Abstract: This relates to a sealing head for sealing lids to cartons. The sealing head is provided with suction heads or cups for receiving a lid from a lid supply and depositing such lid in position on a carton which is mounted in a nest. The sealing head is provided with a seal member which forms the seal with a nest carrying a carton so that a vacuum may be drawn within the nest both within and around the carton. Thereafter, the sealing head provides an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to fill the carton with the inert gas, after which a support further sealing head moves the sealing head down further so that a lower edge of a projecting induction heating coil will clamp a lid against a carton and effect a heat bonding of the lid to the carton. The sealing head is self contained and has a fitting including a plurality of electrical prongs and fluid line sockets for coupling the sealing head to a receptacle.

Abstract: A modular type replaceable heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring for use in an apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container. The apparatus moves the heating unit between first and second positions. The apparatus includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing the heating ring, connecting the high frequency power supply to the heating ring only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized. Preferably the ring is an inductor. A plurality of these heating units is carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance subsceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance susceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance susceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions.

Abstract: This relates to the mounting of a sealing head for sealing a plastic lid in a plastic container by way of induction heating. In order that a sealing head may be readily removed and replaced by a like sealing head for cleaning and repair, there is provided a quick detachable coupling between the sealing head and a support which is carried by a movable positioner for vertically positioning the sealing head. Further, there is associated with the support a supply unit which supplies to the sealing head electrical energy for an induction heating coil and for a gas detector. In addition, there is supplied to the sealing head from the supply unit two separate vacuum supplies and an inert gas supply with one of the vacuum supplies serving to hold a lid in place on the underside of the sealing head and the other vacuum supply serving to evacuate the container prior to the lid being applied thereto. The inert gas supply is provided to supply an inert gas to an evacuated container prior to sealing.

Abstract: This relates to a nest for receiving a container which is to be filled and thereafter have a lid applied thereto with the lid being sealed to the container by a sealing head in conjunction with the nest. Most particularly, there will be a plurality of such nests with the nests being carried by an endless conveyor chain. The endless conveyor chain is provided with special links which are elongated and wherein an upper one of each set of elongated links is adapted to have seated thereon a nest in supporting relation. Further, the chain links are connected together by customary pins which have been elongated so as to project upwardly above the chain. In conjunction with these projecting pins, the nest is provided with bores which receive the pins. Thus the nest may be readily placed on and removed from the conveyor chain. Each nest is in the form of a housing which defines a cavity for a container. An upper part of the cavity carries a seat member over which a flange of a container is engaged.

Abstract: This relates to the removal of articles from a nest which is travelling along a predetermined path. Most particularly, nests are mounted on an endless conveyor chain and carried thereby past various stations for forming a package beginning with a container, a product placed in the container, and finally a lid. This particularly relates to the removal of such a article as the afore described package. Each nest is provided with a pad or plate in the bottom thereof to be positioned below the container. The plate is carried by a plunger which projects downwardly through the bottom of the nest and also through the conveying chain. In accordance with this invention, the lower end of the plunger engages a ramp which pushes the plunger upwardly as the nest travels along a predetermined path to lift the package out of the nest.

Abstract: This relates to a mechanism for transferring carton lids from a hopper or magazine to a carton closing machine and more particularly to a sealing head of such a machine. The carton closing machine has a plurality of sealing heads each carried at a work station and mounted for rotation with the machine. The carton lid transfer mechanism includes a picker for pulling a lower most lid from the hopper and thus assisting in the transfer from the hopper to a ferris wheel assembly in sequence carton lids. The ferris wheel assembly then deposits each picked up lid on to a lid carrier of a merry-go-round assembly. The merry-go-round assembly then transfers each lid to the respective sealing head of the carton closing machine.

Abstract: This relates to a package wherein there is a container having bonded thereto for removal a peelable lid. The lid is provided with a pull tab extension to facilitate one pulling on the lid to effect removal of the lid from the associated container. The pull tab is releasably stored by folding the pull tab upon itself so as to overlie the lid and thereafter releasable bond the pull tab nose to the underlying lid to assure that the pull tab is retained during handling of the package in a position closely overlying the lid and out-of-the-way. When it desired to utilize the pull tab, the bond between the pull tab and the lid is released and the pull tab is moved upwardly and forwardly to a position where it may be readily gripped between ones thumb and adjacent finger to apply the necessary pull on the lid to effect the peeling thereof from the container.

Abstract: This relates to a dispenser for a hot melt material which is supplied in rod-like form from a spool and which is heated to the required semi-liquid dispensing state. The dispensing head is provided with a heating passage which provides for uniform heating of the rod-like hot melt material and there is further provided a special piston having a throughbore through which hot melt material is fed into a pumping cylinder as the piston retracts after a pumping stroke so as to eliminate in the dispensing head downstream of the piston any momentary voids. There is also a feed mechanism which will feed the hot melt material in accordance with the demand of the dispensing head and which will urge the rod-like hot melt material into the heating passage of the dispensing head under a preselected pressure so as to assure flow not only through the heating passage, but also through the piston.

