U.S. patent number 3,747,298 [Application Number 05/199,612] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-24 for bag dispensing unit and the method of opening and removing the bags therefrom.
Invention is credited to Abraham Buddy Lieberman.
United States Patent |
3,747,298 |
Lieberman |
July 24, 1973 |
BAG DISPENSING UNIT AND THE METHOD OF OPENING AND REMOVING THE BAGS
THEREFROM
Abstract
The invention refers to a wicket bag dispensing unit and
consists of a vertical wall and a gate or aperture therethrough and
which is integral with or otherwise secured to a base, the wall and
the base combining to form a wicket bag stacking section on one
side of the wall and a wicket bag opening and filling section on
the other side of the wall. Wicket bag stacking means are secured
to the vertical wall facing the bag stacking section, and wicket
bag opening and expanding means are secured to the vertical wall
facing the bag opening and filling section. The front wall of the
foremost wicket bag, which has its rear wall vertically suspended
from the bag stacking means, is pulled through the gate of the
vertical wall and is engaged with the bag opening and expanding
means, whereby the mouth of the bag, formed by the open ends of its
front and rear wall, is expanded and maintained in its expanded
condition until the bag is filled with the required items; the bag
is then detached from the bag opening and expanding means and the
bag stacking means, and carried away.
Inventors: |
Lieberman; Abraham Buddy
(Montreal 457, Quebec, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22738289 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/199,612 |
Filed: |
November 17, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/390; 53/384.1;
248/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B
67/1266 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
67/00 (20060101); B65B 67/12 (20060101); B65b
067/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;53/390,384,189
;248/99,100 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGehee; Travis S.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A bag dispensing unit comprising a base, an upright wall having
a gate extending therethrough and secured to said base and forming
a bag stacking section on its one side and a bag opening and
filling section on its other side, bag stacking means secured to
the side of the wall facing said bag stacking section and adapted
to support vertically a stack of wicket bags in said bag stacking
section, bag holding and retaining means secured to the side of the
upright wall facing said bag opening and filling section, wherein
the front wall of the foremost bag is pulled through the gate of
said upright wall and opened to engage said bag holding and
retaining means and leaving the rear wall of the bag engaged by
said bag stacking means, whereby the mouth of the bag, formed by
the open ends of its front and rear walls, is expanded and
maintained in its expanded condition until the bag is filled with
the required items.
2. A bag dispensing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bag
stacking means is formed of a pair of wicket bag supporting studs
secured to the side of the said upright wall facing said bag
stacking section and located adjacent to the upper corners of the
gate formed in the upright wall, and the bag holding and retaining
means formed of a pair of hook arms secured to the side of the said
upright wall facing the bag opening and filling section and
projecting outwardly therefrom and inwardly towards one another in
an arcuate curve and having hook terminations.
3. A bag dispensing unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hook
arms are secured to said upright wall at a level below the location
of said wicket bag supporting studs and project outwardly from the
upright wall and inwardly towards one another in an upward rise, so
as to bring the hook terminations of the said hook arms into an
approximate level with the secured ends of the said wicket bag
supporting studs.
4. A bag dispensing unit comprising a base, a rectangular casing
secured to said base and projecting vertically therefrom, said
casing having a front wall with a gate extending therethrough, end
walls and a top wall, the whole forming a wicket bag stacking
section, wicket bag supporting members secured to said front wall
and projecting therefrom into the wicket bag stacking section and
adapted to vertically support a stack of wicket bags through
engagement with the rear walls of the wicket bags, wicket bag
holding and retaining means secured to said front wall of said
casing and projecting outwardly therefrom to form a wicket bag
opening and filling section, wherein the front wall of the foremost
bag is manually pulled through the gate of said front wall and
opened to engage said bag holding and retaining means and leaving
the rear wall of the bag engaged by said bag-supporting members,
whereby the mouth of the bag, formed by the open ends of its front
and rear walls, is expanded and maintained in its expanded
condition until the bag is filled with the required items then
detaching the bag from the bag holding and retaining members and
said bag stacking supporting members.
5. A bag dispensing unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wicket
bag supporting members are situated adjacent to each upper corner
of the gate formed in said front wall and projecting into the
wicket bag stacking section formed within said casing, and said
wicket bag holding and retaining members being located adjacent to
the vertical edges of the gate of said front wall and projecting
outwardly therefrom into the wicket bag opening and filling
section.
6. A bag dispensing unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein a rear door
is hingedly secured to said base and adapted to swing in and out of
said casing and effecting a weight pressure against wicket bags
suspended from said wicket bag supporting members for their
abutment against the inner face of the front wall of said
casing.
7. A bag dispensing unit comprising the combination of an angle
plate having a vertical wall and an integral base projecting
therefrom, and an adapter formed of an elongated plate having
integral lateral wings at each end and adapted to be detachably
secured to the upper portion of the said vertical wall and located
above the inner portion of said base which projects from the lower
portion of its integral vertical wall, wicket bag supporting
members secured to the inner face of said elongated plate and
projecting inwardly in the direction of said vertical wall and
forming a bag stacking section and adapted to vertically support
the rear walls of a stack of wicket bags in the bag stacking
section, and wicket bag holding and retaining members secured to
said elongated plate and projecting outwardly therefrom and beyond
the outer face of said elongated plate and terminating in hook
ends, wherein the front wall of the foremost bag is pulled away
from its rear wall and extended beyond the outer face of said
elongated plate and opened to engage with the hook ends of said bag
holding and retaining members, whereby the mouth of the bag, formed
by the open ends of the front and rear walls, is expanded and
maintained in its expanded condition until the bag is filled with
the required items, then detaching the bag from the said wicket bag
supporting members and the said bag holding and retaining
members.
8. A bag dispensing unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wicket
bag holding and retaining members are formed of hook arms, the
inner ends of which are secured to the inner face of said elongated
plate and project therefrom, therebeneath and outwardly beyond the
outer face of said elongated plate and ending in hook
terminations.
9. A bag dispensing unit comprising the combination of a vertical
wall and a horizontal base secured to one another and an adapter
formed of an elongated plate having integral lateral wings at each
end and secured to the upper portion of said vertical wall, a
wicket receiving member secured to the inner face of said elongated
plate, a wicket supporting bar secured to the inner face of said
vertical wall, bag holding and retaining members secured to said
vertical wall and projecting therefrom and extending beyond the
outer face of said elongated plate and terminating in hook ends,
and a wicket adapted to support wicket bags and detachably secured
to said wicket receiving member and said wicket supporting bar.
10. A bag dispensing unit comprising a base, an upright wall having
a gate extending therethrough and secured to said base and forming
a bag stacking section on its one side and a bag opening and
filling section on its other side, bag stacking means secured to
the side of the wall facing said bag stacking section and adapted
to support vertically a stack of wicket bags in said bag stacking
section, bag holding and retaining means formed of a pair of hook
arms having hook terminations and secured to said base and
projecting upwardly therefrom into the bag opening and filling
section, wherein the front wall of the foremost bag is pulled
through the gate of said upright wall and opened to engage the hook
terminations of said hook arms and leaving the rear wall of the bag
engaged by said bag stacking means, whereby the mouth of the bag,
formed by the open ends of its front and rear walls, is expanded
and maintained in its expanded condition until the bag is filled
with the required items, then detaching the bag from the bag
holding and retaining means and said stacking means.
Description
The invention relates to Improvements in a Bag Dispensing Unit and
the Method of Opening and Removing the Bags Therefrom, as described
in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings that form a part of the same.
The invention consists essentially in the novel features of
construction as pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims
for novelty following a description containing an explanation in
detail of acceptable forms of the invention.
The invention particularly relates to dispensing units for wicket
bags, sacks and the like for commercial and domestic use, such as
in supermarkets, retail and wholesale stores, in industry,
hospitals, residential homes and apartments, in ships, aircraft and
vehicles, and other locations where wicket bags or similar bags are
in demand.
In the past, various types of bag holding and dispensing devices
have been constructed for the handling of wicket bags and the like
for packaging various articles, but it has been found that such
devices are somewhat cumbersome, taking considerable and precious
space in their installations, utilizing many mechanical and moving
parts for handling the bags, necessitating constant maintenance,
time-consuming and uneconomical in use.
