Flexible Or Collapsible Receiver Patents (Class 141/313)
  • Patent number: 6202389
    Abstract: A bagging machine for bagging material in an elongate bag. An anchor connected to a cable extends from the machine and resides in the material being placed in the bag. The anchor may be extended different distances from the machine to provide a varying restricting force to restrict the movement of the machine away from the bag being filled. Powered reels are provided to reel in cable or play out cable to vary the distance between the anchor and machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Ag-Bag International Limited
    Inventors: Larry R. Inman, Michael H. Koskela, Richard G. Lovell
  • Patent number: 6199602
    Abstract: A large drum for containing high dispersion, high air content solids for repeated filling and emptying by means of vacuum filling plants and a method for filling them. The drums consist of at least two layers, an inner layer consisting of uncoated air-permeable fabric and an outer layer being coated so as to be dust tight and provide a moisture barrier. These layers being connected to one another by means of a special seam, so that it is possible for the drum to be deaerated solely through this seam. The seam includes an air-permeable dust-retaining filter strip material disposed between the drum layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Wacker-Chemie GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Maginot, Armin Grossmann
  • Patent number: 6199601
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling flexible pouches with products such as beverages, shredded cheese, and chips. The filling apparatus includes a hood having a dispersion plate for delivering jets of gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide over the tops of empty, open, flexible pouches. The pouches are moved under the hood by a turret. Diving nozzles are lowered into the pouches to purge oxygen from the pouches. The pouches are moved by the turret to a fill tube which dispenses liquid into the pouch and then to a downstream purging station where a second diving nozzle is lowered to the top of the pouch to purge any remaining oxygen from the pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Profile Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernd Laudenberg
  • Patent number: 6195964
    Abstract: An inexpensive inner bag loaded into a cylindrical container such as a drum. The inner bag has excellent airtightness and facilitates transferring the inner bag to a separate container. The inner bag comprises two hexagonal first sheets and two pentagonal second sheets. Each first sheet has a pair of opposite sides extending longitudinally and a trapezoidal portion formed around one longitudinal end of the sheet. Each second sheet has a pair of opposite sides extending longitudinally and a triangular portion formed around one longitudinal end of the sheet. The first and second sheets are placed in an opposite relation to each other. The peripheries of the first and second sheets, excluding the other ends, are bonded together by heat-sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Sunstar Engineering Inc.
    Inventor: Kouji Kitao
  • Patent number: 6186195
    Abstract: A system for the alternative charging of at least one sack filling machine and/or of at least one truck with pourable material, which is stored in a plurality of silos, which are firmly braced by columns, whereby each of the truck and the sack filling machine can be moved under desired silo outlets, and whereby, following the filling of the sacks, the sacks can be transported from the filling system over a totally or partially traversible intermediate conveyor to one of several conveyor belts. The intermediate conveyor, assigned to at least one filling machine, is designed as a traversible elevator at least over some regions. When in the working position, the discharge end of the conveyor corresponds with one of the conveyor belts, arranged above the required passage height necessary to move the sack filling machine or the truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventor: Peter Anstötz
  • Patent number: 6186194
    Abstract: A process and a device for bagging a predetermined number of grains with heterogeneous granulometry per sack, particularly seed grains, having a structure for conveying grain by gravity toward means of filling sacks with grain that includes: a collection nozzle for grain arranged on a counter for counting the grain, the counter determining the number of grains n in a sample, a first weighing apparatus for weighing the grain counted, a calculator that takes data related to a number of grains and data related to the mass of that number of grains, and those data make it possible to find a theoretical mass of a predetermined number of grains in a sack, and a second weighing apparatus for weighing the sack, the index value of the second weighing apparatus being the theoretical mass found by the calculator, and when that theoretical mass is measured by the second weighing apparatus, the second weighing apparatus orders the bag filling to stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: France Mais Union
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Poupon
  • Patent number: 6176278
    Abstract: A bag holder comprising a frame assembly, a bag support, an attachment assembly and a control assembly. The frame assembly includes a base assembly with two vertical posts extending upward therefrom. The bag support is mounted on the posts for vertical movement by the control assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Flexicon Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Gill, John F. Simonof, Jr., Keith Sterner
