STRAPPING APPARATUS
United States Patent 3808965
The hopper is provided which is filled with a stack of paper bags or other material to be baled. The bags are transferred to a compression area where the stack is compressed. Straps are drawn about the stack and secured. The strapped bale is then discharged.
US Patent References:
Packaging apparatus
Segur - December 1959 - 2917991
Press and bander for paper bags or the like
Lowe et al. - April 1962 - 3030750
Inline feeder device for tying machine
Luy et al. - October 1967 - 3348473
SHEET STACKER AND BUNDLER AND METHOD
Stobb - December 1969 - 3483817
APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKAGING A STACK OF FLATTENED BAGS OR THE LIKE
Brinkmeier - March 1972 - 3650087
Packaging apparatus
Segur - December 1959 - 2917991
Press and bander for paper bags or the like
Lowe et al. - April 1962 - 3030750
Inline feeder device for tying machine
Luy et al. - October 1967 - 3348473
SHEET STACKER AND BUNDLER AND METHOD
Stobb - December 1969 - 3483817
APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKAGING A STACK OF FLATTENED BAGS OR THE LIKE
Brinkmeier - March 1972 - 3650087
Application Number:
05/296971
Publication Date:
05/07/1974
Filing Date:
10/12/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Hoerner Waldorf Corporation (Ramsey, MN)
Primary Class:
International Classes:
B65B13/10; B65B13/20; B65B27/08; B65B13/00; B65B13/18; B65B13/20
Field of Search:
100/7,26,3 53/124C
Primary Examiner:
Wilhite, Billy J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Dunning, Robert Best Jerry M. F.
Parent Case Data:
This application is a dividional application of my previous application for Baling Apparatus, filed Sept. 21, 1970, Ser. No. 73,967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,314 which issued Oct. 31, 1972.
Claims:
1. A bailing apparatus for stacked objects including:
2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said hopper includes means for applying a clamping force upon said stacked objects between the top and
3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said hopper tilts from a position in which said angularly tilted position of said hopper is substantially
4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said platen is substantially coplanar with the bottom wall of said hopper in said angularly tilted
5. The structure of claim 1 and in which said spaced walls of said carriage are substantially parallel to said rear wall of said hopper in tilted
6. The structure of claim 1 and in which one of said spaced side walls of said carriage moves through said hopper upon movement of said carriage to
7. The structure of claim 1 and in which said carriage walls are supported by spaced uprights extending upwardly, therefrom and connected at their upper ends, the uprights including parallel bearings at the upper ends thereof which support pairs of rollers, and including tracks supporting said roller for movement of said carriage between said extreme positions.
8. The structure of claim 7 and in which said uprights extend forwardly of said top hopper wall upon movement of said carriage toward said other
9. The structure of claim 8 and in which said carriage moves rearwardly of said rear hopper wall upon movement of said carriage to said one extreme
10. The structure of claim 1 and in which said carriage moves said strapped compressed objects rearwardly of said rear wall of said hopper upon return of said carriage to said one extreme position.
2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said hopper includes means for applying a clamping force upon said stacked objects between the top and
3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said hopper tilts from a position in which said angularly tilted position of said hopper is substantially
4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said platen is substantially coplanar with the bottom wall of said hopper in said angularly tilted
5. The structure of claim 1 and in which said spaced walls of said carriage are substantially parallel to said rear wall of said hopper in tilted
6. The structure of claim 1 and in which one of said spaced side walls of said carriage moves through said hopper upon movement of said carriage to
7. The structure of claim 1 and in which said carriage walls are supported by spaced uprights extending upwardly, therefrom and connected at their upper ends, the uprights including parallel bearings at the upper ends thereof which support pairs of rollers, and including tracks supporting said roller for movement of said carriage between said extreme positions.
8. The structure of claim 7 and in which said uprights extend forwardly of said top hopper wall upon movement of said carriage toward said other
9. The structure of claim 8 and in which said carriage moves rearwardly of said rear hopper wall upon movement of said carriage to said one extreme
10. The structure of claim 1 and in which said carriage moves said strapped compressed objects rearwardly of said rear wall of said hopper upon return of said carriage to said one extreme position.
Description:
This invention relates to an improvement in baling apparatus and deals particularly with a device designed for securing objects such as paper bags in tightly baled condition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Paper bags such as those used in supermarkets and the like are usually packaged in bundles each containing a predetermined number of bags, such as 500 bags for example. A stack of 500 bags is placed between a pair of compression plates which are supported in cantilever style, and the compression plates are moved together to somewhat reduce the size of the stack. In view of the fact that the bottom portions of the flat bags are thicker than the remainder thereof the bags are usually assembled in groups of perhaps 25 bags, and the position of the ends of the bag is alternated so that the stack may be of generally uniform thickness at opposite ends. After the bags have been compressed between the compression plates, a sheet of wrapping paper is applied around the stack of bags and the compression plates, and the ends of the wrapping sheet are taped together to form a sleeve. The bags are then forced from between the compression plates and the stack of bags expands to fill the wrapping sleeve. The wrapping sleeve is often somewhat longer than the stack of bags so that the ends of the sleeve may be folded against the ends of the stack. The sleeve may be either taped or tied in this wrapped condition.
