Patent ID: 7607467

Claim:
An apparatus for selectively dispensing a web of serrated bags from a plurality of rolls of serrated bags, each roll of bags having a series of bags connected by transverse perforations, the apparatus comprising: a) a web selector adapted to select and advance a web of serrated bags from the plurality of rolls of serrated bags; b) a bag driver adapted to advance the selected web of serrated bags and separate a first bag from an adjacent second bag along a serration connecting the first and second bags; and c) a bag transfer device adapted to transport the separated first bag from the bag driver to a location for further processing; wherein the web selector comprises either: i) a first and second stationary drive roll spaced apart from one another; a center moveable roll substantially horizontally disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second stationary drive rolls; and a mechanism for selectively moving the center moveable roll toward the first and second stationary drive rolls respectively, where the center moveable roll and the first stationary drive roll are adapted to accommodate a first web of serrated bags disposed between the center moveable roll and the first stationary drive roll, and to selectively nip the first web of serrated bags between the center moveable roll and the first stationary drive roll; and where the center moveable roll and the second stationary drive roll are adapted to accommodate a second web of serrated bags disposed between the center moveable roll and the second stationary drive roll, and to selectively nip the second web of serrated bags between the center moveable roll and the second stationary drive roll; or ii) a first and second moveable roll spaced apart from one another; a center stationary drive roll substantially horizontally disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second moveable rolls; and a mechanism for selectively moving the first and second moveable rolls respectively toward the center stationary drive roll, where the center stationary drive roll and the first moveable roll are adapted to accommodate a first web of serrated bags disposed between the center stationary drive roll and the first moveable roll, and to selectively nip the first web of serrated bags between the center stationary drive roll and the first moveable roll, and where the center stationary drive roll and the second moveable roll are adapted to accommodate a second web of serrated bags disposed between the center stationary drive roll and the second moveable roll, and to selectively nip the second web of serrated bags between the center stationary drive roll and the second moveable roll.