Patent US3740922A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3740922A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automated sack opening and feeding apparatus
Assignee: VACLOVAS PLIOPLYS
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Filing: 1971-07-06
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1991-07-06
Abstract
Abstract An automated sack opening and feeding apparatus for use in a retail checkout counter, comprising a counter height intake conveyor for conveying goods to a checking station, a recessed loading station, a bag feeder for feeding paper sacks one-by-one to the loading station, and an opening mechanism for opening each sack in the loading station, first at the sack bottom and then at its top. A filled sack ejector, synchronized with the bag feeder, moves each loaded bag to a continuously running output conveyor that moves the bags to an off-load station.
Inventors
- 👤 W Liou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:43
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B43/00; B65B43/26; B65B43/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
Automated sacking apparatus for retail super-markets and like applications in which goods are individually checked and loaded into paper sacks of the kind which, when folded, have an external bottom fold extending parallel to the body of the sack, said apparatus comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of folded sacks immediately adjacent to a loading station; sack feed means for feeding sacks one by one from said magazine to an initial position at one side of the loading station, with the sack at the loading station vertically oriented and having the bottom fold of the sack facing toward the loading station; retainer means for engaging and retaining the top edge of one side of the sack at the outer side of the loading station; bottom opening means for engaging and pulling the upper edge of the bottom fold of the sack outwardly and downwardly from its initial position into the base portion of the loading station to open the bottom of the sack, the bottom opening means comprising a pivotally movable arm movable into and out of the loading station, a pair of gripper jaws mounted on the free end of the arm in position to grip the upper edge of the bottom fold of the sack when the arm is fully advanced into the loading station, and an electrically energized actuator mounted on the arm for opening and closing the gripper jaws; release means to release both the retainer means and the bottom opening gripper jaws when the bottom of the sack is open; and control means, incorporating the release means, for actuating the retainer means and the bottom opening means in timed relation to each other in accordance with a predetermined sack opening cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
Automated sacking apparatus for retail super-markets and like applications in which goods are individually checked and loaded into paper sacks of the kind which, when folded, have an external bottom fold extending parallel to the body of the sack, said apparatus comprising: a magazine for storing a plurality of folded sacks immediately adjacent to a loading station; sack feed means for feeding sacks one by one from said magazine to an initial position at one side of the loading station, with the sack at the loading station vertically oriented and having the bottom fold of the sack facing toward the loading station; retainer means for engaging and retaining the top edge of one side of the sack at the outer side of the loading station; bottom opening means for engaging and pulling the upper edge of the bottom fold of the sack outwardly and downwardly from its initial position into the base portion of the loading station to open the bottom of the sack, the bottom opening means comprising a pivotally movable arm movable into and out of the loading station, a pair of gripper jaws mounted on the free end of the arm in position to grip the upper edge of the bottom fold of the sack when the arm is fully advanced into the loading station, and an electrically energized actuator mounted on the arm for opening and closing the gripper jaws; release means to release both the retainer means and the bottom opening gripper jaws when the bottom of the sack is open; and control means, incorporating the release means, for actuating the retainer means and the bottom opening means in timed relation to each other in accordance with a predetermined sack opening cycle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Automated sack opening apparatus, according to claim 1, in which said actuator is an electrical solenoid having a movable armature linked to one of said gripper jaws and in which the other gripper jaw is fixedly mounted on said arm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
112 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 1, and further comprising top opening means, actuated by said control means, for spreading the top of the sack in the loading station to full open position following operation of the release means, the top opening means comprising a pair of top opener flaps, individually mounted on two opener shafts extending across the top of the loading station, and drive means, actuated by the control means, for simultaneously rotating the two opener shafts, in opposite directions, to pivot the opener flaps between a raised position clear of a sack in the loading station and a sack-opening position projecting downwardly into a sack in the loading station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 3, in which said drive means comprises a pair of output gears individually mounted on said opener shafts, an elongated rack member engaging both of said output gears, input gear means for driving said rack member in opposite directions, and stop means for limiting movement of said rack, in each direction, to establish said raised and sack-opening positions for said opener flaps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 4, in which said stop means comprises a first input gear, a two-position ratchet limiting rotation of said first input gear to 180* in each cycle of operation, and a drive link connecting said first input gear to a second input gear disposed in meshing engagement with said rack, said second input gear turning through an arc of less than 180* for each cycle of operation of said first input gear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 3, and further comprising a loading platform for supporting a sack in loading position in said loading station, ejector means for ejecting a loaded sack horizontally from said loading platform, and elevator means for lowering said platform from loading position to a discharge position clear of said top opening means, said ejector means and said elevator means being actuated in timed relation to each other by said control means to lower said platform to discharge position prior to ejection of each loaded sack.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 1, and further comprising output conveyor means for transporting a loaded sack from the loading station to an outlet station prior to each cycle of operation of the bottom opening means, the output conveyor means comprising a continuously Driven conveyor, extending from one edge of the bottom of the loading station to an outlet storage station, and ejector means, actuated by the control means, for ejecting a loaded sack from the loading station for movement along the conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
250 words
Automated sacking apparatus for retail supermarkets and like applications in which goods are individually checked and loaded into paper sacks, said apparatus comprising: a loading station; including a vertically movable sack support; ejector means for ejecting a loaded sack from said loading station; a magazine for storing a plurality of folded sacks; sack feed means for feeding a single sack, vertically oriented from said magazine to an initial position at said loading station; retainer means for engaging and retaining the top edge of one side of the sack with the sack in its initial position at the loading station; bottom opening means for engaging and opening the bottom of the sack; release means to release said retainer means when the bottom of the sack is open; top opening means for spreading the top of the sack at the loading station to full open condition following operation of said release means; elevator means for moving said sack support between a normal loading position and a lowered ejection position; and control means for actuating said ejector means, said retainer means, said elevator means and said bottom opening means in timed relation to each other in accordance with a predetermined sack ejection and sack opening cycle; said elevator means being actuated by said control means to move said sack support to its ejection position as an incident to initiation of operation of said ejector means and to return said platform to its normal position prior to initiation of a subsequent sack opening cycle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
250 words
Automated sacking apparatus for retail supermarkets and like applications in which goods are individually checked and loaded into paper sacks, said apparatus comprising: a loading station; including a vertically movable sack support; ejector means for ejecting a loaded sack from said loading station; a magazine for storing a plurality of folded sacks; sack feed means for feeding a single sack, vertically oriented from said magazine to an initial position at said loading station; retainer means for engaging and retaining the top edge of one side of the sack with the sack in its initial position at the loading station; bottom opening means for engaging and opening the bottom of the sack; release means to release said retainer means when the bottom of the sack is open; top opening means for spreading the top of the sack at the loading station to full open condition following operation of said release means; elevator means for moving said sack support between a normal loading position and a lowered ejection position; and control means for actuating said ejector means, said retainer means, said elevator means and said bottom opening means in timed relation to each other in accordance with a predetermined sack ejection and sack opening cycle; said elevator means being actuated by said control means to move said sack support to its ejection position as an incident to initiation of operation of said ejector means and to return said platform to its normal position prior to initiation of a subsequent sack opening cycle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
Automated sacking apparatus, according to claim 8, in which said ejector means includes a continuously operating conveyor for transporting loaded sacks from said loading station to an outlet station.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |