Patent Publication Number: US-8528307-B2

Title: Method of, and apparatus for, filling and closing tobacco bags

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention relates to a method of filling and closing bags made of sheet material, in particular for (cut) tobacco, having a pocket which has a closable opening and is intended for accommodating the bag contents, wherein the bag is filled in an upright position on a circulating carrier or turret and is then closed by means of closure strips in the region of the opening. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the method. 
     2. Prior Art 
     In the case of a known apparatus for filling and closing tobacco bags (EP 0 870 683 B1), bags are positioned in pairs on the circumference of a turret which rotates about a vertical axis and forms a carrier for the bags. The turret forms—as in the case of a square—four retaining surfaces, located opposite one another in pairs in each case, for in each case two tobacco bags. The pockets are sealed closed in the region of the opening once a tobacco portion has been introduced. 
     An apparatus according to this prior art lacks output capacity. Furthermore, it is technically unavoidable that the overall length of the apparatus is relatively large. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to propose measures for high-capacity production of bags, in particular tobacco bags, while the finished bags have a quality which meets the market requirements. 
     In order to achieve this object, the method according to the invention is a method of filling and closing bags made of sheet material or the like, in particular for (cut) tobacco, having a pocket which has a closable opening and is intended for accommodating the bag contents, wherein the bag is filled in an upright position on a circulating carrier or turret and is then closed by means of closure strips in the region of the opening, characterized by the following features: a) the prefabricated, empty bags are transported along a feed path, or by a feed conveyor, into the region of a filling and closure station, b) the bags are received by a filling and closure conveyor, in particular by a turret, and conveyed by the latter, in a plane transverse to the feed path, in particular in an upright plane, through filling, closure and possibly other processing stations, and c) the filled and closed bags are transferred from the filling and closure conveyor to a removal conveyor, which transports the bags away, in particular in a direction parallel to the feed conveyor. 
     A special feature of the present method may be considered that of the handling of the bags, namely in particular filling, closing and possibly wrapping, taking place in a movement plane of the bags which runs transversely to the feed and/or removal direction. Accordingly, the movement path of the bags during processing is directed along a circulatory path with a horizontal axis of rotation or circulation. This gives rise, in the first instance, to the movement paths being divided up in a space-saving manner. Furthermore, it is possible for a plurality of bags to be processed in parallel (transversely directed) planes preferably simultaneously and synchronously without this giving rise to a significant increase in the overall length of the apparatus. 
     As far as the apparatus is concerned, a rotary bag conveyor or turret with a horizontal axis-of-rotation element forms the core of the invention. The bag conveyor, which possibly comprises a plurality of sub-turrets arranged equiaxially one beside the other, transports the bags through a plurality of processing stations, preferably with cyclic driving. The turret, or each sub-turret, has a polygonal, in particular hexagonal, cross section, that is to say it has six planar outer surfaces or wall portions, on each of which a securing means for a bag is fitted. Arranging the turret, or the sub-turrets, in upright planes or transversely to the feed direction of the bags makes it possible, without any significant change in the machine dimensioning, for a plurality of sub-turrets to be located one beside the other in the axial direction and thus to increase the output capacity of the apparatus to a considerable extent. 