  • Patent number: 6167924
    Abstract: A balloon rotation apparatus includes a base; a rotator disk or plate rotatable on the base and having an air passage opening therethrough to a sealingly connectable balloon envelope; a motor drive including a plurality of resiliently tired wheels for supporting and rotating the rotator plate; a duct connected to the base and having a duct inlet for connection to a source of pressure gas, and a duct outlet located proximate rotator plate for feeding the pressure gas through the inlet passage for inflating the balloon and maintaining the inflation while the rotator plate is being rotated. The duct includes a flexible sheet enclosing at least a portion of the base having a ring rigidly supported proximate the rotator plate and having a portion of the sheet of the duct fastened thereto for forming the duct outlet, a plurality of leg supports being rigidly connected to the base and projecting outwardly from the sheet member of the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Inventors: Gary S. Buckley, Linda G. Buckley
  • Patent number: 6161600
    Abstract: A filling device (1) for filling bags (5) with bulk material (6), which filling device (1) comprises a carrier (3) which is adapted for fixing to a lifting device (2) and which is provided with a number of load hooks (4) for fastening thereto of a bag (5), which bag (5) is provided for this purpose with fastening means (7) such as loops (7) or eyes (7), characterized in that the load hooks (4) are formed such that during operation a wholly or partially filled bag (5) is automatically released from the load hooks (4) by setting down the bag (5) and moving the lifting device (92) away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Aloys Borkes
  • Patent number: 6155313
    Abstract: A tire inflation apparatus and method involves first evacuating a seated pneumatic tire using a vacuum pump and then inflating the tire with a dried inert gas under pressure without allowing any ambient air to reenter the evacuated tire. The apparatus includes a three way valve which is connected by a first conduit to a tank of pressurized inert gas and by a second conduit to the vacuum pump. A hose having a tire valve chuck connected to a distal end is connected at the opposite end from the chuck to the three way valve. The three way valve selectively and alternatively flow connects the hose to the tank of pressurized gas or the vacuum pump through the first or second conduits respectively. The hose is initially connected to the vacuum pump to evacuate the tire, and then to the tank of pressurized gas to inflate the tire. A heater on the first conduit heats the cooled gas exiting the tank to raise the temperature of the pressurized gas delivered to the tire at least to the ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Beverly Smalley
    Inventor: William R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 6148874
    Abstract: A machine and method for filling bags with liquid through spouts attached to the bags, wherein a piston within a filling head that operates to control flow of the liquid from the filling head is also extended out of the filling head and into the spout, after the bag is filled, in order to push remaining material from the spout and through is bottom opening into the bag. The spout bottom opening is then closed, after which any remaining material adhering to the walls inside the spout and surfaces of the filling head are cleaned by forming a chamber between them through which a cleaning fluid is passed. This machine and method are particularly useful when filling bags with highly viscous and/or sticky liquids, such as thick food products. They avoid a result of having either to distribute messy bags of product with material remaining adhered to the outside of the spout and/or bag, or to first remove this material by an additional cleaning step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Packaging Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Rutter, Stanley E. Hurd
  • Patent number: 6145709
    Abstract: An automatic container filler (20) having a frame (22) that supports a hopper (24). A dispensing unit (26) is located at the bottom of the hopper (24) that selectively feeds a fluent material, such as sand, into a plurality of discharge chutes (28). The automatic container filler (20) is designed such that fluent material, such as sand, is fed into the hopper (24). The dispensing unit (26) moves the fluent material from the hopper (24) through the discharge chutes (28) into containers such as sandbags. The dispensing unit (26) deposits a predetermined amount of the fluent material through each of the discharge chutes (28) and into containers in sequential order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Hogan Mfg., Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff W. Hogan, Donald R. Oehrlein
  • Patent number: 6142192
    Abstract: A method of inflating a tire and a bag fitted over a tire during inflation. The bag is constructed so as to substantially envelope an exposed outer surface of a tire during inflation, whereby in the event of the tire exploding the bag contains the debris of the explosion, and allows the compressed air from the tire to escape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventors: Michael Cecil Dickinson, Adrian Oldham
  • Patent number: 6138723
