A tray forming machine comprising an infeed station for accepting a blank of corrugated plastic, and a transfer mechanism which automatically conveys the blank along a plane into a blank receiving station between a tray forming ram and a forming tool frame. The tray forming ram moves downward along a vertical path carrying the blank through the forming tool frame, during which the blank is folded into a generally upright tray configuration by a series of vertically displaced side and end forming bars and brackets. The tray forming ram and blank emerge from the forming tool frame and are received in a clamping and welding assembly which holds the blank in position while it is secured by sonic welds into the upright tray. The clamping assembly releases while the tray forming ram returns to its raised position, and the tray is stripped off the tray forming ram by the bottom of the forming brackets. The tray falls due to gravity onto a conveyor beneath the forming tool frame, and the trays are individually removed.
A paper tray forming machine with an improved blank centering device which consists of at least one finger which is moved upward and toward two passive stops. The finger may be shaped similarly to the blank's edge so that precise positioning occurs during the motion of the fingers.
An apparatus is used to form a container from a blank which has innermost fold lines that confine a closed bottom of the container, and outer fold lines that extend outwardly from four corners of the bottom. The apparatus includes a blank forming device which defines a forming passage of polygonal cross-section and having four corners. A blank feeding device is adapted to feed the blank towards the blank forming device in a first direction substantially parallel to the cross-section of the forming passage. A punching mechanism has a punch head of polygonal cross-section and capable of passing through the forming passage in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The punch head has a forward end formed with a polygonal push pad for pushing the blank through the forming passage. The blank forming device has a pair of first folding parts and a pair of second folding parts which confine the forming passage and which are adapted to fold the blank about the innermost fold lines when the punch head pushes the blank through the forming passage in the second direction. The first and second folding parts are spaced apart from each other adjacent to the corners of the forming passage.
A folding apparatus (100) for inserting an air bag and housing into an interior cavity of a cover, the apparatus comprising: an arcuately shaped tube, the tube sized in cross-section to slidably receive the housing and drawing the air bag up into the tube, the tube including an open first end oriented so that a plane through the first end is substantially parallel to vertical; a ram apparatus movable through the tube and adapted to hold and move the housing and air bag through the tube; a holding apparatus means for orienting the cover so that its internal cavity is in alignment with and adjacent to the first end such that the housing and air bag can be rammed into the cover internal cavity.
A method for forming a work object including the steps of moving the work object, initially disposed in a first configuration, along a path of travel to a forming position; defining an outer boundary for the work object, disposed in a second configuration, substantially about said forming position; and expanding the work object, during moving of the work object along the path of travel, to dispose the work object in the second configuration in the forming position. An apparatus for forming a work object including a mechanism for delivering the work object, disposed in a first configuration, to a deliver position; a forming assembly adjacent to the delivery position defining a forming chamber dimensioned to receive the work object therewithin disposed in a second configuration; and a manipulating assembly operable to engage the work object in the delivery position and to transport the work object into the forming chamber to manipulate the work object from the first configuration to the second configuration.
An automated cup making system is provided for forming a two stage cup having an upper cup disposed upon a lower cup. An upper cup making machine is provided for forming an upper cup having an upper cup sidewall and an upper cup bottom wall disposed generally transversely to the upper cup sidewall and punched out to define a bottom wall annular border extending radially inwardly from the upper cup sidewall, the upper cup sidewall having an outwardly curled top edge. A lower cup making machine is provided for forming a lower cup having a lower cup sidewall and a bottom cup wall disposed generally transversely to the lower cup sidewall, the lower cup sidewall having a curled top edge. A sealing and assembly machine receives the upper cup from the upper cup making machine and the lower cup from the lower cup making machine for aligning the upper cup with the lower cup one above the other, flattening the lower cup curled top edge such that the upper cup bottom wall annular border is in overlapping relationship with the lower cup flattened top edge and for sonic sealing the annular border to the flattened top edge to form a finished two stage cup.