     The bags positioned on the turret, or on the turret surfaces, run through processing stations appropriate to the operating sequence, namely a filling station  41 , optionally suction-extraction station, a closure or sealing station and a wrapping and discharging station. Predominantly fixed-location, movable processing mechanisms are arranged in the region of these stations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details of the invention relate to the specially designed processing mechanisms of the bag in the different stations. These details will be explained more specifically hereinbelow with reference to the exemplary embodiments of the invention which are illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective illustration of an unfilled, open (tobacco) bag, 
         FIG. 2  shows the bag according to  FIG. 1  during filling, 
         FIG. 3  shows the bag during a (first) folding step, 
         FIG. 4  shows the bag according to  FIGS. 1 to 3  in the closed position, 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective illustration showing the movement of the bags, 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of a bag conveyor, namely a (drum) turret, 
         FIG. 7  shows a side view of the turret according to  FIG. 6  as seen in the direction of arrow VII in  FIG. 6 , 
         FIG. 8  shows, on an enlarged scale, a detail VIII of the turret according to  FIG. 6 , 
         FIG. 9  shows an illustration analogous to  FIG. 8  of a cleaning and/or suction-extraction station, 
         FIG. 10  shows the detail according to  FIG. 9  as seen in the direction of arrow X in  FIG. 9 , 
         FIG. 11  shows a further-enlarged view of mechanisms according to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , partly in section, 
         FIG. 12  shows a further detail XII from  FIG. 6 , namely a closing station, partly in section, 
         FIG. 13  shows part of the detail according to  FIG. 12  in a different position, 
         FIG. 14  shows a view or a section XIV-XIV from  FIG. 6 , namely a wrapping and discharging station, 
         FIG. 15  shows, on an enlarged scale, a detail of the illustration according to  FIG. 14  as seen along section plane XV-XV, 
         FIG. 16  shows, on an enlarged scale, a side view of a station of the turret, namely a folding and discharging station, 
         FIG. 17  shows the detail according to  FIG. 16  with individual mechanisms in different positions, 
         FIG. 18  shows the station according to  FIGS. 16 and 17  during the operation of applying a closure strip to the bag, 
         FIG. 19  shows the station according to  FIGS. 16 to 18  during transfer of a bag to a removal conveyor, and 
         FIG. 20  shows, in longitudinal section, another exemplary embodiment of the turret. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The exemplary embodiments in the drawings concern the production and/or filling and the closure of bags  10  for a respective tobacco portion  11  or for other pack contents in piece, granular or fibrous form. The bag  10  consists of a possibly multi-layered sheet material or of other, thin packing material. 
     The bag  10  is formed from a single, strip-form blank. Two portions of the blank, which are folded over along a folding edge and connected to one another at their peripheries by seams  13 , form a front wall  14  and rear wall  15  of a pocket  12 . The rear wall  15  forms a continuation projecting beyond the pocket  12 , namely a wrapping flap  16 . The pocket  12  has an opening  17  which serves for filling the bag  10  and for removing the contents. The opening  17  can be closed in a suitable manner, in particular by a reusable closure strip  18 , which is preferably designed as a peel/seal seam. 
     For filling and closing the bag  10 , the latter is fed in a prefabricated, unclosed state to a filling and closure station. In the region of the latter, the opening  17  is freed, the tobacco portion  11  is introduced and the pocket  12  is then closed. This is followed by a folding or wrapping process, provided the bag  10 , as is the case here, is designed with a wrapping flap  16 . The dimensions of the bag  10  are preferably selected so as to give rise to three folding or wrapping portions, these being indicated in  FIG. 1  by transversely directed, dashed lines. The (filled) pocket  12  forms a first wrapping portion or leg. This is followed by a central portion  19 , which comprises part of the pocket  12  above a filling region and part of the wrapping flap  16 . The central portion  19  is adjoined by a peripheral flap  20 . 
     During completion of the bag  10 , namely during folding, the procedure is such that the central portion  19  is gripped by folding or retaining mechanisms, in the present case by retaining fingers  21 ,  22 , which grip and fix the central portion  19 . Thereafter, in the first instance, the pocket  12  is folded, as a folding leg, against the central portion  19 . Finally, the peripheral flap  20  is folded over against the pocket  12 , in this case against the rear wall  15  of the same. In this finished position, the wrapping flap  16  or the peripheral flap  20  thereof is fixed by a standard retaining means, in this case by an adhesive-bonding strip or a tape  23 . In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, this is fitted on the completed, wrapped bag  10  ( FIGS. 16 to 18 ). As an alternative, the unfilled bags  10  fed to the filling and closing station may already be provided with a tape  23  fitted on the wrapping flap  16 . 
