US3511021A - Vacuum packaging means - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1970 F. A. LYON ETAI- 3,511,021

' VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS Filed March 28, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet l VAC.

VAC.

INVENTORS VACUUM SEAL FLOYD A. LYON CLEMENT R.

May 12, 1970 F. A. LYON ET'AL 3,511,021

VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS Hill! INVENTORS FLOYD A. LYON CLEMENT R. KONARS May 12, 1970 F. A. LYON ETAL 3,511,021

VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS Filed March 28, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 F T a U U I J w AG) 3 N 3 f X a 0 0 a: a, 5 W J F; L: III Y 7 8\ll 2 G I L "I :H!

w Q m w u= v c" I LL. I H" '[l INVENTORS mom A. LYON LU CWT R. KONARS May 12, 1970 F, A, LYON ETAL VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 2.8, 1968 CLEPENT R. KONARS May 12, 1970 LYON ETAL VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 28, 1968 m m N O NO V m w: m FC 3 v n. MI .NSW. :4E mwl r r m y 3 May 12; 1970 LYON ET AL VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 28, 968

INVENTORS FLOYD A. LYON CLEMENT R. KONARS 0 zmu hm a K10 w SE23 no.3 3

ago:

United States Patent 3,511,021 VACUUM PACKAGING MEANS Floyd A. Lyon, Brookville, and Clement R. Konars, Glen Cove, N.Y., assignors to Halm Instrument Co., Inc.,

Glen Head, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 716,927 Int. Cl.B65b 31/02 US. Cl. 53-112 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vacuum packaging means for soft articles such as textiles. An indexing table having a plurality of bag holding positions, each with gripping jaws. Bags are fed to the table at a first work location. At a second work loca tion the bags are opened and an article inserted. At a third work location, the bag is compressed, evacuated and sealed. At a fourth work location, the sealed, filled bag is ejected.

This invention relates to vacuum packaging means for soft articles such as shirts and other articles of clothing.

In packaging soft articles such as shirts, it is desired that the article be compressed and the package be contoured to the shape of the article to save shipping and storage space. It has been found that soft textile articles can be placed in a bag and compressed to a firm bundle a fraction of the original size. The bag is evacuated by a vacuum pump and the bag sealed. When the package is opened, there are no wrinkles or damage and the article expands to normal size. These articles are not breakable, so there is no need for protection. Boxes are objectionable since they are bulky, heavy and wasteful of shipping and storage space. The present vacuum sealed bag package is moisture-proof, lightweight and compact and can be easily stored in a minimum space.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved packaging means for soft articles such as shirts, and other articles of clothing.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for packaging soft articles to provide moisture-proof, lightweight and compact packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved packaging machine for inserting and vacuum sealing soft articles, comprising:

Indexing table means having a plurality of positions,

Means at a first work station to supply bags of heat sealable material, each of said positions having bag holding means, and article being adapted to index to successive work positions,

Means at a second work station to hold open said bag and insert an article in said bag,

Means at a third work station to evacuate and seal said bag tightly around said article.

GENERAL OPERATION FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the carrier drive.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the gripper assembly.

FIGS. 4 and 4A are detail views of the bag feeding apparatus, Station 1.

FIGS. 5, 5A and 5B are detail views ofStation 2, illustrating the article inserting means.

FIGS. 6 and 6A are front and side views of the vacuum chamber,Station 3.

FIG. 7 is a detail view illustrating the ejecting means,Station 4.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the locations of the air cylinders.

I the machine frame.

FIGS. 9 and 9A are schematic electrical diagrams.

FIG. 10 is a chart of the timing sequence.

Referring to FIG. 1, the packaging machine comprises an indexing carrier C. The carrier has four bag holding positions, 11, 12, 13 and 14, and the carrier is adapted to index to four work locations. Each holding position on the table has a pair of grippers G which grip the sides of the bag to hold it in position.

The four work locations are as follows:

Station 1 is the bag pickup. Means are provided to receive a bag B from automatic feeding apparatus or by manual feeding. The automatic feeding apparatus may be a bag making machine of the type commercially available.

