Abstract: A method of shrinking a foamed sleeve onto a tapered wall container which includes moving containers through a predetermined path, subjecting the containers to infrared heat applied by directing air past infrared heaters against the containers as they are moved in the predetermined path and progressively applying additional heat to the containers as they are moved in the predetermined path by first directing heat at the maximum container diameter and progressively applying the heat toward the minimum container diameter. In a preferred form, the heat is applied by directing heated air against the containers. In one form, the containers are rotated progressively in the predetermined path while the additional heat is applied. In another form, the containers are moved without rotation in a predetermined path while the additional heat is applied along the sides of the path.

Abstract: A device for forming a rolled rim at the unrimmed mouth of the body of a container having a body which is fabricated from a sheet of an expanded thermoplastic material, the device including a first member with a first annular rim-forming surface, and a second member which is reciprocable relative to the first member. The second member has a second annular rim-forming surface which forms a generally closed rim-forming chamber with the first annular rim-forming surface when the second member is in a first position relative to the first member, the second member being reciprocable to a second position in which the first annular surface and the second annular surface are separated to permit the withdrawal of a container with a rolled rim at the mouth from the first member.

Abstract: A two-piece nestable cup-like container comprising a continuous side wall having an open upper end and includes a recessed bottom. The side wall is formed from a single double ended sheet of a heat-shrinkable thermoplastic material. The ends of the sheet are joined to one another along a liquid-tight seam. The side wall extends downwardly from a point near the open mouth of the upper end of the container to a point near the bottom and is thereafter folded at its lower edge upwardly to form a double wall portion and a radially inwardly extending annular portion that underlies a separate bottom member that is sealingly joined to the radially inwardly extending portion on the bottom edge of the side wall. In accordance with the method and apparatus, a sleeve made from the sheet by joining the ends is heat shrunk on a mandrel and the free edge at the lower portion of the side wall is caused to shrink inwardly.

Abstract: A universal hot air nozzle and seal bar with adjustable cam for use on an apparatus for forming and assembling tubular thermoplastic sleeves. The apparatus has a circumferentially movable turret with a plurality of mandrels forming work stations thereon. At the work stations each mandrel has a nozzle and seal bar and the sleeve is wrapped around the coacting mandrel with the vertical edges of the sleeve being disposed in overlapping relation with heat being applied by a stationary heat nozzle to the overlapped edges in coaction with a stationary seal bar being subsequently advanced to the heated overlapped edges with preselected pressure to heat-seal such edges together. The improvement includes cam-actuated telescoping mounting means in the form of a slidable telescoping shaft within a slidable telescoping shaft upon which the seal bar is mounted enabling the seal bar to selectively contact the sleeve with preselected pressure.