Abstract: A tool assembly for a thermoforming machine has a tool holder having an abutment face and a tool having an abutment part. The tool and holder have a groove and a rail fittable in the groove for fitting the tool to the holder into a working position with the abutment part abutting the abutment face. A part-conical seat centered on a tool axis is formed on the tool. A pin formed with a part-conical head face complementary to the seat and centered on a pin axis is carried on the holder. The seat and head are positioned on the tool and holder such that in the working position the axes are generally parallel but slightly offset from each other and the part-conical head face is axially engageable with the seat.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus has a drive disk rotatable at a transfer station about a central axis and defining an eccentric axis offset from the central axis. An inner drive shaft centered on the eccentric axis is rotatably journaled in the drive disk at the eccentric axis. An inner arm is fixed to and extends angularly from the inner drive shaft. An outer arm is pivoted at the inner-arm outer end, and a grab is pivoted on the outer-arm outer end. A drive rotates the drive disk about the central axis and thereby orbits the inner arm, the outer arm, and the grab about the central axis. An inner controller changes an inner angle formed between the inner arm and the outer arm, and an outer controller changes an outer angle formed between the grab and the outer arm.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermoshaping a thermoplastic foil has a lower tool carried on the frame and having an upper face formed with an array of upwardly open mold cavities, and an upper beam vertically displaceable above the lower tool. A punch plate fixed on the upper beam is provided with an array of downwardly projecting punches fittable in the cavities. A hold-down plate below the punch plate is limitedly vertically shiftable relative thereto. The hold-down plate is formed with an array of holes through which pass the punches. An actuator downwardly shifts the upper beam when the foil is extending horizontally between the lower tool and the hold-down plate for first pressing the foil with the hold-down plate against the upper face of the lower tool and then pushing the punches through the holes against the foil into the cavities to form pockets in the foil at the cavities.

Abstract: A shaping machine has upper and lower shaping tools movable vertically between an open position spaced apart and spacedly flanking a shapable strip passing between them in a generally horizontal travel direction and a closed position gripping the strip and also movable horizontally parallel to the strip between an upstream tool position and a downstream tool position. Upper and lower clamp plates offset horizontally from the shaping tools are also movable vertically between an open and closed positions and movable horizontally between upstream position and downstream clamp positions. Respective drives connected to the tools and plates alternately move the tools and the plates between their open and closed positions. This drive also move the tools and plates downstream in the direction substantially only when in the respective closed positions and moves the tools and plates upstream in the direction substantially only when in the respective open positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a thermoplastic film moving along a path has a radiant heater to one side and generally above the path directed at the film so that the heater heats the passing film, a reflector to an opposite side and generally below the path opposite the heater, and a coller connected to the reflector for cooling it to a temperature below a melting point of the film.

Abstract: A press for shaping a workpiece sheet. The press has upper and lower platen holders displaceable vertically toward and away from each other between a closed and an open position, respective upper and lower platens carried on the holders and vertically flanking the workpiece sheet extending horizontally between them, a hold-down plate on one of the platens and having a substantially planar face turned toward the other platen, and a plurality of bars on the other platen having edges directly engageable with the planar face of the hold-down plate.

Abstract: A tool assembly for a thermoforming machine has a tool holder having an abutment face and a tool having an abutment part. The tool and holder have a groove and a rail fittable in the groove for fitting the tool to the holder into a working position with the abutment part abutting the abutment face. A part-conical seat centered on a tool axis is formed on the tool. A pin formed with a part-conical head face complementary to the seat and centered on a pin axis is carried on the holder. The seat and head are positioned on the tool and holder such that in the working position the axes are generally parallel but slightly offset from each other and the part-conical head face is axially engageable with the seat.

Abstract: A base sheet is spanned over a lower roller, and an upper roller pulls a cover sheet along a path and presses it against the base sheet at the lower roller. A preheater housing along the path upstream of the rollers is formed with a chamber open toward the path. A radiant heater in the chamber is directed transversely at the path so as to heat the cover sheet passing along the path. A sensor along the path adjacent the chamber detects atmosphere around the chamber and generates an output when the detected atmosphere indicates an unsafe hot condition of the cover sheet. A shutter can shift between a retracted position offset from the chamber and an advanced position closing the chamber. A controller connected to the sensor shifts the shutter from the retracted position to the advanced position when the output is generated by the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermoshaping a thermoplastic foil has a lower tool carried on the frame and having an upper face formed with an array of upwardly open mold cavities, and an upper beam vertically displaceable above the lower tool. A punch plate fixed on the upper beam is provided with an array of downwardly projecting punches fittable in the cavities. A hold-down plate below the punch plate is limitedly vertically shiftable relative thereto. The hold-down plate is formed with an array of holes through which pass the punches. An actuator downwardly shifts the upper beam when the foil is extending horizontally between the lower tool and the hold-down plate for first pressing the foil with the hold-down plate against the upper face of the lower tool and then pushing the punches through the holes against the foil into the cavities to form pockets in the foil at the cavities.

Abstract: A base sheet is spanned over a lower roller, and an upper roller pulls a cover sheet along a path and presses it against the base sheet at the lower roller. A preheater housing along the path upstream of the rollers is formed with a chamber open toward the path. A radiant heater in the chamber is directed transversely at the path so as to heat the cover sheet passing along the path. A sensor along the path adjacent the chamber detects atmosphere around the chamber and generates an output when the detected atmosphere indicates an unsafe hot condition of the cover sheet. A shutter can shift between a retracted position offset from the chamber and an advanced position closing the chamber. A controller connected to the sensor shifts the shutter from the retracted position to the advanced position when the output is generated by the sensor.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus has a drive disk rotatable at a transfer station about a central axis and defining an eccentric axis offset from the central axis. An inner drive shaft centered on the eccentric axis is rotatably journaled in the drive disk at the eccentric axis. An inner arm is fixed to and extends angularly from the inner drive shaft. An outer arm is pivoted at the inner-arm outer end, and a grab is pivoted on the outer-arm outer end. A drive rotates the drive disk about the central axis and thereby orbits the inner arm, the outer arm, and the grab about the central axis. An inner controller changes an inner angle formed between the inner arm and the outer arm, and an outer controller changes an outer angle formed between the grab and the outer arm.

Abstract: A method of transferring packing units from a receiving station to a stack building station includes the steps of delivering the packing units to the receiving station in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of tracks in a conveying direction, accepting the packing units in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of tracks at a transfer apparatus, removing all packing units of desired properties from a first row not only including packing units of desired properties, storing the at least one packing unit of desired properties, and positioning the at least one stored packing unit of desired properties in a row following the first row, so that only rows of packing units of desired properties are collected at the stack building station.