Patent ID: 6874299

Claim:
A method of continuously bagging filled bags into pouches, said method comprising the steps of: i) filling bags with a liquid product from at least two bag fillers operating simultaneously and sealing said filled bags on a continuous basis during a working cycle, ii) directing said filled bags by diverting conveyor means to a selected one of two conveyor lanes, said two conveyor lanes being disposed in an elevated spiral circular loop configuration in a section thereof between said bag fillers and a bagging station whereby to optimize floor space area, iii) conveying said filled bags on said two-lanes, each conveyor lane having an outlet end associated with a respective bagging machine at said bagging station, iv) continuously discharging bags from said outlet ends in a collating bag receiver of an associated one of said bagging machines, said bagging machine placing at least two of said bags into pouches on a continuous basis during said working cycle, v) transferring said pouches with said at least two bags therein into a respective pouch closure device to close a mouth opening of said pouches, vi) discharging said closed pouches on a discharge conveyor means, said outlet end of each said two conveyors being elevated above a top loading end of said bagging machines, said bagging machines being supported elevated from a floor surface for service access to an operator person, there being further provided the step of (vii) disabling one of said bagging machines and diverting said filled bags of both said at least two bag fillers on a predetermined one of said conveyor lanes feeding said filled bags to the other bagging machine not disabled.