CARROT BAGGING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 3,842,569 A
• Filed: 06/07/1973
• Issued: 10/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Etheridge R. Mcclelland, Henry L. Spence, Henry R. Vierra, Thomas J. White
• Original Assignee: Etheridge R. Mcclelland, Henry L. Spence, Henry R. Vierra, Thomas J. White
• Inventors: McClelland, Etheridge R., Spence, Henry L., Vierra, Henry R., White, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGehee, Travis S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Culver, Horace M.
• Application Number:
  US05/367,733
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 53/187,188,190,121,123,126,61,60,148,149,236,371,385,59W,37,167
• US Class Current: 53/469
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/04 Packaging fruit or vegetables

Abstract

Apparatus for bagging discrete objects comprising mechanisms operatively connected for effecting the successive steps of: hanging bags from their opened upper ends for successive filling; filling each bag to approximately a predetermined level with an approximately uniform weight of said objects; gathering the portion of the bag above said level at a point between the upper end of the bag and said level, and approximately simultaneously tensioning the portion of the bag above said level against said objects and securing the portion so tensioned closed to form a relatively taut bag enclosing said objects, and then releasing the closed and filled bags for shipment or storage.

Claims

1. The method of packaging carrots and the like comprising the steps of:

a. supporting a plurality of carrots on their sides for continuous movement along a horizontally extending path of travel with their longitudinal axes in indiscriminate arrangement, and so moving said carrots;

b. discharging carrots from said plurality laterally from said path at a point along the latter;

c. moving the carrots so discharged from said path away from the latter and at the same time orienting them to align their longitudinal axes in the same direction; and

thereafter d. conducting the carrots so oriented one after the other on their sides along a path extending at a right angle to their said axes to an accumulating point;

e. accumulating said carrots, one at a time, in side-by-side relation at said accumulating point in a group of a predetermined minimum weight with their said axes extending horizontally;

then f. discharging said group from said accumulation point under the influence of and in response to said predetermined minimum weight for falling by gravity from said point and orienting the group during falling from said point to position the said axes of the carrots of said group to vertically extending positions;

g. receiving said group in a vertically elongated bag of greater length than the maximum height of said group below said accumulation point and supporting said bag with the carrots of said group upright therein and supported on the bottom of said bag for movement along a horizontally extending path to a sizing station;

h. reducing the carrots of said group to an approximately uniform height at said sizing station by removing the upper portion of any carrot in said group projecting above a predetermined maximum level; and

then i. gathering the upper portion of said bag above the carrots of said group and securing said upper portion closed over said group.

2. Apparatus for bagging carrots and the like comprising:

a. conveyor means for supporting a plurality of carrots on their sides for continuous movement along a horizontally extending path of travel;

b. carrot engaging means along said path for discharging carrots laterally from said path at a point along the latter for downward movement from said point under the influence of gravity;

c. supporting and orienting means for receiving and supporting the carrots so discharged from said path during said downward movement and positioning their longitudinal axes in one direction;

d. upwardly extending elevator means for receiving the oriented carrots one at a time at its lowwer end for carrying said carrots in a direction at a right angle to their axes to an accumulation station at the upper end thereof, and elevator actuating means connected with said elevator means for moving it upwardly;

e. accumulator means at said accumulation station for receiving carrots one at a time from said elevator means and for holding the carrots so received in a group in side-by-side relation with their longitudinal axes horizontal;

f. accumulator supporting means supporting said accumulator for movement from a holding position to a discharge position under the influence of a predetermined minimum weight of carrots accumulated in said accumulator, for discharging the group of carrots for falling under the influence of gravity;

g. guide means for engaging the carrots of the group discharged from said accumulator for moving them to positions with their longitudinal axes substantially vertical during falling;

h. bag supporting means below said accumulator for supporting a vertically elongated bag in a receiving position at a filling station for receiving the vertically arranged carrots discharged from said accumulator;

i. carrot supporting means for supporting the carrots of said group and the bag into which they are discharged in a vertical position to and past a sizing station, and to a discharge station;

j. sizing means at said sizing station at a predetermined level at the upper end of the carrots in said bag actuatable for movement transversely of said path for engaging and chopping off the upper end portion of any carrot projecting above said level; and

k. bag closing and securing means for closing and securing the upper portion of said bag over the group of carrots in said bag upon movement from said sizing station to said discharge station.

3. In apparatus as defined in claim 2:

4. In apparatus as define in claim 2:

5. In apparatus as defined in claim 4:

m. control means respectively adjacent said conveyor means and said elevator means operatively connected for obstructing discharge of said carrots from said conveyor means when a predetermined surplus of carrots is on said chute means at the lower end of said elevator means, and releasing carrots at said point for said movement to said lower end of said elevator means when said surplus is reduced to a predetermined degree; and

n. means operatively connecting said control means for so obstructing and releasing said carrots.

