Apparatus for bagging clothes

Abstract: Apparatus for bagging clothings which by means of coat hangers are suspended in batches from a conveyor means comprising means for freeing a group of clothings from the remaining clothings without removing that group from the conveyor means and means for applying from the bottom a bag around that group. Preferably the freeing means comprise an auxiliary bag which, preferably from the top, can be applied around the group and which at its lowermost end is provided with provisions for internally overlapping the free upper edge of the bag to be applied.

Description: The invention relates to an apparatus for bagging clothings which by means of coat hangers are suspended in batches from a conveyor means. As conveyor means for clothings in clothing depots often trolleys are applied which move along rails suspended from the ceiling. Each trolley than carries a large number of clothings. The number and kind of clothings being suspended from a trolley depends on the wishes of the customer. With the aid of these trolleys the clothings are presented from the clothing depots to the customers, whereafter the transport outside of the clothing depots may take place in any conventional way. Before the clothings leave the clothing depot they are provided with a protective bag, preferably from plastic foil. In a known apparatus for bagging clothings these clothings are removed from the trolley one at a time, led through the apparatus and next supplied again to the trolley. In the apparatus the bags are applied around each clothing from the top. Removing the clothings from the trolley and leading them one at a time through the known apparatus may lead to unintentionally scattering clothings belonging to one group. Thus, after having carried out the bagging it is often experienced in practice that the compositon of a group of clothings present on a trolley no longer corresponds with the wishes of the customer. A further disadvantage of this known apparatus is that bagging clothings one at a time requires much time and material. It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type referred to above not having the mentioned disadvantages. Thus the apparatus according to the invention is characterized by means for freeing a group of clothings from the remaining clothings without removing said group from the conveyor means and by means for applying from the bottom a bag around said group. According to the invention a group of clothings is bagged as a whole offering a considerable saving of time as well as a saving of material. Further this bagging occurs without a removal of the clothings from the conveyor means thus in a reliable way keeping together clothings belonging to one group. The number of clothings making up the group is chosen in regard of the managing ease of such a group. When transporting clothings from a clothing depot towards customers using trucks that groups are removed from the conveyor means manually and loaded into the trucks. Thus it is clear that the groups must not be too large, for very large groups cannot be managed. However the groups neither must be chosen too small for then the advantages obtained by the invention partially will be eliminated. According to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention the freeing means comprise an auxiliary bag which, preferably from the top, can be applied around the group and which at its lowermost end is provided with provisions for internally overlapping the free upper edge of the bag to be applied. Using this auxiliary bag enables the application of the final bag around the group of clothings from the bottom of the group without problems and without incurring the risk that the upper edge of the final bag gets entangled behind parts of the clothings. It is advantageous if the auxiliary bag comprises four curtains positioned rectangularly which can be wound on or off, respectively, winding shafts. Further it is advantageous if the winding shafts of the two curtains extending transversaly to the conveyor means and in parallel with the clothings are movable to and fro between a retracted position in which they disengage the clothings and an extended position in which they are positioned between the clothings, whereas the winding shafts of the two curtains extending transversaly to the clothings take up a stationary position. Like this it is possible to use curtains which closely surround the group of clothings but which nevertheless (regarding the curtains extending in parallel with the clothings) do not obstruct the movement of the conveyor means in the disengagement position. Moreover it is advantageous if the freeing means further comprise protective means which are movable downwards together with and below the lowermost end of the curtains. Such protective means take care for pushing inwardly projecting parts of the clothings, such as sleeves or alike, so that the curtains defining the auxiliary bag may be lowered without any problem. It is preferred too that the freeing means further comprise separating means which transversaly to the conveyor means are movable in between the clothings or coat hangers and which are displaceable in parallel with the conveyor means for creating a space between the group and adjoining clothings or coat hangers. This kind of separating means create the necessary space between the group of clothings to be bagged and the adjoining clothings for inserting the winding shafts of the curtains extending in parallel with the clothings as well as the corresponding protective means. Further it is handy, if the bag applying means comprise a bag supply and bag gripping means movable upwards and downwards. In this respect the bag supply presents