Abstract: An apparatus for filling bags with bulk material includes a filling device for consecutively charging bags with the bulk material; a traction device leading into and out of a region of the filling device; and a plurality of spaced spreading devices, carried by the traction device, for expanding each bag to facilitate charging thereof by the filling device. Each spreading device has first and second mutually cooperating pivotal spreading fingers having a retracted state and an expanded state.

Abstract: A convertible metering apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of different flowable goods of unlike physical properties comprises a housing defining a material storge chamber therein; a motor; and a drive shaft being rotatably connected to the motor and extending into the housing. There is further provided a metering member adapted to handle a flowable material of a first physical property; a discharge unit configured to receive the metering member therein; and a first releasable connecting arrangement for readily connecting the metering member to and readily disconnecting it from the drive shaft. This arrangement ensures that the metering member is readily replaceable by another metering member adapted to handle a flowable material of a second physical property.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing bulk material comprises a supply chute having an outlet; an openable and closable gate in the supply chute for controlling discharge of the bulk material from the outlet; and a downwardly oriented funnel extending below the outlet of the supply chute. The funnel includes an inlet zone for receiving material from the supply chute; a discharge opening situated below the inlet zone for discharging material from the apparatus; a generally planar wall extending from the inlet zone to the discharge opening; and a constricted flow passage area below the inlet zone. A rotor of flat construction is situated in the inlet zone in the vicinity of the funnel wall between the outlet of the supply chute and the constricted flow passage area.

Abstract: In folding boxes forming a conveyor chain, rectangular, tubular carton blanks are introduced stepwise into two juxtaposed mirror-image designed folding stations. In the folding stations, the carton blanks are defomed by means of fingers and clamps so that their base surface is pulled into a parallelogram. The two edges forming the longer diagonal are pressed by means of stamping dies and by means of a counterholder and a stamping plate, respectively. After pressing, the carton blanks are pulled back into the folding boxes and are returned to their rectangular shape.

Abstract: A bag making machine includes a generally vertically oriented forming element on which bags are formed in succession; a conveyor extending underneath the forming element and having a generally horizontal direction of advance, a first drive for intermittently advancing the conveyor, bag grasping tongs supported underneath th forming element below the conveyor, a second drive for moving the tongs upwardly through the conveyor to the forming element and for moving the tongs downwardly from the forming element through the conveyor, whereby the tongs draw a bag off the forming element and deposit the bag on the conveyor. There is further provided a third drive for moving the tongs in a direction having a component parallel to the direction of advance of the conveyor. The second and third drives are synchronized with one another and with the first drive for moving the tongs simultaneously upwardly and in the direction of advance of the conveyor during motion thereof.

Abstract: In apparatus for producing bag packages and including a shaping mandrel presenting a shaping surface and a longitudinal seal forming device for forming a panel of sealable material into a tube and transverse sealing jaws and severing blades for dividing the tube into individual bags, the mandrel includes members defining two carriages mounted at diametrically opposite sides of the mandrel and forming at least in part the shaping surface of the mandrel, and there are further provided clamping members each mounted to face a respective carriage and to be moved toward the shaping mandrel to press the tube against the carriages and thus clamp the tube, and elements connecting the carriages and clamping members together for movement in unison in the longitudinal direction of the mandrel.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags has a hollow mandrel on which a hose is continuously formed from a sheet; two vertically reciprocating and horizontally oppositely movable shoes underneath the mandrel for cyclically pressing together a first hose portion and providing a transverse seam thereacross as the hose and the shoes move downwardly in unison; a folding device cyclically forming bottom flaps from a second hose portion at opposite sides of the hose at the lower end of the mandrel above the first hose portion; a clamping device for firmly grasping the hose at the second hose portion and backing the bottom flaps along the entire hose cross section as it pulls the hose downwardly from the mandrel while moving simultaneously downwardly with the shoes and while the hose part that terminates at the bottom flaps is being filled with goods by gravity; and a cutting device for cutting through the transverse seam when the shoes and the clamping device have pulled the hose to a predetermined low p