Apparatus for thermoforming plastic articles

Abstract

Apparatus for forming plastic articles by a thermoform process. A plastic sheet is supported between an upper female and lower male mold. The heater assembly is moved horizontally over the sheet which is heated and caused to conform to the lower molds shape when the upper mold is lowered thereabouts, thus forming the desired object. Vacuum means retain the formed object within the upper mold assembly during separation of the molds and deposits the formed object on the top of the heater assembly upon its repositioning over the lower mold to heat a subsequent sheet. The formed object is carried away from the molds on the top of the heater assembly upon subsequent horizontal retraction of the heater assembly from between the molds. An air jet from an orifice on the top surface of the heater assembly then propells the formed object onto a conveyor belt.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.