    Abstract: A filling device for filling bags, in particular with granular bulk material, in which there are provided a closeable filler neck (17) which is in connection with a reservoir and at least one pair of clamping arms (14) which are at least indirectly swivellable about a swivelling axle (2) for holding a bag (16) to be filled. In order to achieve a high degree of imperviousness between the bag to be filled (16) and the filler neck (17) it is provided that the filler neck (17) is made of an elastically deformable material and a pressing device (5, 9; 18, 19) is provided which acts on said filler neck and which presses the filler neck (17) flatly together in its pressing position, with two pairs of clamping arms (14) being provided which are arranged on either side of the pressing device (5, 9; 18, 19) or the filler neck (17) respectively, with the clearance of the pairs of clamping arms (14) exceeding the largest extension of the cross section of the filler neck (17) in its pressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Binder & Co. AG
    Inventor: Georg Wagner
  • Patent number: 6119740
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to devices for automatically filling sand bags with pre-measured quantities of sand. It is simple, reliable, and easily operated by unskilled workers. It is comprised generally of a chute having multiple sides and sized to hold a pre-measured quantity of sand and configured to allow the sand to flow reliably when the operator so desires, a door, and an overcenter device for opening and closing the door to allow the pre-measured quantity of sand in the chute to flow into a standard size sandbag located below the chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Inventors: Keith H. Wilham, Jr., Keith H. Wilham, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6112781
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling expandable toy balloons with a liquid such as water includes a body portion defining a central cavity and having a pair of open ends, with the lower end formed into a fitting member for releasable engagement of the neck of a balloon, and the upper end formed into a mouthpiece for the user's mouth. The neck of the balloon to be filled is placed over the fitting member and the entire apparatus (with balloon attached) is then at least partially filled with water by dipping into a body of water. The user then places his mouth on the mouthpiece and exhales into the body portion and central cavity, to displace the water into the balloon until the balloon has been filled with water to the desired level. The filled balloon can then be removed from the fitting, and the neck of the balloon tied off in a knot, so that the water balloon may be used for play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Glen Baxter
  • Patent number: 6112956
    Abstract: A fluent dispensing apparatus with a timer control valve that controls the amount of fluent material dispensed into the bag or flexible container. The apparatus includes a holding tank filled with fluent material, such as sand. Formed in the tank is at least one hopper having a lower chute. A sliding gate is disposed over the lower opening of the chute which is coupled to a pneumatic arm. Movement of the pneumatic arm is coupled to an adjustable timer so that the sliding gate automatically opens and closes after a pre-determined length of time. By adjusting the timer so that after a pre-selected length of time the sliding gate is opened, the same quantity of sand may be deposited into each bag. By adjusting the timer so that a sliding gate is closed after a selected length of time, the number of bags produced over a specific period of time may be controlled. The hopper is designed for side-filling for easier filling and an optional vibrator is disposed inside the hopper to facilitate the filling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Morris Malone
  • Patent number: 6098673
    Abstract: A fitting is provided for attachment to a flexible bag. The combined flexible bag and fitting may be inserted into a container for filling the flexible bag with a material, such as a chemical requiring transport, and ultimately draining of the material following delivery thereof. The fitting allows for bottom filling of the container and elimination of head space as well as draining of the material without interference from the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Craig A. Moynihan, James A. Nowak, Robert W. Beazley
  • Patent number: 6085810
    Abstract: A sandbag filler assembly for attachment to an axially movable filler-material source container. The assembly includes a filler chute for delivery of filler material into the sandbag, with the chute having a first open end and a second open end opposite the first end. The first open end has an attachment connection connectable to be in flow communication with a delivery conduit of the source container. An axially compressible sandbag, open at one end and closed at an opposite end, is placeable in a compressed configuration around the filler chute such that the filler chute is within the sandbag with the closed end of the sandbag generally adjacent the second open end of the filler chute. An adjustable sandbag retainer is provided for selective retention and release of the sandbag from around the filler chute as the sandbag has introduced therein filler material to thereby cause sequential movement of sandbag segments from the filler chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Inventors: Michael S. Castillo, Stephen Scott Williams
  • Patent number: 6079462
