Abstract: Automated apparatus for forming paperboard packaging from an integral paperboard blank includes a blade for gathering a central portion of the paperboard blank, causing the width of the blank to contract. A reciprocating mandrel rams the blank into a hollow tubular former having an opening of reduced size, causing portions of the blank to form side walls properly positioned with respect to a floor portion of the blank. Pistons within the mandrel apply pressure to overlapping portions of the formed blank, to seal those portions together.

Abstract: Sheets and rolls of sheets with labels having multiple choice blocks and information areas corresponding to the choice blocks. The sheets include a closure bonding material for securing the sheets around items to be wrapped. The labels are detachably connected to the sheets with an adhesive, a perforation or a tear line. Spots of closure bonding material may be placed on the labels to hold the labels in a wrapped position. The information areas typically include data which may be selected to describe the source, type and characteristics of the items to be wrapped in the sheets. The sheets may also include detachable sleeves for protecting wrapped items during shipping and handle areas which may be punched out of the sheets for grasping the wrapped items. The handle areas may also contain information similar to that on the detachable labels. Sheets having labels with choice blocks may also be used for forming flower pots or flower pot covers.

Abstract: A machine for forming a variety of different sturdy, stackable three-part fiberboard containers having a depth dimension greater than their width dimension, and which are suitable for holding bags filled with liquid. The machine includes a slidable, removable mandrel which cycles between a fiberboard hopper area and a container forming compression area. Each of two side bins provides a fiberboard end panel to the mandrel. Just before the mandrel cycles forward, the suction cups remove two fiberboard end panels, one from each side bin, and pull them next to the mandrel. As the mandrel moves forward, the end panels are bent by the action of two folding elements. Meanwhile, a fiberboard body matt is brought into position in front of the retracted mandrel from an overhead feed unit. Adhesive material is sprayed onto selected parts of the body matt as it is placed into position in front of the mandrel.

Abstract: A flower pot cover for providing a decorative cover for an item, such as a floral grouping. The flower pot cover comprises a base portion and a skirt portion. The base portion has an upper end, a lower end, a bottom having a first thickness and a continuous sidewall extending generally between the upper and lower ends of the base portion. The skirt portion is positioned circumferentially about the upper end of the base portion and extends a distance therefrom. The skirt portion is substantially flexible and has a third thickness which is less than the first thickness of the bottom of the base portion. The base portion and the skirt portion cooperate to provide the flower pot cover with a shape sustaining configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically forming at least two sheets of material into an article, such as a flower pot cover, is provided. The apparatus includes a first roll of sheet material, a second roll of sheet material, a female die and a male die. A first sheet of material and a second sheet of material are automatically formed from the first and second rolls of sheet material, respectively, and the first and second sheets of material are positioned between the male die and the female die. The male and female dies are shaped such that at least a portion of the male die is receivable in the opening of the female die to form the article. The formed articles are automatically stacked.

Abstract: A tool for providing cup-shaped, three-dimensional ornamentations for various items, such as, pictures, jewelry, or three-dimensional objects. The various tool embodiments include a power- or manually-driven plunger that engages a section of deformable material and drives it through a tapered nozzle opening to form a funnel-shaped cup. The bottom of the cup is adhered to an adhesive surface in a preselected pattern to provide the desired ornamentation.

Abstract: A male die, a female die, air pressure and vacuum are used to form a sheet of material into a flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover. A platform supports the female die which has an opening with flat surfaces for forming panels in the base and skirt of the flower pot or flower pot cover. The male die has forming surfaces which mate with the forming surfaces of the female die. The sheet of material is centered over the opening of the female die. A bracket having a plurality of legs which align with the panel-forming surfaces of the female die is placed on the sheet of material. Air pressure and vacuum lines communicating with the opening of the female die are used to control the sheet of material as the male die enters the opening of the female die. The top surface of the platform and the bracket legs provide additional control of the sheet of material. The sheet of material is pressed between forming surfaces of the male and female die to form the flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover.

