US2830295A - Bag apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1958 E. A. DICKMANN BAG APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23. 1956 April 1958 EA. DICKMANN 2,830,295

BAG APPARATUS.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 File d Aug. 23, 1956 FIGZ. 75 f April 15, 1958 E. A. DICKMANN 2,830,295

BAG APPARATUS Filed Aug. 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 EM a. 0M,

A ril 15, 1958 E. A. DICKMANN 2,330,295

BAG APPARATUS Filed Aug. 23, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent BAG APPARATUS Edwin A. Dickmann, Atfton, Mo., assignor to Bemis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 23, 1956, Serial No. 605,774

8 Claims. (Cl. 1-106) This invention relates to apparatus for stapling together the two draw-cord legs of a filled draw-cord bag in order to keep the mouth of the bag closed, and more particularly to apparatus of this class wherein filled draw-cord bags are hung by their draw cords on hooks on a conveyor which carries them to a draw-cord stapler adapted automatically to clinch a staple around the two draw-cord legs of each bag adjacent the gathered mouth of the bag.

Prior draw-cord stapling apparatus of the class described has not been wholly satisfactory because of the absence of any provision to compensate for the fact that draw'cord bags, even though of the same size and having the same length of draw cord, may be so difierently packed that they hang substantially diiferent distances below the conveyor. For example, in the case of openmesh ten pound potato bags, a compactly packed bag may hang down below the conveyor a distance of ten inches, while a loosely packed bag in which the contents are not Well nested (same length of draw cord and weight of potatoes) may hang down only seven inches. Assuming that the prior apparatus is adjusted to clinch a staple around the draw cord three-fourths of an inch from the gathered mouth of a loosely packed bag, it will then clinch the staple around the draw cord three and threefourths inches from the gathered mouth of a compactly 4 packed bag. Also, the prior apparatus may impose undue strain on the draw cords, requires manual adjustment to take care of bags of each diflerent size, requires delicate timing adjustment of the stapler for a given speed of the conveyor, and requires change of timing for any change in speed of the conveyor.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved draw-cord stapling apparatus of the class described which is adapted to clinch around the two legs of the draw cord of each bag carried by the conveyor a staple 'close to the gathered mouth of the bag, substantially regardless of the distance which the bag hangs down below the conveyor; the provision of apparatus of the class described which acts without unduly straining the draw cords of the bags; the provision of apparatus of this class which is adapted to apply the staple close to the gathered mouths of bags of a range of sizes (with a range of lengths of draw cord) without any adjustment whatsoever of the apparatus; the provision of apparatus of this class of such construction as to avoid any necessity for delicate timing adjustment of the stapler and also such that the conveyor may be operated at difierent speeds as desired without requiring any timing adjustment of the stapler; the provision of apparatus of this class which functions to clinch the staple entirely around the two legs of the draw cord and avoids having the staple pierce the draw cord; the provision of apparatus of this class which functions to clinch the staple around the two legs of the draw cord under the condition of no relative motion between the draw-cord legs and the stapling mechanism; and the provision of apparatus of the class described which is of relatively economical construction p 2,836,295 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 and reliable in operation. Other objects and features wfill be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereina ter.

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 one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of an apparatus of this invention as viewed from one side thereof, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing parts in a position assumed near the end of a cycle of operation;

Fig. 6 is an enlargement of part of Fig. 5, showing parts in a position assumed shortly after the initiation of a cycle of operation; and,

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line '77 of Fig. 1, showing parts in their at-rest position, and with parts broken away.

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

Figs. 1 and 2, a draw-cord stapling apparatus of this invention is shown to comprise a main frame generally desposts 5 on pedestals 7 with upper and lower horizontal braces 9 and 11 extending between the posts. The adjustable subframe 3 comprises vertical side members 13 having a horizontal member 15 extending between their lower ends, the side members 13 having sleeves 17 fixed thereon which are slidable on the posts above the upper brace 9. A screw member 19 extends down from the horizontal member 15 through a sleeve 21 rotatable in the upper brace 9. The sleeve 21 has a head 23 on its upper end which bears on a thrust bearing 25. The sleeve is internally threaded and has a hand wheel 27 fixed on its lower end. The arrangement is such that by turning the hand wheel 27 in one direction or the other, the sub-frame 3 may be raised or loweredto diiferent elevations as desired.