     The bag  10  is retained in a vertical plane prior to, and during, the wrapping process. It is a special feature here that the pocket  12  is located above the wrapping flap  16  and, accordingly, is placed against the central portion  19  by being moved or folded downward ( FIG. 3 ). Accordingly, the downwardly oriented peripheral flap  20  is folded upward. The retaining mechanisms or retaining fingers  21 ,  22  remain in the retaining position according to  FIG. 4  until the bag has been completed and during transfer to a removal conveyor. 
     The central subassembly of the filling and closing station is a bag conveyor, which conveys the bags  10  through the necessary number of processing stations. The bag conveyor is a (drum) turret  24 , a hollow body which is driven in rotation about a horizontal axis, to be precise in successive sub-steps from station to station. The turret  24  has a continuous outer wall  25 , forming a carrier of the bags  10 , which abut on the outside. In the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 10 , the hollow body is closed by an end wall  26  on merely one side, but is open opposite ( FIG. 10 ). The end wall  26  serves for mounting the turret  24  on a drive shaft  27 . 
     Mounts  28  for bags  10  are arranged on the outside of the turret  24 , namely on the outer wall  25  thereof. For this purpose, the turret  24  is provided with a polygonal outer contour. A plurality of respectively planar wall portions  29  are connected to one another to form a uniform cross section. A particularly advantageous embodiment is that which is shown in  FIG. 6 , with a hexagonal turret  24  and, accordingly, six successive, planar wall portions  29  which are arranged at equal angles to one another. Each wall portion  29  has a mount, the wall portion  29  and the mount  28  fitted thereon being assigned to one bag  10  in each case. 
     The turret  24  is mounted such that it can be rotated about a horizontal axis. This gives rise to a closed circulatory path for the mounts  28  in a vertical plane. The turret  24  preferably comprises a plurality of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  which are located one beside the other in the axial direction. In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the turret  24  with four sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  forms a unit, namely a common hollow body. The latter is mounted on a common driveshaft  27 . The sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  are designed to correspond to one another and have the same dimensions. The standard configuration means that the bags  10  arranged on each sub-turret  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  are conveyed simultaneously through the processing stations assigned to each sub-turret  30 ,  31 ,  32   33 , and are processed simultaneously therein. Accordingly, this gives rise in each case to the simultaneous completion and depositing of a number of bags  10  which corresponds to the number of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 . As an alternative, it is possible for the sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32   33  to be designed as independent bag conveyors which either are mounted on a common driveshaft or can be driven separately. In the case of this embodiment, the sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  can be exchanged individually. Overall, the capacity of the turret  24  can easily be increased by a change in the number of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32   33 , without this necessitating any significant change in the machine-specific dimensioning of the apparatus. 
     The turret  24 , or each sub-turret  30 ,  31 ,  32   33 , is provided with a plurality of mounts  28  which are distributed along the circumference. An advantageous design is one in which a mount  28  is fitted on each wall portion  29 . The mounts  28  are plate-like moldings with mechanisms or auxiliary means for retaining and aligning a respective bag  10 . The retaining means may act mechanically and/or pneumatically. 
     In the case of the exemplary embodiment shown, the mount  28  is fitted eccentrically on the respective wall portion  29 , that is to say it is offset in the direction of rotation of the turret  24 . The plate-like mount  28  forms a planar abutment surface  35  essentially for the abutment of the planar, aligned wrapping flap  16 . A trough-like shaped surface  36  is also formed for the abutment of the pocket  12 . 
     The prefabricated, unfilled bag  10  is placed on the mount  28  and fixed by suction air and/or by clamping mechanisms. A pocket holder  37 , which is connected in a pivotable manner to a free end of the plate of the mount  28 , is placed on the bag  10  such that essentially the region of the pocket  12  is gripped and fixed. A further retaining mechanism grips the wrapping flap  16 , namely a clamping lever  38 , which is of angular design and is mounted in a pivotable manner on a carrying part  39  of the adjacent wall portion. The clamping lever  38  grips the wrapping flap  16 , by way of an angular retaining leg, in the region of the peripheral flap  20 . As an alternative, the clamping lever  38  can perform some other, or additional, task. If—as an alternative to the exemplary embodiments shown—the tape  23  is fed to the filling and closing arrangement together with the unfilled bag  10 , the clamping lever  38  can serve as a covering mechanism for the exposed region of the adhesive-bonding side of the tape  23 . The leg of the clamping lever  38  covers over the adhesive-bonding part of the tape  23 , preferably at a small distance from the adhesive-bonding surface. 
