US2940237A - Device for packing bulk products - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1960 w. G. ALcocK EVAL 2,940,237

DEVICE FOR PACKING BULK PRODUCTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1957 INVENTOR WYDMER G. ALC CK HORACE H. CHRISTENSEN ATTORNEYS June 14, 1960 w. G. ALcocK Erm. 2,940,237

DEVICE FOR PACKING BULK PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 30, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 il?" 4 I8 23 I9 F// 27 I9 30 35 l la` V 34 I7 y l l INVENTORS WYDMER. G. ALCOCK f-CYDRACE H. CHRISTENSEN ATTORNEYS DEVICE FOR PACKING BULK PRQDUCTS rites sept. so, 1957, ser. Na. 657,171

4 Claims. (ci. ssi-384) This invention relates to a method of packing bulk products, particularly butter to be stored `in cold storage rooms prior to packing the same for merchandising.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a method of lling transparent bags, as polyethylene bags, with butter or butter like materials for storing, handling and shipping.

In the carrying out of the above object, the bag is placed in a mold container after the container has been sprayed internally with an adhesive and disinfecting material, such as chlorinated water.

In order to get the bag evenly distributed within tl e walls of the mold container, the bag 'is first placed over a collapsible form which shapes the bag approximately to the same dimension as the inside of the mold conrainer. This makes it easy to l wer the bag into the container, after which the form is collapsed so that the form can be removed.

The spray that was previously sprayed on the inner wall of the mold container has an attraction for the polyethylene bag, drawing the bag tightly against the inner surface of the container. Butter then can be pacled into the bag in the mold container', after which the top or" the bag is folded over and sealed in the usual manner. The mold container is then delivered to a cold storage room where Vthe soft material is hardened by refrigeration, after which the same can be removed from the mold container but will be protected and sealed within the bag for shipment or storage.

In the processing of the butter into packages thereafter, the folds of the bag can be pulled apart and pulled away from the sides of the block of butter without sticking to the same.

The old method of packing the butter for storage was to coat the inside of the container' with a spray, line the saine with individual pieces of parchment by hand. On the removing of this parchment from tie bloei; of refrigerated butter, it had a tendency to adhere thereto making tbe process very slow and expensive.

With the old method, moisture tended to escape from the stored butter through and around the parchment sheets, but with our method of using the polyethylene bag, the product can be stored indefinitely without any noticeable loss of moisture content.

Other objects and advantages will become appar nt in the following specilication when considered in the light ci the attached drawings. `in which:

Figure l is au inverLd side elevation of the collapsibe form having a poiyet bag pulled down over same, the form being in e zdcd position, par" brok n away for convenience o ttion.

Figure 2 is a elevation wricrs illustrates the form -d inside the mold container wib. pL rta broken away and in section ior convenience or" illY Figure 3 is vertical sectional view taken on ne 3 3 of figure 4 looking in the direction ot' the arrows with broken lines illustrating the position of the form when nite Sttes arent O r"ice collapsed for removing the same from the bag and container.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the structure sh wn `in Figure 2, broken lines illustrating the position of the form when collapsed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on line SS of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a semi-diagrammatic view which illustrates the first fold of the bag after being lled.

Figure 7 is a view slnilar to Figure 6 which illustrates the second fold.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 which illustrates the third fold.

Figure 9 is a perspective which shows the final fold and sealing, the sealing iron being illustrated by broken lines.

Figure l() is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View, taken on line itil-lil or Figure 3 looking in the `direction ci the arrows.

Figure ll is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, alten on line l-ll or Figure 3 looking in the dire/- tion of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference character lil indicates generally the apparatus used in performing the process of packing bullf` products in accordance with the invention.

A collapsible form F is used to place a polyethylene bag l5 into a mold container 16.

We lwill first describe the structure of the collapsible form F. This form includes a plurality of side Walls l?. The side walls i7 are hinged together at their corners lo and midway their width at l? in a vertical direction by hinges2tl, referring particularly to Figure ll.

Referring to Figure l0, forming a part of the hinges El? are inwardly extending ears 2l. The ears 2l are pivotally connected to the hinge pin 22. Vert-ically disposed bars 23 are connected to the ears 2l, referring particularly to Figures 3 and l0.

