US3731454A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic bagging machine
Assignee: AG PAK INC A NY CORP
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Filing: 1972-02-28
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Granted: 1973-05-08
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Expires: 1992-02-28
Abstract
Abstract An automatic bagging machine for produce or the like includes bag feeding, holding and tying devices and an electro-pneumatic control system for actuating and deactuating such devices in timed sequence to feed and open the bags to be filled, as well as to close and tie the filled bags. In combination with an automatic weighing machine the two machines are especially adapted to operate together and thereby form an automatic weighing and bagging system, with each machine controlling the operation of the other.
Inventors
- 👤 J Crabb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B57/00; B65B57/02; B65B57/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
322 words
An automatic bagging machine comprising support means, bag feeding means mounted on said support means, bag tying means mounted on said support means in opposed spaced relationship to said feeding means, bag holding means movably mounted on said support means between said feeding and tying means and including spreading means, clamping means and swinging means, and an electrical control system for actuating and deactuating said feeding, holding and tying means in timed sequence, said electrical control system including feeder control means energized by said holding means when moved to said feeding means by said swinging means to actuate said feeding means to partially open and feed the partially open end of an empty bag to said spreading means, spreader control means energized and latched by said actuated feeding means to actuate said spreading means to spread open and remove the bag from said feeding means and to deenergize said feeder control means and deactuate said feeding means, clamp control means energized and latched by said deactuated feeding means to actuate said clamping means to clamp the bag against said spreading means prior to the bag filling operation, dual swinger and closer control means simultaneously responsive to completion of such bag filling operation, with said closer control means being deenergized to unlatch said spreader control means and deactuate said spreading means while said clamping means remain actuated to collapse and close said filled bag, tyer control means energized by said holding means upon reaching said tying means to actuate said tying means to tie said closed and filled bag, and recycle control means deenergized by said tying means when the bag is tied to simultaneously unlatch said clamp control means and said swinger control means, thereby deactuating and opening said clamping means to release said tied bag, as well as deactuating said swinging means to move said holding means from said tying means to said feeding means for reenergizing said feeder control means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
322 words
An automatic bagging machine comprising support means, bag feeding means mounted on said support means, bag tying means mounted on said support means in opposed spaced relationship to said feeding means, bag holding means movably mounted on said support means between said feeding and tying means and including spreading means, clamping means and swinging means, and an electrical control system for actuating and deactuating said feeding, holding and tying means in timed sequence, said electrical control system including feeder control means energized by said holding means when moved to said feeding means by said swinging means to actuate said feeding means to partially open and feed the partially open end of an empty bag to said spreading means, spreader control means energized and latched by said actuated feeding means to actuate said spreading means to spread open and remove the bag from said feeding means and to deenergize said feeder control means and deactuate said feeding means, clamp control means energized and latched by said deactuated feeding means to actuate said clamping means to clamp the bag against said spreading means prior to the bag filling operation, dual swinger and closer control means simultaneously responsive to completion of such bag filling operation, with said closer control means being deenergized to unlatch said spreader control means and deactuate said spreading means while said clamping means remain actuated to collapse and close said filled bag, tyer control means energized by said holding means upon reaching said tying means to actuate said tying means to tie said closed and filled bag, and recycle control means deenergized by said tying means when the bag is tied to simultaneously unlatch said clamp control means and said swinger control means, thereby deactuating and opening said clamping means to release said tied bag, as well as deactuating said swinging means to move said holding means from said tying means to said feeding means for reenergizing said feeder control means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 in combination with a weighing machine including chute means for delivering a predetermined weight of material to fill said open emptY bag, weighing means including conveyor means for delivering said predetermined weight of material to said chute means, movable gate means for restraining said material in said weighing means until said predetermined weight is reached, and electrical control means for actuating said gate means upon said predetermined weight of material being reached to deliver the same to said chute means, for deactuating said gate means, and for simultaneously energizing and latching said swinger control means and deenergizing said closer control means upon completion of such bag filling operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein said electrical control system of said automatic bagging machine includes enabling control means energized by said actuated spreading means upon said bag being spread open to enable said electrical control means of said weighing machine to actuate said gate means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein said electrical control system of said automatic bagging machine includes disabling control means deenergizable by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted thereon to prevent said electrical control means of said weighing machine from actuating said gate means notwithstanding subsequent energization of said enabling control means by said actuated clamping means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
