Method and apparatus for boxing bag stacks

Abstract

A method of boxing bag stacks supported on U-shaped wickets having the wicket cross-member on one side of the bag stack, including supporting a bag stack by grasping both the cross-member and the bag stack other end from the other side of the bag stack, moving the supported bag stack into a container, and releasing the bag stack in the container. An axially extending carrier includes a grasper on one axial end and is selectively extendable in a generally radial direction for selective engagement with the wicket cross-member from the other side of the bag stack. A grasping mechanism on the other axial end of the carrier extends in the generally radial direction to selectively grasp the bag stack other end.

1 . A method of boxing a bag stack having a first thickness and comprising a plurality of bags each having a pair of holes at one end receiving legs of a U-shaped wicket, said member legs being connected at one end by a cross-member on one side of said bag stack with the other ends of said legs projecting from the other side of said bag stack, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) supporting said bag stack by grasping both said cross-member and said bag stack other end from said other side of said bag stack;    (b) moving said supported bag stack into a container; and    (c) releasing said bag stack in said container.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack by grasping said cross-member from said other side of said bag stack comprises extending a grasper from said other side of said bag stack to grasp said cross-member.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (a), the steps of: 
 supporting said wicket on a support whereby said wicket legs tilt upwardly and at least a portion of said wicket cross-member is clear of blockages therearound;    grasping said cross-member portion of said wicket supported on said support; and    removing said wicket from said support.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said wicket may pivot down about said wicket cross-member when removed from said support, and further comprising the step of blocking said wicket legs to retain said plurality of bags on said legs after downward pivoting of said wicket resulting from said removing step.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said blocking step comprises locating stops beneath said wicker legs during said removing step.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said locating step locates said stops to be engaged by said wicket legs to temporarily support said legs in a non-vertical position after said removing step.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of moving said supported bag stack into said container comprises moving said bag stack whereby said bag stack one side faces the bottom of the container.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack by grasping said cross-member from said other side of said bag stack comprises: 
 supporting said bag stack by supporting said leg other ends of said wicket;    carrying said leg other ends of said U-shaped member to a support;    releasing said leg other ends to support said cross-member of said wicket on said support with said cross-member spaced from said plurality of bags; and    extending a grasper from said other side of said bag stack and engaging said grasper with a side of said cross-member facing said plurality of bags.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said cross-member of said wicket is spaced from said bags on said wicket legs whereby the weight of said bag stack causes said wicket legs to be oriented downwardly after said step of releasing said leg other ends.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said grasping said cross-member during said step of supporting said bag stack comprises engaging said cross-member with a grasper on a side facing said other end of said bag stack.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack generally directs said other ends of said wicket legs toward said bag stack other end.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising supporting said plurality of bags in a non-vertical orientation when performing said step of releasing said other leg ends.  
     
     
         13 . A method of boxing a bag stack having a first thickness and comprising a plurality of bags each having a pair of holes at one end receiving legs of a U-shaped member, said member legs being connected at one end by a cross-member and having a length greater than said first thickness with a retainer on the other ends of said legs adapted to maintain said bags on said legs, comprising the steps of: 
 supporting said bag stack by supporting said leg other ends of said U-shaped member;    carrying said leg other ends of said U-shaped member to a support;    releasing said leg other ends to support said cross-member of said U-shaped member on said support;    supporting said bag stack by grasping said bag stack other end and grasping said cross-member;    moving said supported bag stack into a container; and    releasing said bag stack in said container.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of releasing said leg other ends causes said cross-member of said U-shaped member to be positioned beyond said one ends of said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of releasing said leg other ends causes said U-shaped member to pivot about the cross-member.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of releasing said leg other ends further comprises pulling said other end of said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said cross-member of said U-shaped member is spaced from said bags on said U-shaped member legs whereby the weight of said bag stack causes said U-shaped member legs to be oriented downwardly after said step of releasing said leg other ends.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said grasping said cross-member during said step of supporting said bag stack comprises engaging said cross-member with a grasper on a side facing said other end of said bag stack.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of releasing said bag stack comprises moving said grasper toward said other end of said bag stack.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack generally directs said other ends of said U-shaped member legs toward said bag stack other end.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said cross-member is on one side of said bag stack and said leg other ends project from the other side of said bag stack, and said supporting said bag stack is performed by grasping said bag stack other end and grasping said cross-member from said other side of said bag stack.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising supporting said plurality of bags in a non-vertical orientation when performing said step of releasing said other leg ends.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said step of carrying said leg other ends of said U-shaped member to a support includes sweeping said bag stack upwardly over a surface.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack in a non-vertical orientation supports said plurality of bags at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees relative to vertical.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said retainer comprises grommets on said other ends of said legs.  
     
