Heat sealing wrapping device

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR WRAPPING A THERMOPLASTIC FILM ABOUT AN ARTICLE AND HEAT SEALING OVERLYING LAYERS ONE TO ANOTHER, THE IMPROVEMENTS COMPRISING: (A) A FIRST JAW AND A SECOND JAW FOR GRIPPING ADJACENT LAYERS OF SAID THERMOPLASTIC FILM AND FOR PRESSING SAID LAYERS OF FILM INTO CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER ALONG A LINE OF FUSION AND SEVERANCE; (B) MEANS MOUNTING SAID JAWS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO THE SAID DEVICE WHEREBY PRESSURE APPLIED TO ONE JAW MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS AND BOTH JAWS PRESSED TOGETHER; AND (C) AN ELECTRICALLY HEATED WIRE SPACED BETWEEN ABOUT 1/64 AND 1/32 INCH FROM THE NEAREST POINT AT WHICH SAID JAWS CONTACT ONE ANOTHER. SAID WIRE BEING MOUNTED INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID JAWS AND BEING SO POSITIONED THAT WHEN SAID JAWS ARE BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER WHILE TWO LAYERS OF FILM ARE THEREBETWEEN AND SAID JAWS ARE PIVOTED TOGETHER, SAID FILM WILL BE FORCED AGAINST SAID WIRE AND WILL BE CONTACTED AND SEVERED, THE LOWERMOST OF SAID JAWS BEING A HEAT RESISTANT BLOCK HAVING A GENERALLY U-SHAPED GROOVE THEREIN, SAID ELECTRICALLY HEATED WIRE BEING POSITIONED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SAID U-SHAPED GROOVE WHEN THE SAID JAW IS IN A NORMAL RELAXED POSITIONED AND NO PRESSURE IS BEING APPLIED THERETO.