At the upper ends of the vertical side members 13 of the sub-frame are cross-bars 29 carrying a pair of tracks 31. A carriage generally designated 33 is hung from these tracks and is movable back and forth in horizontal direction between the side members 13 of the sub-frame. The carriage 33 comprises an upper horizontal plate 35, a lower horizontal plate 37, and four vertical tubular spacer posts 39, one at each corner of the plates Bolts 41 extend through the tubular posts 39 and have nuts 43 threaded thereon for holding the carriage posts in assembled relation. The bolts, at their upper ends, are fixed to roller members 45 which ride in the tracks 31. The carriage is biased in a rearward ricetion to a retracted position against a stop 47 on member 15 by a pair of spring means indicated at 49. Each spring means 49, as shown, is simply a conventional commercially available dashpot type spring door check. They are carried by one of the sleeves 17. A screw for adjusting a U-shaped yoke which straddles this sleeve, the rear-:

ward ends of the spring means 49 being connected to the Referring to the drawings, first more particularly to A 3 Y sides of the yoke as iiidic'ated at 57. A itr' 59 E fired on the outer end of, the shaft.

A draw-cord stapler, generally designated 61, is mounted on the lower carriage plate 37. This stapler is a conventionalcommercially. available draw-(rd stapliiig machine with ceftain-reyisions. adapting it for use iii the present invention. In general, the stapler comprises a ho'using 63 mounted on .the plate .37 on spacer posts 65, It has a. vertical camshaftindicatedat 67 ('seeFigsf 5-7). This is adapted to be driven in counterclockwise direction as viewed from above through one revolution on each stapling operation byrmechanisn'i including] a mechanical clutch indicated at 69; The clu'tclrha's a driving rnernber 71 and a driven member 73. The driving. member 71 is adapted to be continuously drivernbS' s iicm tot .5, Yiaa be and pull y rive 77. A switch for the motor is indicated at 78in Fig. 1. The driven mernber 73 is fixed on' ashaft- 79 which; extends into the stapler housing 63. Fixed on shaftj) in the housing is adv/Q1111 81 in mesh with a worm gear 83 on the camshaft 67. H

Means for engaging and disengaging the clutch 69 is shown to comprisea shifter 85 seE FigJ), Thisis biased toward the left as viewed in Fig. 7 by? a spring plunger 86. Mechanism for opeiating tlie shifter is shown to comprise a solenoid 87 (see Figs L Z and 5) having its plunger 89 connected by a 9135 gavel;

93 pivoted at 95 in thehousi ng 63. A;1 nd also pivotedat 95 has its end extending into a groove in the shifter. A spring 101 connected to the lever 93 biases thelatter to the retracted position showdidFig. 7 Aaeg 102 is pivoted on the lever 93 at 10:37 The dog bia'sd outward by a spring 104. It has a notch 105 receiving a projection 106 onthe arm 97. Fixed. on the camshaft 67 within the stapler housing is a shifter control cam 107. This engages a follower 10916112 end of a shifter control lever 111 pivoted at 1'13 oii bottom of the stampler housing 63 and having a piri 115 at its other end extending into a grbeve 117 in' the shift'er85. g The above described arrangement is such that when the solenoid 87 is energized, lever 93' is swungcbc wise from its' retracted position as viewed 111F181 7. Th dog 102 carried by lever 93 engages the projection on arm 97 and swings arm 97 eloekwis vi Fig. 7 to move the shifter 85 toward the t as vf 'd in Fig. 7 engages the clutch 69and initiates a stapling cycle. Upon the move'mentpf the shifter to' the r'ight,lever" 111 is swung countereldeltwiselto' m Ye the follower 109 away from the earn 107. The s ift'er control earn 107 is developed and I I sponse' to deeriergization of the solenoj1d87 and one'revo lution of the earn 107, the shifter 85 isre'turned to its retracted Fig. 7 position. For thispurpo'sej, the earn is adapted to hold the lever 111 from rotating clockwise for an interval after deenergization of the solenoid tjhen to release the lever 111' to allowit to rotate clocltw so that the shifter may return leftward to its retracted position. U

