Bag dispensing apparatus and method

Claim 2

Apparatus for singly dispensing preformed bags in an opened condition from a supply of such bags closed in end-to-end severably interconnected relation, said apparatus comprising means to transport connected bags from the bag supply to a dispensing station in a manner ultimately to have a predetermined bag sidewall facing outward at the dispensing station and means to relatively move the opposing sidewalls of each bag in timed relation with the movement of the bags to said dispensing station to selectIvely sever said predetermined sidewall of each bag from the next succeeding bag, thereby to open each bag in sequence for dispensing at the dispensing station.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 including also means to separate the opposing bag sidewalls to open the bag mouth at the dispensing station.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 including also a roll of bags carried on a spindle defining the bag supply.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said transport means includes bag engaging structure traveling between the bag supply and the dispensing station, said structure being adapted to successively engage each bag opposite its predetermined sidewall for transport to the dispsnsing station.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said transport means further includes a drive for the bag engaging structure and a drive control responsive to separation at the dispensing station of the forwardmost bag to actuate the drive.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the drive control operates to drive the structure rearward then forward to the dispensing station in time sequence upon each actuation of the drive and including also drag structure limiting travel of said predetermined bag sidewall relative to its opposing sidewall to effect severance of the predetermined sidewall from the next succeeding bag.

Claim 8

Apparatus for singly dispensing at a dispensing station preformed thin-film plastic bags in opened condition from a supply of such bags in closed, end-to-end severably interconnected relation, said apparatus comprising an endless belt mounted to travel a path extending between the bag supply and the dispensing station, first bag engaging means carried by the belt and adapted to draw bags in succession from the bag supply and along said path in sidewall engaged relation, second bag engaging means arranged to selectively engage each bag at the opposite sidewall and means to intermittently vary the belt movement to cause said second means to engage said opposite sidewall for relative movement with its opposing sidewall and to sever the connection between one of said sidewalls and the next succeeding bag, to thereby open the bag.

Claim 9

Apparatus for singly dispensing at a dispensing station preformed thin-film plastic bags in opened condition from a supply of such bags in closed, end-to-end severably interconnected relation, said apparatus comprising an endless belt mounted to travel a path extending between the bag supply and the dispensing station, first bag engaging means carried by the belt and adapted to draw bags in succession from the bag supply and along said path in sidewall engaged relation, second bag engaging means arranged to selectively engage each bag at the opposite sidewall and means to intermittently vary the belt movement to cause said second means to engage said opposite sidewall for relative movement with its opposing sidewall and to sever the connection between one of said sidewalls and the next succeeding bag, to thereby open the bag.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said first bag engaging means comprises adhesive adapted to releasably grip said bags.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 including also bag inflating means at the dispensing station.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said bag supply is a roll of bags and including also a frame supporting said roll for unrolling delivery of bags, said frame defining said dispensing station in spaced relation to said roll, a pair of rollers carried by the frame including a roller at the dispensing station and a roller adjacent said bag roll, said rollers supporting the belt means, and means to press bags against the belt adhesive between the rollers.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 in which said pressing means comprises a wheel supported by the frame to resiliently engage said opposing sidewall and including also means to spring urge said wheel into bag contact.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 10 in which said belt is carried for alternating forward and reverse movement, and said wheel is arranged to roll with the opposing bag sidewall during bag advance and to resist movement of said sidewall on reverse travel of the bag to effect the sidewall severance.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12 including also plate means beneath said belt adapted to cooperate with said wheel to press said bags into belt adhesive engagement.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 10 in which said advancing and reversing means comprises an electric motor, and motor control switches responsive to bag movement to initiate and terminate motor operation to advance a succession of bags singly and in opened conditoion. condition.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 14 in which said bags are unrolled horizontally from the roll and including also means to present the bags open end up at the dispensing station including successive belt portions carried for passing over and around the dispensing station roller with successive bags.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 15 in which said bag inflating means comprises a pressurized air source and including also deflector means arranged to direct pressurized air into successive bags as the bags are carried around the dispensing station roller.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 16 including also sensing means arranged to sense a bag at the dispensing sequentially and motor control means adapted to cycle the motor sequentialy through alternating reverse and forward movements responsive to the sensed absence of a bag at the dispensing station to present the next bag at the station after removal of a bag.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 17 in which said rollers belt and motor are supported by a section of said frame removable from the remainder of said frame.

Claim 21

Method of dispensing preformed bags from a supply of end-to-end severably interconnected bags individually and in opened condition at a dispensing station, which includes advancing collapsed bags successively in connected relation along a path to the dispensing station in a manner to have a predetermined bag sidewall facing outward at the dispensing station, relatively moving said predetermined bag sidewall and the opposing bag sidewall in advance of the dispensing station to selectively sever the predetermined bag sidewall from the next succeeding bag for presentation in opened, single sidewall connected condition at the dispensing station.

Claim 22

Method of dispensing preformed bags from a supply of end-to-end severably interconnected bags individually and in opened condition at a dispensing station, which includes advancing collapsed bags successively in connected relation along a path to the dispensing station in a manner to have a predetermined bag sidewall facing outward at the dispensing station, relatively moving said predetermined bag sidewall and the opposing bag sidewall in advance of the dispensing station to selectively sever the predetermined bag sidewall from the next succeeding bag for presentation in opened, single sidewall connected condition at the dispensing station.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 19 including also relatively moving said opposing bag sidewalls generally in the plane of said advancement path and parallel to the direction of bag advance.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 20 including also maintaining said predetermined bag sidewall stationary and moving said opposing bag sidewall in sliding relation therewith.

Claim 25

The method according to claim 19 including also advancing said bags intermittently and responsive to separation of the forwardmost bag at the dispensing station.

Claim 26

Method according to claim 19 including also opening the bag at the dispensing station.

Claim 27

The method according to claim 23 including also blowing air into the bag open end to maintain the bag open at the dispensing station.

Claim 28

Method of dispensing thin-film plastic bags individually and in opened condition at a dispensing station from a supply of collapsed, end-to-end severably interconnected bags which includes engaging each bag in succession by a first sidewall thereof for travel to the dispensing station, engaging the second opposing bag sidewall for relative movement during bag travel to the dispensing station to selectively sever said second sidewall from the next succeeding bag to open each bag in advance of the dispensing station and inflating each open bag presented at the dispensing staion.

Claim 29

Method of dispensing thin-film plastic bags individually and in opened condition at a dispensing station from a supply of collapsed, end-to-end severably interconnected bags which includes engaging each bag in succession by a first sidewall thereof for travel to the dispensing station, engaging the second opposing bag sidewall for relative movement during bag travel to the dispensing station to selectively sever said second sidewall from the next succeeding bag to open each bag in advance of the dispensing station and inflating each open bag presented at the dispensing staion.

Claim 30

The method according to claim 25 including also adhesively gripping said first sidewall at laterally spaced locations adjacent the severable interconnection thereof with the next succeeding bag.

Claim 31

The method according to claim 26 including also sequentially moving each bag in unequal reverse and forward directions, sufficient to sever one sidewall from the next succeeding bag across the major portion of the bag width and to present a single bag at the dispensing station.