摘要 |
An apparatus for opening plastic bags to remove their contents has a pair of wheels (11,12) mounted in approximate coplanar relationship such that there is a point of approximate cotangency. The two wheels rotate in opposite directions, and a series of tines 13 are mounted in spaced relation on the periphery of each wheel to extend normal to the direction of travel of the loop. Once a filled plastic bag is placed onto the apparatus at the point of approximate cotangency of the wheels, a biased flexing structure presses the bag against the tines. A hole is created in that surface riding on the tines as the tines move away from the point of approximate cotangency. To remove any articles remaining in an opened bag, a pair of oppositely-rotating rollers (63,68) are positioned so as to draw the bag between them. An oscillating member forward of the rollers acts to prevent any articles remaining in an opened bag from entering between the rollers. A vacuum collection means 73 draws off the emptied bags. The apparatus has particular application to the opening of bags containing recyclable articles. <IMAGE> |