Packaging apparatus and method

1. A method for securing a top for a cardboard carton where the carton has a bottom wall and integral sidewalls defining an initially open interior and a top which has been positioned on the open interior, the top having downwardly extending ears which have been brought to a position in contact with selected ones of the carton sidewalls, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a carton closing station for the aforesaid cardboard carton for temporarily supporting the cardboard carton in a stationary position within the closing station;

providing a punching mechanism including a set of rotatable punches at the carton closing station which are alignable with the downwardly extending ears of the carton top;

aligning the rotatable punches with the top ears and rotating the punches to force a first layer of cardboard from a respective top ear through an associated second layer of an underlying sidewall of the carton, whereby the first layer of cardboard forms a retainer for the respective top ear to thereby secure the top ear to the respective sidewall of the carton; and

wherein the punching mechanism includes a set of vertically extending platens which underlie the rotatable punches as the punches are actuated to puncture the carton, the platens having window openings for receiving operative portions of the rotatable punches while, at the same time, reinforcing the carton sidewalls.

2. A method for folding and securing a top for a cardboard carton where the carton has a bottom wall and integral sidewalls defining an initially open interior and initially open top flaps with outwardly extending ears, the initially open top flaps being integrally formed with a first pair of opposing sidewalls of the carton, the method comprising the steps of:

folding the open top flaps downwardly from an initially open position to a carton closing position which closes off the initially open interior of the cardboard carton;

folding the outwardly extending ears of the now closed top flaps to a downwardly extending position in contact with a second set of opposing sidewalls of the carton intermediate the first set of opposing sidewalls;

providing a carton closing station for the aforesaid cardboard carton for temporarily supporting the cardboard carton in a stationary position within the closing station;

providing punching mechanism including a set of rotatable punches at the carton closing station which are alignable with the now folded ears of the top flap;

wherein the punching mechanism includes a set of vertically extending platens which underlie the rotatable punches as the punches are actuated to puncture the carton, the platens having window openings for receiving operative portions of the rotatable punches while, at the same time, reinforcing the carton sidewalls;

aligning the rotatable punches with the top flap ears and with the window openings in the platens and rotating the punches to force a first layer of cardboard from a respective top flap through an associated second layer of an underlying sidewall of the carton, whereby the first layer of cardboard and forms a retainer for the respective top flap ear to thereby secure the ear and flap to the respective sidewall of the carton.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the rotatable punches have downwardly extending legs which terminate in inwardly extending die elements, the downwardly extending legs being rotatable about a pivot point for moving the die elements in an arcuate path both toward and then away from selected sidewalls of the carton.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the rotatable punches are provided with a suitable power source for effecting the arcuate movement of the punches and wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

providing an elevation mechanism for moving the rotatable punches along a vertical path of travel with respect to the carton located in the carton closing station.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the rotatable punches are housed between a pair of trunnions which are spaced apart upon a horizontal shaft.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the spaced trunnions and horizontal shaft also carry the vertically extending platens, the platens being stationarily mounted on the horizontal shaft and being spaced apart a selected distance so as to underlie the inwardly extending die elements of the rotatable punches when the punches are rotated to punch the carton, the platens also being suitably spaced so as to puncture the carton top flaps and enter the carton interior as the carton closing operation proceeds.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the window openings of the vertically extending platens are spaced apart so as to receive the respective die elements of the rotatable punches as the punches move in an arcuate path to punch the carton, the die elements being moved by the power source to punch the first layer of cardboard from a respective top flap through the associated second layer of an underlying sidewall of the carton and then through a respective opening in the underlying platen, whereby the first layer of cardboard and forms a retainer for the respective top flap ear to thereby secure the ear and flap to the respective sidewall of the carton.