Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved apparatus and method for manufacturing completed foam plastic containers. An endless mandrel chain carries cup forming mandrels along a manufacturing path. After each mandrel is preheated, a bottom blank is placed on the mandrel bottom and held there by a vacuum. A cylindrical blank formed from longitudinally stretch-oriented foam sheet material is then placed onto the mandrel. This cylindrical blank is tightly tamped onto the mandrel and is clamped in place. Radiant heat is then used to shrink form a finished container. The bottom is then sealed to the cylindrical blank and the mandrel is transferred to a curling assembly where the top edge portion of each finished container is lubricated and then curled to form a finished rim. The apparatus of the present invention may form containers having a dual tapered configuration which allows the containers to be more tightly stacked.

Abstract: An edible food container provided with a moisture resistant barrier coating composition having a substantially uniform thickness on at least the internal surface thereof and which is substantially free of blocking and cracking, said coating composition being selected from the group consisting of a food grade modified fat (emulsifier), a food grade modified fat (emulsifier) containing a filler material and a fat containing a filler material.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method wherein preprinted rectangular blanks of longitudinally stretch-oriented foam sheet material are continuously formed into cylinders by a tubular forming mandrel on which the blanks are folded, seamed and thereafter transferred onto final forming mandrels. Subsequently, the blanks and the final mandrels are heated to shrink the blanks so that they assume the shape of the final forming mandrels. In forming containers, means are provided to place bottom blanks on the product mandrels prior to the loading of the cylinders thereon so as to shrink the cylinders to sidewall shapes overlying the bottom blanks. The top curl on containers such as drinking cups and food tubs is formed after shrink forming. Further, the bottom seam of the container may be reinforced by ironing after shrink forming.

Abstract: An ice cream cone product is provided having a sanitary paper jacket adhered thereto which is sufficiently adherent for shipping, handling and vending but which is selectively removable without leaving jacket remnants thereon at the point of consumption. A jacket is telescopically juxtaposed over the cone after the jacket interior is dosed with water vapor or steam. A conveyor for the cones, a timed dispenser and injector for the jackets placing the latter alternately on the same conveyor with the cones, a device to combine each jacket with a cone and an accumulator for the jacketed cone product comprises the apparatus to practice the method.

Abstract: A drink-through lid for beverage containers is disclosed in which a pre-scored drink-through section is included which is removable by squeezing gripping surfaces on opposite sides of a score line which fractures the score line and permits the section to be pulled from the lid while causing the score to initiate a tearing action through the peripheral bead cavity of the lid to facilitate such removal. A continuous thermo-forming and scoring process and apparatus are provided to manufacture lids with scored sections having a predictable response to applied squeezing pressure on the gripping surfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating edible food containers with flavored barrier coatings. The coating material is allowed to flow into the interior of the container to coat the same. The containers are then manipulated to remove the excess and dried. A coating is then flown onto the exterior of the container which is subsequently dried.

Abstract: A tamper-evident closure for a container comprises a center portion for overlying an open portion of a container, a seal portion, and a circumferential line of weakness surrounding the seal portion and defining a circumferential tear-strip. At least the tear-strip comprises deformable material. The tear-strip comprises a portion which creates a separation therein upon deformation when the closure is secured to a container. A method for applying the closure to containers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stepping motor is used to feed sheet stock to a blank making assembly in a container making process. A translator provides necessary pulses to the stepping motor and is controlled by a counter which is provided with a pulse train indicative of the number of pulses provided the stepping motor. The contents of the counter compensate for the number of pulses necessary to stop the motor which will be produced by the translator. Alternatively, a print registration indicia may be sensed to initiate deceleration of the stepping motor. The indicia is offset a predetermined distance from a point of proper registration in order to compensate for the distance necessary to decelerate the stepping motor.

Abstract: A merchandising package for prolonging holding and serving periods for food products served in edible baked containers is provided in which an edible baked container is provided with an internal moisture barrier and nested snugly in a conformally shaped external container which is of a substantially moisture impervious material. The external container has a top curl (rim) portion on which is snap-fitted the seating skirt of a domed clear plastic lid which protects the food product while permitting it to be viewed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved apparatus and method for manufacturing completed foam plastic containers. An endless mandrel chain continuously carries cup forming mandrels along a manufacturing path. Cylindrical blanks are formed and transferred to the mandrels along the endless mandrel carrier chain. As the endless mandrel carrier chain passes the cylindrical blanks and associated bottom blanks through a heat shrink oven, it is important for the endless mandrel carrier chain to continuously travel in order to prevent the heat damage which would be present if the cup blanks were halted in the oven.

Abstract: A serving kit and package for confections includes an unfilled ice cream cone nested in the bottom of a conformally shaped conical jacket which is scored for separation along an annular line located below the rim of the ice cream cone. The upper end of the cone jacket is shaped to receive a snap-on lid, the latter being supplied together with a spoon or other eating utensil to complete the serving kit. Frozen dessert above the cone rim can be eaten with the spoon and then the package can be separated to consume the filled ice cream cone in a conventional manner.

Abstract: An induction furnace utilizes a channel-shaped induction coil disposed along a mandrel movement line within a cup-making machine to produce eddy currents within a conductive grid arranged intermediate between the induction coil and the mandrel movement line and also within the mandrels themselves. Cylindrical thermoplastic sheet blanks are mounted on the mandrels, and as a result of the heat generated by the eddy currents within the conductive grid and mandrel itself, shrink about the mandrel to produce a finished container conforming to the surfaces of the mandrel. The induction coil is driven by a high frequency alternating current power supply and may be controlled by the placement of a thermocouple within the furnace. By varying the permeability of the inductive grid and the forming mandrel, the mandrel temperature may be controlled separately from the temperature applied to the exterior surface of the cylindrical blanks of thermoplastic material by the conductive grid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for entraining gas as a blowing agent in a thermoplastic melt to provide a foamed thermoplastic extrudate wherein an annular sheet-like flow of gas under pressure is impinged on a tubular configuration of melt to entrain the gas in the melt is disclosed. Also disclosed is an improved method and apparatus for controlling the pressure in the thermoplastic melt.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for pressure and/or plug assist and match molding configurations for in-line continuous rotary thermo-forming systems. The pressure assist, plug assist and matched mold devices are carried on continuous endless loop indexing structures which accurately index them with the mold cavities in respective rotary mold wheels to achieve high thermo-forming speeds without loss of quality in the ultimate products. The drives of the continuous endless loop indexing structures are synchronized with those of the mold wheel. The systems are continuous ones in which the webs to be thermo-formed are continuously extruded and from which the thermo-formed products are continuously cut and stacked downstream of the rotary mold wheel, with the web selvage being returned and recycled into the extrusion device.

Abstract: A dynamic cooler apparatus is provided for dynamically cooling molten plastic extrudate while pumping metered amounts of that extrudate to an extrusion die or the like. The dynamic cooler apparatus utilizes bi-helical gears in a gear pump configuration in a housing in which a heat exchange medium is circulated. The heat exchange medium is also circulated internally of the gears so that the gear teeth and the housing act to cool discrete volumes of extrudate from four sides defined by the gear teeth and the internal surface of the housing. The bi-helical gears are driven to minimize loading between the teeth thereof and to permit the teeth to be as small as practical to present more cooling surface for a given cross-section of extrudate and optimize the heat transfer capability of the dynamic cooler apparatus. Provision is also made to use the molten extrudate as a lubricant for the shafts and bearings of the bi-helical gears.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous thermoforming of sheet material including an extruder, stretching means, a rotary wheel having female mold means thereon and plural plug-assist means interlinked so as to form an orbiting device having the plug-assist members engaging the sheet material about a substantial arc of wheel surface and means to reciprocate the plug assist members into and out of engagement with the female mold means.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously extruding, biaxially orienting and intermittently forming molded products from a web of thermoplastic material and further, continuously separating the products from the web selvage, stacking and handling the products and recycling the web selvage for further extrusion. The apparatus uses intermittent molding and biaxial orientation devices into which configuration the continuously extruded web is interfaced by continuous-to-intermittent interfacing loop arrangement which preserves the dimensional and orientational integrity of the web and maintains sufficient thermal stability therein to provide molded products which are free from defects such as stretch marks and other inertial and thermal discontinuities normally anticipated in cases of intermittent web advance of thermoplastic material at thermoformalbe temperature levels.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously extruding, biaxially orienting and forming molded products from a web of thermoplastic material and further, continuously separating the products from the web selvage, stacking and handling the products and recycling the web selvage for further extrusion. The apparatus use continuous molding devices, namely, multiple mold cavities in a rotating polygon configuration over the peripheral surface of which the biaxially oriented web is securely and continuously positioned by a follower roller interfacing the polygon with a biaxial orientation device. Continuous and immediate interfacing is effected to prevent loss of orientation in the web which is kept at a temperature suitable for ingestion thereof into the mold cavities by vacuum, pressure or plug assist. In one preferred embodiment the inertia at the interface between the undulating peripheral surface of the rotating mold polygon and biaxial orientation apparatus is reduced to an optimal minimum.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for fabricating and seaming two-piece containers such as frustoconical cups and the like are provided which include a two-piece mandrel having retractable tip or nose piece which is coaxial in its relation to the main body of the mandrel in its extended position and retracts to an offset position. The retraction/extension path is configured to constrain the surface of the tip or nose piece to impart a progressive sealing pressure to a portion of the container side seam against the reaction surface of a seam clamp. The tip also has vacuum porting for holding a bottom blank during the container forming process and acts to seal the bottom blank in the container bottom curl and in the case of effecting heat sealed seams in the container, to position the bottom blank so as to preclude heat damage to the bottom wet line area of the container.