US3323559A - Container filling method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 6, M6? T, a. STURGES CONTAINER FILLING METHOD AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shet Vl Filed oci. 19, 1964 NVENTOR. ima/ww' @DW/WIM@ June 6, 1967 T. B. sTuRGEs-I CONTAINER FILLING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19, 1964 al' M C United States Patent 3,323,559 CONTAliNER FLLLING METHOD AND APPARATUS Thomas B. Sturges, Menlo Park, Calif., assignor to Crown Zellerhach Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,709 12 Claims. (Cl. 141-10) This invention relates to the packaging of fiowable material comprising solid particles, such as pulverulent or granular material and, more particularly, to a method of and `apparatus for filling containers, such as bags, with materials of such character, for example, carbon black, kaolin clay, diatomaceous earth, fertilizers, insecticides or the like.

Customarily, materials of such type are packaged in bags or sacks which are quite often made from paper and have opposite side Walls of multiple sheets of such paper and which are `sewed or otherwise closed at each end thereof at the time of manufacture. Such bags, commonly called multi-wall bags, usually have a filling opening at a corner adjacent an end thereof. The filling is generally of the valvular type, i.e., a flexible closure valve is included therein by which it can be closed. l

A common type of apparatus for filling such bags includes a filling spout from which the material to be introduced into the bag can be fed. The bag to be filled is mounted on such spout by positioning the filling opening of the bag circurnjacently about the spout so that the `spout is inserted into the bag. The feeding of the material through the spout into the bag can be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, the material can be entrained in a gaseous medium (most commonly air); and flow of the resulting mixture of .air and material through the spout is effected under pressure to introduce the material into the bag, or an auger can be provided within such spout and rotated in a direction to introduce such material into the bag. Such auger can also be used in conjunction with a gas medium with which the material is entrained to force the material into the bag. When the bag has been filled with the desired amount of material, the feeding means is stopped and the bag is removed or discharged from the spout.

In prior filling operations, the bag is suspended from the filling spout with its filling opening at the top. Consequently, the material entering the bag falls freely downwardly into the bag as it is filled. Under such conditions, the air Within the bag, and the gas entering the bag, if gas flow is utilized to feed the material into the bag, cause many problems. Such gas is entrapped in the material as the material fills the bag, with'the result that the material becomes highly aerated. Due to the presence of both such gas and material in the bag, a larger package size is required than is necessary to hold any given amount of material. This complicates shipping and storing as Well as resulting in a high package cost. In addition, because of such aeration of the material, much dust is produced during the emptying of the bag and use of the material.

Gas entering the bag and the air already therein also causes problems during the bag filling operation. The gas that is not entrapped in the material leaves the bag during such filling primarily through the Asmall spaces around the filling spout between it and the bag opening or valve. In so leaving, the gas carries material with it, resulting in wastage and a dusty filling operation. This problem is particularly acute when the bag is approach ing a substantially full condition. At such time, the gas at the top of the bag is highly mixed with material and, as it escapes from the bag, carries large amounts, as much `as five pounds sometimes, of material with it. Also, when the bag is removed from the filling spout7 the `aerated material at the top spurts through the filling opening from the bag, thereby greatly adding to the `wastage and dustiness, and making it difficult to till the bag.

The present invention overcomes the foregoing problems. summarizing the same, it comprises filling the bag with the bag supported or oriented With its filling opening at its bottom, namely, in inverted or upside down position. Apparatus for so supporting the bag includes means above a bag filling spout for `maintaining the bag in such inverted position, and means below the spout to engage an end of the bag, and hold the same adjacent the spout during the lling operation, Such method `and apparatus are particularly effective when used in conjunc tion with a bag filling machine employing air or other gas as the means of feeding the material into the bag, and will be `described in connection with such type of filling, although they can be employed with other filling mechanism, such as augers.

