Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
Apparatus for filling a bag with a flowable material including: a spout including a flexible portion adapted to be coupled with a source of said material; a pair of opposed, shiftable hinge plates respectively abutting opposite sides of said spout and having the opposite extremeties thereof connected with each other by hinges to allow shifting of said plates toward and away from each other whereby to distort said flexible spout portion and control the flow of said material through said spout portion, said hinge plates being adapted to have said bag sleeved therearound; means operably coupled with said hinge plates for selectively shifting the latter toward and away from each other; a horizontal support disposed above said hinge plates; a pair of slide members respectively mounted for sliding movement on opposite extremeties of said horizontal support; a pair of sliding supports respectively mounted on said slide members for sliding movement along with the latter; a pair of grip members extending downwardly from said sliding supports and shiftably mounted on each of the latter for shifting movement toward and away from each other; and flexible structure connected to corresponding ones of said grip members and extending between the latter on opposite sides of said hinge plates, said flexible structure being shiftable into engagement with said bag upon shifting of said grip members toward each other whereby to releasably hold said bag against said hinge plates.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
Apparatus for filling a bag with a flowable material including: a spout including a flexible portion adapted to be coupled with a source of said material; a pair of opposed, shiftable hinge plates respectively abutting opposite sides of said spout and having the opposite extremeties thereof connected with each other by hinges to allow shifting of said plates toward and away from each other whereby to distort said flexible spout portion and control the flow of said material through said spout portion, said hinge plates being adapted to have said bag sleeved therearound; means operably coupled with said hinge plates for selectively shifting the latter toward and away from each other; a horizontal support disposed above said hinge plates; a pair of slide members respectively mounted for sliding movement on opposite extremeties of said horizontal support; a pair of sliding supports respectively mounted on said slide members for sliding movement along with the latter; a pair of grip members extending downwardly from said sliding supports and shiftably mounted on each of the latter for shifting movement toward and away from each other; and flexible structure connected to corresponding ones of said grip members and extending between the latter on opposite sides of said hinge plates, said flexible structure being shiftable into engagement with said bag upon shifting of said grip members toward each other whereby to releasably hold said bag against said hinge plates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said hinge plates each include perforated portions therein placing parts of said bag in communication with the space between said hinge plates, and there is further provided means coupled with said space for reducing the pressure within the latter whereby to produce suction in said perforated portions for holding said bag against said hinge plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there is further provided: a clamping part comprising a sleeve member adapted to circumscribe upper portions of said spout and secured to the latter for mounting said apparatus on said spout; said clamping part being secured to said horizontal support, said horizontal support including a bore therein adapted to receive said spout therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said hinge plates includes a recessed area in the face thereof opposing the opposite hinge place for receiving at least parts of said flexible portion of said spout therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said grip members each comprise an arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the respectively associated sliding support and said hinge structure is mounted on the opposite end of said arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flexible structure comprises a plurality of holding elements pivotally interconnected by hinges, each of said holding elements including surface portions conforming in contour to the opposing portions of the adjacent hinge plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said flexible structure comprises a belt member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said hinge plates comprises first, second and third plate portions, said second plate portions being interposed between said first and third plate portions and connected to each of the latter by hinges pivotable about essentially vertical axes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including conformation means disposed on opposite sides of said hinge plates and shiftable toward each other into adjacency with said hinge plates whereby to engage lower portions of said bag for conforming the latter to the contour of said hinge plates.