US3022932A - Bag valve - Google Patents

Description

O. L. VINES Feb. 27, 1962 BAG VALVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1960 INVENTOR. QSZAE A Z. V/A/ES BY I ,477'0EA/ V 0. L. VIN ES Feb. 27, 1962 BAG VALVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1960 Feb. 27, 1962 o. VINES 3,022,932

BAG VALVE Filed June 10, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TOR. 0564/? I Z 14/1/65 BY I Feb. 27, 1962 o. L. VINES 3,022,932

BAG VALVE Filed June 10, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 05a 1, V/A/ES 3,022,932 BAG VALVE Oscar L. Vines, 47 5th Ave., New York 3, NY. Filed June 10, 196i), Ser. No. 35,248 5 Claims. (Cl. 229-625) This invention relates to bag valves, and particularly to valves which may be closed without difficulty and with the greatest degree of certainty after the bag has been filled.

It is conventional to fabricate heavy duty paper bags, either of single or multi-ply wall construction, such as used for cement, fertilizer, and other powdered and gran ular materials with closed ends, one of which is provided with a filling valve communicating with the inside of the bag by means of which a filling spout can be in-' s'erted to fill the bag. The valves have ordinarily been, little more than paper tubes pasted" into the end folds of the bag. After the filling operation, the'bagsso constructed are usually manipulated to force the contents against the valved end. to flatten the walls-of the valve tube into contact with each other and thereby seal the valve, as nearly as possible, against leakage. This type of valve has proven more or less satisfactory, but a certain amount of leakage occurs through the valve nevertheless.

The bags referred to herein are usually formed of relatively heavy sheets of k'raft or jute fiber or the like, although bags of other material, including plastic sheet material, are also contemplated. plastic sheet material whether used for the bag, the valve or both, heat and pressure may be used in lieu of an applied adhesive for joining the various elements.

' It is characteristic of most of these bags that the valves immediately after being formed tend to gape, and this condition persists to a considerable extent even after the. bags are filled. This tendency has been found to be the primary cause of much of the leakage through the valve. To rectify th's difficulty, the newly filled bags are usually pressed to flatten the walls of the valve intocontact 40 with each other. However, the filing operation, which is effected pneumatically, acts to expand the bags in all directions and in so doing, tends to enlarge the valve openings and renews the danger of'sifting, or the ingress of atmosphere, moisture and foreign matter which often impairs the quality and destroys the usefulness of the contents of the bag. From the foregoing, it is clear that the valves in current use lack means to prevent either the escape of some of the contents or the entrance of destructive influences from the outside, and that the several inherent difficulties can be corrected only by an improvement in the valve structure.

A number of expedients have been suggested to improve the sealing function of thebag valves. Some of these suggestions have involved the concept of auxi'iary sealing flaps associated with the inner end of the valve, and others have sought to mutilate the valve tube and thereby clog the valve as the bag is withdrawn from the filling spout after the bag has been filled. These expedients, on the whole, operate with such uncertainty as to destroy their util ty.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a bag valve in which the tube is open from end to end for the freeinsertion of the filling spout, as

3,022,932 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 in the conventional valve, but which may be positively, and effect vely closed when the spout is withdrawn.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bag valve which is simple in construction, which will re Briefly, the bag valve herein is in the form of a flat In the case of most 30 t'ened tubular member adapted to'receive a filling nozzle. The tubular member has adischarge opening at one end thereof which is adapted to communicate with the interiorof a bag when the valve is glued into the end folds of the bag. A sheath having a base panel is connected to the tubular member adjacent the discharge opening, and a pull tab is connected at the junction of the tubular member and the base panel whereby the tubular mem{ her and the base panel are rolled inwardly upon themselves when the pull tab is pulled'outwardly. This results in the filling opening being turned under in face-toface contact with the base panel. As the result of this disposition of the filling opening the valve is positively sealed such that even the finest material Within the bag cannot sift through the valve and extraneous matter can-' not enter the bag through the valve. i

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following specification which is written in the. drawings forming a part hereof. In these drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts, and in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fragment of a tiled and closed bag having the valve herein glued into its end flaps;

the outer end flaps of the bag opened:

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3 showing, however, a filling nozzle inserted through the valve; FIG. '5 is a sectional view through the valve to show the disposition of the parts thereof when the pull tab is being pulledoutwardly and the valve is partially overlap of the glued joints being omitted to avoid complicating the view;

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing, however, a modified valve structure;

FIG. 10 is a view of the valve of FIG. 9- showing the disposition of the parts when the pull tab is pulled outwardly;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the valve of FIG. 9; FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the blank is folded to form the valve of FIG. 9;

FIG. '13 is the blank for formingthe tubular element of they valve of FIGS. 1 through 8;

light of FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. .1v showing, however,

spaaaaa FIG. 14 is the blank constituting a sheath element used with the tubular element of FIG. 13; and

P16. 15 is the blank from which the valve of FIG. 9 is formed.