As a result of the particular bag orientation, the material is continuously deaerated during filling. That is, the gas and material entering the bag flow upward through any material already forced into the bag and continuously agitates the same. This agitation separates the entrapped gas from such material in the bag, and leaves the material in a deaerated condition. The gas escaping from the material .assists in such deaeration by collecting the surrounding gas and carrying it upward into the unfilled upper bag space. Conventional types of bags employed commercially in the filling of materials of the aforementioned type are of material, such as paper or fabric which are inherently gas pervious. Therefore, the gas can readily escape through the bag walls from the unfilled space as the bag is being filled. Because of the escape of the gas and the deaeration of the material which occurs during the filling, the bag is essentially filled only with the material, i.e., substantially no air or gas is in the bag.

The filling operation is essentially clean and no wastage of the material occurs. As` the gas escapes through the bag, any material remaining entrained therewith is strained or filtered therefrom by the bag walls. In addition, the spout is inserted into the bag with the spout outlet or discharge nozzle inwardly of the bag valve. Thus, as the bag is filled, the deaerated material which collects and compacts around the bag valve, is quiescent and presses the valve tightly around the spout, thereby sealing the small openings around the spout and preventing leakage.

As sepanation between the bag and the spout is effected by removal of the bag from the spout, the deaerated compacted material in the bag above the spout automatically presses the valve toward closed position and closes the bag valve, preventing spurting or sudden discharge of the material, Thus, it can be seen that throughout the whole filling operation, material does not escape and, as a result, such operation is clean, free of dust formation, and no material wastage occurs.

Besides providing a more efficient and cleaner filling operation, the present invention also enables easier access to the filling equipment and lowers the vertical space requirements therefor. Since the bag is not suspended from the spout, but rather supported above it, the spout can be placed lower than heretofore. Hoppers or containers for the material to be packed into the bags are normally placed `above the filling spout. By lowering the filling spout, such containers can also be lowered and brought within easy access of personnel.

From the preceding, it is seen that the invention has as its objects, among others, the provision of an improved and simple bag filling method and apparatus in which the material being filled into the bag is `deaerated; in which leakage and wastage of the material during the filling operation is minimized; and which allows easier access to, and reduction of, the height of the filling equipment. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a perusal of the following more detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a more or less vertical sectional view of components of a well known type of bag filling apparatus showing apparatus of this invention in association therewith, and a bag supported thereon for filling;

FIG. 2 is a partial end elevation of the apparatus of FlG. 1 without a bag supported thereon, and looking in the direction of line 2 2 in FIG. 1;

FilG. 3 is a partial end elevational view similar to FIG. 2 showing an empty oag on the apparatus of the invention;

fGS. 4 through 6 are schematic views illustrating an inverted bag being filled in which;

FIG. 4 depicts the material entering the bag at the beginning of the filling;

FIG. 5 depicts the deaeration and flow of material during the filling; and

FIG. 6 depicts the deaerated -material in the bag when it is filled.

With reference to FIG. l, a bag filling apparatus generally indicated at 11 includes a hopper or container 12 for holding a supply of material to be bagged, feed control means 13 for controlling the flow of the material, and a bag weighing means 14. These components of the bag filling apparatus are conventional, and are similar to those described in U.S. Patent No. 2,996,858 to Swens-on, dated Aug. 22, 1961.

More particularly, as is illustrated in FIG. 1 and described and shown in the above patent, hopper 12 has a perforated bottom Wall 16 which inclines toward hopper outlet openin'J 17. The perforations in Wall 16 are small enough to inhibit passage therethrough of the material to be bagged, but allow passage of a gas under pressure, such as air, for conveying the material and introducing it into a bag to be filled. A chamber 18 is provided bel-ow perforated wall 16 and communicates by way o-f inlet 19 with a conventional source (not shown) of the pressurized gas. For economical reasons, it is usual that the conveying gas be air.

