station the article 10 as sandwiched between the film is progressively driven to the next station which comprises the main heater 36 and evacuation device 38 in this heating and evacuating station again there are opposed upper 36a and lower 36b heaters which are actuated when the article 10 arrives at a predetermined position therebetween along with opposed vertically movable frame members 44 and 46 one on each side of the article 10 which are moved toward each other to pinch the plastic films together about the perimeter of the article the location of the article 10 and the edge portions of the upper and lower webs of film with respect to the lower frame member 46 is illustrated more clearly in fig4 since the frame members 44 and 46 are vertically aligned it will be understood that the upper frame member 44 is similarly transversely spaced from the article 10 and the edge portions of the webs also a plurality of vertically projecting vacuum needles 40 are reciprocally mounted below the lower film 15 and are attached to a vacuum header 42 the vacuum needles 40 are elevated to a position where they pierce the lower film 15 and project upwardly a predetermined distance to an intermediate position within the article 10 so that upon the film 15 and 26 being heated to its softening or fusion temperature the air within the volume occupied by the article between the opposed upper and lower films is evacuated causing upper 26 and lower.