Slide frame-welding apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for forming a plastic slide frame having a base and a cover integrally hinged thereto and which is substantially coplanar in the as-made condition, with the base and cover each having apertures defined therein, comprising: a dual feed magazine having a partition and two feed wells each feed well comprising a lifting plate and clamping means for maintaining a portion of the frames in a raised position and each feed well having an open side positioned opposite said partition and which feed wells are adapted to receive the bases of a plurality of said frames formed in stacks, said feed well open sides adapted to permit the hinged covers of said plurality of frames in the stacks to protrude horizontally from the magazines; welding means for welding the covers of said frames to their bases; a straight line conveyor disposed below and associated with each feed well, each conveyor being provided with means for engaging the base of the lowermost frame in the stack and transporting the engaged frame with attached cover away from the associated feed well; a rectilinear guideway extending along each conveyor between said associated feed well and said welding means, said guideway comprising means for erecting the horizontal cover of each frame at right-angles to the base and means for folding the cover onto the base with said base and cover apertures in registry to form a folded frame; said conveyor being arranged to disengage said engaging means from said folded frame at a release location on said path; alignment means associated with each of said conveyors and located between said welding means and said conveyor release location for aligning the folded frames with respect to said welding means for a welding operation, and centering wells located adjacent said welding means; and means for inserting welded frames therein, centering means in said centering wells for engaging said welded frames.