US3423903A - Bag positioning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sheet of 5 Jan. 28, 1969 F. H. MILLER, JR

BAG POSITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1966 INVENTOR. FRANK H. M|LLER,J v M, flflf ATTORNEY F. H. MILLER, JR 3,423,903 BAG POSITIONING APPARATUS Jan. 28, 1969 Filed Nov. 28, 1966Sheet 2 of 5 4 /75 /86 Y 7I g 70" 3 8088 55 72 67 62 6| I e7 KFZIHT- 57 I J m INVENTOR. FRANK H. MILLER,JR.

M. (WA

ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 Filed Nov. 28, 1966 F. H. MILLER, JR BAG POSITIONING APPARATUS Sheet SUCTION PUMP FIG.8

FRANK H. MILLER JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,423,903 BAG POSITIONING APPARATUS Frank H. Miller, In, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Miller Engineering Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 310,071, Sept. 19, 1963. This application Nov. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 597,320 US. Cl. 53-188 Claims Int. Cl. 1565b 1/02, Z/08, 3/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cross reference to related application This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for Bag Dispensing, Transporting and Positioning Apparatus, Ser. No. 310,071, filed Sept. 19, 1963 now US. Patent No. 3,287,879 Nov. 29, 1966.

BACKGROUND "OF THE INVENTION Field 09 the invention This invention relates to the automatic filling of bags and more particularly to the automatic placement of valve type bags onto the spout of an automatic filler. In the art of filling bags, there are two prevalent methods. One involves the filling from the top of an open ba which is later sewn or sealed in well known manner. However, particularly with light and fiuify materials, it is difiicult to fill an open bag from the top since the material tends to blow back out into the filling room. As a consequence, a species of bags known in the trade as valve bags have been developed. Bags of this general classification are disclosed by Contryman in US. 2,378,285; by Burroughs in US. 2,528,419 and by Lee in Reissue 23,230. These bags are of the multi-ply paper variety and instead of being open at the top are adhesively sealed at one end and along the length of the top with the other end of the top remaining open to form a valve opening. In some instances, the unsealed end is tucked in at 90 to the body of the bag; and such bags are termed internal valve bags. In other instances, the unsealed portion is not tucked in but remains open in the form of a spout. These bags are referred to as external valve bags and the unsealed portion is later tucked in and adhesively sealed after the bag is filled. (See, for example, the patent to A. R. Swenson, 3,083,780.) In any event, the valve opening occupies the upper corner of the bag and it is necessary to properly position the bag for transport to the filling spout so that the valve opening faces the filling spout and to provide means for fitting the spout into the valve opening.

Prior art Initially, valve bags were placed onto the filling spout manually so that an operator would stand between two filling spouts and place a valve bag onto a spout with his right hand and with his left hand as each of the bags was filled. Attempts to automate the placement of the valve bags onto the filling spout have not been without ditficulty. It has been found that in order to properly fit the bags onto the spout that it is necessary to positively open the valve prior to the bag reaching the area of the filling spout.

SUMMARY The present invention provides a method and means whereby the valve is positively opened while the bag is in route from the bag pickup station to the filling spout. This is accomplished by use of a valve insertion member which is positively inserted into the valve of the bag while the bag is in its path of travel toward the filling spout. Additionally, there are provided depending finger members which grasp the valve portion of the bag to positively open same prior to the bag being placed over the filling spout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the bag dispensing transporting and positioning apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the relationship of the valve insertion member to the depending fingers of the bag carrier.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken onlines 33 of FIG. 2 illustrating the movement of the valve insertion member.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section, partially in elevation, taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2, illustrating the depending fingers in open position.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section, partially in elevation, taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 2, illustrating the depending fingers in closed position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the relationship of the valve insertion member to the cylinder and track mounted on the frame of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective illustrating the relationship of the head of the valve insertion member to the carrier and bag at insertion position.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic and suction systems.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view, illustrating the relation of the first suction means to the second suction means and to the bag at the bag transfer position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, the magazine M comprises front post 1 and rear post 4 which are connected together byside rails 3. Attached to the front post 1 is an inverted T shaped front member containing a curved lip at the top. The rear member of the magazine is made up of rear plates 5 containing rollers 6 connected to shaft 7 which engage onside rails 3 and in which the plates 5 are connected together by rear transverse rails. Side plates 5 contain an eye member to which a cable is attached, which is trained overpulleys 12 and attached toweight 13. Thus, the rear member is always being pulled towardfront member 2. Theside rails 3 are spaced apart the length of the bag B so that the bags may be stacked in the magazine with their longitudinal axes in a horizontal plane and their minor axes in a vertical plane with one edge resting on the floor member. The folded over top portion of the bag is dispensed in the magazine so that it faces the rear.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the frame of the apparatus comprises bottom beam 50 andupright beams 41 and 42.

