Abstract: A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing weeds from growth in seed beds. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle accompanies the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with hose connections to the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to provide a continuous water flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator. An operator person guides the shuttle vehicle over the seed bed.

Abstract: A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing undesirable weeds from growth in the seed bed. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle is further provided for use in combination with the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with inlet and outlet hose connections to permit water flow from the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to the water heater and back to the reservoir in a continuous flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water to a high temperature in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is self-contained and is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are described for sterilizing seed beds in soil. The apparatus is comprised of at least one hot water injecting chamber defined by a pair of spaced-apart side walls secured to one another and defining therebetween a passage. A plurality of jet holes are provided in an inner surface of each of the side walls and facing the direction of the passage. The jet holes communicate with a manifold associated with each side wall which is connected to a supply of pressurized hot water. Each of the side walls is configured to penetrate into the soil in at least a lower region thereof whereby to inject into the soil in the passage between the pair of plates the pressurized hot water as the hot water injecting chamber is displaced in the soil.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are described for sterilizing seed beds in soil. The apparatus is comprised of at least one hot water injecting chamber defined by a pair of spaced-apart side walls secured to one another and defining therebetween a passage. A plurality of jet holes are provided in an inner surface of each of the side walls and facing the direction of the passage. The jet holes communicate with a manifold associated with each side wall which is connected to a supply of pressurized hot water. Each of the side walls is configured to penetrate into the soil in at least a lower region thereof whereby to inject into the soil in the passage between the pair of plates the pressurized hot water as the hot water injecting chamber is displaced in the soil.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for stretch wrapping articles, especially heads of lettuce, wherein a roll (23) of film (24) is supported on a housing (21), and the film is supplied from the roll around a dancer roller (50) and film feed roller (51) to a pair of film feed grippers (33, 34) which grip a leading edge of the film and advance it past an opening (26), whereupon a clamp (27) engages the leading edge of the film to hold it while the grippers release and return to their home position. Additional clamps (28–32) then engage the film to hold it in place over the opening. A head of lettuce (L) is placed on the film in centered relation to the opening, and a ram (37) engages the lettuce and pushes it against the film to stretch the film through and below the opening.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for stretch wrapping articles, especially heads of lettuce, wherein a roll (23) of film (24) is supported on a housing (21), and the film is supplied from the roll around a dancer roller (50) and film feed roller (51) to a pair of film feed grippers (33, 34) which grip a leading edge of the film and advance it past an opening (26), whereupon a clamp (27) engages the leading edge of the film to hold it while the grippers release and return to their home position. Additional clamps (28-32) then engage the film to hold it in place over the opening. A head of lettuce (L) is placed on the film in centered relation to the opening, and a ram (37) engages the lettuce and pushes it against the film to stretch the film through and below the opening.

Abstract: A machine and method for making plastic bags each having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end is described. The machine has a bottom wall forming die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex. The die is heated and reciprocated over a folded film sheet which is oriented such that the die will simultaneously slit heat-fuse opposed film sheets of the folded film sheet when stroked on the film sheet. The die forms opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded side edge of the folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location spaced on a transverse axis from the longitudinal folded side edge. An evacuation port is located under the folded film sheet in the die-cut area of the folded film sheet and is exposed between slitting and heat-fusing strokes of the die whereby to evacuate the cut-out film portion.

Abstract: An automatic turret bagging machine utilizes a turret transport mechanism having four article receiving compartments to receive liquid pouches, herein milk pouches, oriented longitudinally therein. An indexing motor drives the turret transport mechanism between an article loading position, an article discharge position, an intermediate position and an article unloading position. A control plate is synchronized with the turret transport mechanism and provides a support for a follower bearing member secured to the trap door of each of the compartments whereby to retain and release articles loaded in the compartments. The control plate also has a formation which automatically recloses the trap doors of the compartment upon reaching a predetermined position and simultaneously repositions the follower bearing member with a lower surface of the control plate.

Abstract: An automatic bagging machine is comprised of a discharge station for releasing one or more articles in an open top end of a plastic bag held thereunder. The machine is fed by a plurality of bags held side-by-side by a continuous top band portion. At the loading station, two clamping assemblies engage a respective top band portion at the top end of opposed side walls of the bag and a displacing mechanism moves the clamping assemblies on an angled path to a retracted position outwardly from one another on an angled path. Simultaneously a pivoting tension roll permits a predetermined length of the band portion and attached bag to be drawn towards the bag filling station to advance the plurality of bags whereby to permit the bag at the filling station to be opened by the two clamping assemblies. After the bag is filled it is displaced to a discharge station where the filled bag is disconnected from the continuous top band portions and released on a discharge conveyor.

Abstract: An ink dispensing apparatus is comprised of a support frame capable of supporting a plurality of ink containers. The apparatus is provided with an agitating mechanism to agitate the containers from time-to-time to maintain the ink and coloring agent therein in admixture and substantially homogeneous, particularly before dispensing ink. Pressure is applied to the ink container to assist in the discharge of ink from a flexible dispensing spout which is connected to the mouth opening of each container. A scale is displaceable under each container and on which a vessel is supported for receiving a desired weight quantity of ink from selected ones of the containers which contain inks of different colors. The ink is dispensed by operating a hand-operable dispensing valve mechanism which closes and opens the flexible tube in a regulated manner.

Abstract: A wicket for a bagging machine is useful for placing a plurality of objects in a first bag (11) of a plurality of juxtaposed bags. Each bag has a front (17) and back (16) wall portion and an extended tab (13). The extended tab 13 has at least two wicket apertures (18) and the bottom of the bag 71 has at least one bottom wicket aperture (19). The bags are held in a wicket comprising upper wicket pins (12) and lower wicket pin (14). Lower wicket pin holds the bottom (71) of the bag. Lower wicket pin (14) aids in overcoming difficulties experienced with bags sticking to one another. The bag mouth is opened, e.g. with an air jet, and then clamped and pulled open. The machine is useful for packaging liquid-filled pouches, vegetables and the like in bags which are placed in a case or box.

Abstract: A bagging machine comprising a product discharge device for discharging one or more products in an open bag held at a bag loading position. The open bag is a forwardmost one of a plurality of collapsed bags supported in juxtaposition adjacent the bag loading position. The bags have a flap, contiguous with a rear wall of the bag, which extends above a mouth opening of the bag. The flap is supported by one or more wicket pins. An air jet nozzle is disposed above the mouth opening to open the forwardmost bag by separating the front wall of the bag from the rear wall. A bag gripping device is disposed on opposed sides of the forwardmost bag and has clamps to clamp an upper edge portion of the bag on opposed sides thereof when the mouth opening is opened by the air jet.

Abstract: A reusable neck closure band for a plastic bag and a method of securing same to a bag is disclosed. A closure band is formed from an elongated rectangular strip of plastic material and comprises a neck retention portion for retaining a bunched neck portion of the bag, and opposed free band portions. The neck retention portion is attached to the bag by a heat fused attachment. A detachable seal interconnects the free band portions together adjacent the bunched neck portion to restrain the bunched neck portion. The detachable seal is disconnected by pulling the free band portions away from one another to cause the detachable seal to detach to free the bunched neck portion of the bag. The bag is reclosable by tieing the free band portions together about a reformed bunched neck portion.

Abstract: A bagging machine comprising an article discharge chute for releasing one or more articles in an open bag held thereunder at a bag loading position. A plurality of collapsed plastic bags are supported under and adjacent the discharge chute. The mouth of an outer one of the plastic bags is opened with a bag opening clamp and the rear and front wall of the bag are held spaced apart so as to receive one or more articles therein through the discharge chute. Bag holding and stretching fingers grip the bag at opposed upper side edge portions thereof whereby to transfer the first bag filled with the articles to a sealing station after the front and rear walls of the bag are detached from their bag opening securement.

Abstract: A bagging machine having means for holding a plurality of unopened bags wherein the bags have an extended tab, means for manipulating the extended tab, thereby opening the bag and allowing it to be filled, and clamping means for manipulating the mouth of the bag before, during and after filling.

Abstract: A plastic bag for retaining a content therein and wherein the bag has a gathered throat portion adjacent an end opening thereof, the gathered throat portion being formed by randomly disposed wall portions of the plastic material fused together by two or more rows of adjacent spaced apart fused zones of plastic material disposed about a plurality of needle holes. The apparatus comprises at least one set of opposed gathering jaw plates for gathering, in a random fashion, a circumferential portion of the plastic bag adjacent the end opening thereof to form a gathered throat portion. Two pressing plates are disposed on a respective side of the gathered throat portion and are each provided with two or more spaced apart rows of needle receiving bores disposed adjacent one another in differing planes. A needle support block of heat conductive material has needles secured thereto for conducting heat from the block.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for filling and transferring a bag while maintaining the extended tab of the bag slidingly secured on holding pins. A first bag from a plurality of juxtaposed bags is opened and filled while its extended tab is maintained stationary on holding pins. After the bag is filled, the bag is caused to be displaced on the holding pin to a bag tieing position. During the displacement of the bag to its tieing position, a neck portion is formed in the upper part of the bag and this neck portion is fed against an adhesive tape which is simultaneously secured about the neck portion as it is formed.

Abstract: An automatic weighing and bagging machine and method for holding and opening a first bag of a plurality of juxtaposed bags held in the machine in a manner whereby the first bag may be filled with a weighed product and released from the plurality of bags. The bags are of the type having an extended tab secured to a portion thereof and extending above a mouth opening of the bag. The machine comprises a holding device for engaging at least a portion of the extended tab of the first bag. A retractor member is also provided for opening the mouth opening of the first bag by pulling a side wall portion of the first bag opposite to the engaged portion of the tab and away from the engaged tab. The retractor member also clamps the side wall portion to hold the bag in an open position whereby the bag is held from opposed sides for filling the bag with the weighed product. A container is provided to hold and weigh the product to be bagged.

Abstract: An automatic bagging machine for holding and opening a first bag of a plurality of juxtaposed bags held in the machine in a manner whereby the first bag may be filled with a product and detached prior to release of the first bag from the plurality of bags. The bags are of the type having an extended tab secured to a portion thereof and extending above a mouth opening of the bag. The machine comprises a holding device for engaging at least a portion of the extended tab of the first bag. A retractor member is also provided for opening the mouth opening of the first bag by pulling a side wall portion of the first bag opposite to the engaged portion of the tab and away from the engaged tab. The retractor member also clamps the side wall portion to hold the bag in an open position whereby the bag is held from opposed sides for filling the bag with the product.

Abstract: A bag holding device and method for holding bags of the type having an extended tab secured to a bag sidewall and extending above a mouth opening. The bag holding device comprises bag opening means for opening the mouth of the first bag from a plurality of aligned bags. Actuable holding means are further provided engaging a portion of the tab of the first bag. Means are also provided for displacing the first bag from the plurality of bags.