Bag closing and feeding apparatus

Claim 1

A bag closing and feeding apparatus for use with a bag-tying mechanism and a conveyor mechanism for conveying full bags to the bag-tying mechanism, said bag closing and feeding apparatus comprising: a. a frame adapted to be mounted on a bag-tying and conveying mechanism; b. a mounting head; c. guide means for supporting and guiding said mounting head for reciprocatory movements in a given horizontal direction; d. a first fluid pressure operated ram mounted on said frame for imparting said movements to said mounting head; e. a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted intermediate their ends to said mounting head on a common axis extending longitudinally of said movements of the head, said bell cranks each including relatively long and relatively short lever arms; f. said relatively long lever arms each including a generally horizontal bag engaging and clamping portion extending in the direction of travel of said mounting head and movable toward and away from the clamping portion of the other relatively long lever arm; g. a second fluid pressure operated ram including a cylinder mounted on said mounting head in overlying relationship to said bell cranks and a movable piston projecting axially downwardly from said cylinder, said second ram having an extended axis intersecting the axis of pivotal movement of said bell cranks; h. a pair of rigid links pivotally connected at one end to said piston rod on an axis parallel to the direction of movement of said mounting head and their other ends each to the relatively short lever arm of a different one of said bell cranks on axes parallel to said direction of mounting head movement; i. a valve mechanism adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure and having fluid connections to said rams for controlling movements of said mounting head and said bell cranks.