BAG-FILLING MACHINE

1,244,319. Pushers for bag-filling machines; endless conveyers. A.C. FORMO. 11 Nov., 1968, No. 53353/68. Addition to 1,220,855. Headings B8A and B8C. Pusher apparatus for inserting an article into the open mouth of a bag and for advancing the thus filled bag is mounted beneath the lower run of a chain and is arranged so that when the filled bag has been advanced to the desired position, the pusher is moved initially in a direction opposite to that of the chain despite continued movement of the chain. As shown, the pusher 14 is mounted on arm 16 rigidly attached to and hanging below cross-shaft 26 mounted below chains 18. Each chain 18 passes over two substantially identical chain wheels 20 mounted at the same height. Rollers 28 mounted on cross-shaft 26 run on rails 30 under the lower linear stretches of the chains. A crank arm 38 is rigly fixed to one end of cross-arm 26 and has a tongue 44 and two rollers 40 separated by the thickness of a girder 42 mounted thereon. As the pusher moves along the lower section of its travel, rotation of cross-shaft 26 relative to the chains 18 is prevented by engagement of rollers 40 on each side of the flange 43 of girder 42 arranged parallel to and below the lower reaches of the chains. When rollers 40 reach the end of girder 42, tongue 44 on crank arm 38 is inserted between rollers 46 which are mounted on a plate 48 rotatable about a horizontal axis between the axes of the rollers but spring biased to the position shown. As the tongue is inserted between the rollers 46, the cross-shaft 26 begins to move around chain wheel 20 and rotation of crank arm 38 swings the pusher 14 backwards and upwards away from the bagged article. Further movement frees the tongue 44 from rollers 46 and engages rail 56 between rollers 40. In an alternative embodiment two parallel guide rails are used in conjunction with a single roller on the crank arm and a large boss where it is joined to the cross-shaft.