    Abstract: An mixing assembly which transfers a number of nutritional fluids from individual source containers into a collection container while noninvasively sensing the type of fluid being transferred is provided. The mixing assembly utilizes a transfer set to establish fluid communication between the source containers and the collection container. A sensing assembly is configured to noninvasively sense a number of the types of fluid flowing through the transfer set to help to prevent improper mixing. For other fluids for which the sensing assembly alone may not be able to distinguish with the desired accuracy, the mixing device utilizes a method to approximate the flow rate of that fluid with the flow rate also providing an indication of that type of fluid. By combining the output of the sensing assembly with the flow rate determination, additional fluids can be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Martucci, James R. Hitchcock, Aleandro Di Gianfilippo, Thomas R. Lillegard
  • Patent number: 6068032
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for receiving, transporting, and dispersing a viscous product from one storage tank to another. The assembly, includes a housing container, comprising a reusable fill bag and a sealable container secured within the housing container. A hose attaches at one end to the reusable fill bag and at the other end to a male portion of a drain valve system. A female portion of the drain valve system fixably mounts to the storage tanks The viscous product flows between a storage tank and the housing container fill bag after the male portion is inserted into the female portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Inventor: Alan R. Milner
  • Patent number: 6065512
    Abstract: A panel which may be removably inserted into a nonrigid container, which container is comprised of at least one container wall defining a container opening. The panel is characterized at least in that it is formed from a material which is selected from a group consisting of polyvinyl chloride foam board and high impact polystyrene. Preferably, the device is rectangular and defines a centered aperture through each of its width-defining edge portions and a pair of spaced-apart apertures through each of its length-defining edge portions. Among the advantages provided by the device is that it may be repeatedly bent and inserted into a nonrigid container so that, upon release, the container may be retained in an upright and open position for easy access, all without breaking or cracking and without damaging the container either during retention of the container or during its removal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Inventor: John R. Munn, II
  • Patent number: 6059149
    Abstract: The multi bagging machine comprises: a framework including four, spaced apart upright legs arranged in a generally rectangular configuration; a generally rectangular hopper mounted to an upper end of the framework; the hopper including a sharply inclined front wall and a lesser inclined back wall extending between two end walls; an auger located adjacent the bottom of the hopper and having an auger shaft extending between the end walls; an agitator including an agitator shaft located above the auger and a short distance toward the rear of the hopper; a plurality of discharge chutes connected to the bottom of the hopper for discharging fluent particulate material from the hopper into a container or bag; and a slide gate movable from one wall of each discharge chute into and across the discharge chute to an opposite wall of each discharge chute and back for blocking and unblocking the flow of fluent particular material through the discharge chute into a bag or container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: The Sandbagger Corporation
    Inventors: Estacia R. Kanzler, James J. Kanzler, Jack D. Eiler
  • Patent number: 6053222
    Abstract: This invention solves the problem of removing undamaged inflated dunnage bags from a cargo space by using a high pressure air source to both open the dunnage bag inflation valve and to suck air out of the bag by discharging the high pressure air through a venturi system. Thus large dunnage bags may be deflated in about one minute. The deflation valves provided by this invention also serve as inflation valves by simply disabling the venturi system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventor: Gerald Lamar Peters
  • Patent number: 6047863
    Abstract: The fluent material dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluent material comprises: a hopper for receiving and holding, subsequent to discharge, a quantity of fluent material and having an open top and a closed bottom; at least one fluent material discharge chute which is connected to the bottom of the hopper, which extends downwardly from the bottom and which has an upper material receiving opening and a lower material discharge opening; support structure for supporting the hopper above ground; a mechanism for blocking and unblocking the at least one discharge chute including a plate reciprocal in a path which contains the plate and which extends laterally, transversely across the at least one discharge chute, in a generally horizontal direction across the chute, between a chute blocking position and a chute unblocking position; engageable structure coupled to the plate and being constructed and arranged for being engaged for reciprocating the plate in the path extending generally horizontally across the chut
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Sandbagger Corporation
