US3903674A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packaging apparatus
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
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Filing: 1974-04-15
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-04-15
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for forming substantially uniform packages wherein a metered plurality of articles of substantially uniform shape are disposed in a stacked array within a sealed bag. The apparatus comprises a turret head, a bag opening station, a bag filling station, and a bag sealing and package removal station. A bag is opened and inserted into the turret head at the bag opening station. Then, after indexing the turret to advance the opened bag to the bag filling station, a metered plurality of articles are advanced into the bag. Then, upon indexing the turret to advance the filled bag to the bag sealing and package removal station, the bag is sealed and the package just completed is removed from the apparatus. In operation, while a bag is being opened and inserted into the turret head at the bag opening and insertion station, the next preceding bag is being filled at the bag filling station, and the second preceding bag is being sealed and the package completed by sealing the bag is removed from the apparatus at the bag sealing and package removal station.
Inventors
- 👤 John Burke Brush
- 👤 Leonard Cecil Hooper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:41
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B5/00; B65B5/06; B65B5/064; B65B43/00; B65B43/26; B65B43/30; B65B43/34; B65B43/42; B65B43/46; B65B43/465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A turret type apparatus for filling and sealing bags with metered pluralities of articles of uniform non-planar shapes, said apparatus comprising: a frame; a turret head having three radially extending bag accommodating vacuum sleeves uniformly circumferentially spaced about a shaft rotatingly secured to said frame; means for rotatinG said shaft to sequentially index each said vacuum sleeve to a bag insertion position, a bag filling position, and a bag sealing and package removal position; means disposed adjacent said bag insertion position for fully opening a bag and inserting it into a vacuum sleeve disposed at said bag insertion position; means disposed adjacent said bag filling position for forwarding a metered plurality of said articles into a bag disposed in a vacuum sleeve indexed at the bag filling position; and, means disposed adjacent said bag sealing and removal position for sealing a filled bag indexed to said position in a said vacuum sleeve, and to remove from said apparatus the package thus completed by sealing said filled bag whereby a bag is inserted into, filled, sealed and removed from each said vacuum sleeve during each revolution of said turret.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
188 words
A turret type apparatus for filling and sealing bags with metered pluralities of articles of uniform non-planar shapes, said apparatus comprising: a frame; a turret head having three radially extending bag accommodating vacuum sleeves uniformly circumferentially spaced about a shaft rotatingly secured to said frame; means for rotatinG said shaft to sequentially index each said vacuum sleeve to a bag insertion position, a bag filling position, and a bag sealing and package removal position; means disposed adjacent said bag insertion position for fully opening a bag and inserting it into a vacuum sleeve disposed at said bag insertion position; means disposed adjacent said bag filling position for forwarding a metered plurality of said articles into a bag disposed in a vacuum sleeve indexed at the bag filling position; and, means disposed adjacent said bag sealing and removal position for sealing a filled bag indexed to said position in a said vacuum sleeve, and to remove from said apparatus the package thus completed by sealing said filled bag whereby a bag is inserted into, filled, sealed and removed from each said vacuum sleeve during each revolution of said turret.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
The turret type apparatus of claim 1 wherein said turret head shaft extends generally horizontally, said vacuum sleeves extend generally horizontally when disposed at said bag filling position, and wherein filled bags are disposed with their open ends up at the bag sealing and package removal station, said apparatus further comprising means for retaining said articles within a horizontally filled bag until it is rotated in a turret mounted vacuum sleeve to a generally upright orientation as the filled bag is advanced from the filling station to the bag sealing and package removal station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The turret type apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for forwarding articles into a bag comprises means for oscillating said horizontally extending bag at an angle of about 17* above horizontal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The turret type apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for forwarding said articles into a bag comprises means for arranging the articles into a nested stacked array within said bag.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The turret type apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for fully opening a bag comprises a mandrel which is operable between an expanded state and a collapsed state and means for so operating said mandrel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The turret type apparatus of claim 5 wherein said mandrel comprises articulated members which enable operating said mandrel between said expanded and collapsed states.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for non-gravitationally filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled; means for positioning said bag at a filling orientation which substantially precludes gravity induced filling; and, means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag disposed at said filling orientation so that said bag can be filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles and without dropping said articles.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for non-gravitationally filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled; means for positioning said bag at a filling orientation which substantially precludes gravity induced filling; and, means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag disposed at said filling orientation so that said bag can be filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles and without dropping said articles.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus for filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled, said means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said bag is being filled comprising means for holding said bag substantially horizontally while being filled; and, means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag, said means for advancing including means for oscillating said bag along a line inclined about 17* above horizontal whereby said bag is filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus for filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled, said means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said bag is being filled comprising means for holding said bag substantially horizontally while being filled; and, means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag, said means for advancing including means for oscillating said bag along a line inclined about 17* above horizontal whereby said bag is filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled; means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag; means for rotating filled bags from a horizontal orientation to a generally vertical orientation; and, means for sealing the bags and for removing the packages thus completed from said apparatus whereby said bag is filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for filling bags having relatively stiff side walls with a metered plurality of frangible articles of uniform non-planar shape, said apparatus comprising: a bag magazine; means for removing an unopened bag from said bag magazine; means for opening said bag so that said bag has a predetermined transverse cross-section of a shape and size sufficient to freely advance said articles into said bag; means for maintaining said predetermined cross-section while said means for opening is being disassociated from said bag and while said bag is being filled; means for advancing said metered plurality of articles into said opened bag; means for rotating filled bags from a horizontal orientation to a generally vertical orientation; and, means for sealing the bags and for removing the packages thus completed from said apparatus whereby said bag is filled with said articles without having to impose any bag opening forces on said articles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |