US2815165A - Bag - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1957 E. LlTTL E, SR., Er AL ,8

BAG

Filed Dec. 3. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1957 Filed Dec. 5, 1954 1.. E. LITTLE, SR, ETAL 2,815,165

BAG

I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 States atent Patented Dec. 3, 1957 BAG Application December 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,806

15 Claims. (Cl. 229-625) This invention relates to bags, and more particularly to valve bags such as are used for granular materials (fertilizer, for example) and which are filled by means of a filling spout received in the valve.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our coassigned copending application entitled Bag, Serial No. 450,643, filed August 18, 1954, now abandoned.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a bag of the class described having an improved valve which is adapted automatically to provide a tight closure of the valve opening upon removal of the bag from the filling spout after the bag has been filled; the provision of a valve including a flexible valve sleeve (which may be either an integral part of the bag proper or a separate member attached to the bag proper) formed to provide a closure flap at its inner end which is adapted automatically to be tucked into a position blocking the inner end of the valve upon removal of the bag from the filling spout after the bag has been filled; and the provision of an economical valve as described which is reliable in operation to effect such tucking of the closure flap as substantially to block the valve opening simply in response to removal of the bag from the spout after filling. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating a bag having a valve of this invention as it appears prior to providing an end closure at the valved end of the bag, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section in the central plane of the valve, showing the bag provided with the end closure;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a valve sleeve per se;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, showing the closure flap at the inner end of the valve sleeve as it appears when tucked upwardly and outwardly into the inner end of the sleeve;

Fig. 5 is a view of a fragment of a bag having a modified form of valve construction of this invention, the view showing a part of the inside of the bag as it appears if spread flat;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, showing the modified valve construction of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modification of the valve construction;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the modified valve construction of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, thicknesses'being exaggerated; and,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the sleeve of Figs. 7-9.

iii)

-: in (below) the end closure 13.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is indicated at 1 in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 a multi-ply paper bag which is provided with a valve of this invention. As shown, the bag is a gusseted bag having three plies. The inner ply is designated 3, the intermediate ply is designated 5 and the outer ply is designated 7. It will be understood that the basic principles of the invention are applicable to a bag having any number of plies, or even to a single ply bag.

The bag has a conventional tucked-in valve flap 9 at one of the corners at the upper end of the bag. At 11 is shown a valve sleeve of this invention which projects from the valve flap into the bag. As shown in Figs. 1

and 2, the valve sleeve 11 (illustrated per se in Fig. 3)

comprises a blank of flexible paper which is inserted between the inner ply 3 and the intermediate ply 5 after the tucking in of the valve flap 9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. After the insertion of the sleeve in the tucked-in valve flap 9, the respective end of the bag is provided with a closure indicated at 13 (see Figs. 2 and 4-). As shown, this closure comprises a conventional stitched seam securing together the front and back walls of the bag, also including a paper tape 15 folded around the mouth of the bag, the folded tape being caught by the stitching. The valve flap 9 has a central fold indicated at 17 and sleeve 11 is folded in half on a central fold 19 in line with and in extension of the fold 17, folds 17 and 19 being spaced from closure 13.

The sleeve 11 is shaped to have a base portion 21 having a total width corresponding to the total width of the inner end edge 23 of the valve flap. The outer corners of the base portion of the sleeve are cut off at a 45 angle as indicated at 25, and the sleeve is inserted between the inner ply 3 and the intermediate ply 5 to the point where these 45 angled corners 25 engage the 45 folds 27 on which the valve flap 9 is folded in. As shown best in Fig. 2, the sleeve is pasted to the inner ply 3 adjacent the inner end edge 23 of the valve flap by means of a stripe of adhesive, such as paste, 29 extending from one side edge of the base portion 21 of the sleeve to the other side edge of the base portion. This stripe of adhesive prevents sifting of the contents of the bag between the inner ply 3 and the sleeve. It will t; be understood that under some circumstances it may be more desirable from the manufacturing standpoint to adhere the sleeve to the inner ply by means of spots of adhesive, rather than a continuous stripe of adhesive, to avoid undue stiffening of the bag where it needs to be folded to tuck in the valve flap. Thus, when spots are used instead of a stripe of adhesive, the spots are so located as not to be coincident with folds 27. The base portion projects inward for some distance from the inner end edge 23 of the valve flap 9 and the side margins of the base portion are caught in the end closure 13.