During the filling operation, gas entering the pressure chamber from the source flows through the perforations in bottom wall 16, entrains the material particles therein, and passes with the entrained material through outlet 17. A short cylindrical tube 21 communicates with outlet 17 and is attached to hopper 12 in such communication by a ring 22 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the hopper and tube. @ne end of la collapsible conduit Z3 of flexible material, such as rubber, is secured over the projecting end of tube 21 by a split ring clamp 24. The other end of conduit 23 is secured by a split ring clamp 26 to an end of another tube 27. Tube 27 is secured at its other end to a fixedly mounted backing or support plate 28 in communication with an opening 29 therein, by a ring 31 which is also suitably secured to such plate and tube.

Between hopper 12 and backing plate 28, is feed control means 13. As described in the aforementioned patent, such means includes tube pinching means comprising two hydraulic cylinders only one of which, indicated at 32, is shown in FlG. 1. These cylinders are horizontally opposed, respectively, at sides of collapsible conduit 23, and actuate a ramrod 33. In its retracted position, the ramrod of each cylinder slightly engages collapsible conduit 23. However, when the ramrods are both fully pro* jected, they completely collapse conduit 23 and prevent flow o-f material therethrough to control introduction of the material into a bag. By extending one or both of the ramrods to partially collapse the conduit, the rate of fiow of -material from hopper 12 can be closely controlled in a conventional manner.

One end of a third short tube 34 is suitably secured on the forward side of fixed backing plate 28 in communication with Aopening 29 by a ring 36 welded to such backing plate and tube. Another flexible conduit 37, preferably of rubber, is attached at one end about the projecting end of tube 34 by a split ring clamp 38. The other end of conduit 37 is secured about the inlet end 39 of a bag filling spout 41, to be more fully described infra, by another split ring clamp 42. Spout 41 extends through a slidable plate 43 forming part of the weighing mechanism, and is secured thereto by rings 44 welded to such slide plate and spout.

From the above, it is apparent that the various aforementioned conduits and tubes form a continuous channel generally indicated by 46, `from hopper 12 to filling spout 41; and flexible conduit 37 permits slight up-anddown movement of spout 41 in the slidable plate 43 of the weighing mechanism.

Weighing means 14 includes a conventional balancing arm 47 which extends through an opening 48 at the bottom of fixed support plate 2S, and which is supported adjacent such opening by a knife edge 49. The forward end of balancing arm 47 supports slide plate 43 on a second knife edge 51. As is best illustrated in FIG. 2, plate 43 is slidably positioned between opposed frame members 52 and 53 fixedly secured to support 28. Guides, two on each member 52 and 53, as indicated at 54 and 56, provide tracks for weighing mechanism slide plate 43. Filling spout 41, as will be more fully described later, and the weight of the bag being filled are car-ried on slide plate 43 which is, in turn, carried on the forward end of balancing arm 47.

A conventional weight limit switch 57 is positioned at the rear end 58 of arm 47, and is vertically adjustable with respect to such arm such that it can be adjusted to be in contact with the arm during the filling operation until the bag has received the desired amount of material. As described in the aforementioned patent, the weight of the material on the bag will move slide plate 43 downward in guides 54 and 56, and thereby pivot arm 47 about knife edge 49. When the desired weight of material is in the bag, plate 43 will move arm 47 sufficiently that end 58 thereof is no longer in contact with the switch S7, and such switch thereby closes contacts in conventional circuitry (not shown), such as disclosed in the aforementioned patent to stop the fiow of material into the bag and, if desired, initiate separation of the bag from the spout by conventional discharge mechanism (not shown).

As stated previously, filling spout 41 extends through and is carried by slide plate 43. That portion 59 of spout 41 on the forward side of plate 43 tapers inwardly in a direction away from plate 43. Thus, the bag to be filled can be positioned onto `such spout with the spout in the bag filling opening and extending laterally into the bag in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bag so that a conventional bag valve or edges of the filling opening engage the tapered portion of the spout. Such engagement aids in providing a no-leak seal between such bag and the spout during the filling operation. The discharge end or nozzle of spout 41 is curved upwardly at its lower part to provide an upwardly directed nozzle discharge opening 60. Hence, such discharge nozzle will direct material and gas flowing therefrom and being introduced into the bag, upwardly into the bag; and the gas will be forced through material already present in such bag to agitate the material and deaerate the same. In this connection, movement of the material itself as it is forced upwardly into the bag cooperates in enhancing deaeration.