     
         26 . A method of boxing a plurality of bag stacks, said bag stacks having a first thickness and comprising a plurality of bags each having a pair of holes receiving legs of a U-shaped support, said legs being connected by a cross-member and having a length greater than said first thickness, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) grasping said leg other ends of said U-shaped member of a bag stack;    (b) carrying said leg other ends of said U-shaped member of said first bag stack to a support;    (c) releasing said grasped leg other ends to support said cross-member of said U-shaped member on said support and allow pivoting of said U-shaped member about said supported cross-member;    (d) grasping both said bag stack other end and said cross-member from one side of said bag stack;    (e) moving said grasped bag stack into a container;    (f) sensing when said grasped bag stack may be released;    (g) releasing said bag stack into said container;    (h) repeating steps (a) through (g) with additional bag stacks for said container until it is determined that no more bag stacks should be placed in said container.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein additional bag stacks are released into said container in alternating orientations with one end of a subsequent bag stack adjacent the other end of the underlying bag stack.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of releasing said grasped leg other ends causes said cross-member of said U-shaped member to be positioned beyond said one ends of said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said step of releasing said grasped leg other ends causes said U-shaped member to pivot about the cross-member.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said step of releasing said grasped leg other ends further comprises pulling said other end of said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said cross-member of said U-shaped member is spaced from said bags on said U-shaped member legs whereby the weight of said bag stack causes said U-shaped member legs to be oriented downwardly after said step of releasing said leg other ends.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein step (d) includes engaging said cross-member with a grasper on a side facing said other end of said bag stack.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (g) includes moving said grasper toward said other end of said bag stack.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein step (c) causes said other ends of said U-shaped member legs to be generally directed toward said bag stack other end.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said cross-member is on one side of said bag stack and said leg other ends project from the other side of said bag stack, and step (d) is performed by grasping both said bag stack other end and said cross-member from said other side of said bag stack.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack supports said plurality of bags in a non-vertical orientation.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein step (b) includes sweeping said bag stack upwardly over a surface.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said step of supporting said bag stack in a non-vertical orientation supports said plurality of bags at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees relative to vertical.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a removable retainer retains said plurality of bags on said U-shaped member legs, and said non-vertical orientation of said plurality of bags leaves a gravity pulling force of Z in the direction of said U-shaped member legs, where Z is less than the force required to remove the retainer from said U-shaped member legs.  
     
     
         40 . A carrier for a bag stack having a first thickness and comprising a plurality of bags each having a pair of holes at one end receiving legs of a U-shaped member, said U-shaped member legs being connected at one end by a cross-member and having a length greater than said first thickness, said carrier extending along a generally axial direction and adapted to selectively carry said bag stack oriented in said generally axial direction and comprising: 
 a grasping mechanism on one axial end of said carrier and extending a generally radial direction from said axial direction for selectively grasping said bag stack other end;    a grasper on the other axial end of said carrier and selectively extendable in said generally radial direction, said grasper being selectively engageable with said cross-member of said U-shaped member when in an extended position.    
     
     
         41 . The carrier of  claim 40 , wherein said grasper has a surface facing axially away from said grasping mechanism and adapted to selectively mate with said cross-member of said U-shaped member.  
     
     
         42 . The carrier of  claim 41 , further comprising a drive for selectively moving said grasping mechanism and said grasper axially relative to one another.  
     
     
         43 . The carrier of  claim 40 , further comprising a robot secured to said carrier to selectively move said carrier.  
     
     
         44 . The carrier of  claim 40 , wherein said grasping mechanism is radially movable to grasp a bag stack other end and pivotally movable away from said bag stack other end to release said bag stack other end from said grasping mechanism.  
     
     
         45 . The carrier of  claim 40 , wherein said cross-member is on one side of said plurality of bags, and further comprising stops selectively positionable beneath said U-shaped member legs on the other side of said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         46 . A carrier for a bag stack having a first thickness and comprising a plurality of bags each having a pair of holes at one end receiving legs of a U-shaped member, said U-shaped member legs being connected at one end by a cross-member and having a length greater than said first thickness with a removable retainer on the other ends of said legs adapted to maintain said bags on said legs, said carrier extending along a generally axial direction and adapted to selectively carry said bag stack oriented in said generally axial direction and comprising: 
 a supporting mechanism on one axial end of said carrier and adapted to selectively support said other leg ends of said U-shaped member in a generally radial direction from said axial direction;    a grasping mechanism on the other axial end of said carrier and extending in said generally radial direction for selectively grasping said bag stack other end; and    a grasper having a surface adapted to selectively mate with said cross-member of said U-shaped member, said mating surface facing axially away from said grasping mechanism.    
     
     
         47 . The carrier of  claim 46 , further comprising a robot secured to said carrier to selectively move said carrier.  
     
     
         48 . The carrier of  claim 46 , wherein grasping mechanism is radially movable to grasp a bag stack other end and pivotally movable away from said bag stack other end to release said bag stack other end from said grasping mechanism.  
     
     
         49 . The carrier of  claim 46 , further comprising a support adapted to hang said bag stack from said cross-member of said U-shaped member.  
     
     
         50 . The carrier of  claim 49 , wherein said support supports said cross-member of said U-shaped member for pivoting about its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         51 . The carrier of  claim 49 , wherein said support is aligned with said plurality of bags.  
     
     
         52 . The carrier of  claim 49 , further comprising a supporting table at an angle to vertical for supporting said bag stack hanging from said support in a non-vertical orientation.  
     
     
         53 . The carrier of  claim 52 , wherein said supporting table defines a plane of a supporting surface, and said support supports said cross-member of said U-shaped member above said plane of said supporting surface.  
     
     
         54 . The carrier of  claim 52 , wherein said supporting table is selectively adjustable to different orientations relative to vertical.  
     
     
         55 . The carrier of  claim 52 , wherein said supporting table is at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees relative to vertical.  
     
     
         56 . The carrier of  claim 52 , wherein: 
 said removable retainer requires a force of X to remove it from said U-shaped member legs;    said supporting table is at an angle which supports Y weight of said bag stack hanging from said support; and    said plurality of bags weigh less than X+Y.    
     
     
         57 . The carrier of  claim 52 , wherein said grasping mechanism includes a plurality of spaced fingers extending in a generally axial direction and said supporting table includes a plurality of matching slots in its lower end whereby said grasping mechanism fingers are adapted for radial movement between said supporting table slots to grasp a bag stack other end supported on said supporting table.