It is therefore the purpose and objective of this invention to
provide novel bag dispensing units for dispensing and opening bags,
at supermarkets' checkout counters and in other places and
locations, wherein a supply of bags is supported in upright
position and wherein the front wall of the foremost bag will have
its open end engage fixed means for retaining the same while the
open end of the rear wall of the bag is held by bag-supporting
studs, wicket legs or the like, whereby the mouth of the bag,
formed by the open ends of the front and rear walls, is expanded
and maintained in its expanded position until the bag is filled
with the requisite contents; the bag is then detached from the
retaining means and the wicket legs and taken away, all being
accomplished with little or no moving parts forming a part of the
dispensing unit.
Among the objects of the invention is to provide means whereby the
bags are fully expanded and, in addition, to provide a means
whereby a series of individual bags may be expanded individually
and consecutively.
Another object is to devise a bag dispensing unit that will be
durable in construction and having little or no moving parts, which
will be compact in size, capable of being supported from a wall,
placed on the floor or on counters, inserted in cupboards or other
locations.
For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and
the advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following
description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims
in which various novel features of the invention are more
particularly set forth.
In the following description, and in the claims, various details
will be identified by specific means for convenience; the names,
however, are intended to be generic in their application.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bag dispensing unit, having a
vertical wall or partition which separates the storage or bag
stacking section on the one side and the bag opening and filling
section on the opposing side of the wall or partition.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view, illustrating the bag dispensing
unit, wherein the storage or bag stacking section is enclosed and
the bag opening and filling section is exposed.
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the bag dispensing unit as
illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an end sectional view of the bag dispensing unit as shown
in FIG. 2 and illustrating the bags mounted on a bail or wicket
legs enclosed in the storage or bag stacking section and the
foremost bag in an expanded position and located in the bag opening
and filling section of the unit.
FIG. 5 is a plan sectional view, illustrating the bags stacked on
wicket legs in the bag stacking section of the dispensing unit.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a
modification of the arrangement of the fixed expansion means, which
is adapted to be engaged by and inserted within the mouth of the
bag and projecting from the vertical wall or partition into the bag
opening and filling section of the dispensing unit.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the bag
dispensing unit shaped as an adapter for detachable engagement with
a supporting stand or wall bracket.
FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the detachable bag dispensing
unit as illustrated in FIG. 7 but showing the dispensing unit
detachably secured to the stand or wall bracket.
FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of another modification of the bag
dispensing unit as illustrated in FIG. 7, with the exception that
the dispensing unit is fixedly secured to the stand or wall bracket
while the bag supporting means are detachably held to the
dispensing unit and stand or wall bracket.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged front portion of the bag dispensing unit as
illustrated in FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further modification of the bag
dispensing unit, which is similar to FIGS. 1 to 5, with the
exception that the bag expanding retaining means are secured to the
base of the dispensing unit in an upright position.
Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
various FIGURES.
Referring to the drawings, the bag dispensing unit, as indicated by
the numeral 15 and illustrated in FIG. 1, consists of an upright
wall or partition 16 having a gate or aperture 17 extending
therethrough and integral with or otherwise secured to a suitable
base 18.
The upright wall or partition 16 has a bag stacking section 19 on
one side and a bag opening and filling section 20 on its opposing
side, and the gate or aperture 17 is so located as to form a common
passageway for the bags 21 to be individually pulled therethrough
from the bag stacking section 19 to the bag opening and filling
section 20.
The side 22 of the wall 16, facing the bag stacking section 19, has
the bag-supporting hollow studs 23 and 24 secured thereto and
located adjacent to the upper corners 25 and 26 of the gate or
aperture 17 and projecting outwardly therefrom into the bag
stacking section 19, where they are engaged by the wicket legs 27
and 28 of the wicket or bail 29 and from which the wicket bags are
suspended.
The opposing side 30 of the wall 16, facing the bag opening and
filling section 20, is provided with fixed expansion means 31 for
holding and retaining the bag in its open and expanded position. In
FIG. 1, the expansion means 31 are formed of a pair of hook arms or
hook bolts 32 and 33, having their inner ends integral with or
otherwise secured to the side 30 of the wall 16 and located near
the vertical edges of the gate or aperture 17 and placed below the
level of the bag-supporting studs 23 and 24 located in the bag
stacking section 19.
These hook arms 32 and 33 project outwardly in a curve-like manner
from the side 30 of the wall 16 and rise upwardly so that their
hook terminations 34 and 35 will be brought into an approximate
level with the fixed ends 36 and 37 of the bag-supporting studs 23
and 24 which project outwardly into the bag stacking section.
