CA1291659C - Article forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM
Abstract of Disclosure An article forming system for forming at least one sheet of material into an article, such as a decorative flower pot cover for example, and a novel article formed utilizing such a system. The article forming system in-cludes a male die, a female die and a platform having a support surface and an opening extending through the support surface. The female die is disposed generally within the opening in the platform with the upper end of the female die being disposed near the support surface. The article forming system includes means for slidingly holding portions of the sheet of material generally against portions of the support surface while permitting such held portions to slide on the support surface during the forming of the arti-cle for cooperating in forming a decorative border on the decorative flower pot cover type of article which flares generally away from the flower pot object when the decora-tive flower pot cover article is applied to the flower pot.
The article formed in accordance with the present invention includes overlapping folds formed by overlapping portions of the sheet of material to bring portions of the sheet of material into bondable contact, the overlapping folds pro-viding the mechanical strength necessary for the formed sheet of material to hold a predetermined shape thereby permitting the utiliztion of thinner sheets of material to form articles.

Description

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ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM ' Field of the Invention ~_ The present invention relates generally to an article forming system and an article formed using such article forming system and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an article like a decorative flower pot cover and an article forming system for forming such a decorative flower pot cover article.

Background o~ the Invçn~Qn In recent years, decorative covers for flower pot~ typically have been provided utilizing florist foil.
A florist took a sheet of foil and placed the flower pot on the foil. The florist then hand-wrapped the foil about the flower pot outer periphery and formed the decorative cover. The cover could be formed in this manner because the foil sheet of material was shape-sustaining.
With this techni~ue utilizing florist foil, each cover was individually formed about the flower pot.
Thus, the shape or overall appearance of each cover was different and dependent upon the level of skill, and the art~stic and personal inclination of the florist.
Typically, there are certain times during a year, typically holidays, when the florist's sales of potted plants substantially increase. The florist normally would not employ sufficient trained staff to accommodate the substantial increases in sales during such periods. It thus becomes necessary to utilize untrained labor to form the flower pot covers utilizing the sheets of~florist foil particularly during these peak periods. In addition to these instances, there are other circumstances depending on the business of the user where 1~:916~9 -la-flower pot covers are desirable and where trained help simply is not available or desirable for various reasons.
For many years, there has existed a need for a suitable preformed flower pot cover for the reasons mentioned before.
One signiicant problem which has persisted is to provide a flower pot cover which is preformed, yet which retains the festive, airy, artistic ~ualities achieved by experienced florists' hand-forming florist foil. In addition, the cost of florist foil has increased in recent years and there has existed a desire to find a suitable, less expensive substitute material.
One attempt to utilize a substitute material as a flower pot cover is represented in U.S. Patent No.
4,300,312, entitled "Flower Pot Covering" and owned by the present applicant. This patent disclosed a cradle which could be placed about the base of a flower pot for holding a thin plastic ilm about the exterior of the ~lower pot in the form o a 1Ower pot cover. This patent did disclose a way o using a thin plastic film as a ~lower pot cover, thereby providing a flower pot cover which was estive and airy. ~owever, the cover was not pre~ormed and a separate device (the cradle) was required to hold the non-shape-sustaining plastic ilm about the flower pot.
U.S. Patent No. 4,216,620 entitled "Flower Pot Cover with Lace Edging" and assigned to the present applicant disclosed another prior approach to providing a ~lowering covering material. In this patent, a ~lexible, hon-shape-sustaining plastic ilm was laminated to a shape-sustaining metallic oil to provide a shape-sustaining - material incorporating the non-shape-sustaining plas~ic ~ilm ~or use as a ~lower pot wrapping or covering material.
U.S. Patent No. 4,297,811, entitled "Laminated ~ :~91659 I I, Printed Foil Flower Pot Wrap With Multicolor Appearance" as assigned to the present applicant disclosed a decorative wrapping material which could be used as a decorative wrap for flower pot covers. This wrapping material included a metallic foil having a plastic material such as polypropylene bonded thereto, wherein the plastic film served to reinforce the foil and prevent the foil from tearing when folded around corners, sharp edges and the like.
U. S. Patent No. 2,355,559 entitled "Cover for Containers" discloses a decorative covering for a flower pot which is relatively thick and rigid. This rigidity is reinforced with vertical corrugations 18 as can be seen, for example, at numeral 18 in Figure 4 of that patent or by arcuate ridges which can be seen, for example, at numeral 23 of Figures 1 and 3 of that patent. The relative thickenss of the cover is apparent from Figures 2 and 4 of that patent.
Brief Description of the Invention According to one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover, comprising: a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die; a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the ~2916~9 -- lc --female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die; means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for supporting the male die above the female die and said means being moveable to a forming position wherein the male die is supported generally above the female die and to an unloading position wherein the male die is not supported generally above the female die for facilitating the unloading of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover, the male die being moveable to the forming position for forming the flower pot or flower pot cover and the male die being moveable from the forming position to the storage position with the formed flower pot or flower pot cover disposed on the male die and the male die then being moveable from the forming position to the unloading position wherein the formed flower pot or flower pot cover is removeab:Le from the male die.
According to another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a preformed flower pot or flower pot cover; a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die; a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of ~6~9 - ld -the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die; means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for automatically positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die in the storage position of the male die.
According to yet another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising: at least two male dies, each male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die; at least one female die, having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die; means for moving each male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving each male die successively to a form - le -position wherein the male die is supported generally above the female die and to an unloading position wherein the male die is not supported above the female die, one of the male dies being positioned in the form position and moved to the forming while the other male die is moved to the unloading position and when the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position the male die is moved to the unloading position while the other male die is moved from the unloading position to the form position.
According to still another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising: a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die; a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the ma:Le die having the male die surface formed thereon, the fema:Le die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die; means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving the formed flower pot or flower pot cover to a discharge 916~;9 - lf -station after the male die has been moved to the forming position and then moved to the storage position.
According to a further aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising: a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die; a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die; means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving the female die to a discharge station after the sheet of material has been formed intG a predetermined shape of the flower pot or flower pot cover by moving the male die to the forming position and after the male die has been returned to the storage position, the formed flower pot or flower pot cover being carried to the discharge station in the female die.
Brief Description of the Drawings E'igure l is a side elevational, partial sectional, diagrammatic view of an article forming system which is ~91659 - lg -constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the platform of the article forming system of Figure 1.
Figure 3A is a side elevational view of a flower pot cover article formed using the article forming system of Figures 1 and 2, and also showing a portion of a flower pot object (shown in dashed lines) with the flower pot cover article being operatively disposed on such flower pot object.
Figure 3B is a top plan view of the flower pot cover article of Figure 3A.
Figure 3C is a sectional view of a portion of the base of the flower pot cover article of Figures 3A and 3B showing some of the overlapping folds.

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Figure 4 is a side elevational, partial sectional view of a modi~ied plat~orm which may be used in the arti-cle ~orming system shown in Figures 1 and 2 in lieu o~ the plat~orm shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing an automatic article forming system utilizing ~our article i'orming apparatus.

Figure 6 is a side elevational, partial sectional view o~ the article ~orming system shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7A is a ~ront elevatlonal, partial sectional 10 view of another modi~ied article i'orming system which is constructed like the article iorming system of Figures 1 and 2, except the article ~orming system shown in Figure 7A
includes a modiiied support.

Figure 7B is a top plan view o~ the article forming 15 system o~ Figure 7A.

Description o~ the Pre~erred Embodiments -Shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an article ~orming sys-tem lO which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The article ~orming system 10 is adapted to ~orm at least one sheet oi material into an artlcle having a predetermined shape, a sheet of material 12 being shown in Figures 3A and 3B ~ormed into a decorative ~lower pot cover article 14 ~or a ilower pot 16, the ~lower pot 16 being shown in dashed lines in Figure 3A.

It should be noted that the present invention is descrlbed herein as being adapted to ~orm the sheet o~
material 12 into the predetermined shape o~ a decorative 1~9~6~9 flower pot cover type of article since one extremely ad-vantageous use of the system of the present invention is to form such decorative ~lower pot cover types of articles.
However, a decorative flower pot cover represents only one article which can be formed into a predetermined shape in accordance with the present invention and the present invention specifically contemplates various and numerous other types of articles such as vases, hats, saucers, easter baskets, containers for use in microwave ovens, rose 10 stem boxes, egg cartons, potting trays, pans, trays, bowls, basket liners, candy trays, drinking cups, candy cups, flower pots, planter trays for growing plants, disposable bowls and dishes, corsage boxes and containers, food ser-vice trays ~such as those used ~or bakery goods, ~rench 15 fries, ground beef, liver and other raw meats in supermar-kets, for example), boxes ~or hamburgers or pies and the like, and various other articles. The term "article" as used herein is intended to encompass all of the speci~ic articles just mentioned and the term "article" also is intended to be broad enough to encompass any other article having a predetermined shape where the article to ~unction must be capable of substantially maintaining such prede-termined shape.