Station 2.Article loading: Articles A such as garments are placed on afeeding platform 15, either manually or with a conveyor. When the articles are pushed into the bag on the carrier by means of thepusher 16, means are provided to hold the bag open for this purpose, as will be described.

Station 3.-Evacuation and sealing: The loaded bag package is transferred by the carrier to theevacuation Station 3. Avacuum chamber 32 is automatically lowered over the package and the air evacuated. Thereafter, heat sealing jaws are actuated to seal the bag. The vacuum chamber is then lifted and the carrier indexed to workStation 4.

Station 4 is the ejection station. Means are provided to release the grippers and remove the package from the carrier. The empty position of the carrier then indexes to Station 1 where it will receive another bag.

The contour packaging machine is adapted to receive, for instance, a fixed 20 /2" width pouch with variable depth (from 17 /2" maximum down to 13 /2" minimum). The bag feeder drops the completed pouch onto drop-off place at its exit end and the pouch transfer transfers the pouch into the indexing grippers. The bag should extend out approximately 1 inch in front of the grippers. This extension of pouch is required to allow proper opening of pouch inStation 2.

I The pouch is held by grippers G in the side sealed seam area of the pouch, allowing for the maximum pouch opening. The pouch is held by these grippers throughout the machine cycle and is released at the eject station.

As the pouch appears in thepouch opening Station 2, the two (2) vacuum opening suckers (upper and lower) close and open. This opens the mouth of the bag to receive the garment and just prior to the garment being pushed into the pouch, the entrance flappers open (opening the bag on four (4) sides). An air blast jet is preferably provided for additional assistance in opening the pouch.

The heat seal bars incorporated within the evacuation chamber are preferably mounted in such a manner as to be self-aligning.

Upon reaching proper vacuum, the sealer bars in the evacuation chamber are actuated. The upper sealer bar is fixed to the inside of the evacuation chamber. The lower sealer bar is raised into position by means of three (3) air cylinders. Alignment of bars is important to provide proper sealing. In order to maintain a fully closed and sealed chamber, the rubber discs located on the gripper shaft must come in contact with the bed of the machine to seal off the opening required for the gripper arm shafts.

A diaphragm D located on the top of the chamber provides self-contouring feature around the package for ideal evacuation conditions.

MAIN INDEXING DRIVE by control switches on 3 OPERATION.

The main motor 11 is a 2 HF. 1800 r.p.m. motor which runs continuously during operation. Motor pulley 11a is connected to drivenpulley 12, which is directly coupled tomagnetic clutche 13,brake 14,shaft 17, andspeed reducer 18, which turns drivingpinion gear 18, which drivesgear 19 of main carrier C and grippers G from station to station. When main carrier C rotates on station, a signal is received from switch 19' located on main frame at delivery station andmagnetic brake 14 isenergized stopping main carrier C and grippers in register at each station.

POUCH GRIPPER ASSEMBLYFIG. 3

The pouch or bag gripper assembly (two per station) on carrier C, transfers the pouch or bag from station to station. Once the pouch is picked up at the pouch pickup station and placed into the grippers, it is never let go (B) Inward motion towards each other to allow the pouch to be opened atStation 2.

(C) A vertical motion to level the pouch in the evacuation chamber.

There motions are controlled by:

(A) Gripper opening air actuator 44b.

(B) Inward motion bell crank 42.

(C)Vertical motionvacuum chamber 32.

In the pouch pickup station (FIG. 1) the pouch grippers are in open position, actuated up vertically by means of an air cylinder 44b which forces insideshaft 39c up openinggripper jaws 44, 44a. The jaws 44a open sufficiently to receive the bag B as picked up by pouch pickup. As soon as pouch pickup returns, placing the edge of the pouch into the gripper, air actuator 44b drops releasing entire shaft assembly, causing the pouch to be gripped by rubber grippers G. The entire gripper assembly is spring loaded so as to be moved vertically byvacuum chamber 32.

The cup 38 is only used at Station No. 2. The cup 38 pusheswasher 38a, compressing spring 38b to permit side movement of the grippers.

