Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TURRET BAGGER
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The present invention relates to automatic
bagging machines. ~ -
U.S. Patent No. 3,789,573 issued to Jasper R.
Crabb discloses an automatic bagging machine including
one set of bag-holding and spreading arms which set is
reciprocated between a station where bags are picked up ~-
and filled and a station where bags are tied. The problems
with that bagging machine are: only one set of reciprocating
arms is provided so that the pickup and filling station
remains idle while a picked-up and filled bag is being ;
moved to the tying station, while such bag is being tied
at the tying station and while the arms are being moved -
back to the pickup and filling station; no auxiliary
mechanism is provided to guide articles into a bag which
has been spread at the pickup and filling station; and no `~
mechanism is provided for steadying a filled bag as it is
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moved from the pickup and filling station to the tying
station. Consequently, the bagging machine of U.S.
patent No. 3,789,573 is slow in that: both stations are
not active at the same time; rapid insertion of articles
into a spread bag is not possible; and a filled bag must
be moved slowly from the pickup and filling station to
~; the tying station to deter violent swaying.
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It is the principal object of the present ~ -
invention to provide an automatic bagging machine which
sequentially picks up, fills and ties bags rapidly.
Further to this object, it is an object to -
provide such a machine in which a plurality of stations ~ ;
for picking up, filling and tying bags perform their
respective functions substantially simultaneously.
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Further to the principal object, it is an
object to provide auxiliary mechanism to spread bags at
a bag-filling station and to guide articles into spread
bags so that such bags may be filled rapidly.
Further to the principal object, it is an
object to provide drive mechanism to shift bags quickly
from one bagging machine station to another bagging
machine station.
Further to the principal object, it is an
object to provide mechanism fox steadying a filled bag
as it is moved from a bag-filling station to a bag-
tying station.
Further to the principal object, it is an
object to provide mechanism for decelerating holding
and spreading arms as they approach a bagging machine
; station.
Several of the foregoing objects can be
- accomplished in an automatic bagger including a bag-
filling station, bag-holding means including a plurality
i~ 20 of bag-holding members each for holding a bag at the
bag-filling station and drive means for shifting each
bag-holding member orbitally in one direction away from -
the bag-filling station after the bag held by such
member has been filled, by the improvement comprising
steadying means for following a filled bag moving in
such one direction and disposed in steadying engagement
therewith while such bag is being shifted away from the
bag-filling station in such direction, and means for
returning the steadying means to the bag-filling station
in the direction generally opposite such one direction
to follow and steady the next filled bag held by another
of the bag-holding members.
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Such objects also can be accomplished in an
automatic bagger including a bag-pickup station for
supplying bags; a bag-tying station spaced from the
bag-pickup station for tying bags; a bag-filling station
located between the bag-pickup station and the bag-
tying station for filling bags; bag-holding means
: including at least one bag-holding and spreading member
for picking up a bag at the bag-pickup station and for
spreading the top opening of such picked-up bag;
unidirectional orbiting means carrying the bag-holding
and spreading means; and drive means for moving the .
: unidirectional orbiting means to shift the bag-holding
means, after a bag has been picked up, from the bag-
pickup station to the bag-filling station, where such ~:
picked-up bag is filled, and then to the bag-tying
station, where such filled bag is tied, by the improvement `~
comprising steadying means fox following a filled bag ~-~
and disposed in steadying engagement therewith while
such bag is being shifted fxom the bag-filling station
.1 20 to the bag-tying station, and means for reciprocating ~::
said steadying means between the bag-filling station
and the bag-tying station.
In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of ~
the invention, ~. .
Figure 1 is a plan of an automatic bagging ~ `
machine in accordance with the present invention,
Figure 2 is a detail of the drive mechanism :~ .