Mounted on the stapler housing 63 is a head indicated at 119. The head 119 carries a enacnet block 121' pivoted at 123? for swinging movement on a vertical: axis, and conventional mechanism indicated generally at 125 for feeding a flat wire W, Cutt ing the wire into staple lengths, and forming each length into a staple and drivingit against the clincher block 121. Fixed on the upper end ofcams'haft 67 above the housing is a large stapler control cam 127. This engages a' follower roller 129 on a lever 131 pivoted at 133 and connected by a linli 135 to the clincher block for operating the clincherblo'clt;

A return sprin fer lever 131 is indicatedat 13s;- Pivoted' at 137 on thecahr 127 is a bell crank lever- 1 39' oneiend eoniiec'ted at 140 to fjoi operati wire" feeding; cutting; forming and driving niech nis'r'r'l as t e; that in e- 125. The other efi'd of the bell Emit lever is connecied by,a link 143.10 a gathering arm pivoted at 147. 1 Guides 149 and 151 mounted on the carriage 33 define a draw-cord guide passage 153. The guide 149 is constituted by a plate mounted on the stapler housing 63. The guide 151 is constituted by a plate adjustably mounted as indicated at 155 on a supporting plate 157. The latter is mounted at the lower end of one leg of a cantilever frame 159 of inverted J-shape, the other (and shorter) leg of the frame 159 being onntedpn the upper e a es rhier awsrdee ne id plates 149 and 151 are angled upward as appears in Figs. 1 and 2. The guideplates 149 and 151have opposed edges 161 and 163 shaped so that tliE g'iiide passage 153 has a tapering entrancethrgat 165 (see Fig. 5), a straight portion 167, a portion 169 curving around on the outside of the arcuate path of the outer end of the gathering arm 145, a portion 171 curving back into the ar'cua't'e path of the out'erend oftlie ggthrihg add an exit portion 173 curving outward frdrii the fb' 5rd end of portion 171. The clincher block 121 is rate; biddh its pivot 123 between the' clin'cliin'g' positioh shdwii iii Fig.

6 and the retracted position shown in Fig. 5. Iii the" clinching position, it blocks the draw-cord gtiia' sage 153 at the forward end of the portion 171 6f mt passage; In the retracted position,- it is clear, 6f this- The earn 127 developed and phased guide passage;

so that the clihcherblock 121 occupies its clinching 5a:

Siam; between tapling cycles. 7 H W At 175a indicated a portion of an en less cbiiveydr for conveying filled draw-card bags B to the stafilir 61" for applyin staples s to the draw cords and for" testes;

ing' the bags awa from the stapler after stapling; i'ises' an elidles's conveyor (which is conventional) com I chain 179 riding in a track 181; Seemed at spaced intervals are brackets 183. A hoo 3 5 31 down from each bracket. The chiain is eontin'ticius3 driven by suitable means (not shown) the tion from right to left as viewed in Fig: 1'. jhlsfp shown in Fig. 1, a filled draw-cord bag B is tmfigay' its draw cord D on each of the hooks 185-. fiitfeieni Bags may being down different distances Below nib fibiiiaq due to variations in packing bags of the stini 81%;. that due to bags er a range or sizes being batten sifiinltati'e' ously and inte spersed st raid-om on siiejc's's' 6 ears 1831 Th chaiii 179 travels iii a vertical plane toward the left as viewe iii Fig. 2 w" straight parties 167 of the card guid will ride the edge 1610f guide 149. The sjlb iiaihi sis vertically adjusted byturiiing hand wheel 2 7 st; that ili guides 149, 151 are located below the hooks a distaiic etiqd: arse clincher block 121 (which is in clinching p'bsitidii); The

engagement of the two legs of the draw cordwith the clincher block results, updn" the continued movement 61' the bag and its draw cord by the conveyor, in the move: ment of the carriage 33 fro'ifn' right t'd l'eft as viewed in Fig. 1 against the return bias or the spring means 49.;

