Patent ID: 7025097

Claim:
A method of filling bags, comprising the steps of: providing a fill hopper having a discharge opening defining a filling region; providing one of said bags, said bag having front and rear walls; providing a pair of bag openers which respectively engage said front and rear walls; positioning said one of said bags in a stand-by position in closely spaced relationship to said filling region; opening said bag by respectively engaging said front and rear walls with said pair of openers, and moving the front and rear walls thereof apart by moving said bag openers away from each other, said opening step including moving one of said openers through said stand-by position, disengaging at least said one opener from said bag to provide clearance in said stand-by position; and moving another one of said bags into said stand-by position, wherein said openers comprise a long-stroke bag opener and a short-stroke bag opener generally beneath said fill hopper for moving the front and rear walls of each said bag apart after each of said bags is moved into said stand-by position, by movement of said openers away from each other, including applying suction to the front and rear walls of each said bag with said openers during said opening step.