Expanding fill spout for bag filling machine

Abstract

An improved filling machine of the type having an expanding fill spout comprising at least two split sleeves pivotally mounted around a circular filling spout. The improved filling machine also contains new and novel automatic means for holding the bag on the fill spout and means for detecting the presence or absence of a bag on the fill spout. The split sleeves and the means for holding the bag on the fill spout are interconnected by means of levers and other mechanical connections for unit operation by at least one power cylinder or other power means. .Iadd.

Having defined my invention I claim: 
     
       1. A filling machine of the type for filling a bag with a plurality of objects contained within a filling spout comprising a combination of: a. a frame;   b. means, carried by the frame, for positioning the bag below the filling spout;   c. .Iadd.first .Iaddend.automatic means, carried by the frame, for raising the bag upwardly towards the filling spout while opening the bag and positioning the bag around the filling spout.Iadd., said first automatic means for opening and positioning comprising in part at least two split sleeves pivotally mounted below the filling spout for opening the bag and surrounding the filling spout.Iaddend.;   d. .Iadd.second .Iaddend.automatic means, carried by said frame, for holding the upper portion of the raised bag on the spout while the objects are filled in the raised bag, the objects being filled in the raised bag serving to completely open the lower portion of the raised bag while the upper portion is held on the holding means.[.; and.]. .Iadd., said second automatic means for holding the bag on the spout comprising horizontally driven clamping means positioned around said split sleeves for firmly clamping the bag against said split sleeves while the bag is being filled after being horizontally driven against said split sleeves;.Iaddend.   e. .Iadd.release .Iaddend.means, carried by the frame, for releasing the held bag and allowing it to be removed downwardly away from the filling spout.Iadd.; and.Iaddend..Iadd.   f. at least one drive means carried by said frame for positively moving at least said clamping means in a horizontal direction against said split sleeves..Iaddend. .[.2. The filling machine is defined in claim 1 wherein said automatic means for opening and positioning comprises in part:   a. at least two split sleeves pivotally mounted below the filling spout for opening the bag and encircling the circular filling spout..]. .[.3. The filling machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said automatic means for holding the bag on the spout comprises clamping means positioned around said split sleeves for firmly clamping said bag against said split sleeves   
     
     
        while the bag is being filled..]. 4. The filling machine as defined in claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said split sleeves are pivoted by a power cylinder, said power cylinder also serving to actuate said clamping means .[.after said split sleeves are pivoted.].. .[.5. The filling machine as defined in claim 4 further comprising the pivot of said split sleeves being adjustable in a horizontal direction outward from the vertical axis of the filling spout to accommodate a plurality of bag 
     
     
        sizes..]. 6. The filling machine as defined in claim .[.5.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.further comprising detecting means fixedly attached to said clamping means to detect the presence of a bag on the split sleeve to control the product flow so that accidental discharge of the objects 
     
     
        through the filling machine does not occur. 7. The filling machine as defined in claim 6 wherein .[.sad.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.detecting means comprises an electrical switch mounted on pin fixedly attached to said clamping means and operable to engage a mating hole contained on one of 
     
     
        said split sleeves whenever a bag is absent from said split sleeves. 8. A method for rapidly and automatically filling a bag with a plurality of objects from a .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout .Iadd.with clamps positioned about it .Iaddend.comprising the steps of: a. positioning the bag below the .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout;   b. automatically raising the bag upwardly towards the .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout while opening the bag and positioning the upper portion of the bag around the .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout;   c. automatically .Iadd.pivoting the split sleeves of the filling spout outwardly while horizontally and positively driving the clamps inwardly against the bag and hence the bag against the outwardly pivoted split sleeves and thereby .Iaddend.holding the upper portion of the raised bag around the .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout .Iadd.in positively driven clamping engagement .Iaddend.while detecting the presence of a bag around the filling spout;   d. filling the raised bag when the detector signals the presence of a raised bag around the .Iadd.split sleeve .Iaddend.filling spout;   e. releasing the held bag and removing the filled bag downwardly away from around the filling spout. .Iadd.9. The filling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the split sleeve fill spout remains substantially stationary in a vertical direction and the vertical centerline thereof remains at least substantially stationary in a horizontal direction..Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The filling machine of claim 4 wherein said drive means further comprises:   slide plate blocks slidably and pivotally mounted to said frame by means of pivot pins in combination with pivot bars;   wherein said first automatic means includes split sleeve pivot pins by which said split sleeves are pivotably mounted to said frame and at least one pivot link bar to which said power cylinder is attached at a point above said split sleeve pivot pins to drive said pivot link bar; and   wherein there is further included an adjustable member attached between and mechanically connecting said pivot link bar to said pivot bars; whereby said power cylinder drives both said split sleeves and said clamping means, the former outwardly and the latter inwardly..Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The method of claim 8 wherein during steps "a" through "e" said split sleeve fill spout is held at least substantially stationary in a vertical direction and the vertical centerline of said split sleeve fill spout is held stationary in a horizontal direction..Iaddend.