The above-stated movement of the carriage is utilized to initiate operation' fthe stap1er 61 through a" staplin cycle; For this' purpose, there is provided a carriageope'rate'd eontrol switch 187 for the solenoid 87. This switch 187 is suspended fro'n'i one or the tracts 31 as ihdica'ted at 189 andi's adapted to have back and forth iii the track; The genesis; 1 andi) lightly ti a p ng member 193 hit the h'tli btfsi t resiiiibt teats isi fbfiw' the guides 149, 151, so that the draw at) 3 'df dab Bat,

, V arm 191 is suspended from the stated track 31 and is adapted to move back and forth in the direction of the length of the track. At 195 is indicated a connection between member 193 and the adjacent carriage bolt 41. A lost-motion link 197 (see Fig. 4) connects the member 193 and the switch suspension 189. The arrangement is such that upon movement of the carriage 33 toward the left from its retracted position shown in Fig. 1, the member 193 is moved toward the left to operate the switch arm 191 to close the switch. The frictional resistance to movement of the switch is sufiicient to hold the switch against movement to the left until the member 193 overcomes the light spring bias on the switch arm 191. The lost-motion link 197 permits the relative movement between member 193 and the switch required to operate the switch arm. Then upon continued movement of the carriage toward the left, the switch moves with the carriage. Upon the return of the carriage toward the right to retracted position, the lost-motion link 197 permits the member 193 to move away from the switch so that the switch opens, and then the switch moves back with the carriage.

The sub-frame 3 carries a platform 199 having an upwardly inclined portion 201 up which the filled bags travel as they approach the stapler and a downwardly inclined portion 203 down which the bags travel as they leave the stapler. This partially relieves the draw cords of tension during stapling. The motor 75 is mounted on a platform 2135 which extends across the tracks 31. There is suflicient play in the belt of the drive 77 to allow the necessary movement of the carriage. The wire W is drawn from a spool 207 carried at the lower end of a vertical rod 209 extending down from the platform 205. Having the motor 75 and spool 207 mounted as described withdraws their inertia (which is substantial) from the carriage 33.

Operation is as follows:

Filled bags B are hung by their draw cords D on the hooks of the conveyor at a station ahead of the stapling apparatus. The bags are moved by the conveyor from right to left as illustrated in Fig. 1. As a given'bag moves along, the two legs of its draw cord D enter the throat 165 of the draw-cord guide passage 153 and travel through the straight portion 167 of this passage along the edge 161 of guide plate 149, through the curved portion 169 of the passage around the outer end of the gathering arm 145, and into engagement with the clincher block 121. Prior to the time the draw-cord legs enter the throat 165 of passage 153, the bag comes into engagement with the portion 291 of the platform 109, and slides up this portion of the platform. This partially relieves the draw cord of the tension caused by the weight of the filled bag. Engagement of the draw-cord legs with the clincher block 121 and continued movement of the bag by the conveyor results in movement of the carriage 33 in the same direction and speed as the bag (from right to left as viewed in Fig. 1) against the bias of the spring return means 49. This bias is adjusted so that movement of the carriage does not occur, however, until the draw-cord legs, after first coming into engagement with the clincher block 121, are pulled forward and upward by the conveyor through the guide passage 153 to a point where the gathered mouth of the bag is a short distance (three-fourths of an inch, for example) below the clincher block 121.

Upon the stated movement of the carriage, the switch 187 is closed in response to carriage movement, and solenoid 87 is energized to rock the lever 93 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7. The dog 1132 on lever 93 engages projection 106 on arm 97 and rocks arm 97 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7 to move the shifter 85 to the right as viewed in Fig. 7. This engages the clutch 69 to drive the shaft 79. It also swings lever 111 counterclockwise from its Fig.7 position. Shaft 79, via gearing 81, 83 drives the camshaft 67 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 7. Upon rotation of the camshaft 67 and cams 197 and 127 carried thereby, the pivot 137 on cam 127 for bell crank lever 139 is rotated around the camshaft axis. The bell crank lever 139 thereupon acts through the link 143 to swing the gathering arm 145 counterclockwise on its pivot 147 from its retracted position illustrated in Fig. 7 and the end of the gathering arm engages the two draw-cord legs and holds them, bunched together, firmly against the clincher block 121. The bell crank lever 139 also acts to move the slide 141 for operating the wire feeding, cutting, forming and driving mechanism 125. This mechanism, as will be understood, acts to cut off a length of the wire, form it into a U- shaped staple, and drive the staple against the clincher block to clinch the staple aroundthe two draw-cord legs. The driving of the staple occurs after the gathering arm has acted to hold the draw-cord legs firmly against the clincher block, there then being no relative motion between the draw-cord legs and the clincher block.

