Abstract: A fluid dispenser operable between opened and closed positions is adapted for attachment to a flexible bag that contains a liquid, particulate matter or other fluid material, where an opening is provided through a wall of the bag into an interior of the dispenser. The dispenser is initially closed to fluid flow, for the purpose of storage and shipping, by a diaphragm that is cut the first time the dispenser is operated to its opened position. A specially designed diaphragm cutting track and cooperative knife shape cause a cut diaphragm flap to be pushed out of the fluid flow path through the dispenser.

Abstract: A machine for automatically filling plastic bags with liquid or particulate material moves a continuous web of such bags through a number of serially positioned work stations. The bags are completely sealed when they enter the machine. As each bag passes through a slitting work station, a specially shaped opening is cut into the bag near an end of it which will become its top. When the bag proceeds to a filling work station, it is held vertically and a specially shaped fill nozzle is moved downward and rotated for entry into the bag through the slit opening. A valve is provided within the fill nozzle for controlling entry of the material into the bag. The valve and fill nozzle are cooperatively controlled by a single mechanism. The bags are transported through the various work stations by a positive toothed belt drive that preferably holds the bags flat until the filling station, wherein the belts are then moveable toward and away from each other in order to allow filling of the bag.

Abstract: A dispenser includes a spout attached to a fluid-filled bag and a socket that is removable attached to the spout. Valves in each of the spout and socket are biased closed but are opened when the socket is latched onto the spout, thereby providing a fluid path from within the bag to the outside. Keying components are provided on each of the spout and socket in order that a fluid connection between them is made only when the key elements match. The valve within the spout extends into the bag when opened and may include a sharp bag wall piercing portion.

Abstract: In a bag-in-box fluid dispensing system including a bag fitment sealed over an opening in the fluid bag, a normally closed valved intermediate element sealed in the bag fitment, and a normally closed valved dispenser removably coupled to the valved intermediate element, the intercoupling of the intermediate element and the valved dispenser causing the valves in each unit to open for the passage of fluid from the fluid bag, an improved intermediate element having but two components, the improved element including a housing having a long skirt for passing through the bag fitment and into the fluid bag to prevent blocking of the bag opening, a valve set formed by the deformation of a circular opening in the end of the housing, and a normally closed axially movable valve member for mating with the valve seat and having a valve spring bias provided by the deformation of a novel hemispherical resilient member latched in the bore of the housing.

Abstract: A web of plastic bags is made from rollstock of a strong heat sealable plastic material for the bulk storage and dispensing of liquids by passing two aseptic sheets of the material into a press that heat bonds the longitudinal edges and laterally across the sheets to form a web of sealed bags. The longitudinally bonded strips are perforated to engage sprocket wheels which draw the web of bags to a position at which a dispensing fitment is bonded to the outer surface of one sheet, and then to a station which cuts a short lateral slit across only one sheet. The web then passes over and hangs from the sprocket so that the slit slightly opens to permit filling of the bag from the bottom up with a long pointed diving fill tube that isolates the bag contents from the slit. The area around the slit is then heat sealed against the opposite side of the bag to prevent leakage of the bag contents and the admission of contaminants into the bag.

Abstract: An automatic bag filling and capping apparatus includes an input ramp for receiving a continuous web of flexible laminated plastic bags each having a capped tubular filling fitment. A linear drive conveyer engages the leading bag fitment and pushed it along the ramp to a fitment gripper and, at that point, a severing blade separates the leading bag from the continuous web. The separate bag is then passed to a filling position where the fitment is held by side grippers on a three-position elevator, a cap gripper on a shuttle comes in to grasp the cap which is removed when the elevator is lowered. The elevator is then raised to engage the open fitment with a filling tube. When filled, a pair of temporary sealing cups are brought in to pinch the filled flexible bag just below the fitment to seal the bag against the admission of air.

Abstract: Flexible plastic bags used for the bulk storage and dispensing of fluids are often blocked from dispensing all the contents and/or entrap part of the contents in folds of the plastic as they shrink during dispensing. The invention is for a tongue or dip tube that is attached to the inner wall of the plastic bag near the location of the dispensing aperture. The tongue is formed of a laminate of two dissimilar materials, one non-hygroscopic and the other being hygroscopic, so that upon introduction of moisture into the bag, the hygroscopic layer will expand and the normally flat tongue will curl to form a thick tube that both prevents collapse of the bag and prevents closure of the dispensing aperture by the opposite wall of the bag.

