Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which applies hot melt tape to substrates such as cartons or boxes which are fed through the apparatus in a timed, spaced manner. The requirement of applying the tape to each spaced carton is met by integrating the feeding and cutting of the tape to the timing of the carton or box feeding machine. The tape is applied to a predetermined location with a desired cut length determined by the configuration of the apparatus. The apparatus can be mounted on existing machines such as folder gluers or mounted on dedicated machines.

Abstract: In a carton erecting, loading and sealing machine for packaging a plurality of articles in a sleeve type carton, the gluing and sealing station of the machine is provided with a pair of upper folding plates and a pair of lower folding plates on either side of the carton conveyor for folding the upper and lower end panels of the cartons against the dust flaps of the cartons after glue has been applied to seal the cartons. Each folding plate is mounted through rotatable mountings to a pair of cranks which move the folding plates downstream as the plates fold and seal the end panels to the dust flaps.

Abstract: In a carton erecting, loading and sealing machine for packaging a plurality of articles in a sleeve type carton, the gluing and sealing station of the machine is provided with a pair of upper folding plates and a pair of lower folding plates on either side of the carton conveyor for folding the upper and lower end panels of the cartons against the dust flaps of the cartons after glue has been applied to seal the cartons. Each folding plate is mounted through rotatable mountings to a pair of cranks which move the folding plates downstream as the plates fold and seal the end panels to the dust flaps.

Abstract: An improved method of gluing a package in an in-line packaging machine. The package is of the type having a plurality of leading and trailing end flaps which are glued to be together during the packaging process. The novel method comprises in part providing at least two glue nozzles in the line of the packaging machine direction with one glue nozzle facing downwardly and upstream while the other glue nozzle faces downwardly and downstream so that the glue is applied to a pair of the end flaps by one nozzle in an upwardly direction and by the other nozzle in a downwardly direction as the package is moved through the packaging machine past the glue nozzles. Subsequently thereafter, the other pair of end flaps are turned inwardly and are held in position after being glued until the glue sets. The four flaps of the package are turned inwardly by a first and a second flap closing means.

Abstract: A new and improved ovenable paperboard carton for use in a microwave and conventional oven is disclosed. The improved carton comprises a bottom tray having a plurality of side panels with gusset panels attached thereto and combines the bottom tray with a new and improved upper lid which has a central top panel and a plurality of side panels hingedly attached thereto. The upper lid contains a pair of strategically placed reverse cuts which form a tear-off portion for the carton. The tear-off portion is designed to provide corner reinforcement to the package. When the tear-off portion is removed from the upper lid, a pair of structurally supporting channels are formed along opposite edges of the carton to add stability, with the corner reinforcement, to the package upon removal of the lid. The upper lid is adhesively secured to the bottom tray to further enhance the rigidity of the package.

Abstract: A tray feeder including a corrugated sheet folding apparatus for rapidly feeding a plurality of corrugated sheets stored in a gravity hopper attached to the apparatus and folding the sheets into a tray shape for reception of cans or other goods, the feeding and folding of the sheets being done in a continuous, smooth and rapid flow (as opposed to the intermittent flow of the tray feeders of the prior art). The corrugated sheets are stacked in the hopper in such a manner that the upper portion of the foremost sheet is overhung in relation to the central and lower portion of the same sheet with the overhung stacking of the sheets causing the foremost sheets to separate at the upper portion thereof thereby breaking the vacuum between the upper portions of the sheets.

Abstract: An improved package lock is disclosed that may be used in a folding carton package of the type having an inner and outer flap which are double locked together, that is with at least one primary lock utilized in combination with at least one secondary lock with the secondary lock functioning to keep the primary lock from disengaging. The subject invention comprises the inner flap having formed thereon a primary female lock adjacent to the edge of the inner flap and the inner flap also having formed adjacent and separate from the primary lock, a secondary male lock. The new and improved lock structure may be utilized for an end-loading type package and also for a wrap-around type package.