AUTOMATIC BAG ACCUMULATING, ADVANCING AND CHARGING APPARATUS

• US 3,624,723 A
• Filed: 07/22/1970
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Manville Forest Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Cannon
• Inventors: Cannon, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stickney, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US05/057,100
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 93/93DP,93R,93M 198/35 271/87 214/7
• US Class Current: 198/379
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/98 in stacks or bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/44 by endless belts or chains B65B35/405 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for collecting paper bags as they are being discharged from bagmaking machinery, and for accumulating the same in collated groups of equal bag numbers and charging a predetermined number of bag groups into a bundling machine.

Claims

1. In combination with a bag-forming machine, an accumulator for collecting bags as they are being discharged from said bag-forming machine and dividing the said bags into groups of equal number, and including means for collating successive groups into an end-for-end orientation;

means for successively advancing a preselected number of said bag groups along a predetermined path and for maintaining each of said preselected number of bag groups separate from each succeeding preselected number of bag groups during the advancement thereof; and

means for moving as a unit the preselected number of said bag groups most advanced along said predetermined path from said advancing means into a loading unit of a bundling press.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said advancing means comprises a receiving station for receiving said collated bag groups from said accumulator, a main conveyor positioned between said receiving station and said loading unit aNd defining said predetermined path therebetween, and a bag group-engaging device disposed adjacent said receiving station and operably connected with said accumulator for movement in one direction to push said preselected number of said bag groups from said receiving station onto said conveyor and in another direction for clearing said receiving station to permit the collection therein of a successive preselected number of said bag groups.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said advancing means further comprises a plurality of separating devices movably disposed in a predetermined, continuous and endless path adjacent said conveyor, part of which path is within and parallel to the path of travel of said preselected number of said bag groups being carried by said conveyor, said separating devices being spaced apart a predetermined distance substantially equal to the thickness of said preselected number of said bag groups, and means for driving said conveyor, said separating devices and said bag group-engaging device at a preselected, coordinated speed.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said separating devices are carried by at least one conveyor mechanism which is disposed on at least one side of said bag group conveyor.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said receiving station is at least one conveyor belt and said bag group-engaging device is a finger carried by an air cylinder positioned below said conveyor belt, said finger being vertically movable by said air cylinder for being positioned below said conveyor belt during collection of said preselected number of said bag groups thereon or above said conveyor belt for engaging said bag groups, and said air cylinder being movably connected with said conveyor belt drive for moving said finger to push said preselected number of bag groups onto said main conveyor.

6. The combination of claim 3 wherein said moving means comprises at least one charger finger, a first air cylinder disposed below said main conveyor having a rod supporting said charger finger for moving the same vertically to raise the charger finger into the path of said advancing bag groups and for lowering said charger finger out of said path, a second air cylinder disposed below said main conveyor and having a rod extendable in a line parallel with said predetermined path, and means connecting said rod of said second air cylinder with said first air cylinder for moving said first air cylinder therewith for thereby pushing said charger finger against said most advanced preselected number of said bag groups to move the same into said loading unit.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said connecting means between said second air cylinder rod and said first air cylinder comprises a wheeled vehicle movably disposed on a set of tracks positioned below and parallel with said main conveyor, said first air cylinder being carried by said wheeled vehicle, and said second air cylinder extendable rod being connected at its free end to said wheeled vehicle for moving the same on said tracks.

