Rotary packer and method of filling bags
First Claim
1. A method of introducing material by means of a rotary packer into bags such as sacks defining at least one opening at one end portion and positioned in at least one carrying means including rotary packing means having a plurality of bag filling spouts positioned about peripheral portions so as to be rotatable therewith, said spouts further being movable from positions generally radial relative to said rotary packing means toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means, means to supply material to said spouts for filling said bags with material to predetermined levels comprising:
- a. positioning said bag carrying means adjacent said rotary packing means in a manner such that at least one bag is positioned at least adjacent a path defined by said spouts;
b. rotating said rotary packing means about its axis in a direction such that said bag filling spouts traverse a generally arcuate path and successively approach said bag carrying means in the direction of rotation;
c. successively rotating each bag filling spout about an axis associated therewith toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means such that at least a portion of each bag filling spout approaches the general direction of said opening of the bag closest thereto while approaching said bag carrying means;
d. successively permitting each bag filling spout to enter said opening of the bag closest to said spout and transporting said bag therewith away from said bag carrying means as said rotary packing means is rotated; and
e. introducing material from said filling spout into said bag as said bag is positioned about the filling spout and transported away from the bag carrying means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is disclosed for introducing material such as cement into sacks of the valve type which are positioned in a magazine adjacent a rotary packing means having a plurality of material filling spouts distributed thereabout and means to supply the material to the spouts. The method relates to positioning the sack magazine adjacent the rotary packing means in a manner such that the foremost sack is positioned adjacent the rotary path defined by the spouts while rotating the rotary packing means in a direction such that the spouts successively and repeatedly approach the bag carrying means in the general direction of rotation. The method further comprises orienting each filling spout relative to the rotary packing means and to the bag carrying means such that the spouts approach the general direction of the opening of the bag closest thereto and successively opening the mouth portion of the foremost bag thereby permitting each approaching spout to enter the opening of the bag and to transport the bag away from its carrying means as the packing means continues to rotate. The cement material is introduced from the filling spout into the bag as it is positioned about the spout. A novel apparatus is disclosed for practicing the inventive method.
14 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A method of introducing material by means of a rotary packer into bags such as sacks defining at least one opening at one end portion and positioned in at least one carrying means including rotary packing means having a plurality of bag filling spouts positioned about peripheral portions so as to be rotatable therewith, said spouts further being movable from positions generally radial relative to said rotary packing means toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means, means to supply material to said spouts for filling said bags with material to predetermined levels comprising:
-
a. positioning said bag carrying means adjacent said rotary packing means in a manner such that at least one bag is positioned at least adjacent a path defined by said spouts; b. rotating said rotary packing means about its axis in a direction such that said bag filling spouts traverse a generally arcuate path and successively approach said bag carrying means in the direction of rotation; c. successively rotating each bag filling spout about an axis associated therewith toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means such that at least a portion of each bag filling spout approaches the general direction of said opening of the bag closest thereto while approaching said bag carrying means; d. successively permitting each bag filling spout to enter said opening of the bag closest to said spout and transporting said bag therewith away from said bag carrying means as said rotary packing means is rotated; and e. introducing material from said filling spout into said bag as said bag is positioned about the filling spout and transported away from the bag carrying means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, 37)
-
-
16. A method of introducing cement material by means of a rotary packer into valve sacks defining at least one opening forming a valve at one end portion thereof and positioned in at least one carrying means including rotary packing means having a plurality of sack filling spouts distributed substantially uniformly about the circumference of said rotary packing means so as to be rotatable therewith, said sack filling spouts further being rotatable from positions generally radial to the circumference of said rotary packing means toward positions generally tangential to the circumference thereof, means to supply material to said spouts for filling said valve sacks with material to predetermined levels comprising:
-
a. positioning said sack carrying means adjacent said rotary packing means in a manner such that at least one valve sack is positioned adjacent the generally rotary path defined by said sack filling spouts; b. rotating said rotary packing means about its axis in a direction such that said sack filling spouts traverse a generally rotary path and successively approach said sack carrying means in the direction of rotation; c. successively rotating each sack filling spout about an axis associated therewith toward positions generally tangential to the circumference of said rotary packing means such that at least a portion of each sack filling spout faces the general direction of said opening of said valve sack closest thereto while approaching said sack carrying means; d. orienting said valve sacks within said sack carrying means at angular positions which facilitate entry of each sack filling spout into the sack closest to the generally rotary path defined by said sack filling spouts; e. successively automatically opening at least partially the mouth portion of the foremost sack positioned adjacent the generally rotary path defined by said sack filling spouts thereby permitting each sack filling spout to enter said opening of the sack closest to said sack filling spout and transporting said sack away from said sack carrying means as said rotary packing means is rotated; f. advancing said remaining sacks toward said rotary packing means so as to position the second sack to the foremost sack position; g. supporting each sack about said sack filling spout; h. introducing cement material from said sack filling spout into each sack as said sack is transported away from said sack carrying means while positioned about said sack filling spout; and i. successively rotating each sack filling spout from positions generally tangential relative to the circumference of said rotary packing means toward positions generally radial relative to said rotary packing means at least until a sack filled with cement material to a predetermined level is discharged from said sack filling spout.
