Abstract: The invention relates to a multiple pot comprising individual pots interconnected by connector portions so as to be capable of being pulled out. The multiple pot is used to raise and transplant seedlings of plants. The invention also relates to a method of fabricating the pot. The pot is designed especially to promote growth of roots across the side walls of the individual pots after transplantation. Also, the resistance encountered when the multiple pot is unfolded is reduced. Further, the individual pots are uniform in size. These feature arise from the facts that the connector portions are formed by applying a waterproof paste discontinuously and that a water-soluble paste is not applied around the edges of the individual pots created when the multiple pot is unfolded. Hence, a coating of the paste is formed in none of these portions. The multiple pot is fabricated by continuously carrying out three steps.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for embossing at least one fold line in a substantially rigid plastic material for use in collapsible folding box with angle windows is disclosed, and the apparatus has a roll of plastic material, a heating zone for heating a length of the roll fed plastic material, an embossing zone located downstream of the heating zone for forming at least one fold line in the heated plastic material, a punching zone for intermittently forming cutout portions in the plastic material, a takeup device for creating a variable length slack in the plastic material for providing the continuous movement of the plastic material through the heating zone and the embossing zone and the intermittent movement of the plastic material through the punching zone, a cross-cutter to cut the plastic material at the punched holes, a suction roll to convey the cut plastic material for connection to a glue-coated cardboard box blank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing cartons by sticking together facing surfaces of a hinged flap and a wall of each carton by means of a solvent-based, preferably water-based, adhesive, in which the cartons are continuously moved along a line past an adhesive applicator which applies a deposit of adhesive to the under surface of the flap, first pressure rollers arranged to bring the flap surface temporarily into contact with the side wall to transfer some of the adhesive to it and to thin out and spread the adhesive on the flap, a hot air nozzle which enters within the acute angle formed between the two surfaces when the flap is released from the first pressure rollers and which directs hot air onto the surfaces to effect partial drying of the adhesive, and a second set of pressure rollers to press the flap against the side wall to effect final sealing.

Abstract: A machine for receiving a handle strip from a dispenser, rotating the strip to align it with a predetermined location on a moving carton blank, and applying the strip to the blank. A vacuum head for gripping the strips is carried by an arm mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the moving blanks. The vacuum head is rotated through rotation of a pinion, which itself is rotated by a reciprocating rack. A cam follower mounted in a stationary cam causes the rack to reciprocate, thereby postively moving the rack in both directions.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming a three-piece paperboard, bulk shipping container from a flat collapsed tubular body member and a pair of flat end members, which apparatus and method includes means for erecting the body member from the flat collapsed to the tubular erected condition, pushing both end members against opposite ends of the erected body member at the same time, and then folding and securing the flanges of the end members to opposite ends of the body member.

Abstract: The machine consists of a first flow line which conveys box blanks from feed station to a box-filling station, a second flow line for products, leading to a third station where the products are collated to form groups which are then transferred to the box-filling station where they are inserted into the boxes, and finally a third line which carries the boxes made at this latter station, each boxes containing a group of products, to a fourth station where the boxes are completed.

Abstract: A method of forming a basket-style carrier in which a securing strip (16d) provided at a free end portion of a base panel (16) of the carrier is inserted into a space (42) created between a side wall (14a) and partition panels (14d) associated therewith so that the securing strip is secured to an inner face of that side wall internally of the carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for erecting a carton having laminated corner structures. A multi-sectioned corner flap is folded progressively between an outer guide in the form of a longitudinal row of rollers and a spiraling row of conical rollers that accurately pinches a bent corner edge of the corner flap structure against the end panel to which it is joined in the carton blank. Surface-to-surface contact between the glued portions of the corner flap and the end panel is prevented until the folding action has been accurately completed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for setting up a basket-type carrier from a collapsed state. The carrier includes pair of foldable end panels connected to opposite ends of a slotted base panel, side panels foldably connected to opposite sides of base panel, and pair of foldably connected panel sections forming a handle. Each end panel has foldably connected upper and lower sections initially in face-to-face relation. Each upper section has side segments foldably connected to ends of the panel sections. A U-shaped insert piece is assembled with the carrier and has upstanding legs extending through the slotted base panel and retaining the handle panel sections in face-to-face relation. The panel sections of the collapsed carrier are in coplanar relation and when the collapsed carrier is at a first station, external force is applied to the panel sections causing same to fold relative to one another into upright face-to-face relation.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening flattened cartons having a pair of minor flaps and a pair of major flaps. A constant speed conveyor carries a horizontally disposed flattened carton across an actuator having a cam surface. The cam surface moves upward to fold one pair of major and minor flaps upward and then downward to fold the other pair of major and minor flaps downward. A clamp grasps the upward folded major flap and draws it upward as the conveyor moves the carton forward causing the carton to open. The clamp releases the major flap and the carton moves past a glue gun which applies glue to the minor flaps. A pair of curl bars folds the major flaps against the glue coated minor flaps. An extending platen presses the flaps against a roller bank permitting the glue to set. The platen retracts and the opened and bottom-sealed carton is completed.

Abstract: An automatic case erector and sealer apparatus useful in the erecting of packaging cases, boxes and cartons from flats, utilizing case puncturing and gripping pins, spraying adhesive onto the interior surfaces of the case flaps, while the flaps are in a semi-open position, and sealing the minor and major flaps of the erected flats with compression to thereby secure the major and minor flaps for subsequent filling of the formed case, box or carton with consumer goods.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a flip top carton wherein the top of the carton has a front flap and side flaps, each having a lower section folded upon the body of the carton and a middle section folded on the lower section. The apparatus has a former associated with a conventional cartoning machine which projects into an erected tubular carton spreading the front and side flaps while inwardly pressing the top portion of the carton to fold the lower section on the top portion of the carton and the middle section on the lower section to form a collar. The apparatus further includes a glue station for applying glue to the internal surfaces of the overlying middle and lower sections. The apparatus further includes compression sections for pressing the lower and middle sections to which glue has been applied together to complete the formation of the collar.