Many various types of wicket bags, made from synthetic resin or
other material such as paper, may be used in the bag dispensing
unit. An acceptable wicket bag, as shown, consists of a rear wall
38 and a front wall 39, with their vertical edges heat-sealed to
one another for the greater portion of their lengths, the
heat-sealed edges terminating at a predetermined distance from the
top edges of the rear and front walls, so as to leave free vertical
edges up to the top edge and thereby forming an open mouth of the
bag.
The rear wall 38 is provided with apertures 40, located adjacent to
its top edge 41, which are adapted to be frangibly engaged by the
wicket legs of the wicket, while the front wall 39 has its top edge
portion folded to form a transverse crease line 42 extending across
the width of the bag and terminating at the junctures of the free
vertical edges with the heat-sealed vertical edges to form a
transverse lip 43; the lip, being folded from the transverse crease
line, is heat-sealed to the front wall and forms a recess which is
adapted to be engaged by means for opening and expanding.
The bags are suspended from a wicket and combined to form a stack
of bags, the bag-supporting hollow studs are then engaged by the
wicket and, since the studs are set at an inclined angle, the stack
of bags simply slides down the studs or is propelled therealong
until the foremost bag abuts the side 22 of the wall 16 and blocks
the gate or aperture 17 of the dispensing unit and leaving the
front wall of the bag with its top portion and transverse lip
exposed to the bag opening and filling section of the dispensing
unit. The bag is then in a position ready to be used.
When it is required to use a bag, the user simply withdraws the
front wall of the foremost or partially exposed bag through the
gate or aperture of the dispensing unit into the area of the bag
opening and filling section by inserting the fingers of his hand in
the recess formed between the front wall and its transverse lip and
manually pulling the front wall of the bag away from the wall area,
thereby partially opening the mouth of the bag, without disturbing
the securement of the rear wall of the bag which is suspended and
frangibly supported from the bag-supporting studs located in the
bag stacking section. The user continues to pull the front wall of
the bag outwardly, and continually enlarging the bag opening until
the bag is sufficiently expanded to be in the area of the hook
terminals of the hook arms, where the user places the transverse
lip of the front wall over the hook terminals for their insertion
in the recess formed between the front wall and the lip; thus the
bag is held in its expanded condition by the hook terminals of the
hook arms and the bag-supporting studs and is ready to receive the
various items that are to be inserted therein.
When the items have been inserted in the expanded bag, the user
removes the bag from the dispensing unit by simply gripping the
sides of the filled bag and, by giving the bag a rapid pull or
jerk, the rear wall of the bag is dissevered from the
bag-supporting studs, wickets or the like, and at the same time
detaching the front wall of the bag from the hook terminals; the
filled bag is then carried away and the next bag takes its position
at the gate of the dispensing unit and is ready for use.
In FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the bag dispensing unit is formed of a
rectangular casing 44, having a front wall 45, with a gate or
aperture 46 extending therethrough and provided with end walls 47
and 48, a top wall 49 and a rear hinged door 50. The casing 44 is
riveted or otherwise secured to a plate base 51, which forms the
bottom wall of the casing and to which the rear door 50 is hingedly
secured, the base 51 continuing beyond the front wall 45 to
complete a bag opening and filling section 52 and a bag stacking
section 53. A bag rest 54 is situated in the bag opening and
filling section and forms a part of the base 51 and is used to
support a bag 55 in its expanded condition as it is being filled
with various items. The rear door 50 also in its closed position
acts as a weight to maintain pressure against the stack of bags,
suspended from the bag-supporting studs, for their constant
abutment with the gate 46 of the front wall 45.
The bag-supporting studs 56 and 57 and the fixed expansion means 58
are constructed and located in the bag stacking section 53 and the
bag opening and filling section 52 in a similar manner as shown in
FIG. 1 and as hereinbefore described, as well as is the use and
operation of the bag dispensing unit.
The fixed expansion means for holding and maintaining the bags in
their expanded condition have been hereinbefore described and
illustrated as consisting of fixed hook arms with hook terminations
which are engaged by the recesses formed between the transverse
lips and the front walls of the bags for holding and maintaining
the expanded condition of the bags.