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of the bagging machine shown in Figure 1, some parts -~
being broken away, and Figure 3 is a section taken on .
line 3--3 of Figure 2 with some parts broken away,
Figure 4 is a detail elevation of an automatic
bagging machine in accordance with the present invention ~ :
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including decelerating mechanism, some parts being
shown in section and some parts being broken away,
Figure 5 is a plan of the bagging machine of
Figure 4, some parts being shown in section and some
parts being broken away,
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Figure 6 is a detail elevation of the filling
~; station of the bagging machine shown in Figure 1 with
some parts broken away and some parts shown in section,
;~ and Figure 7 i~ a corresponding detail showing parts in
different positions,
Figure 8 is a side elevation of the pickup
station of the bagging machine of Figure 1, some parts
being broken away; Figure 9 is an end elevation of such
- pickup station, some parts being broken away; and Figure
; 10 10 is an enlarged detail end elevation of such pickup
station showing parts in different positions.
i As shown in Figure 1, an automatic bagging
machine in accordance with the present invention includes
` a bag-pickup station P, a bag-filling station F, and a
bag-tying station T spaced equidistant from one another
circumferentially around an orbit. A central vertical ~;
shaft 1 carries a turret including several sets of radial
bag-holding and spreading arms 2 spaced angularly to
locate one set of such arms over each of the bagging
machine stations. The construction of the pickup station ~ `~
is substantially identical to the construction of the ;;
"bag feeding mechanism" disclosed in U.S. patent No. - ;~
-~ 3,789,573. Further, the construction of each set of
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holding and spreading arms 2 is similar to the construction ~
of the "bag holding mechanism" described in that patent ;~ -
in that each set includes rocking mechanism for vertical
swinging about a horizontal axis. Bag-engaging spades
carried by t~e swinging ends of such arms are lowered -
;~ into the upper end of a bag partially opened by the bag -
feeding mechanism. Spreading mechanism performs spreading ;
and closing operations, respectively, prLor to and following
`1 the filling of a bag. Clamping mechanism includes leading
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and trailing clamping devices mounted on the bag-engaging
spades for holding a bag. Each of the above f~atures
operates substantially as disclosed in U.S. patent No.
3,789,573. The construction of the tying station T may
be substantially identical to the tying device disclosed
in U.S. patent 3,789,573, but any other suitable tying
device m~ay be used. Further, the construction of filling
; station F does not constitute part of the present invention
except for the auxiliary spreading and guiding mechanism
` 10 which is further described below.
In accordance with the present invention, a set -~
of bag-holding and spreading arms 2 picks up and spreads
a bag at pickup station P. Central shaft 1 is rotated to
shift such set of arms from the pickup station to filling
station F. Auxiliary spreading mechanism 3 further
spreads the picked-up bag and guides articles into such
bag. For example, such articles may be supplied by a
chute ~. The auxiliary spreading mechanism releases the
bag, whereupon central shaft 1 is again rotated to shift
the filled bag to tying station T where the bag is tied
and dropped onto a discharge conveyor 5. Central shaft 1 -
is again rotated to shift the holding and spreading arms
back to the pickup station. Since several sets of arms
are provided, the bagging machine stations perform their
respective functions substantially simultaneously, that ~ -~
is, while a bag is being picked up at station P, a bag
which has already been picked up is being filled at
station F and a bag which has been filled is being tied
at station T.
Drive mechanism for incrementally rotating
central shaft 1 to rotate the turret and shift each set
of holding and spreading arms from one station to the
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next station is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Suitable
support structure 6 carries a pneumatic cylinder 7 which
includes a reciprocating plunger 8. The plunger is
attached to a chain 9 which connects central and outer
sprockets 10 and 11, respectively. Conventional clutch
mechanism 12 is provided to convert the reciprocating
motion of central sprocket 10 into the unidirectional
`- incremental turning of central shaft 1. Each time plunger
8 is extended from the dotted line position of Figure 2
to the solid line position of that figure, the central ~
shaft is rotated through an angle sufficient to shift -
each set of holding and spreading arms from one of the
bagging machine stations to the next station. Each set
of holding and spreading arms remains substantially
stationary over one of the bagging machine stations as
plunger 8 reciprocates back to its retracted position. ;~
As seen in Figures 4 and 5, to decelerate the
holding and spreading arms as they approach the various
stations of the bagging machine, and to hold such arms
stationary over the stations as plunger 8 is retracted,
two caliper brakes 13 and 14 may be provided. Each brake
is operable to grip a brake disk 15 carried by and rotated
conjointly with central shaft 1 above clutch 12. Brake
~ 14 is stationary because it is mounted on the bagging
; machine support structure. Brake 13 is mounted for
swinging movement relative to the central shaft and the
support structure by a collar 16 receiving the central
shaft above brake disk 15, and a support arm 17 which
extends radially outward from the collar. The degree of
movement of brake 13 is limited by a resilient member,
such as a spring 18 extending between the stationary
bagging machine support structure and the outer end of
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support arm 17. Such movement is also limited by a shock
absorber 19 connected between the bagging machine support
structure and another arm 20 which extends radially
outward from collax 16.
