Receptacle evacuation apparatus and method

Claim 2

In the method of evacuating receptacles within a vacuum chamber, the improvement which comprises: a. providing a portable vacuum reservoir; b. placing said receptacle and said reservoir within a vacuum chamber, said reservoir being in communication with the interior of said receptacle; c. evacuating said reservoir and said receptacle; d. sealing the evacuated reservoir while leaving it in communication with the receptacle; and, e. removing the receptacle and reservoir from said chamber and thereafter closing said receptacle.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said receptacle is a flexible, thermoplastic bag.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 including the step of evacuating the vacuum chamber while said reservoir and receptacle are being evacuated.

Claim 5

The method of claim 4 including the steps of providing a nozzle in communication with said reservoir and clamping the neck of the bag thereto.

Claim 8

Apparatus for evacuating receptacles comprising: a. a vacuum reservoir; b. means for communicating said reservoir with the interior of a receptacle; c. vacuum chamber means for receiving said reservoir and receptacle; d. means for evacuating said chamber, reservoir, and receptacle; e. means for sealing said reservoir after it has been evacuated; and, f. means for closing said receptacle and severing its communication with said reservoir.

Claim 9

Apparatus for evacuating receptacles comprising: a. a vacuum reservoir; b. means for communicating said reservoir with the interior of a receptacle; c. vacuum chamber means for receiving said reservoir and receptacle; d. means for evacuating said chamber, reservoir, and receptacle; e. means for sealing said reservoir after it has been evacuated; and, f. means for closing said receptacle and severing its communication with said reservoir.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for communicating said reservoir with the interior of a receptacle is a clamping nozzle with an evacuation port and passageway therein.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 including a conveyor belt to transport said receptacles to and away from said vacuum chamber.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said clamping nozzle and said reservoir are mounted on a support plate, said plate being mounted on said conveyor belt.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 including a port and check valve in a wall of said reservoir whereby said reservoir will be evacuated as said chamber is evacuated.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said reservoir has a bottom port and a valve to control the opening and closing thereof, said support plate and conveyor belt having orifices aligned with said port whereby said reservoir may be evacuated through said port and orifices.

Claim 15

Apparatus for evacuating filled, flexible receptacles comprising: a. a conveyor belt mounted for intermittent motion, said belt having an evacuation orifice therein; b. a support plate mounted on said conveyor, said plate having an orifice aligned with the orifice in said belt; c. a clamping nozzle mounted on said plate, said nozzle being adapted to clamp the necks of flexible receptacles thereto; d. a vacuum reservoir mounted on said plate, said reservoir having a port in its bottom wall aligned with said orifices; e. a valve for controlling the opening and closing of said port, said valve opening when the air pressure in said port and orifices is lower than the pressure in the reservoir and cloSing when the air pressure in said port and orifices is equal to or greater than the pressure in said reservoir; f. a vacuum line connecting said clamping nozzle and said reservoir whereby the interior of a clamped receptacle is in communication with said reservoir; g. a vacuum chamber into which said reservoir and nozzle may be conveyed by said belt; h. a vacuum port beneath said belt whereby said orifices and reservoir port may be aligned when said reservoir and nozzle are within said chamber; i. means for evacuating said chamber; j. means for evacuating said reservoir through said ports and said orifices; k. means outside said chamber for closing and severing the receptacle while it is in communication with said reservoir.

Claim 16

Apparatus for evacuating filled, flexible receptacles comprising: a. a conveyor belt mounted for intermittent motion, said belt having an evacuation orifice therein; b. a support plate mounted on said conveyor, said plate having an orifice aligned with the orifice in said belt; c. a clamping nozzle mounted on said plate, said nozzle being adapted to clamp the necks of flexible receptacles thereto; d. a vacuum reservoir mounted on said plate, said reservoir having a port in its bottom wall aligned with said orifices; e. a valve for controlling the opening and closing of said port, said valve opening when the air pressure in said port and orifices is lower than the pressure in the reservoir and cloSing when the air pressure in said port and orifices is equal to or greater than the pressure in said reservoir; f. a vacuum line connecting said clamping nozzle and said reservoir whereby the interior of a clamped receptacle is in communication with said reservoir; g. a vacuum chamber into which said reservoir and nozzle may be conveyed by said belt; h. a vacuum port beneath said belt whereby said orifices and reservoir port may be aligned when said reservoir and nozzle are within said chamber; i. means for evacuating said chamber; j. means for evacuating said reservoir through said ports and said orifices; k. means outside said chamber for closing and severing the receptacle while it is in communication with said reservoir.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said clamping nozzle comprises a slidable barrel; a clamping plunger mounted coaxially within said barrel, said plunger having an evacuation passageway therethrough; and, a locking handle to hold said plunger and barrel in a fixed position with a portion of the neck of a receptacle clamped therebetween.

Claim 18

Apparatus for evacuating filled, flexible receptacles comprising: a. a conveyor belt mounted for intermittent motion; b. a support plate mounted on said conveyor; c. a clamping nozzle mounted on said plate, said nozzle being adapted to clamp the necks of flexible receptacles thereto; d. a vacuum reservoir mounted on said plate, said reservoir having a port in one of its walls; e. a valve for controlling the opening and closing of said port, said valve opening when the air pressure exterior of said reservoir is lower than the pressure inside the reservoir and closing when the air pressure exterior of said reservoir is equal to or greater than the pressure inside said reservoir; f. a vacuum line connecting said clamping nozzle and said reservoir whereby the interior of a clamped receptacle is in communication with said reservoir; g. a vacuum chamber into which said reservoir and nozzle may be conveyed by said belt; h. means for evacuating said chamber whereby said reservoir and bag interior are consequently evacuated; and, i. means outside said chamber for closing and severing the receptacle while it is in communication with said reservoir.

Claim 19

Apparatus for evacuating filled, flexible receptacles comprising: a. a conveyor belt mounted for intermittent motion; b. a support plate mounted on said conveyor; c. a clamping nozzle mounted on said plate, said nozzle being adapted to clamp the necks of flexible receptacles thereto; d. a vacuum reservoir mounted on said plate, said reservoir having a port in one of its walls; e. a valve for controlling the opening and closing of said port, said valve opening when the air pressure exterior of said reservoir is lower than the pressure inside the reservoir and closing when the air pressure exterior of said reservoir is equal to or greater than the pressure inside said reservoir; f. a vacuum line connecting said clamping nozzle and said reservoir whereby the interior of a clamped receptacle is in communication with said reservoir; g. a vacuum chamber into which said reservoir and nozzle may be conveyed by said belt; h. means for evacuating said chamber whereby said reservoir and bag interior are consequently evacuated; and, i. means outside said chamber for closing and severing the receptacle while it is in communication with said reservoir.