While the stack of bags may be slightly compressed together at the completion of the wrapping operation, usually the degree of any such compression is very small. Obviously, the wrapping paper is applied both about the stack of bags and the compression plates, the stack may be expanded at least to the volume previously occupied by the stack and the compression plates. Furthermore, in view of the fact that the ends of the wrapping strip are merely taped together, the wrapper would rupture if the degree of compression was very great. In addition, as the amount of compression is increased, the difficulty involved in forcing the stack of bags from between the compression plates is similarly increased. As a result, the packages of bags produced in the normal manner is under no more than slight compression at the most.
While paper bags have been successfully packaged in this way for many years, there are certain disadvantages which have always been present. There is substantially a fixed time for compressing the stack of bags, applying the wrapper around the stack, taping the wrapper to form a sleeve, and ejecting the stack of bags and wrapper. The bags are formed by the bag machine at a relatively high rate of speed. The time required to wrap the bags makes it necessary to package a minimum of perhaps 500 bags in a bundle. If a lesser number of bags were packaged in the bundle, it would be necessary either to reduce the speed of the bag making machine, or else to provide two bag compressing and wrapping stations in place of one, thus doubling the cost of this operation. As a result, the bundles are large and awkward to handle making it difficult for women employees of the supermarket or similar store to handle the bags. Furthermore, the bundles of bags are bulky enough so that a full freight car of bags will weigh far less than the permissible maximum, thus materially increasing the cost of shipping the bags.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that if bags are bundled by use of a suitable machine, the bags may be subjected to high compression and tapes such as ribbons of plastic material or the like may be applied to the stack of bags while under compression, much of the compression of the bundle may be retained. By suitably designing the equipment, the bags may be bundled in units containing perhaps 250 bags and the space required per thousand bags may be reduced as much as 40 percent. The resulting bundles are thus relatively small and can readily be handled by the female help of a supermarket or the like. Furthermore, the number of bags shipped in a freight car may be correspondingly increased, resulting in a very material reduction in the shipping costs.
An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a baling apparatus designed to receive and accumulate a stack of bags in superimposed relation. When the desired number of bags is accumulated, the stack is pre-compressed and delivered to a compression section in which the bags are greatly compressed. While held in a compressed condition, straps formed of suitable material are wound about the bundle, and the straps are connected encircling the bundle. The compression is then released, leaving the strapped stack of bags in a highly compressed state. The strapped bundle is ejected from the apparatus, and a new cycle is started.
A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of the type described including a hopper for receiving the stack of bags and which, after receiving the bags, is tilted so that the stack of bags rests against the wall of the hopper. While in tilted relation, a transfer carriage which straddles the hopper is moved laterally to transfer the bags from the hopper into the compression section of the apparatus. The carriage remains in this position during the compressing and strapping operations. At the completion of these operations, the carriage returns to its starting position, carrying the compressed bundle to a discharge position during this return movement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a bag baling apparatus showing the input and the stacking apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the bag baling apparatus showing the manner in which a stack of bags is delivered to a hopper.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the bag hopper in tilted position.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the transfer of the stack of bags into compression position.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the stack of bags in compressed position.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the compressed stack of bags being encircled by strap engaging chains.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the compressed stack of bags showing the manner in which the straps are drawn about the stack.
FIG. 8 shows the strapped bale of bags after the compression is released.
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the return transfer of the baled stack of bags.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the discharge of the baled bags.
FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of the hopper portion of the apparatus.
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the loading side or left hand side of the apparatus.
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the transfer carriage frame.
FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic top view of the frame showing the transfer mechanism.
FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the compression side, or right side of the apparatus.
FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the compression unit showing the chain tracks therein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
At the outset, it should be explained that the present baling apparatus is designed to bale or bundle paper bags, although obviously the apparatus could be used for baling other products. Paper bags are usually formed so that the bottom of the bags may comprise eight or nine thicknesses of paper, while the upper portions of the bag are usually of four thicknesses. As a result, when bags are placed in superimposed relation, they form a wedge shaped mass as indicated in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings. In order to form a stack which is of generally uniform height at both ends, the bags are stacked in groups or "hands" each of which may contain perhaps 25 bags. In order to simplify the task of alternately reversing the ends of the hands, the bags may be directed from the bag making machine to a collator which delivers the hands of bags to a conveyor with the ends of the hands alternately reversed. The collator is not illustrated in the drawings.
FIG. 1 through 10 of the drawings show the apparatus in block form in order to provide a simple indication of what takes place from the time the hands of bags are delivered from the collator until the stacks are discharged in baled form. FIG. 1 of the drawings indicates diagrammatically a conveyor identified by the numeral 10 which is conveying the alternately related hands A of bags to a position beneath a stacker and accumulator which is diagrammatically illustrated in this figure by the arrow B. The hands of bags A are delivered one at a time to the stacker and accumulator and are elevated by the stacker B until a stack of bags of proper size is formed. The stack of bags may preferably be any even number of hands A to form a stack C which the accumulator is designed to accommodate. The letter D designates the entire apparatus in block form.
In FIG. 2 of the drawings the stack of the bags C is being forced by a cylinder plunger 11 into a hopper indicated in general by the letter E. The hopper E is provided with an open front side so that the bag stack may be readily inserted. Once in place, the stack of bags is initially partially compressed by means not illustrated in these figures, this compression tending to remove air from the bags, and to hold them from falling from the open front and sides of the hopper E. The hopper in its entirety is tilted upwardly and rearwardly as indicated by the arrow 12 so that the bags are held against the rear wall and bottom panel of the hopper.
From the position indicated in FIG. 3, the stack of bags is conveyed while still in its rearwardly tilted form into a compression unit by a carriage which is diagrammatically illustrated by the arrow F. The carriage is actually a movable frame which slides the stack along supports coplanar with the tilted rear wall of the hopper and the bottom wall thereof. The carriage staddles the stack, and remains in position during the compression operation.