The structure for maintaining a bag in an inverted or upside down position above spout 41 includes a support bracket, desirably in the form of a hood or shield 61 surrounding the spout and suitably secured such as by welding to slide plate 43. Such hood 61 serves to collect any minor amount of material that might leak from the bag opening in the filling operation.

A collar 62 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the top of bracket 61 and supports another bracket which is a bar or rod 63 slidably received therein for lateral adjustment relative to the spout. A rod 64 is fixedly connected to bar 63 and extends upwardly with respect thereto. Such rod 64 has a bag rest arm 66 fixedly attached thereto at its upper end, and which extends therefrom in a direction above and lengthwise of the spout 41 substantially parallel thereto. The height at which bag rest arm 66 is disposed above the filling spout is not critical as long as it is sufiicient to maintain the lower portion of the bag above the filling spout. Desirably, however, due to the flexibility of the bag, it is above the midportion of the bag near the top as shown in FIG. 3 in order to provide the best support for holding the bag upright with a side wall thereof against such rest 66 with the exterior of the bag exposed to the atmosphere and is thus maintained at substantially atmospheric pressure.

The horizontal or lateral position of rest arm 66 is such that when the bag expands during filling, it is held in substantially an upright position, but desirably inclined somewhat to enhance stability. Since bar 63 is laterally adjustable, rest 66 can be laterally adjusted to enable the apparatus to accommodate bags of varying widths between the 'side walls thereof. A set screw 67 through collar 62 enables bar 63 and hence arm 66 to be set at any desired location. While only one bag rest arm 66 is shown, another such arm adapted to engage the other wall of the bag when it is expanded during filling can be provided, in order to insure stability of the bag.

A saddle support structure is provided adjacent to but spaced from the bottom end of the bag for engaging such end and thus holds the bag. Such saddle comprises spaced rods 6? and 69 fixedly secured to scale slide plate 43, and extend lengthwise, desirably parallel, to spout 41 adjacent the bottom portion thereof. Since the rods are spaced apart they provide stability to the bag in its inverted position. If desired, a single relatively Wide arcuate saddle plate may be employed instead of the rods.

A conventional clamp 7i for holding the bag against filling spout lll is rigidly attached below the spout to the bottom of bracket hood 61, by an angle iron 72. Such clamp comprises an air cylinder 73 for actuating a clamping head 74 mounted for up and down movement which when air under pressure from a conventional source (not shown) is introduced through air hose 76, is moved upward through the space between rods 68 and 69 to engage the end of a bag on spout 41 and clamp it securely against the bottom of such spout. In filling bags by heretofore apparatus, clamps, such as 71, have been employed but located above the spout.

After filling of a bag, the bag can be removed from the spout by hand, `or any suitable automatic bag discharge apparatus, such as that disclosed in the aforementioned patent, can be provided above the weighing means and spout to eject such bag from the spout. Also, it is to be understood that any suitable automatic control mechanism can be provided for operating the bag filling cyclev by means of control of air through inlet 19, clamps 33, and clamp 71. Alternatively, manual controls may be provided.

Because of the cleanliness inherent in the instant method and apparatus, no vacuum system such as that disclosed in the aforementioned patent need be provided to collect dust escaping from about the filling spout. In addition, no bag vibrating apparatus need be provided because of the high degree of compaction of the material obtained -by agitation thereof as it is introduced into the bag. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention greatly simplifies the bag filling operation and apparatus therefor.