Abstract: This relates to a machine for assembling end units with container bodies. The container bodies have cylindrical open upper ends over which a cylindrical lower portion of an end unit or dome is telescoped with the overlapping portions being adhesively bonded together. The machine receives the end units serially and by way of a Ferris wheel type conveyor moves the end units first to an adhesive applicator where a band of adhesive is applied to the interior of each end unit, after which each end unit is then telescoped over and pressed into position relative to an associated body. The operation of the machine is continuous.

Abstract: This relates to a system for reheating adhesive bonding an end unit to a can body under controlled conditions and then further telescoping the end unit relative to the can body to assure proper adhesive flow relative to the can body. An end unit has been previously applied to a can body and is bonded thereto by a hot melt adhesive which has partially set. The end unit is not in its fully telescoped position. The adhesive is reheated to a temperature wherein the adhesive has the desired fluidity, after which the adhesive is maintained at this temperature and the end unit is moved to its fully telescoped position with a bead of the adhesive flowing over and encapsulating the raw edge of the can body.

Abstract: This relates to a can, preferrably formed of aluminum, which may be formed by a drawing process and which is so constructed wherein it may utilize wall thicknesses less than those which are presently commercially permissible so as to be suitable for the packaging of food products and the like which are either hot filled or subject to retorting and still commercially compete with three-piece steel cans. A primary feature of the can is the elimination of the customary double seam securing the end unit to the can body and replacing the same with telescoping of portions of the can body and end unit and providing an adhesive bond therebetween with the adhesive bond being enhanced by the reaction of the can body and end unit under conditions of internal pressure and internal vacuum due to the radial compression of the adhesive forming the adhesive bond to increase the shear strength of the adhesive.

Abstract: This relates to the assembling of a can end with a can body wherein there is an interference fit between the can end and the can body. There is provided an assembly head which receives in centered relation the can end and squares the can end with respect to its axis and where necessary reforms the peripheral portion of the can end. The can to be assembled with respect to the can end has an upper portion thereof entering into a lower guide portion of the assembly head both to align the can body with the can end and to reform the can body should it be out of round. Telescoping may then be automatically effected between the can end the the can body to complete the assembly. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Abstract: This relates to closure assemblies for containers which are subject to tampering. This particularly relates to closure assemblies of the type which include a lever type actuator wherein the lever must be lifted to apply leverage to a closure plug portion to facilitate opening of the closure assembly. Such levers are customarily retained in place by rivets which include frangible portions. This particularly relates to the configuration of such rivets and the details of the lever wherein, once the lever has been pried from its original position and disengaged from the rivet, the lever or an end portion only thereof tilts upwardly due to the non-returnability of the rivet through its original opening thereby to present a visual indication of tampering which can be readily ascertained.

Abstract: This relates to a closure for containers, particularly containers such as containers for beverages and the like which are packaged under pressure. The closure includes an outer retaining ring portion and an inner sealing plug portion which are preferably initially molded as a unitary product, but wherein the sealing plug portion is connected to the ring portion primarily by a rupturable connecting line. The retaining ring portion is interlocked with an extreme end of the neck finish of a container and the sealing plug portion is interlocked in sealing relation with an internal shoulder of the container neck finish, which shoulder defines a pour opening. The sealing plug portion is retained in association with the retaining ring portion by a hinge strap which is elongatable under tension. The sealing plug portion is also provided with a vent opening which is normally closed by a vent valve which is held in its closed position by internal pressure and which is movable manually to a vent position.

Abstract: This relates to the forming of a flared neck terminating in an outwardly turned curl on a metal can end. The metal can end is formed with a terminal tubular portion which is cylindrical. Suitable punch and die tooling is provided for backing up the partially formed can end surrounding the tubular portion and forcing the same into cooperating relation with the curl insert, simultaneously to flare the tubular portion and to form on the end of the tubular portion an out-turned curl. The relationship of the tooling is such that the extent of the flared neck thus formed is accurately controlled. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Abstract: A novel pressure holding container formed of thin sheet metal of the order of between 10 and 4 mils wherein the container has a bottom portion and a top portion, the bottom portion having a body and an integral bottom, and in one embodiment having a necked-in upper end of the body which tightly fits into a lip portion of the lower end of the top portion and is adhesively bonded thereto and wherein the upper portion of the top portion has a toro-conical shape which under pressure wants to expand it into a spherical shape and thus through beam loading on the lip portion imposes compressive stresses thereon and holds in compression the adhesive which is interposed between the lip and the annulus of the necked-in portion of the body which is loaded in tension by the internal pressure in the container. In another embodiment of the invention, the body has no necking-in at its upper edge and is of uniform diameter from end to end and is tightly fitted into the lip of the upper portion and adhesively bonded thereto.

Abstract: A method of making a domed end for a container wherein a cup-shaped blank is initially formed and the blank has a skirt which terminates in a radially outwardly directed flange. This flange is utilized to support the blank and the resultant domed end throughout plural forming steps, and as a final forming operation, the flange is wiped down to form an extension of the skirt of the domed end with the skirt extension terminating in a narrow peripheral portion of the flange which now defines an out-turned lead-in portion for facilitating the telescoping of an open end of a can body within the skirt.