Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a sealed and filled container in which a preform of crystallizable plastic material having a body, a closed bottom portion and an open mouth portion is filled with the goods to be sealed therein whereafter a mechanical forming and thermocrystallizing tool is applied against the closed bottom of the preform, with pressure, to reshape the bottom of the preform by displacing at least a portion of the bottom of the preform inwardly of the body towards the open mouth of the preform. The tool is heated so that the temperature of the bottom portion is greater than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the plastic material and the tool is maintained in contact with the bottom portion during its reshaping for a length of time sufficient for the plastic material to obtain a total crystallization of at least 15%. The open mouth portion is sealed to produce a sealed and filled container.

Abstract: A handle taping system provides a mechanism for a taping station that is actuated by the passage of any of a variety of articles or products being conveyed therepast. A length of a first pressure sensitive carrier tape, whose length is automatically determined in accordance with the length of the article is applied in adhering relation to the leading face of the article and the tape drawn lengthwise from the reel by passage of the article therealong. A second, blanking ribbon is released in adhering relation with the first tape, having the pressure sensitive adherent face of the tape pressed in securing relation with the ribbon, to form a handle portion. As the article trailing end passes a first limit switch the blanking ribbon is automatically severed, thus limiting the length of the blanked handle portion of the first tape to a desired length relative to the length of the article.

Abstract: A blow-molded and tempered PET container specially adapted for hot filling includes a plurality of panels situated in circumferentially spaced locations around the periphery of the container, the panels bulging outwardly with respect to the body portion immediately contiguous thereto. The panels are mechanically reconfigurable to an inwardly collapsed position with respect to the immediately contiguous body portion for providing controlled volumetric reduction of the container to compensate for the development of a partial vacuum within the container.

Abstract: A packaging container is closed by using a double seam 152 to secure over the container body 70 a cover 74 of smaller diameter than is usual, creating a radial space 104 around the cover chuck wall 122 into which the body sidewall 72 is deformed to form a neck 76. The cover is initially placed on the body to form a sealable interface 142 therebetween, this interface being preserved throughout the seaming process. The body and/or the cover may be of plastics or metal or a laminated material. In an aseptic packaging process, a primary seal is created at the interface 142 under sterile conditions, seaming subsequently being carried out under non-sterile conditions.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a reclosable package having a body member, a base, a hermetic seal between the body member and base and snap locking projections in the side walls of the body member and base.

Abstract: A packaging machine comprises a deep drawing station for deep drawing containers in a film sheet and a sealing station for sealing filled containers by means of a cover sheet. For obtaining a reclosable package means are provided for forming protuberances in the edge of the packages, wherein the protuberances cooperate for reclosing the container.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for securing a bed of charcoal under pressure in a plastic material housing in the manufacture of charcoal filter canisters for gas masks. The bed of particulate charcoal is placed in the housing and covered with a retainer. A compactor is placed on the retainer and loaded to produce the desired compaction of the charcoal. An ultrasonic welder is then used to secure the retainer in place for one embodiment, a spring-loaded compactor is placed on top of the retainer and an ultrasonic nodal horn is placed over the compactor. The horn presses the compactor against the retainer with the necessary compressing force to compress the charcoal bed, while at the same time producing an ultrasonic weld around the periphery of the housing, welding the retainer in place. The compactor seats on a nodal point of the horn, so that ultrasonic vibrations are not transmitted from the horn through the compactor to the charcoal bed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a simply constructed apparatus for and a ready method of blockading a mouthpiece of a transfusion synthetic resin container used for medical drip infusion. Based on the apparatus and the method thereof, insertion of an instillation needle can be facilitated, and there is no leakage of fluid. Besides, low costs of manufacture suffice, and high efficiency can be attained.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for filling open-ended tubes to a level below the top of the open end of the tube with a hydraulic silicone elastomer wherein a first composition and a second composition are provided to a static mixer and the mixture is supplied to the tube. The level of the elastomer in the tube is sensed by an ultrasonic sensor. When the desired predetermined level of the elastomer in the tube is reached, a signal from the ultrasonic sensor terminates the flow into the tube. The filling rate includes a fast fill rate followed by a dribble rate. The tube is vertically adjustable relative to the level sensor, and an adjustable tube stop provides a precise level adjustment.