The drawings illustrate filling of a conventional fiexible multi-wall paper bag which has inherent gas perviousness allowing venting of gas through the bag walls. However, it can be employed with any type of container having a filling opening adjacent an end thereof, and means for venting air therefrom, for example, paperboard containers. If one of the walls of `a multi-wall bag or of a whole bag is of plastic material, such as polyethylene, that is not inherently gas pervious or of paperboard, it can be made pervious by the provision of a few minute pin-hole perforations in its walls, which will preclude substantial leakage of material. In a multi-wall bag of such gas mpervious material, the perforations in each ply -of each wall are desirably off-set from those in the adjoining plies to preclude leakage of material to the exterior of the bag. As used herein gas pervious includes bags and other containers which are not inherently so, ibut which allow venting of air through perforations or other means provided therein.

Desirably, the filling opening is of the conventional interior valve-type so that the valve can aid in sealing the container on the spout during lling and provide positive closing of the opening when the container is removed from the spout. In addition, it is desirable that such valve have an interior sleeve to further aid in. such sealing and positive closing. The sleeve can be of any conventional type, for example, of the slitted type.

The gas pervious bag 77 illustrated in the drawings has filling opening 7 8 with an inwardly projecting valve collar 79 and an interior conventional valve sleeve 81 attached to the collar. Such bag is oriented in an inverted position with its filling opening at the lower end thereof, and circumjacently about bag filling spout 41. Desirably, the bag is drawn up over the tapered portion 59 of the spout so that such spout engages the edges of the filling opening and the valve to assist in providing a tight seal between such bag and spout as the bag is being filled. The spout is of such length that its discharge orifice 60 is desirably inwardly beyond sleeve 81 so that as will be seen later, full advantage is made of the sleeve in sealing the filling opening about the spout during the filling. The upper portion of the bag rests against arm 66 as shown in FIG. 3, and clamp 7d is actuated to clamp the bag securely on the spout during the filling.

During the filling, as the air and material enter the bag, the upwardly flowing gas escapes slowly through the gas pervious walls and simultaneously blows up the bag. The initial material introduced into the bag falls by gravity around the discharge end of spout 41. As further material is forced into the bag by the flowing gas, it covers the spout discharge nozzle, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, further gas and material entering the bag passes through that already collected about the nozzle, and thereby continuously agitates the material already in the bag causing it to release its entrapped gas.

As a consequence, all the material a.round.the spout is deaerated and densified or compacted so that the weight of the material presses collar 79 and sleeve 81 tightly around the spout, and thus seals all the small openings responsible for leakage when bags are filled with the filling opening at the top in a conventional manner. While it is desirous that the filling opening have a valve sleeve 8l, the weight of the material on collar 79 itself is sufiif cient to obviate substantial leakage.

As shown in FIG. 5, as more gas and material enter the bag, the gas fiows upwardly in a stream through the rnaterial carrying the gas entrapped in the neighboring material with it, thereby causing further dearation. The gas continues upwardly where it agitates the uppermost material and deaerates it. As the material is deaerated it builds up along the sides of the bag and becomes compacted. The gas flowing through such compacted material assists in collecting any minor amount of air in the compacted material, thus causing further deaeration.

Gas released into the upper unfilled portion of the bag vents out through the gas pervious walls of the bag. This venting is facilitated by there being no appreciable material in the upper portion of the bag to hinder its escape. The little material that is still entrained in the gas in this portion of the bag is strained therefrom as it passes through the bag, i.e. the bag acts as its own filter. Because of natural impedance of the walls of the paper bag to the fiow of gas therethrough, the gas in the upper portion of the Ibag is under a slight pressure, e.g., 4 lbs/sq. in. gage pressure, in oontrast to conventional filling methods wherein the gas escapes around the spout. This slight pressure helps to compact the material in the bag.

Since the material around spout 41 is deaerated and seals the bag opening, the bag can be completely filled to the desired weight with substantially no loss of material which occurs by escape of material through the bag opening in conventional methods at the time the bag is almost full.