6. In apparatus as defined in claim 2:

7. In apparatus as defined in claim 6:

q. stop means for stopping the rotation of said weigh hopper upon the next pocket of said succession is below said upper end of said elevator conveyor.

8. In apparatus as defined in claim 6:

q. the pocket uppermost in said succession during rotation thereof having a bottom portion offset in a direction to one side of the axis of rotation of said hopper for rotation of said hopper to dischArge the carrots therefrom under the influence of the weight of the carrots therein upon said downward bodily movement of said hopper under said weight and resultant release of said weigh hopper.

9. In apparatus as defined in claim 2:

10. In apparatus as defined in claim 9:

q. control means operatively connecting said bag supporting means and said accumulator supporting means for holding said accumulator against movement to discharge carrots therein until bag supported by a set of said clamps below said accumulator has reached said sizing station and the next set of clamps in said succession thereof supports an empty bag below said accumulator.

11. In apparatus as defined in claim 2:

12. In apparatus as defined in claim 11:

p. said closing and securing means including horizontal stationary member formed with a horizontally extending slot for having a closed end receiving the upper portion of each bag therein in flattened relation for gathering against said closed end during movement of said sets of clamps and bags in said path; and

q. means for moving said sets of bag clamps while still in clamping relation to each bag slightly past said closed end of said slot for drawing the bag snugly against the upper ends of the carrots in each bag before securing the bag closed.

13. In apparatus for bagging carrots and the like that includes;

conveyor means for carrying the carrots along a horizontally extending path with their longitudinal axes in indiscriminate arrangement for discharge from said conveyor; and

a bag filling station for receiving the carrots discharged from said conveyor means;

a. carrot orienting means between said conveyor means and said bag filling station for receiving carrots discharged from said conveyor means and supporting them for movement along a downwardly extending path under the influence of gravity to a discharge point at the lower end of such path;

b. said orienting means including carrot engaging means intermediate said conveyor means and said discharge point for engaging said carrots during said downward movement and positioning them with their longitudinal axes in the same direction and supporting them for endwise movement to said discharge point for discharge laterally relative to their longitudinal axes at said discharge point;

c. a balanced weigh hopper;

d. carrot receiving means supported for movement adjacent to and past said discharge point in a position for receiving at uniform spaced intervals a carrot at said discharge point and for conducting the carrots so received in a row in spaced side-by-side relation and in a direction at a right angle to their longitudinal axes to said balanced weigh hopper for discharge, one at a time into said hopper;

e. bag supporting means for supporting one of the bags of a succession in carrot receiving position below said weigh hopper; and

f. means supporting said weigh hopper for movement from a carrot receiving position for receiving carrots from said carrot receiving means to a discharge position under the influence of a predetermined minimum weight of the carrots discharged into said weigh hopper for discharging the carrots in said weigh hopper into the bag at said receiving station.

14. In apparatus as defined in claim 13:

f. said carrot orienting means including carrot obstructing means at the upper end of said orienting means supported for movement from a non-obstucting position for free passage of carrots from said conveyor to said downwardly extending path to an obstructing position obstructing said passage to said path;

g. said orienting means further including a balanced support at said discharge point for supporting the oriented carrots adjacent said carrot receiving means, and means supporting said balanced support for downward movement under the influence of a predetermined weight of carrots thereon;

h. actuating means connected with said carrot obstructing means for moving the latter from said non-obstructing to said obstructing position and vice versa; and

i. means operatively connecting said balanced support with said actuating means for actuating the latter to move said obstructing means to said obstructing position upon downward movement of said balanced support and for moving said obstructing means back to nonobstructing position upon upward movement of said balanced support thereby controlling the discharge of carrots to said carrot receiving means.

15. In apparatus as defined in claim 13:

g. said carrot orienting means including a chute extending downwardly from said conveyor means for downward movement of carrots discharged from said conveyor means, h. said carrot engaging means comprising a wall extending divergently upwardly from engaging relation with the lower end of said chute to cooperate with said chute for forming a trough having a V-shaped bottom, and the bottom of said chute being inclined downwardly for movement of carrots thereon endwise to a position Adjacent said discharge point.