Abstract: A container or can having a body and end portion which include plastic free ends and which are joined and sealed by cooperatively curling the juxtaposed ends. The body portion has an opening surrounded by a free end suitable for curling. The container end portion has a generally flat or dish shaped central lid portion with a peripheral skirt having a free end adaptable to the container body free end and suitable for curling. The container body and end portions are joined by juxtaposing their free ends so that they form a double wall followed by curling with a curling tool to intimately engage the ends and concurrently curve the perimeters thereof to one another in a tightly curled configuration.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for inserting objects into balloons. The apparatus preferably includes a housing having a balloon chamber and a vacuum pump chamber therein. The balloon chamber is large enough to accommodate an inflated balloon and has a lid through which the inflated balloon can pass. The vacuum pump chamber houses a vacuum pump which is in gaseous communication with the balloon chamber in order to create a vacuum therein. The lid includes an adjustable mechanism for first expanding and then maintaining a balloon orifice in an expanded condition to enable access to the interior of the balloon in a position in which the balloon extends downwardly from the lid to a position inside the balloon chamber. The vacuum pump may then be actuated to cause the balloon to inflate within the balloon chamber so that the desired object may be inserted through an access opening in the lid to the inside of the balloon.

Abstract: This invention relates to an endwall for a container having a panel portion surrounded by a substantially vertical wall portion which terminates into a narrow rim. The rim is connected to a sidewall of the container. The wall portion extends outward from the container and is adapted to be reformed inwardly into the container in a controlled manner by an external mechanism to reduce the volume thereof after the container has been filled and sealed. The invention also relates to a method of packaging a product in a container having a body opened at one end and closed at an opposite end by an endwall as described above. The method includes the steps of filling the container with a product and sealing the open end, thermally treating the filled and sealed container, and reforming the endwall inwardly into the container. The sequence of steps can be rearranged.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a reclosable package having a body member, a base, a hermetic seal between the body member and base and snap locking projections in the side walls of the body member and base.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a reclosable package having a body member, a base, hermetic seal between the body member and base and snap-locking projections formed in the side walls of the body member and base.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for preventing rotation of bottles in a capping machine while caps are screwed onto bottle necks with capper heads which develop slight axial forces. An especially configured stationary guide member develops an off-center, mechanical force on the shoulder of the bottle which produces an anti-rotation frictional force at the bottle base while wedging the bottle into frictional engagement with an especially configured neck pocket in the capper star wheel. The guide and neck pocket are shaped to maintain the bottle in axial alignment with the capper head while the cap is started onto the bottle neck which support is removed when the cap is tightened so that the aforedescribed pocket frictional engagement can occur.

Abstract: A method of packaging food in raised state, comprising the steps of forming a displaceable wall portion integrally with and in the central section of a bottom wall of a food container so that the wall portion can be projected into and out of the container when the wall portion is pressed inward and outward, inserting a food in the container with the wall portion kept projecting outward, sealing the container with a film, and pressing the wall portion so as to be projected into the container and thereby raise the food above the plane of the upper end of the container against the tension of the film. Since the food is placed in the container with the displaceable wall portion kept projecting outward, the falling of the food during the food packing operation can be prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus 10 for effecting sealing of a fused quartz ampoule 24 while maintaining a vacuum on the ampoule via system 12 is disclosed. A plug 28 of fused quartz is lowered into the vertically disposed ampoule 24 (while maintaining the vacuum thereon) and heat sealed therein to prevent any vapor escape from, or contamination of, the contained semiconductor growth charge 29 during subsequent semiconductor crystal growth processes. A rotary vacuum feed-through mechanism 16 selectively rotates axle 34 and spool 32 to unwind wire 30 for lowering of plug 28 into the reduced diameter portion 24b of ampoule 24. Ampoule 24 is hermatically connected to vacuum housing 18 by quick release flange 20 wherein O-ring 22 retains ampoule 24.

Abstract: A container used for compacting materials such as low level radioactive waste has a device used to keep the compacted material from springing out of the container when the compacting force is removed, thus resulting in a significant increase in the final compacted density. The device develops its restraining force by using the beam strength of its members. The device includes a louvre attached to the container, enabling the cross beams to be snapped into place with a wedge shape of the cross beam end or a hydraulic clamping device external to the container.