Abstract: An apparatus for constructing multi-piece cartons, comprising a tray member supply hopper, a tray conveyor, a glue station, a web placement and compression station including a reciprocating placer, a preform conveyor, a forming station having at least three vertically aligned mandrels and a carton output conveyor. The apparatus process paperboard cartons for fresh produce and the like. The apparatus is operable in a cartoning mode and a preform mode wherein flat unerected carton preforms are output.

Abstract: A bottom blank maker workstation for a cup making machine is disclosed. The cup making machine is of the type having a rotating turret and a plurality of mandrels arranged to interact with a plurality of workstations. The turret moves each mandrel in a stepwise fashion through the plurality of workstations where a bottom blank and a sidewall blank are formed and attached to one another to create a container. The workstation includes a reciprocable punch and draw that cooperate with an abutment surface and a series of protrusions to impress the lip of the bottom blank with a series of indentations. The indentations promote a better seal to the sidewall blank.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover with fins. The apparatus comprises a male mold, a female mold having an opening mating with the male mold, and means for moving the male mold into and out of the opening of the female mold with the sheet of material between the two molds. To form outwardly extending fins in the flower pot cover, fingers are extended from the male mold to push folds in the sheet of material between segments of the female mold. The female segments are closed on the folds to form fins in the sheet of material as the male mold is pressed into the female mold to make the flower pot cover. To form inwardly extending fins, fingers are moved between the female segments to push folds in the sheet of material between segments of the male mold. The segments of the male mold close on the folds to form fins in the sheet of the material as the male mold is pressed into the female mold to make the flower pot cover.

Abstract: A male die, a female die, air pressure and vacuum are used to form a sheet of material into a flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover. A platform supports the female die which has an opening with flat surfaces for forming panels in the base and skirt of the flower pot or flower pot cover. The male die has forming surfaces which mate with the forming surfaces of the female die. The sheet of material is centered over the opening of the female die. A bracket having a plurality of legs which align with the panel-forming surfaces of the female die is placed on the sheet of material. Air pressure and vacuum lines communicating with the opening of the female die are used to control the sheet of material as the male die enters the opening of the female die. The top surface of the platform and the bracket legs provide additional control of the sheet of material. The sheet of material is pressed between forming surfaces of the male and female die to form the flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover.

Abstract: An apparatus with pivoting blades and closable surfaces for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover having fins. In an embodiment for forming outwardly extending fins, the apparatus includes a male mold and a plurality of plates arranged in pairs to define a forming opening. The male mold has a plurality of fingers which are laterally extendable from the outer periphery of the male mold. A pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder is provided to move the male mold between a storage position spaced from the forming opening and a forming position within the forming opening. Each pair of plates is movable between an open position and a closed position. In operation, the fingers are extended to push folded portions of a sheet of material between the pairs of plates, which are closed to press the folded portions into fins. In an alternate embodiment for forming outwardly extending fins, pairs of movable plates are positioned between stationary segments.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing leather coin pouches. The method provides for wetting a leather assembly comprising a substantially flat, flexible leather cover laminated to a substantially flat, more rigid centerpiece, to soften the leather which facilitates the eventual forming of the leather. The method further comprises creasing the leather in a creasing die. After a preforming step designed to foldedly bias the leather assembly toward forming as desired, the leather assembly is formed into a foldedly raised leather assembly with an overlapping flap spiral closure. Finally, while its formed shape is retained, the leather assembly is dried.

Abstract: Bag of the type obtained from a single elongate planar cutting presenting two parallel long edges with the cutting being backfolded in order to define the two faces of the bag. The faces meet at a transverse bottom formed by the medial portion of the cutting and the two faces of the bag are joined edge to edge by their two long edges and the small side opposite to the bottom. The bag is characterized in that the bottom is comprised of two triangular facets which are opposite back to back from the central region of the bottom and the two triangular facets are bent back towards the internal volume of the bag. The apex of the triangle is oriented toward the outside and meets the corresponding long edge of the bag. Each long edge of the bag is formed by edge joining of the two faces and comprises, in the zone between the triangle apex and the bag base, four thicknesses or layers from the initial cutting, sealed to each other.