As indicated in FIG. 5 of the drawings, a compression unit G acts to compress the stack of bags C to a fraction of their original size. As will be later described, the compression unit includes a compression plate operated by a piston and cylinder to force the bags against a fixed platen at the bottom of the stack. As will be also later described in detail, the compression unit includes a strapping unit designed to attach a pair of straps in stack encircling position while the stack is under compression.
In FIG. 6 of the drawings a pair of strap feeding chains are forced in tracks 14 in the direction of the arrow shown in the left part of FIG. 6. At the completion of this operation, means are provided for clamping the ends of baling straps to the ends of the chains bearing the arrow points in FIG. 6. As inciated diagrammatically in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the direction of movement of the chains in the tracks 14 is then reversed, and the straps which had been clamped to the ends of the chain are then drawn completely about the compressed stack C. The ends of the strap are secured together and serve to hold the straps in bundle encircling position after the compression in the compression unit has been released as is indicated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.
The position of the carriage F is then reversed, carrying the baled bundle C over a tilted plate on the rear of the hopper E, which guides the bundles C to a discharge conveyor or other suitable discharge means. These steps are designed to indicate merely diagrammatically the position of the bags during the stacking, compressing, and other steps of the baling process.
STACKER AND ACCUMULATOR
The stacker and accumulator B are diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 12 of the drawing. The conveyor 10 indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings forces each hand of bags onto a dead plate 23, the conveyor 10 operating intermittently. Further movement of the conveyor 10 in the direction of the arrow 24 forces the foremost hand of bags onto a plunger plate 25 mounted on the upper end of the plunger 26 and against a guide plate 27, which limits the movement of the hand of bags. The plunger 26 is operated by mechanical linkage which is cam driven by the collator not shown in the drawings. The plunger 26 raises the hand of bags past a pair of opposed hinged plates 29 and 30 which are hingedly connected to fixed portions of the frame along parallel hinges 31 and 32. Then hand of bags is elevated until the under surface of the hand is above the broken line level 33. The plunger 26 then moves downwardly, lowering the hand of bags until it rests upon the hinged plates 29 and 30. The plunger 26 continues downwardly into the position indicated in FIG. 12 to receive a second hand of bags. This operation continues until a predetermined number of hands have been elevated which is sufficient to fill the stacker accumulator B. A counter 34 is actuated by each pivotal movement of the plate 30 so as to count the proper number of hands.
The stack accumulator B includes side plates 35, one of which is shown in FIG. 12 and a top panel 36 which limits the upward movement of the stack of hands in the accumulator. A pusher plate 37 is mounted upon a piston rod 39 actuated by a cylinder 40. When the proper number of hands have been accumulated, the vertically movable plunger plate 25 remains in elevated position at the broken line 33 while the pusher plate 37 forces the stack of bags into the hopper E.
THE HOPPER
The hopper E. includes a bottom wall 41, a right angularly extending vertical rear wall 42, and a top wall 43. The bottom wall 41, and the top wall 43, are provided with grooves 44 and 45 therein for a purpose which will be later described. Lugs 46 extend upwardly from the top wall 43 to pivotally support one end of a cylinder 47 having a reciprocal piston rod 49. A clamping plate 50 is hingedly connected to the top wall 43 by a hinge 51, and the plate 50 includes a lug 52 pivotally attached at 53 to the piston rod 49. This clamping plate 50 is hinged downwardly by the piston 49 when the stack of bags has been fed into the hopper E so as to hold the bags engaged in the hopper while the hopper is being tilted.
The hopper E is supported by a pair of parallel plates 54. The plates 54 are connected by a channel member 59. As indicated in FIG. 12, the plates 54 are somewhat L-shaped in form including upwardly and forwardly extending legs 60 welded or otherwise secured to the hopper bottom 41, and right angularly extending legs 61 having edges 62 welded or otherwise secured to the rear panel 42 of the hopper, the ends of the legs 61 supporting a plate 63 rearwardly of the rear wall 42 of the hopper and at an angle of approximately 45° with respect thereto.
The frame of the apparatus which may be indicated in general by the numeral 64 includes a pair of parallel frame members of generally similar form. These frame members are on opposite sides of the hopper E and the general form thereof is indicated in FIG. 12. The spaced parallel frame members 65 include parallel uprights 66 and 67 connected at their upper ends by cross connecting members 69 and 70, the cross connecting member 69 of the right hand member 65 being above the level of the cross connecting member 70 of the left hand member 65 as viewed in FIG. 11. The frame members 65 each also include an inclined cross brace 71 which angles upwardly and forwardly from the rear upright 66 to the forward upright 67 and is at generally a 45° angle with respect thereto. A second angled brace 72 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the lower portion of the front upright 67 and is welded to the angle brace 71 at its upper end. The two parallel frame members 65 are connected by transverse channels 73 near the lower ends of the uprights, and by parallel channels near the ends of the uprights which will be described.
Lugs 75 extend upwardly and forwardly from the inclined braces 72 and support a pivot shaft 76 extending through the angular legs 60 of the hopper supporting plates 54. A cross member 77 connects the frame members 72 and supports a bracket 79 which is pivotally connected to a cylinder 80 by means of a pivot 81. The channel member 59 is also provided with a central lug 82 pivotally connected to the piston rod 83 reciprocal in the cylinder 80 by a pivot 84. Thus upon movement of the piston rod 83, the entire hopper E may be tilted from the upright position shown in FIG. 12 in full lines to the tilted position indicated partically by the dotted outline in this Figure.
