Clamp assembly for bag producing machine

In a machine for producing a stream of plastic bags including a frame, a drum mounted for circumferential movement on said frame for rotation about a predetermined axis, and a pair of parallel chain loops one on each side of said drum carrying cross clamping and cutoff sealing wire means to develop individual bags from a continuous, folded plastic web, an improved clamp mechanism comprising:

• a relatively axially elongated clamp mounting crossbar extending generally between said chain loops and having an arm portion at each end connected to said chain loops,
• a pair of clamps resiliently coupled to said crossbar and positioned on the radially inward side thereof whereby said clamps are adapted to assume different radial attitudes relative to said drum,
• two pairs of axially-spaced apart pivot brackets fixed to said crossbar and extending radially inwardly therefrom, the brackets in each pair being aligned on opposite sides of said crossbar and a bracket of one pair being axially aligned with a bracket of the other pair,
• a pivot shaft on each side of said crossbar pivotally mounted in said axially aligned brackets,
• a generally circumferentially extending pivot pin fixed in each pivot shaft, and
• a channel mounted on each pivot shaft and equipped with openings receiving said pivot pin, said channel having a bight portion spaced slightly radially outwardly of said pivot shaft to provide a clearance space, said channel being coupled to an associated clamp whereby said channel and associated clamp are adapted to assume different pivotal positions relative to said pivot shaft and therefore said crossbar.