Bag machine having a spindle

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making bags, including winding bags, is disclosed. The winder includes spindles with sleeves. The sleeves may have holes, be non-stick, removable, and may be tapered. They can be fitted to existing machines.

1 . A bag making machine comprising: 
 an input stage;    a processing stage disposed to receive film from an input stage;    a winder, disposed to receive bags from the processing stage, wherein the winder comprises a turret having a plurality of spindles mounted thereon, wherein each spindle includes a sleeve mounted on a respective one of the plurality of spindles.    
   
   
       2 . The bag machine of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve has a non-stick outer surface.  
   
   
       3 . The bag machine of  claim 2 , wherein the non-stick material is at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, and UHMW-Pe.  
   
   
       4 . The bag machine of  claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is entirely comprised of the non stick material.  
   
   
       5 . The bag machine of  claim 2 , wherein each sleeve has an inner portion comprised of metal.  
   
   
       6 . The bag machine of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve is removable without removing the respective one of the plurality of spindles.  
   
   
       7 . The bag machine of  claim 1  wherein each sleeve is hollow and slides over the respective one of the plurality of spindles, and wherein each sleeve has a plurality of holes for air flow therethrough.  
   
   
       8 . The bag machine of  claim 5 , wherein the holes are spaced radially and axially about each sleeve.  
   
   
       9 . The bag machine of  claim 5 , wherein each spindle is hollow, has a plurality of inner holes, and connected to a source of air, whereby air flows through each spindle and out the plurality of holes.  
   
   
       10 . The bag machine of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve is generally cylindrically shaped, with openings at a sleeve inner and outer axial end, and each spindle includes a threaded receptacle at a spindle outer axial end, and further comprising a threaded bolt extending through the sleeve and spindle outer axial ends, and which attaches each sleeve to the respective one of plurality of spindles.  
   
   
       11 . The bag machine of  claim 8 , wherein the general cylindrical shape is tapered, wherein the sleeve outer axial end is narrower than the sleeve inner axial end.  
   
   
       12 . The bag machine of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve is affixed over the respective one of the plurality of spindles such that each sleeve cannot rotate with respect to the respective one of the plurality of spindles.  
   
   
       13 . A method of making and winding bags comprising: 
 receiving a film;    converting the film into a plurality of successive bags;    winding the bags about a sleeve mounted on a spindle to form a roll of bags;    blowing air through the sleeve; and    removing the bags from the sleeve.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the removing includes removing the bags from a non-stick outer surface of the sleeve.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising removing and replacing the sleeve, without replacing the spindle.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is hollow and slides over the spindle, and wherein blowing includes blowing air through a plurality of holes in the sleeve.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the spindle is hollow, has a plurality of inner holes, and is connected to a source of air, and wherein blowing includes blowing air through the inner holes and then through the plurality of holes.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising threadedly attaching the sleeve to the spindle.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising preventing rotation of the sleeve with-respect to the spindle.  
   
   
       20 . A bag making machine comprising: 
 an input stage;    means for processing film received from the input stage into bags;    means for winding the bags into a roll, wherein the means for winding includes sleeve means for contacting an inner surface of the roll.    
   
   
       21 . The bag machine of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve means has a non-stick outer surface.  
   
   
       22 . The bag machine of  claim 22 , wherein the non-stick material is at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, and UHMW-PE.  
   
   
       23 . The bag machine of  claim 22 , wherein the sleeve is comprised entirely of the non-stick material.  
   
   
       24 . The bag machine of  claim 22 , wherein the sleeve means has an inner portion comprised of metal.  
   
   
       25 . The bag machine of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve means is removable without removing a spindle on which the sleeve means is mounted.  
   
   
       26 . The bag machine of  claim 21  wherein the sleeve means is hollow and slides over a spindle, and wherein the sleeve means has a plurality of means for allowing air flow therethrough.  
   
   
       27 . The bag machine of  claim 21 , wherein the sleeve means is affixed over a spindle, and further comprising means for holding the sleeve means on the spindle.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus for making and winding bags comprising: 
 means for receiving a film;    means for converting the film into a plurality of successive bags, connected to receive film from the means for receiving;    means for winding the bags into a roll, including a sleeve means for making contact with an inner surface of the roll; and    means for removing the bags from the sleeve.    
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the sleeve means includes a non-stick outer surface.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the sleeve means is replaceable, without having to replace a spindle on which the sleeve means is mounted.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the sleeve means is hollow and slides over the spindle, and wherein the sleeve means has means for allowing airflow therethrough.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the spindle is hollow, has a plurality of inner holes, and is connected to a source of air.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , further comprising means for attaching the sleeve to the spindle.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising means for preventing rotation of the sleeve with respect to the spindle.  
   