The main purpose of the hopper construction which has been described is to swing the stack of bags from stack receiving position to a tilted position within a carriage F so that the clamping pressure on the bags may be released and the bags will be held by gravity against the rear wall 42 of the hopper and the bottom plate 41 thereof as the carriage moves the stack from the hopper to the compression unit. The carriage is designed to hold the sides of the stack in proper relation from the time the stack of bags is tilted into the carriage until the stack is completely baled and returned to discharge position.
THE CARRIAGE
The carriage is constructed as is best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 of the drawings. The carriage includes a pair of parallel bearings 92 connected in parallel relation by a suitable connecting member 93. Rollers 94 are pivotally supported at opposite ends of the bearings 92. An upright frame support 95 extends downwardly from each bearing, the uprights being in spaced parallel relation, and being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the stack of bags and the hopper E. Angular braces 96 tend to hold the uprights rigid. Each upright 95 supports a generally rectangular frame 97, the frames 97 being parallel and spaced to accommodate the hopper and the stack of bags there between. While the construction of the frames 97 may be varied, in general they include a series of spaced parallel bars 99 held in position by right angularly extending connecting members 100. The bars 99 and connecting members 100 are arranged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the vertical or parallel to the rear wall 42 and bottom wall 41 of the hopper E in its tilted position.
The ends of the bag 99 which are closest to the rear panel 42 of the hopper are preferably slightly longer than the other bars 99 to provide slightly extending ends 101 designed to extend into the grooves 44 and 45 in the bottom and top walls 41 and 43 of the hopper E. The purpose of this arrangement is merely to insure the engagement of all of the bags in the stack C by the carriage when the stack is being shifted from the hopper to compression position.
The carriage is moved by the mechanism indicated in FIG. 14 of the drawings. An end frame member 103 which is virtually identical with the frames 65 is supported in parallel relation to the frames 65, and is connected thereto by longitudinally extending channels 104 and 105 near the upper ends thereof, as well as by the channels 73 near the lower ends thereof. Tracks 106 connect the cross members 70 and 108 of the end frames of the series, the top cross memger 69 of the intermediate frame member 65 being above the level of members 70 and 108. The carriage is designed to move along the parallel tracks 106, the rollers 94 riding on the upper surfaces of the tracks. Rollers 107 may be mounted on lugs 109 on the carriage, the rollers 107 being arranged on vertical parallel axes, and the surfaces of the rollers engaging the inner opposed surfaces of tracks 106.
A bracket 110 is mounted on the frame channel 105 and pivotally supports a toggle lever 111, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 112 to one end of a second toggle lever 113. The other end of the second toggle lever 113 is pivotally connected at 114 to suitable means on the carriage F. The pivotal connection 114 is preferably at the left hand end of the carriage F as viewed in the Figures. A cylinder 115 has one end pivotally connected to a bracket 116 on the frame member 105, and a clevis 117 on the piston rod 119 of the cylinder 115 is pivotally connected to the toggle lever 111. Outward movement of the piston rod 119 will pivot the toggle links from the full line position to the broken line position in FIG. 14, and moving the carriage F from one extreme position to another. This movement transfers the bag stack from the hopper to compression position.
COMPRESSION UNIT
The compression unit is designed to receive a stack of bags carried into the compression unit by the carriage, and to compress the stack of bags to approximately 40 percent their original size. The compression unit also incorporates means for drawing a pair of straps about the compressed bundle, clamping the ends of the straps together and cutting the strap before releasing compression so that the bale may be discharged by the carriage. The construction is illustrated in FIG. 15.
As is indicated in FIG. 15, an I beam 121 is welded or otherwise secured between the end frame 103 and the intermediate frame member 65. The central web 122 is arranged at an angle of 45° to horizontal, and is located in parallel relation to the bottom platen 123 of the compression unit, the upper surface of which is coplanar with the bottom panel of the hopper E in tilted position thereof. The web 122 of the I beam 121 supports a compression cylinder 124 having a piston and piston rod 125 which supports a compression plate 126. The central portion of the compression plate 126 is designed to ride along supporting means, the forward surface of which is coplanar with the rear wall 42 of the hopper E when the hopper is in its tilted position.
As indicated in FIG. 16, corner blocks 133 are secured along the upper and lower edges of the compression plate. These blocks 133 have arcuate grooves 134 which form a continuation of the chain groove 130. The bottom plate 123 is also provided with a corner block 135 which forms a continuation of a chain groove 136 extending through the platen and communicating with the surface thereof by a groove 137. There are actually two such chain grooves extending into the platen 123, these grooves being located near opposite ends thereof. A fixed upper side wall 139 is supported by the corner block 135 and extends in right angular relation to the surface of the platen 123. The side wall 139 is provided with chain grooves 140 therein which form a continuation of the groove 141 in the corner block 135.
As will be noted in FIG. 16 of the drawings, when the compression plate 126 is in projected position to compress the stack of bags, there are two continuous chain tracks extending entirely about the stack of bags, one of which is shown in this Figure. One side of each of these tracks extend through the compression plate 126 and the attached corner blocks 133. A second side of the track is provided in the wall 139 and attached corner block 135. A third side of the track extends through the platen 123. The fourth side of the track includes a double track arrangement which includes a strap feed apparatus 142, and a chain guide or retractable corner block and wall section 143. This retractable corner block and wall section includes an inner chain track 144 and corner section 145 as well as an outer track section 146 which is aligned with the portion of the track extending through the strap feed apparatus 142 and the corner block 134 in one position thereof. In its other extreme position, the corner block and wall section 143 is retracted to expose portions of the straps so that these portions may be clipped together.
STRAP FEED APPARATUS
In general, when the compression plate is in compression position, completing the chain track about the stack of bags, a pair of chains are driven by sprockets to progress entirely about the stack of bags until the ends of the chains overlap other portions of the same chairs. Clamps are provided on the ends of the chain which engage the ends of baling straps fed from reels of strapping material. The chains are then drawn in a reverse direction, pulling the straps entirely about the bale until the clamped ends of the tape overlap adjoining portions of the straps. The ends of the straps are then clipped together to hold the bale under compression.
The chains 155 are driven by sprockets 156 mounted upon shafts 157 which are supported in axial alignment. Each shaft 157 is provided with a gear 159 which is engaged by a gear rack 160 for rotation thereby. The racks 160 are connected by a yoke 161 which in turn is connected by a clevis 162 to a piston rod 163 secured to a piston mounted in a cylinder 165. As the piston is reciprocated in the cylinder 165, the racks 160 are moved simultaneously in suitable supports 166, rotating the gears 159 which act through the shafts 157 to rotate the sprockets 156 and to move the chains 155. The free ends of the chains 155 are provided with strap clamps 167.
Fluid directed to the lower end of compression cylinder 124, retracting the pressure plate connected thereto. As the pressure plate reaches retracted position, a limit valve is actuated. This action directs fluid to the right end of the transfer cylinder 115, moving the transfer mechanism back to starting position. The cylinder is then completed and is in readiness for the next cycle. As soon as the switch is actuated, the new cycle starts.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the stack of bags is inserted into the hopper, the hopper tilted, the stack transferred to compression position, and compressed. The straps are drawn into position encircling the bale, and clipped together. The strapped bale is transferred to discharge position and discharged. This entire operation is completely automatic, one movement initiating the next automatically.
In accordance with the Patent Statues, I have described the principals of construction and operation of my baling apparatus; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Paper bags such as those used in supermarkets and the like are usually packaged in bundles each containing a predetermined number of bags, such as 500 bags for example. A stack of 500 bags is placed between a pair of compression plates which are supported in cantilever style, and the compression plates are moved together to somewhat reduce the size of the stack. In view of the fact that the bottom portions of the flat bags are thicker than the remainder thereof the bags are usually assembled in groups of perhaps 25 bags, and the position of the ends of the bag is alternated so that the stack may be of generally uniform thickness at opposite ends. After the bags have been compressed between the compression plates, a sheet of wrapping paper is applied around the stack of bags and the compression plates, and the ends of the wrapping sheet are taped together to form a sleeve. The bags are then forced from between the compression plates and the stack of bags expands to fill the wrapping sleeve. The wrapping sleeve is often somewhat longer than the stack of bags so that the ends of the sleeve may be folded against the ends of the stack. The sleeve may be either taped or tied in this wrapped condition.
While the stack of bags may be slightly compressed together at the completion of the wrapping operation, usually the degree of any such compression is very small. Obviously, the wrapping paper is applied both about the stack of bags and the compression plates, the stack may be expanded at least to the volume previously occupied by the stack and the compression plates. Furthermore, in view of the fact that the ends of the wrapping strip are merely taped together, the wrapper would rupture if the degree of compression was very great. In addition, as the amount of compression is increased, the difficulty involved in forcing the stack of bags from between the compression plates is similarly increased. As a result, the packages of bags produced in the normal manner is under no more than slight compression at the most.
While paper bags have been successfully packaged in this way for many years, there are certain disadvantages which have always been present. There is substantially a fixed time for compressing the stack of bags, applying the wrapper around the stack, taping the wrapper to form a sleeve, and ejecting the stack of bags and wrapper. The bags are formed by the bag machine at a relatively high rate of speed. The time required to wrap the bags makes it necessary to package a minimum of perhaps 500 bags in a bundle. If a lesser number of bags were packaged in the bundle, it would be necessary either to reduce the speed of the bag making machine, or else to provide two bag compressing and wrapping stations in place of one, thus doubling the cost of this operation. As a result, the bundles are large and awkward to handle making it difficult for women employees of the supermarket or similar store to handle the bags. Furthermore, the bundles of bags are bulky enough so that a full freight car of bags will weigh far less than the permissible maximum, thus materially increasing the cost of shipping the bags.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that if bags are bundled by use of a suitable machine, the bags may be subjected to high compression and tapes such as ribbons of plastic material or the like may be applied to the stack of bags while under compression, much of the compression of the bundle may be retained. By suitably designing the equipment, the bags may be bundled in units containing perhaps 250 bags and the space required per thousand bags may be reduced as much as 40 percent. The resulting bundles are thus relatively small and can readily be handled by the female help of a supermarket or the like. Furthermore, the number of bags shipped in a freight car may be correspondingly increased, resulting in a very material reduction in the shipping costs.
An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a baling apparatus designed to receive and accumulate a stack of bags in superimposed relation. When the desired number of bags is accumulated, the stack is pre-compressed and delivered to a compression section in which the bags are greatly compressed. While held in a compressed condition, straps formed of suitable material are wound about the bundle, and the straps are connected encircling the bundle. The compression is then released, leaving the strapped stack of bags in a highly compressed state. The strapped bundle is ejected from the apparatus, and a new cycle is started.
