Bagging machine

Claim 2

A bagging machine comprising means to assemble respective portions into respective bags including a material storage and dispensing vibrating hopper having a discharge opening and a plurality of barrier walls extending upwardly from the bottom of said hopper and laterally across the flow path of material in the hopper to form constricted areas in the flow path of the material so that all the material does not move at once toward the discharge opening; means dispensing said bags individually adjacent said assembling means; and means controlling and coordinating the timing and operation of said assembling means and said bag dispensing means.

Claim 3

The machine in claim 1, including means to convey said filled bags away from the assembling means, the operation of said means to convey said filled bags, the portion assembling means and the bag dispensing means being controlled and coordinated by the controlling and coordinating means.

Claim 4

The machine in claim 2, in which said control means includes a motor connected to the takeaway conveyor; and an actuator driven by said motor and connected to said assembling means and to said bag dispensing means for actuating and coordinating said assembling means and bag dispensing means.

Claim 5

The machine in claim 1, in which said means assembling respective portions into respective bags includes: a weighing scale connecting to said control means for weighing portions of food pieces and for actuating said control means when the scale is filled; and a gravity chute disposed below said scale and disposed above said bag dispensing means for filling the portions into bags, and a support structure supporting said scale and chute.

Claim 6

The machine in claim 4, in which said means to dispense said bags individually includes: a bag holding means for holding a plurality of bags and for positioning a specific bag below said gravity chute; and an air blast unit for opening the specific bag after it is positioned for receiving the portion.

Claim 7

The machine in claim 5 in which the chute has a stripper portion for transferring the filled bag away from the bag holding means.

Claim 8

A bagging machine comprising means to assemble respective portions into respective bags including a material storage and dispensing vibrating hopper having a discharge opening and a plurality of barrier walls extending upwardly from the bottom of said hopper to form constricted areas in the flow path of the material so that all the material does not move at once toward the discharge opening; means dispensing said bags individually adjacent said assembling means; and means controlling and coordinating the timing and operation of said assembling means and said bag dispensing means; said means assembling respective portions into respective bags including a weighing scale connecting to said control means for weighing portions of food pieces and for actuating said control means when the scale is filled, and a gravity chute disposed below said scale and disposed above said bag dispensing means for filling the portions into bags, and a support structure supporting said scale and chute, and means for sweeping the portions disposed in said chute into said bags.

Claim 9

A bagging machine comprising means to assemble respective portions into respective bags including a material storage and dispensing vibrating hopper having a discharge opening and a plurality of barrier walls extending upwardly from the bottom of said hopper to form constricted areas in the flow path of the material so that all the material does not move at once toward the discharge opening; means dispensing said bags individually adjacent said assembling means; and means controlling and coordinating the timing and operation of said assembling means and said bag dispensing means; said means assembling respective portions into respective bags including a weighing scale connecting to said control means for weighing portions of food pieces and for actuating said control means when the scale is filled, and a gravity chute disposed below said scale and disposed above said bag dispensing means for filling the portions into bags, and a support structure supporting said scale and chute, and means for sweeping the portions disposed in said chute into said bags.

Claim 10

A bagging machine comprising means to assemble respective portions into respective bags; means dispensing said bags individually adjacent said assembling means; and means controlling and coordinating the timing and operation of said assembling means and said bag dispensing means, said assembling means including a weighing scale connected to said control means for weighing portions of materials to be bagged and for actuating said control Means when the scale is filled, a gravity chute disposed below said scale and above said bag dispensing means for filling the portions into bags, means for sweeping the portions disposed in said chute into said bags, said sweeping means having an arm with a drive portion rotatably mounted outside said chute and with a sweeping portion disposed inside said chute and a support structure supporting said scale and said chute.

Claim 11

A bagging machine comprising means to assemble respective portions into respective bags; means dispensing said bags individually adjacent said assembling means; and means controlling and coordinating the timing and operation of said assembling means and said bag dispensing means, said assembling means including a weighing scale connected to said control means for weighing portions of materials to be bagged and for actuating said control Means when the scale is filled, a gravity chute disposed below said scale and above said bag dispensing means for filling the portions into bags, means for sweeping the portions disposed in said chute into said bags, said sweeping means having an arm with a drive portion rotatably mounted outside said chute and with a sweeping portion disposed inside said chute and a support structure supporting said scale and said chute.