Apparatus for laminating sheet material

Apparatus for laminating pieces of sheet material together with adhesive comprising:

• a base of rigid material having a flat upper surface formed with a plurality of relatively small size, spaced apart perforations distributed substantially uniformly over said surface;
• a rigid base support member having a flat upper surface supporting an underside of said base and having a plurality of concentric grooves interconnected with a plurality of grooves radiating outwardly of a central portion of said support member, said grooves underlying and in communication with said perforations and an upstanding peripheral rib projecting above said flat surface of said base and spaced outwardly of said perforations;
• means in communication with said grooves in said central portion of said base support member for developing a partial vacuum in said grooves for causing fluid flow through said perforations around one or more pieces of sheet material placed in contact with said upper surface of said base;
• a cover of flexible fluid impervious transparent sheet material movable between non-overlaying and overlaying positions on said base and pieces of said sheet material placed on said base to be laminated together;
• and means for sealing between peripheries of said base outwardly of said concentric grooves and said cover when in said overlaying position including a peripheral rigid frame supporting a peripheral edge portion of said flexible cover and mounted for pivotal movement relative to said base between said non-overlaying and said overlaying positions of said cover, said rigid frame including a groove around the periphery of said rigid frame confronting said rib when said flexible cover is in said overlaying position, said peripheral edge portion of said flexible cover extending across said groove and deflectable into said groove into sealing engagement against said rib when said cover is in said overlaying position.