The present invention particularly contemplates 25 articles being formed into a predetermined shape from a sheet of material having a relatively small thickness and being of the type commonly referred to in the art as a "film". More particularly, the sheet of material contem-plated by the present invention is a processed, man-made 30 organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or combinations thereof.
The sheet of material contemplated by the present invention is relatively thin having a thickness less than about 1.5 ~91659 mills and the sheet o~ material is very ~lexivle and ~limsy so that the sheet oi material will not normally maintain or hold a predetermined ~ormed shape under normal, usual con-ditions (non-shape sustaining). In some instances and for various reasons, it may be desirable to utillze ~ore than one sheet of material and, in these instances, the sheets of material are layered, placed one on the other, when the sheets o~ material are $ormed into the predetermined shape to ~orm the desired article; however, even in these 10 instances, the combined thickness of the sheets oP material still is less than about 3.0 mills. The present invention provides a means ~or ~orming a sheet o~ material o~ the type just described into a predetermined shape so the formed sheet o~ material substantially retains or maintains 15 the ~ormed shape thereby providing a means for making articles ~rom such sheets oi material in a more economical manner.

As shown in dashed lines in Figure 3A, the ~lower pot object 16 has an upper end 18, a lower end 20 and an 20 outer perlpheral sur~ace 22. In the embodiment o~ the $10wer pot object 16 shown in Figure 3A, the diameter o~
the ~lower pot ob~ect 16, generally near the lower end 20, is less than the diameter o$ the ilower pot object 16, generally near the upper end 18, the flower pot object 16 ~5 tapering outwardly generally ~rom the lower end 20 toward the upper end 18 thereby giving the ~lower pot object 16 a generally overall ~rusto-conically shaped outer periphe-ral sur~ace 22. In this embodiment, the flower pot object 16 includes a rim 24 $ormed at the upper end 1~ which extends circum~erentially about the ~lower pot object 16, ulthough it should be noted that some ~lower pot objects do not include a rim and ilower pots also have various shapes as generally well known, and the present invention ~91659 is not limited to any particular shape o~ a ~lower pot.

The decorative ~lower pot cover article 14 prefer-a~ly, although not exclusively, is ~ormed ~rom a generally square-shaped sheet o~ material 12 having ~our corners.
As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the decorative flower pot cover article 14 i'ormed from the generally square-shaped sheet o~ material 12 utilizing the system 10 o~ the present invention includes a base 26 having an opened upper end 28, a closed lower end 30, an object opening 32 extending 10 through the upper end 28 and a decorative border 34 which extends angularly upwardly and outwardly ~rom the upper end 28 o~ the base 26. The decorative border 3~ includes ~our accentuated and sculptured ~lared petal-like portions 36, each ~lared petal-like portion 36 terminating with a 15 pointed end 38 which is ~ormed by one o~ the four corners o~ the square-shaped sheet oi' material 12. Each flared petal portion 36 extends a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly ~rom the upper end 28 oi' the base 26 terminating with the pointed end 38. The ~lared petal-like portions 20 36 are spaced apart circumi'erentially about the decorative border 34 with the $1ared petal-like portions 36 being spaced at about ninety degree intervals, and a ~lare connecting portion ~0 is disposed between each pair o~
ad~acent i'lared portions 36, the ~lare connection portions 25 ~0 also each extending a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly ~rom the upper end 28 oi' the base 26 which is less than the distances which the pointed ends 38 oi' the ~lared portions 36 extend ~rom the upper end 28 oi' the base 26.

The object opening 32 in the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 is shaped and sized to receive the ilower pot ob~ect 16. When the ~lower pot 16 is operatively disposed ~2:91~i59 in the object opening 32 o~ the decorative flower pot cover 14, as shown in Figure 3A, the base 26 substantially encompasses the outer peripheral sur~ace 22 of the flower pot 16 extending generally between ~he upper and the lower ends 18 and 20 o~ the ilower pot 16, with the upper end 28 of the base 26 being disposed generally near the upper end 18 o~ the ~lower pot 16 and the lower end 30 of the decora-tive ~lower pot cover 14 being disposed generally near the lower end 20 o~ the ~lower pot 16, the closed lower 10 end 30 o~ the decorative flower pot cover 14 extending across and encompassing the lower end 20 of the ~lower pot 16. In this position with the decorative ilower pot cover 14 operatively connected to the flower pot 16, the decora-tive border 34 o~ the decorative i'lower pot cover 14 ex-15 tends a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly from theupper end 18 o~ the ~lower pot 16 and the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 extends generally circum~erentially about the upper end 18 portion of the ~lower pot 16.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3C, the base 26 of the decorative ilower pot cover 14 i'ormed utillzing the system 10 o~ the present lnvention includes a plurality oi' over-lapping ~olds 42 (only some oi' the overlapping ~olds 42 being designated by a rei'erence numeral in the drawings).
A substantial portion o~ the overlapping ~olds 42 extend at angles to a vertical direction and at angles to a hori-zontal direction, the various angles being arbitrary and varying ~rom one overlapping i'old 42 to another overlapping ~old 42. Further, the base 26 includes a plurality o~
overlapping ~olds 42 with the various overlapping folds 42 being positioned at various positions about the entire outer peripheral sur~ace o~ the base 26 and at various positions between the upper and the lower ends 28 and 30 of the base 26. Th0 overlapping ~olds 42 provide an over-916~;!3 all decorative appearance to the base 26; however, moresignificantly, the overlapping ~olds 42 provide a mechani-cal strength to the base 26 ~or enabling the base 26 to stand upright (substantially retain the shape formed by the system 10 o~ the present invention) on the closed lower end 30 of the base 26. In this manner, the base 26 o~ the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 has su~ficient mechanical strength to stand upright about the flower pot 16 without the necessity o~ mechanically connecting the 10 base 26 to the ~lower pot 16, other than the connection nor-mally provided when the lower end 20 oi' the ~lower pot 16 engages the lower end 30 oi the decorative flower pot cover 14 when the decorative ilower pot cover 14 is operatively connected to the flower pot 16. Each overlapping iold 42 15 extends an arbitrary distance and most o~ the overlapping ~olds 42 extend at arbitrary angles over the base 26 which enhances the mechanical strength of the base 26 as compared to the mechanical strength which might be imparted to the base 26 by overlapping ~olds extending only in vertical or 20 horizontal directions. Signii'icantly, the overlapping l~olds 42 permit relatively thin sheets (~ilms) O:r materlal to be utilized to ~orm the decorative ~lower pot cover 1~, in a manner and ~or reasons to be discussed further below.

As shown in Figure 3C, the sheet o~ material 12 ~5 has an upper suriace 41 and a lower sur~ace 42 and, in accordance with the present invention, either the upper sur~ace 41 or the lower suriace 42 or both o~ the sheet of material 12 is adapted to be bondable so that, when por-tions of the bondable sur~ace are brought into bondable 30 contact, such portions are bondably connected. The over-lapping folds 42 are ~ormed by overlapping portions Or the bondable sur~ace and bringing such overlapping portions in-to bondable engagement or contact. In this manner, the ~1659 overlapping folds 42 are permanently fixed in the article.

When an overlapping fold 42 is formed with a por-tion of the sheet of material 12 during the forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14, portions of the upper sur~ace 41 are overlapped and brought into bondable con~
tact or engagement and, with respect to the same overlapping fold 42, portions of the lower surface 42 also are over~
lapped and brought into bondable contact or engagement. As mentioned before, at least one of the upper and the lower 10 sur~aces 41 and 43 is prepared to be bondable to form a bondable surface which is adapted to be bonded to portions of a similar bondable surface when bondably contacted with a similar bondable sur~ace portion. Thus, in those in~
stances where only the lower suri'ace 43 is prepared to form 15 a bondable lower sur~ace 43, the overlapping portions of the bondable lower surface 43 are brought into bondable contact during the i'orming of the decorative flower pot cover 14 and such overlapping portions are bonded to form the overlapping i'olds 42, and, in this instance, the cor-~0 responding overlapping portions o~ the upper sur~ace 41are not bonded. In those instances where only the upper surface 41 is prepared to form a bondable upper surface 41, the overlapping portions oi' the bondable upper sur-l'ace 41 are brought into bondable contact during the 25 Yorming oY the decorative i'lower pot cover 14 and such overlapping portions are bonded to form the overlapping Yolds 42 and, in this instance, the corresponding over-lapping portions of the lower surface 42 are not bonded.
In those instances where both the upper and the lower sur-30 faces ~1 and 43 are prepared to form bondable upper andlower surfaces 41 and 43, the overlapping portions of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 Yorming each over-lapping fold 42 are brought into bondable contact during the forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14 and such overlapping portions of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 are bonded tG form the overlapping folds 42.

