871,505. Packaging-machines. KLAR, P. G. Aug. 26, 1957 [Aug. 29, 1956; Nov. 23, 1956 ; June 26, 1957], No. 26820/57. Class 94(1). An apparatus for producing, filling, and sealing flat bags, and for attaching a holding thread with a label thereon to each bag, comprises a number of replaceable units disposed vertically one above another so that the flat bags can pass from one unit to another by a falling movement. Filling and sealing unit. First embodiment. The first and uppermost unit is a filling and sealing unit, Fig. 4, wherein material in a hopper 31 is removed by pockets in a roller 33 so that predetermined quantities of the material can pass down a shoot 37 into a fold formed in a travelling web 40. The sides 38, 39, of the folded web are sealed together by rollers 44, 45, carrying means 48 for forming transverse seals across the resulting tube to seal each predetermined quantity of material within a separate bag. The bags are separated by cutting means 57. The rollers 44, 45 and the path of the web as it is formed into a tube is inclined as shown so that the sealed edges of the sides 38, 39 shall be free from material. To regulate the quantity of material in each bag the volume of the grooves in the roller 33 is varied by axial displacement of inserts 36. The filled bags are closed by means of adhesive or by hot welding. For hot welding the rollers are heated. Second embodiment. In Fig. 5 the web material 61 passes downwards around a filling tube that gradually changes from a circular or elliptical cross-section at its upper end to a rectangular cross-section (shown in chain lines) at its lower end. The edges 65, 66, of the web 61 are first sealed together by rollers 67, 67 and the resulting tube than passes folding spurs 74 and guiding stirrups 75 to form permanent lengthwise W-shaped folds 76, Fig. 6 in the narrow side strips of the tubing. The transverse seals are made by a clamping jaw 80 pivoted with respect to a co-operating jaw 79. When a crank 86 rotates in the direction C the jaw 80 is moved away from the jaw 79 until it abuts a stop 84 whereafter the continued upward rotation of the crank 86 displaces both jaws vertically upwards on bearing rods 71 to a position where a top closing seal is to be made across the flattened tube. As the crank 86 passes its upper dead centre it permits the jaws 79, 80 to close and effect a closure of the tube by hot sealing whereafter they pull the resulting package downwardly until the lower dead centre of the crank 86 is reached. The jaws 79, 80, may include a parting blade so that the closure edge is severed thereby and only the top edge of the jaws is used to pull the tubing downwards. The bag may be strengthened by a string 26 fed from a source 25 and through a hole 91 in the filling tube so as to stretch between the upper and lower transverse seals of each bag. Holding string and label attaching unit. The second and middle unit of the vertical assembly may comprise a guide member 190, Fig. 15, for placing the holding thread over the top of each bag 23 where it is stapled to both sides of the bag 23 by means 97. The bag 23 with the thread 95 attached then drops to a point 23<SP>1</SP> where means 98 staples the thread to the label 96 and severs the short length of thread between the label 96<SP>1</SP> and the bag 23<SP>1</SP> so that the label 96<SP>1</SP> is actually secured to the thread depending from the bag 23 above it. The means 190 may be omitted so that the thread 95 is stapled to one side of the bag only. Alternatively the second unit of the vertical assembly comprises an arrangement Fig. 10 wherein a thread 129 is advanced through an eye 176 to a position where a bag on a first shelf 150 has the thread stapled to it by means 132, 134, whereafter a slide 144 pushes a label from a stack thereof into a pair of gripper jaws 152. The thread continues to advance whilst the package drops on to a lower shelf 126 and then the stapling means 132, 134, operates to staple the thread to the label 130, Fig: 11, in the jaws and sever the thread above the label. The-jaws are then displaced in the direction E, are then rotated in the direction F by an odd number of half turns to wind the thread on the label and then returned axially to their original position where they open to deposit the label 130 on the bag 115 as in Fig. 11. Packing bags and associated label in further strip material. The third and bottom unit of the vertical assembly comprises means to which the finished bags and label pass, in free fall, and wherein two strips of plastic or paper material are united together about each bag and label, the strip being also closed transversely between each enclosed bag. The resulting re-packing tubing containing the flat bags is then cut into individual sections by a parting attachment. Where apparatus as described with reference to Fig. 15 is used for attaching the label and thread to each bag, the third and bottom unit may include means for rotating the flat bag about a horizontal axis so that the thread 95 is wound about the bag before the bag is packed between the strips of plastic or paper material.