A two piece bag valve is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 and 13 and 14 while a one piece valve is illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12 and 15.

We shall first make reference to the two piece structure and the best introduction thereto lies in an examination of the blanks shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 of which the valve is constructed. These blanks, as well as that of FIG. 15, are formed of any suitable strong but flexible sheet stock such as paper, plastic, etc.

As. shown in FIG. 13, the tube portion of the valve structure is formed by cutting a piece of stock to form aface panel 12, aright back panel 14 and aleft back panel 16. These panels, as shown, are generally rectangular in shape. Theface panel 12 is separated from theright back panel 14 by alongitudinal fold line 18. By the same token, the face panel is also separated from theleft back panel 16 by a fold line 29. If desired, thefold lines 18 and 20 may be formed by creasing or scoring. Each of thepanels 12, 14 and 16 is formed with a tab extension. Thus, theface panel 12 has acenter tab extension 22, theright back panel 14 has aright tab extension 24 and the left.back panel 16 has aleft tab extension 26. The size and shape of theright back panel 14 and its extendingtab 24 and theleft back panel 16 and. its extendingtab 26 are such that when the blank is folded along thelongitudinal fold lines 18 and 20 to bring theright back panel 14 into overlapping relation to theleft back panel 16, the right and left back panels together will be substantially coextensive insize and shape with theface panel 12. The same is true of thetab extensions 24 and 26 which will correspond in size and shape to thecenter tab 22. At the junction of theface panel 12 and thecenter tab 22 is aslot 28 which ultimately forms the filling opening at the inner end of the valve. A corresponding cut-out 30 is formed in theouter edge 32 of theface panel 12 and this cutout ultimately marks the spout entrance at the outer end of the valve. The shape of the cut-out 30 facilitates the insertion of the filling nozzle.

Atransverse fold line 34 is formed across the three panels at the junction of their respective extension tabs, and immediately below thetransverse fold line 34 and theslot 28 the panels may be transversely scored along a plurality oflines 36, or otherwise-treated, if it appears desirable to add some additional flexibility to the material at this point for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. Theextension tabs 22, 24 and 26 are transversely scored or perforated along theline 36.

When the tube section of the valve is folded, as explained hereinafter, it is utilized in conjunction with asheath member 38, the form which is shown in FIG. 14. The sheath member is cut to provide abase panel 40 which is generally square. Extending outwardly from. the base panel is aneck portion 42 to which additional flexibility may be imparted, if desired, by any suitable treatment such as by forming therein a plurality of transverse score lines 44. The extremity of the sheath constitutes aglue flap 46 which is separated from theneck 42 by afold line 48.

Extending laterally from the right of thebase panel 40 is aright wing 50 and extending from the opposite edge thereof is aleft wing 52. These wings are separated from thebase panel 40 byfold lines 54 and 56, respectively. The outer edges of thewings 50 and 52 are cut back along thelines 58 which correspond to the shape of the spout entrance cut-out 30 in theouter edge 32 of thetube blank 10.

The tube blank 10 and thesheath 38 are assembled into a bag valve, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Glue is appliedv to the stippled areas of the tube blank 10 as shown in FIG. 13. The blank is then folded on thelongitudinal fold line 20 such that theleft back panel 16 and itsextension tab 26 are brought into contact, respectively, with theface panel 12 and thecenter extension tab 22. Thereafter, the right backpanel 14 is folded on thelongitudinal fold line 18 such that it and itsextension tab 24 will overlie respectively the balance of theface panel 12 and thecenter tab 22. It will be noted that the right backpanel 14 and itsextension tab 24 are wider than the left back panel and its extension tab such that when the right backpanel 14 and itsextension tab 24 are turned over, as stated, they will also overlie respectively a portion of theleft back panel 16 and itsextension tab 26; the glue strip along the outer edge of the right backpanel 14 being confined entirely to the area of this latter overlap.

It is now apparent that the blank of FIG. 13 is formed into a tube portion 60 (FIG. 6) constituted of the unglued portions of theface panel 12 and thelateral panels 14 and 16; its open ends being located at thespout entrance 30 and the fillingopening 28. Theextension tabs 22, 24 and 26 when so folded and glued comprise a pull tab portion 62 (FIG. 6).

After the tube has been formed as described above, thesheath 38 is attached to the tube. The manner in which this attachment is effected is also shown in FIG. 6. Theglue flap 46 is rotated inwardly on thefold line 48 and glue is applied. to the now exposed face of the inturned flap. Glue is also applied respectively to the right andleft wings 58 and 52, as shown by the stippled shading in FIG. 14. Theglue flap 46 of the sheath is attached to the folded and glued tube of FIG. 13 such that the fold.line 48 of the sheath is at the inner edge of the fillingopening slot 28 of the tube.