When the bag is filled to desired weight, as shown in FIG. 6, all the material therein is substantially deaerated and compacted; and the filling is terminated. As the bag is removed from the spout, the weight of the material above sleeve 8l and collar 79 presses them toward closed position, to close the bag opening progressively. By the time the spout is out of the bag opening 78, the valve is pressed tightly against the lower portion of the bag, thereby sealing the opening. Thus, while the very last small amount of material entering the bag may possibly have some entrapped air, it is prevented from spurting from the bag. It can be seen therefore that throughout the entire bag filling opera-tion, no appreciable leakage occurs.

For introducing fiow of material into the bag, the gas pressure is the same commonly employed for the filling of bags by heretofore conventional bag filling operations with the bag hanging on the filling spout, usually in the order of about 3 to l0 lbs. per sq. in. gage pressure. T-he following is a typical example of a bag filling operation by the method and apparatus hereof.

Employing a standard 4-ply valve-equipped paper bag -of the split valve sleeve type, ydesigned to hold 50 libs. of material, and supported in the manner of this invention, ldiatomaceous earth powder was introduced through the bag opening by flow of air at a gage pressure of about 5 lbs/sq. in. A gage pressure of approximately 4 lbs/sq. in. built up in the upper portion of the bag and helped compact the diatomaceous earth. Without the use of bag vibration means and without providing any exterior agitation of the material, the bag was filled to its usu'al volume and afterwards weighed. It was found that 58 lbs. of material was in the 50 lb. bag, a 16% gain over that realized in conventional right-side-up filling of a bag of the same volume. Throughout the filling operation including the removal of the bag from spout 41 there was no appreciable leakage or spurting of material from the bag.

rFrom the preceding, it is seen that by positioning the container on the filling spout with its filling opening at the bottom, many advantages are obtained. In this connection, it is desirable that such container be substantially upright. However, it may be inclined at any angle relative to the horizontal as long as the material to be filled -docs not fall by gravity to the opposite end of the bag.

Although gas under pressure is desirable for forcing the material into the container, an auger type feed alone or in conjunction with gas can be employed. If just an auger type feed is employed, the invention provides the advantage of `a clean operation since in heretofore conventional filling of a container from the top a considerable amount of dust is created by the material as it falls by gravity to the container bottom, and leaks out around the filling spout. This dust problem is extremely bothersome in the filling of markedly dust forming materials, such as carbon black. Moreover, as the material conventionally falls by gravity into the bag it entraps air which becomes entrained, thus increasing the bulk of the material in the container.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of introducing particles of pulverulent material into a gas permeable container having a lateral opening adjacent an end thereof which comprises positioning said container substantially upright with said opening at the lower portion thereof and about a spout which projects through said opening, `and effecting fiow of said material through said spout into said container While said container is so positioned to cause the weight of said material to seal said material about said opening as material is introduced into the container and thus obviate leakage of material around said spout.

2. A method of introducing `particles of pulverulent material into la gas permeable bag having an opening adjacent an end thereof provided with a fiexible closure valve which comprises positioning said bag in a substantially upright position with said opening at the lower portion thereof and about a spout, effecting fiow of said material through said spout into said bag while said bag is so positioned to cause material to collect adjacent said spout and said valve as material is introduced into said bag, and thereafter effecting separation between said bag and spout to cause the collected material to press said valve toward closed position and thereby obviate spurting of material through such opening during such separation.

3. A method of filling a multi-wall paper bag provided with a filling opening at a corner thereof and with a flexible closure val-ve, which comprises positioning the bag with said opening at the bottom and about a filling spout, effecting fiow of material in particle form through said spout into said bag by fiow of gas while the bag is thus positioned whereby material collects adjacent said spout to seal said material about said opening as material is introduced into the bag and thus obviate leakage of material through said opening, simultaneously agitating material by upward gas fiow through the material in the bag to enhance -deaeration of the material and venting of the gas through the bag walls, and thereafter effecting separation between said spout and said bag to cause material in the bag to force the bag valve toward closing position.

