Grocery bagging and transfer apparatus

Abstract

A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus comprises a bag load station and a transfer device. The bag load station includes a primary bag dispenser, and is provided either separate from the transfer device or is provided at a leading end of the transfer device. When provided separate, means are provided for advancing grocery-filled bag on to the leading end of the transfer device. The transfer device provides a drive and transfer system that advances loaded bags from its leading end to a loading end from which bagged groceries are typically placed in a cart.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/547,745 filed on Feb. 25, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to grocery bagging and handling and more specifically relates to a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus. The invention reduces the man hours and the intensity of labor necessary to perform the final stages of check-out. The final quality of the groceries is improved by reducing the number of times as well as the manner in which each item is handled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Present grocery handling and bagging apparatus have been in use for years. Typically an in-feed conveyor belt, which contains items to be purchased by the shopper, feeds the items to a price scanner and scale, where the cashier tabulates their cost. After scanning or otherwise pricing an item, the cashier transfers the item to a slopped decline that helps move the items to a gathering station in order to be bagged. Cashiers must be careful not to damage items as they slide them down the decline toward a bagging and cart loading station. Often they are not, and items can be damaged as they are transferred to the bagging and cart loading station. After fresh produce has been weighed by the cashier, the shopper often watches as that carefully selected produce is shoved down the sloped decline and becomes damaged by crashing into the stop wall or other goods below.

The bagger (sometimes the shopper) loads the items into bags and places them in the shopper's cart. In most cases, the bags are at a lower elevation than the top of the grocery cart and the bagger or customer is required to lift the loaded bags before placing them into the cart.

In some check-out lines, a cavity for a portable plastic bag holder follows the scanner and consists of a base, rear support structure and horizontal members for supporting an open bag for loading. These cavities generally accommodate only common plastic grocery bags, and not larger paper bags. The cavity containing the plastic bag holder is often covered by a hinged panel that may be selectively pivoted to either span the cavity, preventing access to the bags, or open up the cavity, thus allowing the person scanning items place them into the bags. When pivoted to span the cavity, the panel serves as a horizontal slide, and this is generally done when business becomes too busy and the cashier can not afford to utilize those plastic bags. The bags filled in the cavities also must be lifted in order to be placed on a sloped decline to be transported away. Indeed, when using the loading cavity, the loaded bags are lifted twice, first out of the loading cavity and onto the sloped decline, and then off of the decline and into the cart.

The main problem with today's conventional grocery handling and bagging apparatus is that the grocery items have to be handled multiple times after the shopper initially places them on the typical in-feed conveyor. This increases the check-out time and/or the number of employees required to check-out the groceries. It also increases the chance that goods will be damaged. In either case, the store investors and customers pay the consequences. The store is required to increase the prices of the items sold in order to compensate for the additional incurred costs.

The grocery bagging and transfer apparatus according to this invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of reducing the man hours and the intensity of labor necessary to perform the final stages of check-out. This invention also helps maintain the quality of fresh produce and other goods by helping to reduce the number of times and the manner in which it is handled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that reduces the man hours and intensity of labor necessary to perform the final stages of check-out.

It is another object to limit the damage to fragile goods, including fresh produce and other readily damaged goods, by reducing the number of times that each item is handled along and controling the environment to which they are subjected.

It is yet another object to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that eliminates the need for an employee or shopper to have to lift loaded bags to a higher elevation to place them in a shopping cart.

It is a further object to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that will transport both plastic and paper loaded bags of groceries from a bag load height and position to a cart load height and position, thus requiring a minimal vertical lift of any loaded bags on the part of an employee or customer while in the store.

It is an additional object to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that dispenses bags, both plastic and paper, in a convenient manner and location relative to the location where they are bagged, in order to assist the cashier to efficiently position them for or during the item loading process.

It is still another object to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that supplies an efficient bag loading elevation and position relative to the in-feed counter/conveyor height and location.

Another object is to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus that will transfer loaded bags of groceries either continuously, using auto detection apparatus, or manually, using manually activated components.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention provides a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus for use adjacent to an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, said apparatus comprising: a primary bag dispenser retaining a plurality of primary bags; and a bag load station for bagging grocery items, said bag load station being positioned adjacent said in-feed counter and providing a bag support surface that accepts one of said plurality of primary bags, opened to receive grocery items, at a position dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.

In accordance with another embodiment, this invention provides a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus for bagging grocery items and advancing them to a grocery cart for loading into said cart, the apparatus comprising: a bag load station retaining an open bag for receiving grocery items to provide a filled bag; and automated means for advancing such a filled bag out of said bag load station to clear the same for a new, unfilled open bag.