A centrally located base plate 24 is disposed within the form F and has a pedestal 25 lixedly secured thereto extending vertically centrally of the form F. A sleeve 25 is xedly mounted to the pedesta 2S and supports pivotally mounted bars 27 on ears 23 formed on the sleeve 26. Spaced from `the sleeve 26 is a slidable sleeve 29, having integral outwardly exterding ears 30 to support ivotally at 32 the bars 3l. The outer ends 33 of the 27 are pivotally connected to the vertical bars 23 at 3d. The slidable sleeve 29 is held in the position shown in Figure 3 by a locking device L.

The locking device L lhas a plunver 35 associated therewith having an opening 36 therein to embrace the pedestal 25. One side of the pedestal 25 has a notched groove 37 into which the inner edge 38 of the plunger 35 engages, referring particularly to Figure 5. A spring 39 holds the the plunger 35 in the position shown engaging the inner edge 3@ of the groove 37 of the pedestal 25, holding the sleeve 2% in a iixed position until the operator pushes against the end 40 of the plunger 3S thus overcoming the spring 39 and disengaging the edge 38 from the groove 37, permitting the sleeve 29 to be moved to an upper position, as illustrated by broken lines in Figure 3. When the sleeve 29 is moved upwardly the levers 27 and 3l and the vertical bars 23 are moved to the broken line position, pulling the side walls 17 to the broken line position as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. his permits the removal of the collapsible form F from within the bag l5 after the bag 15 has been placed in the container i6.

A spring 4l engages between the sleeves 26 and 29 and tends to move the slidable sleeve 29 away from the l Y 3 fixed sleeve 26, collapsing the form F. When it is Vdesired to expand the form F in order to place the bag 15 over the same, the operator pushes down on -the slidable sleeve 29 until the plunger 35 engages the groove 37 of the pedestal 2S, which will hold the WallsV 17 of the -forin F in expanded position, as illustrated in Figures 3V and'4. Y

In thecarrying out of our method of filling polyethylene bags, the first step is to form the bag 1S to be entered into the mold container 16, referring particularly to Figures 1,2 and 4. The collapsible form F is inverted from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure'l, the pedestal 25 passing down through an opening 42 in a supporting stand 43, bringing the top edges 44 of theside wall 17 of the form F downagainst the top 45of the stand 43 for supporting the form F.

Next the bag 15 is placed over the form F and pulled Y down as illustrated, the surplus of the bag terminating inthe folds'46. The next step is to spray the inner surface of the container 16 with a disinfectant having the characteristics of attracting the polyethylene bag towards the same when the bag 15'is placed in the container 16.

Figure 2 illustrates how the container 16 and form F, including the bag 15 are moved to a support 47 and the upper end 46 ofthe bag 15 Ifolded down `over the container 16. The next step is to release the locking device L, as above described, to permit the spring 41 to v raise the movable sleeve 29 to the broken lineV position,

including the bars 27, 31 and the side walls 17, referring particularly to Figures 3 and'4, permitting the removal of the form F from within Ithe bag 15 within the container 16. When this is done the bag 15 and container 16 are lled with a product, such as butter delivered from the churn in plastic condition. Y

The nextoperation is to fold one side referring to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. Figures-6, 7 and 8 are substantially diagrammatical drawings showing the folding of the bag 15. The rst fold 48 isV made as indicated. A second fold 49 is made.y A third fold 50 follows, while the fourth fold brings the bag 15 to the position shownV in Figure 9, all of the corners of the folds coming together at 51. At this time any suitable well known forked sealing iron 52, indicated by'broken lines, is applied atthis point, causing the polyethylene material toY seal and lock all folds down together.Y

of the Bag 1s,Y

In Figure 9 we illustrate some of the structure of the container 16. One side ofthe container 16 is removable as indicated by the broken lines 53, so that when it is desired to remove the product and the bag 15 from the container 16 the removing of this one side facilitates the removal of the product.` p

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it shouldY be understood that numerous structural modiications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Y Y p What is claimed is:

1. A device for forming a bagY to the walls of amold comprising a plurality of Vertical Ywall panels, means having vertically extending pivots hingedly securing the side edges of adjacent panels together, a horizontal base plate, a pedestal extending Vvertically from said base plate, and means extending radially Voutwardly from said pedestal connected to said panels for folding and unfolding said panels with respect to each other moving said panels radially with respect to saidrpedestal to form and support a Vwith said panels in expanded position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 223,406 Strieby Jan'. 6, 1880 581,303 Prankard vApl..27, 1897 749,917 Carncross Jan.V 19, 1904 1,456,096 Diskin Q May 22, 1923 1,951,567V Spear Mar. 20, 1934 2,003,516 Schnaier June 4, 1935 2,328,798 -Gardner a Sept. 7, 1943

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