123 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein said automatic bagging machine includes time delay means, and said electrical control means of said weighing machine automatically determines said predetermined weight of material, simultaneously actuates said gate means and said time delay means upon said predetermined weight of material being reached to deliver the same to said chute means, and simultaneously deactuates said gate means and time delay means upon such delivery to recycle the weighing operation without awaiting completion of the bag filling operation, but with said deactuated time delay means simultaneously energizing and latching said swinger control means and deenergizing said closer control means only upon completion of said bag filling operation following delivery of said predetermined weight of material to said open bag.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said enabling control means include normally open enabling switch means in circuit with said electrical control means of said weighing machine and closed by said actuated spreading means upon said bag being spread open, said disabling control means include normally closed disabling switch means in circuit with said enabling switch means and opened by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted thereon, and said time delay means include fluid motor means operatively associated with said dual swinger and closer control means and said electrical control means of said weighing machine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said feeding means are mounted on said support means for movement toward and away from said holding means, and include means for partially opening an empty bag thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 7 wherein said feeder control means include normally open switch means closed by said holding means, and solenoid means energized by said closed switch means for moving said feeding means toward said holding means to feed the partially opened empty bag over said deactuated spreading means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said spreading means include spreader arm means mounted on said support means for movement relatively apart and together.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 9 wherein said spreader control means include normally open switch means closed by said actuated feeding means, solenoid means energized by said closed switch means for moving said spreader arm means relatively apart to spread open and remove the empty bag from said feeding means and to deactuate said feeding means, and relay means energized and latched by said closed switch means to maintain said solenoid means energized until said relay means is Unlatched by said deenergized closer control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said clamping means include clamp arm means mounted on said spreading means for movement toward and away from said spreading means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 11 wherein said clamp control means include normally open switch means closed by said deactuated feeding means, solenoid means energized by said closed switch means for moving said clamp arm means toward said spreading means to clamp the empty bag on said spreading means prior to the bag filling operation, and relay means energized and latched by said closed switch means to maintain said solenoid energized until said relay means is unlatched by said deenergized recycle control means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said swinging means include means mounting said spreading means and clamping means on said support means for movement between said feeding means and tying means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 13 wherein said swinger control means include normally open switch means closed upon completion of the bag filling operation, solenoid means energized by said closed switch means for moving said spreading means and clamping means from said feeding means to said tying means, and relay means energized and latched by said closed switch means to maintain said solenoid means energized until said relay means is unlatched by said deenergized recycle control means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
97 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said spreading means include spreader arm means mounted on said support means for movement relatively apart and together, and said closer control means include normally closed switch means opened upon completion of the bag filling operation, solenoid means deenergized by said opened switch means for moving said spreader arm means relatively together while said clamping means remain actuated to collapse and close the filled bag, and relay means unlatched by said opened switch means to maintain said solenoid means deenergized until reenergized by reenergizing of said spreader control means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said tyer control means include normally open switch means closed upon said holding means reaching said tying means, and solenoid means energized by said closed switch means for actuating said tying means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said recycle control means include normally closed switch means in circuit with said clamp and swinger control means and opened by said tying means when the bag is tied to simultaneously unlatch said clamp and swinger control means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said electrical control system includes enabling control means energized by said actuated spreading means upon the bag being spread open to enable said dual swinger and closer control means to be simultaneously energized and latched and deenergized respectively in response to completion of the bag filling operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 18 wherein said electrical control system includes disabling control means deenergized by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted thereon to prevent said dual swinger and closer control means from being simultaneously energized and latched and deenergized respectively in response to completion of the bag filling operation, notwithstanding subsequent energization of said enabling control means by said actuated clamping means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 19 including time delay means actuated by said energized enabling control means in response to the start of the bag filling operation and deactuated in response to completion of the bag filling operation, with said deactuated time delay means simultaneously energizing and latching said swinger control means and deenergizing said closer control means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 20 wherein said enabling contrOl means include normally open enabling switch means closed by said actuated spreading means upon said bag being spread open, said disabling control means include normally closed disabling switch means in circuit with said enabling switch means and opened by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted thereon, and said time delay means include fluid motor means operatively associated with said dual swinger and closer control means and said enabling and disabling switch means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 1 wherein said feeding means include rocker means pivotally mounted on said support means for vertical movement upwardly toward and downwardly away from said spreading means, mounting means operatively associated with said rocker means for suspending the trailing sides of an upright stack of bags and for feeding the bags one by one to said spreading means, means operatively associated with said rocker and mounting means for partially opening the leading side of the leading bag, fluid rocker motor means operatively associated with said support means and rocker means, and rocker valve means operatively associated with said rocker motor means and feeder control means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
80 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 22 wherein said feeder control means include normally open rocker switch means on said support means and closed by said holding means, and rocker solenoid means energized by said closed rocker switch means and actuating said rocker valve means which actuates said rocker motor means which moves said rocker means upwardly into operative relationship with said spreading means to feed the partially open upper end of the leading bag over said deactuated spreading means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
86 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 23 wherein said spreading means include leading and trailing spreader arm means pivotally mounted at their upper ends on said support means and terminating at their lower ends in depending leading and trailing spade means, fluid spreader motor means operatively associated with said leading and trailing spreader arm means for moving said leading spreader arm means toward and apart from said trailing spreader arm means, and spreader valve means operatively associated with said spreader motor means and spreader control means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
168 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 24 wherein said spreader control means include normally open spreader switch means on said support means and closed by said actuated rocker means, spreader solenoid means energized by said closed spreader switch means and actuating said spreader valve means which actuates said spreader motor means which moves said leading spreader arm means apart from said trailing spreader arm means to spread open the empty bag on said leading and trailing spade means and remove the empty bag from said rocker means and to open said rocker switch means which deenergizes said rocker solenoid means which deactuates said rocker motor means which pivots said rocker means downwardly to open said spreader switch means and energize said clamp control means, and spreader relay means energized and latched by said closed spreader switch means to maintain said spreader solenoid means energized following opening of said spreader switch means by said rocker means until said spreader relay means is unlatched by said deenergized closer control means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
85 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 25 wherein said clamping means include leading and trailing clamp arm means pivotally mounted at their upper ends of said leading and trailing spreader arm means respectively and terminating in leading and trailing clamp means, fluid clamp motor means operatively associated with said leading and trailing clamp arm means for moving the same toward and away from said leading and trailing spreader arm means, and clamp valve means operatively associated with said clamp motor means and clamp control means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
120 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 26 wherein said clamp control means include normally open clamp swiTch means on said support means and momentarily closed by said downwardly pivoted rocker means, clamp solenoid means energized by said closed clamp switch means and actuating said clamp valve means which actuate said clamp motor means which move said leading and trailing clamp means toward said leading and trailing spade means to clamp both sides of the empty bag against said spade means, and clamp relay means energized and latched by said closed clamp switch means to maintain said clamp solenoid means energized following opening of said clamp switch means until said clamp relay means is unlatched by said deenergized recycle control means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
71 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 27 wherein said swinging means include means pivotally mounting said leading and trailing spreader arm means on said support means, fluid swinger motor means operatively associated with said support means and said trailing spreader arm means for moving said spreading and clamping means between said feeding means and tying means, and swinger valve means operatively associated with said swinger motor means and swinger control means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
