Bag bottom forming machine and transfer apparatus

Abstract

This relates to a bag forming machine wherein a continuous tube is formed from a contuous web, the tube having a side seam and being cut off at predetermined intervals to form short tubes with closed bottoms. The tubes are placed on mandrel assemblies of a turret and the mandrel assemblies, as the turret is indexed, are actuated so as to axially elongate the closed tubes while holding the open end of each tube against movement, thereby generally forming a flat bottom on the tube and triangular bottom portions. The turret is next indexed so as to plow down the triangular bottom portions flat against the flat bottom portion followed by further indexing of the turret to heat seal the triangular positions to the flat bottom portion and then cool the heat seals. Finally, each closed bottom bag is gripped by a combined rotator and orientation device wherein the side seam of the bag is rotated to a selected orientation. The flat bottom bag is then transferred from the turret into a pocket of a conveyor which directs the bag to a filler and then a heat sealer for closing the closed bag. In order to effect the transfer of the bag from the turret, it is necessary that an outer mandrel of each mandrel assembly be projected radially from the turret a considerable distance. This is effected by way of a plunger carrying the mandrel and an associated cam. The cam has a sector thereof which is radially movable relative to the remainder of the cam by a rocker arm which is actuated in timed relation to the indexing of the turret so as to provide for the necessary outer mandrel travel.