Quad Wicket Exchange System

Abstract

Two series of work products move along parallel paths into open bags mounted on wickets and carry the bags to shipping containers. When the bags on the wickets are depleted, the wickets are automatically removed and replaced by wickets loaded with a new supply of bags.

1 . A process of bagging work products, comprising
 advancing two series of work products along parallel paths,   in each of the parallel paths placing a stacked supply of flexible wicket bags on each of a pair of bag support wicket trays at a bagging position with the openings of the flexible wicket bags in the stacked supplies of flexible wicket bags facing the advancing series of work products,   directing a stream of air toward the opening of the flexible wicket bag on the top of the stacked supply of wicket bags to induce the flexible bag on top of the stack of wicket bags to open,   advancing the work products from the parallel paths into the inflated flexible wicket bags and against the closed ends of the wicket bags,   separating the top wicket bag away from the other wicket bags in the stacked supply in response to the movement of the work product against the closed end of the wicket bag,   in response to the last wicket bag being removed from a wicket tray, moving the wicket tray to a position to be reloaded with flexible wicket bags, and   reloading the moved wicket trays with more wicket bags.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the flexible wicket bags in the stacked bags has a pair of opposed side walls with one side wall having a longer edge portion, and aligned wicket openings formed in the longer edge portions of the stacked bags, and   extending the legs of a U-shaped wicket rod through the aligned openings of the wicket bags and into the trays.   
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , and moving the reloaded wicket tray toward a position facing the advancing series of work products at the loading station, terminating the movement of the reloaded tray in a standby position before it reaches the loading station. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , and further including returning the reloaded tray from the standby position in response to removing a wicket tray from the bagging position. 
     
     
         5 . A process of bagging work products comprising:
 advancing a series of work products along parallel paths,   placing stacked supplies of flexible wicket bags on each of a pair of bag support wicket trays with the openings of the flexible wicket bags in the stacked supplies facing the advancing series of work products,   directing streams of air toward the openings of the flexible wicket bags in directions to inflate the opening of the flexible wicket bag on the top of the stacked supplies to induce the flexible bags to open and   simultaneously advancing work products from the parallel paths into the inflated flexible wicket bags.   
     
     
         6 . A process of bagging work products comprising:
 advancing two series of work products along parallel paths into open bags on the top of two supplies of bags, each mounted on a wicket,   carrying the bags with the advancing work products away from each wicket;   in response to depleting the last bag on a wicket, removing the depleted wicket and replacing the depleted wicket with a wicket having a supply of bags.