Machine for forming plastic coated paperboard containers

Claim 1

A HIGH-SPEED PRECISION MACHINE FOR FORMING CARTONS OF PAPERBOARD OR THE LIKE FROM BLANKS HAVING A THERMOPLASTIC MOISTUREPROOF COATING ON THEIR INNER AND OUTER SURFACES AND SCORE LINES THEREIN DEFINING TOP AND BOTTOM CLOSURE PANELS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; A MAGAZINE ADAPTED TO HOLD A SUPPLY OF SAID BLANKS; A MANDREL ASSEMBLY ROTATABLY DRIVEN WITH A STEP-BY-STEP INDEXING MOTION; MEANS FOR FEEDING BLANKS SUCCESSIVELY FROM SAID MAGAZINE TO SAID MANDREL ASSEMBLY AND FOR ERECTING SAID BLANKS INTO OPEN ENDED TUBULAR FORM AS AN INCIDENT TO SUCH FEEDING; MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF STATIONS WITH WHICH SAID MANDREL ASSEMBLY IS ADAPTED TO REGISTER FOR SUCCESSIVELY BREAKING THE FOLDS OF THE BOTTOM CLOSURE PANELS, HEATING THE SAME FOR ACTIVATING THE THERMOPLASTIC COATING THEREON, AND CLOSING AND SEALING SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE PANELS; A ROTARY TOP BREAKER UNIT; MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SAID BLANKS SUCCESSIVELY AS PARTIALLY FORMED CARTONS FROM SAID MANDREL ASSEMBLY TO SAID TOP BREAKER UNIT; A ROTARY FILLER UNIT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE CARTONS SUCCESSIVELY FROM SAID ROTARY TOP BREAKER UNIT, FILL THE SAME WHILE IN MOTION, AND TRANSFER THEM SUCCESSIVELY; A ROTARY STEEPLER MECHANISM ADAPTED TO BREAK SAID TOP CLOSURE PANELS FURTHER AFTER FILLING OF SAID CARTONS, MEANS FOR HEATING THE TOP CLOSURE PANELS OF SAID CARTONS TO ADHESIVELY ACTIVATE THE THERMOPLASTIC COATING THEREON; MEANS FOR CLOSING THE ADHESIVELY ACTIVATED TOP CLOSURE PANELS OF SAID CARTONS; MEANS FOR SEALING THE TOP CLOSURE PANELS OF SAID CARTONS BY THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE THERETO FOLLOWING ADHESIVE ACTIVATION; AND DELIVERY MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE FILLED AND SEALED CARTONS FROM THE MACHINE.