Methods and apparatus for fabricating, handling and transporting elongate bags of material

Abstract

A material handling method (and corresponding apparatus) packages material (such as loose-fill thermal insulation product) into elongate bags, and automatically arranges the elongate bags into groups, wherein at least one group has a cross-stacked configuration. The bag groups are automatically lifted and transported, group by group, to form a multi-row stack of elongate bags whose bottom row is realized by a cross-stacked group. The multi-row stack is transported to a customer. The elongate bags preferably each have dimensions of about 38″ by 21″ by 8.5″ and carry about 27 lbs. of product. Preferably, a modified clamp truck is used to lift and transport the bag groups. The clamp truck has two clamp members that translate relative to one another with one clamp member having a central support bar integral thereto and laterally disposed between said two clamp members. The central support bar fits into a slot in a conveyor belt system to facilitate positioning the two clamps members around a cross-stacked bag group supported by the conveyor belt system.

1 . In a lift truck, an improvement comprising: 
 two clamp members that translate relative to one another to grasp and lift material positioned therebetween, wherein one of said two clamp members has a central support bar integral thereto and laterally disposed between said two clamp members.    
   
   
       2 . A lift truck according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said central support bar is adapted to fit into a slot in a conveyor belt system to thereby facilitate positioning the two clamps members around material disposed therebetween and supported by the conveyor belt system.    
   
   
       3 . A method of handling material comprising: 
 packaging material into elongate bags;    automatically arranging the elongate bags into groups, wherein at least one group has a cross-stacked configuration; and    automatically lifting and transporting said groups of elongate bags, group by group, to form a multi-row stack of elongate bags whose bottom row comprises a group having a cross-stacked configuration.    
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 lifting and transporting the multi-row stack of elongate bags for transport to a customer.    
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the material comprises loose-fill thermal insulation product.    
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said loose-fill thermal insulation product comprises glass-fiber material.    
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said loose-fill thermal insulation product comprises cellulose material.    
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said elongate bags each have dimensions of about 38″ by 21″ by 8.5″ and carry about 27 lbs. of product.    
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said elongate bags comprise a polymer.    
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 wherein each group of elongate bags is transported by a conveyor assembly.    
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said cross-stacked configuration comprises two bags disposed side-by-side along their lengths and one additional bag disposed orthogonal to and adjacent the two bags.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said automatic lifting and transporting said groups of elongate bags is carried out by a stacker machine having a moveable stacker head with fingers that grip a given group of elongate bags and at least one support structure that is operably disposed between bags disposed side-by-side in said cross-stacked configuration to prevent such bags from sliding past one another.    
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said support structure comprises at least one chain.    
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said structure comprises one of wire strands and rope strands.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said lifting and transporting of said multi-row stack is carried out by a lift truck having two clamp members that translate relative to one another to grasp and lift a group of elongate bags positioned therebetween, wherein one of said two clamp members has a central support bar integral thereto and laterally disposed between said two clamp members.    
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein: 
 said central support bar fits into a slot in a conveyor belt system to facilitate positioning the two clamps members around a group of elongate bags.    
   
   
       17 . A material handling system material comprising: 
 means for packaging material into elongate bags;    means for automatically arranging the elongate bags into groups, wherein at least one group has a cross-stacked configuration; and    means for automatically lifting and transporting said groups of elongate bags, group by group, to form a multi-row stack of elongate bags whose bottom row comprises a group having a cross-stacked configuration.    
   
   
       18 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the material comprises loose-fill thermal insulation product.    
   
   
       19 . A material handling system according to  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said loose-fill thermal insulation product comprises glass-fiber material.    
   
   
       20 . A material handling system according to  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said loose-fill thermal insulation product comprises cellulose material.    
   
   
       21 . A material handling system according to  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said elongate bags each have dimensions of about 38″ by 21″ by 8.5″ and carry about 27 lbs. of product.    
   
   
       22 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said elongate bags comprise a polymer.    
   
   
       23 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 wherein each group of elongate bags is transported by a conveyor assembly.    
   
   
       24 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 each group comprises two bags disposed side-by-side along their lengths and one additional bag disposed orthogonal to and adjacent the two bags.    
   
   
       25 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said means for automatically lifting and transporting said groups of elongate bags comprises a stacker machine having a moveable stacker head with fingers that grip a given group of elongate bags and at least one support structure that is operably disposed between bags disposed side-by-side in said cross-stacked configuration to prevent such bags from sliding past one another.    
   
   
       26 . A material handling system according to  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said support structure comprises at least one chain.    
   
   
       27 . A material handling system according to  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said structure comprises one of wire strands and rope strands.    
   
   
       28 . A material handling system according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a lift truck having two clamp members that translate relative to one another to grasp and lift a group of elongate bags positioned therebetween, wherein one of said two clamp members has a central support bar integral thereto and laterally disposed between said two clamp members.    
   
   
       29 . A material handling system according to  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 a conveyor belt system having a slot adapted to receive said central support bar to thereby facilitate positioning the two clamps members around a group of elongate bags supported by said conveyor belt system.