Connected touprights 41 and 42 is a diagonal brace 43 running to and attached to transverse beam 44 at the top, which is connected in turn tohorizontal beam 45 and an angularly extending beam 46 at the top of upright 41. Anotherdiagonal beam 47 is connected to upright 41 and to beam 46 to support the latter. An angle iron 14, disposed so that its vertex extends upwardly, is connected across base beam 50. Welded to said angle iron is doubleaction air cylinder 15 containingpiston rod 16 andair connections 17 and 18. Thepiston rod 16 is connected by clevis bracket 19 toarm 21 by means ofclevis pin 20.Arm 21 is pivoted onshaft 23 which is journaled inupright support 22 by bushing 24. At the far end of thearm 21 is adouble action cylinder 25 containingair connections 26 and 27 andpiston rod 28. The piston rod is connected to suction manifold 29 which in turn is connected tosuction line 30 and contains a series ofsuction cups 31. Thelarge sprocket 33 is keyed onto theshaft 23 so as to be revolved by the extension or retraction ofpiston rod 16 ofdrive cylinder 15. Chain 34 is trained over sprocket 35 which in turn is connected tolarge sprocket 36 by shaft 38 journaled in pillow block 37. Cooperating with thelarge sprocket 36 isidler sprocket 39 over whichchain 40 is trained.Chain 40 is trained overtension sprocket 52 which is journaled in vertical support 51 attached to beam 46 of the upper frame of the machine. Support 51 contains a slot (not shown) for adjusting the tension on the chain or for replacing the chain.Sprocket 52 is mounted on shaft 53 journaled in support 51.Members 54 form a housing for thechain 40 which is connected to thecarriage 55 in conventional trolley connection.Carriage 55 containssuction manifold 56 which is connected tosuction line 57 and containssuction cups 58.

As is shown in FIG. 1, thevalve insertion member 60 is mounted on theframe 42 and of the apparatus ontrack 69. The valve insertion member consists of aconical head 61, supported byarm 62 which contains an eye 63 through whichpivot pin 64 is fixed. Thepivot pin 64 is mounted in aslidable bracket 65 which rides ontrack 69. The end of thearm 62 is curved as at 66 to form a trigger member. Surroundingpin 64 isspring 67 which is anchored in the slidable bracket 65 (Note FIG. 6). Aprojection 68 fromtrack 69 forms a fulcrum for thetrigger member 66 ofarm 62. The entirevalve insertion member 60 is moved alongtrack 69 by means of apneumatic cylinder 71 having apiston 73 and apiston rod 72 which is connected toslidable bracket 65. Connected tocylinder 71 areair connections 98 and 100, respectively, which cause thepiston 73 to be extended to drive the slidable bracket forwardly vialine 98.Line 100 causes thepiston 73 to retract pulling theslidable bracket 65 rearwardly. It will be noted that as theslidable bracket 65 is pulled rearwardly thetrigger member 66 ofarm 62 contacts theprojection 68 and thus windsspring 67 as the bracket is pulled back to starting position as is shown in FIG. 3. As the valve insertion member starts toward insertion position, thepiston rod 72 starts to extend thus releasing thetrigger member 66 from the fulcrum 68 allowing the spring to snap the valve insertion member into the position shown in broken lines. As the piston rod extends further, thehead 61 of the valve insertion member comes into contact with the top of the bag and thus is inserted into the valve opening VO, as is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. Retraction ofpiston rod 72 is at a rate faster than the travel of the bag B so that the valve insertion member becomes disengaged from the valve opening and from the bag as thetrigger member 66 comes into contact with thefulcrum 68 and thus causes the arm to swing back through an arc of 90 to starting position, and simultaneously places tension onspring member 67.