A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of the type described including a hopper for receiving the stack of bags and which, after receiving the bags, is tilted so that the stack of bags rests against the wall of the hopper. While in tilted relation, a transfer carriage which straddles the hopper is moved laterally to transfer the bags from the hopper into the compression section of the apparatus. The carriage remains in this position during the compressing and strapping operations. At the completion of these operations, the carriage returns to its starting position, carrying the compressed bundle to a discharge position during this return movement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a bag baling apparatus showing the input and the stacking apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the bag baling apparatus showing the manner in which a stack of bags is delivered to a hopper.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the bag hopper in tilted position.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the transfer of the stack of bags into compression position.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the stack of bags in compressed position.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the compressed stack of bags being encircled by strap engaging chains.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the compressed stack of bags showing the manner in which the straps are drawn about the stack.
FIG. 8 shows the strapped bale of bags after the compression is released.
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the return transfer of the baled stack of bags.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the discharge of the baled bags.
FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of the hopper portion of the apparatus.
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the loading side or left hand side of the apparatus.
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the transfer carriage frame.
FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic top view of the frame showing the transfer mechanism.
FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the compression side, or right side of the apparatus.
FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the compression unit showing the chain tracks therein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
At the outset, it should be explained that the present baling apparatus is designed to bale or bundle paper bags, although obviously the apparatus could be used for baling other products. Paper bags are usually formed so that the bottom of the bags may comprise eight or nine thicknesses of paper, while the upper portions of the bag are usually of four thicknesses. As a result, when bags are placed in superimposed relation, they form a wedge shaped mass as indicated in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings. In order to form a stack which is of generally uniform height at both ends, the bags are stacked in groups or "hands" each of which may contain perhaps 25 bags. In order to simplify the task of alternately reversing the ends of the hands, the bags may be directed from the bag making machine to a collator which delivers the hands of bags to a conveyor with the ends of the hands alternately reversed. The collator is not illustrated in the drawings.
FIG. 1 through 10 of the drawings show the apparatus in block form in order to provide a simple indication of what takes place from the time the hands of bags are delivered from the collator until the stacks are discharged in baled form. FIG. 1 of the drawings indicates diagrammatically a conveyor identified by the numeral 10 which is conveying the alternately related hands A of bags to a position beneath a stacker and accumulator which is diagrammatically illustrated in this figure by the arrow B. The hands of bags A are delivered one at a time to the stacker and accumulator and are elevated by the stacker B until a stack of bags of proper size is formed. The stack of bags may preferably be any even number of hands A to form a stack C which the accumulator is designed to accommodate. The letter D designates the entire apparatus in block form.
In FIG. 2 of the drawings the stack of the bags C is being forced by a cylinder plunger 11 into a hopper indicated in general by the letter E. The hopper E is provided with an open front side so that the bag stack may be readily inserted. Once in place, the stack of bags is initially partially compressed by means not illustrated in these figures, this compression tending to remove air from the bags, and to hold them from falling from the open front and sides of the hopper E. The hopper in its entirety is tilted upwardly and rearwardly as indicated by the arrow 12 so that the bags are held against the rear wall and bottom panel of the hopper.
From the position indicated in FIG. 3, the stack of bags is conveyed while still in its rearwardly tilted form into a compression unit by a carriage which is diagrammatically illustrated by the arrow F. The carriage is actually a movable frame which slides the stack along supports coplanar with the tilted rear wall of the hopper and the bottom wall thereof. The carriage staddles the stack, and remains in position during the compression operation.
As indicated in FIG. 5 of the drawings, a compression unit G acts to compress the stack of bags C to a fraction of their original size. As will be later described, the compression unit includes a compression plate operated by a piston and cylinder to force the bags against a fixed platen at the bottom of the stack. As will be also later described in detail, the compression unit includes a strapping unit designed to attach a pair of straps in stack encircling position while the stack is under compression.
In FIG. 6 of the drawings a pair of strap feeding chains are forced in tracks 14 in the direction of the arrow shown in the left part of FIG. 6. At the completion of this operation, means are provided for clamping the ends of baling straps to the ends of the chains bearing the arrow points in FIG. 6. As inciated diagrammatically in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the direction of movement of the chains in the tracks 14 is then reversed, and the straps which had been clamped to the ends of the chain are then drawn completely about the compressed stack C. The ends of the strap are secured together and serve to hold the straps in bundle encircling position after the compression in the compression unit has been released as is indicated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.
The position of the carriage F is then reversed, carrying the baled bundle C over a tilted plate on the rear of the hopper E, which guides the bundles C to a discharge conveyor or other suitable discharge means. These steps are designed to indicate merely diagrammatically the position of the bags during the stacking, compressing, and other steps of the baling process.
STACKER AND ACCUMULATOR
The stacker and accumulator B are diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 12 of the drawing. The conveyor 10 indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings forces each hand of bags onto a dead plate 23, the conveyor 10 operating intermittently. Further movement of the conveyor 10 in the direction of the arrow 24 forces the foremost hand of bags onto a plunger plate 25 mounted on the upper end of the plunger 26 and against a guide plate 27, which limits the movement of the hand of bags. The plunger 26 is operated by mechanical linkage which is cam driven by the collator not shown in the drawings. The plunger 26 raises the hand of bags past a pair of opposed hinged plates 29 and 30 which are hingedly connected to fixed portions of the frame along parallel hinges 31 and 32. Then hand of bags is elevated until the under surface of the hand is above the broken line level 33. The plunger 26 then moves downwardly, lowering the hand of bags until it rests upon the hinged plates 29 and 30. The plunger 26 continues downwardly into the position indicated in FIG. 12 to receive a second hand of bags. This operation continues until a predetermined number of hands have been elevated which is sufficient to fill the stacker accumulator B. A counter 34 is actuated by each pivotal movement of the plate 30 so as to count the proper number of hands.
