GB2110636A

GB2110636A - Apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2110636A
Application number: GB08234474A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Schwake; Heinz Gausling
Original assignee: Haver and Boecker OHG
Current assignee: Haver and Boecker OHG
Priority date: 1981-12-05
Filing date: 1982-12-03
Publication date: 1983-06-22
Also published as: DE3148195C2; ES517899A0; DE3148195A1; FR2517627B1; FR2517627A1; GB2110636B; IT8212679A0; ES8308276A1; BE895230A; IT1208084B; BR8207026A

Abstract

Valved bags 1 which are to be filled by means of a filling machine 17 are taken from a store, and individually fitted onto filling connections 21 of the filling machine 17. Each separated bag 1 is conveyed to the filling connection 21 by a conveyor 5, 8 in a rectilinear movement. The valve is opened by the operation of separating the individual bag and is disposed in alignment with the filling connection 21, during the conveying motion. The operation of fitting the bag onto the filling connection 21 takes place in three steps which occur simultaneously for three successive bags. In the first step, by means of pivotal suction members, the bag is drawn from the store and at the same time the valve is opened, in the second step, the bag is moved towards the filling connection 21, into a waiting position, by means of cooperating roller/belt conveyor 5, 8, and in the third step the bag is moved from the waiting position and fitted onto the filling connection 21. The valve is held in the opened position during the conveying movement by pivotally mounted guide plates 13 and 14 which, after fitting of the valve on the filling connection, can be pivoted apart to avoid influence with the applied bag. When the bag fitting apparatus is used with a rotary packing machine, the fitting apparatus is arranged in the form of an operating unit on a carrier 9 which is pivotal about a vertical axis 41. During the movement of conveying a bag from the waiting position into the filling position, the fitting apparatus is pivoted by an entrainment member 23 arranged on the filling connection engaging an entrainment lever 20. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine The invention relates to apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine.

Such apparatus may comprise a bag separating means for taking bags individually from a bundle, roll or store of other kind, and means for opening the valve of each bag, the valve being brought to a position in respect of height which corresponds to that of the filling connection.

It has been previously proposed that bags which are to be fitted onto filling connections of packing machines are transferred by grippers from means for opening the valve and are pushed onto the filling connection. In the case of rotary packing machines, the direction of conveying movement of the bags in the valve opening means has been tangential to the rotary path of the packing machine so that grippers, disposed on the packing machine, must perform a complicated controlled movement. For the purposes of controlling the grippers, a relatively expensive mechanism is required. In addition, a gripper is required for each filling connection so that the bag fitting apparatus is structurally expensive and relatively costly.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine, comprising means for taking bags individually from a bundle, roll or store of other kind, and for opening the valve of each bag, in which guide plates of the fitting apparatus hold the end portion of the bag provided with the valve with the valve in the open position, in which open position the valve has a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of said end portion of the bag, the apparatus enabling the valve of the bag to be brought into alignment with and then fitted onto the filling connection by means of a conveyor and, during the operation of fitting said bag end to the connection, said bag end is guided in shaped plates at least one of which, after the valve of the bag has been engaged on the filling connection, can be pivoted away so that further movement of the bag is not obstructed.

Such apparatus, while being of compact design, can be used for either rotary packing machines or series of row-type packing machines, and can be operated at a high capacity, without relatively complicated motions being required.

During the fitting operation which takes place in three steps, a bag to be filled performs only a rectilinear movement, the valve thereof being held in the open position by the guide and shaped plates, permitting a high degree of operating reliability. It is particularly advantageous in this connection that the three steps for fitting the bag on the connection -- namely, separating the bag from the store and opening the valve, transporting it towards the filling connection into a waiting position, and fitting the bag onto the connection - are effected simultaneously (for three successive bags), whereby the apparatus can have a high output.

