Contact heater mechanisms for thermo-forming machines - has heater strip carrying plate mounted on each of number of platens and carrying conductor plate

摘要

The contact heater station mechanism is for use in a thermoforming machine for partic. forming thermoplastic synthetic plastic and superplastic metal alloy sheets into shapes. The mechanism includes platens mounted on the machine frame at a heating station to move toward and away from the path of travel of the sheet carrying carriages and sheets. A heater carrier for elongate electrical resistance heaters carries a contactor plate, and is rigidly mounted to each platen in a manner to permit universal thermal expansion of the carrier and plate with respect to the platen. A motor is provided for moving each platen toward and away from a carriage indexed to the heating station to move the contactor plates into and out of heat transfer relationship with the sheet releasably clamped to the carriage.