111 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 28 wherein said swinger control means include normally open swinger switch means on said support means and momentarily closed in response to completion of the bag filling operation, swinger solenoid means energized by said closed swinger switch means and actuating said swinger valve means which actuates said swinger motor means which swings said spreading and clamping means from said feeding means to said tying means, and swinger relay means energized and latched by said closed swinger switch means to maintain said swinger solenoid means energized following opening of said swinger switch means until said swinger relay means is unlatched by said deenergized recycle control means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
139 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 29 wherein said closer control means include normally closed closer switch means on said support means, ganged with said swinger switch means and momentarily opened in response to completion of the bag filling operation, said spreader solenoid means deenergized by said opened closer switch means and reversing said spreader valve means which deactuates said spreader motor means which moves said leading spreader arm means toward said trailing spreader arm means, while said clamping means remain actuated to collapse and close the upper end of the filled bag against said collapsed spade means, and said spreader relay means unlatched by said opened closer switch means to maintain said spreader solenoid means deenergized following closing of said closer switch means until said spreader relay means is reenergized and relatched by said reclosed spreader switch means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
130 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 30 wherein said tying means include housing means having throat means, packer means mounted on said housing means for movement between operative and inoperative positions to gather the closed filled bag in said throat means and loop tape around such gathered bag in said operative position, tape feeding means on said housing means and actuated by said packer means in one of said positions to feed the tape to said packer means, tape cutting means on said housing means and operatively associated with said packer means in said operative position to cut the looped tape, and tape twisting means on said housing means and actuated by said packer means in said operative position to twist the cut looped tape and tie the gathered bag.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
55 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 31 wherein said tyer control means include normally open tyer switch means momentarily closed by said holding means upon reaching said tying means, and solenoid means momentarily energized by said closed tyer switch means and momentarily actuating said packer means to said operative position for the bag tying operation.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
123 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 32 wherein said recycle control means include normally closed recycle switCh means on said housing means, in circuit with said clamp and swinger relay means and momentarily opened by one of said packer means and tape twisting means when the bag is tied to simultaneously unlatch said clamp and swinger relay means, thereby deenergizing said clamp solenoid means which reverse said clamp valve means which deactuate said clamp motor means which pivot said leading and trailing clamp arm means outwardly to release the tied bag, and deenergizing said swinger solenoid means which reverses said swinger valve means which pivots said holding means back from said tying means to said feeding means for reclosing said rocker switch means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
57 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 33 wherein said electrical control system includes enabling control means energized by said actuated spreading means upon the empty bag being spread open to enable said ganged swinger switch means and closer switch means to be simultaneously momentarily closed and opened respectively in response to completion of the bag filling operation.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
73 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 34 wherein said electrical control system includes disabling control means deenergized by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted on said spade means to prevent said ganged swinger switch means and closer switch means from being momentarily closed and opened respectively in response to completion of the bag filling operation, notwithstanding subsequent closing of said enabling switch means by said actuated clamping means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
59 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 35 including time delay means actuated by said energized enabling control means in response to the start of the bag filling operation and deactuated in response to completion of the bag filling operation, with said time delay means simultaneously momentarily closing and opening said ganged swinger switch means and closer switch means respectively.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
134 words
The automatic bagging machine of claim 36 wherein said trailing spade means is pivoted on said trailing spreader arm means for limited movement, said enabling control means include normally open enabling switch means closed by said trailing spade means which is pivoted under bag tension upon the empty bag being spread open, said disabling control means include normally closed disabling switch means in circuit with said enabling switch means and opened by said actuated spreading means in the event no bag is mounted on said spade means, notwithstanding subsequent closing of said enabling switch means by said actuated trailing clamp means engaging and pivoting said trailing spade means, and said time delay means include fluid motor means operatively associated with said ganged swinger and closer switch means and said enabling and disabling switch means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2763458A
Cited
US3498020A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |