Abstract: Apparatus for packaging articles is provided comprising a plate member 10 having a plurality of apertures (12a, 12b, 12c) therein. Each aperture has at least two openings and receives an article or group of articles through a first opening. Each aperture has non-return stop means (20) to releasably retain an article or group of articles therein. Plate member 10 has means to register (32, 34) one or more packages (26) there against so that rotation of plate (10) and package (26) or packages while in registration allows articles (14, 22, 24) in the apertures (12a, 12b, 12c) to move into positions in package (26) pre-determined by the position of the apertures. The invention also provides a process of packaging articles using such a plate member (10).

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for molding flowable materials. The mold may be provided with deformable or collapsible mold surfaces and a forming member which is positioned in the mold when producing a shell molded article is also deformable or collapsible. After the molded article is formed the forming member and/or the mold surfaces are deformed or collapsed to facilitate removal of the article from the mold and to avoid "backlocking" of the article in the mold.

Abstract: Apparatus and process in which one plate, or several accurately superimposed plates carry items to be packaged. On inversion of the plates, items either fall directly into the voids of a partitioned box or fall into individual packages held by a plate, which packaged items are then ejected by pushrods into a single box. A plate may have cut-away portions such as V-shaped grooves which receive upstanding edges or partition walls of a box to accurately register the box with the plate and contents and nest the box into the plate to achieve configuration-accurate inversion of the items to be packaged.