It has been ~ound to be necessary only to prepare one of the upper and the lower surfaces 41 or 43 to form a bondable surface so the decorative flower pot 14 is forma-ble from the film sheet of material 12 having su~ficient mechanical strength to retain its formed shape in accor-dance with the present invention. However, it should be 10 noted that preparing both the upper and the lower surfaces 41 and 43 to form bondable suri'aces provides additional mechanical strength which may be desired in some applica-tions and particularly in those applicatons where the additional mechanical strength is needed to enable the 15 formed article to maintain or retain its formed shape, such additional strength being needed either because of the particular shape of the article or the particular thickness or characteristics of the particular ~ilm ~orming the sheet o~ material 12.

Various techniques are utillzed to prepare the sheet of materlal 12 with at least one bondable surface in accordance with the present invention.

One technique ior preparing the bondable surfaces is ~o utilize polyvinyl chloride film to form the sheet of 25 material 12 which is heat sealable. When utilizing a processed organic polymer heat sealable film, the upper and the lower sur~aces 41 and 43 of the sheet of material 12 are bondable surfaces and the sheet o~ material 12 must be heated during the forming of the article or, more particu-30 larly, the forming o~ overlapping ~olds 42. Thus, in thisinstance, the term "bondable contact" or "bondable engage-1;~91659 ment" means contacting engagement and the application ofthe required amount of heat to effect heat sealable bonding of the contacting surfaces.

It should be noted that a light activated adhesive also is suitable for use in preparing the bondable surface in accordance with the present invention. In this instance, heating elements would not be necessary; however, means for lighting the areas to be bonded would be necessary which might be effected by substituting light sources for the 10 heating elements described herein and constructing the male and female dles of a light transparent material. In this instance, the term "bondable contact" or "bondable engage-ment" means contacting engagement and the applications of sufficient light to effect the bond.

One other technique for preparing the bondable sur-faces is to utilize a non-heat sealable film to form the sheet of material 12 and to apply a heat sealable coating to either the upper suri'ace 41 or the lower surface 43 or both. Heat sealable adhesives are commercially available.
~0 The term "bondable contact" or "bondable engagement" as used in this instance means contacting engagement and the application of the required amount of heat to effect heat sealable bonding of the contacting surfaces. The heat sealable coating also can be a heat sealable lacquer, a 25 pressure sensitive adhesive which also requires heat to ef-fect the bond, or a hot melt adhesive.

One other technique for preparing the bondable sur-faces is to utilize a non-heat sealable film to form the sheet of material 12 and to apply a contact adhesive 30 coatlng either the upper surface 41 or the lower surface ~3 or both. Contact adhesives are commercially available.

~91 659 The term "bondable contact" or "bondable engagement" in this instance means contacting engagement sufficient t,o effect the adhesive bond between the contacted surfaces.

For aesthetic purposes, it is preferable that the decorative border 34 and particularly the flared petal-like portions 36 remain substantially smooth, substantially free of the overlapping folds. Also, it is desirable that the flare connecting portions 40 also remain substantially smooth, substantially free of the overlapping folds. The 10 cover forming system 10 is constructed and adapted sub-stantially to accomplish these desired characteristics of the decorative flower pot cover 14 in a manner which will be described in greater detail below.

As shown in Figure 1) the system 10 includes a male 15 die 44 having an upper end 46 and a lower end 48. A male die surface 50 is formed on a portion of the outer periphe-ral surface of the male die 44 and the male die surface 50 extends a distance generally from the lower end 4~ toward the upper end 46 of the male die 44. A portlon of the male 20 die surface 50 extending from the lower end 48 a distance toward the upper end 46 of the male die 44 forms a base portion 52 of the male die surface 50, and the base portion 52 o~ the male die surface 50 has an outer peripheral sur-face which is shaped about the same as the outer peripheral 2S surEace 22 of the flower pot ob~ect 16, the dimensions of the base portion 52 being slightly larger than the compara-ble dimensions of the outer peripheral suri'ace 22 of the flower pot 16, so the decorative flower pot cover 16 will fit generally about the outer peripheral surface 22 of the 30 Elower pot 16 when the decorative flower pot cover 14 is operatively connected to the flower pot 16. The base portion 52 has an upper end 54 and a,lower end S6, the 1~91659 lower end 56 of the base portion 52 coinciding with and forming the lower end 48 of the male die 44. Thus, the base portion 52 of the male die surface 50 generally is frusto-conically shaped with the diameter of the base portion 52 generally at the lower end 56 being smaller than the diameter of the base portion 52 generally at the upper end 54 of the base portion 52. A portion of the male die surface 50 flares a distance angularly outwardly and up-wardly from the upper end 54 of the base portion 52, the 10 flared portion 58 o~ the male die surface 50 having an upper end 60 and a lower end 62 with the lower end 62 being connected to the upper end 54 of the base portion 52. As shown in Figure 1, the flared portion 58 extends at an angle 64 outwardly and upwardly from the upper end 54 of the base 15 portion 52.

A rod is reciprocatingly disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 66 and the rod of the hydraulic cylinder 66 is connected to the upper end 46 oi the male die 44. The hy-draulic cylinder 66 is adapted and positioned to move the 20 male die 44 in a downward direction 68 to a forming posi-tion and to move the male die 44 in an upward dlrection 70 to a storage position (shown in Figure 1). The hydraulic cylinder 66 is connected to a support assembly 72, and the hydraulic cylinder 66 and the support ass0mbly 72 coope-25 rate to support the male die 44 a distance above a supportsurface 74.

At least one and preferably a plurality of openings 76 (only one opening 76 being designated by a reference numeral in Figure 1) extend through the male die 44, each 30 opening 76 extending through the lower end 48 of the male die 44. One end of a conduit 78 is connected to the male die 44 and is positioned in communication with the openings ~ ~9~6~9 76. A vacuum source 80 is connected to the conduit 78 and a blower 82 also is connected to the conduit 78. A
control valve 84 is interposed between the vacuum source 80 and conduit 78 and the control valve 84 also is inter-posed between the blower 82 and conduit 78. In one posi-tion o~ the control valve 84, communication is established between the vacuum source 80 and the openings 76 in the male die 44 and, in one other position o~ the control valve 84, communication is established between the ~lower 82 and 10 the openings 76 in the male die 44.

An air supply 86 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder 66 and a control valve 88 is interposed between the air supply 86 and the hydraulic cylinder 6G. In one position of the control valve 88, the air supply 8G is 15 connected to the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 66 for moving the male die 44 in the downward direction 68 and, in one other position oi the control valve 8B, the air sup-ply 86 is connected to the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder 66 for moving the male die 44 in the upward direc-tion 70.

The control valve 88 has a third position whereincommunication is interrupted between the hydraulic cylinder 66 and the air supply 86 and a switch 89 is positioned on the support assembly 72 and connected to the control valve 88 for positioning the control valve 88 in this third position. More particularly, when the control valve 88 is positloned to move the male die 44 in the upward direction 68, the male die 44 is moved in the upward direction 68 and, when the male die 44 reaches the storage position, the male die 44 engages the switch 89 to position the control valve 88 in the just described third position.

~9~659 A plurality of cartridge type heating elements 90 (only two elements 90 being shown ln Figure 1) are con-nected to the male die 44. Each of the heating elements 90 is disposed in a cylinder in an inner portion of the male die 44 and the heating elements 90.are positioned about the male die 44 to heat the male die surface 50 to a pre-determined temperature level during the operation of the system 10. Each of the heating elements 90 is connected to an electrical power supply. In one form, the electrical power supply 92 also includes a switch (not shown) for con-10 ditioning the heating elements 90 in the heating mode or,in other words, ~or applying electrical power to the heating elements 92 in the closed position of such switch and the electrical power supply 92 also may be connected to a temperature sensing device (not shown) located on the 15 male die 44 and positioned to sense the temperature level of the male die surface 50, the sensing device controlling the connection of the electrical power supply 92 to the heating elements 90 to maintain the temperature level of the male die surface 50 at a desired predetermined tempe-20 rature level.