The tube portion 60 (FIG. 6) is now folded inwardly along thetransverse fold line 34 such that the tube portion thereof overlies thepull tab portion 62. The right andleft wings 58 and 52 of the sheath are now turned inwardly over thetube portion 60 along theirrespective fold lines 54 and 56 such that these wings are glued to the subjacent face of the tube portion. When so turned and glued, the cut backedges 58 of thewings 50 and 52, respectively, will correspond with the spout entrance cut back 30 at the outer end of the valve. Furthermore, it is important to observe that thewings 50 and 52 of the sheath element are inset from the fold line 34 a substantial distance which, in any event, is sufiicient to permit valve closure without interference by the wings.

As the valve is now constituted, the inwardly project ing walls of the tube portion can be drawn into the tube by pulling on thepull tab 62. This action can be seen in FIG. 5 where thepull tab 62 has been pulled outwardly and the walls of thetube portion 60 and theneckv 42 of thesheath element 38 have been rolled inwardly into contact with each other until the fillingopening slot 28 is drawn inwardly where it now lies between theinfolded neck 42 of the sheath element and the inturned wall of the tube portion in which it is formed.

Whereas the valve described hereinabove is formed of two blanks which are glued together in the final fabri-' cation thereof, the valve of FIGS. 9 and 10 is formed of a single blank shown in FIG. 15. An introduction to this modified form of valve is obtained best by reference to FIG. 15. In the single piece valve, the tubular portion of the valve is formed by a.tube panel 70 and thesheath element 72 is formed by abase panel 74. These panels are interconnected by apull tab panel 76.

Thetube panel 70 is a generally square panel from which extends a rightlateral wing 78 and a leftlateral wing 80. Thewings 78 and 8.0 are adapted to rotate inwardly onfold lines 82 and 84, respectively. Extending across thetube panel 70 and thelateral wings 78 and are a series of score lines 86 which render this section of the blank more flexible. Any other suitable means may be employed to render these areas more flexible if added flexibility is deemed desirable.

The base.panel 74 corresponds generally in size and shape to thetube panel 70. A pair of glue flaps 88 and 90 are formed at the lateral edges of thebase panel 74. These flaps are adapted to rotate inwardly onfold lines 92 and 94 respectively. The inner end of thebase panel 74 is also preferably rendered flexible as by impressing therein a series of score lines 96. The interconnectingpull tab panel 76 is formed insymmetrical halves 98 and 100 which are adapted to fold into face-to-face contact by rotation about afold line 102. Equidistant at opposite sides of thefold line 102 are a pair ofscore lines 104 and 106 which form a weakened line across the pull tab when the blank is folded.

The blank of FIG. 15 is folded as shown in FIG. 12 to form atubular member 70a. The leftlateral wing 80 is folded inwardly on theline 84 such that it lies against thetube panel 70. Glue is applied to the outer edge of the rightlateral wing 78 and this wing is then turned inwardly on the fold line 82 such that the right lateral wing is attached to the left lateral wing and thereby, together with thetube panel 70, form a flattened tube structure. Glue is applied to the entire face of thepull tab panel 76 and the panel is folded on thefold line 102. Thereafter thetubular member 70a is folded back against the pull tab and thebase panel 74 is folded rearwardly such that the pull tab is sandwiched between thetube panel 70 and thebase panel 74. The glue flaps 88 and 90 are now rotated upwardly about the fold lines 92 and 94 respectively and, having glue applied thereto, they are adhesively attached to the outer face of the rightlateral wing 78 and the leftlateral wing 80 respectively.

The manner in which the valve is fixed into the end folds of the bag may vary depending on the structure of the bag or the particular fabricating procedure that is employed. It has been stated that valves of the kind dealt with herein are usually employed in multi-walled bags. In the interest of simplification, however, FIGS. 2 and 9 illustrate an end structure of a single walled bag. In FIG. 2 the valve formed of the blanks of FIGS. 13 and 14 is shown attached to theinturned end flap 108 of abag 110. Ordinarily the end flaps are somewhat wider than the width of the bag such that the lateral edges 112 will cooperate with the side flaps 114 and 116 to form a more effective seal. After the valve has been glued to theend flap 108 as shown in FIG. 2, theside flap 114 is turned inwardly and is glued to the valve in the area extending toward the outside of the bag from the free end of theinturned end flap 108. Thereafter theside flap 116 is turned inwardly and is glued to the outer face of theside flap 114. When the bag is so sealed, the valve will be disposed in the end flap structure as shown in FIG. 3. The shaded areas in FIGS. 2 and 9 are those to which the adhesive is applied.