BAG TRANSFER STATIONFIG. 4

This station is designed to pick up a bag or pouch from thepouch delivery plate 59 and place it in such a position into the contour packaging machine that it can readily be transferred from station to station. The transfer station comprises twoair cylinders 25, 26, agib system 50, and agripper finger system 27. When the index carrier C comes to rest, and a pouch is in position, thepouch transfer arm 27 comes forward to the pouch drop-off plate 28. As the arm reaches the drop-off plate, thegrippers 27 close on the lead edge of the bag and the arm returns to its rest position. The pouch automatically is placed between the grippers G of the index unit and the grippers close.

, Upon placement of the pouch into the grippers, the unit indexes the pouch to the pouch opening and garment insertion station. The following sequence occurs.

POUCH OPENING AND GARMENT INSERTION STATIONFIGS. 5, 5A AND 5B The garments are manually placed by the operator onto theplatform 15. At the proper time of the cycle, thepusher 16 is actuated manually or automatically to propel the garment forward into the open mouth of the pouch.

POUCH OPENING DEVICE-FIG. 5

. The pouch opening device comprises the following items:

(A) Upper and lower vacuum bars-20, 21.

4' (B) Upper and lower-entrance flaps 22, 22". a

(C) Side entrance flaps 23, 23.

OPERATING SEQUENCE (1) Index gripper stop in front of garment insertion station FIG. 5. f

(2) Vacuum bars 20, 21 close, vacuum is turned on andbars open. As bars open, FIG. 5A, grippers G move inward toward each other to relax bag. I r

(3) Upper andlower flaps 22, 22 open, gripping the bag to the vacuum bars.

(4) The side flaps 23 open, FIG. 5B, squaring off the mouth of the bag.

(5) The air blast is turned on, straightening out the bag. V

(6) The pusher comes forward pushing the garment into the open mouth of the bag, FIG. 5B.

(7) The flaps are removed.

(8) The vacuum onbars 20, 21 is released and the grippers are pulled back, making the mouth of the bag taut.

The filled pouch is indexed to the evacuation station and the following sequence occurs.

EVACUATION STATIONFIGS. 6, 6A

EIECT STATIONFIG. 7

. When the package reaches the eject station:

(1) The lower portion of the table is dropped by eject cylinder 46.

(2) Simultaneously, the grippers open and the pouch knock downarms 47 pull the pouch out of the grippers.

The empty set of index grippers move into the pouch pick-up station and the cycle starts again.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 4, when the pouch is delivered to theregister board 28, a signal is given for pouch pickup. During the forward travel of the pickup gripper assembly thegripper fingers 27 on the pickup unit are open and the pouch grippers G on the main carrier are open. In order to bring the pickup arm system close enough to theregister board 24, a system of double air cylinders are used. When the signal is given, shaft ofair cylinder 25 of the pouch pickup system travels forward to the full length of its stroke. During its stroke,air cylinder 26 is actuated and thepickup fingers 27 travel forward to pick up pouch B, which is on the register 'board 28. The cylinder shaft stroke ofcylinder 25 is set to travel forward sufficiently that grippers 21 enter clearance notches of register board, grippers 27 are closed bymotor 27 clamping pouch betweengrippers 27 andtop holddown plate 29. A signal is given andcylinder 25 is exhausted, and during its return,stroke air cylinder 26 exhausts, returning the entire assembly to its rear position The bag is held in the grippers" 27 until the signal is given to the main carrier grippers G to close. At this point, grippers 27 open andmain carrier C rotates to next station carrying pouch B clamped in the jaws-of pickup assembly is mounted onbrackets 48, 49 which ride on gib orslide bar'50, there being one slide bar on the other side. i

In FIG. 4, the bag B is shown after having been delivered into operative position and gripped by the grippers illustrating 6. The amount of travel of the bag transfer is indicated by the dimension line.

In operation, theair motors 25 and 26 extend the pick- -up clamp to thebag feeding plate 28, which is only partially shown. Theplate 28 is notched, as illustrated in FIG. 1, so that the finger clamps can extend into the notches and grip the closed ends of the bag. The bags may be feed onto theplate 28 manually or they may be fed by some automatic machine, and provision is made in the electric control for energizing the apparatus by means of an automatic bag feeding device if desired.

GARMENT INFEED STATIONFIGS. 5, A, 5B

Once the pouch B is placed in the grippers G and they close, electric clutch 13 (FIG. 2) is energized and main carrier C is driven bygears 18, 19 to rotate the gripper arms G to the next station (garment infeed Station 2).