the bag as a rectangular tube, while the bag gripping means grip the tube upper edges extending in parallel with the conveyor means. Using that sort of bag gripping means the bag may be moved upwards effectively along the clothings from the bottom of the group of clothings. Further it is preferred, if the bag gripping means all comprise a number, preferably three, of clamping jaws positioned alongside one other of which at least one is movable outwardly transversaly to the conveyor means in a situation in which the remaining clamping jaws have released the tube. If according to this at both sides of the bag only one clamping jaw engages the respective tube upper edge and when these clamping jaws are moved outwardly, the bag as it were is pulled to a closed position. Thus such a movement will occur when the bag is applied from the bottom around the entire group. Finally it is possible that seal beams are provided for sealing the applied bag above the group as well as cutting means and optionally seal beams for cutting loose the bag and for sealing it below the group. When using such seal beams and cutting means the bag can be completed and the group of clothings has been bagged. Hereinafter the invention will be elucidated referring to the drawing, in which an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated. Figure 1 shows schematically several parts of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention together with their position relative to a group of clothings to be bagged; Figure 2 shows in a side elevational view a group of clothings suspended from a trolley previous to separation from adjoining clothings; Figure 3 shows the group of clothings presented in figure 2 after being separated from the adjoining clothings; Figure 4 shows the group of clothings according to figure 3 after the provision of protective means; Figure 5 shows schematically a top view of the situation according to figure 4; Figure 6 shows in side elevational view the group of clothings according to figure 1 after the provision of winding shafts with curtains defining an auxiliary bag; Figure 7 shows schematically a top view of the situation according to figure 6; Figure 8 shows two different positions of the auxiliary bag defining curtains which have been moved downwards over some distance; Figure 9 shows in a top view the function of the bag gripping means gripping the bag to be applied; Figure 10 shows applying the bag from the bottom around the group of clothings, and Figure 11 shows in a top view a situation in which the applied bag is pulled tense just previous to sealing it. In figure 1 the fundamental construction of an apparatus for bagging clothings is illustrated. In this figure only the essential parts of this embodiment are illustrated and trivial constructive details have been left out. The parts of the apparatus to be described may belong to a stationary construction. However it is possible too that the entire apparatus is movable. A trolley 3 with wheels 2 is suspended from a conveyor rail 1 (which for example is suspended from a ceiling of a room). A number of coat hangers are suspended from the trolley 3, of which in figure 1 only one is indicated by reference number 4 in figure 1. The group of clothings to be bagged has been indicated schematically by a dotted block 5. It is noted that block 5 may have such dimensions that also clothings which do not belong to block 5 are suspended from the trolley 3. Just aside of trolley 3 and at the level of the uppermost part of the coat hangers 4 separating means 6 are provided, which are movable between a position, in which the coat hangers 4 can pass and a position, in which they can engage the coat hangers 4. In figure 1 a movement between both positions is possible, for example by a rotation around an axis 7. It is possible too however that the separating means 6 are movable between their active and their non-active position by means of a parallelogram construction instead of the illustrated rotation around axis 7. Moreover the separating means 6 are movable to and fro in the longitudenal direction of the axis 7, as indicated by double arrows A. The function of these separating means 6 will be elucidated later referring to figures 2 and 3. The apparatus further comprises so called protective means shaped as freely rotating cylinders 8 until 11. Cylinder 8 is movable to and fro perpendicularly to the conveyor rail 1 by means of a cylinder-piston assembly 12 according to double arrow B. The cylinder-piston assembly 12 at its turn is movable in vertical direction (according to double arrow C). For this in a way not shown further guides may be applied. The cylinder 8 is movable between a position in which it is distanced from the group of clothings 5 and a position in which the surface of the cylinder almost touches the plane through the corresponding side of the group of clothings 5. At the side of the group of clothings 5 opposite to the cylinder 8 an assembly of cylinders 9, 10 and 11 is positioned. The cylinders 10 and 11 have been applied in two-fold, whereas cylinder 9 has been applied in correspondence with cylinder 8. In its entirety the assembly of cylinders 9, 10 and 11 is again movable to and fro according to double arrow D by a cylinder-piston assembly 13, whereas the cylinder-piston assembly 13 again (in a way not shown further) is guided upwards and downwards in vertical direction according to double arrow E. In the position illustrated in figure 1 the double cylinders 10 and 11 release the group of clothings 5. However, through activation of the cylinder-piston assembly 13 they are displaceable such that cylinders 10 and 11 extend closely adjacent the corresponding lateral surfaces of the group 5. In a