METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SEQUENTIAL HANDLING OF FLEXIBLE PRODUCTS

摘要

The present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for the sequential handling of a series of flexible products. The apparatus includes means for delivering a series of individual flexible products to a transfer point and means positioned at the transfer point for transferring the flexible products to a delivery point. The means at the transfer point include a vacuum transfer drum having a plurality of annular grooves about the periphery thereof and means for rotating the drum. Adjacent the transfer drum is an orbital packing mechanism including a shaft positioned for orbital movement, drive means for orbiting the shaft, and a plurality of packer fingers secured to the shaft and extending into the annular grooves on the transfer drum for removing the flexible products sequentially from the transfer drum and delivering them to the delivery point. The orbital packing fingers themselves are constructed to extend across substantially the entire width of the bags as they are stripped from a transfer drum and to decelerate the bags as they are stacked against a backstop. Operation of the orbital packing fingers takes place at lower speeds to reduce inertial loading and yet maintain a high output rate. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the packing fingers are operated at a rate of 1/X times the rate that flexible products are provided, where X is the number of delivery points per lane of flexible products provided.