Wicket Bag Dispenser and Method for Dispensing Wicket Bags

Abstract

A wicket bag dispenser for holding flexible bags is suitable for transferring flexible bags into the loading station of a bag filling machine. An apparatus includes an interacting wicket bag dispenser and a holder pin of a loading station. A method includes transferring flexible bags from a wicket bag dispenser to the loading station of a bag filling machine. The wicket bag dispenser comprises a stack of flexible bags, each bag having at least one aperture, and at least one wicket spool positioned through the apertures, wherein the wicket spool has an free end, the free end comprising a spool head, so that each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags is conveyed along the spool in order to transfer to the loading station. The spool head is free to move in an axial direction relative to the wicket spool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wicket bag dispenser for holding flexible bags, suitable for transferring the flexible bags into the loading station of a bag filling machine, wherein the wicket bag dispenser comprises a stack of flexible bags, each bag having at least one aperture, and at least one wicket spool positioned through the aperture, wherein the wicket spool has a free end, the free end comprising a spool head, so that each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags passes over the spool in order to transfer to the loading station, wherein the spool head is free to move in an axial direction relative to the spool, between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         2 . The wicket bag dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential dimensions of the spool head are greater than the largest diameter of the wicket spool. 
     
     
         3 . The wicket bag dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein at least part of the spool head has a frustro-conical form. 
     
     
         4 . The wicket bag dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the spool head comprises a shaft, and wherein the shaft is seated within a hollow axis of the wicket spool. 
     
     
         5 . The wicket bag dispenser according to  claim 4 , wherein interacting stops on the shaft of the spool head and on the wicket spool limit the distance of travel of the spool head relative to the wicket spool, in the axial direction, provided a predetermined force is not exceeded. 
     
     
         6 . The wicket bag dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined force required to remove the spool head from the wicket spool is 50 N or greater. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising a wicket bag dispenser and holder pin, wherein the wicket bag dispenser comprises at least one wicket spool which is substantially axially aligned with at least one holder pin at the loading station of a bag filling machine, and further comprising a spool head between the wicket spool and the holder pin, so that flexible bags transferred from a wicket bag dispenser comprising the wicket spool pass over the spool head and onto the holder pin, wherein the spool head is free to move in an axial direction relative to the wicket spool, between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the spool head is free to move into contact with the holder pin as the flexible bag passes over the spool head, thereby eliminating any gap between the spool, the spool head and the holder pin at the point at which the flexible bag transfers from the spool to the holder pin. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the outer circumferential dimensions of the spool head are greater than the largest diameter of the wicket spool. 
     
     
         10 . A method of transferring flexible bags from a wicket bag dispenser to the loading station of a bag filling machine, wherein the wicket bag dispenser comprises at least one wicket spool, and a stack of flexible bags, each bag having at least one aperture through which the wicket spool is positioned, the method comprising the steps of:
 conveying a bag along the wicket spool towards the free end of the wicket spool; and   transferring the bag over a spool head positioned at the free end of the wicket spool;   
       wherein each flexible bag from the stack of flexible bags passes over the spool head in order to transfer to the loading station, wherein the spool moves in an axial direction relative to the wicket spool, as the bag is transferred over the spool head. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the outer circumferential dimensions of the spool head are greater than the largest diameter of the wicket spool. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein at least part of the spool head has a frustro-conical form. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the spool head comprises a shaft, and wherein the shaft is seated within a hollow axis of the wicket spool. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein interacting stops on the shaft of the spool head and on wicket spool limit the distance of travel of the spool head relative to the wicket spool, in the axial direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the spool head moves into contact with the wicket pin as the flexible bag passes over the spool, thereby eliminating any gap between the wicket spool, the spool head and the holder pin at the point at which the flexible bag transfers from the wicket spool to the holder pin.