Abstract: An apparatus for erecting cases from flat blanks (20'). The apparatus includes a frame (42), a hopper (48), a vacuum arm (68), minor flap folders (80), major flap folders (90, 108), a case pusher bar (98), and a tape applicator (112). The frame includes a deck (54). The hopper is attached to the frame at an input end (144) of the frame. It includes guide members (58) to receive a stack of the flat blanks. The vacuum arm is attached near a feed end (124) of the hopper. The arm has vacuum suction cups (70) to pull the flat cases from the hopper into a tubular configuration against the deck. The trailing and leading minor flap folders are arranged and configured to fold the trailing and leading minor flaps, respectively, of a case after it has been pulled from the hopper. The top major flap folder is positioned above the deck near the feed end of the hopper. It folds the top major flap after a case has been pulled from the hopper. The bottom major flap folder is disposed beneath the deck.

Abstract: A machine for forming an H-section carton (19) from three corrugated blanks--two section blanks (21a and 21b) and a main body blank (23)--is disclosed. The machine has a generally L-shaped silhouette, with one leg of the L shape generally defining the path of travel of the section blanks and the other leg defining the path of travel of the main body blank. A supply of vertically oriented section blanks are located on opposing sides of the section blank leg. The two section blanks facing one another are simultaneously moved toward the main body blank leg, along parallel paths. The section blanks are first moved past glue heads (61a and 61b), which apply glue to the center region (22a and 22b) of the facing surfaces of the section blanks. Then, section forming mandrels (85) ram the section blanks toward one another into a U and H-section forming die (87). More specifically, the section modules first deform the section blanks into a U-shape.