In the case of use with a stationary series of row-type packing machine, it is particularly advantageous for both the shaped plates to be pivotal, preferably about a common axis which is disposed above the horizontal plane of the longitudinal central axis of the filling connection, so that while a bag which has been previously fitted onto the filling connection is being filled, the fitting apparatus can be moved to the next following filling connection. In the case of use with a rotary packing machine, providing one of the shaped plates to be pivotal allows the bag which has been fitted onto the filling connection to move on without hindrance.

Preferably the conveyor comprises an intermittently driven belt and drive and pressure rollers associated with one run of the belt drive.

Any operating difficulties which may occur in conveying the sacks or bags can be avoided in a particularly quick and easy manner, by the pressure rollers being freely rotatably arranged on a support beam which is actuable by a piston cylinder unit, as the pressure rollers can be disengaged from the belt drive so that, for example, a bag which is jammed between the belt drive and the pressure rollers can be easily removed.

Selective use of the apparatus for a stationary series packing machine or for a rotary packing machine is readily possible if the bag fitting apparatus is disposed as an operating unit on a common carrier. There is no need for the pressure rollers to be adjusted to different thicknesses of bags, because the support beam is arranged resiliently on the carrier. Reliability in regard to transfer of the separated bag to the conveyor can be ensured by virtue of pivotal conveyor rollers being disposed at the entry of the conveyor, for force-lockingly engaging the bag below said end thereof.

Preferably, when used with a rotary packing machine which is rotatable about a vertical axis, the bag fitting apparatus is mounted pivotally about a vertical axis. In such a construction, during the bag fitting operation, synchronised movement occurs between the bag fitting apparatus and the filling connections of the rotary packing machine so that the bag to be filled is reliably fitted onto the filling connection. It is also possible for the fitting apparatus to be stopped and for the bags to be fitted onto the connection by hand.

The synchronised movement may be achieved by each filling connection being provided with an entrainment member and a movable entrainment lever being arranged on the bag fitting apparatus in the region of movement of the entrainment member, and, for the purposes of fitting a bag onto the filling connection, the fitting apparatus is deflected about the vertical axis, through an angle which is defined by the co-operation of the entrainment member with the entrainment lever.

In that connection, it is particularly advantageous for the entrainment lever to be movable by a piston cylinder unit. If no bag is to be fitted in position, then the entrainment lever is not pivoted into the position required for it to cause pivotal movement of the bag fitting apparatus.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of bag fitting apparatus according to the invention co-operating with a rotary packing machine; Figure 2 is an elevation of bag separating means provided at the righthand side of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of part of the bag fitting apparatus of Figure 1 showing a part thereof located adjacent one of the filling connections of the rotary packing machine; Figure 4 is an elevation of a further part of the apparatus of Figure 1 including shaped plates; and Figure 5 is a plan view of a conveyor of the filling apparatus of Figure 1 showing pressure rollers in a lifted-away condition.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figure, bag fitting apparatus 1 comprises a conveyor 2 including a toothed belt 5 which is guided around two guide rollers 3 and 4. Drive means 6 drive the roller 4 and pressure rollers 8 are freely rotatably mounted on a support beam member 7. The support beam member 7 is mounted displaceably on a carrier 9 and biased by the force of springs 39. Conveyor rolle-rs 11 which are pivotal by means of a piston cylinder unit 10 are connected to the carrier 9, at an entry end thereof.Mounted on the carrier 9, in alignment with the conveyor 2, are shaped plates 1 3 and 14, Figure 4, which are pivotal about a horizontal axis 1 2. Two piston cylinder units 15 and 16, the position of which is shown in Figure 1, can act on the plates 1 3 and 1 4 to pivot them about the axis 1 2. Adjacent a rotary packing machine 1 7 is an entrainment lever 20 which is pivotal about a vertical axis 1 9 by a piston cylinder unit 18.

The rotary packing machine 17 is provided with a plurality of filling connections 21 which are uniformly distributed around the periphery thereof.

In addition, a respective roller 23 which serves as an entrainment member is secured on an arm 22, above each filling connection, on the rotary packing machine 1 7.

