Abstract: Packaging for foodstuffs, particularly meat, comprises a rigid tray (3) of plastic material, preferably polypropylene, enclosed between two opposing, preferably transparent, plastic webs (2, 4), one of which (4) has a depression formed therein in which the tray nests. The tray has corrugations (5) which give it its rigidity, with those on the base (7) also serving to support and space the contents above the base. The package is air evacuated and filled with a desired gas to prevent deterioration of the contents. The method of packaging essentially entails placing the tray, with contents, in the depression, overlying the upper web, evacuating and gasifying the partially completed package and sealing the webs together. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermoformed container having a granular product therein being made from two webs of films of flexible material is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a web of flexible film material is thermoformed into a series of cup-shaped containers, each cup having a peripheral flange around its mouth. The cups are then partially filled with a granular product such that there is a headspace between the product's top surface and the cup's peripheral flange. The cups are then placed in a vacuum/sealing/shaping chamber wherein substantially all the air inside the cups is removed, followed by sealing an upper web of flexible film material to each cups's peripheral flange. Before the sealed containers are removed from the vacuum/sealing/shaping chamber, a shaping die located in the bottom of the chamber is thrust upwardly into each cup's bottom wall.

Abstract: A fluid handling system is described wherein a small fluid volume is placed on a reversibly-deformable support, which can be deformed to form a cavity. As the fluid clings to the surface of the support, it is physically agitated and mixed as the support is deformed. The deformable support can be utilized to provide fluid containers of varying sizes, to accommodate different fluid volumes and as a transport mechanism to move fluid from one location to another.

Abstract: This invention provides apparatus and a method for forming, filling, sealing and cutoff of a package in which a thermoform film rigid bottom member is formed in a forming station adjustably positioned on a base. A loading station and a sealing station like the forming station, also adjustably positioned, are also provided. Both the forming and sealing stations have an adjusting guide means in which the roll supply is carried on a tubular support and the guides are carried on a hingedly secured threaded rod. The lower film and sealing cover as a strip are advanced by edge clamp means, with a first pair of clamps adjustably positioned and carried by a support and a second pair of clamps adjustably positioned on a support reciprocably moved along slide rails by a rotary actuator with an actuated drag link and crank arm. The acceleration and deceleration are produced by the drag link and alternate clamping and unclamping of the strip by valve means.

Abstract: A continuous molding machine (10) for forming two chains (55) of soil plugs (50) for use in germinating seeds or otherwise growing plants. A continuous sheet of paper (22) is corrugated to conform to a series of mold elements (14) and a reaction mixture (32) of polymerizing agent and soil slurry is added over the paper to conform to the mold element shape. Another sheet of paper (38) is added over the top of the mixture (32) and the entire assembly is then passed under a series of pressure belts (42, 44, 46) during which time the mixture (32) is cured. The chain of soil plugs (50) which emerges from the pressure belts (42, 44, 46) is encased on both sides by paper (22, 38) and may be cut to provide a pair of separate soil plug chains (55).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging portions of an extrudable product, such as butter or margarine. The entire apparatus is driven by a single motor with all operations being synchronized therewith. The pliable product is pumped through an extruder, cut into portions, and deposited on one layer of channeled substrate and covered with another layer of substrate, which has an adhesive applied thereto. The substrates are then drawn between compression rollers and cut between the product portions and the product portions automatically fed to trays. As each tray is filled, a rapid advance moves the tray forward a predetermined amount so that the product portions will continue to feed into the next tray. As the trays move forward, they are removed from the entire apparatus for either shipment and/or storage. The adhesive holds the upper substrate to the lower substrate for enclosing the product portion.

