Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for heat sealing a thin porous facing sheet onto the perimeter of a flexible ethylene-containing foam shell having a non-planar face surface. In the method, the facing sheet is applied to the non-planar surface of the foam shell attached to a foam sheet, and the facing sheet is clamped by a die assembly and rapidly heated and sealed onto the shell perimeter by a plug containing a heating element shaped to the shell perimeter being clamped onto the facing sheet and shell. To provide a close non-wrinkled fit of the facing sheet onto the foam shell, the facing sheet is first slit at spaced intervals transverse to the sheet length dimension and intermediate the foam shells before being clamped and heat sealed onto the formed shell perimeter. Apparatus for transversely slitting the facing sheet and for heat sealing it onto the formed shells is also disclosed.

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First Claim