Abstract: Bag of the type obtained from a single elongate planar cutting presenting two parallel long edges with the cutting being backfolded in order to define the two faces of the bag. The faces meet at a transverse bottom formed by the medial portion of the cutting and the two faces of the bag are joined edge to edge by their two long edges and the small side opposite to the bottom. The bag is characterized in that the bottom is comprised of two triangular facets which are opposite back to back from the central region of the bottom and the two triangular facets are bent back towards the internal volume of the bag. The apex of the triangle is oriented toward the outside and meets the corresponding long edge of the bag. Each long edge of the bag is formed by edge joining of the two faces and comprises, in the zone between the triangle apex and the bag base, four thicknesses or layers from the initial cutting, sealed to each other.

Abstract: Bag of the type obtained from a single elongate planar cutting presenting two parallel long edges witch the cutting being backfolded in order to define the two faces of the bag. The faces meet at a transverse bottom formed by the medial portion of the cutting and the two faces of the bag are joined edge to edge by their two long edges and the small side opposite to the bottom. The bag is characterized in that the bottom is comprised of two triangular facets which are opposite back to back from the central region of the bottom and the two triangular facets are bent back towards the internal volume of the bag. The apex of the triangle is oriented toward the outside and meets the corresponding long edge of the bag. Each long edge of the bag is formed by edge joining of the two faces and comprises, in the zone between the triangle apex and the bag base, four thicknesses or layers from the initial cutting, sealed to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus having a male mold, a female mold and plurality of fingers suspended about the male mold for controlling a sheet of material being formed into a flower pot or flower pot cover. The female mold has a female opening defining a female forming surface. The male mold, in turn, has an outer periphery defining a male forming surface which mates with the female forming surface. The fingers are adapted to telescope in relation to the male mold. With a sheet of material over the female opening and the fingers in the lower position, the male mold is moved into the female opening to form the sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover. The fingers engage and control the sheet of material and telescope with respect to the male mold as the male mold is moved into the female opening.

Abstract: A pack for cigarettes and a process and apparatus for the production thereof is described. Due to several reasons (cigarette) packs quite often have greater (inner) dimensions than the pack contents (cigarette block 23). In order to fill a cavity formed hereby within the pack, a filling piece (39) is provided which is formed from a flat blank (40) folding up outer blank portions. The filling piece is formed to have a three-dimensional shape by being displaced in a folding shaft (57) with laterally arranged folding members. The filling pieces (39) produced in this way are conveyed along a filling piece track (78) and are introduced into a block track (79) in transverse direction so they can each be united with a cigarette block (23).

Abstract: A male die, a female die, air pressure and vacuum are used to form a sheet of material into a flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover. A platform supports the female die which has an opening with flat surfaces for forming panels in the base and skirt of the flower pot or flower pot cover. The male die has forming surfaces which mate with the forming surfaces of the female die. The sheet of material is centered over the opening of the female die. A bracket having a plurality of legs which align with the panel-forming surfaces of the female die is placed on the sheet of material. Air pressure and vacuum lines communicating with the opening of the female die are used to control the sheet of material as the male die enters the opening of the female die. The top surface of the platform and the bracket legs provide additional control of the sheet of material. The sheet of material is pressed between forming surfaces of the male and female die to form the flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover.

Abstract: A selection and setting apparatus in box or carton blank erecting machines which enables changing of the blank format in the machine. The apparatus includes format selectors coacting with at least two setting wheels. The setting wheels each include at least two pins which are of different lengths enabling settings for different formats. The free ends of these pins contact coacting stops arranged on the erecting tool or carton blank magazine in the machine which are movably settable to the blank size in question.

Abstract: Process for erecting a folding carton from a single-piece board blank which has a base surface, to which side panels are hinged along folding lines, and a front and back panel, where flaps are provided on the side panels that are folded into the area of the front and back panels, and where at least sections of the blanks are coated with a sealable plastic. First of all the two side panels are erected by pressing the board blank into a U-shaped female tool. Rotating lugs fold in the flaps; the back and front panels are heated up to such an extent that the plastic coating is sealable, after which the back panel and the front panel and the flaps are pressed against each other and are sealed together.