     An important retaining means for the bag  10  in the region of the mount  28  is constituted by suction bores  34  both in the region of the abutment surface  35  for the wrapping flap  16  and in the region of the shaped surface  36  for the pocket  12 . It is also the case when the wrapping flap  16  is straightened out that the bag  10  is fixed largely over the entire surface area by the suction bores  34 . The latter can be switched off during the wrapping operation. 
     The relative positions of the turret  24  and/or the rotary steps are selected such that, during the respective standstill, two mutually opposite wall portions  29  are directed vertically and in each case two further wall portions  29  in the bottom region and in the top region are directed obliquely in the form of a roof, in a position in which they are symmetrical to an imaginary vertical center plane. The stations of the turret  24  are distributed such that, in a charging station  40  at the bottom, the bags  10  or corresponding blanks are placed on the obliquely downwardly directed mount  28 . The bag  10  is fixed by virtue of the pocket holder  37  and the clamping lever  38  being pivoted until they butt against the bag  10  and by virtue of negative pressure at the suction bores  34 . 
     The next conveying cycle brings the bag  10  to an idling station, in which there are no operating steps carried out. Thereafter, the mount  28 , together with the bag  10 , passes into a filling station  41 . The pocket  12  is then located in the bottom part of the mount  28 , with the opening  17  oriented upward. The tobacco portion  11  is then introduced into the (upright) bag  10  from above, by suitable filling mechanisms, via the freed opening  17 . 
     In the next station, in which the bag  10  is in an oblique position, in the case of the present exemplary embodiment (tobacco) particles are removed from the region of the opening  17  in an appropriately equipped suction-extraction station  69 . 
     Following a further switching step, the mount  28  passes into a position in which the bag  10  assumes a downwardly inclined oblique position. In this station, a closing station  42 , the opening  17  is closed, to be precise by virtue of a closure seam being applied by thermal sealing. An advantageous alternative provides for the closing station  42  to be shifted into the region of the suction-extraction station  69  and for the latter to be dispensed with out replacement. In this variant, the bag  10  is located in an upwardly inclined oblique position, and therefore it is not possible for any contents to escape from the (still open) pocket  12 . 
     Thereafter, corresponding rotation of the turret  24  conveys the mount  28  into an upright position again. In this region, a wrapping station  43 , at least the wrapping flap  16  is moved into the correct position. In the present case, furthermore, the tape  23  is applied and, in the region of this station  43 , the finished bag  10  is transferred to a removal conveyor  44 . 
     The operating stations of the turret  24  are fitted with task-appropriate fixed-location subassemblies. In a suction-extraction station  69 , a suction-extraction subassembly  45  enters, by way of a tapering suction connector  46 , into the opening  17  of the pocket  12  and takes effect above the filling region for the suction extraction of particles. The opening  17  here is retained in the closed position, by way of the curved pocket holder  37 , to the extent where the suction extraction of tobacco from the interior of the pocket  12  is avoided. The particles extracted by suction in the closing region of the opening  17  pass into a collecting space  47  and are led away through a transversely directed, axis-parallel suction tube  48 . In the case of a plurality of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32   33  arranged one beside the other, a common suction tube  48  is provided for a plurality of adjacent collecting spaces  47  and suction connectors  46 . 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 11 , the suction connector  46  entering into the opening  17  is narrower than the bag  10  or the opening  17 . Furthermore, the suction connector  46  can be moved back and forth in the axial direction, that is to say in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the opening  17 . On the one hand, this facilitates the introduction of the suction connector into the opening  17 . On the other hand, it is ensured that the closing region of the opening  17  is completely freed of particles and other residues. 