The system 10 also includes a female die 94 havingan upper end 96 and a lower end 98. An opening is formed through the upper end 96 of the female die 94 extending a distance generally toward the lower end 98 of the female 25 die 94, the opening forming a female die surface 100 having an upper end 102 and a lower end 104. The support assembly 72 suports the male die 44 a distance generally above and generally aligned with the female die 94. The opening forming the female die surface 100 is shaped and sized to 30 receive and formingly mate with the male die surface 50 with a sueficient clearance therebetween to accommodate portions of the sheet of material 12 during the forming of ~9~6~

the decorative flower pot cover 14.

The female die surface 100 includes a base portion 106 having an upper end 108 and a lower end 110. The base portion 106 generally is frusto-conically 8haped and, thus, the diameter of the base portion 106 generally near the lower end 110 is smaller than the diameter o~ the base portion 106 generally near the upper end 108 of the base portion 106. The base portion 106 oi' the female die 100 is shaped to mate with the base portion 52 of the male die 10 44 with su~icient clearance therebetween to accommodate portions of the sheet o$ materlal 12 during the forming of the decorative cover 14.

The female die surface 100 also includes a flared portion 112 having an upper end 114 and a lower end 116, 15 the lower end 116 o~ the flared portion 112 being connected to the upper end 108 oi' the base portion 106. The flared portion 112 extends angularly outwardly and upwardly from the upper end 108 o:E the base portion 106. The flared portion of the iemale die suri'ace 100 is shaped to mate 20 with the flared portion 58 oi' the male die 44 with su~fi-cient clearance therebetween to accommodate portions of the sheet o~ mater:Lal 12 during the ~orming o~ the decorative cover 14. The flared portion L12 extends at an angle 117 which is about the same as the angle 64.

A plurality of cartridge-type heating elements 118 ~only two elements 118 being shown in Figure 1) are connected to the female die 94. The heating elements 118 are positioned about the ~emale die suri'ace 100 and con-nected to the electrical power supply 92 for heating the 30 remale die sur~ace lOO.to a predetermined temperature level during the i'orming o~ the decorative cover 14 and a ~;~91~i59 temperature sensing device (not shown) may be conDected to the female die 94 in a manner and for reasons like that described berore with respect to the heating elements 90 in the male die 44.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the system 10 in-cludes a platform 120 having an upper support surface 122 and an opening 124 (shown in Figure 2) formed through a control portion thereof. The female die 94 is disposed through the opening 124 to a position wherein the upper end 10 96 of the female die 94 is disposed generally adjacent the support surface 122. The platform 120 is connected to the support assembly 72 and the support assembly 72 is adapted to support the platform 120 so the support surface 122 is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane.

~our circumferentially spaced inclined support sur-faces 126 are formed in the upper support surface 122 with each inclined support surface 124 extending a distance angularly upwardly and outwardly from the upper end 96 of the female die 94 at an angle 127 (shown in Figure 1 wi-th 20 respect to one of the inclined support surfaces 126) and with the remaining portions of the support surface 122 being disposed in a generally horizontal plane. The angle 127 is about the same as the angle 64 of the flared portion 58 of the male die 44 and thus about the same as the angle 25 117 of the flared portion 112 of the female die 94.

~ ach inclined support surface 126 is generally triangularly shaped with the base of each triangularly shaped inclined support surface 126 being disposed near the opening in the female die 94 and with each triangularly 30 shaped inclined support surface 126 extending upwardly and terminating with the triangle apex outermost end. The in-clined support surfaces 126 are spaced apart at about ninety 'I ;29~ 9 degree intervals circumferentially about the opening in the female die 94, and the inclined support surfaces 126 are arranged about the female die 94 so the edges of such sup-port surfaces 126 cooperate to form a substantially square shape in a plan view as shown in Figure 2 with the outer-most ends of the inclined support surfaces 126 forming the corners of this square shape.

Each inclined support surface 126 is connected to the platform 120 by a pair of sides 128 and 130, as shown 10 in Figure 2 with respect to one of the inclined support surfaces 126. Each inclined support surface 126 cooperates with the sides 128 and 130 connected thereto to encompass an enclosed space. A plurality of hold openings 134 are formed through each inclined support surface 126 (only two 15 of the hold openings 134 being designated by reference numerals in Figures 1 and 2) and the hold openings 134 in each inclined support surface 126 are in communication with the space enclosed by that inclined support surface 122 cooperating with the sides 128 and 130.

A vacuum source 136 is connected to each of the spaces enclosed by the inclined suppor-t surfaces 126 and cooperating sides 128 and 130 and a control valve 138 is interposed between the enclosed spaces and the vacuum source 136, the vacuum source 136 being in communication 2-~ with the hold openings 134 in the ~nclined support surfaces 126 in the opened position of the control valve 138. In one (opened) position of the control valve 138, communica-tion is established between the hold openings 134 and the vacuum source 136 and, in one other (closed) position of 30 the control valve 138, communication is interrupted between the hold openings 134 and the vacuum source 136.

~9~6~9 Adjacent pairs of inclined support surfaces 126 are spaced a distance apart thereby forming a substantially ~lat, horizontally disposed flat portion 140 of the support surface 122 which is disposed generally between each pair of adjacent inclined support surfaces 126. Each flat por-tion 140 extends a distance radially outwardly from theopening in the female die 94. The flat portions 140 co-operate with the inclined support surfaces 126 to form the support surface 122.

A plurality of spaced apart ribs 1~2 are connected 10 to the support surface 122 with some of the ribs 142 being disposed in each flat portion 140. Each rib 142 has an arc-shaped cross section with a rounded uppermost end por-tion and each rib 142 extending a distance radially out-wardly from the opening in the female die 94, the ribs 142 15 in each flat portion 140 being spaced distances apart.

In operation, the sheet of material 12 is placed on the support surface 122 of the platform 120 with a central portion of the sheet of material 12 being disposed generally over the opening ln the female die 94, As mentioned be-20 fore, the sheet of material 12 preierably is square-shaped and, in this instance, each corner of the square-shaped sheet of material 12 is placed near the apex of one of the inclined support surfaces 122, each portion of the sheet of material 12 disposed ad~acent the corner being disposed 25 generally over the inclined support surface 126. In this position, the sheet of material 12 is disposed on the sup-port surface 122 generally between the male die 44 and the female die 94.

Initially, the hyqraulic cylinder 6G supports the 30 male die 44 in the storage position disposed a distance ~?~91~;59 above and generally over the female die 94. The control valve 8~ is positioned to connect the openings 76 in the male die 44 to the vacuum source 80 and the control valve 138 is positioned to connect the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126 to the vacuum source 136.
The heating elements 96 in the male die ~4 and the heating elements 118 in the female die 94 each are connected to the electrical power supply 92 so the heating elements 96 co-operate to heat the male die surface 50 to the predeter-10 mined temperature level and the heating elements 118 in thefemale die 94 cooperate to heat the female die surface 100 to the predetermined temperature level.

Since the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 122 are in communication with the.vacuum source 15 136, the portions of the sheet of material 12 generally near each of the corners of the ob~ect of.material 12 are biased or pulled generally toward the respective inclined support surfaces 126 when the sheet of,material 12 ini-tially is placed or positioned on the upper support surface 20 122. The amount of vacuum applied through the hold openings 134 is relatively slight so the vacuum tends to bias or pull the portions of the sheet oi',materi~l 12 generally near the corners toward the respective inclined support surfaces 126, yet the vacuum is small enough to 25 permit the corner portions of the sheet of,material 12 to be pulled across the respective inclined support surfaces 126 toward the opening in the female die 94 during the forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14.

After the sheet of material has been positioned on 30 the support surface 122 in the manner described before, the control valve 88 i.s positioned to connect the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 66 to the air'supply 86 for moving ~ ~91~9 - ~o -the male die 44 in the downward direction 68 toward the ~emale die 94. As the male die moves in the downward direction 68, the male die 44 moves to a position wherein the lower end ~8 of the male die 44 (the lower end 56 of the base portion 52) initially engages the portion of the sheet of material 12 disposed over the opening in the fe-male die 94. Since the openings 76 in the male die 44 are connected to the vacuum source 80, the vacuum applied through the openings 76 in the male die 44 biases the en-10 gaged portion of the sheet of material 12 contacted by thelower end 48 of the male die 44 into engagement with the lower end 48 of the male die 44, such vacuum holding the engaged portion of the sheet of material 12 generally against the lower end 48 of the male die 44 during the 15 forming of the decorative flower pot cover 14.

