that when the proper number of product elements is dumped into an opened bag 10 the switch 74 will be actuated to operate the bag dispensing mechanism 20.

In the packaging line illustrated the doughnuts or other products are advanced by the single line conveyor 18 to the loading turret 19 and the flow of products is controlled by an electric eye counter, indicated at 85, which operates a reciprocating or swinging stop' member or gate, indicated at 86, to hold back the oncoming products when the desired number for filling a bag has advanced to a bucket 87 on the turntable or turret 19. Each of the buckets 87 has a hingedly mounted bottom gate 88 and provision is made for swinging the gate 88 downwardly to an open position when a bucket 87 is positioned, by indexing the turntable 19, over the fixed loading chute 90. The gates 88 may ride on a cam rail 91 which holds them in a normally closed position except at the loading or discharge station where the rail dips down and permits the gate 88 to open and discharge the product into the chute 90 which empties into the mouth of an open bag 10. The swinging gate 88 trips the switch 74 which initiates the cycle of operation of the magazine 20 and the associated mechanism for dispensing and opening the bags.

In operating the apparatus a stack of the collapsed bags 31 is placed upon the table 24 and moved forwardly to bring the foremost bag into the discharge opening 32 where it is stopped by

fingers

55, 56, 56', 36, 36' and 38, 38'. The operator then actuates the switch 74 which operates the

valves

75, 76 to first release a previously filled or dispensed bag by withdrawal of the fingers 57 and 57' followed by operation of the nozzle 70 to direct a blast of air into the next succeeding bag which is moved forward into the discharge opening. The blast of air from nozzle 70 opens up the foremost bag in the stack and releases the bottom which swings forward so that the bag is suspended as shown in FIG. 4 and positioned for receiving the product to be placed therein. When the bag is filled by operation of the

product feed mechanism

18, 19 the switch 74 is actuated by a gate 88 which releases the filled bag and operates nozzle 70 for opening the next succeeding bag in the stack. The bags are urged forwardly at the bottom by operation of the pressure sensing stop plate 37 which controls the switch 50 for advancing the

belts

40 and 40 until pressure on the plate 37 opens the switch 50 which stops the

belts

40, 40" with the foremost bag in position for opening. As each successive filled bag 10 is released from the magazine 20 and dropped onto the conveyor run 21, it advances to a bag closing mechanism 23 which operates in response to a bag actuated switch 99 to automatically close the bag mouth and fold the tin tie ends 17 and 17' thereby completing the package. The respective devices are, of course, driven by power means which is controlled by suitable electric circuitry to perform the successive operations in properly timed relation for continuous automatic operation.

While the system illustrated employs an electric eye counter 85 for determining the number of product items which constitute a batch for filling a bag, the bag load may be determined by weighing, volumetric measurement or otherwise.

I claim:

1. A method of packaging products in square bottomtype bags having tin tie closure members at the mouth thereof which comprises supporting a stack of the bags in collapsed condition at a filling station, moving the bags to bring the foremost bag into position beneath an air nozzle and releasably supporting the bag by engaging beneath the extended ends of the tin tie closure member,

opening the bag with a blast of air from the nozzle, filling the opened bag with a product, releasing the bag when filled for advance to a closing station and automatically advancing the next succeeding bag in the stack and opening the same in position for filling.

2. A method of packaging as set forth in claim 1, and filling each successive bag with a measured quantity of the product, releasing each successive bag when filling is completed, advancing each bag when filled to a closing station and closing each successive bag to complete the package.

3. A method of packaging as set forth in claim 1 and advancing each successive bag when filled to a closing station and automatically closing the mouth of the filled bag.

4. A method of packaging products in square bottomtype bags having tin tie closure members at the mouth thereof which comprises supporting a stack of the bags in collapsed upright position at a filling station, moving the bags by pressure on the stack thereof to bring the foremost bag into position beneath an air nozzle and releasably supporting the foremost bags in the stack by engaging beneath the extended ends of the tin tie closure members, opening the foremost bag with a blast of air from the nozzle while it is releasably supported, filling the opened bag with a quantity of the product, releasing the filled bag and advancing it to a closing station, advancing the next succeeding bag in the stack and opening the same in position for filling and closing the successive filled bags.

5. A method of packaging as set forth in claim 4, and filling each successive bag with a measured quantity of the product, and automatically releasing each successive bag when the filling thereof is completed.

6. A method of packaging as set forth in claim 4, and automatically advancing each successive bag when it is filled to a closing station, closing the mouth of the filled bag and folding the ends of the tin tie closure strip to complete the package.

7. A method of packaging products in square bottom type bags having tin tie closure members at the mouth thereof which comprises advancing the products and measuring successive batches thereof for discharge at a loading station, providing a stack of the bags in upright, flattened condition with the foremost bag in the stack disposed at the loading station, releasably supporting the foremost bag by engaging beneath extended ends of the tin tie closure member, opening the foremost bag in the stack by directing a blast of air into the top thereof, discharging a batch of the product into each successive opened bag, releasing the foremost bag when filled by withdrawing the support thereof, and advancing the filled bag from the loading station to a closing station and automatically opened the next bag in the stack while the next batch of product is advanced to the, loading station.

8. A method of packaging as set forth in claim 7 and opening successive bags in the stack in response to the discharge of products into the preceeding bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,902,812 9/1959 Maxey et a1. 5338S 3,325,962 6/1967 Baron 53--29 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 53-189