Package making – Methods – With contents treating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2001-03-20
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
With contents treating
C053S459000, C053S527000, C053S567000, C053S576000, C141S073000, C141S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202389
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a bagging machine and more particularly relates to mechanism for restricting movement of the bagging machine during a bag filling operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a method and apparatus for outdoor storage of agricultural products (silage, grain, etc.) and other materials to be stored (e.g., compost) produces such storage in large plastic bags, e.g., 4′-10′ in diameter and 100′-200′ in length. Filling the bag is accomplished with a bag filling machine or bagging machine. The machine includes a movable chassis, i.e., mounted on wheels, a tunnel mounted on the chassis, a hopper for receiving material and a rotor that forces the material from the hopper and into and through the tunnel from that end and out of the tunnel through the other end. A bag, e.g., having a 200′ length, is gathered or folded in a manner to be mounted around the tunnel with an end closed and covering the exit end of the tunnel. Thus, material moved from the tunnel into the bag is deposited on the ground as the bag is filled. During the filling process, the movable machine moves forward and incremental portions of the bag are deployed from the tunnel.
A concern for the apparatus and process as described is the desire to fill the bag completely with the material. A loosely filled bag wastes storage space and increases cost. It is also more readily subject to tearing, e.g., under strong wind conditions, and depending on the material, the loosely filled bag can affect aeration and curing of the material being stored in the bag. Prior to the present invention, there were essentially three ways to obtain the desired complete filling of the bag. Initially a backstop was provided at the closed end of the bag with cables extending from the backstop to the bagging machine along each side of the bag. The cables were wound on rotatable drums. Brakes were provided on the drums. The brakes are pressure releasable and the pressure settings are adjustable. In operation the rotor forces the material into the tunnel and into the bag which is prevented from extending in length until the material is sufficiently compacted in the bag so that back pressure forces release of the drum brakes. The machine then rolls forward and the folded portion of the bag on the tunnel is deployed until the pressure is released whereupon the brake is reset. This cycle is repeated until the bag is totally filled.
It will also be noted that the machine's wheels have brakes that are also selectively used to provide resistance to forward movement of the machine. Such brakes by themselves are not sufficient as ground conditions can be wet, rough, sloped, etc. to alter the effectiveness of the wheel brakes. The exterior cables connected between the backstop and machine are effective but are somewhat dangerous and cumbersome. The cables and drums add extra cost (e.g., the cables are each in excess of 200′ long and the drums must accommodate that length during site-to-site movement and at start up). The cables are under stress and if they should break, they can threaten the safety of persons standing near. Upon completion of a bag filling operation and before the machine can be moved to a new site and the filling operation continued, the cables have to be rewound onto the drums (a tedious and time consuming operation). (Examples of such exterior cable use are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,877.)
A more recent development is the precompaction of the material which take place inside the tunnel. A barrier is provided in the tunnel which inhibits flow from the tunnel into the bag. The barrier impedes flow primarily in the lower half of the tunnel, in the path of direct flow from the rotor, thus forcing the material to flow in large part up and over the barrier. The effect is that the tunnel is filled and the material is compacted before the material enters the bag resulting in the bag being substantially filled. Known barriers include gates, cables extended between the tunnel walls and flanges protruded from the tunnel walls or floor. Such barriers are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,860,271 and 5,671,594.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INTENTION
It is considered preferable to provide a more reliable filling of the bag, i.e., more reliable than any of the foregoing barriers described, such as previously existed with the use of the backstop and cables. However, the barrier process has advantages over the exterior cables and backstop as previously explained. The present invention has for its objective to provide a braking type function similar to that achieved in the backstop process but without the exterior cables.
The invention provides an anchor that is secured to a tether, e.g., a cable that extends from the machine to an anchor located in the bag's interior. Whereas the material is flowing relative to the tunnel, once the material is deposited in the bag, it becomes substantially stationary. The anchor is played out to a desired position inside the bag (and thus embedded in the compacted material) and the reel is then locked. Thereafter movement of the machine requires that the anchor be dragged through the compacted material. Depending on various factors, a number of which can be controlled, the resistance is substantial and sufficient to produce the braking of the machine in a manner similar to the prior backstop method but without the use of 200′ cables and with the cables fully contained in the interior and not the exterior of the bag.
In a preferred embodiment, the anchors are configured with two pairs of laterally projected fins or flanges set at an angle (like an airplane wing) to maintain the anchor in a position elevated from the bottom of the bag. The configuration of the anchor can, however, be provided in a number of ways to produce the desired resistance to being dragged through the material. It will be appreciated that variation in drag pressure can also be achieved by the distance the anchor extends into the bag, i.e., the compaction being greater at a distance further into the bag than closer to the bag mouth.
Other advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the drawings referred to therein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3687061 (1972-08-01), Eggenmuller et al.
patent: 5297377 (1994-03-01), Cullen
patent: 5395286 (1995-03-01), Sgariboldi
patent: 5439182 (1995-08-01), Sgariboldi
patent: 5671594 (1997-09-01), Cullen
patent: 5775069 (1998-07-01), Cullen
patent: 5857313 (1999-01-01), Cullen
patent: 5899247 (1999-05-01), Cullen
Inman Larry R.
Koskela Michael H.
Lovell Richard G.
Ag-Bag International Limited
Harrington Robert L.
Sipos John
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