End wall closure for bulk material transport bag

Abstract

A flat reusable fill/discharge closure for the end wall (bottom or top) of a cloth bag for transporting bulk materials comprises a flexible tube folded back into itself to form a long inner fill/discharge tube and a short outer closure tube having a length less than the radius of an opening in the bag end wall; the tube fold is sewn into the periphery of the end wall opening of the bag with the closure and fill/discharge tubes projecting outwardly. A flat closure is effected by tying the fill/discharge tube closed, stuffing it into the bag interior, and then closing the closure tube by a drawstring mounted in its outer end. The questions raised in reexamination request No. 90/000,584, filed 07-06-84, have been considered and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e).

I claim: 
     
       1. In a bag for transporting bulk materials, of the kind comprising an end wall joined to a plurality of side walls, all formed of strong, flexible material, and having a plurality of lifting loops mounted on the upper edges of the sidewalls, an improved reusable fill/discharge closure comprising: an opening of diameter D in the end wall;   a fill/discharge tube of strong, flexible material having a diameter at least slightly larger than D and having a length L1;   a closure tube of strong, flexible material having a diameter at least slightly larger than D and having a length L2 no greater than D/2, with L1>L2;   the fill/discharge tube and the closure tube each having one end secured to the periphery of the .[.outlet.].  opening in the end wall of the bag with the fill/discharge tube disposed inwardly of the closure tube and both projecting outwardly of the end wall of the bag;   a drawstring disposed in a peripheral pocket in the outer end of the closure tube;   and tie means for releasably closing the outer end of the fill/discharge tube;   whereby the closed fill/discharge tube can be stuffed into the interior of the bag through the end wall opening and the drawstring tightened to form a flat openable closure for the end wall opening.   
     
     
       2. In a bag for transporting bulk materials, of the kind comprising an end wall joined to a plurality of side walls, all formed of strong, flexible material, and having a plurality of lifting loops mounted on the upper edges of the sidewalls, an improved reusable fill/discharge closure comprising: an opening of diameter D in the end wall;   an elongated tube of strong, flexible material having a diameter at least slightly larger than D, folded back into itself to form an inner fill/discharge tube having a length L1 and an outer closure tube having a length L2, with L2 no greater than D/2 and L1>L2;   the fold end of the tube being secured to the periphery of the opening in the end wall of the bag with the closure tube and the fill/discharge tube projecting outwardly of the end wall of the bag;   a drawstring disposed in a peripheral pocket in the outer end of the closure tube;   and tie means for releasably closing the outer end of the fill/discharge tube;   whereby the closed fill/discharge tube can be stuffed into the interior of the bag through the end wall opening and the drawstring tightened to form a flat openable closure for the end wall opening.   
     
     
       3. An improved reusable fill/discharge closure for a bulk material transport bag, according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the bag end wall and the tubes are all formed of a woven fabric and the tubes are sewn to the periphery of the end wall opening. 
     
     
       4. An improved reusable fill/discharge closure for a bulk material transport bag, according to claim 3, in which the tie means comprises a woven fabric tie sewn to the discharge tube at a point outwardly displaced from the outer end of the closure tube. 
     
     
       5. An improved reusable fill/discharge closure for a bulk material transport bag, according to claim 1 or claim 2, and further comprising: a supplemental closure member, having a diameter approximately equal to D, attached to the inside of the closure tube at a point adjacent the periphery of the end wall opening, the supplemental closure member extending across the end wall opening to afford a dust cover when the closure is closed. .Iadd.   
     
     
       6.  In a bag for transporting bulk materials, of the kind comprising an end wall joined to a plurality of side walls, all formed of strong, flexible material, an improved reusable fill/discharge closure comprising: opening of maximum transverse dimension D in one end of the bag;   a fill/discharge tube of strong, flexible material having a maximum transverse dimension at least approximately equal to D and having a length L1;   a closure tube of strong, flexible material having a maximum transverse dimension at least approximately equal to D and having a length L2 no greater than D/2, with L1>L2;   the fill/discharge tube and the closure tube secured to each other and to the periphery of the bag end opening and projecting outwardly from the periphery of the opening in the end of the bag with the fill/discharge tube disposed within the closure tube and projecting outwardly beyond the end of the closure tube;   a drawstring disposed in a peripheral pocket in the outer end of the closure tube;   and tie means for releasably closing the outer end of the fill/discharge tube;   whereby the closed fill/discharge tube can be stuffed into the interior of the bag through the end opening and the drawstring tightened to form a flat openable closure for the end opening of the bag. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       7.  An improved reusable fill/discharge closure for a bulk material transport bag, according to claim 6, in which the bag and the tubes are all formed of a woven fabric and the tubes are sewn together at the periphery of the end opening of the bag. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. An improved reusable fill/discharge closure for a bulk material transport bag, according to claim 6 or claim 7, and further comprising: a supplemental closure member, having a maximum transverse dimension approximately equal to D, attached to the inside of the closure tube at a point adjacent the periphery of the end opening, the supplemental closure member extending across the end opening to afford a dust cover when the closure is closed. .Iaddend.