Abstract: A converter converts an existing bulk bag unloader to a bulk cargo receiver that eliminates the use of bulk bags. The converter enables the unloader to receive a continuous feed of bulk cargo without any interruptions such as those needed to unload emptied bulk bags and reload the unloader with full bulk bags.

Abstract: A machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products is provided with a gripping and carrier device to transfer at least one container between a magazine and a dosage station for the preparation of a pharmaceutical product, and a box-type holding frame defining a chamber for the housing of magazine, gripping and carrier device, and dosage station; the chamber displaying an access aperture to magazine and being crossed by a sterile air flow adapted to avoid the entry of air from the external environment through aperture itself.

Abstract: Method and machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products according to which a container containing a liquid phase and a gaseous phase is connected to an aspiration circuit of a given amount of the liquid phase; a flow sensor being provided for detecting the passage of the liquid phase and of the gaseous phase along the aspiration circuit.

Abstract: A bag filling assembly is provided for facilitating clean and efficient filling of a flexible resealable storage bag. The assembly includes a frame and a pole coupled to and extending from the frame. The pole has a top and a bottom with the bottom being coupled to the frame. A funnel is coupled to the top of the pole and includes an open bottom, an open top, and a perimeter wall extending between the open bottom and the open top. A bag support is coupled to the frame and positioned under the funnel for supporting a bag under the funnel to receive matter passing through the funnel.

Abstract: A system for filling a package of the collapsible type with a product in the form of a powder or liquid having a package, which has a chamber defined by flexible walls, and an arrangement for filling a package of the collapsible type with a product in the form of a powder or liquid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for filling liquids into foil bags (2) with a spout (3), the method comprising the steps of: mounting the spout (3) on a filling orifice (4); evacuating the foil bag (2) through the spout (3); filling the foil bag (2) with the liquid through the spout (3); sucking liquid out of the filling orifice (4); discharging a sterile gas through the spout (3) into the foil bag (2).

Abstract: A bulk bag filling apparatus comprises a first support member having an upper end and a lower end and being oriented in a generally vertical direction; a second support member connected to said generally vertical member and extending at an angle to said generally vertical direction; a filling head for engagement with an opening of the bulk bag, wherein the filling head is connected to and supported by the second support member; a bulk bag support structure for engagement with support elements of the bulk bag, wherein the bulk bag support structure is connected to and supported by the second support member; and a hang-weighing mechanism for weighing the contents of the bulk bag, wherein the bulk bag support structure is connected to said second support member through said hang-weighing mechanism. The hang-weighing apparatus includes one or two load-bearing points at which the bulk bag support structure applies a load to the hang-weighing apparatus.

Abstract: A device for filling a container with a liquid product, the container having a compartment which communicates with the surroundings via a filling duct. The device comprising a filling tube with an end portion, which is insertable into the filling duct. The device includes a clamp which is adapted to grasp the end portion and the filling duct when said end portion is inserted into said filling duct to provide a seal. The clamp has gripping surfaces which are arranged to cooperate with the end portion when the clamp grasping the filling duct. Each gripping surface has opposite edge portions, a bead being arranged in each edge portion. The end portion has a circumferential surface which is formed of two opposite partial surfaces which each comprise a convexly curved central portion and a concavely curved side portion arranged on each side of the central portion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for filling bags with loose materials, wherein a package to be filled is filled by means of a filling element through a filling process. The filling process comprises a filling stage, a settling stage, and a discharge stage wherein during the filling stage, loose material is filled into the bag while admitting air and in the settling stage, a settling phase is provided for the pressure to drop and in the discharge stage, the bag is discharged from the filling element. The filling process is shortened in that the available volume of the bag is reduced during the filling process to maintain the pressure prevailing in the bag high, while at the end of the filling process the available volume of the bag is expanded to rapidly reduce the pressure prevailing in the bag.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling open bags with bulk materials, comprising a filling means and a filling spout having an outlet opening for filling the bags, wherein a collecting device is provided which includes a movable and controllable collecting unit. Said collecting unit, when in a collecting position, collects any bulk material which may trickle out of the outlet opening of the filling spout and when in a discharging position, discharges the collected bulk material into a material discharge line of a material discharge device.