8. The combination of claim 7, further including means for controlling said moving means comprising:

means responsive to movement of a separating device past a predetermined point in said path of travel thereof for controlling the supplying of air under pressure to said first air cylinder for causing said at least one charger finger to be raised between the two most forward of said advancing preselected numbers of said bag groups, means responsive to movement of said charger finger-supporting rod of said first air cylinder in an upward direction for controlling the supply of air under pressure to said second air cylinder for moving said rod thereof and thereby moving said wheeled-vehicle on said tracks in the direction of said loading unit, means responsive to the movement of said wheeled-vehicle a predetermined distance for altering the supply of air under pressure to said first air cylInder for causing the rod thereof and said at least one charger finger connected thereto to be lowered, and means responsive to the lowering of said at least one charger finger for altering the supply of air under pressure to said second air cylinder for moving said wheeled vehicle on said tracks in the direction away from said loading unit.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said means responsive to movement of the separating device, said means responsive to movement of said at least one charger finger, and said means responsive to movement of said wheeled vehicle are air valves.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said loading unit comprises a pivotally mounted frame movable from a substantially horizontal position for receiving at least one of said preselected number of said bag groups to a substantially vertical position for loading the same into said bundling press, means for moving said frame between said positions, retaining means on the receiving side of said frame for retaining said at least one of said preselected number of said bag groups in said frame, said retaining means being movable between an active and an inactive position, bag group backup means movably disposed along a line coincidental with said predetermined path relative to the horizontally disposed position of said frame, and means responsive to the movement of said backup means a predetermined distance in the direction of advancement of said bag groups for operating said frame moving means.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said bag group backup means comprises a set of tracks extending from the terminal end of said predetermined path of said advancing means, a trolley reciprocably movable on said tracks, an air cylinder supported by said trolley below said tracks having a rod associated therewith and being reciprocable therein along a path perpendicular to said tracks, and at least on fingerlike retaining piece secured to said rod and movable therewith.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said tracks are inclined slightly upward from the bag group-receiving end of the loading unit to the opposite end thereof.

13. In combination with a bag-forming machine, means for accumulating and continuously advancing bags comprising a pair of spaced, phased, cooperating helices each having a plurality of turns with a pitch equal to or greater than the thickness of a predetermined number of bags defining a bag group, means for continuously rotating the helices in unison for intercepting bag groups in periodic fashion and for successively rotating at least one group of bags at a time to change the attitude thereof;

a receiving conveyor positioned adjacent said helices for receiving said bag groups as they are discharged therefrom;

advancing means movable in a vertical path for being placed in an active position above the level of said receiving conveyor and behind the bag groups being positioned thereon and in an inactive position below the level of said receiving conveyor, said advancing means also being movable in a substantially horizontal direction for pushing the bag groups from said receiving conveyor;

a main advancing conveyor for receiving bag groups from said receiving conveyor;

means for successively operating said advancing means to advance a preselected number of said bag groups onto said main advancing conveyor;

at least one endless conveyor positioned along at least one side of said main advancing conveyor and carrying a plurality of separating lugs spaced apart a predetermined distance substantially equal to the thickness of said preselected number of said bag groups, said lugs being movable in at least part of their conveyance in the path of travel of the advancing bags on said main advancing conveyor;

charging means movable in a vertical path between a first position below the level of the main advancing conveyor and a second position above the level thereof and in the path of travel of the advancing bag groups, and movable also in a substantially horizontal path between a first position adjacent a predetermined point along the main advancing conveyor and a second position spaced beyond the main advancing conveyor in a line coincidental with the path of movement of the advancing bags;

a loading unit aligned with said main advancing conveyor and positioned adjacent said second position of said charging means, said loading unit being movable between a first bag group receiving position and a bag-bundling position;

bag group-retaining means pivotally secured to said loading unit and movable between a first position out of the line of advancing bag groups to permit bags to be received therein and a second position in line therewith for retaining bags placed in said loading unit; and

, bag group backup means movable in a line parallel with said path of travel of said advancing bags on said main conveyor for being moved in one direction along said line by a group of bags being charged into said loading unit and responsive to movement in said one direction of a predetermined distance for moving said loading unit to said bundling position.

14. The combination of claim 13 further including means responsive to movement of any of said separating lugs past a predetermined point in their path of travel for moving said charging means to said second vertical position, means responsive to the movement of said charging means to said second vertical position thereof for moving said charging means to said second horizontal position thereof, means responsive to the movement of any of said separating lugs past a second predetermined point in the path of travel thereof for moving said retaining means to said first position thereof, means responsive to the movement of said charging means to said second horizontal position thereof for moving said bag group-retaining means to said second position thereof, means responsive to the movement of said retaining means to said second position for moving said charging means to said first vertical position thereof, and, means responsive to the movement of said charging means to said first vertical position thereof for moving said charging means to said first horizontal position thereof.

15. The method comprising the steps of:

collecting bags in groups of a predetermined number, orienting successive bag groups with the ends of the bags being disposed in one direction, the end of the bags in the next group being disposed in the opposite direction, and so on, in alternating fashion, accumulating a preselected number of such groups and advancing the same along a predetermined path, maintaining a separation between successive ones of said preselected number of said bag groups, transferring said preselected numbers of bag groups onto a loading unit of a bundling press at the terminal end of said predetermined path, and, operating said loading unit after a predetermined number of said preselected number of said groups are transferred thereinto.