Apparatus for and method of opening and filling bags

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND FILLING BAGS WHICH ARE FORMED OF RELATIVELY THIN FILM MATERIAL SO THAT THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND SUPPORT IN OPEN POSITION FOR FILLING, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES A PRODUCT MEASURING DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING, AND A FILLING SPOUT DEPENDING FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, A BAG MAGAZINE FOR SUPPORTING IN UPRIGHT POSITION A STACK OF BAGS AND HAVING A GENERALLY UPRIGHT PORTION AGAINST WHICH THE BACK END OF THE STACK RESTS, SAID UPRIGHT MAGAZINE PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE THE LOWERMOST EDGE OF SAID FILLING SPOUT, SAID MAGAZINE HAVING A BOTTOM ON WHICH THE BOTTOM END OF THE STACK OF BAGS RESTS WITH THE UPPER END PORTIONS OF THE BAGS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FILLING SPOUT AND SAID UPRIGHT MAGAZINE PORTION, A BRACKET MEMBER, A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID BRACKET MEMBER AND SAID BAG MAGAZINE WHICH IS LOCATED SO THAT SAID MAGAZINE WILL PIVOT BY GRAVITY TO HOLD THE TOP EDGE OF THE BACK WALL OF THE ENDMOST BAG IN THE FRONT OF THE STACK AGAINST THE FILLING SPOUT AND ENABLE THE