Apparatus and process for the fusion bonding of thermoplastic articles

An apparatus for the fusion bonding of thermoplastic articles, including:

• a frame having a central longitudinal axis;
• first and second article support members movably mounted with respect to said frame for supporting, respectively, first and second thermoplastic articles in opposed relation and on opposite sides of a fusion plane including said longitudinal axis, and further with each of said thermoplastic articles in a select orientation with respect to its associated article support member;
• an article heating member and means forming first and second heating surfaces on opposite sides of and having a select orientation, with respect, to said fusion plane, and a heating member moving means for reciprocating said heating member along said longitudinal axis between forward and rearward heater positions with respect to said article support members;
• a first article moving means drivably associated with said first support member for reciprocating said first thermoplastic article toward and away from said fusion plane and for pivoting said first thermoplastic article between a first open position in which a first bonding surface of said first article is substantially aligned with said first heating surface, and a first closed position in which said first bonding surface is substantially aligned with said fusion plane;
• a second article moving means drivably associated with said second article support member for reciprocating said second thermoplastic article toward and away from said fusion plane, and for pivoting said second thermoplastic article between a second open position wherein a second bonding surface of said second article is substantially aligned with said second heating surface, and a second closed position wherein said second bonding surface is aligned with said fusion plane;
• and
• a guide means between said heating member and said article support members for limiting movement of said thermoplastic articles towards one another and towards said closed positions responsive to the force of their associated said article moving means to thus position the bonding surface of each thermoplastic article against its associated said heating surface when said heating member is in said forward position, and further to cause a controlled movement of each thermoplastic member toward said fusion plane and toward its closed position responsive to the force of its associated said article moving means as said heating member moves rearwardly, with each of said thermoplastic articles moving to its closed position to place said bonding surfaces in contiguous relation upon movement of said heating member to said rearward position.