A magazine for packs of blanks includes a vertical channel configured for inserting and extracting packs of blanks, a succession of groups of supporting parts movable between a retracted position to allow the packs of blanks to move along the channel towards a portion under the supporting part, and an at least partly extracted position, in which the supporting part intercepts a pack of blanks moving down the channel and provides a steady support for the pack of blanks, and transmission means configured to automatically move each supporting part from the retracted position to the at least partly extracted position when the supporting part immediately below it intercepts a respective pack of blanks, thereby defining the steady support.

An apparatus for producing packaging, in particular composite packaging for liquid foodstuffs, having a cross-sectional area that decreases in the pour-out direction in the gable region. The packaging is composed of a sleeve having a gable region having a plurality of gable faces and a pouring element. The apparatus has at least one rotatable mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels for holding the sleeves. Additionally, a method for producing such packaging and a gable press for use with the aforementioned apparatus. In order to allow easier and more cost-effective production, it is proposed that the apparatus has a gable press, assigned to a single mandrel wheel position, for folding the gable region, for connecting all the gable faces of the gable region of the sleeve to the pouring element and for sealing the protruding ears in the same mandrel wheel position.

A container includes a first portion, a second portion, and a locking panel. The first and second portion are pivotably coupled together. The first portion includes first sidewalls and the second portion includes second sidewalls. The first sidewalls of the first portion and the second sidewalls of the second portion abut when the container is in a closed configuration. The first and second sidewalls include interlocking tabs and slots that mate with each other when the container is in the closed configuration. The locking panel extends from the first portion and engages the second portion when the container is in the closed configuration, and the locking panel is configured to retain the container in the closed configuration.

A container includes a first portion, a second portion, and a locking panel. The first and second portion are pivotably coupled together. The first portion includes first sidewalls and the second portion includes second sidewalls. The first sidewalls of the first portion and the second sidewalls of the second portion abut when the container is in a closed configuration. The first and second sidewalls include interlocking tabs and slots that mate with each other when the container is in the closed configuration. The locking panel extends from the first portion and engages the second portion when the container is in the closed configuration, and the locking panel is configured to retain the container in the closed configuration.

A paperboard blank stacker assembly for supplying a stack of paperboard blanks to a container forming machine includes a stacker. The stacker has multiple blank stops arranged to hold a peripheral edge of a bottom blank of the stack of paperboard blanks, with the multiple blank stops defining an interior region. A blank carrier has at least one suction device moveable into a grasp position, where the suction device applies a suction force to the bottom blank, and a removal position, where the suction device is moved to remove the bottom blank from the stack of paperboard blanks by pulling the bottom blank through the interior region.

Provided is a blank feeding/processing apparatus that includes a pressing unit for pressing a non-contact section of a conveyor belt to form an inclined section in the non-contact section when a box is folded. The apparatus for feeding and processing a blank having a plate shape, includes: a feeding unit including a lower feeding unit including a conveyor belt for conveying the blank and a plurality of feeding rollers for moving the conveyor belt, including a non-contact section that does not contact the feeding rollers in the conveyor belt, and arranged below the blank and an upper feeding unit arranged above the blank; and a pressing unit for protruding a tab of the blank to be processed, by applying a pressure in the non-contact section of the conveyor belt to form an inclined section in the conveyor belt.

A container forming apparatus for forming a container from a blank includes a blank transfer station including an adhesive assembly having a plurality of adhesive applicators, and a compression station downstream of the blank transfer station, the compression station including a vertically movable mandrel and a forming tool below the mandrel. The forming tool defines a cavity therein and has an inner profile complementary in shape to an outer profile of the mandrel. Hot-melt adhesive is applied to a surface of the blank as the blank is transferred through the adhesive assembly. The blank is positioned beneath the mandrel, and the mandrel drives the blank downward into the cavity of forming tool. Compression plates fold panels of the blank, and the formed container includes a fully formed top flange.

A machine for forming cardboard boxes (B) from flat plates (P), which comprises a feeder of plates with a loader of plates, a sucker mechanism and a conveyor of plates; and a box forming station with a male device with a first rotary electric motor coupled to a first rotational monitoring device, and a male vertically insertable in a mold to form the boxes (B). A pusher member of the conveyor and a suction head of the suction mechanism are both movable by a same second rotary electric motor coupled to a second rotational monitoring device. The first rotary electric motor (11), the second rotary electric motor, the first rotational monitoring device and the second rotational monitoring device are jointly configured to controllably move the male independently of the controlled and synchronized movement of the pusher member and the suction head.

A retention device for retaining blanks includes: a support, a first gripping portion secured to the support and provided with first retention elements of a blank, a second gripping portion secured to the support or to the first gripping portion and provided with second retention elements of the blank, and a movement mechanism for the second gripping portion with respect to the first gripping portion. The movement mechanism is configured to perform a pure rotation of the second gripping portion about a virtual rotation axis defined outside the retention device.

An apparatus and method for expanding a box blank into a box, the apparatus comprising an arm assembly, a controller, a camera and a box blank conveyor. The arm assembly includes a folding arm having a position in a first direction and a rotational angle controlled by the controller based on a position of a feature of the box blank in the field of view of the camera. The camera captures images of the box blank which are used to position the arm assembly and to evaluate the need to reject a box blank.