Apparatus for forming a collapsible container

Abstract

An apparatus for collapsing and folding an upright container to a compact stackable configuration, the container having a bottom wall, peripheral side wall with at least upper, lower and intermediate annular stepped portions in the peripheral side wall, and a top wall having a discharge opening therein, includes tooling for supporting and holding the container in an upright position; a first forming element for engaging and exerting a downward force on the intermediate annular stepped portion of the peripheral side wall and for effecting the formation of a first folded portion in the peripheral side wall; and a second forming element for engaging and exerting a downward force on the top wall for effecting the formation of a second folded portion in the peripheral side wall, substantially concentric with and radially adjacent the first folded portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.