Abstract: An automated medication preparation system for delivering a dosage of medication to a drug delivery bag having a fill port through which the medication is delivered into the bag includes an automated transport device for controllably delivering each drug delivery bag from one location to another location via a driven member. The system has a carrier that releasably captures and holds a portion of the bag and orients each bag such that the fill port of each bag is positioned at a uniform location relative to the carrier. The carrier is coupled to the transport device such that movement of the driven member is translated into movement of the carrier and the captured drug delivery bag. An automated drug delivery device is part of the system and includes a drug delivery member that sealingly mates with the fill port for delivering the dosage of medication to the bag.

Abstract: An implement for mechanically filling multiple sandbags at a time is used on a loader bucket of loader-type equipment. The implement has a planar surface in which a plurality of filler apertures are formed in a plurality of rows evenly spaced over its surface area. Each filler aperture has a tensioner ring around the aperture for holding a drawstring held in a sleeve around an open end of the sandbag. A trigger mechanism is movable to a locked position in which the drawstring of the sandbag is pulled tight so that the open end of the sandbag is held in place on the tensioner ring, to an unlocked position in which the trigger mechanism lifts the drawstring off the tensioner ring to allow the sandbag filled with filler material to pull on and cinch the open end of the sandbag closed, and to a release position in which the cinched sandbag is released to the ground.

Abstract: A device (1) for holding sacks open, with a frame (2), wherein the frame (2) forms the opening (5) of the device (1) for holding sacks open, and the opening (5) can be closed by means of a cover element (3), which is mounted in a pivotable manner on the frame (2), the frame (2) having at least one guide element (2a), by means of which the cover element (3) can be moved from a first position into a second position, wherein the cover element (3) in the first position can be pivoted and optionally closes or exposes the opening (5) of the frame (2), and in the second position the cover element (3) serves as a ramp over the side web (2j) of the frame (2), lying on the ground, and is held on the frame (2) in a manner secure against rotation.

Abstract: An implement for mechanically filling multiple sandbags at a time is used on a loader bucket of loader-type equipment. The implement has a planar surface in which a plurality of filler apertures are formed in a plurality of rows evenly spaced over its surface area. Each filler aperture has a tensioner ring around the aperture for holding a drawstring held in a sleeve around an open end of the sandbag. A trigger mechanism is movable to a locked position in which the drawstring of the sandbag is pulled tight so that the open end of the sandbag is held in place on the tensioner ring, to an unlocked position in which the trigger mechanism lifts the drawstring off the tensioner ring to allow the sandbag filled with filler material to pull on and cinch the open end of the sandbag closed, and to a release position in which the cinched sandbag is released to the ground.

Abstract: A device for filling a container of a collapsible type with a product in the form of powder or liquid, the container having a compartment which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume is dependent on the relative position of the walls and which communicates with the surroundings through a filling duct of the container. The device comprises a filling tube (2) with an end portion (5), which is insertable into the filling duct of the container to supply a product to the compartment of the container through the filling tube 2.

Abstract: A coupling seal includes a first sealing strip containing first and second bearing elements on opposing ends of a rabbet body and a second sealing strip containing first and second bearing elements on opposing ends of a rabbet body. Interior sides of the rabbet bodies seal against one another, at least in sections, such that the first bearing element of the first sealing strip is arranged adjacent to the second bearing element of the second sealing strip and the second bearing element of the first sealing strip is arranged adjacent to the first bearing element of the second sealing strip. A first flexible element extends between first and second fixing devices of the first sealing strip, and a second flexible element extends between first and second fixing devices of the second sealing strip. The first and second flexible elements, when installed, may have a pre-stress.

Abstract: A stand to which a sandbag can be easily and quickly, yet securely, attached and which includes a funnel portion that directs sand into the attached sandbag. The stand includes legs that are foldable for storage and a clip system for quickly and securely attaching and detaching sandbags to the funnel portion.

Abstract: The sealed docking system comprises first and second coupling elements each having respective first and second coupling elements with respective first and second flexible receptacles. Each coupling element has a slot. The two coupling elements engage with one another. The coupling elements are flexible so that when force is applied the slots open.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding bulk material transported by a pneumatic conveying line or by gravity into a container having an access spout generally consisting of means for supporting the container; a housing mountable on the supporting means including a cylindrical side wall having a lower open end insertable into the spout of the container, a closed upper wall having an opening disposed axially relative to the side wall through which a discharge end portion of the pneumatic conveying line may be inserted, a partition formed of a filter medium disposable between the side wall of the housing and the discharge end portion when such portion is inserted through the upper wall opening of the housing, providing a closed chamber and an open chamber communicating with the lower open end of the housing, and an outlet communicating with the closed chamber; and means mounted on a lower end of the housing side wall selectively operable to engage the spout when the lower end of the cylindrical side wall is inserted into the