The sleeve 11 has a reduced extension generally designated 31 projecting inward from the base 21. This extension is folded in half on the central fold 19 of the sleeve. The extension is so shaped that, as folded in half in the bag, its two halves have inclined edges 33 which converge toward the central fold 19 of the sleeve in inward direction (see Figs. 1 and 2). These edges 33 intersect the base portion 21 at points 35 with- Accordingly, the extension is free of the closure 13. As shown, edges 33 preferably converge toward the central fold at an angle of The extension 31 has a nose portion 37 defined by the inner end edge 39 of the extension, which is cut oif at right angles to the central fold 19, and short side edges 41 parallel to the central fold 19. The corners of the nose are relieved by cutting them ofi at an angle of 45 as indicated at 43. The sleeve has a central slit 45 at its inner end. This slit is preferably made with its sides divergent toward the inner end of the sleeve, and the corners at the end of the slit are relieved by cutting them off at an angle of 135 to the inner .end of edge 39 as shown at 47.

The sleeve 11 is formed with two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, and each designated 49, .extending from a common point 51 in the central told 19 of the sleeve to the inclined edges 33 of the extension 31. These creases 49 diverge away from the central fold 19 of the sleeve in inward direction, preferably at .an angle of 45 to the central fold 19, hence at right angles to the edges 33. They define in .conjunction with the central fold 19 a closure flap F adapted to be tucked upwardly and outwardly completely into the inner end .of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 4. This closure flap is constituted by the portion of the sleeve lying between the creases 49 and the inner end of the extension 31. The point 51, which is the intersection of the creases 49 and the central fold 19, is shown as being located inward of the inner end edge 23 of the valve flap 9, and is spaced from the inner end edge 39 of the extension 31 a distance somewhat less than the distance from the closure 13 to the central fold 19 but such that the closure flap F, when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extend substantially to the closure 13 to block the sleeve. The point 51 may be located directly at the inner end edge of the valve flap.

Prior to filling the bag, the sleeve 11 is in the open condition shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the bag is usually filled by hanging it on a filling spout (not shown), the spout extending through the valve flap 9 and the sleeve 11. Then, material is delivered through the spout into the bag. When the bag is filled, it is slipped off the spout and dropped onto a conveyor, landing on the conveyor in a horizontal position lying on its side opposite the side of the bag which includes the valve. As the bag drops onto the conveyor, its contents pour toward the valved end of the bag. After the filled bag is slipped off the spout, and before the contents pouring toward the valved end of the bag reach the valve, the closure flap F automatically assumes a position preventing entry of material into the sleeve. Ideally, the flap F assumes a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4, tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve. This ideal condition is attained in a considerable number of cases. In other cases, while the fiap F is not tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, the flap F automatically assumes a position engaging the valved end of the bag to prevent the material pouring toward the valved end of the bag from entering the sleeve. This is of utmost importance because if any substantial amount of material enters the sleeve as the bag drops onto the conveyor, leakage is apt to occur subsequently through the sleeve. It is believed that the automatic tucking of the flap F into its sleeve-blocking position occurs either due to air pressure being built up in the bag during the filling, this pressure acting on the flap F when the bag is taken off the filling spout, or due to a puff of air from within the bag acting upon the flap as the material pours toward the valved end of the bag, or both. It will be understood that the flap F, in assuming the Fig. 4 sleeve-blocking position, is reversely folded as regards its initial condition, folding in half on the fold line 19 and its two halves hinging into the inner end of the sleeve on the crease lines 49. When the flap F is in the Fig. 4 position, the inner end edge 39 of the extension lies closely adjacent the closure 13. As herein illustrated, the crease lines 49 intersect the inclined edges 33 generally at the mid-points .of these edges, and the side edges 41 of the nose 37 lJCCOIllB generally coincident with the inner edge portions 53 of the base portion 21 of the sleeve.

Figs. and-6 illustrate a modified construction wherein the sleeve, designated 11a, instead of being constituted by a separate piece 'of paper, is constituted by an integral extension of the inner ply 3 of the bag. Otherwise, the sleeve 11a shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is identical to the sleeve 11 shown in Figs. 1-4, and has the same reference characters applied thereto as the sleeve 11 to designate the corresponding parts. In manufacturing bags of the type shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which the sleeve 11a is an integral extension of the inner ply, the bags are segmented from a continuous tube, as will be understood in the art, and the material for the sleeve 11a of any a given bag is taken from the bottom of the inner ply of an adjacent bag. The result is that each bag has a cut-out in its inner ply at the bottom having a shape corresponding to that of the sleeve. This cut-out is indicated at 55 in Fig. 5. In order to prevent sifting of the bag contents through this cut-out between the inner ply and the next ply, these plies are adhered (pasted) together all around the cut-out as indicated at 57 in Fig. 5. It will be understood that instead of making the sleeve an integral extension of the inner ply, it may be made an integral extension of an intermediate ply, in which case pasting at the bottom of the bag around the corresponding cut-out in the intermediate ply is not required.