     Furthermore, the closing station  42  is designed in a particular manner. A free peripheral region of the front wall  14  of the pocket  12  is connected to the rear wall  15  here by thermal sealing, or at any rate by the transmission of heat and pressure. A sealing mechanism  49  is provided for this purpose, and this sealing mechanism, while the turret  24  is at a standstill, is pressed onto the bag  10  in the region of the opening  17 . A heated sealing bar  50 , which in the present case is wedge-shaped, is pressed, by way of a comparatively narrow sealing edge, against the sheets which are to be connected, and this therefore produces a sealing seam, in particular a peel/seal seam. The sealing mechanism  49  can be moved transversely, namely raised and lowered, in relation to the bag  10 , in the present case by virtue of being arranged on a pivoting lever  51 . When the sealing bar  50  is lifted off from the sheets, a holding-down means  52  takes effect, that is to say a crosspiece-like retaining mechanism which butts against the sheets in a free region, which is offset in relation to the sealing seam. This retaining mechanism is mounted on the sealing mechanism  49  parallel to the sealing bar  50 , to be precise in a depression  53  of a holder, and it is subjected to the loading of a spring  54 . When the sealing bar  50  is lifted off, the holding-down means  52 , in the first instance, remains in abutment against the sealed sheets and thus prevents the same from lifting off with the sealing bar  50 . As the lifting-off movement continues, the holding-down means  52  also comes away from the bag  10 . An insulating delimiting means, namely a strip  55  made of rubber or plastics material, in particular TEFLON®, is applied between the sealing bar  50  and holding-down means  52 . The strip  55  is applied to the holding-down means  52 , namely to the bottom peripheral region thereof, and is lifted off, and moved into position, therewith. If the suction-extraction station  69  is dispensed with, the closing station  42  may be arranged in the region of the same, that is to say on a wall portion  29  which is directed upward, as seen in the direction of rotation. 
     In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the wrapping station  43  is configured as a multifunctional station. The bags  10  are positioned such that the pocket  12  is positioned in the top region and the wrapping flap  16  extends beneath the pocket  12 . 
     In the station  43 , a first folding or wrapping step is carried out on the bag  10 . The fixing of the top bag part, namely of the pocket  12 , is released. For this purpose, the pocket holder  37  is pivoted away. Furthermore, the air supply to the suction bores  34  in the region of the shaped surface  36  is stopped. It is thus possible for the pocket  12 , in a first wrapping step, to be pivoted downward into the position according to  FIG. 17 , namely into abutment against the central portion  19  of the wrapping flap  16 . This operation of folding over the pocket  12  is assisted, or executed, by a folding lever  56  which is mounted at a fixed location, but in a pivotable manner, on a holder  57 . An end region of the pivot lever  56  is designed as a bent finger  58  which is moved, by way of a free end, against the bag  10  or the pocket  12  and folds the latter over downward. In the end position ( FIG. 17 ), the finger  58  encloses part of the pocket  12  and fixes the folding and wrapping step. 
     The downwardly oriented region of the wrapping flap  16 , namely the peripheral flap  20 , is then gripped and folded, by upward movements, against the outwardly directed free side of the bag  10  or of the pocket  12  ( FIGS. 17 and 18 ). For this purpose, use is made of a flap folder  59  which is mounted likewise at a fixed location, but in a movable manner, in the region of the station  43 , in the present case equiaxially with, or in the same pivot bearing as, the folding lever  56 . The angular or U-shaped flap folder  56  grips the free part of the wrapping flap  16  by way of an angled leg  60 . Upward movement of the flap folder  59  causes the peripheral flap  20  to be moved upward against the far side of the curved pocket  12 . In the end position ( FIG. 18 ), the correspondingly shaped leg  60  fixes the peripheral flap  20  in precise abutment against the pocket  12 . 