Abstract: A paintball hopper refill apparatus or loading apparatus is disclosed, which includes a body, an interior, a neck and a dispensing portion where the body is made of a flexible material, the interior is designed to be filled with a plurality of paintballs and the dispensing portion is designed to be opened either by pulling a pull string or by squeezing allowing the paintballs to flow from the loading apparatus to the hopper. A method for filling a hopper using the loading apparatus of this invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel yard waste collection system is provided which can be used with both paper and plastic trash and lawn waste bags. A pair of upside down U-shaped members are provided which are connected by four pivoted arms to create a support frame such that the support frame can be held in either an open or closed position. The open end of the U-shaped members faces towards the ground with the closed end of the U-shaped members being on the top side of the support frame when in use. When the support frame is in closed position, the device is relatively flat for easy storage in a closet, garage, or storage shed. The four pivoted arms, two on each side of the pair of U-shaped members, are pivotally connected to the two U-shaped members such that a first U-shaped member is held below the second U-shaped member. The device can be pivoted to an open position such that the two U-shaped arms remain in a generally parallel position in respect to one another forming a rectangular box shape.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in handling a bag. The apparatus includes a center support member, a bag tensioner mounted to the support member and a pair of spaced apart tines mounted to the tensioner and extending downwardly with respect to the tensioner. The tines have a length greater than a length of the bag sides and a width for defining an opening in a bag. The tensioner is adjustable from a bag tensioning position to a bag release position, such that in the release position the first and second tines are disposed at the bag release distance such that the tines are insertable into the open end of the bag. When a bag is mounted on the tines and the apparatus is set upon a flat surface, the support member and the tines locate the apparatus such that an opening in the bag is readily accessible for loading food.

Abstract: A bag opening apparatus and method for use in a bag filling and packaging machine using flat bags allow a bag to move to a subsequent step while being surely maintained in the state of having been opened. At a mouth opening step, the mouth portion of a bag is opened by using suction cups serving as a mouth opening device. Next, an abutting member of a bag bottom deforming device is moved upward to abut on the bottom of the bag, thereby deforming at least a part of the bottom inward of the bag, while restraining movement of a lower portion of the bag with retaining plates of a bag movement restraining device.

Abstract: A bulk bag unloading station wherein a bulk bag is suspended above a discharge receptacle. An assembly is provided for securing a spout extending from the bag to a discharge tube. The assembly comprises a clamp ring which defines a channel configured to receive the free edge of the tube therein. An actuator assembly is moveable between a first position where the clamp ring is spaced from the free edge and a second position where it overlies the tube free edge.

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.

Abstract: A method for loading a bulk cargo into a flexible expandable liner. The liner has a body defining an inlet opening and an interior for holding the cargo. An inlet chute is connected to the liner body and extends through the inlet opening. The method includes the step of opening the inlet chute to form a tubular shaped passageway which passageway is in communication with the interior and exterior of the liner. Then conducting bulk cargo through the tubular passageway into the interior. Raising the gas pressure in the interior of the body to force the inlet chute against the liner body and thus close off the chute and inlet opening.

Abstract: An automatic bag filling machine employs a reduced pressure or a vacuum within a bag enclosing shroud to draw powdered material at a high velocity into either valved bags or vapor barrier bags to fill the bags with a relatively compacted powder. The shroud has powered movable liner assembly for adjustably enclosing bags of various size. A filling spout and a vapor barrier spout carrier by the shroud each have an expandable boot member to seal the mouth of the bag on the spout to preclude seepage of powdered material from the bag interior during filling. A system is provided for automatic detection of powder escaping from a broken bag. The shroud is supported on a weighing scale which measures the bags and stops flow when filled to a predetermined amount. Alternatively, the weighing scale may support the bag being filled inside the shroud. A filter tank connected to the machine reduces the discharge of powdered material into the surrounding atmosphere, and allows waste material to be reclaimed.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling a sack with a flowable material, comprising a container having an inlet and an outlet and a sack holder to fasten the sack to be filled to the outlet of the container. The object of the invention is to provide a new apparatus for effectively filling a sack with a flowable material, eliminating the drawbacks of the known apparatuses.