    Inventors: Estacia Kanzler, James J. Kanzler, Jack D. Eiler
  • Patent number: 5988237
    Abstract: A manually operated sandbag filling apparatus includes a frame and wheels rotatably mounted to the frame for moving the frame over a ground surface including into position proximate a supply of sand on the ground surface. Handles project from the frame for manually manipulating the frame into and out of the position. An auger drive is operatively mounted to the frame to convey sand on the ground surface to a discharge port. A power drive is mounted to the frame for driving the auger drive. A support table is provided for supporting a sandbag to be filled proximate the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Robert Bedsole
  • Patent number: 5979512
    Abstract: A device for topping-off a substantially filled bag with a final charge of particulate material to provide a predetermined final charge weight in the bag is herein disclosed. The device comprises a lower frame supported upon a plurality of load cells and an upper frame supported above the lower frame also upon a plurality of load cells. The upper frame has rotatably suspended therefrom a pair of carriage assemblies which support respective housings. Each of the housings has disposed therein a belt capable of linear motion. The belts are exposed on an inner face of each of the housings such that when the carriage assemblies are rotated toward one another, the respective belts meet one another and are able to engage the opposed faces of a bag. A plurality of bag grasping means are mounted upon the respective housings so as to be able to grasp and hold the opposed faces of the bag received between the belts to open the bag as the housings are rotated away from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Slidell, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold R. McGregor, James R. McGregor, LaVern Wobschall, Kurt Snaza
  • Patent number: 5975163
    Abstract: A housing (10) has a cavity (18) to which fluid product can be fed, and which opens into a terminal neck (20) adapted to be inserted over a bag straw. A hollow bolt (28), having a bore at its tip, is slidable in the housing between a neck-shutting position and a position in which its tip is remote from the neck mouth. A needle (34) is axially slidable in the bolt and protrudes with an enlarged head (35) within the terminal neck through the terminal bore. The needle is biased by a spring (38) to a position where the enlarged head abuts against the tip of the bolt. A drive cylinder (44) is provided for moving the bolt and the needle away from the terminal neck, for connecting the bolt to the internal cavity of the housing, for subsequently bringing the bolt near the neck in order to break the connection and to push the needle so that its enlarged head moves away from the bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Techpack S.r.l.
    Inventor: Angeli Gianfranco
  • Patent number: 5967198
    Abstract: A tire inflation apparatus and method involves first evacuating a seated pneumatic tire via a vacuum pump and then inflating the tire with a purified, dried gas under pressure, such as pressurized nitrogen, without allowing any ambient air to reenter the evacuated tire. The apparatus includes a three way valve which attaches to the source of compressed dry gas, to the tire valve, and to the vacuum pump with a micron vacuum gauge provided for monitoring the state of vacuum within the evacuated tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Beverly J. Smalley
    Inventor: William R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 5967203
    Abstract: A collecting device for collecting a viscous fluid comprising a base having a front panel, a back panel and an interior area located therebetween. A lower portion of the base further includes an outlet port. This outlet port is adapted to be located into a holding container. Located on the front panel and/or back panel are a plurality of apertures which extend into the interior area. A holding receptacle is secured in front of each aperture. Accordingly, utilization of the device occurs once bottles are inverted into the apertures. The holding receptacles maintain the bottles in a fixed and inverted position. Residue of the viscous fluid located within the bottle flow from the bottles to the side walls of the interior area. Gravity forces the residue to the outlet port and into the holding container. This collected material can be stored for later use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Jesse Locke Culver, III
  • Patent number: 5964261
    Abstract: An implant assembly and methods for loading implant devices which avoids the accidental deposition of transplanted material or other contaminates on the exterior of the device during transportation, storage, and handling are disclosed. The implant assembly of the invention may be used with a large variety of implant devices for implanting a variety of materials such as cells, tissue or other materials into a host. The implant assembly includes an implant device having an elongated port and a first chamber for holding material for implantation and a container with a second chamber for holding the implant device. The container functions to maintain the sterility and protect the physical integrity of the implant device during loading, storage, cryopreservation and transportation and is removed immediately prior to implantation of the device. The container may optionally include liquid media for cellular growth, maintenance, cryostorage, or transportation purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Neuenfeldt, Joanne Daugird, James Brauker, Robin Lee Geller, Scott Fredericksen, Mark Jones, Thomas Loudovaris, David Maryanov, Stephanie Shors