Abstract: A tubular body provided with a first end wall is filled through the open end thereof and sealed by a second end wall. One of these walls has a hole therethrough closed by a closing means, this wall being initially of generally concave configuration with the closing means disposed entirely inwardly of a plane passing through the rim of the wall. The concave wall is subsequently changed to a generally convex configuration with the closing means disposed at least partially outwardly of the plane.

Abstract: The apparatus incorporates a conveyor having a generally horizontal upper run which includes container receiving and supporting apertures, at a first station. At a second station along the conveyor path, the containers are each filled with a predetermined amount of a flowable product which is dispensed into each of the containers during relative vertical separating movement of a filler nozzle with respect to each container. Thereafter, each of the product-filled containers is conducted to a third station along the conveyor path wherein a closure fitment is positioned within the opening of the filled conical container. At a fourth station along the conveyor path, a crimping device mechanically crimps the upper edge of the container about an upturned annular flange of the closure fitment to thereby form a mechanical connection between the closure fitment and the conical container. The flange of the closure fitment is sealed, to the container to form a liquid-tight sealed packaging container structure.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for the packaging of radioactive waste wherein a steel container is placed in a horizontal hydraulic press chamber with the open end of the container turned toward a hydraulic ram, radioactive waste is accumulated ahead of the open end of this container, the ram is advanced to displace the radioactive waste into the container and then to corrugate the container wall and compress the radioactive waste against a retractable wall and the wall is then retracted to permit the ram to force the package out of the chamber.

Abstract: A separate capping assembly for a centrifuge tube includes a stopper having a plug adapted for close fitting receipt on the interior of the neck of the tube being sealed and a complimentary tubular sleeve sized for close fitting receipt over the exterior of the tube neck. The sleeve is responsive to a radially inwardly directed force by deformably crimping to compress the material of the neck of the bottle into an annular seal defined between the plug and the sleeve. The annular seal so formed resists fluid leakage from the interior of the tube during centrifugation of the tube.

Abstract: A method of securing a bottom plate made of a plastic material to one end of an open-ended, hollow cylinder made of a plastic material to produce a plastic cylindrical container, wherein the bottom plate is held in a horizontal position and the open-ended, hollow cylinder having an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom plate is positioned in enclosing relation to the bottom plate in such a manner that a portion of the cylinder projects upwardly a predetermined distance from the bottom plate. The upwardly projecting portion is heated and softened and bent radially inwardly into contact with an outer marginal portion of the bottom plate. The bent portion of the cylinder maintained in contact with the outer marginal portion of the bottom plate is pressed and heated, so as to join them by the fusion thereof.

Abstract: A novel ice cream product container with complementary closure member is disclosed. The container body member is usually of paperboard and formed from an integral blank comprising edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to wall members, which reinforcing flaps are then folded down upon and secured to their respective wall members to provide a reinforced portion of double thickness in the container formed from the blank. This folded-over, reinforced portion is also present in the flat-folded tube produced from the blank, the squared-up tube, the erected container, and finally in the closed and filled package. This folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness contains defined areas of low resistance adapted to receive lugs formed in a wall of the complementary closure member. The closure member also provides a complementary channel between essentially upstanding and downstanding walls for receiving the reinforced portion of the container walls in frictional engagement therewith.

Abstract: An improved beverage container holder manufactured by a process including the steps of providing a cylindrical outer cup of foam material and press fitting a cylindrical inner cup within the outer cup after filling the annulus formed therebetween with a refreezable fluid. The cylindrical inner cup includes a radially extending flanged region at the open end which comprises an inwardly and downwardly tapered rib circumferentially disposed about the cup for engaging and becoming embeded within the side walls of the cylindrical outer cup to form a cylindrical seal therearound. A resilient outer ring means is snapped over the juncture between the respective open ends of the inner and outer cup to secure the seal therebetween.

