Method and device for the closing of small bags by means of clips

Abstract

 Method for the closing of bags by means of clips (7), which clips are first formed into a U, then that the U-shaped strips are joined with each other in such a way that the form a gully. The preference the clips are fastened onto a adhesive tape (8). By rolling up into a roll the row of clips, this roll can be placed into a device, which device includes a frame, that turnable on a horizontal axis (3), is fastened to an undercarriage (2) which frame can swing around or hinge on an axis and that in, on or onto the frame the row of clips can be placed and that the row of clips can then by means of pulling means be guided by a guidance means (9, 10) past a folding station. By placing the bag at the folding station and pressing on the frame the bag will be closed with a clip by the help of two hamershaped members, which, turnable on an axis near the end of the handle, are fastened to the frame.

Description

[0001] Method and device for the closing of small bags by means of clips.

[0002] The invention relates to a method for the closing of articles, such as small bags and similar objects, by means of a closing member or clips, wich is composed of a strip of, for example, paper or plastic or mouldable material, wich is strengthened by one or more metal threads and to a device for the closing of articles, by means of clips.

[0003] In the shops, nowadays, most wares are sold pre-packed. If the wares are not pre-packed, as can be the case with bread or vegetables or spices, then they wil usually be wrapped in the store.

[0004] Freguently small bags, made of a plastic material are used herefor, these bags are then closed by means of an adhesive strip or stiching tape.

[0005] Bags closed in this way have the disadvantage, that upon opening the adhesive strip, the bag is usually damaged and cannot be used again. The wares have to be repacked if a part is not consumed at once.

[0006] Wares can also be packed in bags of a mouldable material and then closed by means of a closing member or clip composed of a strip of paper or plastic, strengthened by one or more metal threads.

[0007] Bags closed in this way are easy to open. However this way of closing is not used very often because it takes more time than the closing of bags with adhesive tape. Namely, the adhesive strips can be brought on by machine, while the clips have be bent around the bag by hand.

[0008] The aim of the invention is a device or a small machine, to make it possible to close a bag with a clip in one easy movement.

[0009] This aim can be achieved by first forming the clips, according to a certain method, into a U, by then connecting the U strips or clips, adjacent to each other in such a way that they form a row of a desired length where by the legs of the U clips are placed parallel to each other in such a manner as to form a gully.

[0010] The preference the linkage of the clips is achieved by attaching them to a'band or thread or such like, for example by cold adhesion of the clips to an adhesive tape, or by sealing them onto a tape made of a plastic, such as polyae- theleen, polyetheen, or by heating and smelting, then by rolling the row of clips into a roll and by conveying it to or by placing it in a device, it will be possible to develop an appliance or device that will be small, easy to handle and cheap to fabricate.

[0011] Such a device, for the closing of plastic bags by means of a roll of clips, can , according to the invention, include a frame, that is turnable on a horizontal axis, wich is fastened to an undercarriage and that this frame can turn or swing between two extreem positions, on the afore mentioned horizontal axis and that in or on or onto this frame a roll of clips can be placed and that then the row of clips can by pulling means, be led via a conductor through a bending station. Such a device or machine is manageable and dependable.

[0012] On a preferred embodiment, the bending station consists of two hamershaped members, which, turnable on an axis, are.near the ends of the handles fixed upon a frame and of which the handles can be led past members, for example, small wheels, which are fastened to the undercarriage and that the handles of the hamershaped members are formed in such a way that both the hamershaped members can perform an in advance specified desired movement. Through an auspiciousform of the handles of the hamers, it can be achieved that first one hamershaped member is moved towards the Other hamershaped member, thereby folding down one of the two legs of the clip during this movement, that next the first hamershaped member is brought back to its original position and that simultaneously the other hamer moves forward, thereby bending down the other leg of the clip. By placing a bag between the legs of a clip before performing the above action, a clip will be bent around the bag.

[0013] By means of the following drawings the invention shall be explained further the drawings show:

fig. 1 a side view of a device according to the invention

fig. 2 a vertical cross sectional view of the device as shown in fig.l

fig. 3 a rear side view of the device in fig.l

fig. 4 a cross sectional view according the line IV-IV of the device in fig. 1.

[0014] Figure 1 shows a side view of a small machine or device according to the invention. The device includes a frame 1 that is turnable on an axis 3 which is fastened to an undercarriage 2.

[0015] By means of a spring 4, the frame 1 is held at the preferred uppermost position. The frame 1 comprises a pair of plates 5 and 5¹, placed parallel to each other, between which is a roll 6 on which is rolled up a row of connected clips 7. As is more clearly shown in figure 2, the row of clips, that are held next to each other by means of tape 8 is led via a small guiding block 9 and a small block 10. provided with a gully, to the folding station 11. Finally the tape 8, without the clips 7, is led between a small shield plate 12 and the small block 10 to a drum, to which the end of the tape is fastened. The roll 6 with clips 7, can turn on an axis 14 which revolves by means of two grooves 15 and 15¹, one in each plate 5 and 5¹ and which is placed between the plates. On one of the plates 5 there is an opening 16 to facilitate the insertion of the tape 8 and roll 6 with clips 7.

[0016] Figure 3 shows the rearside of the device according to the invention. On order to be able to roll the tape 8 around the drum 13 and also maintain the tension on the tape 8, a toothed wheel with sawedged teeth or ratchet wheel 17 is fastened to the drum 13, which both can turn on the axis 18. A ratchet lever 19 with spring 20 prevents the drum 13 from moving backward.

