A machine moistens a cover of a capsule for pharmaceutical products and includes a supply hopper for these covers. The supply hopper has an outlet opening with withdrawal means operable to withdraw the covers from the supply hopper through this opening. Moistening means moistens, with a sealing liquid the rim of each cover located on the withdrawal means. The withdrawal means includes a first disc mounted for rotation about axes transverse to another. A plurality of withdrawal devices and moistening devices are carried by the first disc.

A capsule part carrier in a filling and sealing machine for two-part capsules comprises a lower segment for capsule bottom parts and an upper segment for caps. In each of the segments, two stepped bores embodied of bore portions are provided, which form a seat for the capsule bottom part and the cap. In the bore portions of the lower segment, a plurality of longitudinal grooves are formed, which communicate via a suction bore with a vacuum source. Via the longitudinal grooves, the negative pressure applied in the lower segment can also act on the upper segment and the cap. Instead of longitudinal grooves, separate through bores can also be provided, which communicate with the suction bore.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for sealing together two generally cylindrical thermoplastic members, each having a longitudinal axis, an open end and a closed end, so that upon being joined they form a sealed capsule that may be swallowed. One capsule member may be snugly inserted into a vibrating cavity with the opened end of the member available to be filled with an active composition. The other member is placed over the first member and pushed downwardly so that the open portions of both members overlap one another. The overlapping portions of the wall members abut each other at a cylindrical interface band. Vibration causes only the overlapping wall portions of the members to rub together, thereby generating heat around the interface band. The heat, so generated, melts enough thermoplastic material at that band to produce, on cooling, a strong circular bond between both members.

A gelatin capsule cap has an annular groove in the region of its open end to reduce ovality.

The present invention provides a device for fixedly securing a cap and body of a capsule together to thereby render the capsule tamper evident. In one form of the invention, the capsules are conveyed at spaced intervals along a predetermined path of travel through a treatment zone which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capsule. An elongated bar having a tapered edge and positioned within the treatment zone engages the side of the capsule to produce an indentation in the side of the capsule which increases in depth from the entry and to the exit end of the treatment zone. This indentation around the capsule hermetically seals the cap and body of the capsule together so that the cap and body cannot be separated without destruction of the capsule. In another form of the invention, the bar is increasingly heated along its length so that, in addition to forming an indentation circumferentially around the capsule, simultaneously hermetically seals the capsule cap and body together. In still another form of the invention, a rotating disc having an outer shaped edge is aligned to and frictionally engages the outer periphery of the capsule in order to produce the desired indentation in the capsule. The disc can be heated to produce a fluid (hermetic) seal between the capsule cap and body. In still another form of the invention, a two part heated embosser forms an indentation around the capsule. The capsule is then rotated and again engaged by the embosser to hermetically seal the capsule.