US3481256A - Method and apparatus for the production of handled shopping bags - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1969 A. w. HAYES 3,481,256

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HANDLED SHOPPING BAGS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y INVENTOR nprm/k w. 664/6:

T0 BAG TUBE, TUBE- ssvsnmcw AND BOTTOM FORMING s'm'rlonls ATTORN EYS 7 BY V Dec. 2, 19 9 A.' w. HAYES 3,481,256

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HANDLED SHOPPING BAGS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 A. w. HAYES 3,481,256

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HANDLED SHOPPING BAGS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet s mp h F/a. 7. WW 9 ATTORNEY-S Dec. 2, 1969 A. w. HAYES 1 3,481,256

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HANDLED SHOPPING BAGS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 9.

' H2 66 Ya I INVENTOR HPTHUQ w. awn 5 wild ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 w. HAYES 3,481,256 I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HANDLED SHOPPING BAGS Filed Aug. 29, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. I F/G. i4.

86 INVENTOR men/me n1. H4 yes BY ,5, JM Q W M ATTORNEYS United States Patent F Int. Cl. B31b 1/86 US. Cl. 938 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved method and apparatus is provided for the production of shopping or carrier bags having looped handles of cord or other suitable materials all of which are intended to be hereinafter embraced by the term cord. The looped handles are secured by means of a patch to a paper bag web which is eventually formed into the desired shopping bag. The paper bag web and the web of patch material is fed in a substantially timed and continuous manner. A length of the handle cord is formed into the selected handle configuration and connected to the paper bag web by means of a severed patch all entering the assembly station in a timed and synchronized manner. A

In the production of shopping bags of the handled variety, it is customary to secure the ends of the cord handle between or on the bag material and a reinforcing patch adhesively secured to the top of the bag. Typical prior art techniques and apparatus initially assembled the reinforcing patch and the handle as a unit and then subsequently applied this unit to the bag-making material. A separate drum or cylinder is used in such apparatus to receive and then supply the assembled patch and handle cord unit to the bag-making material. In addition, it was general practice to feed the patch-forming web of paper at approximately right angles to the bag-forming web thereby necessitating the association of the patch at a relatively precise point across the main web of paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide for the feeding of the handle cord and reinforcing patch essentially simultaneously but independently onto the main web of paper from which the carrier bag is made thereby minimizing the number of parts required to accomplish this association particularly the use of any rotatable drum or cylinder typified by the prior art on which the reinforcing patches and the handle cords are fed as a unit for final application to the main paper web.

Another object is to apply adhesive to selected locations on the main web of paper as well as the reinforcing patch paper in such a manner that when the reinforcing paper and the main web come together, they pinch the handle cord between the adhesive on the main paper web and reinforcing paper thereby providing adhesion with the handle cord or optimum magnitude; and, in addition, the travel of the paper bag web and reinforcing patches are essentially in the same direction as is the case with the handle cord immediately prior to application to the paper web thereby assisting in the obtainment of maximum output and more efficient operation.

Briefly stated, the handle bagmanufacturing method, according to this invention, provides for the feeding of reinforcing patch paper and the handle cord as separate units onto the main paper bag web. Immediately prior to contact with the main paper web, the reinforcing patch web is cut following an adhesive application to thereby provide predetermined length reinforcing patches severed from the continuous relatively narrow reinforcing patch Patented Dec. 2, 1969 web. The adhesive applied to the reinforcing patch web 1s m' the form of spaced continuous adhesive gum lines such that when the cut patch is placed in contact with the paper web simultaneously with the handle cord, adhesion on both sides of the legs of the U-shaped handle is obtained.

Apparatus for carrying out the proposed method includes separate feeding mechanism for the main paper bag web, reinforcing patch web and handle cords all of which are operated simultaneously to join a patch and handle cord at substantially the same time to the main bag web. The adhesive applied to both the patch and bag web for purposes of securing therebetween the handle cords is of sufiicient strength to adequately hold the cord handle during the subsequent carrier bag forming sta tions at which the main paper web is formed into a tube which is then eventually cut and scored and folded into the desired bag configuration.