[0017] The device is provided with means for winding the tape around the drum 13. These means include a member 21 that exists of a U shaped bent plate 22, which is moveable on an axis 23 which is fastened to the frame 1. Near the bottom of the U shaped plate 22, a small stave 24 is attached, turnable at one; of its ends on an axis 25. The other end of the stave 24 is revolvable attached to a small plate 26 which in turn is revolvable attached to the axis 18 around which the drum 13 with ratchet wheel 17, can also turn. To the plate 26 is fastened a pawl 27, rotating on an axis 28 and by means of a spring 29 is fastened to the plate 26.

[0018] The axis 25 near the bottom of the U shaped plate 22 is connected to the frame 1 by means of a spring 30.

[0019] The device for rolling up the tape 8 around the drum 13 works as follows: by pushing down, like a crank or handle, the U shaped plate 22, the pawl 27 lets free the ratchet wheel 17. If the crank or U shaped plate 22 is let loose, then the spring 30 will determine that the tension of the tape 8 will remain constant, causing the tape to remain taut.

[0020] The first clip 31 leans against the shield plate 12.

[0021] As soon as the first clip 31 is taken away,the tape will be drawn taut and the next clip will replace the removen clips. So that the clips 7 will not be pressed together when the U shaped plate 22 is pushed down and so that only the first clip 3 will be accessible, a sheet 32 is welded to the U shaped plate 22. This sheet 32 has a U shaped cross section and on the bottom a small block 33 is fastened, which fits exactly in the gully formed by the clips 7. Because of this it is possible to press down the frame 1 until it touches the undercarriage 2, thereby turning on the axis 3 and until the small block 33 pushes against the bottom of the clip 31 and the frame 1 against the undercarriage 2.

[0022] This pushing down of the frame 1 until it meets the undercarriage 3 is necessary for bringing the folding hamers 34-35 into action (figure 4). These folding hamers are each, comprised of a handle 36,37, with a head 38,39 on top of it; the other end of the handle 36,37 is fstened to a cylindrical member 40,41, which each revolves on its axis which is fastened to the frame 1. Onto the undercarriage 3, by means of small staves 42, small wheels 43 are fastened, between which the folding hamers 34,35 can be moved from the top downward by means of the frame 1. Through the special form of the handles 36,37 of the folding hamers 34,35, first the head 38 of one hamer 34 will move towards the head 39 of the other hamer 35 and while moving bend one of the legs 44 of the first clips 31 and then, by further pressing down on the frame 1, the first hamer 34 will move back to its original position and the head 39 of the otherhamer 35 will follow in the same direction, bending down the other leg 45 of the first clip 31. If a bag or other object has been held between the legs 44,45 of the clip 31, then the legs will have been folded around the bag and the bag will have been closed. So push the folding hamers 34,35 back to their starting position, a spring 46 is placed between the handles 36,37.

[0023] So that the hamer 34, which bends the first leg 44 can move backwards and will only be held against the hamer 35 the moment the hamer 35 will bend the other leg 45, the handles 36 and 37 have a special shape and the small wheel 43¹has been hinged to the small stave 42¹. As shown in figure 4, the wheel 43¹ is held at the lowest preferred position by means of a spring 47. The wheel 43¹ is fastened to one end of a small stave 48 that in its turn is, near its other end, hinged to an axis 49, which is fastened to the stave 42¹.

[0024] The small block 49 serves to keep the stave 48 in a low position which is a bit below horizontal.

[0025] As soon as the wheel 43¹ has reached the top most part of the hamer, it has the possibility to move upwards aside. So the hamer 34 can be pushes backwards by means of the hamer 35 and the head 38 of the hamer 34 will be pressed against the other leg 45 of the clip 31 only by the force of the spring 47.

Claims

1 Method for the closing of objects, bags and such like, by means of a closingmember orclip, which comprises a strip of, for example, paper or plastic or mouldable material, strengthened by one or more metal threads, characterized in, that the clips are first formed into a U, then that the U shaped strips or clips are joined with each other in such a way that adjacent to each other they form a row of a desired length whereby the legs of the clips are positioned parallel to each other so that the clips form a gully.

2 Working method according to claim 1, characterized in , that the connection between the clips is formed by a tape, thread or such like, on which the clips are fastened by, for example, cold adhesion on an adhesive tape, or sealing on to a plastic tape, such as polyaethyleen, by means of coating, or warm adhesion or heating and smelting.

3 Working method according to one of the claims 1 or 2, characterized in., that the row of clips is rolled up into a roll.

4 Device for the closing of objects, such as bags, by which a row of rolled clips, made according to one of the methods from claims 2 or 3, is used, characterized in, that the device includes a frame, that turnable on a horizontal axis, is fastened to an undercarriage which frame can swing around or hinge on the above mentioned horizontal axis and that in, on or onto the frame a row of clips can be placed and that the row of clips can then by means of pulling means, be guided by a guidance means past a folding station.

5 Device according to claim 4, characterized iη, that the folding station includes 2 hamer shaped organs, which, turnable on an axis near the end of the handle, are fastened to the frame and of which the handles can be guided past members, for example, small wheels, which are fastened to the undercarriage and that the handles of the hamershaped organs can perform a beforehand specifeid movement.

Drawing