In FIG. 6, the fixed expansion means for holding and maintaining a
bag in its expanded condition are shown as being slightly altered,
so as to be applicable for their engagement by ordinary bags having
no lips. This is simply accomplished by having the hook
terminations 59 and 60, of the hook arms 61 and 62, bent downwardly
instead of upwardly, so that they will be engaged by the inner face
of the top edge portion 63 of the front wall 64 of the expanded bag
65.
In FIGS. 7 and 8, and adaptation of the bag dispensing unit is
shown, in which the dispensing unit is in the form of a detachable
unit 66 adapted to engage and disengage with a supporting unit 67,
which is capable of being utilized as a portable stand or wall
bracket 68.
The supporting unit 67 is made of an angle plate bent in a right
angle to form a transverse vertical wall 69 and an integral
horizontal base 70 projecting outwardly therefrom, which is
provided with a transverse bag rest 71 in its top front portion and
forming a part of the bag opening and filling section 72, leaving
the top rear portion of the horizontal base 70 to form a part of
the bag stacking section 73.
The bag-supporting studs 74, for vertically supporting the bags in
the bag stacking section 73, and the hook arms 75, with their hook
terminations 76, for engaging and holding the individual bag in its
expanded condition in the bag opening and filling section 72, are
respectively secured to the opposing sides 77 and 78 of a
transverse elongated plate 79, having integral lateral wings 80 and
81 with ears 82 at its extreme ends and which are adapted to be
detachably engaged to means 83 secured to the upper portion of the
transverse vertical wall 69 of the supporting unit 67.
The use and operation of the bag detachable dispensing unit is
similar to the previously described forms of the dispensing unit,
with the exception that the stack of wicket bags is mounted on the
bag-supporting studs before the dispensing unit is detachably
secured to the supporting unit, and there are no gates or apertures
through which the individual bags are pulled.
The modified form of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and
10, consists of a supporting unit 84, made of an angle plate bent
in a right angle to form a transverse vertical wall 85, and an
integral horizontal base 86 extending outwardly therefrom and
forming the bottom wall for the bag stacking section 87 and the bag
opening and filling section 88. Adjacent to the top transverse edge
89, of the transverse vertical wall 85, is secured the wicket
supporting bar 90, which extends across the width of the vertical
wall and which is provided with a pair of vertical recesses 91 and
92, which are adapted to receive the free ends of the legs 93 and
94 of a wicket 95 from which the bags 96 are suspended. Suitably
secured to the vertical wall and below the level of the wicket
supporting bar 90 are the hook arms 97 and 98, which project
outwardly into the bag opening and filling section and ending into
hook terminations 99 and 100 and which are adapted to be engaged by
the front wall of the foremost bag for keeping the mouth of the bag
in an expanded condition.
A transverse elongated plate 101 has integral lateral end walls 102
and 103 projecting inwardly from its ends and which are riveted or
otherwise secured to the ends of the transverse wicket supporting
bar 90 or secured directly to the transverse vertical wall and
extending across the width of the vertical wall. To the inner
transverse face of the elongated plate 101 is secured a wicket
receiving member 104, which is formed with a recess and is adapted
to be engaged by the closed end of the wicket and arranged slightly
lower than the location of the wicket supporting bar 90 that is
secured to the vertical wall 85, which completes the structure.
This modification of the dispensing unit, in which the stack of
wicket bags is suspended from the bag wicket and which is inserted
in the open top of the dispensing unit and rested in the recess of
the wicket receiving member 104, and with the wicket legs engaging
with the vertical recesses of the wicket supporting bar 90, and the
operation for opening the wicket bag and maintaining the same in
its expanded condition until the bag is filled with the required
items, is similar to the other forms of the invention.
The modification, as shown in FIG. 11, of the bag dispensing unit,
is in having the hook arms 105 and 106, with hook terminations 107
and 108, arranged vertically to the angular position of the bag
supporting units 109. In this instance, the hook arms are
vertically secured to the base 110 of the dispensing unit and
adjacent to the corners thereof and located in the bag opening and
filling section, while the bag supporting units 109, in the form of
bag-supporting hollow studs, are secured to the wall 111 and
located in the bag stacking section. The operation of this
modification is similar to the operations of the various forms of
the invention as previously described.
Since certain changes may be made in the above structures and the
different embodiments of the invention could be made without
departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter
contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense.
* * * * *