Patent ID: 8499536

Claim:
A packaging apparatus for an indexing-motion packaging machine, the machine comprising a web transport conveyor transporting a first web of flexible packaging material along a direction of transport from upstream to downstream locations through a series of stations for forming at least one pocket in the first web, placing food product in the at least one pocket, and closing the pocket with an second web of packaging material; the packaging apparatus comprising: a forming station comprising first and second forming die members, at least one of the first and second forming die members being movable between first, open position relative to the other one of the first and second forming die members in which position the movable forming die member is moved away from the first web, and a second, closed position relative to the other one of the first and second forming die members in which position the movable forming die member engages the first web and assists in forming the first web into the pocket; wherein the movable forming die member is movable into a third, extracted position along a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the movable forming die member between the first, open and second, closed positions and transverse to the direction of transport of the first web, the movable forming die member being moved to said third, extracted position to enable tooling change; and a lift that is selectively operable to register and unregister the movable forming die member in the packaging apparatus; wherein when registered, the movable forming die member is prevented from moving from the first, open position into the third, extracted position and wherein when unregistered, the movable forming die member is free to move from the first, open position into the third, extracted position; wherein the lift is configured to move the movable forming die member between a registered position and an unregistered position; comprising a base supporting movement of the movable forming die member between the first, open position and the second, closed position; wherein the base comprises top and bottom parts that are biased together to position the movable forming die member into the unregistered position and wherein actuation of the lift moves the bottom part away from the top part to move the base and the movable forming die member into the registered position.