The hydraulic cylinder 66 continues to move the male die in the downward direction 68 pushing portions of the sheet of material 12 generally into the opening in the female die 94 forming the female die surface 100, the 20 holding of the engaged portion oE the sheet oE material 12 agai.nst the lower end 48 oE the male die 44 substantially preventing the slipping of the sheet of material 12 as the sheet of material 12 is moved by the male die 4~ into the opening forming the female die surface 100. The male die 25 44 continues to be moved in the downward direction into the opening Eorming the Eemale die surface lO0 to a posi-tion wherein the male die suriace 50 is matingly disposed within the Iemale die surface 100 with the lower end 44 of the male die 44 being disposed generally near the lower 30 end 104 of the female die surface 100, portions of the sheet of material 12 being disposed generally about the male die surface 50 and generally between the male die sur-Iace 50 and the female die surface 100 in the forming posi-~916~;9 tion of the male die 44 within the female die surface 100.

The vacuum applied through the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126, permits the portions of the sheet of material 12 disposed generally over the in-clined support surfaces 126 to be biased toward such in-clined support surfaces 126 and yet to be slidingly moved in the direction generally toward the opening in the female die 94 forming the female die surface 100 as the male die 44 engages the sheet of material 12 and pushes the sheet of lO material 12 into the opening forming the female die sur-face 100 as the male die 44 is moved to the forming posi-tion. In the forming position of the male die 44, the vacuum applied through the hold openings 134 in the inclined support surfaces 126 cooperate to hold the -Four corner por-15 tions of the sheet of material 12 generally against therespective inclined support surfaces 126 during the forming oE the decorative cover 14 with portions of the sheet of material 12 being disposed generally over the ribs 142 on each of the flat portior~s 140 of the support surface 122.

In the forming position oi the male die 44 within the opening forming the female die surface 100, the base portion 106 of the female die 94 cooperates with the base portion 52 of the male die 44 to form the portion of the sheet of material disposed therebetween into the base 26 25 of the decorative flower pot cover 14. The flared portion 112 o:E the female die 94 cooperates with the flared portion 58 of the male die 44 to form the portion of the sheet of material 12 disposed therebetween into the lower portion of the decorative border 34 generally adjacent the upper end 30 28 of the base 26, thereby establishing or forming the angle at which the decorative border 34 extends upwardly and outwardly Erom the opened upper end 28 of the base 26.

~ 3~

The four flared petal-like portions 36 of the decorative border 34 are disposed on the respective inclined support sur~ces 126 during the forming of the decorative cover 14.
The vacuum applied at the hold openings 142 biases the four corner portions o the sheet of material 12 against the respective inclined support surfaces 126 which tends to pull or hold the four corner por-tions from being pushed in-to the opening in the female die 94, although the vacuum is slight which permits the four corner portions of the 10 sheet of material 12 to slide over the inclined support .surfaces 12 toward the opening in the female die 94 during the forming process. This action on the four corner por-tions o-E the sheet of material 12 tends to keep overlapping portions or overlapping folds from forming in the petal-15 like portions 36 of the formed decorative flower pot cover14, The ribs 142 in the flat portions 140 of the support surEace 122 tend to form elongated outwardly extending waves or non-bonding loose overlaps or folds in the flare connecting portions 40 of the formed decorative flower pot 20 cover 14. The waves or loose non-bonding overlaps or folds tend to pull portions of the materlal toward the flat por-tions 140 and generally away from the lnclined support surfaces 122 which contributes to maintaining the four cor-ner portions of the sheet of material 12 forming the petal-25 like portions 36 substantially flat and free of folds.

In a preferred form, the control valve 88 includesa timer which is constructed and adapted to keep the air supply 86 connected to the hydraulic cylinder 66 for holding the male die 44 in the forming posi-tion with re-30 spect to the Iemale die 94 for a predetermined period oftime which, in one embodiment, is about three seconds, Eor example, the particular time being sufficient to form the decorative flower pot cover 14 and to permit the bonding of the overlapping folds 42. At the end of this predetermined period of time, the control valve 88 is moved to connect the air supply 86 to the lower end of the hydraulic cylin-der 66, thereby causing the male die 44 to be moved in the upward direction 70 to the storage position. As the male die ~4 is moved in the upward direction 70 to the storage position, the vacuum applied through the openings 76 in the male die 44 holds the formed cover against the male die sur~ace 50 or, more particularly, holds the closed 10 lower end 30 of the formed decorative cover 14 against the lower end 48 of the male die 44. When the male die'44 has been moved to the storage position, the control valve 84 is positioned to connect the blower ~2 to the openings 76 in the male die 44 thereby releasing the formed cover from 15 the male die surface 50 so the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 easily can be removed or released from the male die 44 for conditioning the cover forming system 10 to form another decorative flower pot cover 14.

The surface area of,the portions of,the sheet of 20 material 12 which is pushed into the base portion 106 of the female die 94 and which is utilized to form the base 26 of the decorative flow0r pot cover 14 exceeds the sur-face area of either the base portion 52 of the male die surEace 50 or the base portion 106 of the female die sur-25 face 100 or the outer peripheral surface including the bot-tom of the flower pot object 16. This excess material utilized to form the base 26 during the forming process is utilized to form the overlapping folds 42.

It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the 30 vacuum source 136 actually is a blower which is connected to the conduit in such a manner as to impose a slight vacuum through the hold openings 142. Also, it should be noted ~L~916~9 that, in one embodiment, the system 10 does not include the blower 82 and, in this embodiment, the valve 84 is posi-tioned to disconnect the vacuum source 80 from the openings 76 in the male die 44 when the male die 44 is moved to the storage position. In this embodiment, the iormed decora-tive flower pot cover 14 is released from the male die 44 by the weight oi the $ormed decorative ~lower pot cover 14, the formed decorative flower pot cover 14 simply ~alling off the male die 44. Further, the vacuum source 80 also 10 may be a blower which is connected to the conduit 78 in such a manner as to impress a vacuum at the openings 76.

It should be noted that, in some applications, the flower pot cover 14 may be formed without using the vacuum source 80 applied at the openings 76 in the male die 44.
15 However, it has been found that the friction between the male die surface 50 and the engaged portions of the sheet of material 12 varies thereby causing the male die 44 to push the sheet of material 12 into the female die sur~ace 100 in an uneven manner. This dii'ierence in ~riction also 20 may results ~rom using dl~erent materials to ~orm the sheet of material 12. In any event, the vacuum applied through the openings 76 holds the engaged portion of the sheet of material 12 against the bottom or lower end 48 of the male die 44 so the male die 44 pushes the engaged sheet 25 of material 12 evenly into the female die surface 100 which contributes to the forming oi the decorative border 34 having a substantially square appearance in a plan view as shown in Figure 3B.

In some applications, it has been ~ound to be de-30 sirable to rorm an opening in the lower end 104 of the fe-male die 94. A pad (not shown) is disposed in such opening and the pad is.connected to a hydraulic cylinder (not ~?~916S9 shown) which is disposed generally below the iemale die 94.
During the operation, the hydraulic cylinder moves the pad up to a position wherein the pad is generally coplanar with the upper end 96 oi the ~emale die 94 and the male die 44 then is lowered toward the engaging position a~ter the sheet oi' material has been positioned on the support surface 122 with a central portion of the sheet o~ material being disposed generally over the pad. The lower end 48 o~ the male die 44 initially engages the sheet o~ material lO and a portion oi the sheet o~ material is compressed gen-erally between the lower end 48 of the male die 44 and the pad. The male die 44 then i'urther is moved toward the ~orming position pushing the pad back into the opening in the lower end 104 o~ the i'emale die 44. Thus, the pad and 15 the lower end 48 o~ the male die 4~ cooperate to hold the sheet oi' material as the male die 44 and the i'emale die 94 are moved into the ~orming position.