Following the driving of the staple, the cam 127 acts to allow the movement of the clincher block 121 to the retracted position shown in Fig. 5 under the bias of the spring 136. This frees the draw-cord legs, upon which the stapling operation has been completed, for travel out through the exit portion 173 of the guide passage 153. It also frees the carriage 33 for return to its retracted position under the bias of the spring return means 49. Here it will be understood that the carriage has been moving forward throughout the stapling cycle from the time the draw-cord legs have been pulled upward and forward past the clincher block to a point where the gathered mouth of the bag is a short distance below the clincher block until the clincher block is retracted. The switch 187 opens during the initial phase of the return movement of the carriage 33, and the solenoid 87 is deenergized. Subsequently, cam 107 reaches a position allowing lever 111 to swing clockwise, and the spring means 86 acts to move the shifter back to the left to disengage the clutch 69. This occurs upon completion of one revolution of the camshaft 67. When the clutch disengages, the cam 127 and bell crank lever reach their initial position shown in Fig. 7, the gathering arm and the slide 141 are returned to their retracted position shown in Fig. 7, and the clincher block 121 is returned to its clinching, passage-blocking position in readiness for the stapling of the draw-cord legs of the next bag. It will be understood that the term draw cor is intended to include the various types of materials used in draw-closure bags, such as strand material, tape (including woven tape), and the like. The apparatus of this invention is useful for stapling both open-mesh drawcord bags and plastic draw-cord bags. It will be apparent that it operates to clinch a staple S around the two legs of draw cord D of each bag B carried by the conveyor close to the gathered mouth of the bag regardless of the distance which the bag hangs down below the conveyor because the draw-cord legs are pulled against the clincher block 121 to bring the gathered mouth of the bag a short distance from the clincher block before a stapling cycle is initiated. For the same reason, no adjustment whatsoever of the apparatus is required to accommodate a range of sizes of bags (with a range of lengths of draw cord) to obtain stapling close to the bag mouth, and no major adjustment is required for a different range of sizes of bags. The only adjustments which may be needed are vertical adjustment of the sub-frame 3 and adjustment of the tension of spring means 49. Stapling takes place without undue strain on the draw cords because the bags are partially supported by the platform 199. No delicate timing adjustment of the stapler is needed and no change in adjustment of timing is required for different conveyor speeds since the sta pling cycle is not initiated until the draw-cord legs are in engagement with, and stationary relative to, the clincher block. With the draw-cord guide passage shaped as shown, and located so that the draw-cord legs ride the edge of the passage toward the stapler, the draw-cord legs are held by the gathering arm during the actual stapling. in proper position for clinching of the staple around the two legs of the cord without piercing either leg of the cord. The curved portion 169 of the drawcord' passage permits the draw-cord legs of the bag following the one which has just been stapled to move freely in the passage without interference from the gathering arm 145 while it is returning to retracted position.

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.

I claimf 1. Apparatus for stapling the draw cords of filled drawcofrcl bags hung by their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a stapler mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags, said stapler having a clincher block movable between a clinching position and a retracted position, said clincher block normally occupying its clinching. position, said stapler being movable away from its retracted position by engagement with the clincher block of the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor, and means responsive to movement of the stapler away from retracted position for effecting operation of the stapler through a cycle in which it acts to clinch a staple against the clincher block around the two legs of the draw cord in engagement with the block, then acts to retract the block to allow the stapler to return to retracted position, and then acts to return the clincher block to clinching position.

2. Apparatus for stapling the draw cords of filled drawcord' bags hung by their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a stapler mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags and biased to return to retracted position, said stapler having a clincher block movable between a clinching posi-. tion and a retracted position, said clincher block normally occupying it's clinching position, said stapler being movable away from its retracted position by engagement with the clincher block of the two legs of the draw cord of a each bag travelling with the conveyor, electrical means for controlling the operation of the stapler including a switch, and means responsive to movement of. the stapler away from retracted position for operating the switch to effect operation of the stapler through a cycle in which it acts to clinch a staple against the clincher block around the two legs of the draw cord in engagement with the block, then acts to retract the block to allow the stapler to return to retracted position under the stated bias, and then acts to return the clincher block to clinching position.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein means is provided for operating the switch upon the initial movement of the stapler away from retracted position and then for moving the switch with the carriage.