In yet another embodiment is provided a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus comprising: a t-shirt style bag dispenser retaining a plurality of t-shirt style bags on opposed support bars, and a bagged grocery transfer device providing a bag load station for bagging grocery items, said bag loading station being positioned adjacent said t-shirt style bag dispenser such that said support bars of said t-shirt style bag dispenser extend over a bag support surface of said bag load station to retain at least one of said plurality of t-shirt style bags open on said support surface, said bagged grocery transfer device being selectively operable to advance bagged grocery items at said bag load station toward a loading station, wherein advancing said conveyor belt clears said bag load station of bagged groceries, pulling any filled t-shirt style bags off of said support bars.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To accomplish one or more of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated. Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is top view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation view of a bag load station portion of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus in accordance with this invention, employing an elevator system at the bag load station, shown in the up position for transferring bagged groceries to the transfer device;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 4, shown with the elevator system in the down position for bagging grocery items;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevation view of a bag load station employing baskets for receiving and transferring bagged grocery items; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the basket concept of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus in accordance with this invention is shown and designated by the numeral 10. Apparatus 10 is preferably employed adjacent a common grocery in-feed counter C, which is shown as a conveyor belt surface advancing items in the direction of arrow A. As alternatives, in-feed counter C may be a regular, non-moving counter or even a shopping cart, as it is becoming more popular for shopping centers to price items directly out of a shopping cart. In particularly preferred embodiments apparatus 10 is employed with in-feed counters that include bar code scanners and/or scales S, which are well known. Apparatus 10 includes a bag load station 12 and bagged grocery transfer device 14. Although individual names have been given to these elements, as indicated in the Figures, bag load station 12 and transfer device 14 are not necessarily separate and distinct elements. Rather, bag load station 12 may either be part of or separate from transfer device 14, as desired. For purposes herein, the “bag load station” is to be considered the area utilized for first accepting, supporting and containing an empty bag that a person, typically a cashier, manually places, pulls, or pushes into position in order to be loaded with items. In the present invention, this position will accept either paper or plastic grocery bags. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, bag load station 12 forms part of transfer device 14, particularly a part of leading end 16, and is disclosed herein as being so configured into apparatus 10. But bag load station 12 may be separate and distinct from transfer device, for example, by forming a separate support stand adjacent leading end 16 of transfer device 14. The advantages is space and operational efficiency that are realized by configuring bag load station 12 at leading end 16 of transfer device 14 should be readily apparent.

Transfer device 14 supplies the main support structure and drive and transfer system for bagged groceries. In the preferred embodiment, it is a common conveyor belt having a continuous belt 18 that advances around motor-driven drum 20, at leading end 16, and idler drum 22, at loading end 24. Other supportive drums may be employed. It is not material what drums are motor-driven and what drums are idling. Belt 18 is selectively advanced around these drums 20, 22 to advance bagged groceries placed on conveying surface 25. Other means for transferring bagged groceries from leading end 16 to loading end 24 may be employed.

Apparatus 10 is adaptable to the use of various types of bags. Typical plastic and paper bags are suitable for use with this invention. In the preferred embodiment, both paper and plastic bag dispensers form a part of apparatus 10, but this invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Indeed, rather than focusing on plastic and paper bags, reference is made herein to “primary” and “auxiliary” bags. Although, in preferred embodiments, the “primary” bags are plastic, and the “auxiliary” are paper, the invention is to cover the use of either plastic or paper bags alone or in reverse positions (i.e., with plastic bags as the “auxiliary” and paper bags as the “primary”). These bags are distinguished in the Figs. by B and B′.

Thus, bag load station 12 includes primary bag dispenser 26. In the embodiment illustrated, primary bag dispenser 26 holds plastic bags 27, t-shirt style. This is best seen with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Primary bag dispenser 26 includes housing 28, which serves to retain the hanging ends 30 of the plastic bags. More particularly, hanging ends 30 rest below conveying surface 25, and housing 28 serves to hold ends 30 away from belt 18 and drum 20. Opposed bag support bars 32 extend from the upper portion of housing 28 and serve to guide and help keep the T-shirt style plastic bags open while being loaded with items. T-shirt style bags and such support bars are well known, although the present invention teaches an advantageous size and position for the support bars. Preferably, support bars 32 extend over bag load station 12 far enough to allow for two plastic bags to be opened while still being upheld by support bars 32 and while having their bottoms resting on the surface of bag load station 12, keeping in mind that bag load station 12 may or may not form a part of transfer device 14, as mentioned above. When bag load station 12 does form a part of transfer device 14, i.e., when it is placed at leading end 16 thereof, as shown, the advancement of belt 18 toward loading end 24 will pull loaded bags fully off of support bars 32, emptying bag load station 12 of filled bags, so that new empty bags may be opened and positioned for filling at bag load station 12. Alternatively, support bars 32 may be sized to permit the loading of one bag. And it is enough that bags be held on support bars 32, making housing 28 optional.