Abstract: A conveyor belt of medium-soft thick material is advanced, and a film of polymer material is laid thereon to advance therewith. A moldable material, usually a food material, is extruded onto the advancing base film. A portion-forming wheel having portion cavities around the periphery thereof is positioned with its portion cavities facing the conveyor belt. A cover film is fed onto the portion-forming wheel and is preferably drawn into the portion cavities. As the conveyor belt advances, the portion cavities cut the extrusion of moldable material into individual portions which are enclosed by the two films as the conveyor belt advances. The portion cavities have portion-cutting walls therebetween, and a ramped area around the cavity squeezes all of the moldable material into the portion cavities.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for producing consecutive packages for drinking straws or the like in bands of straws. The drinking straws are extracted directly from a funnel-shaped vessel by a suction roller having straw-receiving grooves distributed uniformly over the periphery and which are connected to a vacuum source. The straws are transferred individually and at a fixed rate from the suction roller to a conveyor roller, over which one of the packaging foils is guided, the transfer being carried out by means of at least one transfer finger movable to and fro transversely to the path of movement of the straws. The transfer finger presses the straws, together with an underlying packaging foil, into receiving grooves in the conveyor roller. Contacting the conveyor roller is a mating roller, over which an outer packaging foil is guided and which serves at the same time as a sealing roller. The straws are sealed in between the two foils in the roller gap between the conveyor roller and the mating roller.

Abstract: A packaging machine having a molding station for molding a container from a web of material using a molding die provided with a side wall, a bottom area and an edge area. A rotating cylinder or roll is arranged in at least part of the edge area to prevent damage to the web of material.

Abstract: A blister pack strip comprises two congruent deep-drawn carrier foils (1) of polystyrene. Each foil (1) has a thickness of between 130 and 190.mu.. The foils (1) are coated on their facing surfaces with polyethylene (2) having a thickness of between 40 and 50.mu., are welded together in mirror image to form a plurality of pockets (7), and define a plurality of inlet funnels (4) along one edge of the strip communicating with respective pockets. Each inlet funnel (4) is at least partly closed by a weld bridge (5). Welded-up squirt nozzles (8) communicating with each pocket (7) are formed on the side of the strip opposite to the inlet funnels (4), and a groove (9) is provided transversely to the squirt nozzles (8) and parallel with the adjacent edges of the carrier foils (1).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a porous laminated sheet product having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and having at least one compartment formed therein, and containing a predetermined quantity of inner product within such compartment. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a pouch-forming surface having at least one inner product loading area formed therein which further includes a cavity surrounded by peripheral land areas, a passageway adapted to place the product loading area cavity in fluid communication with a vacuum source such that suction can be selectively applied to the cavity, and one or more apertures formed through the peripheral land areas and adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air whereby outward air flow can emanate from the peripheral land areas.

Abstract: A method of producing a package is provided wherein a product is brought into a depression formed using a shrinkable sheet material, a cover is brought over the depression, the sheet material is shrunk by heating and the depression is closed with a cover by heat-sealing. In order to shrink the depression free from creases onto different and irregular product surfaces steam is admitted to the sheet material having a saturation temperature above the sheet material temperature such that the steam condensing at the sheet material transfers its heat of condensation to the sheet material. The apparatus for performing the method comprises a sealing station with an upper tool and a lower tool movable relatively thereto and having a chamber for receiving the depression, the chamber being connected with a steam generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for packaging a product, particularly a liquid or pasty product, comprising thermoforming, filling, sealing and cutting out recipients of thermoplastics material, in which the path of advance of the recipients in the forming and sealing stations is cleared by lowering the mobile part of the moulding unit and that of the lower sealing support; a lower cutting tool is used in the cut-out station, comprising a fixed longitudinal part and a mobile transverse part which is lowered to clear the path of advance the recipients; sections of supporting and guiding rail are used both in the sealing and cut-out stations and at the outlet of the cut-out station. In the sealing station, the corresponding sections of rail are used as fixed parts of sealing support, and, in the cut-out station, the corresponding sections of rail are used for longitudinally cutting out the recipients and for supporting and longitudinally guiding the latter.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of packing collected objects having different shapes and volumes, and to a packing station therefor. The method consists in assembling beforehand the objects to be dispatched in a container having a retractable bottom; the container is lowered towards an open-top chest covered with a plasticized film. The bottom of the container is removed so that the objects bear directly upon the plasticized film, whereafter vacuum is created in the inner volume of the chest in order to alter the shape of the plasticized film and thus lower the top level of the objects. Then the container is removed in turn and a rigid support is laid upon the objects and bonded to the plasticized film at the level of the flange of the aperture; finally, the vacuum is discontinued in the chest for releasing the package thus obtained. This invention is applicable more particularly to the mail order industry and the dispatching of goods in general.