The handle cord is fed from a continuous reel of the cord in a transverse direction with respect to the feed of the main paper bag web. Cutting mechanism then cuts the cord into the selected length for the individual handles through a mechanical action which folds the lengths into the shape of a U or D, where desired, with the cut ends of the U eventually being inserted between the main web ofpaper and the narrow reinforcing patch which are all joined simultaneously.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the carrier bag machine proposed by this invention and the general manner in which the carrier bag-making method is performed;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the handle cord gripping and severing station showing also the feed of the main paper bag web and reinforcing patches;

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view showing the folding and formation of the U-shaped cord handles;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the simultaneous association of the handles and reinforcing patches with the main paper bag web;

FIG. 5 is a similar perspective view showing the assembled handles and patches on the main paper bag web;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view from the top portion of the ultimately formed carrier bag showing the disposition of the handles and reinforcing patches;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged end elevational view of the cord cutting and forming mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of this mechanism;

' FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7 showing the introduction of the U-shaped handle cord between the reinforcing patch and main paper web;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the parts illustrated in FIG. 9 with certain of these parts broken away for clarity and with the cord handle being shown by way of phantom in its intermediate folded position;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 9 showing the disposition of parts immediately prior to the gripping and severing of predetermined lengths from the cord web;

FIG. 12 is a view of these parts taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an elevational view illustrating the manner in which the web of cord is held taut immediately prior to the cutting of predetermined lengths thereof;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the cutting blades immediately prior to the cutting of these predetermined lengths; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating the disposition of the folding disks at substantially the same time preceding the cutting of the lengths of cord from the cord web.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings, a carrier bag-making machine 20 is shown and includes a main paper bag Web feeding mechanism 22, a reinforcing patch feeding mechanism 24, a handle cord feeding, severing and folding mechanism 25 all of which are operable simultaneously to cause the assembly of U-shaped handles and reinforcing patches on the paper web in a single operation. The assembled parts are then fed through further stations of the machine 20 at which the main paper web is formed into a tube which is subsequently cut and formed with the selected bag bottom and with the upper end of the bag assuming essentially the form illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring initially to the main paper bag web feeding mechanism 22, it will be appreciated that a web 26 of the selected paper for the carrier bag is suitably fed and guided from the usual paper roll 28. In this connection, the web 26 is passed over guide rollers 30, 32 and 34 and eventually over the main feeding drum 36. Prior to this, the web 26 is perforated at the perforating station 38 at predetermined intervals and in synchronization with the travel of the web 26 to provide the aligned and spaced perforations 40 and 42. A handle pasting station 44 also operable in timed relation with the travel of the web 26 serves to apply spaced patches of glue 45 and 46 at each of the perforations 40 and 42 as most clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the reinforcing patch feeding mechanism 24, a continuous web 48 of the selected reinforcing patch material is suitably fed and guided from a patch supply roll 50, a patch feeding mechanism 24 and web 48 being incorporated for each of the two bag handles eventually formed. Inasmuch as each of the reinforcing patch feeding mechanisms are identical and operable simultaneously and in unison, corresponding numerals will be applied to like parts. The web of patch material is suitably guided over rolls 52, 54, 56, 58 and fed through the patch cutting station 60' operable in timed relation with respect to the travel of the patch web 48. The cut patch 62 is fed between the pair of feed rollers 64 and 66 into association with the paper web 26 and handle cords in a manner to be described in detail shortly. A patch glueing station 68 is operable to provide continuous strips of adhesive to each of the webs; and, as shown in FIG. 2, four of such spaced adhesive strips 68, 70, 72 and 74 may be applied. The feed roll 66, under these circumstances, will comprise a series of spaced wheels, notably three in number, which will contact the patch 62 between the adhesive strips. A second set of rollers 76 and 78 traveling at the same surface speed as the main feed drum 36, which is slightly faster than the travel of the web 48, will cooperate, under these circumstances, in severing the patch 62 from the web by tearing along the relatively small uncut sections illustrated in FIG. 2. As was the case with roller 66, the roller 78 will also include three spaced wheels that engage the patch 62 between the strips of adhesive. A guide 80 adapted to contact the patch 62 between the adhesive strips thereon operates to turn and guide the severed patch 62 and direct its travel along the same path as the moving main paper web 26. As will be explained in detail shortly, the patches 62 are adapted to 'be associated with the main paper web 26 essentially at the same time as the 'U-shaped handle cords are applied thereto; and, in this regard, the patches 62 will be applied forwardly of the associated score line 40 or 42, as the case may be, such that the trailing end of the particular 4 patch is aligned and adjacent to this score line. (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

The cord feeding, severing and folding mechanism 25 operates to feed the leading end 82 of a roll or reel (not shown) of cord suitable for formation of handles or, for that matter, any other handle forming material employed in the art including elongated and relatively narrow strip material. The leading end 82 of the cord and particularly a predetermined length thereof is fed incrementally and in timed relation with respect to the movement of the main paper web 26. Accordingly, this predetermined length 84 is fed transversely of the feed of the main paper web 26 and at the start of this feeding cycle, the leading end 82 is grasped by the clamping arm 86 projecting from a chain 88 supported by the wheels 90, 92 and 94 and is driven in synchronization with the drive of the main paper web 26. The clamping of the leading end 82 of the cord is simply accomplished by pinching this end between the clamping arm 86 and the opposed surfaces of the chain which will occur substantially automatically as this arm approaches the low point of travel as the chain rotates in a counterclockwise direction as view in FIG. 13. Throughout the entire length at which the arm 86 is at this low path of travel, it will firmly grasp the leading end 82 of the cord. As this arm starts to move upwardly about the wheel 94, the leading end 82 of the cord will be released. However, prior to this occurrence, the cord will have been severed into predetermined shorter handle lengths 96 and 98 following which the handle folding cycle immediately commences.