The stack accumulator B includes side plates 35, one of which is shown in FIG. 12 and a top panel 36 which limits the upward movement of the stack of hands in the accumulator. A pusher plate 37 is mounted upon a piston rod 39 actuated by a cylinder 40. When the proper number of hands have been accumulated, the vertically movable plunger plate 25 remains in elevated position at the broken line 33 while the pusher plate 37 forces the stack of bags into the hopper E.
THE HOPPER
The hopper E. includes a bottom wall 41, a right angularly extending vertical rear wall 42, and a top wall 43. The bottom wall 41, and the top wall 43, are provided with grooves 44 and 45 therein for a purpose which will be later described. Lugs 46 extend upwardly from the top wall 43 to pivotally support one end of a cylinder 47 having a reciprocal piston rod 49. A clamping plate 50 is hingedly connected to the top wall 43 by a hinge 51, and the plate 50 includes a lug 52 pivotally attached at 53 to the piston rod 49. This clamping plate 50 is hinged downwardly by the piston 49 when the stack of bags has been fed into the hopper E so as to hold the bags engaged in the hopper while the hopper is being tilted.
The hopper E is supported by a pair of parallel plates 54. The plates 54 are connected by a channel member 59. As indicated in FIG. 12, the plates 54 are somewhat L-shaped in form including upwardly and forwardly extending legs 60 welded or otherwise secured to the hopper bottom 41, and right angularly extending legs 61 having edges 62 welded or otherwise secured to the rear panel 42 of the hopper, the ends of the legs 61 supporting a plate 63 rearwardly of the rear wall 42 of the hopper and at an angle of approximately 45° with respect thereto.
The frame of the apparatus which may be indicated in general by the numeral 64 includes a pair of parallel frame members of generally similar form. These frame members are on opposite sides of the hopper E and the general form thereof is indicated in FIG. 12. The spaced parallel frame members 65 include parallel uprights 66 and 67 connected at their upper ends by cross connecting members 69 and 70, the cross connecting member 69 of the right hand member 65 being above the level of the cross connecting member 70 of the left hand member 65 as viewed in FIG. 11. The frame members 65 each also include an inclined cross brace 71 which angles upwardly and forwardly from the rear upright 66 to the forward upright 67 and is at generally a 45° angle with respect thereto. A second angled brace 72 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the lower portion of the front upright 67 and is welded to the angle brace 71 at its upper end. The two parallel frame members 65 are connected by transverse channels 73 near the lower ends of the uprights, and by parallel channels near the ends of the uprights which will be described.
Lugs 75 extend upwardly and forwardly from the inclined braces 72 and support a pivot shaft 76 extending through the angular legs 60 of the hopper supporting plates 54. A cross member 77 connects the frame members 72 and supports a bracket 79 which is pivotally connected to a cylinder 80 by means of a pivot 81. The channel member 59 is also provided with a central lug 82 pivotally connected to the piston rod 83 reciprocal in the cylinder 80 by a pivot 84. Thus upon movement of the piston rod 83, the entire hopper E may be tilted from the upright position shown in FIG. 12 in full lines to the tilted position indicated partically by the dotted outline in this Figure.
The main purpose of the hopper construction which has been described is to swing the stack of bags from stack receiving position to a tilted position within a carriage F so that the clamping pressure on the bags may be released and the bags will be held by gravity against the rear wall 42 of the hopper and the bottom plate 41 thereof as the carriage moves the stack from the hopper to the compression unit. The carriage is designed to hold the sides of the stack in proper relation from the time the stack of bags is tilted into the carriage until the stack is completely baled and returned to discharge position.
THE CARRIAGE
The carriage is constructed as is best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 of the drawings. The carriage includes a pair of parallel bearings 92 connected in parallel relation by a suitable connecting member 93. Rollers 94 are pivotally supported at opposite ends of the bearings 92. An upright frame support 95 extends downwardly from each bearing, the uprights being in spaced parallel relation, and being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the stack of bags and the hopper E. Angular braces 96 tend to hold the uprights rigid. Each upright 95 supports a generally rectangular frame 97, the frames 97 being parallel and spaced to accommodate the hopper and the stack of bags there between. While the construction of the frames 97 may be varied, in general they include a series of spaced parallel bars 99 held in position by right angularly extending connecting members 100. The bars 99 and connecting members 100 are arranged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the vertical or parallel to the rear wall 42 and bottom wall 41 of the hopper E in its tilted position.
The ends of the bag 99 which are closest to the rear panel 42 of the hopper are preferably slightly longer than the other bars 99 to provide slightly extending ends 101 designed to extend into the grooves 44 and 45 in the bottom and top walls 41 and 43 of the hopper E. The purpose of this arrangement is merely to insure the engagement of all of the bags in the stack C by the carriage when the stack is being shifted from the hopper to compression position.