Abstract: A box forming apparatus for forming a box from a pressed cardboard blank which has been introduced on a forming matrix. The apparatus has two rectangular end plates joined together by a bridge by means of a guide and bolt system in each plate. The guide and bolt system permits variation and adjustment of the height of the apparatus with regard to the machine support. Two winged plates are pivotally attached between the end plates, the winged plates pivoting freely without the aid of pistons or springs. The respective axes of rotation of each of the wings is located at their respective top edges. The pivoting of the wings is delimited by round profiles, or stops, located on the end plates at two separate locations. One set of the stops prevent motion inward towards the center of the end plates, while a second set of stops prevent motion outward away from the center of the end plates. The wings have a bevelled bottom edge for relatively free sliding motion as the wings contact the cardboard blank.

Abstract: A flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover and apparatus and method for forming a sheet of material into a flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover. A platform supports a female die having an opening with flat surfaces for forming panels in the base and skirt of the flower pot or flower pot cover. The sheet of material is centered over the opening of the female die. A bracket having a plurality of legs which align with the panel-forming surfaces of the female die is placed on the sheet of material. The top surface of the platform and the bracket legs frictionally control the sheet of material as a male die pushes the sheet of material into the female die. A plurality of pivoting fingers at the upper end of the female die push the sheet of material against the male die as the male die enters the opening of the female die. The sheet of material is pressed between forming surfaces of the male and female die to form the flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover with fins. The apparatus comprises a male mold, a female mold having an opening mating with the male mold, and means for moving the male mold into and out of the opening of the female mold with the sheet of material between the two molds. To form outwardly extending fins in the flower pot cover, fingers are extended from the male mold to push folds in the sheet of material between segments of the female mold. The female segments are closed on the folds to form fins in the sheet of material as the male mold is pressed into the female mold to make the flower pot cover. To form inwardly extending fins, fingers are moved between the female segments to push folds in the sheet of material between segments of the male mold. The segments of the male mold close on the folds to form fins in the sheet of the material as the male mold is pressed into the female mold to make the flower pot cover.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming flat-out carton blanks into erected cartons and transferring the cartons from a forming head to a takeaway conveyor is disclosed. The apparatus includes a forming die with forming guides to receive the head and erect the carton side panels to an upright position relative to the carton bottom panel. Presser fingers pivotally secured to the forming guides transfer the erected carton away from the forming head. A differential air pressure source provides negative pressure to a manifold below the conveyor and against the bottom of the carton, and positive pressure through a nozzle to the top. This action efficiently transfers the carton to the takeaway conveyor and assures firm seating of the carton on the conveyor.

Abstract: An automatic pail box machine is disclosed which makes folded boxes from pre-made blanks of paper and attached handles from a flexible strip of blank handles retained in a removable spool. The machine includes a conveyor and clinching mechanisms for utilizing both a flexible strip a strip of straight blank handles and with blank handles the ends of which are pre-bent. Feeding blank handles into position for fastening may be provided by a feeder having electrical solenoids which are energized in timed relationship. A simple anti-retraction device is provided to insure that the flexible strip does not retract.

Abstract: A method and device for folding packing blanks along preformed bend lines, whereby a blank, before being positioned with its intermediate portion contacting the product, and folded in a U about the product with two lateral portions contacting the same, is engaged by two gripping and strain-relieving devices by which the two lateral portions are oscillated by a given angle about respective bend lines connecting the lateral portions to the opposite edges of the intermediate portion.

