Abstract: An apparatus for closing an open end of a lined folded cardboard box has a conveyor on which the boxes are advanced serially and spaced from one another; a wide flap opener for outwardly bending the wide flaps of each box at the opening; a lining spreader disposed downstream of the wide flap opener and including a spreader finger; a first drive mechanism connected to the spreader finger for rotating the same and cyclically introducing it into the opening of the serially advanced cardboard boxes for spreading and partially flattening a leading end of the box lining; and a pressure shuttle carrying two pressure rails for movement downstream of the lining spreader. The pressure rails cooperate bilaterally with the lining precedingly handled by the lining spreader for completing the flattening of the lining. The apparatus further has a second drive mechanism for imparting a reciprocating motion to the pressure shuttle for effecting a reciprocating motion of the pressure rails.