Bag making apparatus and method for making plastic bags including a

Abstract

A bag forming machine includes draw rolls for drawing a folded plastic web to and through a cut and seal unit for forming of successive bags. A wicketer receives the individual bags and rotates to carry successive bags to an opposite discharge end and depositing of the bags onto a pin stacker. A wicket conveyor includes an endless chain with an input sprocket adjacent the discharge end of the wicketer and a discharge sprocket located in spaced alignment to a discharge end of the conveyor. A plurality of pin stackers are secured in equi-spaced relation to the chain. A high response AC servo motor located at the input end of the conveyor is connected via a chain to the input sprocket. An independent servo controller is connected to energize the AC servo motor. A multi-axis servo controller is connected to servo drives for operating servo motors connected to the draw roll, the cut and seal unit, and the wicketer. The independent high response motor and dedicated servo controller can replace the independent motor drive systems of conveyors in existing bag lines. The conveyor is a compact unit for forming compact lines which can be formed in a plurality of side-by-side lines. The web supply is L-shaped with a vertical V-folder and formed as a compact unit which in combination with the conveyor permits forming adjacent bag lines with a reduced footprint.