As each set of holding and spreading arms 2
nears a bagging machine station, brake 13 is actuated to -
grip bra~ke disk 15 firmly. Spring 18 and shock absorber
19 cooperate to decelerate the brake disk, the central
shaft and the holding and spreading arms carried by the
central shaft. When the holding and spreading arms are
in position over the bagging machine station, brake 14 is
actuated to hold the central shaft against rotation while
plunger 8 is reciprocated back to its retracted position ~ ;
and while the picking up, filling and tying operations -
are being performed at the bagging machine stations.
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As best seen in Figures 6 and 7, auxiliary
spreading mechanism 3 is located at filling station F
opposite article chute 4. Such mechanism is mounted on
'~ the bagging machine support structure 6 and includes a
vertically extending support plate 21 located in a radial ~- -
plane of the turret. The radially inner end of a pneumatic ~-
cylinder 22 is attached to the support plate by a horizontal
pivot 23. Air in such cylinder drives a plunger 24 which
is pivotally attached *o one point of a bell crank 25.
The other two points of the bell crank are pivotally
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~ attached, respectively, to the support plate and to a
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spreading and guiding member 26 which includes a generally
vertical spreading and guiding face 27. A tension spring
28 is connected between spreading and guiding member 26
and a pin 29 extending from support plate 21. Such pin `
is received in a generally horizontal slot 30 in the
radially inner end of the spreading and guiding member.
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The force of spring 28 on member 26 holds the slot
against the pin to prevent clattering.
When plunger 24 is extended, as shown in dotted -
lines in Figure 6, spreading and guiding member 26 is
swung upward and inward out of the way of holding and
spreading arms 2 which are advanced toward the filling
station.~ When such arms are in position adjacent to the
article chute, plunger 24 is retracted to swing the
spreading and guiding member downward to hook the bag
held by arms 2 and to draw the inner lip of the bag
radially inward. Articles a may be rapidly discharged i~
^ from chute 4 because the guiding face 27 of member 26
acts as a backstop to guide such articles into the spread
bag. When the bag is full, plunger 24 is extended to
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swing spreading and guiding member 26 upward to release
the bag and inward to the dotted line position of Figure - .
6. ;
As described above, once the auxiliary spreading
mechanism releases a filled bag, the holding and spreading -`~
axms are shifted to tying station T carrying the filled ~ -
bag with them. Since it is desirable to shift the filled
bag quickly, steadying mechanism, best seen in ~igures 1
and 3, is provided. An upper support arm 31 extends
radially of the turret outward from the central drive
sprocket 10. A lower support arm 32 extends radially
outward from the upright shaft carrying the drive sprocket.
The outer end portions of the support arms carry a steadying
hand 33 which is engageable with the filled bag. As
drive mechanism plunger 8 is extended to shift a filled
bag from the bag-filling station to the bag-tying station,
the steadying hand follows the filled bag. As plunger 8
is retracted such hand is swung back behind the filling
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station to a position for following the next filled bag
as it is shifted from the filling station to the tying
station by extension of the plunger. Consequently,
filled bags can be shifted quickly without violent swinging.
Once a filled bag has been shifted to the tying
station and tied, it is dropped onto discharge conveyor 5
- and the holding and spreading arms are shifted to the
pickup station. However, as best seen in Figures 8, 9
and 10, such arms must be lifted to clear the mechanism
; 10 holding a pack of bags _. Suitable control mechanism,
such as that described in U.S. patent No. 3,789,573,
lowers the bag spreading arms into a partially opened
bag, as shown in Figure 10, and such bag is ready for
spreading and shifting to the filling station.
A bagging machine in accordance with the present
invention will pick up, fill and tie bags more rapidly
than known machines because separate pickup, filling and
tying stations are provided, and all of the stations
perform their respective functions at the same time.
Further, the bag-holding and spreading arms may be swung
quickly because the braking mechanism decelerates the -
arms as they approach a bagging machine station and
because filled bags are steadied as they are shifted from -
the filling station to the tying station. In addition,
the filling operation can be accomplished almost as
quickly as the pickup or tying operation because auxiliary
spreading and guiding mechanism is provided.
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