Impulse heat-sealing apparatus and heat-sealing member therefor

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SEALED PACKAGES OF HEAT-SEALABLE MATERIAL, COMPRISING A HEAT-SEALING AND CUTTING MEMBER, A COOPERATING PRESSURE MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS FOR RELATIVE TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SAID HEAT-SEALABLE MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS FOR THE CUTTING AND HEAT-SEALING OPERATION, SAID HEAT-SEALING AND CUTTING MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BAR OF HEAT-CONDUCTING MATERIAL HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH, A SERIES OF CERAMIC HEAT INSULATING AND ELECTRICALLY NONCONDUCTING MEMBERS DISPOSED IN END-TO-END RELATION IN SAID GROOVE AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A RELATIVELY NARROW LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE GROOVES OF THE ADJACENT MEMBERS TO FORM A RELATIVELY NARROW LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID BAR, A RELATIVELY THIN ELONGATED HEAT-SEALING AND CUTTING ELEMENT OF ELECTRICALLY HIGH RESISTANT MATERIAL MOUNTED FOR SLIDING EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID LAST MENTIONED GROOVE AND HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING FROM SAID CERAMIC MEMBERS TO EXPOSE A HEAT-SEALING AND CUTTING EDGE, THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID HEAT-SEALING AND CUTTING ELEMENT BEING IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LAST MENTIONED GROOVE, AND SPRING MEANS SECURED TO SAID ELEMENT FOR SUPPLYING A TENSION FORCE LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF TO MAINTAIN SAID ELEMENT IN TAUT CONDITION IN SAID GROOVE DURING LONGITUDINAL SLIDING EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENT IN SAID LAST MENTIONED GROOVE.