  • Patent number: 5947168
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly deflating a chamber. The apparatus for rapidly inflating an inflatable chamber of determined inflation volume with an inflation fluid comprises an inflation device for inflating said inflatable chamber with an inflation fluid to a predetermined inflation pressure, and further comprises a rapid deflation device for rapidly deflating said chamber by sucking out said inflation fluid at a high flow rate, the rapid deflation device being used on deactivating said chamber, in particular so as to transport it with its volume being reduced to as small as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Support Systems International Industries
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Viard
  • Patent number: 5947347
    Abstract: A material filling apparatus which can be installed between the end of a cargo box and the tailgate of a dump truck. The attachment is adapted to engage, on its forward side, the latch mechanism at each side of the cargo compartment and, on its rearward side, the latch pins at each end of the tailgate, so that the attachment is supported between the end of the cargo compartment and the tailgate which is partly open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: GranTech Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W Cline, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5934345
    Abstract: A fitting is provided for attachment to a flexible bag. The combined flexible bag and fitting may be inserted into a container for filling the flexible bag with a material, such as a chemical requiring transport, and ultimately draining of the material following delivery thereof. The fitting allows for bottom filling of the container and elimination of head space as well as draining of the material without interference from the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Craig A. Moynihan, James A. Nowak, Robert W. Beazley
  • Patent number: 5924463
    Abstract: A portable emergency instant inflation device includes a box and a fastening plate with slots. The upper side of the box is provided with fastening hooks for engaging slots of the fastening plate. An inflation tube is formed at one end of the box. A tie string extends from the other end of the box to connect to a pull ring. A partition plate with through holes is disposed inside the box to divide the interior of the box into upper and lower spaces. The upper space contains a sac filled with citric acid solution while the lower space is filled with soda powder. The lower space further communicates with the inflation tube, which is internally provided with a valve flap. A slide cutter is further disposed in the upper space and has cutting edges slightly abutting the sac. The slide cutter is connected to the tie string via a cutter mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventors: Chung Yeh Hsu, Allen Tso-Chiang Fan
  • Patent number: 5913342
    Abstract: A deformable container is provided which is especially intended for dispensing semi-solid product. It has two end walls at opposite ends and in one end wall is provided an opening through which product is dispensed from he container. The side wall of the container is formed in the manner of a concertina by the provision of pleats and the widths of the pleats differs over the length of the container being greater over the pleats adjacent the end wall having the outlet compared with the depth adjacent the opposite end wall. The invention also provides a method of filling the container in which the container is initially fully deformed and product enters through the opening and causes the container to move towards its extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: McGill Technology Limited
    Inventor: Shane R. McGill
  • Patent number: 5901762
    Abstract: A new sand bag filling device for taking bulk sand and filling sand bags with the bulk sand on demand. The inventive device includes a hopper having interior space, a top, a bottom, a pair of end walls, and a pair side walls extending between the end walls. The top of the hopper has an opening into the interior space of the hopper while the bottom of the hopper has ground engaging members. A conduit outwardly extends from one of the end walls of the hopper away from the hopper. The conduit has a first opening into the interior space of the hopper and an exterior second opening outside the hopper. An auger member is rotatably mounted in the interior space of the hopper. The auger member extends from the interior space of the hopper into the conduit through the first opening of the conduit so that its screw portion is extended into the conduit. A motor is proved for rotating the auger member in a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Inventor: Troy E. Rollins
  • Patent number: 5899247
    Abstract: An adjustable anchor wing is provided for an agricultural bagging machine which not only acts as an anchor against premature movement of the machine as the bag is being filled, but also controls the density of the material being packed in an agricultural bag. The adjustable wing is supported by a pair of longitudinally movable cables with the cables being connected to the wing to enable the wing to be moved from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Versa Corp.