position like that cylinder 9 is positioned closely to the corresponding fourth surface of the group 5. If moreover cylinder 8 is positioned close to the group the cylinders together as it were define a rectangle enclosing the group 5 to be bagged. Further below the function of the cylinders 8 until 11 will be elucidated referring to figures 4 to 6. Figure 1 shows that two stationary winding shafts 14 and 15 are provided at some distance above the group of clothings 5. Onto these winding shafts 14 and 15 curtains 16 are wound. The position of the winding shafts 14 and 15 is chosen such, that when the curtains 16 wound thereonto are unwound they move downwards closely adjacent the respective lateral surfaces of the group of clothings 5. Means known per se can be applied for driving the winding shafts 14 and 15. Apart from the stationary winding shafts 14 and 15 the apparatus further comprises non-stationary winding shafts 17 and 18 onto which curtains 19 are wound. At the lowermost side of these curtains 19 U-shaped profiles 20 are attached, the function of which will be elucidated later referring to figure 8. The winding shafts 17 and 18 and the curtains 19 wound thereonto are entirely in correspondence with the previously mentioned cylinders 9 until 11 movable to and fro by means of a cylinder-piston assembly 21 in correspondence with arrow F. Thus it will be appreciated that in the illustrated position the curtains 19 release the group 5 and do not obstruct the transfer thereof by means of the trolley 3. However through activation of the cylinder-piston assembly 21 the curtains 19 can be applied closely adjacent the respective surfaces of the group 5 and can, by unwinding the curtains 19 from the winding shafts 17 and 18, be lowered along these surfaces. Further at the top of the apparatus seal beams 22 are applied which can be moved towards each other and which in pairs can carry out a seal operation. In this respect two co-operating pairs of seal beams 22 are separated by a space 23, such that the seal beams 22 can pass the vertical parts 24 of the coat hangers 4. Below the group 5 an only schematically indicated bag supply is provided of which tensioning means 25 are visible offering the supplied bag 26 a rectangular shape. Further bag gripping means 27 and 28 are visible which can engage the bag upper edges 26 extending in parallel with the trolley 3. For this, in the embodiment shown, the bag gripping means 27, 28 comprise each three clamping jaws 29 until 31 and 32 until 34, respectively, positioned alongside each other. By means of cylinder-piston assemblies 35 these clamping jaws are movable to and fro (according to arrows H), whereas the cylinder-piston assemblies 35 together with clamping jaws 29 until 34 are also movable upwards and downwards in vertical direction (according to arrows J). The function of the clamping jaws 29 until 34 will be elucidated later among others referring to figure 11. Finally at a short distance adjacent and slightly above the bag supply two combined cutting means and seal beams 36 are provided which co-operate for a cutting and sealing operation onto the bag 26. For an understanding of the operation of the parts of the apparatus according to the invention illustrated in figure 1 reference is made now to figures 2 until 11. In figure 2 trolley 3 is visible running along conveyor rail 1. From the trolley 3 a large number of coat hangers 4 is suspended. The coat hangers belonging to the group to be bagged are schematically indicated by reference number 4'. The trolley 3 carries positioning bosses 37 which, together with not illustrated registration means, take care of correctly positioning the trolley 3 relative to the apparatus. When such a correct positioning has occured the separating means 6 are inserted between the coat hangers 4 of the adjoining clothings and the coat hangers 4' of the group clothings to be bagged. In general the position of the separating means 6 is chosen such that they will engage the vertical parts 24 of the coat hangers visible in figure 1. Next the separating means 6 are separated according to arrows A (in figure 1) thus obtaining the position of the coat hangers 4 and 4' illustrated in figure 3, In the position of the coat hangers (and clothings suspended therefrom) obtained now the cylinder-piston assemblies 12 and 13 are activated. The cylinders 8 and 9 then assume the position shown in figure 5. Moreover the double cylinders 10 and 11 are extended into the free space created by the separating means 6 between the coat hangers 4' of the group to be bagged and the adjoining coat hangers 4. It is noted that cylinders 10 and 11 are provided below trolley 3. Of course the position of the cylinders 8 and 9 relative to coat hangers 4' may differ from the position shown in figure 5. It is possible for example that cylinders 8 and 9 are moved still closer towards the coat hangers 4' (and the clothings suspended therefrom). Figure 6 illustrates that the cylinders (of which only cylinders 10 and 11 are visible here) are moved downwards between the clothings. For the cylinders can freely rotate they can easily pass the clothings and roll downwards along the surface thereof. In this respect also the double application of cylinders 10 and 11 is advantageous, for they can rotate relative to the clothings suspended from coat hangers 4 as well as relative to clothings suspended from coat hangers 4'. After the cylinders 8 until 11 have been lowered thus over some distance (corresponding with the displacement of cylinder-piston assemblies 12 and 13 according to arrows C and E) next, by activation of cylinder-piston assembly 21 (according double arrow F) winding shafts 17 and 18 with curtains 19 wound thereonto are extended