Apparatus for forming an edible article and a packaged article produced thereby

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN ARTICLE IN A SEALED PROTECTIVE PACKAGE COMPRISING A ROTATABLE SUPPORT HAVING A SERIES OF ANGULARLY SPACED POCKETS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING HOLLOW PACKAGE BODIES EACH HAVING AN OPEN MOUTH WITH THE MOUTH UPRIGHT, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SUPPORT INTERMITTENTLY SO AS TO MOVE SAID PACKAGE TO SUCCESSIVE STATIONS ARRANGED ANGULARLY OF SAID SUPPORT, MEANS AT ONE OF SAID SUCCESSIVE STATIONS FOR ALMOST FILLING THE PACKAGE BUT ALLOWING A SEALING SURFACE AT THE MOUTH EDGE OF THE PACKAGE ON ITS INNER SURFACE, SAID FILLING MEANS COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO THE BODY AND MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING THE FILLING OPERATION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FORMING A CONVEX SURFACE ON THE PLASTIC MATERIAL, AND MEANS AT ANOTHER OF SAID STATIONS FOR FORMING A CAP WITH AN UPRIGHT FLANGE AND A CENTRAL DISC AND INSERTING IT IN SAID PACKAGE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SEALING IT TO SAID PACKAGE SEALING SURFACE WITH THE DISC TANGENTIAL TO SAID CONVEX SURFACE.