     The holder  57  for the pivot lever  56 , on the one hand, and the flap folder  59 , on the other hand, is arranged at a fixed location within the turret  24  (which is open at one end). The mechanisms  56 ,  59  pass through specifically positioned apertures or openings in the outer wall  25  of the turret  24  and through corresponding openings and apertures in the region of the mount  28 . It is also possible for other processing mechanisms to be arranged, if necessary, at a fixed location within the turret  24 . 
     Prior to the flap folder  59  taking effect, the retaining means for the wrapping flap  16 , namely the clamping lever  38  and suction bores  34  in the region of the abutment surface  35 , are released. The holder  57  with the folding mechanisms for the bag  10  in the station  43  is illustrated in FIG.  10 —without any further details. The holder  57 , which is illustrated in a simplified state, is designed as a hollow body for accommodating gear-mechanism parts and drive means for the folding or wrapping mechanisms, namely for the fingers  58 , on the one hand, and the flap folders  59 , on the other hand, wherein a plurality of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32   33 , which are connected to form a unit, have a common holder  57  for the folding or wrapping mechanisms and this holder  57  runs in an axis-parallel manner within the turret  24 . Furthermore, the wall portions  29  and the mount  28  are provided with slot-like apertures which allow the folding and retaining mechanisms to pass through in the region of this station. 
     The auxiliary mechanisms described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , namely the retaining fingers  21 ,  22 , also take effect in the wrapping station  43 . These retaining fingers are fitted on a common carrier, in the present case on two lateral carrying lugs  61 ,  62 . These are mounted at a distance apart from one another on an axial carrying element  63 . In the operating position, the carrying lugs  61 ,  62  are directed transversely to the mount  28 . The retaining fingers  21 ,  22 , in turn, are arranged transversely, namely in a hook-like manner, to the carrying lugs  61 ,  62  ( FIG. 14 ). The carrying lugs  61 ,  62  are thus located outside the region of the bags  10 , whereas the transversely directed carrying fingers  21 ,  22  are in contact with the free side of the bag  10 , namely of the wrapping flap  16  for defining the central portion  19  ( FIG. 16 ). The retaining fingers  21 ,  22  are enclosed by the wrapping flap  16  during the folding or wrapping process. With the bag  10  finished, the fingers  21 ,  22  engage in an inner region defined by the pocket  12 , on the one hand, and the central portion  19 , on the other hand. When the rest of the retaining mechanisms, namely the folding lever  56  and the flap folder  59 , are released and/or drawn back, the ready wrapped bag is held in position by the retaining fingers  21 ,  22 . 
     A further step is carried out in the station  43 . The tape  23  for fixing the peripheral flap  20  on the pocket  12  is moved into position. The tapes  23  are fed by a tape conveyor  64  and held in readiness for transfer to a bag  10 . For this purpose, a transfer mechanism is provided for a respective tape  23 . This mechanism comprises a pivot arm  65  with a tape holder  66  which is fitted in a pivotable manner on the pivot arm and, in this case, is designed as a suction mechanism, that is to say as an elastic, cap-like element which is applied to the free side of a tape  23  in the region of the tape conveyor  64  and grips the tape  23 , and removes it from the tape conveyor  64 , by negative pressure. Movement of the pivot arm  65 , on the one hand, and of the tape holder  66 , on the other hand, causes the latter to pass into a position in which the tape  23  can be positioned appropriately on the bag  10  (transfer position according to  FIG. 18 ). The peripheral flap  20  here is still retained by the flap folder  59 . 