Upon the feeding of a predetermined length 84 of the cord, this length will be held substantially taut by the gripping arm 86 and the braking mechanism incorporated internally of the cord feeder from the cord reel. A pair of rotary knives 100 and 102, having their respective cuttin gedges 104 and 106 rotated to the cord cutting position, operate to sever the predetermined length 84 from the main supply of the cord as well as sever this length into the shorter lengths 96 and 98. The knives 100' and 102 cooperate with disks 108 and 110, respectively, to perform the desired cutting operation. The operation of the knives 100 and 102 are, of course, synchronized with the feed of the cord length 84 and travel of the mainpaper web 26.

Immediately thereafter and as represented by the comparison made between FIG. 15 and FIG. 14, the severed lengths of cord 96 and 98 are engaged intermediate their respective ends and folded into the desired configuration which, in the present embodiment, is essentially U-shaped. Considering the folding cycle of one of the cord lengths 96, bearing in mind that the same holds true for the other cord length 98, a pair of folding disks 112 and 114 cooperate with the respective associated disks 116 and 118 to grasp the particular cord length 96 to start the folding cycle. The rotation of these disks are again synchronized with the movement of the web 26; and such movement will be such that the upper disks have a surface speed slightly more than the lower disks whereupon the length of cord 96 will be folded into a U-shaped configuration. Upon completion of the formation of the U configuration, the legs 120 and 122 will begin contact with the spaced adhesive patches 45 and 46 on the main paper web 26. Substantially simultaneously with this encounter, the reinforcing patch 62 will come in contact with both the legs 120 and 122 of the U-shaped handle as well as the main paper web 26. This association is illustrated in FIG. 4, the completion of which is illustrated in FIG. 5.

Where necessary, a network of wires 123a, 1231) and 1230 can be employed to assure the desired forwardly projecting position of each leg of the U-shaped handle. These wires will, in other words, prevent the legs from projecting outwardly at an acute angle with respect to the path of travel of the main paper web 26.

As will be observed in FIG. 9, the base of the U of the handle will be released by the associated disks 112 and 116 as will be similarly the case with the other associated and cooperating disks.

Following this assembly of parts, the main paper web 26 is fed passed a pressure wheel applying station 124 which serves to place the assembled parts into intimate relationship and, at the same time, spreads the adhesive together with the legs 120 and 122 of the U to provide a wider area over which the adhesive acts.

The main paper web 26 will then be passed through the remaining stations of the carrier bag forming machine. These stations will include mechanism for forming the web into a tube, severing it into predetermined lengths such that the handles 96 and 98 will project upwardly from one end of the cut tubes, with the reinforcing patches 62 located interiorly of the tube. The other end of the severed tube will then be passed through a typical bag bottom forming mechanism which will place the desired bag bottom on the severed length of tube.

The sequence of operation in forming and applying the U-shaped handles is repeated with the end 82 of the cord being picked up by another gripping arm 86 as the preceding length of cord 84 is engaged by the disks 112, 114, 11-6 and 118. The next cord handles are then formed and applied to the next succeeding reinforcing patches 62 and adhesive patches 45 and 46 appearing on the main paper bag web 26. In this connection, the perforations 40 and 42 are spaced from both the preceding and succeeding perforations by a distance corresponding with the length of the finished carrier bag together with that amount of material required to form the selected bag bottom.

In accordance with another contemplated embodiment of this invention, the spaced pair of reinforcing patch webs 48 may be replaced by a single and continuous web of sufficient width to cover the two handles 96 and 98 or, for that matter, wide enough to be placed across the interior of the top of the carrier bag.

Thus, it will be evident that the aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. The simultaneous feeding of the main paper Web 26, the handles 96 and 98 together with the reinforcing patches 62 together and in the same direction and assembling these parts substantially simultaneously as a unit provides for an eflicient apparatus and method of forming an acceptable carrier bag employing a minimum number of machine parts and method steps.