Embodiment oi' Figure 4 ~hown in Figure 4 is a modiiied plat~orm 120a which 20 is constructed exactly like the plati'orm 120 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and described in detail bei'ore, except the modified plati'orm 120a includes modii'ied inclined support sur~aces 126a. The base oi' each inclined support suri'ace 120 is pivotally connected to the plati'orm 120a and each 25 inclined support suri'ace 126a is pivotally moveable ~rom the operating position (shown in solid lines in Figure ~) wherein each inclined support suri'ace 126a extends angular-~y upwardly at the angle 127 i'rom the plat~orm 120 to a storage position (shown in dashed lines in Figure 4) where-30 in each inclined support suri'ace 126a is disposed in a sub-stantially horizontal plane. The inclined support sur-faces 126a each are moveable through respective openings in the platform 126 to the storage position and the inclined surfaces 126a are supported generally within one of the openings formed in the plat~orm 126a in the storage posi-tion.

The plat~orm 120a includes ~our hydraulic cylinders 142 and a rod oi' each o~ the hydraulic cylinders 146 is conneeted to one oi' the inclined support suriaces 126a.
The hydraulic cylinders 146 are connected to the air sup-ply 86 (shown in Figure l) and a control valve (not shown) 10 is interposed between the air supply 86 and the hydraulic eylinders 146.

In one position, the air supply 86 is eonneeted to the hydraulic eylinders 146 for moving the inelined support sur~aees 126a connected thereto in an upward direction to 15 move the inelined support suri'aees 126a ~rom a horizontally disposed position to an operating position and, in one other position, the air supply 86 is eonneeted to the hy-draulic cylindar 146 ior moving the inclined support sur-faees 126a conneeted thereto in the downward direction to 20 move the inelined support sur~aees 126a irom the operating position to the storage position wherein the inclined sup-port suri'aees 126a each are disposed in a substantially horizontal plane.

The modi~ied plat$orm 120a will operate with the 25 remaining portion oi' the eover iorming system 10 to form the deeorative i'lower pot eover 14 in a manner exaetly like that deseribed before with respeet to the plat~orm 120 (shown in Figures 1 and 2), exeept initially the air supply 86 is eonneeted to the hydraulie cylinders 146 ~or moving 30 the inelined support surfaces 126a to the storage position wherein each inelined support sur~aee 126a is disposed in a ~91~9 horizontal plane substantially coplanar with the remaining portion o~ the support surface 120a. In this storage position o~ the inclined support suriaces 126a, the sheet of material 12 is positioned on the support sur~ace 122a.
After the sheet o~ material 12 has been positioned on the support sur~ace 122a, then the air supply 86 is connected to the hydraulic cylinders 146 ior moving the inclined sup-port sur~aces 126a connected thereto to the forming posi-tion wherein each inclined support surface 126a is angularly 10 disposed with respect to the remainlng portions oi the sup-port surface 122a. When the inclined support surfaces 126a each have been moved to the ~orming position, the sheet o~ material 12a partially supported on the inclined support sur~aces 126a then can be ~ormed into the decorative 15 flower pot cover 14 in a manner exactly like that described before with respect to the platforln 120 shown in Figures 1 and 2. A~ter the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 has been formed, then the hydraulic cylinders 146 are connected to the air supply 86 for movlng the inclined support æurfaces 20 126a connected thereto in the downward direction until each o~ the inclineA support sur~aces 126a is disposed in the storage position extending in a substantlally horizontal plane coplanar with the horizontal plannr disposition o-~ the remaining portion o~ the support suriace 122a.

The movement o~ the inclined support sur~aces 126a to the storage position wherein each o~ the inclined sup-port sur~aces 126a is disposed in a horizontal plane sub-stantially coplanar with the horizontal planar disposition o~ the remaining portions o~ the upper sur~ace 122a provides 30 a substantially flat support sur~ace 122a which may be more convenient ~or loading the sheet o~ material 12 onto the support suriace 122a and which particularly may be more convenient to accommodate an automatic or semiautomatic ~3165~

loading of the sheet o~ material 12 onto the support sur-~ace 122a during the forming operations.

Embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 Shown in Figures 5 and 6 is another modified system lOc which includes a generally circularly-shaped lower table 200 having an upper sur~ace 202 and a lower surface 204. A shaPt 206 is connected to a central portion o~ the lower sur~ace 204 and the opposite end o~ the shait 206 is supported on the ~loor 74.

Four ~emale dies 94 are disposed in openings (not shown) in the table 200. The i'emale dies 94 are circumie-rentially spaced at ninety degree lntervals about the table 200. The ~emale dies 94 each are constructed exactly like the female dies 94 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and described 15 in detail be~ore.

As shown in Flgure 6, the modified system lOc also includes an upper table 212 having an upper sur~ace 214 and a lower sur~ace 216. The sha~t 206 extends ~rom the lower table 200 through the upper table 212 and the shaft 206 is ~o connected to a central portion o~ the upper table 212, the shait 206 extending a distance above the upper sur~ace 214 of the upper table 212.

A table drive assembly 217 is connected to the shai't 206 and the table drive assembly 217 also is connected to 25 an AC source 218. The table drive assembly 217 is adapted to drivingly rotate the sha:et 206 and the upper and the lower tables 212 and 200 in a direction 220 during aspects o~ the operation o~ the system lOc. In one ~orm> the table drive assembly 217 lncludes a motor and means (such as gears or pulley belts, for example~ ~or connecting the output shaft o~ the motor to the sha~t 206 ~or drivingly rotating the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in the direction 220. The table drive assembly 208 also includes controls for drivingly rotating the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 and ~or stopping the rotation of the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in a manner to be described in greater detail below with respect to the operation o~ the system lOc. It should be noted that various i'orms oi' table drive 10 assemblies which are constructed and adapted to drivingly rotate assemblies like the lower and upper tables 200 and 212 in a particular controlled manner are well known in the art and the system lOc does not contemplate nor is the system lOc limited to any particular type o~ table drive 15 assemblY~

Four support surfaces 122a are formed on the upper surface 202 of the lower table 200.with each oi the support surfaces 122a being disposed about one o~ the ~emale dies 94 in a manner exactly like that described be~ore with 20 respect to the support sur~aces 122 and 122a and the ~emale die 94 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. In the system lOc, the inclined support suriaces 126a i'ormed on each oi' the sup-port suri'aces 122a are constructed exactly like those shown in Flgure 4 and described in detail be~ore; however, 25 the means (hydraulic cylinders 146 and the associated air supply) ~or moving the inclined support sur~aces 126a to the storage and the ~orming positions is not shown in Figure 6.

Four male dies 44 are connected to the upper table 30 212 with the male dies 44 each extending from the lower sur~ace 216 o~ the upper table 212. The male dies 44 are circum~erentially spaced at ninety degree intervals about ~9~659 the lower sur~ace 216 o~ the upper table 212. The upper table 212 is disposed generally above the upper surface 202 o~ the lower table 200 with the upper surface 202 oi the lower table 200 being spaced a predetermined distance ~rom the lower surface 216 of the upper table 212. Fur-ther, the upper table 212 is disposed and positioned and the male dies 44 are disposed and positioned on the upper table 212 so that each o~ the male dies 44 is operatively aligned with the opening i'orming the i~emale die sur~ace 100 10 in one o~ the iemale dles 94 supported in the lower table 200.

A vacuum source 221 is connected to the openings 76 (not shown in Figure 6) in each of the male dies 44 by way o~ a coupling 222, in the manner and ~or the reasons 15 described be$ore with respect to the system 10 shown in Figure 1. The coupling 222 is adapted to provide a means ~or connecting the vacuum source 221 to the male dies 44 by way oi' conduits while permitting the rotation oi' the upper and the lower tables 200 and 221 with tangling or 20 wrapping o~ conduits about the shaft 206 which would occur if such connections wer0 made with single continuous con-duits without the coupling 222. The coupling 222 has one portion which is secured to the sha~t 206 for rotation with the shait 206, this being the portion which is connected 25 to the male dies 44, and the coupling has one portion which is not connected to the sha~t 206 and does not rotate with the shaft 206, this being the portion which is connected to the vacuum source 221.

An air supply 224 is connected to each of the hy-30 draulic cylinders 66 by way oi a coupling 226, a coupling 228 and a control valve 230. The couplings 226 and 228, like the coupling 222, provide a means i'or connecting the ~91659 air supply 224 to the hydraulic cylinders 66 while permit-ting rota~ion of the upper and the lower tables 212 and 200 without tangling or wrapping o~ conduits about the shaft 206 which would occur if such connections were made with single continuous conduits without the couplings 226 and 228. The couplings 226 and 228 each have one portion which is conneted to the shaft 206 for rotation with the sha~t 206, this being the portion which is connected to the hy-draulic cylinders 66 and the couplings 226 and 228 each have 10 another portion which is not connected to the sha~t 206 and does not rotate wlth the shai't 206, this being the por-tion which is connected to the air supply 224.