Abstract: A strip of coherent packets of compacted batches of ground coffee between two overlapping webs of water-permeable material is formed along the upper reach of an endless conveyor with plates having supporting surfaces facing upwardly during travel along the upper reach and provided with recesses which communicate with a suction generating device. The first web is deposited onto the supporting surfaces of successive plates at a first station, followed by deformation of the web at a second station to form therein pockets which extend into the respective recesses and receive batches containing metered quantities of ground coffee at a third station. The batches are compacted in two stages to form cakes from which loose particles are sucked up by a nozzle before the second web is placed over the first web and the cakes.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture is disclosed which involves capturing portions of thermosealing packaging material such as film, stretching the film portions over the article to define isolated annuluses of contacting film, and severing the captured film portions together in isolated areas of the film for providing an annular seal about the article thereby providing a packaged article with the film and the annular seal tightly stretched over and conforming to the shape of the article. If the article is a living article such as a grapefruit, the packaging material is a gas permeable film which minimizes moisture migration from the article and from the package while permitting gases to diffuse into and out of the package slowing down the catabolistic destruction of the living article and resulting in greatly extended shelf life of the article.

Abstract: Effective sterilization is obtained in an apparatus for producing a succession of containers from a length of foil, charging the containers and closing the charged containers in a sterile environment, where the deep-drawing station for forming the containers in the foil includes a vertically reciprocable lower portion defining a mold recess for receiving and forming respective containers in the foil and a stationary upper portion associated with the lower portion and defining a chamber in communication with the mold recess.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for packaging articles in two portions of film which are fed between outer and inner annular film clamping mechanisms with the outer clamping mechanism firmly clamping the film portions while stretching the film over the article. The inner annular clamping mechanism then clamps the periphery of the film portions together immediately inward of the seal area, and the outer clamps release the film allowing an annular hot knife to seal and sever the film portions in a relaxed area. A low inertia film drive system is also provided with the film supply rolls on one side of the clamping mechanisms being continuously driven while brush rolls on the other side of the clamping mechanisms are intermittently driven. The low inertia film drive system also includes components for assuring that the film is stressed longitudinally and transversely to remove wrinkles therefrom, and to assure that the film portions are sealed and severed in a completely relaxed area.

Abstract: A machine for producing blister packages have several interchangeable dies with cavities, vented to the atmosphere, that differ in shape but have identical rim zones open toward an abutment plate through which compressed air is admitted for deforming a preheated thermoplastic carrier strip periodically pressed against that plate by the reciprocating die. The blisters thus formed in the carrier strip are filled with goods to be packaged and are then engaged by a transport wheel with peripheral indentations fitting around the invariable rim zones thereof, these indentations being separated by webs coacting with a counterroller to heat-seal the carrier strip onto an overlying metallic cover strip. Another, similarly indented transport wheel downstream of the sealing station, operating in a different rhythm, feeds the resulting composite tape to a die cutter dividing same into individual packages each having one or more rows of blisters.

