Molded pulp egg carton method

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING NESTABLE, MOLDED PULP EGG CARTONS HAVING A CELLULAR BOTTOM SECTION WITH AN UPWARDLY CONVERGING HOLLOW SEPARATOR PORTION BETWEEN ADJACENT CELLS, COMPRISING THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (A) FORMING A MOLDED PULP CARTON PREFORM WITH A HOLLOW SEPARATOR HAVING UPWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE WALLS AND TRANSVERSE CONNECTOR AT THE UPPER END THEREOF, AND IN WHICH BOTH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MARGINS AND CROSS SECTION THROUGH SAID SEPARATOR WALLS AND THE SHAPE OF SAID SEPARATOR DIFFER DISTINCTLY FROM THE CORRESPONDING SHAPE AND CROSS SECTION OF THE FINISHED EGG CARTON ULTIMATELY PRODUCED; (B) MOUNTING SAID EGG CARTON PREFORM ON A FEMALE PRESSING DIE INCLUDING AN UPPER SEPARATOR-FORMING PORTION EXTENDING BELOW SAID PREFORM CONNECTOR AND HAVING A CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE CORRESPONDING CROSS SECTION OF THE CARTON PREFORM MOUNTED THEREON AND OFFERING NO DIRECT SUPPORT THEREAT; AND (C) APPLYING A MALE PRESSURING DIE ONTO SAID CARTON PREFORM AND SAID FEMALE PRESSING DIE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BODILY HORIZONTALLY DISPLACING AND COMPACTING THE CONVERGING SIDE WALLS AND REDUCING THE CROSS SECTION DIMENSION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MARGINS OF SAID SEPARATOR WALLS AND THE TRANSVERSE CONNECTOR AT THE UPPER END THEREOF WHILE ELIMINATING NO MATERIAL THEREFROM, WHILE MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL HEIGHT OF THE CARBON PREFORM SEPARATOR-FORMING PORTIONS, CHANGING THE ORIENTATION OF THE FIBERS IN SAID SEPARATOR TO PROVIDE A MODIFIED CUSHIONING SURFACE ON SAID SEPARATOR, AND MAINTAINING PORTIONS OF SAID SEPARATOR WALLS OF THE FINISHED CARTON A SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME THICKNESS AS CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF THE CARTON PREFORM.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING NESTABLE, MOLDED PULP EGG CARTONS HAVING A CELLULAR BOTTOM SECTION WITH AN UPWARDLY CONVERGING HOLLOW SEPARATOR PORTION BETWEEN ADJACENT CELLS, COMPRISING THE FOLLOWING STEPS: (A) FORMING A MOLDED PULP CARTON PREFORM WITH A HOLLOW SEPARATOR HAVING UPWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE WALLS AND TRANSVERSE CONNECTOR AT THE UPPER END THEREOF, AND IN WHICH BOTH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MARGINS AND CROSS SECTION THROUGH SAID SEPARATOR WALLS AND THE SHAPE OF SAID SEPARATOR DIFFER DISTINCTLY FROM THE CORRESPONDING SHAPE AND CROSS SECTION OF THE FINISHED EGG CARTON ULTIMATELY PRODUCED; (B) MOUNTING SAID EGG CARTON PREFORM ON A FEMALE PRESSING DIE INCLUDING AN UPPER SEPARATOR-FORMING PORTION EXTENDING BELOW SAID PREFORM CONNECTOR AND HAVING A CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE CORRESPONDING CROSS SECTION OF THE CARTON PREFORM MOUNTED THEREON AND OFFERING NO DIRECT SUPPORT THEREAT; AND (C) APPLYING A MALE PRESSURING DIE ONTO SAID CARTON PREFORM AND SAID FEMALE PRESSING DIE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY BODILY HORIZONTALLY DISPLACING AND COMPACTING THE CONVERGING SIDE WALLS AND REDUCING THE CROSS SECTION DIMENSION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MARGINS OF SAID SEPARATOR WALLS AND THE TRANSVERSE CONNECTOR AT THE UPPER END THEREOF WHILE ELIMINATING NO MATERIAL THEREFROM, WHILE MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL HEIGHT OF THE CARBON PREFORM SEPARATOR-FORMING PORTIONS, CHANGING THE ORIENTATION OF THE FIBERS IN SAID SEPARATOR TO PROVIDE A MODIFIED CUSHIONING SURFACE ON SAID SEPARATOR, AND MAINTAINING PORTIONS OF SAID SEPARATOR WALLS OF THE FINISHED CARTON A SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME THICKNESS AS CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF THE CARTON PREFORM.