Abstract: In a vacuum packaging apparatus for packaging relatively large articles, a rotary valve is provided over a turntable having a plurality of vacuum chambers at its periphery so that an amount of air is supplementarily discharged from a vacuum chamber into one of other vacuum chambers before a complete vacuum is made and that a small amount of atmospheric air is sucked into the chamber to shrink preliminarily a packaging bag before its open end is sealed.

Abstract: When filling flexible bags with a specified quantity of material, the uppermost one of the bags is opened at the mouth thereof and a spatular element is inserted into the bag while streams of gas are discharged from the surface of the element. Then, a vacuum suction force is applied to the surface of the spatular element to cause the bag to be sucked to that surface so that the bag, together with the element, is moved into a recessed wall of a stand frame. The bag is inflated in the recessed wall by discharging jets of gas from the surface of the spatular element into the bag, and simultaneously the bag is sucked to the inner surface of the recessed wall under a vacuum suction force while being held in opened condition. Subsequently, the specified quantity of material is filled into the bag. In this way, each flexible bag is moved to the stand frame while being accurately sucked to and kept in the spatular element.

Abstract: Pressure resistant containers, each consisting of a pressure resistant box opened at the front surface thereof and a wall plate, are circulated along an endless track with the wall plates directed outward. The front and back surfaces of each wall plate are each provided with a clamp for supporting a soft pliable bag. The bag is fed to the clamp disposed outside the pressure resistant container, and the bag is clamped by the clamp. The mouth of the bag is then opened to fill the bag with an article. Subsequently, the wall plate is turned inside out to admit the bag in the pressure resistant container, and the bag is subjected to a vacuum in the pressure resistant container and the mouth of the bag is sealed.

Abstract: A rotary packing apparatus wherein a plurality of bag-support elements support a flexible bag in suspension. The support elements are moved intermittently along an endless circular path, and the bags are fed to the bag-support elements on the path. Thereafter, objects are placed in the bags at a given position on the path. The filled bag is then subjected to a vacuum and sealed. Two vacuum chambers are provided between the position at which objects are placed in the bags and the position for sealing the bags, such that the bags are subjected to a vacuum at each of the two vacuum chamber stages, and are exposed to atmospheric pressure between these two stages.

Abstract: A vacuum packing apparatus for vacuum packing objects into flexible bags. The apparatus has first and second gears rotatable around a pair of spaced apart vertical axes and an endless chain which is engaged with the gears. The first gear has a plurality of chambers spaced at intervals from one another, and the chain carries a plurality of lids for hermetically sealing the chambers. Each lid includes a pair of clippers for hanging the bags in suspension with the bag openings oriented upwardly. A bag feed unit feeds bags to the clippers and a hopper unit feeds objects into the bags while the bags are supported in suspension by the clippers. Each bag, while being supported in suspension by a pair of clippers on a lid, is positioned into a chamber by the positioning of the lid over the chamber. After a vacuum is formed in the chamber, and hence in each bag, the bags are sealed to provide a vacuum packed bag.