Abstract: A paperboard tray forming machine is disclosed which is designed for forming a paperboard tray from a flat production blank. The paperboard tray has front and rear end panels hingedly attached to side panels by means of folded gusset corner panels. The tray further has folded over corner flaps hingedly attached to the gusset panels and upwardly turned top flaps hingedly attached to the front and rear end panels. The machine is formed in a plurality of stations designed to take a paperboard flat production blank from a hopper and to fold the tray into the finished shape through a series of folding and glueing stations in the machine. The path of travel through the machine is in a generally U-shape. The various folding and glueing stations are positioned around an endless traveling conveyor having a plurality of mandrels attached thereto. The carton blank advances first in one direction and then turns in a U-shaped path and advances in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A box-erecting machine characterized by a squaring mechanism for squaring and delivering box blanks to a receiving station, said blanks being characterized by depending leading and trailing minor flaps, a driven reciprocating carriage supported for rectilinear travel including a trailing pusher assembly mounted on the carriage for sequentially engaging each squared box blank and for advancing the blank toward a glue applicator, a major flap folding and compression station, and minor flap folding assembly including pivotal fingers for forwardly infolding the trailing minor flap as it is engaged by the pusher and a rigid tongue mounted in the path of the blank for rearwardly folding the leading minor flap as the blanks are advanced from the box blank receiving station.

Abstract: A machine for folding and gluing a continuous web in high speed operation. A continuous web which has solidified glue thereon in selected regions is folded. Heat is applied to the folded web to melt the glue, particularly in specific areas of the folded web. Pressure is applied to the specific areas to urge together the folded portions of the web and the melted glue therebetween. Then the folded web travels between heat transfer members which rapidly cool the folded web and the glue between folded portions thereof. Thus, the glue is solidified and the folded portions are firmly adhesively attached together.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a high-speed case-erecting machine characterized by a bottom-feed hopper, a pneumatic picker and a pair of live transfer rollers for transferring from the hopper flattened, knocked-down cases to be received at a case-squaring station equipped with vertically separable pneumatic cups for squaring the cases, a chain-driven, reciprocating conveyor of adjustable modular construction for transferring squared cases through a series of flap-manipulating stations at which the flaps located at one end of each case are closed and sealed, thus to provide a series of erected cases.

Abstract: Covers for floppy discs and like media are first formed with three sides sealed and thereafter the disc is inserted. A fourth flap must then be folded and glued for permanent sealing of the disc. The subject machine receives the unsealed cover with the disc inserted and folds and glues the flap to seal the disc in the cover.

Abstract: A machine for forming a container with full width 3-ply laminar end walls from a preformed cardboard container body blank having side and outer end wall ply forming panels along the sides and ends of a bottom forming panel and inner end wall ply forming panels extending endwise from the ends of the side wall panels. The machine erects and seals the body blank with a mandrel and forming die to form a finished container by applying glue to selected end wall panel surfaces, folding the inner end wall panels upwardly relative to the side wall panels, and then folding the side and outer end wall panels in succession to upright positions relative to the bottom panel to upstanding side by side positions inwardly of the outer end panel with the confronting end panel surfaces in mutual adhesive bonding contact.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a reinforced half-slotted container in which each of the side walls is formed by outer side wall and a reinforcing panel which is the same size and height as the outer side wall. The reinforcing panel is attached to the outer side wall along a score line at the top of the outer side wall.In the method, either the two interior reinforcing panels or the two exterior reinforcing panels are adhered to their outer side walls and then the other two reinforcing panels are adhered to their outer side walls. The container is then formed in the normal manner to fasten the glue joint to the opposite side wall.The apparatus has a first forming station in which the interior reinforcing panels are glued, folded over and adhered to the outer side walls, and a second forming station in which the exterior reinforcing panels are glued, folded over and adhered to the outer side walls.

Abstract: A carton blank may be folded by folder blades supported on an adjustable plate positioned on one side of a chain which carries a clamp by which the carton blank is pulled through the machine. After folding, the blank is glued to complete a flat shell and the shell is then inverted; the clamp is articulated so the shell may be turned in a horizontal plane to align a datum line on the shell to a datum line on a cartoner machine.

Abstract: A box blank with receptacle and cover sections each with side flaps and end flaps has a hinge panel joining the two sections. A vacuum pickup draws a flat blank from a supply stack to a feed carriage which transfers the blank past sprays that apply glue to the end flaps. The speed of the carrier varies, but beneath the glue sprays speed is uniform. The carriage delivers the glue coated box blank to a former and a tray forming head having concave and convex interacting pressure plates which maintain doubled over end flaps of each section in a concave configuration with respect to the box while the folded end sections are adhered to form a box tray from the blank. Former flap benders cooperate with the tray forming head to shape the box tray. A second vacuum pickup clasps the formed tray at the hinge panel and draws a shaped tray from the forming head into engagement with folding elements such that the cover and receptacle sections are bent together along the hinge panel to form a closed box.

Abstract: An apparatus for setting up folded cartons in which a frame has a folded carton magazine attached thereto adjacent a carton conveyor. A carton set-up station is mounted at one end of the conveyor adjacent the magazine, and the bottom carton in the magazine is grasped by suction cups and moved to the set-up station. The carton is set-up in the set-up station and fed to the conveyor as the minor flaps are folded, glued, and the major flaps folded, and finally, the major and minor flaps compressed for the glue to dry and the carton discharged.