Abstract: Apparatus for packaging of drinking straws. A cylinder having notches extending longitudinally thereof is positioned at the lower end of a hopper for the straws. The hopper has a supply conduit terminating in an outlet closely overlying the surface of the cylinder. The straws pass into the supply conduit in parallel horizontal positions to define an endless column. A feed mechanism compresses the straws within the supply conduit so that individual straws are forcefully engaged with the notches in the cylinder. A first web is fed onto the periphery of the cylinder in overlying relation to the notches and when a notch, covered by the first web, moves into alignment with the outlet of the supply conduit, a lowermost straw is forced from the supply conduit into the notch while deforming the web to the general configuration of the notch.

Abstract: A machine for packaging small objects such as medicinal pills, tablets or capsules has a path along which a carrying strip extends, passing through various stations as it does. At the first station information is printed on the strip. At the next side-by-side pockets are formed in the strip. Then comes a loading station where the pocketed carrying strip passes over a track located between two trays over which are spread the small objects that are to be loaded in pockets. Here the strip also passes beneath a divider rail that extends longitudinally of the strip between the two rows of pockets in the strip to separate those pockets so that the small objects on the trays are easily manipulated into the pockets. The divider rail also keeps the carrying strip from lifting off of the track. Following the loading station a covering strip is directed over the carrying strip, and the covering strip is heat sealed to the carrying strip around the pockets in the covering strip at a sealing station.

Abstract: A process and relevant machine and has for its object to provide a means for packing individual drinking straws, or similarly shaped articles, in sealed strips consisting of two "films" which can be either hot or cold welded. The stages of said process are as follows:(a) formation of a compact line of straws arranged and cross fed along an inclined plane onto which they are released from a hopper where they are stacked;(b) removal of the first straw from the aforesaid line with the simultaneous arrest of the second one;(c) conduction of each straw into cut-outs provided in welding rollers.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for making sealed packages for spreadable products includes means for transporting a relatively stiff base member carrying a spreadable product in the approximate center thereof, means for feeding a relatively thin flexible sheet material and for cutting such flexible material into predetermined lengths and for feeding such cut lengths to a rotatable vacuum drum having a plurality of die stations. There is a first tamper which cooperates with the die at the die station as the stations rotate past the tamper to shape each cut length of flexible material into a predetermined three-dimensional form. The three-dimensional form is transported by the vacuum drum to a position over the stiff base and the spreadable product thereon where the formed flexible sheet is released by the vacuum drum and cohesively joined along its outwardly extended edges to the base member to enclose the spreadable product positioned thereon.

Abstract: A reclosable package, e.g. for food products, is made by sealing one side of a closure strip to a first thermoplastic sheet; enclosing a product between that first sheet and a second thermoplastic sheet with the closure strip inside the enclosure; and, sealing another side of the closure strip to the second sheet while the strip and product are so enclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are proposed for the combined guidance, incorporating a register, of two continuously advanced foil strips, such as when attaching a foil cover strip to a lower foil strip including container-like recesses. The foil cover strip is preferably of aluminum and has printed legends which must be oriented precisely with respect to the container-like recesses of the lower foil strip. A marking is associated with each legend for scanning by a photo cell. The distribution of the legends and thus of the markings is somewhat closer together than the distribution of the container-like recesses. By stretching the foil cover strip, the distribution of the legends and of the markings can be adapted to the distribution of the container-like recesses.

Abstract: Ice cream lollies of complex shapes are produced by a die pressing operation, whereby a prefrozen and deformable lolly body is placed between a pair of die tools. The bodies to be die shaped may be either conventionally produced bodies as prefrozen about a stick, in which the body is held during the shaping operation, or they may be lumps of extruded prefrozen material, whereby a preparatory conventional mold freezing can be avoided. The die tools may be used additionally for concurrently providing and sealing an envelope about the final product, thus finishing it as a sales product.