4'. Apparatus for stapling the draw cords of filled drawcord bags hung by their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a carriage mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags, means carried by the carriage defining a guide passage for-the draw cords, the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor being adapted to enter and travel through the guide passage, a stapler carried by the carriage having a clincher block movable between a clinching position in which it blocks the guide passage and a retracted position clear of the guide passage,

said clincher blocknormally occupying its clinching, pas sage-blocking. position, said carriage being movable away from its retracted positionby engagement with the clincher block of the two legs of the draw cord, of eachbag travelling with the conveyor, and means responsive to movement of the carriage away from retracted position for efiecting. operation. of the stapler through a cycle in which it acts to; clinch av staple: against the clincher block around the two legs of the draw cord in engagement with the block, the'n acts to retract the block to allow the stapled draw cord to pass] out of the passage and to allow the carriage to return to retracted position, and then acts to return the clincher block to its clinching, passage blocking position. v

5'. Apparatus for" stapling. the draw cords of filled drawcord bags hung by, their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a carriage mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags and biased to return to retracted position, means carried by the carriage defining a guide passage for the i draw cords, the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor being adapted to enter and travel through the guide passage, a stapler carried by the carriage having a clincher block movable between a clinching position in which it blocks the guide passage and a retracted position clear of the guide passage, said clinched block normally occupying its clinching, passageblocking position, said carriage beingmovable away from its retracted position by engagement with the clinching block of the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor, electrical means for controlling the operation of the stapler including a switch, and means responsive to movement of the carriage away from retracted position for operating the switch to effect operation ofthe stapler through a cycle in which it acts to clinch a staple against the clincher block around the two legs of the draw cord in engagement with the block, then acts to retract the block to allow the stapled draw cord to pass out of the passage and to allow the carriage to return to retracted position, and then acts to return the clincher block to its clinching, passage-blocking position.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the switch is mounted for movement away from a retracted position v in the direction of travel of the bags, and wherein means is provided for closing the switch uponthe initial move ment of the carriage away from retracted position and then for moving the closed switch with the carriage, and for opening the switchupon the initial return movement of the carriage and then for moving the switch back to its retracted. position.

7. Apparatus for stapling the draw cords of filled draw-cord bags hung by their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a stapler mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags, said stapler having a clincher block movable between a clinching position and a retracted position, said clincher block normally occupying its clinching position, said stapler having a draw-cord gathering arm movable from a retracted position toward the clincher block, means for guiding the two legs of a draw cord around the end of the retracted gathering arm, said stapler being movable away from its retracted position by ongagement with the clincher block of the two legs of 2,ssb,295

retracted position and the clincher block to clinching position.

8. Apparatus for stapling the draw cords of filled drawcord bags hung by their draw cords from a conveyor, said bags travelling with the conveyor in a predetermined path, comprising a carriage mounted for movement away from a retracted position in the direction of travel of the bags, means carried by the carriage defining a guide passage for the draw cords, the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor being adapted to enter and travel through the guide passage, a stapler carried by the carriage having a clincher block movable between a clinching position in which it blocks the guide passage and a retracted position clear of the guide passage, said clincher block normally occupying its clinching, passage-blocking position, said stapler having a drawcord gathering arm movable from a retracted position toward the clincher block, said guide passage having a portion curved around the end of the retracted gathering arm, said carriage being movable away from its retracted position by engagement with the clincher block of the two legs of the draw cord of each bag travelling with the conveyor, and means responsive to movement of the carriage away from retracted position for effecting operation of the stapler through a cycle in which it acts to move the gathering arm toward the clincher block, then acts to clinch a staple against the block around the two legs of the draw cord in engagement with the block, then acts to retract the block to allow the stapled draw cord to pass out of the passage and to allow the carriage to return to retracted position, and then acts to return the gathering arm to retracted position and the clincher block to its clinching, passage-blocking position.

No references cited.

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