The top of primary bag dispenser 26, and therefore the opening of a plastic bag, is kept low enough to allow the cashier to scan the items and load them into the bags in a smooth and flowing motion. In preferred embodiments, the elevation of support bars 32 and conveying surface 25 of transfer device 14, are determined by taking into account the height of in-feed counter C and the size of the bags being used. Conveying surface 25, at leading end 16, should be dropped down from the top surface of counter C. In one embodiment, conveying surface 25, at leading end 16, is dropped down a distance that is approximately equal to half the height of a bag opened on support bars 32, from the bag's closed bottom to its open top. It will be appreciated that the height of the bag, when opened to receive grocery items, is slightly less than its height when flattened and closed. In more preferred embodiments, conveying surface 25, at leading end 16, is dropped down a distance that is approximately equal to two thirds of the height of the bag, and in a most preferred embodiment, is dropped down at a distance that is approximately equal to the height of the bag. In particularly preferred embodiments, conveying surface 25 is dropped down at least the height of the bag when opened to received grocery items. This way, the top of a bag to be filled will be at or below the top surface of in-feed counter C, where a shopper places items for pricing, scanning and/or weighing by the cashier. A cashier may simply grab an item from the top surface of in-feed counter C, scan, weigh (if necessary) and price it, and then lower it, in a smooth motion, into a bag held between support bars 32. This is particularly true for items that are scanned by drawing them across a typical in-feed counter scanner, as the item may be drawn across the scanner and directly lowered into the bag. Support bars 32 are positioned so that, when a primary bag is opened on support bars 32, the bag's bottom surface rests on conveying surface 25 and is supported for receiving grocery items. Realizing that not all bags used at a store will be of the same size, the height chosen should be the height of the most popular bag. Generally, the most popular bags are plastic, t-shirt style bags.

In preferred embodiments, an auxiliary bag dispenser, designated by the numeral 34 in the figures, is a paper bag dispenser. It is mounted on top of transfer device 14 on front legs 36 and rear legs 38. Legs 36, 38 bridge the width of transfer device 14 and hold auxiliary bag dispenser 34 above filled bags B, with ample clearance, as the filled bags B are transferred to the cart load position at loading end 24. Auxiliary bag dispenser 34 is made up of a sheet metal or plastic housing 40 with opening 42 located anywhere that it is convenient for a person to access one or more bag. Dispenser 34 should accept a stack of folded bags. Dispenser 34 may be located downline of bag load station 12, bridging transfer device 14, as shown, but may also be located elsewhere, most preferably within reach of the cashier. The elevation and angle of opening 42 will be such that it allows for the transfer of the bagged groceries beneath without causing an obstruction, while at the same time enabling a person to easily retrieve a bag.

Transfer device 14 includes conveyor belt 18, having an appropriate drive system (well known, not shown) capable of transferring filled bags, plastic or paper, from bag load station 12 to the cart load position at loading end 24. Conveyor belt 18 may include studs, cleats, or other shaped extensions 50 to support the trailing side of the filled bags as they are advanced up the incline. Shaped extensions 50 will help ensure that nothing rolls or slides backward. Both sides of conveyor belt 18 are bounded by opposed side guides 52. Side guides 52 run parallel with the direction of bag travel and support filled bags against falling off of conveyor belt 18 during transfer to the cart load position. Transfer device 14 could also be a conveyor comprised of baskets or concave depressions in a conveying surface in which bags are place while being loaded with groceries. This will be disclosed more fully below in the disclosure of FIGS. 6 and 7.

The height at the cart load end, where loading end 24 terminates, is preferably dictated by the height of the shopping carts being used (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5). The high point of loading end 24 should at least match the elevation of the highest point of the shopping cart's basket. The height of conveying surface 25 at loading end 24, should be at an elevation determined as a “minimal effort transfer height” which will enable a minimal (preferably zero) vertical lift of a bag of groceries when transferring the bags into the shopping cart. This is preferred only, and it should be appreciated that the transfer device need not rise from the elevation of the bag load station.

Transfer device 14 may consist of one or more conveyors in a line. They could be organized starting with an incline conveyor and then emptying out onto a flat conveyor. Or the bags could be placed and loaded on a level conveyor at the bag load station and then move on to an incline conveyor as they head toward the loading end. A base support structure for transfer device 14 is not specifically shown in the drawings because any well known support structure could be employed. The support structure is to contain the drive system mechanics and associated actuators to effect the advancement of transfer device. These actuators are generally shown in the Figures as incremental advance actuator 56 and continuous advance actuator 58, discussed more fully below. Other drive system mechanics and actuators may be employed.