16. In apparatus for bagging carrots and the like that includes;

carrot supporting means for supporting a row of carrots in spaced, side-by-side relation for movement in a path extending longitudinally of said row for discharge at one end of said row into the upper open end of a vertically elongated bag below said end;

a. a balanced weigh hopper at said one end of said row supported for downward movement from an upwardly opening upper carrot receiving position below and adjacent to said one end of said path of movement of the carrots of said row for receiving the carrots discharged from said one end downwardly to a downwardly opening position for discharge of the carrots in said hopper in a direction laterally of their longitudinal axes for falling by gravity therefrom;

b. an endless, horizontally disposed succession of bag supports below said weigh hopper each adapted to releasably suspend a vertically elongated bag having an upper open end therefrom with one of said supports and the bag suspended therefrom below said hopper for receiving the carrots discharged from the latter;

c. each of said bag supports including a set of bag clamping means supported for movement into clamping engagement with the upper marginal portion of a vertically elongated bag having an open upper end at said bag attaching station, and to bag releasing position adjacent said discharge station after such bag has been carried past said filling and sizing station, and means operatively connected with said bag supports for intermittently moving them to and past said stations whereby an empty bag when suspended from one of said sets will be in a position at said filling station below said guide means after each intermittent movement for receiving carrots discharged from said hopper;

d. guide means between said weigh hopper and a bag supported at said filling station for guiding the carrots discharged from said hopper and during falling thereof to positions with their longitudinally extending axes generally vertical for endwise entry into the upper open end of a bag suspended from a set of said bag clamping means at said filling station with the carrots supported vertically in such bag for movement to said sizing station;

e. sizing means at said sizing station for separating the upper end portion of any carrot within a bag projecting above a predetermined height above the others from the remainder of the carrot below said upper end portion; and

f. clamp actuating means actuated by movement of said bag supports past said discharge station for moving the clamps of each set thereof to said bag releasing positions.

17. In apparatus as defined in claim 16:

g. each set of said bag clamping means including a pair of clamping members supported for movement from a horizontally expanded position within the upper end of each bag in engagement with the inner sides of said upper end to a collapsed elevated position upon actuation of said clamp actuating means, and bag engaging means stationary relative to and outside each bag against which said upper marginal portion of each bag is clamped by said clamping members when said members are in said expanded position;

h. means for restricting the portion of each bag suspended from a set of bag clamping elements over the carrots within each bag between said sizing station and said discharge station while each bag is held by a set of bag clamping elements and for retarding the movement of the bag relative to the movement of the clamping elements for drawing the upper portion of each bag relatively tightly over the carrots therein; and

i. means at said discharge station for securing the restricted upper portion of said bag closed substantially upon actuation of said actuating means for releasing said bag.

18. In apparatus for bagging carrots and the like that comprises the combination of:

a. a weigh hopper supported for movement under the influence of a predetermined minimum weigh of carrOts fed into said hopper to a discharge position in which said carrots a discharged and means supporting said weigh hopper for said movement;

b. bag supporting means for suspending a vertically disposed flexible bag having an open upper end from its upper marginal portion for movement to a position below said weigh hopper for receiving produce discharged therefrom, and means connected with said supporting means for substantially moving it with a bag suspended therefrom to and from said position below said weigh hopper;

c. said bag supporting means including a pair of clamping elements each having a lower portion extending into the upper portion of such bag and upward funnel-like portions respectively extending divergently upwardly relative to each other from said clamping elements with said bag suspended from said lower portions;

d. guide means between said weigh hopper and said bag supporting means for guiding carrots discharged from said weigh hopper into said upper funnel-like portions;

e. said guide means including an opposite pair of walls extending convergently downwardly relative to each other and terminating at their lower ends in a downwardly directed, restricted discharge opening of less horizontal cross-sectional area than said carrots for passage of said carrots lengthwise therethrough into the bag, and means supporting one of said pair of walls for intermittent movement away from the other to prevent the bridging of carrots above said opening between said walls.

19. The combination as defined in claim 18 that includes:

f. said bag supporting means comprising one of a succession supported for movement to and past said guide means;

g. means on each of said supporting means for momentarily moving said one of the walls of said guide means away from the other upon said movement of said bag supporting means.

20. In apparatus for bagging carrots and the like that includes a weigh hopper supported for movement under the influence of a predetermined minimum weight of carrots fed into said hopper, to a discharge position in which the carrots in said hopper are discharged for falling by gravity:

a. bag supporting means including a pair of clamping elements for suspending a flexible, vertically disposed, vertically elongated bag having an open upper end from the upper marginal portion of said bag with said upper end open in a position below said hopper for receiving carrots discharged therefrom;

b. a turret-like support supporting said pair of elements with a bag suspended therefrom for movement in an annular horizontally disposed path from said position below said hopper to a sizing station;

c. orienting means between said hopper and said bag supporting means thereabove for positioning the discharged carrots falling from saiid hopper vertically for positioning them vertically in vertically elongated bags;

d. means at said sizing station for separating the upwardly projecting end of any excessively long carrot from the remainder thereof through the walls of said bag at a predetermined level adjacent and below said bag clamping elements;

e. means for engaging and flattening the sides of said bag below said predetermined level to prevent the removed upper end of a carrot from entering the bag below said level;

f. means for tying the upper end of said bag closed at said level and relatively close to the upper ends of the carrots in said bag.