The gripper system G places the open mouth of the pouch, which extends about 1 from gripper, betweensuckers 20 and 21, (FIG. 5). Upon receipt of a signal from the control timer, air cylinders 20' and 21 are actuated, loweringvacuum tube 20 and raising vacuum tube 21 towards the pouch. Simultaneously, grippers G are moved in together towards the center of the bag bybell cranks 42 beforevacuum tubes 20, 21 completely close. Vacuum is turned on as soon as the tubes start their movement towards the pouch. Thevacuum tubes 20, 21 remain in their closed position momentarily in order that they have sufiicient time to grab on to pouch B. On the next signal, air is exhausted from air cylinders 20', 21' andvacuum tubes 20 and 21 move apart again, which opens the pouch. Simultaneously, top flipper 22' andbottom flipper 22 andside flippers 23 are operated through drive andgear system 36. Thebottom flipper 22 provides a shelf whereby the garment can be readily slid into the pouch B without disturbing the pouch, which is being held bysuckers 20, 21. The top flipper 22' andside flippers 23 act as a funnel, again allowing the garment to pass through the opening without disturbing the open mouth of the pouch. As the flippers open,air blast tube 40 blows air into the pouch B providing a completely open pouch for the garment to be inserted. Garment pusher P is actuated pushing the garment off theplatform 4 through the opening and into the pouch.

'As soon as the garment pusher B starts its return and clears the opening, theside flippers 23, top flipper 22' andbottom flipper 22 start to close, vacuum is removed fromsuckers 20, 21 and the grippers G return to their original position, making the mouth of the pouch taut and flat, preparatory for the evacuation and sealing station. The main carrier C is rotated to bring the filled pouch to the evacuation station.

EVACUATION STATIONFIGS. 6 AND 6A The evacuation station serves two purposes; one it exhausts the air from the package by means of vacuum, and two, it seals the open side of the pouch.

OPERATION, VACUUM STATION When grippers G which carry the filled pouch B from the garment infeed station reach the evacuation station,

.a signal is given by a switch 55. Upon receiving an actuation signal, themovable table section 65 is moved inward bycylinders 111 (FIG. 9A) to seal the gap required for the grippers G to rotate. Thefront lift cylinders 63, 63a and rearchamber lift cylinders 66 are exhausted and thechamber 32 drops to the table T surface. When the chamber hits chamber downswitch 32a,vacuum solenoid valves 31 are actuated and, vacuum drawn from the chamber throughvacuum orifices 34 located in the bed of the table. When maximum vacuum is reached (20" mercury), vacuum switch 64b actuates heater lift cylinder M1, M2, M3, sealing open mouth of pouch. The package detector plate and compressor '67 senses whether or not a filled pouch is in the chamber. If there is no filled package in the chamber switch,vacuum safety switch 32b is not depressed and a vacuum is not drawn in the chamber. The dwell time for the sealing cycle is controlled throughtimer 64 which is actuated byvacuum switch 32a.

In thevacuum chamber 32 is mounted a flexible diaphragm which is sealed to the upper portion of the vacuum chamber so that when the air is sucked out of the vacuum chamber from the bottom, then the diaphragm D is forced down by air pressure which enters through apertures in the top of the chamber so as to compress the article to a fraction of its normal size. At the same time, the bag is evacuated and then sealed so that the package is a vacuum-sealed compressed package. It has been found that with articles like sweaters and other soft bulky, light weight articles, that the volume can be reduced to about 25% of the normal volume so that a great saving in shipping and storage space can be achieved.

Referring to FIG. 7, theeject platform 45 is rotatably mounted and operated by motor 46. As theplatform 45 moves down, itsextension arm 47 strips the bag out of the open gripper jaws G and permits the filled bag to slide out.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a diagram illustrating the location of all of the air cylinder motors and solenoid valves.

At the bag loading Station 1,cylinders 25 and 26 operate thebag clamp 27 and the clamp itself is operated by a motor 27'.Cylinders 44b, 44c operate the grippers.

