Loader

Abstract

A horn system for an automated loader has horns with upstanding and bottom walls. The horns move from a first, adjacent position in which the bottom walk of the horns completely or almost completely overlap to a second, remote position in which the bottom walls of the horns just barely overlap or do not overlap.

1 . A horn of a bag-opening device, said horn comprising:
 an upstanding wall having top and bottom ends, forward and rearward ends, and inner and outer surfaces, at least a portion of the inner surfaces comprising textures; and   a bottom wall which extends inwardly from the bottom end of the upstanding wall.   
     
     
         2 . The horn as described in  claim 1 , wherein the upstanding wall is at least partially curved between the top and bottom ends. 
     
     
         3 . The horn as described in  claim 1 , wherein the upstanding wall is at least partially curved between the forward and rearward ends. 
     
     
         4 . The horn as described in  claim 1 , wherein the upstanding wall defines a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending from the rearward portion to the forward end, the rearward portion extending from the forward portion to the rearward end, wherein the rearward portion is angled relative to the forward portion. 
     
     
         5 . The horn as described in  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the upstanding wall defines a channel which extends from proximate the forward end to proximate the rearward end. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A bag-opening device comprising:
 a pair of horns, each said horn having an upstanding wall and a bottom wall, said upstanding wall having top and bottom ends, forward and rearward ends, and inner and outer surfaces, said bottom wall extends inwardly from the bottom end of the upstanding wall, the inner surfaces of the upstanding walls of the pair of horns facing one another;   a mounting assembly configured to mount the pair of horns in position to provide that the inner surfaces of the upstanding walls of the pair of horns face one another, the mounting assembly further being configured to mount one of the pair of horns higher than the other one of the pair of horns; and   a horn control mechanism which is configured to move the forward end of at least one of the pair of horns proximate to the forward end of at least the other one of the pair of horns, wherein during such movement the bottom wall of one of the pair of horns will be moved into a generally overlapping position relative to the bottom wall of the other one of the pair of horns due to one of the pair of horns being mounted higher than the other one of the pair of horns.   
     
     
         11 . The bag-opening device as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the upstanding wall of each horn is at least partially curved between the top and bottom ends. 
     
     
         12 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the upstanding wall of each horn is at least partially curved between the forward and rearward ends. 
     
     
         13 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the upstanding wall of each horn defines a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending from the rearward portion to the forward end, the rearward portion extending from the forward portion to the rearward end, wherein the rearward portion is angled relative to the forward portion. 
     
     
         14 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the upstanding wall of each horn defines a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending from the rearward portion to the forward end, the rearward portion extending from the forward portion to the rearward end, wherein the mounting assembly is secured to each horn proximate to the connection of the forward and rearward portions. 
     
     
         15 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the upstanding wall of each horn defines a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending from the rearward portion to the forward end, the rearward portion extending from the forward portion to the rearward end, wherein the horn control mechanism is operatively associated with the rearward portion of at least one of the horns. 
     
     
         16 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the inner surface of at least one of the upstanding walls defines a channel which extends from proximate the forward end to proximate the rearward end. 
     
     
         17 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surfaces comprise textures. 
     
     
         18 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surfaces is coated with a slippery synthetic substance. 
     
     
         19 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the substance comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The bag-opening device as described in  claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         21 . An automated loader comprising:
 a frame having forward and rearward ends;   a bag carriage assembly provided proximate the forward end of the frame;   a ram mounted to the frame proximate to the rearward end thereof; and   the bag-opening device of  claim 10 , wherein the mounting assembly is mounted to the frame between the forward and rearward ends thereof in a manner where the rearward ends of the pair of horns are provided forward of the ram, and where the forward ends of the pair of horns are configured to be operatively associated with the bag carriage assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The automated loader as described in  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surfaces comprise textures. 
     
     
         23 . The automated loader as described in  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surfaces is coated with a slippery synthetic substance. 
     
     
         24 . The automated loader as described in  claim 21 , wherein the substance comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The automated loader as described in  claim 21 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         26 . A method of bagging material, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing an automated loader having a bag carriage assembly and a pair of horns, wherein the bag carriage assembly is configured to provide a bag into which the material is to be inserted, wherein each said horn has an upstanding wall and a bottom wall, said upstanding wall having top and bottom ends, forward and rearward ends, and inner and outer surfaces, said bottom wall extends inwardly from the bottom end of the upstanding wall, the inner surfaces of the upstanding walls of the pair of horns facing one another;   b) positioning the material to be bagged rearward of the rearward ends of the horns;   c) opening a bag;   d) causing the forward ends of the pair of horns to be positioned within the opening of the bag, wherein the bottom walls of the horns are generally in an overlapping configuration;   e) causing the forward end of at least one of the pair of horns to move away from the other one of the pair of horns in order to stretch the opening of the bag, wherein the bottom walls of the horns move to a generally non-overlapping configuration; and   f) moving the material to be bagged over the bottom walls of the horns, past the forward ends of the horns, and into the bag.