Associated with thecarrier 55 is a pair of dependingmembers 89 which tend to grasp the valve opening portion of the bag and hold it in open position until the bag is placed onto the spout of the filling machine. Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4 and 5, the dependingmembers 89 are connected to the carrier by means of a toggle joint havinglinks 83 and 85 connected bypin 84 which in turn is connected to atransverse bar 81. Connected in the center of thetransverse bar 81 is arod member 80. Surrounding the rod is a fixedcollar 79 andspring 78. Directly above thespring member 78 isupper plate 76 which is connected to therod 80 and which rides along the surface of thetramway housing 54 and thecam surface 75, for reasons which will be explained. Thecollar 79 is rigidly supported bysupport bar 86 which is mounted to the mountingbracket 88 which in turn is mounted tocarrier 55. At the bottom of the mountingbracket 88 issupport member 87 which is connected to thelower link 85 of the toggle joint by means ofpivot pin 90.

It will be noted thatpivot pin 90 connecting thelower link 85 of the toggle joint tostationary support 87 remains stationary as doescollar 79. Thetransverse bar 86,rod 80 and theupper plate 76 connected torod 80 moves up and down depending upon the surface of thehousing 54 or of the cam located in the first portion of the housing. Referring now specifically to FIG. 4, it will be noted that when theupper plate 76 is in contact withcam surface 75, thus depressing thetransverse bar 81, this causes the toggle joint to bend atpivot point 84. Since the dependingfingers 89 are secured to thelower links 85 of the toggle joints, these fingers extend laterally. However, as is shown in FIG. 5 once theupper plate 76 has passed thecam surface 75, the rod member andtransverse bar 81 are pulled upwardly thus causing theupper link 83 of the toggle joint to move upwardly and straighten the connection betweenlinks 83 and 85 thus forcing the dependingfingers 89 medially to closed position. It will be noted that when thefingers 89 are in closed position as illustrated in FIG. 5, they are in contact with the lateral edges of the top of the bag and thus open the valve opening V0 for easy positioning onto the filling spout. As is shown in FIG. 2, thecam surface 75 runs along the first portion of the housing of thetramway 54 thus holding the dependingfingers 89 in open position until the bag reaches the insertion point of thevalve insertion member 60. As the valve insertion member is inserted into the mouth of the valve opening, thecam surface 75 abruptly stops, thus allowing theupper plate member 76 to raise, pulling through means ofrod 80,transverse bar 81 upwardly, thus straightening out the toggle joints and closing the dependingfinger 89 on the valve portion of the bag as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, by this operation, there is insertion of thehead 61 of thevalve insertion member 60 into the valve opening V0 and simultaneously therewith a grasping by means of dependingfingers 89 over the top and edge of the valve portion of the bag to hold the valve open until the bag reaches the filling spout.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the air supply tofluid motor 15 is bylines 17 and 18 controlled by valves 91 and 92, respectively.Cylinder 25 is controlled byvalves 93 and 94 located inlines 27 and 26 respectively.Suction line 30 is controlled by valve 95 located between the suction pump and thesuction manifold 29.Suction line 57 tosuction manifold 56 is controlled by valve 96. Thepneumatic cylinder 71 is controlled by valve 99 inline 100 and by valve 97 inline 98.