Abstract: A novel ice cream product container with complementary closure member is disclosed. The container body member is usually of paperboard and formed from an integral blank comprising edge-reinforcing flaps articulated to wall members, which reinforcing flaps are then folded down upon and secured to their respective wall members to provide a reinforced portion of double thickness in the container formed from the blank. This folded-over, reinforced portion is also present in the flat-folded tube produced from the blank, the squared-up tube, the erected container, and finally in the closed and filled package. This folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness contains defined areas of low resistance adapted to receive lugs formed in a wall of the complementary closure member. The closure member also provides a complementary channel between essentially upstanding and downstanding walls for receiving the reinforced portion of the container walls in frictional engagement therewith.

Abstract: A method for sealing a cylindrical or truncated cone shaped container body the lower end of which is sealed with a base, comprising the steps of pouring a liquid into said container body through its upper open end to a predetermined level, slightly deforming upwards said base, and thereafter sealing the upper open end of said container body.

Abstract: A machine and process useful for fastening a closure member to a container with an upstanding tubular wall, an end edge of which is folded over onto itself to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end, the closure member having an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto and conforming to the outer surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion, thereby forming a tubular channel in which the folded over, reinforced portion is seated in frictional engagement, which comprises a dish-shaped fastening head adapted to be positioned around the closed end of the container between the jaws of a pincer, one end of which comprises a punching point and the other of which comprises an anvil, and a wedge or a wedging toggle arranged to wedge a plurality of said punching points into selected portions of the upstanding tubular inner wall of the channel into the inner surface of the

Abstract: A machine and process useful for fastening a closure member to a container with an upstanding tubular wall, an end edge of which is folded over onto itself to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end, the closure member having an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto and conforming to the outer surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion, thereby forming a tubular channel in which the folded-over, reinforced portion is seated in frictional engagement, which comprises a dish-shaped fastening head adapted to be positioned around the closed end of the container with an upstanding side wall in contact with the side wall of the closure member and functioning as an anvil, and radially-moveable punching points for punching selected portions of the upstanding tubular inner wall of the channel into the inner surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion against the po

Abstract: Containers having their bodies made from laminate material, such as paper board/plastic foil/metal foil laminates, readily tend to distort and this results in unreliable application of metal foil closure caps used to seal the mouths of the containers. The present invention provides apparatus for successively advancing cylindrical containers of this type beneath a cap-applying device and for restoring distorted containers to their true circular cross-sectional to enable correct application of the caps to the container mouths. The apparatus comprises two star wheels, having equal pitch circle diameters, which are mounted side-by-side with their axes of rotation parallel and spaced apart by a distance less than the common pitch circle diameter of the two wheels. The latter have equal numbers of part-circular recesses in their peripheries for engaging containers.

Abstract: Containers such as those used for food stuffs having a generally frusto-conical initial shape are constrained into a forming die during the handling of the containers for injecting quantities of edibles and the like therein such that the containers are constrained to enter a die having a generally square configuration and then, while still in the die, the containers are filled with food or other material and a square lid is fed into position above the filled container and placed thereon to maintain the square configuration of the upper end thereof. The resulting containers provide a much more efficient packaging for equal volumes of product when compared with the more conventional frusto-conical shape containers. The invention is particularly well-adapted to packaging ice cream and the like.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for manually closing foil containers of the type having a generally horizontally extending shoulder for supporting a closure lid and an upstanding closure flange which is foldable over onto a closure lid. A hand-held tool is employed in combination with a closure die member which holds the container in stable condition during the closing operation. The tool has a key means which is inserted into a mating track in the die member which surrounds the pocket means of the die member. The tool is advanced within the track and effectively plows the upstanding closure flange down onto the upper surface of the closure lid thereby effecting a closure.

Abstract: In supporting the curved lower portion of a thin-walled plastic container against deflection due to top loading during a filling, capping or like operation in order to prevent damage thereto, the improvement which involves confining support to a localized curved area of such lower portion only while maintaining a seating ring section substantially unsupported, thereby effectively accommodating containers for damage-resistant loading which have incrementally increased in height or assumed slightly off-vertical seating positions due to prior creep.

Abstract: A pressure resistant seal for a metallic container is formed between a cylindrical portion having one end open and a cap which seals the open end of the shell. The cap is in the form of a frusto-conical flange which is inserted narrow end first into the open end of the shell and the container is sealed by means of a capping tool which pulls the flange against a die, deforming the flange and forcing the edge of the flange into the wall of the shell.