In order to fill the bag through the valve the bag is suspended on a conventional filling tube ornozzle 118. As shown in FIG. 4, the filling nozzzle is inserted between theface panel 12 and theunderlying back panels 14 and 16; the right backpanel 14 only being visible in FIG. 4. When the filling operation is completed the bag is removed from the filling tube and thepull tab 62 is drawn outwardly, as shown in FIG. 5. The inner end of the valve is free of the flaps of the bag, as explained, care being taken that the end projecting into the bag is glued neither to theend fiap 108 of the bag on which it rests nor to theside flap 114 which overlies it. Therefore, when thepull tab 62 is pulled outwardly, the inner walls of the valve will roll upon themselves such that theslot 28 is drawn between the valve panels to effect a complete seal, as previously explained. As shown in FIG. 5, theslot 28 will be disposed against thebase panel 40, both thebase panel 40 and the walls comprising the tubular member being drawn into the valve structure by manipulation of the pull tab. The extending end of the pull tab may now be torn off along the weakenedline 36 and the tab section thus separated can be used in an inventory control system. Theperforated lines 36 and 106 6 in FIGS. 6 and 10, respectively, also serve as an indicator that the valves are fully closed when these lines are in registration with the outer end of the valve structures.

As shown in FIG. 9, the valve fabricated from the blank of FIG. 15 is glued into the end folds of the bag in exactly the same manner above described in respect to the valve fabricated from the blanks of FIGS. 13 and 14. The filling and sealing procedure is also the same. Thus, after the bag has been filled, thepull tab 76 is pulled outwardly and the filling slot of the valve will be withdrawn into the valve structure, as in the form previously described.

In respect to both forms of the valve, it will be noted that the path from the filling opening within the bag to the exterior is completely blocked by the reverse fold which is produced when the pull tabs are drawn outwardly. Not only is the discharge passage of the valve completely covered by the infolded valve walls which alone produces an effective seal, but the reverse bend of the tubular member also makes an important contribution to the sealing effect.

As the inner end of the tubular members and the sheath members are rolled inwardly upon themselves, the normally open lateral infolded edges are jammed against the wings of the sheath. This securely closes these lateral inturned edges and precludes all possibility of leakage between the confronting faces of the tubular member and the underlying sheath member. Thus, in FIG. 7, the inwardly extending lateral edges of thetubular member 60 and thesheath element 38, when these elements are rolled back upon themselves in the closing operation, will be jammed against thewings 50 and 52 of the sheath element. Similarly, in FIG. 12, when the valve is closed, the corresponding lateral edges of thetubular member 70a and thesheath element 72 are jammed against thewings 88 and 90 of the sheath element to effect a seal.

While the fundamentally novel features of the invention have been illustrated and described in connection with two specific embodiments thereof, it is believed that these embodiments will enable others skilled in the art to apply the principles of the invention in forms departing from the exemplary embodiments herein, and such departures are contemplated by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A valve for bags comprising a flattened tubular member adapted to receive a filling nozzle, said tubular member having a discharge opening at one end thereof adapted to communicate with the interior of a bag, a sheath having a base panel connected to said tubular member adjacent to and along a line substantially parallel to said discharge opening, said sheath also being connected to said tubular member along the lateral edges of the latter at a point inset from said connection between said base panel and said tubular member, and a pull tab connected at the junction of said tubular member and said base panel whereby said tubular member and said base panel are rolled inwardly upon themselves when said tab is pulled outwardly and said filling opening and said base panel are turned under in face-to-face contact, said pull tab at its connection at the junction of said tubular member and said base panel being substantially as wide as said junction whereby force applied to said pull tab is distributed across the width of said junction when said tab is pulled outwardly.

2. The invention ofclaim 1 in which a pliable zone extends across said base panel and the walls of said tubular member adjacent to and on opposite sides of said junction, whereby the inward rolling action of said tubular member and said base panel is facilitated when said tab is pulled outwardly.

3. The invention ofclaim 1 in which said sheath has wings at the lateral edges of said base panel inset from the connection of the latter to said tubular member and said wings are inturned upon said tubular member and are adhesively attached thereto such that the lateral edges of said tubular member and said base panel are free be References Cited in the file of this patent 19 Said Wings- UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. The invention of claim 1 m which said tubular 1762697R I 10 1930 member and said sheath comprise separately formed ele- 33 -z 1944 ments which are adhesively attached to each other at 5- Ottwa ep said connections. t FOREIGN PATENTS 5. The invention ofclaim 1 in which said tubular 829 547Germany Jam 28 1952' mem er nd said sheath comprise a unitary element 1.022155 Germany pm 1958 formed ,of asingle blank,

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