Abstract: A tuck folder box erection fixture which quickly erects the box blank and holds the erected folder in place while the packaging operator loads the product. In particular, an inventive fixture that is stationary and uses no moving parts to erect and hold the box in place.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming paperboard cartons from flat blanks is provided. The carton blanks are fed from a magazine to the face of a forming die, a reciprocating plunger is provided to push the blank through the die forming the carton, and an endless conveyor receives the carton after being stripped from the bottom of the die. A servo drive means for the plunger, blank feeder and conveyor are each independently driven by an infinitely variable speed electric motor. A programmable logic controller operates the servo drive means, whereby the plunger, feeder and conveyor can be infinitely varied to fit the forming action desired. The servo drive means preferably takes the form of a variable speed, electronic servo motor including an encoder and a tachometer feedback. Product sensor means detect product availability and carton sensor means detects carton availability with both sensor means also being controlled by the programmable logic controller.

Abstract: A male die, a female die, air pressure and vacuum are used to form a sheet of material into a flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover. A platform supports the female die which has an opening with flat surfaces for forming panels in the base and skirt of the flower pot or flower pot cover. The male die has forming surfaces which mate with the forming surfaces of the female die. The sheet of material is centered over the opening of the female die. A bracket having a plurality of legs which align with the panel-forming surfaces of the female die is placed on the sheet of material. Air pressure and vacuum lines communicating with the opening of the female die are used to control the sheet of material as the male die enters the opening of the female die. The top surface of the platform and the bracket legs provide additional control of the sheet of material. The sheet of material is pressed between forming surfaces of the male and female die to form the flat-paneled flower pot or flower pot cover.

Abstract: An apparatus for folding and joining boxes formed from flat or basically flat box material includes a device for advancing box materials from stock or storage to a device for pre-treating the box materials by heating prior to welding or by application of glue, a device for folding the box materials and holding the box materials in a folded position until a joining operation is ended, and a device for transporting the thus formed boxes to storage or the like.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of paperboard tray forming machines which typically consist of an upper and lower die which interlock to deform a paperboard blank. The invention is an arcuate yoke having a pair of legs to which locating stops and side guide plates are rigidly attached. The die is angled to the earth so that a blank deposited onto the die is gravity biased toward the locating stops. The yoke is vibratingly driven and the blank is vibrated into position on the lower die by contacting the locating stops and side guide plates and vibrating to the blank's lowest position on the die.

Abstract: There are provided here a hand-operated and automatic machines for producing pail boxes from pre-made blanks of paper and wire handles bonded together in the form of a bar, and a machine for producing wire handles. The hand operated pail box machine includes a folding assembly, clinching mechanisms for attaching a wire handle to the folded box, a wire handle conveyor and levers for driving machine by the user himself. The hand-operated machine has such small dimensions that several of these machines can be installed one on the other in a unit for producing pail boxes of different sizes. The automatic pail box machine in addition to said hand-operated machine, is equipped with a blank storage assembly, a feeder for feeding box blanks, a receiver for made boxes, and a mechanical drive.

Abstract: A paper tray forming machine with an improved blank centering device which consists of at least one finger which is moved upward and toward two passive stops. The finger may be shaped similarly to the blank's edge so that precise positioning occurs during the motion of the fingers.

Abstract: A carton (11) with parallel flat front and rear surfaces joined by curved sides and a flip-top lid (10) hinged to the carton. The carton is composed of two superimposed layers adhesively secured at a joint line at lapped edges. The outer layer is slit along its front surface parallel to the carton ends and along upwardly extending curves around the sides to a fold line parallel to and raised above the front slit and the inner layer (12) has a cutout in its front surface above the front slit of the outer layer. The cutout curves upwardly short of the sides where tags (13) are cut out of the sides of the inner layer and the outer layer overlaps the inner layer at the carton ends. Top and bottom closures are adhesively secured to the outer layer at the ends of the carton.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising means for engaging portions of the sheet of material and forming pleats in predetermined portions of the sheet of material having a predetermined shape whereby the formed flower pot or flower pot cover has pleats in predetermined portions and of predetermined shapes.

Abstract: A paper tray forming machine with an improved blank centering device which consists of at least one finger which is moved upward and toward two passive stops. The finger may be shaped similarly to the blank's edge so that precise positioning occurs during the motion of the fingers.