Abstract: A two-piece dispenser for flexible plastic fluid-containing bags. An outer tubular sleeve has a flange attached to the sealed fluid-containing bag. The bore of the sleeve has two annular grooves, one adjacent the bag surface, the other with a semicircular cross-section and displaced within the bore from the first groove. The second piece is a coaxial barrel having sharp piercing points on a plurality of long, flexible blades, at least one of which carries a tooth extending radially from the surface for engaging the annular grooves. In the first or semicircular cross-sectioned groove, the tooth operates to strongly resist longitudinal movement of the barrel so that it cannot be accidentally removed or moved inward to pierce the bag. For dispensing, the barrel is forcibly pushed in to dislodge the tooth from the first groove, cause the blade tips to pierce the fluid-containing bag, and latch the tooth into the second groove to prevent any removal of the barrel from the sleeve.

Abstract: A device for automatically filling and capping containers comprising a filler nozzle positioned above an elevator mechanism, a bag station spaced from and on one side of the filler nozzle and a cap station spaced from and on the opposite side of the filler nozzle, and a movable carriage having a cap chuck on one end and a bag chuck on the other and being mounted for controlled movement between the filler nozzle and the bag station and the filler nozzle and the cap station whereby when the carriage is moved to the bag station, a filled bag is capped at the cap chuck location and a new bag is simultaneously obtained by the bag chuck, when the carriage is moved to the cap station, the capped, filled bag is ejected, the newly obtained bag is received by the elevator mechanism and a new cap is substantially simultaneously obtained from the cap station and when the carriage is moved to an intermediate position, the elevator mechanism raises the new bag to be filled to the filler nozzle and lowers the filled bag to

Abstract: Dispensers for flexible sealed plastic bags used for the storage of wines or other liquids that may spoil when exposed to the air. The outer sleeve of each of the described embodiments of the dispenser is attached to the exterior surface of the sealed bag and either cuts or shears open the bag by a combination of rotational and longitudinal movement of the barrel of the dispenser within the sleeve. The fluid is thereafter dispensed through radial holes through the sleeve and the barrel by only rotational adjustment of the sleeve within the barrel.

Abstract: Self-closing fluid dispensing valves particularly for use with soft flexible fluid containers. The valves include a tubular outer housing having one end attached to the fluid container and an inner coaxial tubular barrel which may be rotated to align fluid dispensing holes in both housing and barrel. Tabs extending from both housing and barrel permit "two-finger" opening of the valves against spring forces that operate to automatically close the valves.

Abstract: Flexible heat-sealable plastic bags to be filled with a fluid or loose particulate material without exposure to the atmosphere are connected to the elliptical nozzle of the filling machine by use of overlapping ellipses. A filling hole, either elliptical or circular, cut in a corner from another otherwise sealed bag will readily slip over the larger elliptical nozzle. The bag is then tightly clamped by a movable member pressing against the rear surface of the elliptical nozzle of the filling machine while the bag is filled with its material through the nozzle. The bag is subsequently heat-sealed around the hole with a heated ring, and a suction stem is inserted into the sealed-off filling hole to withdraw any residual fluid.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser for a bulk container for portable liquids or the like. A rigid outer box contains a sealable flexible fluid-containing plastic bag having a tubular dispenser sleeve mounted at an oblique angle to a plastic mounting fixture which is attached to the box that is also sealed to the outer surface of the fluid-containing bag. The dispenser, which is stored prior to use within the box, may be withdrawn and snapped into a horizontal position into a plastic clamp that is part of the mounting fixture and which prevents rotation of the sleeve. A turncock barrel rotatable within the dispensing sleeve has a sharp cutting tip which is normally angled with the angled end of the sleeve positioned to prevent piercing of the fluid bag. When rotated a half turn, the sharp cutting tip pierces the bag to permit the fluid to pass into the bore of the barrel and out through mating apertures in the barrel and sleeve.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser for a bulk container of the type having a rigid outer box with a sealable flexible plastic inner bag. The dispenser includes a tubular sleeve having a flange that is heat-sealed to the outer surface of the plastic bag and a tubular turncock having a pointed inner end for piercing the bag of fluid. Extending from the tubular surface of the turncock barrel are keys that engage keyways in the bore of the tubular sleeve that both restrict longitudinal movement of the turncock to prevent removal or bag-piercing during storage and shipping and also, after the turncock is fully inserted to pierce the bag, restricts rotational movement of the turncock to prevent accidental removal and possible leakage. A second embodiment of the invention replaces the turncock with a conduit having the keys and the pointed tip, but with a tube fitting at the opposite end for dispensing the fluid at a remote valve or pump.