into the free space between the coat hangers. The profiles 20 hanging below the curtains 19 are clearly visible in figure 6 too. Further the winding shafts 14 and 15 are activated whereas the curtains 16 are lowered along the corresponding lateral surfaces of the group of clothings 5. In this way the auxiliary bag, comprising curtains 16 and 19, and in figure 7 being indicated schematically by dotted lines, is realised. Now it is possible to lower cylinders 8 until 11 whereas the winding shafts 14, 15, 17 and 18 release the corresponding curtains 16 and 19. By the cylinders 8 until 11 a free space is created between the clothings for lowering the curtains 16 and 19 together with the profiles 20 belonging thereto. This operation is shown in figure 8. It is noted that also an embodiment is conceivable in which the horizontal displacement of the winding shafts 17 and 18 and of the cylinders 10 and 11 occurs simultaneously. In such a case the profiles 20 may be connected to the cylinders 10 and 11 (or the construction carrying these) to guarantee a correct centring of these profiles 20 relative to the bag. Further in the lower part of figure 8 the position is illustrated in which the curtains (of which curtains 19 are visible) have been lowered that much that the U-shaped profiles are applied over the upper edges of the respective sides of the bag 26 which is tensioned in the bag supply. After passing the lowermost boundary of the clothings the cylinders 8 until 11 have been retracted by means of the respective cylinder-piston assemblies 12 and 13. This retraction of the cylinders 8 until 11 occurs because they do not have any function anymore during the rest of the cycle. After being rectracted they can be raised again to take in the starting position illustrated in figure 1. In practice however the curtains 19 will not allow such an upward movement of the cylinders 10 and 11; in said case such an upward movement of cylinders 10 and 11 is carried out only after an upward movement of the curtains 19 to be described hereinafter. In figure 9 it is illustrated that the clamping jaws 29 until 31 and 32 until 34 engage the lateral upper edges of bag 26. For said clamping jaws 29 until 34 engage these lateral edges the longitudinal edges of bag 26 (extending in parallel with the clothings) are free for applying thereover the U-shaped profiles 20. Moreover devices are provided at the lowermost edge of the curtains 16 which can internally overlap the respective lateral edges of the bag 26, while these devices do not form an obstruction for the application of the clamping jaws 29 until 34. It is indicated in figure 10 that the winding shafts (of which winding shafts 17 and 18 are visible) again wind up the curtains. Simultaneously the cylinder-piston assemblies 35 are raised together with clamping jaws 29 until 34, such that the longitudinal upper edges of bag 26 are maintained in the U-shaped profiles 20. Using these clamping jaws 29 until 34 the bag 26 is pulled out of the bag supply, while control devices 38 maintain the bag at the correct tension. By the application of the U-shaped profiles 20 one can avoid that the upper edge of the bag 26 to be applied gets entangled behind parts of the clothings, such as depending sleeves, buckles, buttons or alike. When the upper edge of the bag 26 to be applied has finally reached its uppermost endposition, whereby the winding shafts 17 and 18 have already been removed, the clamping jaws 29, 31 and 32, 34 respectively are opened. The remaining clamping jaws 30 and 33 maintain a grip on bag 26 and are moved outwardly by activation of the cylinder-piston assemblies 35 in correspondence with arrows H. This is shown in figure 11. Like this bag 26 is tensioned above the horizontal legs of the coat hangers, after which the seal beams 22 can seal the realised upper side of the bag above the coat hangers 4, however below trolley 3. Moreover the cutting means and seal beams 36 are moved towards each other at the lower side of the manufactured bag such that the bag is sealed and cut loose from the bag supply at its lower side. It is noted here that it is not required per se to apply a seal seam at the lower side too; it would be sufficient if only cutting devices were provided cutting loose the manufactured bag from the bag supply. If the clothings suspending from the trolley 3 are less long it is possible that by using the cutting devices and seal beams 36 cutting and sealing the bag at its lower side already occurs before the upper side of the bag 26 has reached its uppermost position. As a result bags can be manufactured with a lesser length. After finishing the bag all parts of the apparatus are moved back towards the starting position shown in figure 1, after which the trolley is moved onward according to the positioning bosses 37, until a succeeding group of clothings to be bagged has reached a correct position. As appears from the foregoing the curtains 16 and 19 as it were define an auxiliary bag, which can be applied from the top around the group 5 to be bagged. By means of the devices applied to the lowermost end of the curtains (such as profiles 20 at curtains 19) it is for example possible to guarantee, that when moving upwards the auxiliary bag and the definitive bag the upper edge of the definitive bag will not get entangled in the clothings to be bagged. The downward movement of the curtains 16 and 19 is enhanced by the application of the protective means shaped as cylinders 8 until 11, which push inwardly extending parts of the clothings just before passing the lowermost edge of the curtain 16 and 19. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described before, which can be varied widely within the scope of the claims.