Mounted on the carrier 9 by means of a holder 24 are two initiators 25 and 26 which are in operative contact with a control vane 27. A photo cell 28 is also arranged at the discharge end of the conveyor 2. Secured on the rotary packing machine 17 above each filling connection 21 is a push-rod sensing switch 29 and a piston cylinder unit 30 for clamping a bag fitted onto the filling connection 21.

The apparatus shown in Figure 2 is for separating or isolating a bag and introducing it into the bag fitting apparatus. Two suction members 31 and 32 arranged on link members (not shown) are applied to the upwardly facing folded flat end portions 33 and 34 of a bag and lift it in a direction towards the fitting apparatus. The end portion 34 is provided with a filling valve 35. The suction member 32 is movable into a position 32' above the conveyor 2, by control means (not shown). By virtue of the movement of the suction member 32, the bag 1 is pulled around a tensioning bar 36 which is disposed above the store of bags 1. The valve 35 which is opened as a result of the tension is then held by guide plates 37 and 38 which engage around the end portion 34 after movement of the suction member 32 to the position 32' and which correspond to the shape of the opened end portion 34.The guide plate 37 is stationary while the guide plate 38 is pivotally mounted. By releasing the suction applied to the suction members 31 and 32, they are released from the bag 1.

Actuation of the piston cylinder unit 10 causes the conveyor rollers 11 to be pivoted against the toothed belt-5 of the conveyor 2, and, as soon as the drive means 6 is switched on by a signal triggered by a filling connection 21, a bag 1 to be filled is conveyed towards the rotary packing machine 1 7. Figure 2 shows that the pressure rollers 8 are pressed against the toothed belt 5 by the springs 39. By virtue of the resilient mounting thereof, each pressure roller 8 is movable in the direction indicated by the arrow A.

As shown in Figure 5, the pressure rollers 8, which are carried on the support beam member 7, can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow. by actuating a piston cylinder unit 40, so that the pressure rollers 8 are disposed at a spacing from the toothed belt 5 of the conveyor 2.

The carrier 9, Figure 3, of the bag fitting apparatus is pivotally mounted on a stationary mounting means 42, Figure 1, for movement about a vertical axis 41. The carrier 9 of the bag fitting apparatus is pulled against a fixed abutment 44, as shown by a return spring 43 connected between the mounting means 42 and the carrier 9. Alternatively, a pneumatic cylinder could be provided instead of the spring 43.

The packing machine 17, which rotates in the direction indicated by arrow C, is provided with a plurality of the filling connections 21. As soon as the control vane 27 of one of the filling connections passes the initiator 25, the initiator produces a signal, whereby the piston cylinder units 15-and 16 are actuated to close the plates 13 and 14. At the same time, the entrainment lever 20 is moved into the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. When the control vane 27 passes the initiator 26, the drive means 6 is switched on by a signal produced by the initator 26. The bag 1 which is in the waiting position of Figure 3 is then fitted onto the filling connection 2, while at the same time a bag which is held by the guide plates 37 and 38 of Figure 2 is moved on into the waiting position. At the same time, a bag 1 is separated off by the suction members 31 and 32 of Figure 2, and transferred to the guide plates 37 and 38. In that operation, the guide plate 38 is pivoted into a position 38', shown in dash-dotted lines in Figure 2, so that the suction member 32 can pass beneath it. The roller 23 of the filling connection 21 runs against the extending entrainment lever 20, whereby the carrier 9 of the fitting apparatus is pivoted about the vertical axis 41 into the position shown in broken lines in Figure 1 as the bag 1 is fitted onto the filling connection 21. Thus, the operation of fitting a bag 1 onto a filling connection 21 takes place by a synchronised advancing movement of the conveyor of the filling apparatus towards the rotary packing machine 1.Before the roller 23 is disengaged from the entrainment lever 20 by the continuing movement of the rotary packing machine 17, the plates 13 and 14 are pivoted about the axis 1 2 by reversing the direction of actuation of the piston cylinder units 1 5 and 1 6, so that the plates 13 and 14 do not impede the further movement of the bag to be filled and now engaged on the filling connection 21. As soon as the entrainment lever 20 is freed from the roller 23, the fitting apparatus is pulled back against the abutment 44, by the return spring 43. The abutment 44 is of an elastic construction, so as to prevent hard impact of the fitting apparatus'thereagainst, and a rebound motion.

