Foil welding device

A welding and evacuating device for sealing a thermoplastic bag, said device comprising:

• a housing;
• an operating surface located on the front side of the housing;
• a welding wire extending longitudinally across the operating surface for welding the sides of the top of said bag together;
• suction means projecting from the operating surface adjacent one end of the operating surface for evacuating air from said bag;
• a slot defined between the suction means and the operating surface for receiving one side of the top of the bag;
• an extension protruding from each of two opposed sides of the suction means for holding said one side of the top of the bag in a filling position while the other side of the top of the bag is held by an operator who is filling the bag, the top of the bag thereby being horizontally oriented;
• a cover pivotably mounted on the housing;
• a pressing ledge located on the bottom surface of the cover, the ledge, in a closed condition of the cover, pressing against the welding wire;
• a sealing ledge extending from the suction means to the other end of the operating surface, in parallel with the welding wire;
• a strainer slidably mounted on said sealing ledge, said strainer operating in a raised position and a closed position, said strainer in said raised position being slidable on the ledge, and said strainer in said closed position holding said other side of the top of the bag between the walls of the strainer and the ledge when the top of the bag is stretched across the sealing ledge from said suction means towards said other end of the operating surface, said strainer embracing the furthest extension of the top of the bag to orient the sides of the top of the bag one against the other except for where the suction means is inserted between the sides of the top of the bag;
• means for activating said suction means;
• and
• means for energizing said welding wire.