Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for forming a liquid-tight container having a rectangular cross-section formed from a one-piece, T-shaped blank of paperboard material. The carton preferably includes an access flap and straw element on one side thereof which, when manually lifted, exposes an end of the straw element from which the contents of the carton may be consumed by a user. The apparatus is compact in nature, possessing relatively few transport mechanisms which advance the T-shaped carton blank through a plurality of work stations. A novel method and apparatus for serially applying the straw element and access panel to the carton blank is disclosed, wherein the straw element and a length of polyethylene coated Mylar tape is automatically bonded to the carton blank upon a rotating heat sealing and alignment drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a sealable carton for liquids accepts from a supply station a T-shaped blank of coated sheet material that is impervious to the fluid that the carton to be formed from the blank is to contain. The blank is pre-scored to delineate the side walls and ends of the carton and is further pre-scored to delineate tabs by means of which the sealing of the carton is to be effected. The apparatus for forming the carton includes a plurality of carton blank carriers mounted on a conveyor. As the conveyor carries the blank past a first operational station the side seam sealing tab is flexed forwardly and away from the mounting plate preparatory to the formation of a side seam.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing liquid-tight a liquid filled carton, having at its open end a cover attached to the body of the carton so as to be pressed down upon and adhesively secured to sealing flaps attached to the body of the carton at its open end, has a conveyor for bringing filled cartons into registry with carton sealing assemblies each of which includes a pair of pivotally mounted arms for firmly clasping the carton in substantially complete contacting encompassment over a portion of its length immediately below the open top, and also includes a pivotally mounted plate for pushing the cover down into contact with the sealing flaps. The paperboard of which the carton is formed is preferably coated with polyethylene, and after the carton has been firmly clasped it is transported by the conveyor past a heat source which melts the polyethylene on the areas that are to be sealed together.

Abstract: A one-piece blank which may be formed into a liquid-tight carton is T shaped and is comprised of side wall panels integrally interconnected and numbering three or more to provide a carton of polygonal cross section. One of the side wall panels has integrally connected carbon end closure panels to be folded down upon and sealed to sealing tabs of the other side panels after the blank has been formed by a side-seam operation into an open-ended tube. The end closure panels are of substantially the same area as the cross-sectional area of the carton but are not provided with sealing flaps. They are embossed marginally around their free edges to provide a curvature for contact with the sealing tabs when the ends of the carton are closed by rendering the closure panels and the sealing tabs mutually adhesive and pressing the closure panels down upon the sealing tabs.