Station 2 (see also FIG. 5).In addition to the gripper motors, there aremotors 42', 42" for pushing the grippers sideways by means of hell cranks 42 (see FIG. 3). Also, there is an air blast fromvalve 105 to assist in opening the bag, and there are upper and lower vacuum sucker valves 20' and 21. Also, there is a motor 23' for operating the upper, lower and side flaps (see FIG. 5) which operate to rotate into the open mouth of the bag so that the article may be inserted, which is done by means of thepusher motor 106.

In the vacuum station 3 (see also FIG. 6), there are frontchamber lift motors 63, 63a. There are also rearchamber lift motors 66, 66.

Motors M1, M2 and M3 raise the lower heating bar 61. Themotors 111, 111' move thetable portion 65. This is necessary to allow space for the grippers to rotate through the vacuum station. After the grippers are indexed in the vacuum station, thetable portion 65 is rotated down to horizontal position by themotors 111, 111'. Thetable portion 65 has notches 65' to accommodate the gripper shafts. The edges of the movable portion and the corresponding contacting edges of the table have rubber lips or seals, so that a vacuum seal may be obtained when thechamber 32 is lowered.

Station 4 hasgripper opener motors 44b and 44c and an ejector motor 46 (see FIG. 7). All above motors are solenoid valved air cylinders connected to a source of compressed air.

FIGS. 9 and 9A are an electrical schematic diagram. Power is applied onterminals 70, and 71. The two, sealing bars located in the vacuum chamber are individually controlled in temperature by the heating controls 61 and 62 which are conventional. The mainpower relay coil 74 is energized bymain power button 75 through conventional door interlocks 75, 75". Mainpower indicator light 74 lights when themain power relay 74 is energized. The Hand-Auto switch 76 is connected to select manual or automatic operation.Switch 76 is energized through emergency stop switches 77, 78, which are preferably connected in series with one ormore safety switches 79, controlled .by air pressure. The other side of the Hand-Auto switch 76 is connected through theRun switch 80 which is adapted to energize relay coil CR2. The lower contact ofswitch 76 is also connected through the contacts CR2 of CR2 to thetimer motor 81.

Relay coils CR4 and CR5 are connected in series with switch 198 which is operated bycam 19C. Switch 198 is bypassed by latch switch L in series with holding contacts CR4. R'elay'coil CRl is Connected in series with contacts CR9 and CR4 and. preferably through a plurality of micro-control switches 91-99 andindex position switch 90. The sensing switches 91 and 99 are optional and may be placed to sense position of any movable part of the machine so that all movable parts will be in the proper position for energizing CR1.

Relay coil CR9 is connected in series withbag sensing switch 100.Timer relay coil 101 is connected in series withswitch 100 and contacts CR5 which are normally closed, as indicated by the slant line.Start cycle switch 102 is connected parallel withswitch 100. Bag transfer solenoid 25' is connected in series with bagfeed safety switch 103 and switch 38, which is operated by cam SC on the timing shaft TS, which is driven bytimer motor 81. Bag transfer solenoid 26' is connected in series with switch 38.

Air blast solenoid 105 is connected in series with switch 148 which is operated by cam 14C.

Loader air solenoid 106 is connected in series withswitch 105, which is operated by cam 10C. Bag clampingfinger solenoid 27 is connected in series withswitch 4S, which is operated by cam 4C. The air solenoid 20' for the bag opening vacuum suckers is connected in series with switch 68 which is operated by cam 6C.

Vacuum air solenoid 108 is connected in series withswitch 78, which is operated bycam 70. Solenoid 42', which operates the side pushing bell crank 42 for the grippers, is connected in series with switch 88, which is operated by cam 8C.

Solenoid 23a which operates the side flaps is connected in series withswitch 98, which is operated by cam 9C.

Solenoid 44' which operates the gripper jaws is connected in series withswitch 5S which is operated bytimer cam 50.