Abstract: A machine for packaging tea includes a rotary dispensing drum having rows of circumferentially spaced pockets into which tea flows by gravity through outlets at the bottom of a hopper. The tea is deposited in piles from the pockets on a web of packaging material which travels in contact with the periphery of the drum. The portion of the hopper containing the outlets is movable in relation to the drum so as to vary the effective area of the outlets and therefore the size of the deposited piles of tea.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a packing apparatus which comprises a container opening at its upper end and at least one film suction chamber positioned under the container and is connected to an appropriate absorbing device. The container defines a packing chamber for holding a part of a packing film in a baggy shape and receiving products to be packed therein. The suction chamber defines a chamber communicating with the absorbing device. The chamber further communicates with the packing chamber through a plurality of vent holes for creating a partial vocuum under the packing film.

Abstract: A method of packaging first and second kneadable plastic masses that react when mixed includes(a) providing the masses in lengthwise elongated strip form and traveling the masses lengthwise in parallel relation but with a predetermined gap therebetween,(b) providing an elongated first plastic film that defines a barrier and traveling that film in the direction of travel of the masses,(c) and urging the traveling film toward the traveling masses to contact same and to locate the barrier in the gap.The film may have side sections simultaneously urged against surfaces of the traveling masses; a second traveling film beneath the masses may be contacted by the barrier; and end portions of the first film may be heat sealed to the second film to encapsulate the masses.

Abstract: A machine for the production of a web with individually wrapped drinking straws from two separate plastic films is disclosed. The machine includes a rotatable drum around which one of the plastic films is led and simultaneously given a corrugated form. The drinking straws are thereafter placed one by one in the recesses in the corrugated form and the second plastic film is applied and heat-sealed to said corrugated first film so that the drinking straws are completely enclosed in air-tight packages.

Abstract: A method of packaging and machine capable of continuously forming an array of packages from a double web film. A first web is fed over a rotating thermoforming drum which vacuum forms a plurality of pouches for receiving a product to be packaged, and a second web, maintained under constant pressure, is progressively disposed in sealing relation to the peripheral edges of the formed pouches in the first web as the pouches approach a vertical position while the product is simultaneously introduced into the progressively formed package at a rate not exceeding the volume of the package as it is formed.

Abstract: A packaging device for sealingly closing an upper foil and a lower foil utilizing a framelike constructed welding device which has a separate drive for welding together the lower and the upper foil, of which at least the lower foil is formed into containerlike segments and is moved, held by a chain at the sides thereof, through the packaging device. The packaging device has an evacuating chamber which is formed of two boxlike halves, of which one half is stationary and the other half is vertically movable. One of the halves has a framelike welding device embodied therein.

Abstract: There are disclosed a process and apparatus for producing sequentially a hermetically sealed container which comprise cutting a blank, forming a container body from the blank by a drawing method, filling a content in the container body and hermetically sealing the container body with a lid member, and devices for realizing these operations. The blank which is cut at a blanking station is placed on a movable die, and drawn to a container body at a drawing station. The container body engaged with the movable die is filled with a content at a filling station, and then hermetically sealed with a lid member at a sealing station. This process and apparatus are especially suitable for a blank made of a flexible material.

Abstract: An assembly apparatus comprising a driving means for intermittently feeding a carrier tape with recesses formed at a uniform space interval, a plurality of transferring station units for transferring different kinds of electrical chip components from feeders into the recesses, and a control means for controlling assembling order and timings of the transferring operation by the transferring station units.

Abstract: A package comprising a receptacle cup of semi-rigid plastic having a top of semi-rigid plastic sealed to flanges of the receptacle and formed inwardly to press against the packaged product and hold it in place with or without evacuation of the interior. Different techniques and apparatus are disclosed for forming such packages. Package configurations also are disclosed providing improved recloseable characteristics, wherein the semi-rigid nature of both the top and the cup are utilized to enable the reclosed top to be held securely in place.

Abstract: The invention relates to packages containing shaped articles carrying chemicals, particularly to pharmaceutical dosage forms carrying pharmaceuticals. The shaped articles, which disintegrate rapidly in water are contained in depressions in sheets of filmic material and are enclosed by a covering sheet adhering to the filmic material. The shaped articles may be formed in the depressions by a sublimation process.

