Systems and methods for facilitating loading of bags

Abstract

Systems, methods and media for faster filling of bags with material are disclosed. An accelerating mechanism accelerates material flowing through a chute from a material supply to a bag of a bag supplier.

1 . A material bagging accelerator positionable between a material supplier and a bag machine to enable the filling of bags with supplied material, comprising:
 a funneling chute to funnel material received from the material supplier passing through a first cross sectional area and to deliver the material through a second, smaller, cross sectional area to a bag of the bag machine; and   an accelerating mechanism disposed at a side of the funneling chute so that an accelerating element of the accelerating mechanism forms an interior surface of the funneling chute and does not substantially block the passage of material, to accelerate material passing through the funneling chute, wherein the material enters the funneling chute at a large cross section with low velocity and exits the funneling chute at a smaller cross section with higher velocity.   
   
   
       2 . The accelerator of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerating mechanism comprises a roller disposed on a side of the lower portion to accelerate and pass material there through. 
   
   
       3 . The accelerator of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerating mechanism comprises a threshing mechanism disposed on at least one side of the funneling chute to accelerate and thresh material passing through the funneling chute. 
   
   
       4 . The accelerator of  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the funneling chute is arcuately shaped to receive material with an arcuate trajectory. 
   
   
       5 . The accelerator of  claim 4 , wherein the arcuately shaped portion of the funneling chute receives material from a conveyor having a substantially horizontal slope. 
   
   
       6 . The accelerator of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerating mechanism comprises a conveyor belt disposed on a side of the funneling chute to accelerate material passing there through. 
   
   
       7 . The accelerator of  claim 6 , wherein the conveyor belt is cleated. 
   
   
       8 . A bagging system for bagging material, comprising:
 a material supplier to provide material;   a funneling chute to receive material from the material supplier passing through a first cross sectional area at an upper portion of the chute and to deliver the material through a lower portion of the chute through a second cross sectional area to a bag;   an accelerating mechanism to accelerate material passing through the funneling chute, the accelerating mechanism disposed on a side of the funneling chute so that elements of the accelerating mechanism form interior surfaces of the chute and do not substantially block the passage of material, wherein the material enters the funneling chute at a large first cross section with a first velocity and exits the funneling chute at a smaller second cross section with higher velocity; and   a bag supplier to provide a bag to receive material from the funneling chute through the second cross sectional area.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the material supplier provides the material in doses of a specifiable volume. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the accelerating mechanism comprises a conveyor belt disposed on a side of the lower portion to accelerate material passing there through. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the accelerating mechanism comprises a threshing mechanism to thresh material passing through the funneling chute. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a threshing mechanism comprises a rotating blade. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a threshing mechanism comprises interleaved discs. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein material passing through the funneling chute is accelerated so that the rate of material passing through the first cross sectional area is about the same as the rate of material passing through the second cross sectional area. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the bag supplier comprises a roll of bag material to form bags there from. 
   
   
       16 . A method for conveying material from a material source to a bag, comprising:
 providing material to an input of a chute with a first cross section in an upper portion of the chute and a second cross section, smaller than the first cross section, in a lower portion of the chute;   accelerating the material through the chute from the first cross section to the second smaller cross section by an accelerator disposed at a side of the chute to accelerate the material without blockage, the material being accelerated from the first cross section at a first velocity to the second smaller cross section at a second higher velocity; and   receiving material from the second smaller cross section into a bag.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising threshing the material passing through the chute. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising chopping the material passing through the chute. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising cutting into the material passing through the chute.