Abstract:
Apparatus which welds cut lengths of a thermoplastic film-tube in the manufacture of sealed sacks, said apparatus including: motor-driven guide members such as a pair of metal bands which grip a flat length of the tube transversely just below a cut open end thereof to provide front and rear side edges of the tube projecting from the guide members a distance approximately equal to the intended breadth of the weld, said guide members being arranged to advance the resulting projecting or exposed two-layer strip of tube end-face edges through the welding apparatus; a resistance member to contact the advancing strip to fold open its front side edge or leading edge as it is being advanced; knife means in the path of the advancing strip to cut it first at its front side edge and subsequently at its rear side edge; guide plate means to then fold apart the advancing strip; heating means to heat the inner surfaces of the folded apart strip to a fusing temperature; and finally means to press the two-layer strip back together to complete the weld.