Abstract: A carousel bagger including a plurality of troughs each having sides fixed to a rotatable table with a pivotable bottom wall pivoted from a lower product-receiving position to a higher product-dumping position in response to actuation by a linkage running on a cam track as the table rotates. The bottom wall has two longitudinal sections with an obtuse angle therebetween which tends to cause the product to travel in a single file to thereby avoid bridging. The trough dumps product through combined chute and bag-clamping members having sides with outwardly flared upper portions which also tends to avoid bridging.

Abstract: A hag-loading machine and a bag-filling machine and combination thereof, the bag-loading machine including bag carrying frame, motors coupled to the bag-carrying frame for moving it toward and away from the bag-filling machine and between a lower position and an upper bag-filling position, a first blower mounted on the bag carrying frame for maintaining a supported bag in an open condition, a second blower mounted on the bag-filling machine for blowing the supported bag to a fully opened position preceding the clamping of the bag to a conveyor trough, Structure on the conveyor trough for filling the clamped bag, structure on the bag-filling machine for releasing the filled bag from the conveyor trough, and a control system for effecting the foregoing sequence of operations.

Abstract: A bag-loading machine and a bag-filling machine and combination thereof, the bag-loading machine including bag-carrying frame, a first motor coupled to the bag-carrying frame for moving it between a lower and a higher position, a bag-opening frame, a second motor for moving the bag-opening frame between an away position an a toward position wherein it pulls the front side of a bag away from the rear side while the bag-carrying frame is in its lower position, a blower mounted on the bag-carrying frame for maintaining the front side of the bag away from the rear side, the bag-filling machine including a second blower for blowing the bag to a fully opened position preceding the movement of first and second closed pads on a conveyor trough over the fully opened bag, the first motor thereafter moving the bag-carrying frame to its upper position so that the first and second closed pads are received within the open mouth of the bag, a third motor on the conveyor trough thereafter moving the first pad to clamp the fr

Abstract: A bag-loading machine and a bag-filling machine and combination thereof, the bag-loading machine including bag-carrying frame, a first motor coupled to the bag-carrying frame for moving it between a lower and a higher position, a bag-opening frame, a second motor for moving the bag-opening frame between an away position an a toward position wherein it pulls the front side of a bag away from the rear side while the bag-carrying frame is in its lower position, a blower mounted on the bag-carrying frame for maintaining the front side of the bag away from the rear side, the bag-filling machine including a second blower for blowing the bag to a fully opened position preceding the movement of first and second closed pads on a conveyor trough over the fully opened bag, the first motor thereafter moving the bag-carrying frame to its upper position so that the first and second closed pads are received within the open mouth of the bag, a third motor on the conveyor trough thereafter moving the first pad to clamp the fr

Abstract: A carousel bagger having a frame, a table rotatably mounted on the frame, a plurality of conveyor troughs extending radially outwardly from the table, each of the conveyor troughs including a trough and a conveyor, bag-gripping structure mounted at the outer ends of the troughs, and chutes formed integrally with the bag-gripping structure such that when a bag is properly gripped, the chute will always be in a position to guide produce from the conveyor into a gripped bag. A chute-clogging detection structure located in relationship to the chutes for stopping the bagger in the event a clogged chute is detected. A bag-detection structure for preventing the deposit of produce from a hopper into a conveyor trough in the event that a bag is not being held by the bag-gripping structure associated with the trough.

Abstract: A bag holding and loading device for a bagger having structure for opening a bag and removing a loaded bag from the bag holding and loading device, the bag holding and loading device including a base plate, first and second cylinders mounted on the base plate, first and second piston rods extending in opposite directions from the first and second cylinders, respectively, first and second rear clamping members mounted on the outer ends of the first and second piston rods, respectively, first and second apertures in the first and second rear clamping members, respectively, for receiving wicket pins, first and second rear clamping plates movably mounted on the base member outwardly of the first and second rear clamping members, respectively, for selectively either occupying first positions relative to the first and second rear clamping members, respectively, for permitting wickets of bags to be clamped therebetween or occupying second positions for permitting wickets of bags to be mounted on the first and second

Abstract: A bagger machine having a frame, a wicket bar mounted on the frame, a rear clamp cylinder for pressing tabs at the upper edges of the rear sides of a ream of bags against the wicket bar, a carriage mounted for sliding movement on the frame, a suction head on the carriage for attracting the front side of the outermost bag of a ream, a bag opening cylinder for moving the carriage while the suction head engages the front side of the bag to open the bag, a bag clamping cylinder on the carriage for clamping the upper edge of the front of a bag against the suction head, a bag push cylinder for moving a filled bag in a direction away from the wicket bar after it has been filled, a control for momentarily causing the rear clamp cylinder to release the tab of the bag being moved while the bag is moving away from the wicket bar, a conveyor underlying the filled bag to support it after its tab has been released and as it is moving away from the wicket bar, a control for causing the front clamp cylinder to release the up

Abstract: A wicket bar construction for mounting mesh bags on the bagger portion of an automatic weigher/bagger machine including a wicket bar, spaced prongs extending outwardly from the wicket bar and having first free ends and second ends attached to the wicket bar at junctions, the spaced prongs extending through spaced openings in the top rim of one side of the bags, and blades mounted at the junctions of the prongs and the wicket bar for severing the top strand adjacent the spaced openings when the bag is pulled away from the wicket bar.