OPERATION When valve 91 is opened,piston rod 16 is extended tolower arm 21 to its initial horizontal position in proximity to the magazine M. In this position, valve 94 is opened to extendpiston rod 28 and suction valve 95 is opened to apply suction tosuction cups 31. Thus,suction cups 31 grip the top of the body of the bag, near the valve end. Valve 91 is closed and valve 92 is opened to retractpiston rod 16, causingarm 21 to rise through an arc of about thus removing the bag over the curved lip of the front member of the magazine.Sprocket 33, keyed ontoshaft 23 is revolved one quarter of la revolution driving sprocket 35 via chain 34 which in turn drivessprocket 36 andchain 40 trained overidler sprocket 39 to movecarrier 55 away from the spout along the tramway to bag transfer position T. Simultaneously with the opening of valve 92,valve 93 is opened to retractpiston rod 28 so that thesuction manifold 29 is brought down and out of the way for the arrival ofcarriage 55. Valve 94 is then opened and valve 92 closed so that thesuction cups 31 containing the bag which is now disposed with its longitudinal axis directed vertically and with the valve opening VO facing the spout, are raised by extension ofpiston rod 28 so tht the top of the bag contacts thesuction cups 58 onsuction manifold 56 of thecarriage 55.

Valve 96 is opened and valve is closed so that thesuction cups 58 of the carriage engage the top of/the bag.Valve 93 is opened and valve 94 closed so as to retract thesuction manifold 29 via retraction ofpiston rod 28 and valve 91 is opened and valve 92 closed so as to extendpiston rod 16 to lower thearm 21 to its initial horizontal position and to revolvesprocket 33 one quarter of a revolution to drive chain 4-0 through the power train of sprockets andchains 34, 35, 36, 39 and 40 previously described to drive thecarriage 55 along the tramway toward the spout.

Ascarriage 55 is driven along the tramway, valve 9'7 is opened and valve 99 is closed so as to extendpiston rod 72 and drive thevalve insertion member 60 down theinclined track 69 toward insertion position. As thepiston rod 72 starts to extend thetrigger member 66 ofarm 62 comes into contact withfulcrum 68 to release the tension of thespring 67 and thus spring the entire arm through an arc of 90 so that thehead 61 of the valve insertion member faces the valve opening VO of the oncoming balg B. Thepiston rod 72 continues to extend, pushing themovable bracket 65 and the valve insertion member attached thereon toward the valve opening. As thehead 61 of the valve insertion member approaches the valve opening of the bag, in a slightly downwardly inclined manner, the tip of the head is inserted into the valve opening V0. At the same time, theupper plate 76 comes to the end ofcalm surface 75 and is pushed by the pressure ofspring 78 upwardly, thus pulling therod 80 and thetnansverse bar 81 upwardly to straighten the toggle joints aroundpivot pin 84. The dependingfingers 89 secured to thelower link 85 of the toggle joints are thus closed over the lateral surfaces of the top of the bag, holding the valve opening VO of the bag in open position while thehead 61 is still inserted therein.

Valve 97 is then closed and valve 99 is opened so as to force thepiston 73 and thepiston rod 72 driven thereby backwlardly so as to retract the piston rod and pull themovable bracket 65 rearwardly thus pulling thehead 61 out of engagement with the valve opening VO' of the bag B. As themovable bracket 65 is retracted, thetrigger member 66 ofarm 62 comes into contact withfulcrum 68 and thus forces thearm 62 to pivot aroundpin 64 through an arc of 90 and thus apply tensioin to spring 67 for the next insertion operation.

The bag B continues its trip along the tramway to the filling spout with the valve opening VO held in open position by means of closed dependingfingers 89. The valve opening V is then placed over the spout and the whole openation is repeated.

The various valves may be opened and closed manually or through a series of controls arranged to open and close same in the sequence set forth.

Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the invention which is meant to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting except as to be commensurate in scope to the claims attached hereto.

