Abstract: Rectangular blanks of laminated cardboard are converted into containers for foodstuffs or the like in an apparatus wherein the central portion of a blank is clamped between two coaxial tools one of which has a concave blank-contacting surface and the other of which has a complementary convex blank-contacting surface. The tools can enter the cavity of a matrix with edges at one end of the cavity serving to cooperate with edges bounding the surfaces of the two tools so as to define pronounced boundaries between the clamped portion and the adjacent outer portions of the blank. The tool with the concave front surface is caused to penetrate into the cavity and to push the other tool in front of it whereby the outer portions of the blank are converted into a pair of sidewalls with convex outer sides.

Abstract: A first work piece for forming a tube body (3) made of a carton blank which is coated with a fuseable plastic material on one side and which is provided with an opening in the center thereof. In this opening, a second work piece is inserted and fused having a socket and a collar for forming a discharge opening (7). Thereafter, the blank is folded in such a manner that two walls (3a) are generated which are connected with a center segment (3d) having a lens shaped contour containing the discharge opening (7). Thereafter, the side edges of the walls (3a) are fused with each other in pairs, but the end of the tube body (3) facing away from the discharge opening (7) remains open. Subsequently, filler material is filled through the opening and thereafter the edges (3c) of the wall facing the discharge opening (7) are also fused. In this manner, tube like containers can be made, which can be also closed at the discharge end by the first work piece which consists of comparable inexpensive material.

Abstract: Apparatus for arraying randomly distributed ampoules, bottles or like objects has a longitudinally grooved vibratory conveyor which receives randomly distributed objects from a magazine and converts the objects into files of aligned objects. The discharge end of the vibratory conveyor, or an intermediate conveyor, delivers the objects into a vertical duct having several longitudinally extending sections one of which is adjustable horizontally toward or away from the other section or sections to define a passage of optimum width for the selected objects. The lower end of the duct delivers successive objects onto a platform, and such objects are transferred sideways out of register with the duct by a reciprocable pusher. If the objects are bottles or the like, an orienting device is placed adjacent to the upper end of the duct to insure that the orientation of each bottle which enters the duct is the same.