Abstract: In a vacuum packaging machine having a forming station and an evacuation and sealing station, wherein each station has a chamber made of an upper and a lower part, and each part comprises a base portion (top cover or floor, as the case may be) and four upstanding walls, one or both of said chamber parts is made from material having an appropriate cross-sectional shape, preferably U-shaped, forming the base portion and opposite side walls, the front and rear walls being secured thereto in the form of covers. The cross-sectional shape may be double U-shaped, providing accommodation for connections for chamber supply requirements (vacuum, air, power). Also the cooling plate for the lower part is secured on the under-side of the floor of said part and mounts it on the means for imparting chamber opening and closing movement to the lower part, while the cooling plate for the upper part is inside the chamber, on the under-side of the top cover.

Abstract: A method of and an installation for packaging in a sterile medium employs a composite film constituted in a thermoplastic film in which containers are formed, and a covering film with their opposing faces sterile. These are separated at the entrance to a sterile enclosure in which the containers are formed and filled, in a sterile atmosphere, the thermoplastic film forming the lower wall of the enclosure. The full containers are covered with a strip from which lids are formed without the inside of the containers being able to be contaminated, and the covering strip and thermoplastic film are connected in an air-tight manner. The method and installation are particularly suitable for packaging perishable food products, in particular dairy products.

Abstract: The disclosed cover, carrier and package for one or more articles, is formed from a sheet of material which is stretchable when softened but relatively rigid otherwise. In a preferred apparatus and process, such a sheet is positioned over the top of the object to be covered and the portion of the sheet directly over the object is softened. A downward force is applied to the unsoftened, still relatively rigid portion of the sheet so as to force it down and around the top of the object. This causes the softened portion of the sheet to be stretched over the top and down the side of the object, conforming closely to it and thus providing a tight seal. By covering multiple articles a carrier may be formed. Methods for controlling the thickness of different parts of the carrier are described. In addition, a carrier may be applied to both the top and bottom of an array of articles in order to form a rigid carton or case.

Abstract: A wheel-type form-fill-seal vacuum packaging machine in which a wheel carrying a circular series of dies or molds is adapted to be driven at different speeds for accommodation to different product infeed conditions, and in which a vacuum chamber/seal plate assembly is closed with respect to one of the molds with a timed dwell interval for the seal plate which is the same for different wheel speeds.

Abstract: The meat packaging machine of the present invention is designed to vacuum pack meat products between two webs of heat sealable thermo-plastic material. One web of each package is formed with at least two pockets connected by and bounded by a sealing flange extending outwardly therefrom. The second web which closes the pockets also extends over the sealing flange and the entire interface between the two webs is heat sealed to prevent migration of meat juices. The machine includes a sealing head and a sealing die mounted one on either side of the sealing plane. Heated sealing members are located in the sealing head and in the sealing die which, when the head and die are in the closed position, are disposed to engage the first and second webs therebetween to effect a heat seal over the entire sealing interface of the webs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a reclosable package from a forming web, a covering web and a closure strip. The closure strip is indented at desired intervals and sealed at its lower surface to the forming web. A cavity is formed in the forming web after which a product is placed therein and covered with the covering web. After evacuating the space therebetween the covering and forming webs are sealed together with longitudinal and transverse seals which enclose the product and the closure strip. The upper surface of the closure strip is sealed to the covering web so that when the package is severed between the closure strip and an adjacent longitudinal seal, the closure strip may be opened for access to the product.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for making disposable thermometers of a laminated construction containing an array of liquid-crystal droplets, requiring precise registration of the stretchable substrate layer, the droplets and the temperature markings, wherein the substrate film web from which the thermometers are formed is provided with wide margins for handling in the forming machine to provide strength and avoid stretching and heat deformation. The substrate film web is precisely directed through the machine by suitable guide members and is held at the marking, filling, and heat-seal processing stations by suitable vacuum chucks, the chuck at the heat-sealing station being particularly adapted for cooling the web to avoid unwanted heating of the crystal droplets. A cam-operated transporter is used for precisely indexing the movement of the film.