The system lOc includes a ~ilm supply 232 which is adapted to feed ~ilm to be ~ormed into the decorative 15 flower pot covers 14 during the operation of the system lOc. More particularly, the ~ilm supply 232 includes a roll o-f ~ilm 234 having a supply o~ film rolled thereabout.
The roll o~ ~ilm 234 is rotatingly supported generally near the lower table 200. The ~ilm on the roll o~ ~ilm 234 is 20 passed through a pair o~ rollers 236 and 238 and at least one o~ the rollers 236 and 238 is drivingly connected to a motor or other such drive means (not shown), which is adapted to drivingly, rotate the roller 236 and 238 con-nected thereto ~or drivingly moving the sheet of film be-25 tween the rollers 236 and 238 threby unrolling a portionof the ~ilm from the roll o~ i'ilm 234 and passing a portion o~ the ~ilm ~rom the rollers 236 and 238 in a direction 240. The rollers 236 and 238 are positioned to drivingly pass a portion oi' the sheet of ~ilm in the direction 240 30 generally onto a portion of the upper surface 202 oi the lower table 200 during the operation oi' the system lOc.

~9~ 6~;9 The system lOc includes a cutting assembly 242 which includes a kniie 244 having a portion there~f con-nected to the rod o~ a hydraulic cylinder 246. The knife 244 and the hydraulic cylinder 246 each are supported at a predetermined position above the upper suriace 202 o~
the lower table 200 with the kniie 244 being positioned to cut the ~ilm supplied by the ~ilm supply 232 at a pre-determined position to dispose a sheet o~,material 12 on the upper sur~ace 202 oi the lower table 200, the sheet of ma-10 terial 12 cut by the cutting assembly 232 more particularlybeing disposed and supported on one oi the support sur-faces 122a during the operation oi',the system lOc.

The system lOc also includes a cover unloading assembly 248 which is adapted to remove the ~ormed decora-15 tive covers 14 ~rom the system lOc. The cover unloadingassembly 248 includes a motor-gear unloading drive 250 which is operatively connected to a pair of spaced-apart unloading arms 252 and 254, the unloading arms 252 and 254 each extending in a parallel relationahifip and being spaced 20 a predetermined distance apart. The cover unloading as-sembly 248 is positioned near and generally between the lower and the upper tables 200 and 212 so that the unloading drive 250 moves the unloading arms 252 and 254 in a direc-tion 256 generally to an unloading position (shown in 25 dashed lines in Figure 6) and so that the unloading drive 250 moves the unloading arms 252 and 254 in a direction 258 to a loading position during the operation o~ the cover forming system lOc. The arms 252 and 254 are connected by way o~ a hinge 255 to the linkage connecting the arms 252 30 and 254 to the drive 250, and the hinge 255 is constructed to support the arms 252 and 254 in the position shown in Figure 6 in the locked position oi the hinge 255 and to pivotal].y drop the arms 252 and 254'in'the unlocked posi-~L;Z 9~ ~j59 tion to iacilitate the removal oi~ the formed cover.

Since the tables 200 and 212 rotate, the positionso~ the various elements connected to the tables 200 and 20~ shift during the operation o~ the system 10c. During the operation o~ the system 10c, the tables 200 and 212 repeatable are movable to ~our positions and i'or the pur-pose of describing the operation o~ the system 10c, the four positions are designated in Figure 6 by the letters "A", "B", "C" and "D", and sometimes reierred to herein as 10 "stations". In general, at station "A", the sheet o~
material 12 is placed on the support suri'ace 120a and, at station "B", the male die 44 moves into the forming posi-tion within the opening in the $emale die 94 i'orming the female die suri'ace 100 and, at station "C", the i'ormed de-15 corative ~lower pot cover 14 is removed i'rom the system 10cand, at .station "D", the male die 44 is conditioned to again initiate the ~orming process.

Initially, the tables 200 and 212 are posltioned in iixed relative positions so that one oi' the ~emale dies 20 94 along with the support suri'ace 122a associeted therewith is operatively positioned with respect to one oi' the male dies 44, and the tables 200 and 212 are positioned so that one o~ the ~emale dies 94 and the associated male d$e 44 is positioned at each oi the stations "A", "B", "C" and 25 ~D~. At gtation "A", one oi the support sur~aces 122a is positioned near the iilm supply 232 ior receiving a sheet o~ material 12 to be i'ormed into the decorative ~lower pot cover 14.

At station "A!', one oi',the rollers 236 and 238 is 30 drivingly rotated ~or passing'the ~ilm o~,material there-between and th,e iilm oi',material is drivingly moved in the ~9~659 -3~-direction 240 until a predetermined length of ~ilm consti-tuting the sheet of material 12 has been disposed or passed onto the support suri'ace 122a. Ai'ter the predetermined length of ~ilm constituting the sheet o~ material 12 has 5 been passed onto -the support surface 122a, the hydraulic cylinder 246 is connected to the air supply for moving the knife 244 in a downward direction toward the upper surface 202 o~ the lower table 200 and the knife 244 is moved in this direction by the hydraulic cylinder 246 to a position 10 wherein the knii'e 244 cuttingly engages the portion of the ~ilm disposed thereunder to sever a portion oi' the i'ilm ~rom the roll oi' ~ilm 234 thereby leaving a generally square-shaped sheet of material 12 operatively disposed on the supprot sur~ace 122a above one oi the ~emale dies 94 at l~station "A".

A~ter the sheet oi material 12 has been cut ~rom the roll o~ ~ilm 234, the hydraulic cylinder 2a6 is connected to the air supply i'or moving th~ knife 244 i'rom the cutting position to the storag0 position. A~ter the ~ni~e 244 has 20been moved to the storage posltion, thè table drive assem-bly 217 is activated to move the lower and the upper tables 200 and 212 to a position wherein the male and ~emale dies 44 and 94 at station "A" are moved in the direction 220 to station "B" and thus the sheet oi' material 12 which was 25positioned on the support sur~ace 122a at station "A" is moved to station "B", the other male and iemale dies 44 and 94 also being moved or advanced in the direction 220.
At station "B", the male die 44 is moved into the ~orming position with the sheet of material 12 by actuating the 30appropriate hydraulic cylinder 66 with the male die sur~ace 50 being matingly disposed generally within the iemale die sur~ace lOO with portions oi' the sheet of material 12 being disposed therebetween in a manner like that described be-~;Z 9~G~i9 ~ore with respect to the system 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2, ~hereby ~orming the decorative flower pot cover 14. While the decorative cover 14 is formed at station "B", another sheet of material 12 is cut ~rom the roll of ~ilm 234 and operatively disposed on the support sur~ace 122a associated with the ~emale die 94 located at station "A".

A~ter the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 has been ~ormed at station "B", the tables 200 and 212 are rotatingly moved by the table drive assembly 217 to position the male and ~emale dies 44 and 94 which previously were located at 10 station "B" at station "C", thereby positioning the ~ormed ~lower pot cover at station "C". At station "C", the male die 44 is moved in the upward direction to the storage posi-tion with the vacuum applied via the vacuum source 221 holding the ~ormed decorative ~lower pot cover 14 on the 15 male die 44 in the manner like that described before with respect to the system 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2. At station "C" and aiter the male die 44 is moved to the sto-rage position, the unloading drive 250 is activated to move the unloading arms 252 and 254 in the direction 258 to the 20 unloading position and, when the unloading arms 252 and 254 have been moved to the unloading position, the vacuum ap-plied by the vacuum source 221 is disconnected ~rom the male die 44 at station "C" thereby releasing the ~ormed decora-tive ~lower pot cover 14 ~rom the male die 44. ~hen the 25 formed decorative ~lower pot cover 14 is released from the male die 44 at station "C", the released cover 14 is dis-posed with or between the arms 252 and 254 with the decora-tive border 34 operating to prevent movement o~ the cover 14 through the space between the arms 252 and 254 so the 30 arms 252 and 254 cooperate to hold the ~ormed decorative l'lower pot cover 14. In this position o~ the formed cover 14, the unloading drive 250 is actuated to move the arms ~L~91~i9 252 and 25~ in the direction 256 to the unloading position wherein th~ formed cover 14 can be removed from the arms 252 and 254 for disposing the ~ormed cover 14 in shipping boxes for disposing the formed cover 14 for ~urther proces-sing. In the unloading position, the arms 252 and 254 canbe pivotally dropped by unlocking the hinge 255.

