Package making – With means responsive to a sensed condition – Of individual contents or group feed or delivery
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-05-29
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 2721)
Package making
With means responsive to a sensed condition
Of individual contents or group feed or delivery
C053S202000, C053S576000, C141S083000, C141S231000, C141S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237309
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a granular material into bags and, more particularly, to a portable station for forming separate sand bags by filling a portion of continuous bag material with sand and then cutting and sealing the material.
The efficient filling and sealing of sand bags is of great importance during times of emergency, such as extreme flooding. As time is of the essence during a flood emergency, sand bags must be filled and sealed efficiently. Further, sand bags need to be relatively uniform in size when stacked for the damming of water.
Various devices exist for filling and sealing bags with sand. Although assumably effective in operation, existing devices still exhibit certain disadvantages. Some devices require manual operation either for filling or sealing the bag. Other devices require large supporting structures or must be mounted to a large truck in order to be portable.
It is therefore desirable to have an apparatus for filling sand bags that is easily movable to selected emergency locations. Further, it is desirable to have an apparatus for forming sand bags from a continuous length of bagging material. It is also desirable to have an apparatus which can selectively form sand bags having various weights without wasting bag material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, I have invented a portable sand bag filling apparatus which utilizes a portable support frame having a hopper for storing sand for bagging. The apparatus includes a plurality of bagging stations mounted to the hopper. Each bagging station includes a chute into which sand is delivered from the hopper. A cartridge of continuous bagging material is removably mounted to each chute for receiving sand flowing therethrough. Each bagging station further includes a scale for determining when a predetermined weight of sand has been received in a bag. A cutter/sealer is attached to each bagging station for first severing a filled sand bag from the continuous bagging material and then sealing the top of the bag and the bottom of the remaining bagging material.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide an apparatus for filling sandbags which can form and fill bags with sand quickly and efficiently.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which can form and fill sand bags automatically.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which can be towed behind a truck or tractor to a selected location.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which includes a hopper that can be filled easily by a tractor or dump truck.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which can dispense sand into a portion of a continuous length of sturdy bag material.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which fills a sandbag to a predetermined weight.
A particular object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which severs a filled sandbag from the continuous length of bag material.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which heat seals both the top of the severed bag and the bottom of the remaining continuous length of bag material.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which is powered by an on-board motor or by the power take-off of a tractor.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, in which the continuous length of bag material is provided by an easily replaceable cartridge.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2656658 (1953-10-01), Grady
patent: 3552346 (1971-01-01), Garden
patent: 3940906 (1976-03-01), Leckband et al.
patent: 4044525 (1977-08-01), Forsgren
patent: 4044921 (1977-08-01), Caverly
patent: 4184522 (1980-01-01), Waite
patent: 4790124 (1988-12-01), Kaji
patent: 5121775 (1992-06-01), McClain
patent: 5353851 (1994-10-01), Cline
patent: 5575315 (1996-11-01), Wengert
patent: 5673734 (1997-10-01), Hawley
patent: 5687781 (1997-11-01), Grizz
patent: 5771665 (1998-06-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 5802807 (1998-09-01), Johnson
patent: 5806576 (1998-09-01), Sutherlin
patent: 5832700 (1998-11-01), Kammler et al.
patent: 5893260 (1999-04-01), McKenna
patent: 5979512 (1999-11-01), McGregor et al.
Gerrity Stephen F.
Ream Dale J.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for forming sand bags does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for forming sand bags, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for forming sand bags will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2446357