Opening system for plastic bags lying scale-like on top of each other and fed to opening station adhered to two carrier bands

The pneumatic opening system comprises an opening head (16) with one or more suction heads (18) which move perpendicular to the supporting face (14a) and initiate lifting of the second bag wall (3). A gripper (19) on the opening head swivels around an axis (20) on the opening head parallel to the bag opening edge and after starting to lift the second bag wall is pressed onto its inner side to clamp the bag wall between the gripper and suction head. A horizontal feed strip for the carrier bands (4) and bags has a transverse rail (14) at the end whose underside (14a) forms the bag supporting surface. The opening head (16) moves vertically from below onto this surface and the suction cap (18) is positioned close to the opening edge of the front bag. Two bag opening spreading plates (25) are mounted on a slide moving towards the bag opening and are perpendicular to a supporting surface on the slide for the material for filling the bag. The spreader plates are inserted into the bags and opened out by scissor action levers.