    Inventor: Steven R. Cullen
  • Patent number: 5894871
    Abstract: A mobile dispensing apparatus capable of onsite bagging of fluent solid materials such as sand. The apparatus includes a hopper supported on wheels and having a trailer hitch. Three augers convey fluent material to three chutes. Each chute has a clamp for supporting a bag being filled. The apparatus has an on-board engine and a transmission selectively driving each auger. A pedal at each chute operates its respective clamp and connects its respective auger to the transmission by an electric clutch. The hopper has side doors and rear doors. A ramp can be removably attached at the rear door of the hopper. An open grate forms a floor within the hopper. Shelves are disposed within the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Inventor: David L. Greer
  • Patent number: 5881783
    Abstract: A filler nozzle includes a nozzle body, a connecting ring, an intake nozzle, a securing seat, a securing ring, a valve flap, a positioning element, and a spring. One end of the nozzle body has a connector for connection with the connecting ring and the intake nozzle. The intake nozzle is linked to a snap ring of the connecting ring. The outer end of the connector is provided with two opposed insert pieces for engaging insert seats on the outer periphery of the intake nozzle. The other end of the nozzle body forms an insert connector for receiving the securing seat. The securing seat has a shaft fitted with the spring, the positioning element, the valve flap and the securing ring. By means of the cooperation between the positioning element and the securing seat, the valve flap can be caused to open or close for inflation or deflation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventor: Wen San Chou
  • Patent number: 5873396
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a motor for providing drive power to the vehicle, a hydraulic system powered by the motor, a container for containing a bulk quantity of fluent matter, and matter-dispensing apparatus comprising the hopper for receiving fluent matter from the container, a selectively operable transfer mechanism for transferring fluent matter from the container to the hopper, and an actuator disposed proximately to the hopper, the actuator being operatively associated with the transfer mechanism by the hydraulic system such that the transference of fluent matter from the container to the hopper is controlled by the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Sandbag Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Biebrach, Kevin J. Kwaterski
  • Patent number: 5862843
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided for the inflation or deflation of inflatable articles that are equipped with a valve stem having a flap valve, a cap, a hinge connecting the cap to the valve stem, and an annular depression on the external surface of the valve stem. The nozzle comprises an annular conduit equipped with a centrally disposed pin that protrudes partially from the conduit. The conduit is provided with a notch for accommodating the hinge on the valve stem, and a resilient ridge on the interior of the conduit for engaging the annular depression on the external surface of the valve stem, thereby securing the nozzle in place. In use, the nozzle is placed over the valve stem in such a way that the notch is disposed around the hinge. The pin engages the flap valve within the valve stem, thereby allowing the free flow of air through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Newsome E. Corbitt, III
  • Patent number: 5847363
    Abstract: A hair removal wax device comprising at least one tank (9) linked to a heating means (11) and a detachable instrument, independent from the tank (9), designed for sampling from the tank (9) a quantity of molten wax, with a means (12) for transferring of a quantity of hair removal wax from the tank (9) to the detachable instrument, where the detachable instrument is a ductile vessel (1) whose inside volume is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Debourg, Daniel Bontoux
  • Patent number: 5839488
    Abstract: Problems of filling dunnage bags for cushioning loads in transit in trailers, railroad cars, and the like, with air are resolved by this improved air filling bag valve and nozzle. In several respects the valves are superior in operation, wasting less air and filling time, and are less tiring for operators to use. For example, this nozzle simply slides laterally into place on the dunnage bag valve stem and locks itself there for hands off filling without manual pressure to press the nozzle axially against dunnage bag valve stems to open them, which is fatiguing with arms outstretched in the crowded spaces available. Damage is reduced that may result to dunnage bags when the filling nozzles are removed against the pressure of adjacent filled dunning bags and are withdrawn. These nozzles are simply pulled out laterally by the attached hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Inventor: Gerald L. Peters
  • Patent number: 5829492