A method for bagging items and transferring them to a shopping cart through use of the apparatus of this invention is next disclosed, and the advantages of the method and apparatus will be readily apparent. If using paper bags, the cashier removes a paper bag from auxiliary bag dispenser 34 located over transfer device 14, opening it while placing it longways between support bars 32 at bag load station 12. If using plastic t-shirt style bags, the cashier may, with one hand, simply drag one or two bags forward to open them on support bars 32 and place the base of the bag(s) on leading end 16 of transfer device 14, and load the bags(s) in this position. Once the grocery bags are filled at bag load station 12, they must be advanced toward the cart load position at loading end 24 in order to make room at bag load station 12 for filling an additional bag or bags. This is repeated until all items have been bagged, unless grocery transfer device 14 is completely filled with filled grocery bags, in which case, at least the bag(s) at loading end 24 must be removed from transfer device 14 to make room for further advancement. A storage platform 54 may optionally be provided running parallel to transfer device 14 for receipt of bagged groceries, and may be particularly useful when the amount of items purchased are more than enough to fill transfer device 14 or when an item purchased is too large for bagging and loading at bag load station 12. Storage platform 54 could also be a conveyor belt type transfer device.

In the preferred embodiments, advancing the bags may be accomplished through incremental advancement, or continuous advancement. In incremental advancement, operating an incremental advance actuator 56, which can be done by stepping on a pedal, pressing a button, or pulling a switch/lever, etc., activates the motor to drive motor-driven drum 20, causing transfer device 14 to index forward, up the incline, toward the cart load position. The distance that transfer device advances may be determined either by length of time that actuator 56 is pressed, with the advancement lasting only so long as the actuator is pressed, or it may be configured to be an incremental distance of one job length, which, in one embodiment, is comprised of one paper bag (placed longways) or two plastic bags, t-shirt style, i.e., the length of bag loading station 12. This incremental advancement will most often be used to remove filled bags from bag load station 12. In continuous advancement, operating a continuous advance actuator 58, which can be done by stepping on a pedal, pressing a button or pulling a switch/lever, etc., causes transfer device 14 to continuously advance until an object (e.g., filled grocery bag) is detected by sensor 60, at which time the continuous advancement goes on hold. Removing the filled bag that has tripped sensor 60 restarts the continuous advancement until the next bag trips sensor 60. Continuous advancement would thus typically be chosen once all of a customer's items have been bagged and it is time to load the cart. The cashier or the customer then walks over to loading end 24, places the shopping cart at the end of transfer device 14, and begins sliding the bags of groceries off loading end 24 and lowering them into a shopping cart. After loading the shopping cart, the cashier then returns to the position of bag load station 12, ready to perform the next function, for example, taking payment for the groceries.

It has been mentioned that bag load station 12 need not form part of bagged grocery transfer device 14. Configuring bag load station 12 as a separate support stand prior to leading end 16 may require a person or automation of some kind to advance loaded bags from such a separate load station to transfer device 14. As seen in the alternative embodiment 110 of FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternative bag load station 112 could be part of an elevator apparatus 170 that allows groceries to be loaded at a lower and more functional height (FIG. 5) and then be lifted in the direction of arrow D to a cart load height (FIG. 4). From alternative bag load station 112, bagged groceries are preferably advanced onto bagged grocery transfer device 114 by a slide cleat 172 that is selectively slid from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 4, to push loaded grocery bags B (or B′) onto transfer device 114. An optional gate 174 may be employed at leading end 116 of transfer device 114 to keep any filled bags from falling off leading end 116. Elevator 170 is preferably controlled by electronic means, wherein a cashier would step on a pedal, push a button, or pull a lever, etc. to selectively move elevator 170 up and down. Gate 174, if optionally used, may be controlled by the same mechanisms. Slide cleat 172 could be configured to be advanced manually or to be advanced automatically by the same mechanisms. These mechanisms are generally represented at actuators 176.

