A method for cutting flexible formed shell product from a flexible plastic foam sheet. In the method, a foam shell formed in the sheet is drawn into and positioned in a die unit lower cavity and the die assembly is clamped together. A cutting die unit having dual curved serrated knife elements then descends and severs the formed shell from the sheet at all locations except for two short segments located at opposite ends of the formed shell. Then as a separate step, the partly severed formed shell is punched out from the flexible foam sheet, so as to provide multiple formed products. The products are usually formed as multiple units oriented in an end-to-end relationship in the foam sheet and which are simultaneously severed from the sheet. Cutting die apparatus adapted for cutting the formed products from the foam sheet is also disclosed.

A wrapping machine for making blister packs has two machine sections for the formation of a continuous strip of blister packs by means of a stamping operation on a thermoplastic tape and for the separation of the individual blisters from the strip for the packaging thereof. Each of the machine sections is provided with its own drive which is phase-synchronized with the pilot motor of the downstream machine section effecting the separation of the individual blister packs from the continuous strip of blister packs and their packaging and the motors controlled by the stamping elements of the upstream machine section which forms the continuous blister pack strip.

A packaging device for continuously forming and filling a package having a plurality of separate sealed cavities comprises a plastic film winding barrel, a vacuum cavity forming device, a filling means, an aluminum foil winding barrel, a pressing sealing means, and a cutting machine. The vacuum cavity forming device causes the plastic film to be formed with a plurality of cavities. The filling means pumps liquid material into each of the cavities holes. Aluminum foil is adhered to the strip plastic casing by a pressing sealing means. Finally, the cutting machine serves to the cut the strip casing to complete a packaging process.

A packaging apparatus is provided for placing pills into a series of pill receptacles moved under the apparatus at a predetermined speed by a conveyor. The packaging apparatus includes an escapement mechanism positioned above at least one drop chute and a vertical positioner for moving the drop chute adjacent to the pill receptacles so that pills may be sequentially placed into the pill receptacles. The apparatus includes a first horizontal positioner for moving the drop chute in a horizontal direction parallel to the path of travel of the pill receptacles and at a speed independent of the speed of the pill receptacles so that the lower end of the drop chute can be moved horizontally with respect to a pill receptacle while a pill is being placed therein. The apparatus may also further include a second horizontal positioner for moving the drop chute in horizontal directions transverse to the path of travel. In another aspect, the invention includes a tray for passing pills through openings therein into the escapement mechanism. The tray is moved up and down by an actuator which is capable of reciprocating at a rate independent of the position of the tray to ensure that several pills do not become interlocked and block the openings. Associated methods also form a part of the present invention.

A continuous casting and packaging mechanism in which a continuous body web of plastic material is fed to a station where molds are formed in the continuous body web. Casting material is extruded to the body web. A continuous cover web of plastic material is fed to overlie the body web. The cover web and the body web are sealed together to form a laminate. The superimposed webs are cured and molds are then remove from the webs. The mechanism may also be provided with a film heater to heat the body web, a mold release applicator to deposit a release the molds and mechanisms to place inserts into the molds as well as other mechanisms which may be used with the machine to continuously cast molds.