Bag handling apparatus and method

Claim 2

In a bag-handling apparatus: a vacuum means across which bags are moved and which creates a pressure differential on a bag, bag-moving means movable across the vacuum means, said bag-moving means being gas-permeable and interposed between the vacuum means and a bag to be loaded whereby the pressure differential holds a bag against the bag-moving means; means to move the bag-moving means across the vacuum means; opening means to open a bag that is moved by the bag-moving means and to hold the bag open for loading, and means to limit the effective area of the vacuum means to a width less than the width of a bag to be loaded whereby opposite edge portions of a bag can be isolated from the vacuum means so that the bag can be greatly expanded to an open condition.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vacuum means includes a chamber that has a porous or perforated gas-permeable surface and the bag-moving means includes a gas-permeable underlay for the bag that is movable across the gas-permeable surface of the said chamber.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means reciprocal relative to the moving means to engage a bag and separate the bag from the bag-moving means.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, openiNg means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt and movable baffle means extending along the vacuum chamber and belt and adjustable transversely of the opening of a bag on the belt for limiting the effective width of the vacuum chamber along the said belt.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, openiNg means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt and movable baffle means extending along the vacuum chamber and belt and adjustable transversely of the opening of a bag on the belt for limiting the effective width of the vacuum chamber along the said belt.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a bag is opened by the opening means while that bag is held against said belt.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said movable baffle means extends along the vacuum chamber and belt parallel to the direction of belt movement.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt and means reciprocal relative to the belt to engage and separate the bag from the chain and the belt.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt and means reciprocal relative to the belt to engage and separate the bag from the chain and the belt.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt, said opening means comprising a nozzle positioned to direct the flow of gas against the bag to be opened.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt, said opening means comprising a nozzle positioned to direct the flow of gas against the bag to be opened.

Claim 13

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt, said opening means comprising a vacuum cup and articulated means to move the cup toward and away from the belt.

Claim 14

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt, said opening means comprising a vacuum cup and articulated means to move the cup toward and away from the belt.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber having a plurality of compartments, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt.

Claim 16

In an apparatus for the loading of bags such as plastic bags that are connected in a flexible chain, a vacuum chamber having a plurality of compartments, a continuous gas-permeable belt trained about spaced rolls with a reach extending across the vacuum chamber, drive means to move the belt across the chamber, means to feed a chain of bags onto the belt, and opening means cooperable with a bag of the chain to open the bag while the vacuum chamber holds a portion of the chain against the belt.

Claim 17

In a method of opening one of a series of bags at least the end one of which has an opening and which bags are connected together in a chain, the steps comprising: moving a flat chain of connected bags while supporting one side of the chain, applying a pressure differential to the chain to hold said one bag of the chain and the succeeding bag in the supported position, limiting the area along the chain at which the pressure differential acts to an area central of at least said one bag so that marginal edges of the chain are not held in the supported position, expanding an opening of one bag so that it can be conveniently loaded, separating said one bag from the succeeding bag in the chain while maintaining said succeeding bag in the supported position and changing the width of the said area along the chain to change the area of the chain that is held in the supported position thereby changing the area and shape of the opening of said one bag.

Claim 18

In a method of opening one of a series of bags at least the end one of which has an opening and which bags are connected together in a chain, the steps comprising: moving a flat chain of connected bags while supporting one side of the chain, applying a pressure differential to the chain to hold said one bag of the chain and the succeeding bag in the supported position, limiting the area along the chain at which the pressure differential acts to an area central of at least said one bag so that marginal edges of the chain are not held in the supported position, expanding an opening of one bag so that it can be conveniently loaded, separating said one bag from the succeeding bag in the chain while maintaining said succeeding bag in the supported position and changing the width of the said area along the chain to change the area of the chain that is held in the supported position thereby changing the area and shape of the opening of said one bag.

Claim 19

A packaging apparatus comprising: a. a letoff for carrying a coil of two-layer plastic material; b. transport means for receiving a strip of such plastic material from the letoff and for transmitting the strip to a loading Station, said transport means and letoff establishing a path of strip travel from the letoff to the transport means; c. a sealer along said path for sealing the layers of such plastic material together to establish one marginal edge of a bag; d. weakening means near said sealer and along said path to establish lines of weakness in said strip with each such line delineating the ends of contiguous bags being formed, whereby formed bags may be facilely separated from the strip; and, e. separating means cooperative with said transport means for separating the bags one at a time from the strip as they are transported to said loading station by said transport means.

Claim 20

A packaging apparatus comprising: a. a letoff for carrying a coil of two-layer plastic material; b. transport means for receiving a strip of such plastic material from the letoff and for transmitting the strip to a loading Station, said transport means and letoff establishing a path of strip travel from the letoff to the transport means; c. a sealer along said path for sealing the layers of such plastic material together to establish one marginal edge of a bag; d. weakening means near said sealer and along said path to establish lines of weakness in said strip with each such line delineating the ends of contiguous bags being formed, whereby formed bags may be facilely separated from the strip; and, e. separating means cooperative with said transport means for separating the bags one at a time from the strip as they are transported to said loading station by said transport means.