Relay coil CR7 is connected in series withswitches 18 and 25, which are operated by timer cams 1C and 2C. The contacts CR3 and CR7 are connected in series and both of them are connected in parallel withswitch 28. 1 Vacuum chamber front solenoid 63' is connected in series with switch 128, which is operated bytimer cam 12C. The rear chamber solenoid 66' is connected in parallel with solenoid 63'. Thesqueezer air solenoid 111 is connected in parallel with solenoid 66' when switch 128 is closed.-

The vacuum air solenoid 31' which supplies vacuum to thechamber 32 is connected in series with the vacuum chamber position sensing switches 64B and 32B in FIG. 6. Thevacuum solenoid 112 is connected in series withvacuum sensing switch 113, which controls the vacuum pressure in the chamber. The vacuum chamber heater bar cylinders M1, M2 and M3 (FIG. 6), are controlled bysolenoid 114, which is operated through thetimer control unit 115, which in turn is actuated by the vacuum sensing switch 116, so that after the proper vacuum is obtained, the heat sealing bars 61, 62 (FIG. 6) will operate. After thetimer 115 reaches its pre-set time, it deactivatestheheater solenoid 114 and energizes relay CR3 which opens CR3, removes all power from this portion of the circuit and releases front andrear air solenoids 63, 66 and squeezer air solenoid.

ELECTRICAL OPERATION When power is applied, the sealing bars 61, 62 in the vacuum chamber will heat up. The two sealing bars 61,

'62 in thevacuum chamber 32 are individually controlled Push Index Motor button- 86 to startindex motor 87, which will beindicated by. the pilot light'87j Place Hand-Olf-Automatic switch 76 in automatic position. Q i

5 Push Run button'80 which will energize coil CR2 and its holding contacts 'CR2'.' Machine is now ready to run. Pushing either of the Emergency Stop switches 77, 78, which are located convenient to the operator, or turning the Han'd-Off-Auto switch 76' to OE will release CR2. 0 7 aTimer motor 81 is started bymomentary start switch 100 or 102 andtimer relay 101.Solenoid 101" closes switch 205 in series withtimer motor 81. Switch 208 is held closed by cam 20C. Switch 100 thenreturns to energize CR9 and CR1 indexing circuit.

Contacts CR2 and switch 208, operated by timer cam 20C, energize thetimer motor 81, which controls the operation of the Packaging Machine by a series of cams operating the air cylinders. If the Packaging Machine is out of position or indicates a fault, it will not cycle.

At the end of the cycle, switch 208 opens and stopstimer motor 81.

INDEX CONTROL In auto position of switch when CR9, CR4 (FIG. 9A) contacts and all safety switches 91-99 are closed, CR1 will be energized. The contacts CR1 will close and start the clutch 23 circuit of the index motor. As the table swings around, it will hit astop switch 89, which will start thebrake 24 circuit and release the clutch 23.

Indexing is started by switch 198, assuming all other control circuits are in go condition, and the motor will index the grippers to Station No. 2 where it is stopped byswitch 89, which is operated by a cam 89a, which cam is adjustably connected to the rotating gripper arms. There are other cams 89b, 89c, 89d, which stop the indexing motor at the other three work locations.

Theswitch 89 is connected to operate thebrake control 23a so as to disconnect clutch 23 and apply thebrake 24. Theindex position switch 90 and the index latch switch L are also operated by cams 90' and L which are adjustably mounted on the moving gripper assembly as illustrated in FIG. 1, on different levels to avoid interference.

INDEX SAFETY INDICATIONS AND CONTROL When the table is in the proper position of the packaging machine to cycle, it is indicated by the light 90'. While the table is indexing or the table has stopped off its spotposition, this light will go otf.

There are preferably nine movable part position sensing switches 91-99 and corresponding indicators. These are optional and may be by-passed. If any of these are open, the Packaging Machine will not index until the fault is corrected.

CYCLE START 7 When the machine is in Run position, if the bags are fed automatically, a bag delivery bar or sensor pushes theSensing Start switch 100. This energizes thetimer relay 101, which lets the Packaging Machine cycle.Manual switch 102 may also be used.

If the previous cycle has not indexed for any reason, the CR5 relay would be energized and contact CR5 opened and the Start switch would not be able to energize the timer relay.

AIR CYLINDER CONTROL Most air cylinders are controlled by the timer cams on timer shaft TS. If power is removed, they all return to an open position. The bag transfer (FIG. 4) has upper andlower cylinders 25, 26 and corresponding solenoids 25', 26'. Timer switch 38 energizes the airsolenoids and both cylinders move forward. Solenoid 27'actuates bag clamp 27.

