Automated bag manufacturing and packaging system

Abstract

An apparatus for the continuous packaging of flexible bags is adapted for use with a continuous bag manufacturing machine. Separate bags are received on a conveyor which conveys the bags to a stacking station at the end of the conveyor. At the stacking station, the bags are stacked in a catch tray until a predetermined number of bags have been collected, at which point the tray is opened to drop the bags into an open container supported on a turntable beneath the catch tray. The turntable is rotatable to convey the open container away from the stacking station to an unloading station when the container has been filled with bags. The turntable rotatably supports a number of support plates evenly distributed around the perimeter of the turntable, upon which an open container sits. A multi-motion actuator situated at the stacking station underneath the turntable is operable to rotate the support plate at the stacking station relative to the turntable. Rotation of the support plate rotates the container supported by the plate, thereby providing means for alternating the orientation of bags stacked within the container to optimally accommodate the greater bag thickness at the zipper profile end of the bags. The actuator can be disengaged from the support plate to permit rotation of the turntable as the filled container is discharged from the turntable and as a new empty container is moved to the stacking station.