    Abstract: There is provided a device for filling an inflatable protective cushion to a predetermined air pressure. The inflating device has a handle having an inlet port for receiving compressed air and a valve for opening and closing the inlet port and an air outlet port. A housing having an air chamber is connected to the handle and receives the air from the handle outlet port through an air channel terminating in an orfice which creates a vacuum in the chamber. The venturi effect draws additional air through a muffler connected to the housing chamber during filling. The muffler serves to restrict air flow from and to the atmosphere during and after filling of the cushion. The housing also includes a nozzle connected to the air outlet for insertion into a self-sealing valve in the cushion for filling with air. Also provided is a fill indicator comprising an indicator mount secured in the housing, an indicator button extending through an opening in the mount and moveable upward and downward therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation
    Inventors: German Gavronsky, Gerard Anthony Cahalan, Abraham N. Reichental
  • Patent number: 5819511
    Abstract: A process and device move at least one filled sack from a suspended position at an individual filling nozzle into an upright position on a moving conveyor belt for introduction into a sack closure device, where the travel speed of the conveyor belt corresponds to the closure speed of the sack closure device, in which the at least one sack is initially transported horizontally out of an area beneath the filling nozzle before it is then deposited on the conveyor belt, and the horizontal conveying speed of the sack is greater than the travel speed of the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Chronos Richardson GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Schlosser
  • Patent number: 5810060
    Abstract: A filling installation for hazardous pourable or fluid substances. The substances to be packaged at the output of a production plant are divided into portions and packaged in a glove box of a sacking plant in clean room conditions. The sacking plant may be shut off from the glove box by a sealing swivelling cover. The glove box is held under an overpressure and a laminar flow of pure air is continuously present in the glove box and flows around at least one filling head arranged at the output of the production plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Helpman Verfahrenstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Bolz, Jurgen Bolz
  • Patent number: 5794669
    Abstract: The invention concerns a bag to accommodate solid or fluid concentrate which is used to prepare dialysis fluid using a dialysis machine. The bag consists of a bag body and at least one opening, whereby the opening is sealingly surrounded by a plug component (220). In the coupled state with a second plug component (210), the plug component (220) forms a flow connection with the interior of the bag. The plug component also has coupling means (276, 278) which are suitable to be connected with a second complementary plug component (210), which is disposed on the dialysis machine. By means of the plug connector, in the coupled state, a first flow path is formed from the dialysis machine to the interior of the bag and a second flow path is formed back from the interior of the bag to the dialysis machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Fresenius AG
    Inventors: Hans-Dietrich Polaschegg, Walter Pieper, Daniel Weber
  • Patent number: 5775386
    Abstract: An apparatus and a process for filling a plural chamber container, such as a container, with plural flowable materials. The container might be a two-compartment dentifrice container or a two-compartment adhesive container, for example. The container has internal partitioning dividing it into plural chambers, and the partitioning must be properly positioned to permit supply nozzles to enter the respective chambers. In one embodiment, the partitioning is positioned by probes which are inserted into the chamber, following which relative rotation between the container and the probes causes the probes to position the partitioning. In a second embodiment, air nozzles emit air jets to position the partition. In another embodiment, an electrostatic charge is induced on the container sidewall and on the partition, and the like charges cause the sidewall and the partition to repel each other, positioning the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventor: Patrick Andre Connan
  • Patent number: 5775388
    Abstract: A valve bag spout is mountable to a bag filling machine for being extended into the valve sleeve to discharge product into the valve bag. The maximum peripheral dimension of the spout filling tube is much smaller than the inner peripheral dimension of the valve sleeve while a wing assembly is mounted to the filling tube to have its wings extend outwardly of diametrically opposite sides of the filling tube in symmetrical relationship to the filling tube central axis. The wings diverge horizontally transversely outwardly in a rearward direction from the spout front discharge end portion. The front end of the wing assembly is circular while in a rearward direction gradually transitions to a flattened elliptical shape. The maximum height of the wing assembly is only slightly greater than the outer diameter of the filling tube and is much smaller than its maximum transverse horizontal dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Bemis Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Toft, Wayne H. Gulbranson