9 VACUUM CHAMBER CONTROL The start signal for the vacuum chamber is received from cam 2C and switch 28 of the timer. This energizes CR7 and contacts CR7" and also energizes the front chamber 63', rear chamber 66' and squeezer 111 air solenoids to close thechamber 32. When the chamber bottoms, it closes a switch 64b which energizes both vacuum air solenoids 31'.

When the pre-set vacuum pressure is reached, thevacuum sensing switch 113 closes and starts theindustrial timer 115 and energizes the vacuum control air solenoid. When the industrial timer has completed its cycle, it energizes CR3 which releases CR7 and all air solenoids. The chamber opens and waits for its next start signal. It proper vacuum is not obtained, theindustrial timer 115 does not operate.

LOADING STATION CONTROL When the bag arrives on the loading station, switch 68, operated by the time cam 6C, operates solenoid 20', which actuates the bag opening vacuum suckers, whileswitch 75 operates thesolenoid 108 to apply vacuum. After the bag is open, switch 88 actuates thesolenoid 42 which in turn actuates the bell crank 42 to move the grippers sideways. It will be appreciated that there is a bell crank and corresponding solenoid for each grippertwo for each station and 8 in all, as discussed in connection with FIG. 8. The function of the side pushing of the grippers is to relax the bag so it can be opened. The grippers normally hold the sides of the bag taut due to the spring loading of the jaws by thesprings 51, 52, etc. (FIG. 3).

The side and bottom flaps of FIG. are then energized byair cylinder motor 23, which is actuated byswitch 98, which is, in turn, operated by cam 9C.

The gripper jaws are actuated by the air cylinder motor 44' (see FIG. 3), operated byswitch 98.

The timer motor operates until the end of the cycle when it is stopped by switch 208, operated by cam 20C.

Just prior to the end of the timer motor cycle, the switch 198 closes, which closes the circuit CR4 and CR5. The contact CR4 closes the circuit to CR1 and contact CR1" starts the index clutch. As the table indexes, it opens index latch switch which releases CR4 and CR5. The clutch stays energized until theindex stop switch 89 is hit and the brake is applied ot the index motor and is then ready for the next cycle.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the time sequence of operations, illustrating a 3 second cycle. It will be appreciated that there are four bags on the apparatus at one time and operations at each station go forward simultaneously.

Line 1 illustrates the period of the cycle when the vacuum chamber is closed.

Line 2 illustrates the bag feed at Station 1.

Line 3 illustrates the gripper clamping period.

Line 4 illustrates the operation at the bag loading station and illustrates the opening of the bag with the upper and lower vacuum suckers, the side pushers for the grippers, the operation of the flaps.

Line 5 illustrates the time of pushing the article into a bag while the flaps are open.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice the invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging machine for inserting and vacuum sealing soft articles comprising:

indexing carrier means having a plurality of positions,

said carrier means having bag holding means at each of said positions,

said carrier means being adapted to index to successive .Work stations,

means at a first work station to supply bags of heat sealable material,

means at a second work station to hold open said bag and insert an article in said bag,

means at a third Work station to evacuate and seal said bag tightly around said article.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 having means at a fourth work station to eject said sealed package from said table.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said bag tholding means comprise a pair of grippers adapted to grip the sides of a bag, said grippers being adapted to hold said bag taut for heat sealing, and means to move said grippers together to relax said bag to insert an article therein.

4. Apparatus as inclaim 2 having means to periodically index said carrier and synchronize the work means at said work stations.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means at said first work station comprises bag pickup fingers, and motor I means connected to said fingers to deliver a bag to said bag holding means.

6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means at said second work station comprises means to hold said bag open and, a hydraulic piston to push an article into said bag.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means at said third work station comprises a vacuum chamber adapted to enclose said filled bag and heat sealing means adapted to seal said bag.

8. Apparatus as inclaim 2 wherein said carrier is a rotary carrier, having grippers and said bag slides on a stationary table.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,601,020 6/1952 Hopp 53-84 2,833,096 5/1958 Randall 5386 2,924,922 2/1960 Burnett 53112 X 3,377,769 4/1968 Bridgeman 5384 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Images