The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 01, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 12, 1996
Gerald Leo Townsend, Wausaukee, WI (US);
Optima Corporation, Green Bay, WI (US);
Abstract
A bag filling station including a main body having a loading bay with a bottom, a first end, and a second end. The bottom of the loading bay may be movable in a horizontal direction. At the first end of the loading bay is a loading ram or actuator having a pusher arm which is also movable in a horizontal direction. Adjacent to the loading bay, at its second end, are two spreader plates, each of which is coupled to the main body and movable between a rearward position and a forward position. Each spreader plate is also moveable along a linear path, between a first, open position and a second, closed position. The bag filling station also includes a platform which is located near and above the second end of the loading bay and has a centrally positioned opening. A stack of bags is placed on the platform over the opening. Under the platform, near the second end of the loading bay, is a vertically oriented, linear actuator or rod. The rod has a top end with a finger mounted thereto and is capable of moving between a first, lower position and a second, upper position and between a first, rearward position and a second, forward position. In operation, the bottom side of a single bag on the platform is pulled through the opening in the platform by means of the finger on the vertically oriented rod.