   
       35 . A winding assembly for bags made from film, comprising: 
 a turret;    a plurality of spindles mounted on the turret;    a plurality of sleeves, wherein each sleeve is mounted on a respective one of the plurality of spindles.    
   
   
       36 . The winding assembly of  claim 36 , wherein each sleeve has a non-stick outer surface.  
   
   
       37 . The winding assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the non-stick material is at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, and UHMW-PE.  
   
   
       38 . The winding assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the sleeve is comprised entirely of the non-stick material.  
   
   
       39 . The winding assembly of  claim 36 , wherein each sleeve has an inner portion comprised of metal.  
   
   
       40 . The winding assembly of  claim 37 , wherein each sleeve is removable without removing the spindle.  
   
   
       41 . The winding assembly of  claim 41 , wherein each sleeve is hollow and slides over the respective one of the plurality of spindles, and wherein each sleeve has a plurality of holes for air flow therethrough.  
   
   
       42 . The winding assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the holes are spaced radially and axially about each sleeve.  
   
   
       43 . The winding assembly of  claim 43 , wherein each spindle is hollow, has a plurality of inner holes, and is connected to a source of air, whereby air flows through each spindle and out the plurality of holes.  
   
   
       44 . The winding assembly of  claim 44 , wherein each sleeve is generally cylindrically shaped, with openings at a sleeve inner and outer axial ends, and each spindle includes a threaded receptacle at a spindle outer end, and further comprising a threaded bolt extending through the sleeve and spindle outer axial ends, and which attaches each sleeve to the respective one of the plurality of spindles.  
   
   
       45 . The winding assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the general cylindrical shape is tapered, wherein the sleeve outer axial end is narrower with the sleeve inner axial end.  
   
   
       46 . The winding assembly of  claim 46 , wherein each sleeve is affixed over the respective one of the plurality of spindles such that each sleeve cannot rotate with respect to the respective one of the plurality of spindles.  
   
   
       47 . A method of winding rolls of bags comprising: 
 receiving formed bags;    winding the bags about a sleeve mounted on a spindle to form a roll of bags, wherein the turret is mounted on a rotatable turret;    blowing air through the sleeve;    removing the bags from the sleeve; and    rotating the turret to move a second spindle with a second sleeve mounted thereon into a position for receiving bags.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising removing and replacing the sleeve, without replacing the spindle.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising threadedly attaching the sleeve to the spindle.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising preventing rotation of the sleeve with respect to the spindle.  
   
   
       51 . A sleeve for use on a winding assembly of a bag machine comprising an outer surface and a hollow interior, wherein the sleeve is mountable on a spindle on turret in the winding assembly.  
   
   
       52 . The sleeve of  claim 52 , wherein the sleeve has a non-stick outer surface.  
   
   
       53 . The sleeve of  claim 53 , wherein the non-stick material is at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon and UHMW-PE.  
   
   
       54 . The sleeve of  claim 53 , wherein the sleeve has an inner portion comprised of metal, and the non-stick outer surface is over the metal.  
   
   
       55 . The sleeve of  claim 52 , wherein the sleeve is removable from the spindle without removing the spindle.  
   
   
       56 . The sleeve of  claim 52 , wherein the sleeve is hollow has a plurality of holes for-air flow therethrough.  
   
   
       57 . The sleeve of  claim 57 , wherein the holes are not countersunk.  
   
   
       58 . The sleeve of  claim 57 , wherein the holes are spaced radially and axially about the sleeve.  
   
   
       59 . The sleeve of  claim 57 , wherein the sleeve is generally cylindrically shaped, with openings at a sleeve inner and outer axial end.  
   
   
       60 . The sleeve of  claim 52 , wherein the general cylindrical shape is tapered, wherein the sleeve outer axial end is narrower than the sleeve inner axial end.  
   
   
       61 . The sleeve of  claim 52 , wherein the sleeve mountable on the spindle such that the sleeve cannot rotate with respect to the spindle.  
   
   
       62 . A method of repairing a winding assembly on a bag machine, comprising: 
 removing a sleeve from a spindle;    leaving the spindle attached to the turret; and    placing a second sleeve over the spindle.    
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising threadedly attaching the sleeve to the spindle.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising preventing rotation of the sleeve with respect to the spindle.