Heat sealing machine

A heat sealing machine comprising, in combination:

• a base having front and rear ends;
• a lower platen, having front and rear sides, mounted in a horizontal position on the base;
• lever arm means pivotally mounted adjacent the rear end on the base rearward of the rear side of the lower platen and swingable from a vertical position to a position overlying the lower platen;
• an upper platen carried by the lever arm means for movement therewith and relative thereto;
• means for locking the lever arm means in the position overlying the lower platen and overlying the upper platen whereby the platens are locked together in a locked position;
• means for adjusting the position of the upper platen relative to the lever arm means independently of the pivotal support of the lever arm means on the base for varying the pressure between the platens when locked together;
• and
• handle means on the lever arm means for swinging the lever arm means as aforesaid and connected to and operating the means for locking as the upper platen is brought to a position superimposing the lower platen and the platens are locked together, said handle means disposed adjacent the front side of the upper platen during all aforesaid movements of the lever arm means whereby the handle means is easily accessible from the front side of the lower platen to move the upper platen between the horizontal and vertical positions.

In a heat sealing machine having a base with a lower platen mounted thereon and an upper platen movable toward and away from the lower platen, the lower and upper platens each having front and rear ends, a support linkage comprising:

• lever arm means for carrying the upper platen, said lever arm means having front and rear ends and pivotally mounted on the base adjacent said rear end of said lever arm means and swingable between a horizontal position with the upper platen closed against the lower platen and a substantially vertical position rearward of the lower platen;
• platen-adjusting means for adjusting the distance between the upper platen and the lever arm means;
• handle means on the front of the lever arm means disposed in front of the front end of the upper platen for swinging the lever arm means and the upper platen between the aforesaid positions;
• an over-center linkage mechanism for urging the lever arm means, and in turn the upper platen, toward the lower platen during final closure of the platens, said mechanism including a linkage having a first end pivotally connected to the base and a second end pivotally connected to the lever arm means;
• and
• actuating linkage extending between said handle means and the over-center linkage mechanism for swinging such linkage through an over-center position during final closure of the platens to lock the platens together.