Abstract: This relates to starting up of a machine wherein a thermoformable web forms bottom of a sterile chamber in the machine and wherein it is necessary to sterilize all of the interior of the machine including forming and filling equipment as well as heating equipment. It has been deemed advisable to use as a sterilizing agent super-heated air. However, the temperature of the sterilizing air is above the melt temperature of the thermoformable web which normally forms the bottom closure for the sterile chamber.

Abstract: This relates to the mounting of a mold for movement between a forming poson wherein a cup or container is formed therein with there being simultaneously applied to the formed cup a label, and a remote position wherein the mold receives a label. In the normal operation of the mold it is necessary that the mold be first moved axially to clear the newly formed cup and then pivoted to one side to a label receiving position for receiving the label. This particularly relates to the return movement of the mold from the label receiving position to the forming position wherein the movement is effected in a single step with the movement being a compound movement instead of the straight line movement followed by a pivotal movement of the mold as it moves from the forming position to the label receiving position thereby eliminating one separate movement step and thereby greatly reducing the time required to effect movement of the mold from the label receiving position to the operating position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preforming and holding a wrapper in a orming mould constituting part of a forming station in a machine for heat-forming receptacles, said device comprising a plurality of applicator fingers movably mounted inside the forming chamber, the bottom wall comprising openings adapted to accommodate each finger, and further comprising finger controlling means which are arranged so as to ensure, on the one hand, the spaced-apart relationship of the fingers with respect to the side wall when the mould is in position of alignment with the wrapper-making device and, on the other hand, the application of said fingers against the side wall in all the other positions of the mould and during the displacement of said fingers along said side wall up to their housing in the bottom wall.

Abstract: In a stepwise drive mechanism of the type comprising a pair of endless coying members, such as for example metal chains, which are formed of a magnetic or magnetizable material, with gripping elements mounted thereon and in which the conveying members are located parallel to one another with the gripping elements fixed temporarily to a plastic film in which receptacles are formed and traverse a machine for processing food and/or pharmaceutical products having different work stations positioned at intervals whose length is a multiple of the feed steps of the drive mechanism, a drive is provided for synchronously driving the conveying members. This drive includes drive wheels respectively located in contact with a corresponding conveying member or chain along a predetermined arc and a drive arrangement for intermittently rotating the drive wheels through an elementary angular displacement which corresponds to a feed step of the conveying members.

Abstract: A process for packing a liquid, pasty or granular product, comprises: theforming, in a first chain of work stations, juxtaposed containers from a first band of thermoplastic material, these containers remaining joined to the first band by their top edges, which are in the same plane as the first band; filling the containers so formed with the product; thermoforming, a second chain of work stations superimposed on the first plurality of work stations, profiled closure lids from a second band of thermoplastic material; moving the second band stepwise and in synchronism with the first band so that each closure lid covers the open end of a respective filled container; covering the closure lids with a guarantee sheet formed from a guarantee band; sealing each guarantee sheet on the rim of the respective closure lid simultaneously with sealing of said closure lid to a rim of the respective container; and separating the sealed containers from one another, each closure lid being formed of a profiled portion a part of