     The bag  10  is thus complete. In the region of the station  43 , the bag  10  is discharged and transported away, to be precise by the removal conveyor  44 , which is designed as an endless or belt conveyor. The bag  10  is lifted off from the mount  28 , and deposited on the removal conveyor  44 , with the aid of a transfer conveyor. This task is performed here by the retaining fingers  21 ,  22  in conjunction with the carrying lugs  61 ,  62 . The latter can be moved in an axis-transverse manner, by means of pivot levers  67 , out of the position in the turret  24  and can be deposited on a top strand of the removal conveyor  44 . The retaining mechanisms, namely carrying lugs  61 ,  62  with the retaining fingers  21 ,  22 , here can be rotated relative to the pivot lever  67 , and therefore the carrying lugs  61 ,  62  are directed downwards when the bag  10  is deposited on the removal conveyor  44 . In order for the bag to be transferred or to be released from the retaining fingers  21 ,  22 , the latter can be moved apart from one another, to be precise by virtue of the carrying lugs  61 ,  62  being moved apart from one another, and therefore the retaining fingers  21 ,  22  are freed from the position between the wrapping flap  16  and pocket  12 . 
     The carrying lugs  61 ,  62  are mounted in a rotatable and axially displaceable manner on the axis-parallel axial carrying element  63 . As is shown in  FIG. 7 , in the case of a turret  24  made of a plurality of sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 , a common axial carrying element  63  is provided for the carrying lugs  61 ,  62  assigned to each bag  10  and/or each station  43 . Accordingly, the aforementioned mechanisms are actuated synchronously and simultaneously. Pivot levers  67  are arranged at the ends of the common axial carrying element  63 , and therefore a plurality of, namely four, bags  10  are simultaneously lifted off from the turret  24 , and deposited on the removal conveyor  44 , in the manner described and in accordance with the illustration in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . 
     The pivot arms  65  for the tape holder  66 , these pivot arms being assigned to each station, are also mounted in a pivotable manner on the continuous axial carrying element  63 . 
     The design and relative positioning of the turret  24  and the resulting conveying direction of the bags  10  allow a particular material flow for the apparatus as a whole ( FIG. 5 ). The prefabricated, unfilled bags  10  are supplied on a feed conveyor  68 , to be precise in groupwise fashion with relative positioning corresponding to the number of mounts  28  acting one beside the other, and to the relative positioning of these mounts. Accordingly, in the case of the present exemplary embodiment, in the region of the feed conveyor  68  four bags  10  located one beside the other are made available in the region of the charging station  40 , to be precise in an obliquely positioned manner and with distances between them corresponding to the distances between the mounts  28 . The bags  10  are then simultaneously placed against the mounts  28  together by an obliquely upwardly directed movement. By virtue of the rotary movement of the turret  24 , or of the sub-turrets  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 , the bags are transported in a circulatory manner in a vertical plane, that is to say transversely to the direction of the feed conveyor  68 . The movement path of the bags up to completion of the latter corresponds more or less to an entire revolution of the turret  40 . The removal conveyor  44  is offset heightwise in relation to the feed conveyor  68 , and therefore the bags  10 , following completion, are discharged before the relevant mounts  28  pass into the charging station  40  again. The removal conveyor  44  is directed parallel to the feed conveyor  68 , in an offset state in relation to the same and preferably in continuation of the conveying direction ( FIG. 5 ). One special feature is the arrangement of processing, in particular folding, mechanisms in the region of the turret  24 . The latter is open on one side or at one end, and therefore fixed-location mechanisms can be positioned in the interior of the turret  24 . The turret  24 , or the outer wall  25  thereof, is provided with apertures or openings through which the tools arranged in the interior of the turret  24  can pass in order to be able to take effect on the outside of the turret  24  in the region of the mounts  28 . Apertures  70  are thus provided in the lateral surface of the turret for the through-passage of the flap folders in the region of the wrapping station  43 . The flap folders  59  are designed in bracket form. The apertures  70  are shaped correspondingly ( FIG. 20 ). Slot-like openings  71  are also provided, to be precise in each case two parallel openings  71  for the through-passage of the fingers  58  for folding (over) the pocket  12 , likewise in the wrapping station  43 . The aforementioned mechanisms  56 ,  59  are arranged in a pivotable manner on a common carrier or holder  57 , which extends as a fixed mechanism in the longitudinal direction of the turret  24 . 
