Abstract: A bag-hanging machine including mechanism for opening a bag on a stack of lay-flat bags supported on a tiltable support table, and transfer arms for withdrawing the opened bag and suspending the latter. A bag-filling machine includes a hopper spout for receiving the bag from the transfer arms and filling the bag with a bulk material. The filled bag has its mouth portion shaped and closed by pivotable members mounted on the hopper spout, and is then deposited on a conveyor for transport to a further bag processing station. The conveyor includes movable bag guides thereon for supporting the bag and preventing it from falling off.

Abstract: The machine includes a horizontal support for a plastic bag and a vertically movable heat-sealing head pivoted to the support for upward movement through an aperture in the support to contact the plastic bag. A vertically movable pressure platen having a vacuum head for holding a patch thereon is mounted directly above the heat-sealing head and is adapted to be moved into engagement with the plastic bag so that the patch can be heat-sealed to the bag. A cutter is mounted adjacent the pressure platen for reciprocating movement along an oblique path to intersect the aperture in the support directly beneath the pressure platen to provide a slit in the plastic bag prior to the heat-sealing of the patch on the bag over the slit.