Bag palletizing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for palletizing bags including means for supplying bags, a row forming station, bag diverter means located intermediate said row forming station and said means for supplying bags, said bag diverter means including a bag diverter assembly and a diverter conveyor, means for selectively moving said diverter assembly between first and second positions to change the path of movement of bags into first and second lanes on said diverter conveyor, and turning means associated with one of said lanes and selectively engageable with bags traveling in said lane to rotate selected bags 90 degrees from the bag orientation of bags traveling in the other of said lanes to form a pre-selected row pattern of bags at said row forming station and wherein said turning means includes a turning post located in the path of travel of bags in one of said lanes, and a turnpost deflector movable from a retracted position exposing said post for engagement with the bags in said one lane to an advanced position to direct bags into a clearance position with respect to said turning post to prevent engagement of said bags with said turning post and thus prevent a change of orientation of said bag in said lane.

Claim 3

Apparatus for palletizing bags including supply means for supplying bags along a first axis, a row forming station having a platform and row transfer means for shifting bags along a second axis transverse to said first axis, bag diverter means located intermediate said row forming station and said supply means, said bag diverter means including a bag diverter assembly and a diverter conveyor, means for selectively moving said diverter assembly between first and second positions to change the path of movement of bags into first and second lanes on said diverter conveyor, turning means associated with one of said lanes and selectively engageable with bags traveling in said lane to rotate selected bags 90 degrees from the bag orientation of bags traveling in the other of said lanes to form a pre-selected row pattern of bags at said row forming station, said turning means including a turning post located in the path of travel of bags in one of said lanes, and a turnpost deflector movable from a retracted position exposing said post for engagement with the bags in said one lane to an advanced position to direct bags into a clearance position with respect to said turning post to prevent engagement of said bags with said turning post and thus prevent a change of orientation of said bag in said lane, a full layer platform located adjacent said row forming station for receiving rows of bags from said row forming platform, a final pattern forming station including a pallet elevator having a bag supporting apron, full layer sweep means for moving complete bag layers from said full layer platform onto said apron, sensors for detecting bag movement upstream and downstream of said bag diverter means, and programmable means operated by said sensors to actuate said means for moving said diverter means to cause bag movement in the appropriate lane for the selected and cause contact of appropriate bags with said turning means and energize the row transfer means to transfer a bag row to said full bag layer platform when said sensors count the appropriate number of bags and energize said full layer sweep means to sweep a full layer of bags unto said apron.

Claim 4

Apparatus for palletizing bags including supply means for supplying bags along a first axis, a row forming station having a platform and row transfer means for shifting bags along a second axis transverse to said first axis, bag diverter means located intermediate said row forming station and said supply means, said bag diverter means including a bag diverter assembly and a diverter conveyor, means for selectively moving said diverter assembly between first and second positions to change the path of movement of bags into first and second lanes on said diverter conveyor, turning means associated with one of said lanes and selectively engageable with bags traveling in said lane to rotate selected bags 90 degrees from the bag orientation of bags traveling in the other of said lanes to form a pre-selected row pattern of bags at said row forming station, said turning means including a turning post located in the path of travel of bags in one of said lanes, and a turnpost deflector movable from a retracted position exposing said post for engagement with the bags in said one lane to an advanced position to direct bags into a clearance position with respect to said turning post to prevent engagement of said bags with said turning post and thus prevent a change of orientation of said bag in said lane, a full layer platform located adjacent said row forming station for receiving rows of bags from said row forming platform, a final pattern forming station including a pallet elevator having a bag supporting apron, full layer sweep means for moving complete bag layers from said full layer platform onto said apron, sensors for detecting bag movement upstream and downstream of said bag diverter means, and programmable means operated by said sensors to actuate said means for moving said diverter means to cause bag movement in the appropriate lane for the selected and cause contact of appropriate bags with said turning means and energize the row transfer means to transfer a bag row to said full bag layer platform when said sensors count the appropriate number of bags and energize said full layer sweep means to sweep a full layer of bags unto said apron.

Claim 5

Palletizing apparatus including a row forming station having a platform formed by spaced driven rollers, a conveyor for bringing palletizable articles to said row forming station, a full layer forming platform, a row transfer fork, means for moving said fork between first and second positions to shift a row of articles from said row forming station to said full layer forming platform, said means including means for raising said fork between said rollers and above said rollers into an above roller position and for advancing said fork in its above roller position to the second horizontally displaced position to deposit said rows on said full layer forming platform and to lower said fork beneath articles on said rollers for return movement to said first horizontal position, said means including a first guide track, rollers connected to said fork and movable on the upper surface of said first guide track during advance of said fork to said first position with said rollers located below said first track during retraction of said fork, a second guide track below said first guide track, a reciprocating trolley movable on said second track, linking means connecting said trolley to said fork, and a motor having means connected to said trolley to reciprocate said trolley and move said fork between said first and second horizontal positions.

Claim 6

Palletizing apparatus including a row forming station having a platform formed by spaced driven rollers, a conveyor for bringing palletizable articles to said row forming station, a full layer forming platform, a row transfer fork, means for moving said fork between first and second positions to shift a row of articles from said row forming station to said full layer forming platform, said means including means for raising said fork between said rollers and above said rollers into an above roller position and for advancing said fork in its above roller position to the second horizontally displaced position to deposit said rows on said full layer forming platform and to lower said fork beneath articles on said rollers for return movement to said first horizontal position, said means including a first guide track, rollers connected to said fork and movable on the upper surface of said first guide track during advance of said fork to said first position with said rollers located below said first track during retraction of said fork, a second guide track below said first guide track, a reciprocating trolley movable on said second track, linking means connecting said trolley to said fork, and a motor having means connected to said trolley to reciprocate said trolley and move said fork between said first and second horizontal positions.