Claims: Apparatus for bagging clothings which by means of coat hangers (4) are suspended in batches from a conveyor means (3), characterized by means for freeing a group of clothings (4') from the remaining clothings without removing said group (4') from the conveyor means (3) and by means (25-35) for applying from the bottom a bag (26) around said group. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the freeing means comprise an auxiliary bag (16,19) which, preferably from the top, can be applied around the group (4') and which at its lowermost end is provided with provisions (20) for internally overlapping the free upper edge of the bag (26) to be applied. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the auxiliary bag (26) comprises four curtains (16,19) positioned rectangularly which can be wound on or off, respectively, winding shafts (14,15,17,18). Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the winding shafts (17,18) of the two curtains (19) extending transversaly to the conveyor means (3) and in parallel with the clothings are movable to and fro between a retracted position in which they disengage the clothings and an extended position in which they are positioned between the clothings, whereas the winding shafts (14,15) of the two curtains (16) extending transversaly to the clothings take up a stationary position. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the freeing means further comprise protective means (8,9,10,11) which are movable downwards together with and below the lowermost end of the curtains (16,19). Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the protective means comprise freely rotatable cylinders (8,9,10,11) defining a rectangle, of which the cylinders (10,11) extending transversaly to the conveyor means (3) and in parallel with the clothings are movable to and fro in correspondence with the respective winding shafts (17,18), whereas the cylinders (8,9) extending in parallel with the conveyor means and transversaly to the clothings are movable to and fro transversaly to their longitudinal axis between a position in which they disengagage the clothings and a position in which they engage the clothings. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the cylinders (10,11) extending transversaly to the conveyor means are applied in two-fold. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the cylinders (10,11) extending transversaly to the conveyor means together with one of the cylinders (9) extending in parallel with the conveyor means are movable as one single assembly. Apparatus according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the freeing means further comprise separating means (6,7) which transversaly to the conveyor means are movable in between the clothings or coat hangers and which are displaceable in parallel with the conveyor means for creating a space between the group (4') and adjoining clothings or coat hangers. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that four separating means (6) are provided which can be applied in pairs at both sides of the group (4'). Apparatus according to one of claims 1-10, characterized in that the bag applying means comprise a bag supply and bag gripping means (29-34) movable upwards and downwards. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the bag supply offers the bag (26) as a rectangular tube, while the bag gripping means (29-34) grip the tube upper edges extending in parallel with the conveyor means. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the bag gripping means (29-34) all comprise a number, preferably three, of clamping jaws positioned alongside one other of which at least one (30,33) is movable outwardly transversaly to the conveyor means in a situation in which the remaining clamping (29,31,32,34) jaws have released the tube. Apparatus according to one of claims 1-13, characterized in that seal beams (22) are provided for sealing the applied bag above the group (4') as well as cutting means and optionally seal beams (36) for cutting loose the bag and for sealing it below the group (4'). Apparatus according to one of claims 1-14, characterized in that the conveyor means comprises a trolley (3) suspendedly movable along a rail (1) and which is provided with positioning bosses which can be registrated by registration means.

Inventors: SIJMONS FRANCISCUS, SIJMONS, FRANCISCUS
Applicants: SIJMONS MASCHF BV, SIJMONS MACHINEFABRIEK B.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65B25
IPC codes: B65B25