Machine for sealing packages

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR SEALING THE JUXTAPOSED OUTWARDLY PROJECTING, PERIPHERAL FLANGES OF A PAIR OF ADJACENT PACKAGING SECTIONS OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL AND PRESENTING A PACKAGE FOR AN ARTICLE BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: A SUPPORT; A PAIR OF NORMALLY SPACED-APART, RELATIVELY SHIFTABLE MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING A HEATING ELEMENT AND THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING A PACKAGE-SUPPORTING PLATEN; MEANS SHIFTABLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT FOR PLACING A PACKAGE ONTO SAID PLATEN, THE LATTER HAVING STRUCTURE FOR RECEIVING SAID PACKAGE PLACING MEANS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP FROM A PACKAGE SUPPORTED BY THE PLATEN TO THEREBY PERMIT SAID PACKAGE PLACING MEANS TO BE SHIFTED AWAY FROM SAID PLATEN WHILE SAID PACKAGE REMAINS THEREON; AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVING A FIRST OF SAID MEMBERS RELATIVE TO A SECOND OF SAID MEMBERS IN A DIRECTION TO PLACE THE FLANGES OF THE SECTIONS OF A PACKAGE IN THERMAL INTERCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID HEATING ELEMENT WHEN SAID PACKAGE IS SUPPORTED ON SAID PLATEN, WHEREBY THE FLANGES MAY BE CAUSED TO BECOME FUSED TOGETHER AND TO SEAL THE PACKAGE AT ITS PERIPHERY.