Stone Container Corporation

St. Regis Corporation

Champion International Corporation Limited

Robert G Kelley

Christopher S Wadium

Don G Giles

Michael R Avila

Robert F Kendall

Michael D Abar

John P Fuller

Thomas L Myers

Mark D Belser

Walter Ruf

R Phillip Vanausdal

Jerry L Aldridge

A valve bag is provided having a self-closing feature to preclude sifting losses after filling, but before the bag is fully sealed, while enabling the facilitated final secure closure of the bag.

Self-closing sealable valve bag

A valved bag is provided, having first and second end portions, and at least one in-folded flap member and at least one outer flap member affixed to at least one of the first and second end portions. A cover member is positioned and affixed to the in-folded flap member and outer flap member, prior to final closure of same, for preventing the undesired escape of material from within the bag, subsequent to closure of the ends and filling of the bag.

Sift proof valve bag

A method and apparatus for sealing a valved bag transported by a conveyor. The valved bag has a body with a longitudinal axis, a center of gravity, and a sealable valve. At least a portion of the sealable valve protrudes from the body in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the longitudinal access. The apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting the valved bag in a direction of travel substantially parallel to its longitudinal access. A stop member stops the transportation of the valved bag when the sealable valve is aligned with a sealing area. A ram member positions the valved bag to dispose at least a portion of the sealable valve into the sealing area. An ultrasonic horn and anvil engage and seal the sealable valve. The stop member is removed from the path of the sealed bag, allowing it to resume transportation along the conveyor.

Apparatus and method for sealing valved bags transported by a conveyor

A valve bag is provided having a self-closing feature, to preclude sifting losses after filling, but before the bag is fully sealed, while enabling the facilitated final secure closure of the bag.

A multi-station filling apparatus and process for filling bulk containers while simultaneously enabling the deployment and staging of at least one empty container while at least one other container is being filled. The apparatus includes a container filling station operably positioned adjacent a substantially elevated filling chute, a container deployment station, a rotatable carriage and an automatic apparatus controller. The container deployment station is spaced apart from the container filling station so that an operator can attach an empty container thereat either prior to, or during, filling of another container at the container filling station--while avoiding physical exposure to any mechanisms, such as conveyors, associated with the container filling station. The rotatable carriage, which automatically rotates an empty container from the container deployment station toward and into the empty container filling station, includes an outer frame member and displaceable inner frame members. The inner frame members are displaceable from the outer frame members at the container filling station toward operable cooperation with the elevated filling chute, as well as for transferring of the weight of the inner frame member and attached container onto an elevated weight scale mechanism.

Multi-station filling apparatus and process for filling bulk containers

An ultrasonic anvil cartridge for use in association with ultrasonic apparatuses for sealing at least two layers of ultrasonic reactive material. The ultrasonic anvil cartridge cooperates with an anvil housing and an ultrasonic wave generator towards maintaining a substantially even pressure across at least two layers of ultrasonic reactive material such that a substantially even and tight seal can be formed across at least two layers of ultrasonic reactive material. The ultrasonic anvil cartridge includes a plurality of substantially C-shaped support members which are operably and successively aligned so as to be positioned one adjacent another. This plurality of substantially C-shaped members is further encapsulated in substantially elastomeric encapsulating material which is operably positioned within the collective concave surface of the plurality of substantially C-shaped support members to form a unitary cartridge having a substantially convex exterior surface.

Ultrasonic anvil cartridge

A two-stage auger system for filling a valve bag with a particulate material, such as dry powdered or granular material, from a hopper through a valved opening in the bag. The auger system includes a first hollow shaft carrying flights dimensioned and pitched for low speed movement of the particulate material out of the hopper and a second shaft extending through and protruding from the first shaft carrying flights on its protruding portion dimensioned and pitched for higher speed movement of the particulate material from the first mentioned flights. A filling tube is provided to cooperate with the second shaft for higher speed discharge of the particulate material through the filling tube into the bag through the valved opening. Bearings are provided to rotationally seat the second shaft member within the first shaft member on opposite ends of the first shaft member so that the second shaft member can rotate within the first shaft member. A sealing member is provided for sealing the bearings to prevent material from reaching the bearings as well as a drive member for rotating the two shafts. Variably dimensioned and pitched flights are also positioned between the flights of the first and second shafts on the second shaft to carry material between the flights of the first and second shafts, scrape material from the inner wall of the hopper, and direct material away from the sealing means.

Two-stage auger system for filling commercial valve bags

A filling machine for packaging divided solid material having a conduit for feeding the material under pressure into a packaging container, wherein an elastic liner is disposed in and extends along a part of the length of the conduit, has its opposite ends secured to the conduit, and cooperates with the inner surface of the conduit to form a cavity. The conduit is formed with a vent opening to the cavity to permit outward expansion of the liner when material is flowing through the conduit and inward contraction of the liner when there is no flow through the conduit, thereby flexing the liner to crack and break off material adhering to the inner surface of the liner.

Valve bag filling conduit

A packaging machine useful for packaging fluidized dry, divided, solid material into containers such as valve bags is provided with an isolator section for isolating forces generated in the flow path of the material from a filling and weighing section. The flow path includes a filling spout that extends into the container through a valve formed therein and is sealed in the valve by an inflatable sleeve on the filling spout, the sleeve being so constructed that only that portion that enters the valve is permitted to expand.

Packaging machine

A force balancing system includes a plurality of flexure elements disposed to define the corners of an imaginary parallelogram, and each being fixed at one end and connected to a movable load bearing device at the other end so that forces acting through any one flexure element are in exact balance when the system is in equilibrium. The system finds application in weighing systems wherein the object to be weighed constitutes the load.

Growing community of inventors

South Jordan, UT, United States of America

Robert G Kelley