Abstract: A filling pipe for use in a filling machine for filling in particular valve sacks, comprises a pipe body with an end piece which a closure ring defining an outlet opening and made of a filter material. The closure ring is surrounded by a ring chamber which is in fluid communication an air conduit for allowing evacuation of the ring chamber after termination of a filling process and, optionally, admittance of air after fitting an empty valve sack onto the pipe body.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling valve sacks includes at least one filling pipe in fluid communication with a feed unit and receiving a valved sack. The filling pipe is provided with least one axial slot-like recess which is engageable by a clamping lever after a valve sack is placed over the outlet port of the filling pipe so as to apply a tension force onto the valve of the sack. In this manner, the valve of the sack is pushed into the recess and drawn against the outer surface of the filling pipe to attain a sealing action which is maintained even when pressure causes a widening of the valve because the clamping lever is then further lowered.

Abstract: A filling plant for filling bags with hazardous bulk or fluid media is designed to ensure that the medium to be filled is proportioned and packaged under clean room conditions in a bag filling plant at the outlet of a production plant for the hazardous medium. The outlet opening of the production plant communicates with a hermetically sealable container into which the hazardous medium can pass and in which the filling plant and a bag to be filled are disposed.

Abstract: A refuse collector for introducing solid refuse into commercial plastic trash bags is disclosed. One embodiment of the collector includes an open, peripheral frame having a collection tray hinged thereto, and a pair of bag expanders that are hinged thereto and extend rearwardly from the frame and into a plastic trash bag to hold the bag open. In a second embodiment the collector includes three inexpensive, interlocking disposable components. The collector is particularly adapted to collection of hazardous solid waste such as metal chips or refuse contaminated with hazardous, toxic or infectious materials. The collector may be used in a horizontal or vertical position.

Abstract: A bag holder device having an anvil portion and an elongated member pivotally attached to the body member with the arm member having a bag engaging end portion for contacting the anvil surface. A biasing member is connected between the arm member and the body member to bias the bag engaging end against an inside surface of the anvil. When a portion of a bag is placed between the bag engaging end portion and the anvil surface, the bag is firmly gripped and any downward force on the bag causes a firmer gripping action of the bag by pivoting the bag engaging portion against the anvil surface. A filling machine is also presented wherein a pair of the holder devices transport a bag through several work stations with both holder devices being automatically opened and one of the holder devices being pivoted laterally to aid in receiving a bag between the pairs of holder devices.

Abstract: A process and system for recovering refrigerant from refrigeration systems without substantial contamination of the atmosphere. The system includes devices for removing refrigerant from the system under the vapor pressure of the refrigerant or with aid from a pump, a conduit for conveying the refrigerant from the system, and a collapsible bag constructed of a flexible material substantially impermeable to refrigerant and to air, having at least one inlet for introducing refrigerant to be salvaged and sealing means for sealing the inlet on the bag. After filling, the bags may be transported to a recovery system for recovering refrigerant from the bag so that the refrigerant may be purified and recovered for reuse.

Abstract: A bag-filling machine, in which the material to be filled is conveyed by compressed air through a filling tube, has a storage cylinder which is closed at its underside by a grid-like floor having ventilation apertures. The filling tube is fitted above the floor in the peripheral wall of the storage cylinder. An improvement in the flow of the material to be filled and a more complete emptying on termination of the filling procedure are achieved if the floor is formed from at least three segments. Below the segments, sealed relative to one another, respective specifically associated compressed air supply chambers are disposed which are each provided with a regulatable compressed air supply.

Abstract: An automatic bag filling machine employs a reduced pressure or a vacuum within a bag enclosing shroud to draw powdered material into either valved bags or vapor barrier bags in a series of increments to fill the bags with a relatively compacted powder. The shroud has movable liner assembly for adjustably enclosing bags of various size. A novel filling spout and a vapor barrier spout carrier by the shroud each have an expandable boot member to seal the mouth of the bag on the spout to preclude seepage of powdered material from the bag interior during filling. A filter tank connected to the machine reduces the discharge of powdered material into the surrounding atmosphere, and allows waste material to be reclaimed. Valves for controlling vacuum imparted to the shroud chamber, venting the bag interior, powdered material flow, and relief to atmospheric pressure of the shroud interior, are operated in proper sequence to fill the bag.