Although several somewhat preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing carrier bags having handles cornpnsmg:

feeding a first web of bag-making material in a substantial continuous manner; guiding said first web while being fed along a predetermined path of travel;

feeding a second web of reinforcing patch material in a substantially continuous manner and in synchronism with the feed of said first web;

guiding said second web while being fed along a predetermined path of travel;

severing a patch from said second web;

feeding elongated handle material in a manner related to the feed of said first web;

forming said handle material into at least one length having a selected handle configuration;

connecting said first web, patch and handle length together and substantially at the same time;

and then fonming bags of predetermined length with closed bottoms and open tops with said handle length extending outwardly from the open end,

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first web of material is perforated transversely and intermediate its side edges at predetermined lengths which determine the length of bag-making material from which the carrier bag is formed; applying a patch of adhesive on the bag-making material on the leading side of the perforation; and applying portions of the handle length and the reinforcing patch over the adhesive patch.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein a continuous adhesive pattern is applied to the second web and the adhesive of the reinforcing patch is placed into contact with the adhesive patch on the first web with the portions of the handle length interposed therebetween.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the elongated handle material is fed initially in a transverse direction relative to the feed of the first web and upon the feed of two handle lengths of the handle material, stopping the feed of the handle material; severing the handle material into the two lengths; and immediately thereafter forming each length into a substantially U- shaped configuration with the legs of the U extending in the direction of the feed of the first web and thereafter introducing the legs of the U between the first web and the patch.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein two webs of the reinforcing patch material are fed, one web for each handle and the first web is perforated transversely at two locations intermediate the side edges thereof and two patches of adhesive are applied to the first web along the leading edge of each perforation for cooperating in securing the handles between the first web and the reinforcing patches.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the elongated handle material is fed initially in a transverse direction relative to the feed of the first web and upon the feed of two handle lengths of the handle material, stopping the feed of the handle material; severing the handle material into the two lengths; and immediately thereafter forming each length into a substantially U- shaped configuration with the legs of the U extending in the direction of the feed of the first web and thereafter introducing the legs of the U between the first web and the patch.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein two webs of the reinforcing patch material are fed, one web for each handle and the first web is perforated transversely at two locations intermediate the side edges thereof and two patches of adhesive are applied to the first web along the leading edge of each perforation for cooperating in securing the handles between the first web and the reinforcing patches.

8. Apparatus for producing carrier bags having handles comprising:

a first feed means for feeding a first web of bag-making material in a substantially continuous manner;

guide means for guiding the first web while being fed along a predetermined path of travel;

a second feed means for feeding a second web of reinforcing patch material in a substantially continuous manner and in synchronism with the feed of said first web;

guide means for guiding said second web while being fed along a predetermined path of travel;

cutting means for severing a patch from said second web;

a third feed means for feeding elongated handle material in a manner related to the feed of said first web;

forming means for forming said handle material into at least one length having a selected handle configuration;

synchronization means for synchronizing the feed of the first web, second web and handle length so that the reinforcing patch and handle length are assembled on the first web at the same time independently and together;

adhesive means for applying adhesive on at least one of said first and second webs and at predetermined locations thereon for securing portions of the handle length between the patch and first web;

and means for forming the first web into a tube and severing the tube at predetermined intervals and then forming a bag bottom at one end of the severed length of tube with said handle length extending outwardly from the open end.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein perforating means are disposed along the path of travel of said first Web for perforating said first web at preselected intervals intermediate the side edges of said first web, the space between said perforations determining the length of web required for forming the bag, said adhesive means including a first adhesive applicator disposed along the path of travel of said first web for applying adhesive to said first web on the leading side of the perforation.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein said adhesive means includes a second adhesive applicator disposed along the path of travel of the second web for applying a predetermined pattern of adhesive thereon.

11. The invention in accordance with claim 10 wherein said third feeding means is operable to feed two of the lengths of handle material in a direction transversely of the direction of feed of the first web, cutting means are provided for severing the two lengths of handle material, and two of said forming means for forming a handle length into a substantially U-shaped configuration with the legs of the U extending in the direction of travel of the first web, said forming means being operable to interpose the legs of the U-shaped length between said first member and a reinforcing patch.

12. The invention in accordance with claim 11 wherein two of said second web feeding means are provided and two of said cutting means are associated therewith for severing patches therefrom for producing a patch for each of the two handle lengths secured to the first web.

13. The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein said third feeding means is operable to feed two of the lengths of handle material in a direction transversely of the direction of feed of the first Web, cutting means are provided for severing the two lengths of handle material, and two of said forming means for forming a handle length into a substantially U-shaped configuration with the legs of the U extending in the direction of travel of the first web, said forming means being operable to interpose the legs of the U-shaped length between first said member and a reinforcing patch.

14. The invention in accordance with claim 13 wherein two of said second web feeding means are provided and two of said cutting means are associated therewith for severing patches therefrom for producing a patch for each of the two handle lengths secured to the first web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,194,125 7/1965 Davis 9335 3,202,064 8/ 1965 Kennedy 938 3,334,550 8/1967 Craig 938 FOREIGN PATENTS 535,981 1/1957 Canada.

BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 9335

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