What is claimed is;

1. An automatic bag positioning apparatus, for use in picking up and positioning a valve bag onto a spout of a bag filling machine including:

(A) a movable carrier,

(B) a tnameway, in operative relation with said carrier;

(C) a gripping means associated with said carrier for gripping a bag at the top and moving said bag along a path defined by said tramway to said spout;

(D) a frame for said apparatus,

(E) the improvement which comprises means for positively opening the valve of said bag prior to positioning said bag onto said spout including:

(1) a valve insertion member mounted on said frame for movement,

(a) from a starting position out of the path of said bag, (b) to an insertion position in the path of said bag at the level of said valve for insertion in said valve,

(c) thence out of engagement with the valve and back to said starting position,

(2) mounting means for said valve insertion member, and,

(3) operating means for moving said valve insertion member from said starting position to said insertion position and thence back to said starting position.

2. An automatic bag positioning apparatus, as defined in claim 1, in which:

(A) said valve insertion member includes:

(1) a conical head, and,

(2) an arm pivotably mounted on said frame so as to swing from said starting position through an arc of to said insertion position and thence swing backwardly through said arc to said starting position.

3. An automatic bag positioning apparatus, as defined in claim 1, in which the mounting means for said valve insertion member include:

(A) a track mounted on the frame of said apparatus (B) said valve insertion member being mounted on said track so as to move,

(1) forwardly toward the path of said bag as said valve insertion member moves to insertion position,

(2) thence rearwardly in the direction of the pathof said bag so that said valve insertion member moves back to starting position.

4. An automatic bag positioning apparatus, as defined inclaim 3, in which:

(A) said track is mounted so as to incline downwardly,

so that:

(l) the valve insertion member, at starting position, is on a plane above that of the valve of said bag, and,

(2) at insertion position, is on a plane with the valve of said bag.

5. An automatic bag positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which:

(A) said operating means for moving said valve insertion member is operative to cause the rearward travel of said valve insertion member to proceed from insertion position back to said starting position at a rate greater than the rate of travel of said bag.

6. An automatic bag positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 (A) the further combination therewith of a pair of depending finger members mounted on said carrier,

(1) said finger members, in open position, extending laterally, and,

(2) in closed position, move medialy, so as to grasp the valve portion of said bag while the valve insertion member is inserted therein;

(B) means for moving said finger members from open to closed position.

7. An automatic bag positioning apparatus, as defined in claim 6, in which:

(A) said means for moving said finger members from open to closed position comprises:

(1) a pair of toggle joints operatively connected to move the finger members from an angular position to an extended position,

(2) A spring loaded member operatively connected to move the toggle joints; and

(3) means for actuating said spring loaded member.

8. An automatic bag positioning apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which:

(A) said spring loaded member comprises:

(1) a bar connected near its end to a link of each toggle joint;

(2) a rod member connected to the middle of said bar; and

(3) a spring member surrounding said rod so as to place biasing pressure on said rod to operate said toggle joint.

9. An automatic bag positioning apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which:

(A) said means for actuating said spring loaded member includes a cam member, located in proximity to said tramway at a point corresponding with the inserted position of said valve insertion member.

10. An automatic bag positioning apparatus for use in picking up and positioning a valve bag onto a spout of a filling machine including:

(A) a movable carrier;

(B) a tramway in operative relation with said carrier;

(C) gripping means associated with said carrier for gripping a bag at the top and moving said bag along a path defined by said tramway to said spout;

(D) the improvement of a means for opening the valve of said bag prior to positioning said bag onto said spout, including:

(1) a pair of depending fingers mounted on said carrier,

v(a) said fingers, in open position, extending laterally and, (b) in closed position, move radially to grasp the valve portion of said bag and open said valve; (2) means for moving said finger members from open to closed position comprising:

(a) a pair of toggle joints operatively connected to said pair of depending fingers;

(b) a spring loaded member operative to move the toggle joints from an angular position to an extended position; and,

(c) means in proximity to said tramway for actuating said spring loaded member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,053,027 9/1962 Frost 53-190 3,213,588 10/1965 Peterson 53384 X 3,287,879 11/1966 Miller 53188 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

20 E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner.

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