Container closing means and process

A machine useful for fastening a closure member to a container with an upstanding tubular wall, an end edge of which is folded over onto itself to form a folded-over, reinforced portion of double thickness at that end, said closure member having an upstanding tubular inner wall conforming to the inner surface of the folded-over, reinforced portion and a downstanding tubular outer wall connected thereto and conforming to the outer surface of said folded-over, reinforced portion, thereby forming a closure assembly comprising a tubular channel in which said folded-over, reinforced portion is seated in frictional engagement, which machine comprises:

• pincer-like means for pinching together selected portions of said closure assembly comprising punching-point means and anvil means disposed on axially opposed portions of the jaws of said pincer-like means;
• container-positioning means for positioning said closure assembly with said tubular channel disposed between the jaws of said pincer-like means and said anvil means, with the upstanding wall thereof opposed to one of the said punching-point means and the downstanding wall thereof opposed to the other;
• and,
• pinching means for moving said jaws to pinching position, comprising wedging means acting on said pincer-like means to close said jaws and to cause the wall portions of the tubular channel at said selected portions of said closure assembly to be pinched into the folded-over, reinforced portion in said channel and pressure-applying means acting on said wedging means to cause it to exert pressure on said pinching means and through the same on the pinched-in portions of said closure assembly.