As an alternative to extensions 50 and/or side guides 52, transfer device 14 may include hinged baskets 150 or 150′, as seen if FIGS. 6 and 7. These baskets differ only in a specific aspect disclosed below, and thus common elements to these baskets receive like numerals in the Figs. Hinged baskets 150 and 150′, as the name implies, are connected to conveying surface 25 at hinge 152 running along the leading bottom edge of baskets 150/150′. This allows them to be carried around drums 20, 22. Baskets 150 and 150′ would preferably provide a rear wall 154 and opposed side walls 156 (only one wall is seen in Figs.) to support a filled bag. In such an embodiment the bag load station is the bottom surface of the hinged basket positioned under support bars 32 to received an empty bag to be filled. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, baskets 150 include bottom surface 158, to receive and support bags, as shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, baskets 150′ have no bottom wall, and rise up over drum 20 to align with a load plate 160, where bags are loaded. After being loaded at load plate 160, advancing transfer device 14 slides the bags off of load plate 160 and onto conveying surface 25. The bottom 158 of baskets 150 and the load plate 160 employed with baskets 150′ are bag support surfaces.

In light of the forgoing, it should be apparent that the present invention provides improvements in grocery bagging and transfer apparatus, and accomplishes one or more of the objects herein. The foregoing disclosure is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Because numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, this invention is not limited to the exact construction and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention, which is to be defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus for use adjacent to an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, said apparatus comprising:

a primary bag dispenser retaining a plurality of primary bags; and

a bag load station for bagging grocery items, said bag load station being positioned adjacent said in-feed counter and providing a bag support surface that accepts one of said plurality of primary bags, opened to receive grocery items, at a position dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said primary bags has a height defined between a closed bottom and an open top thereof when opened to receive grocery items, and said bag support surface of said bag load station is dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface at a distance at least equal to half of said height of said primary bags.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said bag support surface of said bag load station is dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface at a distance at least equal to said height of said primary bags.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a bagged grocery transfer device having a leading end and a loading end and serving to transfer bagged groceries from said leading end to said loading end.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said bag load station is located at said leading end of said bagged grocery transfer device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said primary bag dispenser is a t-shirt style bag dispenser that extends over said bag load station to retain at least one t-shirt style bag open on said bag load station for receiving grocery items.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is employed to load a grocery cart having a height defined by the open top of the grocery cart basket, and said bagged grocery transfer device is inclined from said leading end to said loading end, said loading end being at a height that is at least as high as the height of the open top of the grocery cart basket.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said bagged grocery transfer device includes a conveyor belt having a conveying surface, said conveyor belt being selectively operable to advance bagged groceries from said leading end to said loading end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, when a t-shirt style bag is filled with grocery items at said bag load station, selectively operating said conveyor belt to advance bagged groceries from said leading end to said loading end pulls such a filled t-shirt style bag off of said t-shirt bag dispenser.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein selectively operating said conveyor belt includes advancing said conveyor belt in job length increments defined by the length of said bag load station, such that advancing said conveyor belt at said job length increment clears said bag load station of bagged groceries.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said bag load station includes an elevator positioned downwardly from and between said in-feed counter and said leading end of said transfer device, said elevator providing said bag support surface at a position dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter, said elevator being selectively operable to raise said bag support surface to align with said leading end of said transfer device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said bag load station further comprises a slide cleat movable to urge bagged groceries off of said bag support surface an onto said leading end of said transfer device when said bag support surface is aligned with said leading end.

13. A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus for bagging grocery items and advancing them to a grocery cart for loading into said cart, the apparatus comprising:

a bag load station retaining an open bag for receiving grocery items to provide a filled bag; and

automated means for advancing such a filled bag out of said bag load station to clear the same for a new, unfilled open bag.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bag load station is provided at a leading end of a conveyor belt, and said automated means for advancing includes an incremental advance actuator that is operated to advance filled bags at said leading end of said conveyor belt an incremental distance toward a loading end of said conveyor belt.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bag load station is provided at a leading end of a conveyor belt, said automated means for advancing includes a continuous advance actuator that is operated to advance filled bags at said leading end of said conveyor belt toward a loading end of said conveyor belt, a sensor is provided at said loading end and senses the presence of filled bags at said loading end, said sensor stopping the advancement of filled bags when the presence of a filled bag is sensed.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, wherein said bag load station provides a bag support surface that accepts said open bag, at a position dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.

17. A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus comprising:

a t-shirt style bag dispenser retaining a plurality of t-shirt style bags on opposed support bars, and

a bagged grocery transfer device providing a bag load station for bagging grocery items, said bag loading station being positioned adjacent said t-shirt style bag dispenser such that said support bars of said t-shirt style bag dispenser extend over a bag support surface of said bag load station to retain at least one of said plurality of t-shirt style bags open on said support surface, said bagged grocery transfer device being selectively operable to advance bagged grocery items at said bag load station toward a loading station, wherein advancing said conveyor belt clears said bag load station of bagged groceries, pulling any filled t-shirt style bags off of said support bars.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, wherein said bag support surface is dropped downwardly from said grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.