     The turret  24  may also advantageously be designed in the manner shown in  FIG. 20 . The likewise polygonal turret  24  is mounted on a fixed axis-of-rotation element  72 . The drum or the turret  24  is mounted in a rotatable manner on the axis-of-rotation element  72  or—in the case of the example according to FIG.  20 —at one end on the axis-of-rotation element  72 , by way of a rotary bearing  73 , and on stationary supporting rollers  74  at the opposite end. The turret  24  is open at both ends. Drive power is transmitted to the turret  24  via a toothed gear mechanism. For this purpose, an inner toothed ring  75  is connected to the turret  24  in an end region of the turret  24 —in this case at the end located opposite to the rotary bearing  73 . The drive power is transmitted via a drive pinion  76 , which in this case is arranged eccentrically and engages with the toothed ring  75 . The turret  24  is provided, in the region of the drive, with a covering, namely a covering plate  77  which is arranged at the free end of the axis-of-rotation element  72 . Mechanisms can pass through the covering plate  77 . 
     It is also the case here that actuating mechanisms are fitted in the interior of the turret  24 . The carrier or holder  57  for the mechanisms  56  and  59  is mounted in the interior of the turret  24  with the axis-of-rotation element  72  in a relative position corresponding to the relevant operating station. The mechanisms are passed through the apertures  70  and/or openings  71 . The mechanisms  56 ,  59  are driven via driveshafts  78  which are mounted at a fixed location and enter into the turret  24  in the region of the drive side of the latter, to be precise through the covering plate  77 . 
     On the opposite side, namely in the region where the turret  24  is supported on the axis-of-rotation element  72 , the turret  24  is provided with an end wall  79 . The latter is supported on the axis-of-rotation element by way of the rotary bearing  73 . The end wall  79  is provided with a system of pneumatic lines, namely with suction bores  80 . These are connected via further suction lines or channels to the wall of the turret  24 , and/or to the mounts  28  for the bags  10 , for supplying the suction bores  34 . The suction bores  80  of the end wall  79  are connected via a fixed, annular vacuum disk  81 , by way of conventional connection channels and connection lines  82 , to a negative-pressure source. 
     LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 
     
         
           10  Bag 
           11  Tobacco portion 
           12  Pocket 
           13  Seam 
           14  Front wall 
           15  Rear wall 
           16  Wrapping flap 
           17  Opening 
           18  Closure strip 
           19  Central portion 
           20  Peripheral flap 
           21  Retaining finger 
           22  Retaining finger 
           23  Tape 
           24  Turret 
           25  Outer wall 
           26  End wall 
           27  Drive shaft 
           28  Mount 
           29  Wall portion 
           30  Sub-turret 
           31  Sub-turret 
           32  Sub-turret 
           33  Sub-turret 
           34  Suction bore 
           35  Abutment surface 
           36  Shaped surface 
           37  Pocket holder 
           38  Clamping lever 
           39  Carrying part 
           40  Charging station 
           41  Filling station 
           42  Closing station 
           43  Wrapping station 
           44  Removal conveyor 
           45  Suction-extraction subassembly 
           46  Suction connector 
           47  Collecting space 
           48  Suction tube 
           49  Sealing mechanism 
           50  Sealing bar 
           51  Pivot lever 
           52  Holding-down means 
           53  Depression 
           54  Spring 
           55  Strip 
           56  Folding lever 
           57  Holder 
           58  Finger 
           59  Flap folder 
           60  Leg 
           61  Carrying lug 
           62  Carrying lug 
           63  Axial carrying element 
           64  Tape conveyor 
           65  Pivot arm 
           66  Tape holder 
           67  Pivot lever 
           68  Feed conveyor 
           69  Suction-extraction station 
           70  Aperture 
           71  Opening 
           72  Axis-of-rotation element 
           73  Rotary bearing 
           74  Supporting roller 
           75  Toothed ring 
           76  Drive pinion 
           77  Covering plate 
           78  Drive shaft 
           79  End wall 
           80  Suction bore 
           81  Vacuum disk 
           82  Connection line subassembly