Abstract: A progammable, dynamically adjustable die stamping apparatus for die-stamping of cardboard blanks used in production of packaging trays is disclosed. The apparatus includes a dimensionally adjsutable die having a plurality of separate movable parts each coupled to threaded adjustment rods and drive motors; a programmable control is coupled to the drive equipment and can selectively adjust and lock the die parts to conform the die to any one of a plurality of cardboard blank formats. Plural air-operated lockable jacks coupled to movable members of a stamp are also provided, and the jacks operate to automatically adjust the stamp to conform to the selected dimensions of the die. The apparatus can accept plural magazines of cardboard blanks and a plurality of different blanks supplied successively; under program control, the apparatus can automatically change the dimensions of the die and stamp to conform to the desired dimensions of the finished tray.

Abstract: A flower pot for containing growing flowers or plants made by forming a sheet of material into a container having an upper end and a lower end with an object opening extending through the upper end and extending a distance through the container, the container having a plurality of overlapping folds for contributing to the rigidity of the container for cooperating in tending to maintain the formed shape of the container, and the container having a skirt extending a distance outwardly from the upper end of the container. After forming the container with the skirt outwardly extending therefrom, the skirt is formed in a downward direction to a position wherein the skirt is disposed generally near the outer peripheral surface of the container. When the plants or flowers are ready for shipment or display, the skirt again is formed or turned in the outwardly extending direction.

Abstract: A tray forming machine comprising an infeed station for accepting a blank of corrugated plastic, and a transfer mechanism which automatically conveys the blank along a plane into a blank receiving station between a tray forming ram and a forming tool frame. The tray forming ram moves downward along a vertical path carrying the blank through the forming tool frame, during which the blank is folded into a generally upright tray configuration by a series of vertically displaced side and end forming bars and brackets. The tray forming ram and blank emerge from the forming tool frame and are received in a clamping and welding assembly which holds the blank in position while it is secured by sonic welds into the upright tray. The clamping assembly releases while the tray forming ram returns to its raised position, and the tray is stripped off the tray forming ram by the bottom of the forming brackets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously folding the edges of a sheet of material, particularly the rigid plastic sheets of material having concave sections therein which are used as covers in "blister" packages. It utilizes a die having walls on the sides and a shelf inside the walls, a compressible layer which rests on top of the shelf over which the sheet of material is placed, and a heating plate which presses down on the sheet of material causing the edges of the sheet to become pliable and to bend upward against the walls of the die, and then folding the upright edges over a plate.

Abstract: In apparatus for the formation of a planar blank into a flanged container, vertically reciprocating breaker rods for engagement with peripheral edge panels of the blank for a downward breaking of the edge panels over fixed breaker blocks prior to an inward folding of the container walls. Horizontally reciprocating glue applicators deposit glue on the downwardly broken edge panels at portions thereof overlapping as the container is formed. The formed containers are sequentially fed into a forming chamber incorporating serrated wall-defining inner vertical surfaces which engage the flanges and retain the containers for progressive downward feeding. Vertically reciprocating setter bars engage and downwardly deflect the flanges of the chamber-received containers.

Abstract: A can-like container and a method for manufacturing such a container which provides a strong structure, tight gas barrier, and no effect upon the taste of food stored in the container. The body of the container is fabricated with a multi-layer sheet composed of a metal foil layer having a thickness of no more than 40 .mu.m and a hot-melt resin layer formed on one or both sides of the metal foil layer. The margin portions of the multi-layer material of the container body in corners thereof are either folded into two tucks at each corner or formed into vertical wrinkles upon molding the container body. A cover is joined to the container body, which cover is also composed of a metal foil layer and at least hot-melt resin layer.

Abstract: A pressed paperboard container (10) is formed having a bottom wall (11), an upturned side wall (12), and an overturned rim (13 ) extending from the side wall which is denser and thinner than the rest of the container. The container is formed by pressing a flat circular blank (27) between upper and lower dies (25, 26) having die surfaces (31, 32, 38, 39, 40) which shape the blank into proper form, and the surfaces of the dies (25, 26) at the rim area (13) of the container are shaped to exert extremely high compressive stresses on the rim, particularly at the folded areas (20) formed in the rim during initial shaping of the container. The high compressive stresses applied to the rim area, along with proper moisture levels maintained in the paperboard and the heating of the paperboard by the heated dies, causes the paperboard in the rim area to deform plastically, densify, and fill in voids created as the blank was pressed into the container form.