Abstract: The invention shows a device for hanging bags to be filled. A fold-down arm with suction cups grabs the front bag of a vertically oriented stack of bags and folds the top portion of the bag down over a drum. The top edge of the bag is then registered at a predetermined position at which point a delivery and hanging arm removes the bag from the fold-down arm and hangs it on a spout which is movable between first and second positions. A Duplex system may be utilized wherein two sets of the above mentioned parts are located parallel to one another and which discharge filled bags concurrently into a sealing machine.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for filling a valved paper bag. Such bags are well-known in the art and include a valve which, upon filling of the bag, closes automatically to seal the contents of the bag. Following filling of the bag, it is removed and replaced with an empty bag. Heretofore this removal has been accomplished by an operator removing by hand the bag from a filling nozzle to a place for removal. Thus the operator must lift many hundreds of pounds in the course of a working day. In accordance with this invention, a bag is positioned, filled and then is ejected automatically without any lifting of a filled bag by the operator.

Abstract: For the fabrication of a bag-in-box (BIB) package, there is first provided a semifinished, collapsed BIB package wherein a flattened bag is placed within a collapsed box and secured to at least one of its inside surfaces by means of an adhesive. After erecting the package, the bag is inflated into close internal contact with the box by introducing a gas under pressure through a fitment attached to the bag and projecting outwardly of the box. The opposite ends of the box are closed with sets of foldable end flaps, with the aid of an adhesive. Preferably, the bag is further secured to the inside surfaces of a pair of opposed ones of the four bottom end flaps of the box. The opposed pair of bottom flaps are held folded out during the introduction of the pressurized gas into the bag, in order that the bottom end portion of the inflated bag may make neat contact with the inside surfaces of the box. There is also disclosed herein an apparatus for thus fabricating the BIB package.

Abstract: A spout and hood assembly for an air flow bag packer in which the spout consists of an inner product supply tube surrounded by a shell providing a vent area to which a vacuum is supplied to evacuate the air from the bag as it is filled. The shell is tapered and oval-shaped to conform to the bag sleeve and so that the vent area cross section increases toward the vacuum source to prevent plugging of the vent area. The bottoms of the supply tube and the shell engage one another to reduce the possibility of any product escaping through the vent system during the filling cycle. The spout is affixed to and surrounded by a generally cylindrical dust hood which is also vented to a dust collection system. A dust shield, attached within the hood, surrounds the spout with a clearance so as to provide a venturi effect to better draw any dust into the dust collection system.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically mounting valve bags on filling spouts of either a rotary or stationary type filling machine is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a multiplicity of bag pickup and release means mounted about a rotational axis. A bag storage and feed means is provided for feeding a plurality of bags to the bag pickup and release means, positioned at a bag pickup station adjacent to the generally arcuate path defined by the rotating pickup and release means. The apparatus further comprises a combined gripping and valve opening means for gripping the bag and effecting the opening of the valve of the bag and simultaneously releasing the bag from the pickup and release means.

Abstract: The bags have each a pair of flanges folded on two edges, one of the flan being provided with a valve. The bags are placed vertically in a magazine, with the valve flange located on the vertical plane of a valve oening device. The bags are picked up one at a time by a device including a set of vacuum cups carried by a pivoted arm. The valve flange of the bags is firstly engaged by the vacuum cups. The arm is then rocked on said plane to align the flange with the opening device. Finally, the arm is telescopically extended the insert the flange into the opening device.

Abstract: In combination with sealable valve bags and a valve bag packer, a valve bag sealer comprising a bag transfer assembly for removing a filled valve bag from the filling tube of the packer and positioning the filled bag adjacent a sealing head assembly, said sealing head assembly including a pair of heated jaws for engaging the valve sleeve of said filled bag, a folding horn for inserting the valve sleeve between the jaws for closing the jaws to crimp and heat seal the valve sleeve and for opening the jaws after sealing is completed, a stuffing blade for stuffing the sealed valve sleeve of the bag into an adjacent pocket in the bag and means for releasing the sealed bag from the transfer assembly and moving the transfer assembly into a ready position in preparation for the next operating cycle.

Abstract: A process and associated apparatus for filling packages with free-flowing solids through spouts, in which some of the material is initially fed to the package with the latter in its gravity position, the position of the package is changed once or a number of times with shaking of the entire package, and finally the remainder of the material is filled into the package with the latter in its gravity position.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting valve bags on the filling spouts of machines which fill the bags with finely-grained material, e.g. cement. The bags are folded flat and are stacked in a bag storage container. A feed mechanism removes the topmost bag from the stack and positions it in the path of a pivotal arm. The arm is provided with rollers which correctly position and shape the top of the bag and open the valve therein. Lever-actuated clamps hold the bag while it is mounted on the filling spout of the filling machine.In a variant of the invention, the bag feeding mechanism rotates and occupies successive stations, one of which is traversed by the pivotal arm which removes the bag from the mechanism for mounting on the filling spout.