Method of and apparatus for opening a folded web of heat-sealable packaging material prior to formation of the web into sealed reclosable packages

Apparatus for opening a folded web of flexible heat-sealable packaging material prior to formation of the material into sealed reclosable packages, said web having generally parallel side edges extending longitudinally of the web, and a pair of interlocking reclosable closure strips extending longitudinally of the web on an inside face of the web, said closure strips dividing the web into a plurality of sections extending longitudinally of the web, including a first section extending between one side edge of the web and one closure strip and a second section extending between the other closure strip and the other side edge of the web, said web being folded along a fold line extending between and generally parallel to said closure strips so that said second section of the web is folded over with its inside face flat against the inside face of the first section of the web and so that the closure strips are interlocked, said apparatus comprising

• means for holding a supply of folded web for travel of folded web fed from the supply along a predetermined path through the apparatus,
• a web-opening station adjacent said path, folded web approaching said station being disposed in a first plane,
• web-opening means for opening the folded web while maintaining the closure strips interlocked as the web advances past the web-opening station, said web-opening means being engageable with the folded web to divert said first section of the web out of said first plane to lie in a second plane different from said first plane, and to divert said second section of the web out of said first plane to a lie in said second plane so that said first and second sections of the web are co-planar in said second plane and unfolded relative to one another,
• said closure strips remaining interlocked as said first and second sections of the web are diverted from said first plane to said second plane.