Packaging Apparatus and Method

An assembly line mechanism 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, the assembly line mechanism comprising:

• a carton closing station for the aforesaid carton for temporarily supporting the carton in a stationary position within the closing station;
• a punching mechanism provided as a part of the carton closing station, the punching mechanism including at least one punch which is alignable with the downwardly extending ears of the carton top, the punch being movable along a horizontal axis, generally parallel with the carton bottom wall, between retracted and extended positions;
• and
• the shaft carrying the punches, whereby actuating the punches to move between the retracted and extended positions forms punch openings while simultaneously forcing a first layer of carton from a respective carton ear through an associated second layer of an underlying sidewall of the carton, whereby the second layer of carton forms a retainer for the respective carton ear to thereby secure the carton ear to the respective sidewall of the carton.