-
-
17. A rotary packer for introducing material into bags such as sacks, each bag defining at least one opening at one end portion for introducing the material therein which comprises:
-
a. packing means rotatably mounted about a rotational axis; b. a plurality of filling spouts positioned about peripheral portions of said packing means so as to be rotatable therewith, said filling spouts further being movable from positions radial relative to said rotary packing means toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means; c. means to supply material to said filling spouts to fill said bags with said material to predetermined levels; d. means for carrying a plurality of bags positioned adjacent the generally arcuate path defined by said filling spouts, said filling spouts being so arranged and oriented that at least a portion of each filling spout faces generally the direction of rotation of said packing means and an opening of the bag positioned closest to the path defined by said filling spouts; e. means to successively open the bag closest to the path defined by said filling spouts in a manner such that each spout approaching the bag carrying means enters said bag opening to introduce material from said filling spout into said bag and to transport said bag away from said bag carrying means while said packing means is rotated about its axis; and f. means to rotate each filling spout about an axis associated therewith toward positions generally tangential relative to peripheral portions of said rotary packing means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38)
-
-
39. A rotary packer for introducing cement material into valve sacks, each sack defining at least one opening which forms part of a valve for introducing the cement material therein which comprises:
-
a. a container rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis for rotation; b. a plurality of sack filling spouts distributed substantially uniformly about circumferential portions of said container so as to be rotatable therewith; c. a supply of cement material disposed in said container; d. means for communicating said filling spouts with the supply of cement material for directing said cement material to said filling spouts for discharge by said filling spouts;
-
-
40. e. a magazine for retaining a plurality of said valve sacks in stacked relation adjacent the generally rotary path defined by said filling spouts;
-
f. axial connector means for enabling each filling spout to swivel individually between positions generally radial relative to said container and positions generally tangential to the circumference of said container; g. means for successively rotating each filling spout about an axis asociated therewith toward positions generally tangential relative to the circumference of said container such that at least a portion of each filling spout approaches the general direction of the mouth portion of the sack closest thereto to permit each spout to enter the foremost sack to fill said sack at least to a predetermined level and for rotating said filling spout to positions generally radial of the circumference of said rotating container at least until a sack filled with cement material to a predetermined level is discharged from said filling spout; h. means mounted adjacent said magazine including at least one suction cup for automatically gripping the valve sack closest to the rotary path defined by said filling spouts and opening said mouth portion of said sack into the path of said filling spouts in a manner such that the spout approaching said sack closest thereto enters the sack opening and removes said sack from said magazine and introduces a predetermined amount of cement material therein as the sack is transported away from said magazine; and i. means for discharging said sack from said filling spout when sack is filled at least to a predetermined level.
-
-
41. A rotary packer for introducing cement material into valve sacks, each sack defining at least one opening which forms part of a valve for introducing the cement material therein which comprises:
-
a. a container rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis for rotation; b. a plurality of filling spouts distributed substantially uniformly about the circumference of said container so as to be rotatable therewith; c. a supply of cement material disposed in said container; d. means for communicating said supply of cement material with said filling spouts for directing said cement material to said filling spouts for discharge by said filling spouts; e. axial connector means to enable each filling spout to swivel individually between positions generally radial relative to said container and positions generally tangential to the circumference of said container; f. cam means for successively rotating each filling spout about an axis associated therewith toward positions generally tangential relative to the circumference of said container such that each filling spout approaches the general direction of the mouth portion of the sack closest thereto permitting each spout to enter the foremost sack to fill said sack at least to a predetermined level and for rotating said filling spout to positions generally radial of the circumference of said rotating container at least until a sack filled with cement material to a predetermined level is discharged from said filling spout; g. a magazine for retaining a plurality of said valve sacks in vertical stacked relation immediately below the rotary path defined by said filling spouts; h. means positioned adjacent said magazine for automatically and periodically directing a jet of compressed air into the mouth portion of the sack positioned closest to the rotary path defined by said filling spouts in timed relation with the rotation of said spouts so as to open the mouth portion of the sack closest to each approaching spout immediately prior to arrival of said filling spout at the location of said closest sack such that said filling spout enters said sack and lifts said sack away from said magazine for introducing a predetermined amount of cement material therein; i. means to prevent the jet of compressed air from expanding the entire body of the foremost sack; j. means engageably retaining said mouth portion and the opposite end portion at least of the sack closest to the rotary path defined by said filling spouts;
-
-
42. k. means to orient said sacks while in said magazine to define an angle of inclination with a horizontal plane greater than the corresponding angle of inclination of said filling spouts such that when each successive filling spout enters the next successive sack in said magazine and said filling spout lifts said sack from said magazine in a manner such that the end portion opposite said mouth portion lifts away from the next successive sack prior to lifting the mouth portion thereof;
- and
i. means for discharging said sack from said filling spout when said sack is filled to a predetermined level.
- and
Specification