A sensing bar of a switch 45 asscciated with each filling connection senses the bag fitted thereonto, and produces a signal for actuation of the piston cylinder unit 30 for clamping the bag to be filled, on the filling connection. When the bag to be filled is properly fitted onto the filling connection 21 , the filling operation is initiated by the sensing switch 29.

If an empty or a filled bag is still on a filling connection 21 when it approached the fitting apparatus, the initiators 25 and 26 are not actuated by the control vane 27. That causes the entrainment lever 20 to be pivoted by the piston cylinder unit 18 in such a way that the roller 23 does not engage the entrainment lever 20. In consequence, the drive means 6 is not switched on, so that a bag fitting operation is not initiated.

As shown in particular in Figure 3, the spacing between the filling connection 21 and the discharge end of the conveyor 2 is so selected that the bag 1 can be conveyed by means of the conveyor 2 into the position required for filling of the bag. This is possible by virtue of the flexibility of the bags, even though the valve is not in alignment with the filling connection, throughout the entire fitting operation, due to the pivotal movement of the fitting apparatus.

In the described embodiment, the fitting apparatus is described in conjunction with a rotary packing machine. When used in connection with a stationary series packing machine, the fitting apparatus is moved from one filling connection to another, instead of pivoting about the axis 41.

Claims

1. Apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine, comprising means for taking bags individually from a bundle, roll or store of other kind, and for opening the valve of each bag, in which guide plates of the fitting apparatus hold the end portion of the bag provided with the valve with the valve in the open position, in which open position the valve has a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of said end portion of the bag, the apparatus enabling the valve of the bag to be brought into alignment with and then fitted onto the filling connection by means of a conveyor and, during the operation of fitting said bag end to the connection, said bag end is guided in shaped plates at least one of which, after the valve of the bag has been engaged on the filling connection, can be pivoted away so that further movement of the bag is not obstructed.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the shaped plates are both pivotal and are so pivotal about a common axis which is disposed above the horizontal plane of the central longitudinal axis of the filling connection.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the conveyor comprises an intermittently driven belt drive and pressure rollers associated with one run of the belt drive.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the pressure rollers are individually resiliently mounted.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the pressure rollers are freely rotatably arranged on a support beam member which is movable by a piston cylinder unit.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the bag fitting apparatus is arranged in the form of an operating unit on a common carrier.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 when appendant to claim 5, in which the support beam member is arranged resiliently on the common carrier.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which disposed at a bag entry end of the conveyor is a pivotal conveyor roller which force-lockingly engages the bag at a position below said bag end.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims for cooperating with a rotary packing machine with filling connections which are rotatable about a vertical axis, wherein the bag fitting apparatus is mounted pivotally about a vertical axis.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which each filling connection of the rotary packing machine is provided with an entrainment member, a movable entrainment lever disposed on the bag fitting apparatus is provided in the region of movement of the entrainment members, and, for the purposes of fitting a bag, the fitting apparatus if deflected about the vertical axis, through an angle which is determined by the co-operation of the entrainment member with the entrainment lever.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the entrainment lever is movable by a piston cylinder unit.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which, in the operation of fitting a bag, the fitting apparatus is pivotal about the vertical axis against the action of a return spring.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which a pneumatic cylinder is provided to return the fitting apparatus from its deflected position.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which an abutment is provided for arresting the fitting apparatus in the initial position.

1 5. Apparatus according to claim 14, in which the abutment is of an elastic construction.

1 6. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the conveyor is arranged to be switched on by a signal triggered by the filling connection and switched off by a sensor for monitoring the position of the bag.

1 7. Apparatus for fitting valved bags to be filled onto filling connections of a packing machine substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.