Packaging apparatus and method

A method for closing a carton where the carton has a bottom wall and integral sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom to define an initially open interior, the carton also having a top, the top having downwardly extending ears which have been brought to a position in contact with selected ones of the carton sidewalls with the sidewalls underlying the downwardly extending ears, wherein said carton comprises score lines located on and within said downwardly extending ears, wherein said score lines form the shape of a punch opening, wherein said punch opening is located within the confines of each downwardly extending ear, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a force to form at least one punch opening and to force a portion of said downwardly extending ears defined by said score lines through an associated second layer of an underlying sidewall of the carton, whereby the second layer of carton and forms a retainer for the respective carton ear to thereby secure the carton ear to the respective sidewall of the carton, and wherein a portion of said downwardly extending ears remains atop said underlying sidewall, further comprising a punching mechanism which includes at least one vertically extending platen which underlie the punch as the punch is actuated to puncture the carton, the platens having window openings for receiving operative portions of the punch while, at the same time, reinforcing the carton sidewalls.