Method of and apparatus for closing container

Claim 1

A method of seaming a metal end unit to a flexible plastic container body having a bottom wall, an upper seam forming portion, and an adjacent radially outwardly directed supporting shoulder, said method comprising the steps of positioning the container body within a mold having an upper body supporting surface, positioning an end unit on the container body subsequent to the filling thereof, applying an axial force to the end unit to fully seat the end unit on the container body with the container body supporting shoulder being seated on the upper body supporting surface of the mold, and then while holding the end unit seated on the container body seaming the end unit to the container body by folding peripheral portions of both said upper seam forming portion and said end unit into interlocked seam forming relation.

Claim 2

A method of seaming a metal end unit to a flexible plastic container body having a bottom wall, an upper seam forming portion, and an adjacent radially outwardly directed supporting shoulder, said method comprising the steps of positioning the container body within a mold having an upper body supporting surface, positioning an end unit on the container body subsequent to the filling thereof, applying an axial force to the end unit to fully seat the end unit on the container body with the container body supporting shoulder being seated on the upper body supporting surface of the mold, and then while holding the end unit seated on the container body seaming the end unit to the container body by folding peripheral portions of both said upper seam forming portion and said end unit into interlocked seam forming relation.

Claim 3

The method of claim wherein the end unit compressively engages a product positioned within the container body prior to said seaming operation to radially outwardly expand the container body and in conjunction with the mold to shape the upper seam forming portion for proper mating with the end unit.

Claim 8

An apparatus for use in seaming a metal end unit to a flexible preformed container body of the type having a preformed radially outwardly directed intermediate shoulder adjacent the upper end thereof, said apparatus comprising a mold means for receiving therein a preformed flexible container body in shape maintaining relation, said mold means terminating at the upper end thereof in a container body supporting surface disposed adjacent the interior surface of said mold, and a seaming chuck receivable in an end unit, said seaming chuck having a lower peripheral portion aligned with and cooperable with said container body supporting surface of the mold to clamp therebetween portions of an end unit and a container body in supported container body shaping relation during a separately performed seaming operation.

Claim 9

An apparatus for use in seaming a metal end unit to a flexible preformed container body of the type having a preformed radially outwardly directed intermediate shoulder adjacent the upper end thereof, said apparatus comprising a mold means for receiving therein a preformed flexible container body in shape maintaining relation, said mold means terminating at the upper end thereof in a container body supporting surface disposed adjacent the interior surface of said mold, and a seaming chuck receivable in an end unit, said seaming chuck having a lower peripheral portion aligned with and cooperable with said container body supporting surface of the mold to clamp therebetween portions of an end unit and a container body in supported container body shaping relation during a separately performed seaming operation.