Machine and method for forming containers from blanks

A machine for forming containers from blanks, comprising:

• a plurality of shaping hoppers, each including a top mouth and a bottom mouth, opposite to each other and open to define a through shaping channel, the shaping hoppers being configured to receive respective blanks at the top mouth, wherein each of the shaping hoppers internally includes folding features, giving the shaping channel a tapered cross-sectional shape, to cause progressive folding of edges and/or side walls of the blank when the blank is inserted into the each of the shaping hoppers;
• an endless conveyor which defines a feed path and on which the shaping hoppers are mounted in succession;
• a plurality of pushing elements, each operating on at least one of the shaping hoppers to push the respective blank into the shaping channel so as to determine the progressive folding of edges and/or side walls of the blank and in such a way that end flaps of the blank protrude respectively from the top mouth and the bottom mouth, the pushing elements being movable in such a way as to follow the respective shaping hoppers along at least a stretch of the feed path and having a to-and-fro operating movement towards and away from the respective shaping hoppers along a direction perpendicular to the feed path;
• the endless conveyor configured to move the shaping hoppers downstream to a folding mechanism to fold the end flaps of the blank inside the respective shaping hoppers, thus producing, respectively, a top closure and/or a bottom closure of the blank.