The carriage is moved by the mechanism indicated in FIG. 14 of the drawings. An end frame member 103 which is virtually identical with the frames 65 is supported in parallel relation to the frames 65, and is connected thereto by longitudinally extending channels 104 and 105 near the upper ends thereof, as well as by the channels 73 near the lower ends thereof. Tracks 106 connect the cross members 70 and 108 of the end frames of the series, the top cross memger 69 of the intermediate frame member 65 being above the level of members 70 and 108. The carriage is designed to move along the parallel tracks 106, the rollers 94 riding on the upper surfaces of the tracks. Rollers 107 may be mounted on lugs 109 on the carriage, the rollers 107 being arranged on vertical parallel axes, and the surfaces of the rollers engaging the inner opposed surfaces of tracks 106.
A bracket 110 is mounted on the frame channel 105 and pivotally supports a toggle lever 111, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 112 to one end of a second toggle lever 113. The other end of the second toggle lever 113 is pivotally connected at 114 to suitable means on the carriage F. The pivotal connection 114 is preferably at the left hand end of the carriage F as viewed in the Figures. A cylinder 115 has one end pivotally connected to a bracket 116 on the frame member 105, and a clevis 117 on the piston rod 119 of the cylinder 115 is pivotally connected to the toggle lever 111. Outward movement of the piston rod 119 will pivot the toggle links from the full line position to the broken line position in FIG. 14, and moving the carriage F from one extreme position to another. This movement transfers the bag stack from the hopper to compression position.
COMPRESSION UNIT
The compression unit is designed to receive a stack of bags carried into the compression unit by the carriage, and to compress the stack of bags to approximately 40 percent their original size. The compression unit also incorporates means for drawing a pair of straps about the compressed bundle, clamping the ends of the straps together and cutting the strap before releasing compression so that the bale may be discharged by the carriage. The construction is illustrated in FIG. 15.
As is indicated in FIG. 15, an I beam 121 is welded or otherwise secured between the end frame 103 and the intermediate frame member 65. The central web 122 is arranged at an angle of 45° to horizontal, and is located in parallel relation to the bottom platen 123 of the compression unit, the upper surface of which is coplanar with the bottom panel of the hopper E in tilted position thereof. The web 122 of the I beam 121 supports a compression cylinder 124 having a piston and piston rod 125 which supports a compression plate 126. The central portion of the compression plate 126 is designed to ride along supporting means, the forward surface of which is coplanar with the rear wall 42 of the hopper E when the hopper is in its tilted position.
As indicated in FIG. 16, corner blocks 133 are secured along the upper and lower edges of the compression plate. These blocks 133 have arcuate grooves 134 which form a continuation of the chain groove 130. The bottom plate 123 is also provided with a corner block 135 which forms a continuation of a chain groove 136 extending through the platen and communicating with the surface thereof by a groove 137. There are actually two such chain grooves extending into the platen 123, these grooves being located near opposite ends thereof. A fixed upper side wall 139 is supported by the corner block 135 and extends in right angular relation to the surface of the platen 123. The side wall 139 is provided with chain grooves 140 therein which form a continuation of the groove 141 in the corner block 135.
As will be noted in FIG. 16 of the drawings, when the compression plate 126 is in projected position to compress the stack of bags, there are two continuous chain tracks extending entirely about the stack of bags, one of which is shown in this Figure. One side of each of these tracks extend through the compression plate 126 and the attached corner blocks 133. A second side of the track is provided in the wall 139 and attached corner block 135. A third side of the track extends through the platen 123. The fourth side of the track includes a double track arrangement which includes a strap feed apparatus 142, and a chain guide or retractable corner block and wall section 143. This retractable corner block and wall section includes an inner chain track 144 and corner section 145 as well as an outer track section 146 which is aligned with the portion of the track extending through the strap feed apparatus 142 and the corner block 134 in one position thereof. In its other extreme position, the corner block and wall section 143 is retracted to expose portions of the straps so that these portions may be clipped together.
STRAP FEED APPARATUS
In general, when the compression plate is in compression position, completing the chain track about the stack of bags, a pair of chains are driven by sprockets to progress entirely about the stack of bags until the ends of the chains overlap other portions of the same chairs. Clamps are provided on the ends of the chain which engage the ends of baling straps fed from reels of strapping material. The chains are then drawn in a reverse direction, pulling the straps entirely about the bale until the clamped ends of the tape overlap adjoining portions of the straps. The ends of the straps are then clipped together to hold the bale under compression.
The chains 155 are driven by sprockets 156 mounted upon shafts 157 which are supported in axial alignment. Each shaft 157 is provided with a gear 159 which is engaged by a gear rack 160 for rotation thereby. The racks 160 are connected by a yoke 161 which in turn is connected by a clevis 162 to a piston rod 163 secured to a piston mounted in a cylinder 165. As the piston is reciprocated in the cylinder 165, the racks 160 are moved simultaneously in suitable supports 166, rotating the gears 159 which act through the shafts 157 to rotate the sprockets 156 and to move the chains 155. The free ends of the chains 155 are provided with strap clamps 167.
Fluid directed to the lower end of compression cylinder 124, retracting the pressure plate connected thereto. As the pressure plate reaches retracted position, a limit valve is actuated. This action directs fluid to the right end of the transfer cylinder 115, moving the transfer mechanism back to starting position. The cylinder is then completed and is in readiness for the next cycle. As soon as the switch is actuated, the new cycle starts.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the stack of bags is inserted into the hopper, the hopper tilted, the stack transferred to compression position, and compressed. The straps are drawn into position encircling the bale, and clipped together. The strapped bale is transferred to discharge position and discharged. This entire operation is completely automatic, one movement initiating the next automatically.
In accordance with the Patent Statues, I have described the principals of construction and operation of my baling apparatus; and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.