Patent ID: 6421984
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A method of bagging a product comprising the steps of:i) transporting a product to be bagged on an infeed conveyor to a bagging station, ii) detecting said product and signaling a control means of its position prior to said bagging station, iii) displacing a reciprocating linear bagger along a straight predetermined forward stroke to position a product receptacle at said bagging station to receive said product thereon and to simultaneously engage an open end of a bag at a bag dispensing station by a pair of scoop elements, iv) tensioning said open end of said bag by applying regulated pressure to an articulated one of said scoop elements, v) applying a product arresting means in abutting relationship with a first end of said product discharged on said product receptacle and axially opposite said engaged bag open end, vi) displacing said reciprocating linear bagger through a predetermined rearward stroke to draw said open end of said engaged bag over said product from an opposed end of said product, vii) discharging said product positioned in said bag on a discharge conveyor, viii) withdrawing said product arresting means from its arresting position with said product, said steps (iii) and (vi) comprising displacing said linear bagger on a carriage displaceable along a straight thrust rod of magnetic material constituting a stator of a linear motor, a pair of coils associated with said carriage and being energized by control means to cause said carriage to be displaced along said thrust rod in a forward and reverse direction.