4. A method of filling a substantially fiat gas permeable bag having oppo-site side walls and a filling opening at a corner thereof into which a filling spout is adapted to extend laterally into the bag, which comprises supporting the bag in an upright position with the filling opening at the lower end of the bag and with the spout projecting through said opening, while maintaining the exterior of the bag substantially at atmospheric pressure, effecting fiow of material in particle form through said spout into said bag by fiow of gas while the bag is thus positioned whereby material in the bag is agitated by the upward fiow of gas and material entering the bag, thus enhancing deaeration of the material and venting of the gas fiow through the bag walls, and whereby material simultaneously collects about said spout to seal said material about said opening to thus obviate leakage of material through said opening, and thereafter effecting separation between said spout and said bag to cause material in the bag to force the bag valve toward a closed position.

5. Apparatus for filling a relatively fiat bag having opposite side walls and a lateral filling opening adjacent an end thereof, comprising a substantially horizontal filling spout for projecting laterally into said filling opening with the bag in upright position and with the filling opening at the lower end of the bag; means for supporting said bag in said upright position during the filling, comprising a saddle structure adjacent the underside of the spout to hold said lower end, and a side wall rest above said spout for engaging a side wall of the bag; and a clamping means adjacent the underside of said spout for pressing said lower end of the bag against said spout to hold said end against the bottom of the spout during said filling.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the clamping means is mounted for up and down movement, and said saddle structure is provided with an opening to accommodate said clamping means.

7. Apparatus for introducing particles of pulverulent material into a gas permeable container having a lateral opening adjacent an end wall thereof comprising a substantially horizontal lling spout for projecting laterally into the opening with the container in upright position and with the opening at the lower end of the container to allow said material to be introduced upwardly from said spout into the container, and clamping means below said spout movably mounted for up and down movement with reference to the underside of said spout to press said lower end wall of the container against said spout underside and hold said end wall against the spout during introduction of material into said container.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 having container support means above the spout for maintaining said container in a substantially upright position as material is introduced into the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 having a support adjacent to and spaced from the bottom of the spout and extending lengthwise thereof for holding the container with said container lower end adjacent the underside of said spout to support said container as material is introduced therein.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said container support means above said spout comprises an upwardly projecting bracket mounted for lateral adjustment with respect to said spout, and a container side wall rest projecting from said bracket in a direction lengthwise of said spout.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said support adjacent the bottom of said spout comprises a saddle structure for engaging the container end Wall to stabilize the container with its filling opening at its lower end.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said support adjacent the bottom of said spout comprises a plurality of spaced apart rod-like members for engaging the lower end of said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,138,618 5/1915 Bates 141-113 2,347,046 4/1944 Geiger 141-67 X 2,781,799 2/1957 Bradford 141-68 2,794,454 6/1957 Moulthrop 141-467 2,996,858 8/1961 Swenson 53-371 X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. S. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A METHOD OF INTRODUCING PARTICLES OF PULVERULENT MATERIAL INTO A GAS PERMEABLE CONTAINER HAVING A LATERAL OPENING ADJACENT AN END THEREOF WHICH COMPRISES POSITIONING SAID CONTAINER SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT WITH SAID OPENING AT THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF AND ABOUT A SPOUT WHICH PROJECTS THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND EFFECTING FLWO OF SAID MATERIAL THROUGH SAID SPOUT INTO SAID CONTAINER WHILE SAID CONTAINER IS SO POSITIONED TO CAUSE THE WEIGHT OF SAID MATERIAL TO SEAL SAID MATERIAL ABOUT SAID OPENING AS MATERIAL IS INTRODUCED INTO THE CONTAINER AND THUD OBVIATE LEAKAGE OF MATERIAL AROUND SAID SPOUT.

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