Abstract: A method of forming a container from a flat, substantially homogeneous blank of fibrous substrate, comprising the steps of shaping the blank into a formed container having a bottom wall, an up-turned side wall extending from the bottom wall, a rim outwardly extending from the side wall and a lip downwardly curving from the rim and including a plurality of radially-extending, circumferentially-spaced pleats formed in the side wall, rim, and lip, each pleat including at least three layers of the blank; and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the side wall and rim to decrease the thickness thereof to less than that of the blank and to transform each pleat into a substantially integrated fibrous structure in which the constituent layers generally lack individual identity, each structure having a density greater than and a thickness substantially equal to adjacent areas of the side wall and rim.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for simultaneously forming at least two interconnected deep-drawn containers in a single sheet of paper stock or the like. The apparatus includes a female die assembly formed to include a material-receiving cavity situated between spaced-apart first and second container-forming cavities. A blade assembly pushes a portion of the single sheet downwardly into the material-receiving cavity to provide a source of excess paperboard material from which the paper for adjacent containers can be drawn. A male die assembly moves to engage the female die assembly and draw at least the excess paperboard material deposited in the material-receiving cavity to form containers in the first and second container-forming cavities. A draw ring holds the sheet against the female die assembly during operation of the male die assembly.

Abstract: A rectangular tray-type carton formed from a blank of plastics-coated board has a peripheral flange for attachment of a closure lid. The flange is formed after the erection of the carton side wall in a punch and die arrangement, by folding down elongate panels carried along the free edges of the side wall and by subsequently joining the panels together at their ends by means of overlapping tabs which are heat-sealed together. In order to avoid damage to the tabs during formation of the side wall the uppermost tabs are folded out of the plane of the blank before it enters the punch and die arrangement.

Abstract: In an in-line converting machine, flat carton blanks are thrust into a rotary former. The former includes a mandrel over which the carton is partially formed as the former rotates through 180.degree.. Thereafter, the carton is thrust off the former by a kicker bar and into a hopper where the carton nests with previously-formed cartons. The nesting cams the glued carton panels together, thereby completing the formation of the carton.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for folding a box or trough from a preformed blank of cardboard, corrugated cardboard, duplex cardboard, coated paper, synthetic material, wood such as plywood or multiply, or other sheet or plate material, the blank being provided in advance with folding seams and consisting at least of a portion for the bottom and portions separated therefrom by such folding seams for the upright walls of the box or trough to be folded, the apparatus including means for holding the blank in a predetermined position, a first conveyor for moving the blank transversely to its plane from said position, a mould provided in the path of the conveyor and having a mould cavity which is surrounded by a set of folding members and has a bottom area extending transversely to said path and corresponding to the bottom portion of the box or trough to be folded, stops projecting into said bottom area and adapted to arrest the movement of said bottom portion and also a second conveyor for removing the blank folded in th

Abstract: A mandrel has its face formed to define a negative impression of reinforcing elements to be formed into the walls of a Bliss box. The reinforcing elements may comprise tubular corner posts and/or intermediate hollow ribs or posts. The mandrel is mounted in a machine frame for reciprocation along its axis so that upon full extension of the mandrel it is disposed within a die cavity in which the Bliss body panel is formed around a pair of upstanding end panels. When fully retracted, the mandrel is positioned beneath and adjacent to a pair of magazines for holding supplies of flat end panel blanks, positioned on opposite sides of a superstructure frame of the mandrel. The superstructure is fitted with spaced pairs of feed pawls, a first set of which strips the flat end panels out of the supply magazines to deliver them to an arrested position, corresponding to the retracted position of the mandrel, as a result of extension of the mandrel. Concurrently, the flaps of each end panel are partially shoed inwardly.