Abstract: The invention concerns the packaging of commodities into vacuum-sealed packs formed from sheet plastics packaging material. In accordance with this invention, the packaging material is formed from a two-layer laminate the inside layer of which has a much lower softening point than the outside layer. The commodity is sandwiched between two sheets of the packaging material and is passed to a vacuum chamber in which it is sealed between the two sheets under reduced pressure. Simultaneously the material is heated to a temperature at which the inner laminate softens, and when the chamber is aerated, the heated material collapses around the commodity and the inner layers fuse together around the margins to form a highly effective hermetic seal around the commodity.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging a substance in closed bags formed from two continuous ribbons of a thin fragile material in which the ribbons are sealed to each other as they pass downwardly between first and second pairs of horizontal nipping rollers. A bag open at the top is produced from a portion of the ribbons by sealing and is filled with a predetermined amount of the substance to be packaged. The top of the bag is subsequently sealed to close the bag after the ribbons have advanced downwardly a predetermined distance. These operations take place sequentially on successive portions of the ribbons as they advance toward the second pair of nipping rollers, forming a series of sealed bags. At least one of the first pair of nipping rollers has a generally smooth annular concave portion extending between the end portions thereof, while at least one of the second pair of nipping rollers has a generally cylindrical portion of reduced diameter extending between its end portions.

Abstract: A joint strip is used comprising a container strip in thermoplastic material and a cover strip having sterile sides facing one another and isolated from the outside in a sealed manner along their edges. The container and cover strips are separated each from the other at the entrance to a sterile enclosure, the cover strip passing along a path which overhangs that of the container strip and passes above stations for forming containers in the container strip, and for filling the containers. The cover strip is exposed, on the side of its sterile face, to a sterile atmosphere whose pressure is slightly in excess of that of the outside. The cover and container strips are moved respectively above and below a non-sterile area containing elements of the forming and filling stations. After the containers carried by the container strip have been filled, the cover and container strips are again joined in a sealed manner along their edges outside the sterile enclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically manufacturing cupped food materials such as cupcakes, in which food material is filled in a cup which is formed from a blank cut out from a strip of sheet and pressed between a moulding female member and a moulding male member. The male member has a hollow portion extending through the center thereof and through which food material is ejected into the cup.

Abstract: A machine for facilitating the simultaneous heating, bonding or sealing of a group of thermoplastic articles retained within a rotary sealing system. First and second rotatable workpiece carriers are arranged to transport the workpieces to be bonded, step-by-step, from loading stations to a heating station, and subsequently, to a bonding station, thereby accomplishing a plurality of operations on a simultaneous basis. The same drive mechanism used to incrementally rotate the workpiece carriers also imparts a reciprocating motion to the heating element and an arcuate reciprocating motion to the workpiece carriers for first applying heat energy to the workpieces for a predetermined time interval and for subsequently applying compressive forces to the heated workpieces undergoing bonding and thereafter releasing the now-joined workpieces from the carriers.

Abstract: Plastic netting, particularly for wrapping pallet loads, securely to hold the load on the pallet without heat-shrinking of the netting and providing for ventilation of the load, i.e., egress of air from the load or ingress of air to the load; a method of wrapping the load with such netting for such purpose; and the resultant wrapped pallet load.

Abstract: A packaging machine for thermoforming plastic packages, filling them with the desired contents, and sealing them under vacuum or gas if desired, wherein a train of packages move through the machine in a horizontal path at substantially constant speed, the machine including reciprocating interacting package forming and sealing elements with support means acting simultaneously on the upper and lower side of the train of packages as they move through the machine. In an alternate arrangement, lids may be applied to package portions preformed by separate apparatus.