It will be understood that in some cases the creases 49 may be formed .as lines 'of perforations, instead of as score lines as shown in the drawings herein.

Figs. 7-10 show a modification of the construction shown in Figs. 1-4 wherein the sleeve 11, in addition to being centrally folded at 19, also has a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap indicated at 61 disposed between the sides of the sleeve. This fiap 61 is defined by fold lines 63 which radiate from the point 51 on the central told 19 of the sleeve to the inner end edge 39 .of the nose portion 37. The fold lines 63 diverge away from the central fold at an angle less than the angle of creases 49, preferably at an angle of about 10. The .flap 61 is reversely folded in half on line 19, and the folded flap thereby has two generally triangular sides 65 each bounded by a portion of line 19, a respective side of the slit 45, the respective portion of the inner end edge 39, and the respective fold line 63, being contained between .the sides of-the sleeve. The sleeve 11 may be precreased on lines 63 prior to its assembly with the bag as shown in Fig. 10, or the folding on lines 63 may be effected during the operation of forming the valve.

The reversely folded flap 61 facilitates the tucking of the flap F into its sleeve-blocking position. This is believed .to be .due to the fact that when the bag is placed on .the spout the sidesof the sleeve are spread apart, and the reversely folded flap v61 is spread fiat or substantially flat, thereby presenting a triangular area of paper to receive the force ,of .air to cause the tucking of the flap F.

In view of the above, ,it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adapted to receive a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly-extending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective end thereof, the sleeve being folded in half on acentral fold spaced from the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in said central fold and diverging .away from the central fold :in inward direction, :the creases in conjunction with the central fold defining a flap adapted to be tucked into a position blocking the inner end of the valve.

2. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adapted for insertion of a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly extending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective end thereof, the sleeve being folded in half on a central fold spaced from the closure, the sleeve having an inner end extension having inclined edges converging toward the central fold in inward direction and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in said central fold to said inclined edges, said creases diverging away from the central fold in inward direction and defining in conjunction with the central fold line a flap adapted to be tucked into the inner end of the sleeve, said common point being spaced from the inner end of said extension a distance such that said flap, when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extends substantially to said bag end closure.

3. In a bag, a tucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end of the bag, the bag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having a central fold spaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting from the valve flap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on a central fold in line with the central fold of the valve flap, said sleeve comprising a base portion having a total width corresponding to the total width of the inner end edge of the valve flap, the side margins of the base portion being caught in said end closure, said sleeve having an extension projecting inward from said base portion, said extension being folded in half on the central fold of the sleeve, the two halves of the extension having inclined edges which intersect the base portion at points within the end closure and which converge toward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction, and said extension having an inner end edge at right angles to said central fold and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in the central fold of the sleeve to said inclined edges of the extension, said creases diverging away from the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction and defining in conjunction with the central fold of the sleeve a closure flap adapted to be tucked into the inner end of the sleeve, said common point being located inward of the inner end edge of the valve flap and spaced from the inner end edge of the sleeve a distance such that said closure flap, when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extends substantially to said bag end closure.

4. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the bag being a multi-ply paper bag, the sleeve being constituted by a blank of paper inserted between the inner ply and the next ply and being adhered to the inner ply.

5. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the bag being a multi-ply paper bag, the sleeve being constituted by an integral extension of the inner ply, the inner ply having a cut-out at the end of the bag opposite the valve corresponding in shape to the sleeve, and the inner ply being adhered to the next ply around the cut-out.

6. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the extension having a nose portion defined by the inner end edge thereof and relatively short side edges parallel to the central fold, the corners of the nose being cut off at an angle.

7. In a bag as set forth in claim 6, the sleeve having a central slit at its inner end, said inclined edges of the extension diverging at an angle of 45 toward the central fold, and said creases diverging at an angle of 45 away from the central fold and intersecting said inclined edges generally at the mid-points of said inclined edges, whereby the side edges of the nose are generally coincident with the inner edge of the base portion when the closure flap is tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve.

8. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valve extending into the bag in the direction of the length of said valve, said valve having adjacent sides and means at an angle to the length of the valve forming hinging portions at the inner end of the valve adapted to be forced into a position forming an obstruction against outward flow of bag contents.

9. In a bag as set forth in claim 8, said means being constituted by creases in the adjacent sides of the valve.

10. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valve extending into the bag in the direction of the length of said valve, said valve having adjacent sides and a reversely folded generally triangular inner end fiap disposed between said sides, said flap being defined by fold lines which radiate from a point on the center line of the valve and which diverge in inward direction, said flap itself being folded in half on the center line of the valve.

11. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valve extending into the bag in the direction of the length of said valve, said valve having adjacent sides and means at an angle to the length of the valve forming hinging portions at the inner end of the valve adapted to be forced into a position forming an obstruction against outward flow of bag contents, said valve further having a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap disposed between said sides and included in said hinging portions, said flap being defined by fold lines which radiate from a point on the center line of the valve and which diverge in inward direction, said flap itself being folded in half on the center line of the valve.

12. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adapted to receive a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly extending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective end thereof, the sleeve being folded on a central fold line and having adjacent sides, the sleeve comprising a base portion having side margins caught in said end closure, and a folded central extension projecting inward from the base portion, the two halves of the folded extension having inclined edges which intersect edges of the base portion at points spaced inward from said end closure, said inclined edges converging toward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction, the extension having an inner edge extending crosswise of the central fold and being free of said end closure, and said sleeve having a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap disposed between its sides.

13. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adapted for insertion of a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly extending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective end thereof, the sleeve being folded in half on a central fold spaced from the closure, the sleeve having an inner end extension having inclined edges converging toward the central fold in inward direction and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in said central fold to said inclined edges, said creases diverging away from the central fold in inward direction and defining in conjunction with the central fold a flap adapted to be tucked into a position blocking the inner end of the valve, said sleeve having a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap disposed between the sides of the sleeve, said flap being defined by fold lines which radiate from said common point and which diverge away from the central fold at an angle less than the angle of said inclined creases.

14. In a bag, a tucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end of the bag, the bag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having a central fold spaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting from the valve flap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on a central fold in line with the central fold of the valve flap, said sleeve comprising a base portion having a total width corresponding to the total Width of the inner end edge of the valve flap, the side margins of the base portion being caught in said end closure, said sleeeve having an extension projecting inward from said base portion, said extension being folded in half on the central fold of the sleeve, the two halves of the extension having inclined edges which intersect the base portion at points within the end closure and which converge at an angle of 45 toward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction, and said extension having an inner end edge at right angles to said central fold and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in the central fold of the sleeve to said inclined edges of the extension, said creases diverging at an angle of 45 away from the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction and defining in conjunction with the central fold of the sleeve a closure flap adapted to be tucked into the inner end of the sleeve, said common point being located inward of the inner end edge of the valve flap and spaced from the inner end edge of the sleeve a distance such that said closure flap, when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extends substantially to said bag end closure, said sleeve having a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap disposed between the sides of the sleeve, said triangular flap being defined by fold lines which extend from said common point to said inner end edge and which diverge away from the central fold at an angle less than 45 15. In a bag, a tucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end of the bag, the bag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having a central fold spaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting from the valve flap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on a central fold in line with the central fold of the valve flap, said sleeve comprising a base portion having a total width corresponding to the total width of the inner end edge of the valve flap, said base portion projecting inward beyond the inner end edge of the valve flap, the side margins of the base portion being caught in said end closure, said sleeve having an extension projecting inward from said base portion, said extension being folded in half on the central fold of the sleeve, the two halves of the extension having inclined edges which converge toward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction, said extension having an inner end edge at right angles to said central fold, said extension having a central slit extending outward from its inner end edge in line with its central fold, and said extension having lines of weakness extending from its inclined edges generally at right angles to said inclined edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,230 Lee May 16, 1950 2,031,915 Verwys Feb. 25, 1936 2,040,335 Rosmait May 12, 1936 2,040,336 Rosmait May 12, 1936 2,077,341 Martin et al Apr. 13, 1937 2,102,685 Du Bois Dec. 21, 1937 2,189,847 Verwys Feb. 13, 1940 2,307,111 Contryman Jan. 5, 1943 2,378,285 Contryman June 12, 1945 2,668,643 Irving Feb. 9, 1954 2,751,142 Williams et al June 19, 1956 2,772,823 Plamann Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,107 Australia July 15, 1930 625,519 Great Britain June 29, 1949

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