After the ~ormed cover 14 is removed ~rom the male die 44 at station "C", the tables 200 and 212 again are rotated in the direction 220 to position the male and female 10 dies ~4 and 94 which were at station "C" at station "D".
At station "D", the vacuum is reapplied to the male die 44 located at station ~'D" and the male and ~emale dies 44 and 94 located at station "D" are conditioned to again form another decorative i'lower pot cover 14.

The system lOc is constructed to sequentially move the male dies 44 and associated ~emale dies 94 to the statlons "A", "B", "C" and "D". The processes just de-scribed which occur at each oi' the respective stations "A", "B", "C" and "I)" continuously occur so the system lOc pro-20 vides a more automated process $or $orming the decorative ~lower pot covers 14.

Embodiment o~ Figures 7A and 7B

Shown in Figures 7A and 7B is a modi~ied system lOb which is constructed and operates exactly like the system 25 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and described in detail be~ore, except the system lOb includes a modi~ied support assembly 72b. The support assembly 72b includes a post 150 having one end supported on the ~loor 74 and extending a distance upwardly there~rom terminating with an upper end portion.
30 One end o~ n beam 154 is pivotally connected to the upper ~:9~659 end portion of the post 150. The male die 44 is supported on the end portions of the beam 154, generally opposite the end which is pivotally connected to the post 150.

A rod is reciprocatingly disposed in a hydraulic cylinder 156 and the rod is connected to the beam 154. The hydraulic cylinder 156 is connected to the air supply 86 (shown in Figure 1) and a control valve (not shown) is in-terposed between the air supply 86 and the hydraulic cylin-der 156 for controlling the operation oi the hydraulic 10 cylinder 156. In one position, the air supply 86 is con-nected to the upper end o~ the hydraulic cylinder 156 i'or pivotally moving the beam 154 in the direction 160 and, in one other position, the hydraulic cylinder 156 is connected to the control valve 158 ior pivotally moving the beam 154 15 in the direction 162.

The modi~ied system lOb will operate to ~orm the decorative flower pot cover 14 in a manner exactly like that described bei~ore with respect to the system 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2, except the air supply 86 initially is con-20 nected to the hydraulic cyllnder 156 ior moving the beamin the direction 162 to the iorming position wherein the male die sur~ace 50 is supported a distance above znd generally over the ~emale die sur~ace 100. In this posi-tion o~ the beam 154, the system lOb is operated exactly 25 lilce the system lOa to iorm the decorative ilower pot cover.

A~ter the decorative ~lower pot cover 14 has been .~ormed and the male die 44 moved to the storage position with the vacuum still applied through the openings 76 and 30 the male die 44 operating to hold the closed lower end 30 of the decorative cover 14 generally against the lower end ~916~i9 4~ of the male die 44, the hydraulic cylinder 156 is con-n~cted to ~he air supply 86 for moving the beam 15~ in the direction 160 to the cover disposing position. ~hen the beam 154 has been moved to the cover disposing position, then the control valve 88 is positioned to connect the openings 76 to the blower 82 ~or releasing the engagement between the ~ormed decorative ~lower pot cover 14 and the male die 44 i'or removing the i'ormed decorative i'lower pot cover 1~ from the male die 44. The movement o~ the beam 10 15~ to the cover disposing position permits the i'ormed de-corative ~lower pot cover 14 to be moved to a dii~i'erent position with respect to the i'orming position which may be more convenient in some applications ior releasing the ~ormed decorative ~lower pot cover 14 more directly into 15 subsequent process steps such as boxing for shipment, for example.

The iollowing are examples oi' techniques ior making decorative covers 14 in accordance with the present inven-tion.

In one example, a sheet 0.83 gauge polypropylene is acrylic coated on both sur~aces, one sur~ace coating being tinted with color and the opposite sur~ace being opaque in some instances and being clear in some other instances (particularly prei'erable when the other suri'ace is clear or 25 tinted yellow, ~or example). A clear polypropylene sheet is interleaved with the tinted or colored sheet of material, this sheet being acrylic coated on both suri'aces. The two sheets then are bonded together to i'orm the sheet oi' material 12. The coloring inks may be acrylic, heat seala-30 ble as described above or may be modi~ied nitrocelluloseheat sealable.

~9~6~

In another example, a 1.32 gauge polypropylene sheet is acrylic coated on both surfaces, one surface coating being tined with color and the opposite surface coating being opaque colored in some instances and left clear in some other instances (particularly prefereable when the opposite surface is tinted white or yellow). This sheet then is laminated and adhered to a second sheet of Saran coated polypropylene or uncoated polypropylene mate-rial using the acrylic heat sealing inks or the modified 10 nitrocellulose in~s as the adhesive mentioned before.

In another example, a sheet of Saran coated poly-propylene or uncoated polypropylene of material is tinted on one surface with a color and on the opposite surface of the same sheet opaque colored in some instances or clear in 15 some other instances (particularly preferable when tinted white or yellow). A second sheet of clear polypropylene acrylic coated material is adhered to the first sheet.
Varlous inks (coloring) are added to the acrylic adhesive or the modified nitrocellulose adhesive, both he~t sealable.

In another example, a Saran coated polypropylene or uncoated polypropylene is tinted on one surface with a chosen color using a pressure sensitive rubber based adhe-sive colored as the opaque sur~ace. This ~irst sheet then is adhered to a second clear sheet o~ Saran coated or un-25 coated polypropylene.

In another example, a first sheet of uncoated poly-propylene is tinted with a color on one surface with the opposite surface being opaque coloring or, in some in-stances, left clear, particularly when the opposite sur-face 30 is tinted or colored white or yellow. A second Saran coated polypropylene sheet is adhered to this first sheet.

~9'1 6~i~

Inks are added to the acrylic or modi~ied nitrocellulose adhesive ~`or coloring, both adhesive being heat sealable.

In another example, a ~irst sheet o~ polypropylene Iilm is adhesively connected to a paper laminate with the appropriate coloring and metal finishes to provide a sheet of material 12 having an overall appearance similar to aluminum ~oil, for example, and which has dead-~old charac-teristics or properties.

In another example, a ~oil sheat is adhesively con-10 nected to an uncoated polypropylene sheet with an inter-leaved third polypropylene sheet which is adhesively coated (heat sealing adhesive) on both suri'aces. In some in-stances the foil is prepainted and, in some instances the three layer sheet oi material 12 is embossed with a pre-15 determined pattern.

In another example,a single ~oil sheet may beutilized to ~orm the artlcle with an adhesive applied to one or both sur~aces thereo~ and,in some applications, the adhesive coating may be eliminated since the -~oil has dead 20 ~old characteristics or, in other words, since the ~oil is shape sustaining.

In another example, the sheet o~ material is formed with a ~irst polypropylene sheet layered on a second poly-propylene sheet, the -~irst sheet may be adheslvely coated "5 on one or both sur~aces and the second sheet may be adhe-sively coated on one or both sur~aces. For example, the ~irst sheet may be adhesively coated on both surfaces and the second sheet may be adhesively coated on one sur~ace, opposite the suri'ace disposed adjacent the ~irst sheet so 30 the sheet o~ material 1~ comprises the ~irst and second ~9~6~g sheets with an adhesive coating on the opposite sur~aces of the sheet of material 12. In this last mentioned example, the second sheet may not be coated so only the coating on the one surface of the first sheet is exposed in the ~inished sheet of material 12 or the coatings may be re-versed with respect to the frist and the second sheets so only the adhesive coating on the second sheet is exposed on the finished sheet of material. In this example, the ~irst and second sheets may be adhesively connected to i'orm the sheet of material 12 prior to formlng the decorative cover 14 or the first and second sheets may be layered and adhesively connected during the forming of the decorative cover 14.

The polypropylene sheet or i'ilm is relatively thin having a thickness in a range from about 1.0 mills to about 1.5 mills and, thus, a sheet of material 12 formed by layering and adhesively connecting a first and a second shset of polypropylene sheets or films has a total thickness in a range i'rom about 2.0 mills to about 3.0 mills. The thickness oi' a sheet oi polypropylene film varies and, in addition, the thickness will vary depending on the thick-ness of the adhesive coating applied to the sheets to be utilized in making the sheet of material ~2.

In addition to being relatively thin, the polypro-pylene sheet does not have any substantial dead fold charac-teristics or, in other words, shape sustaining characteris-tics. Thus~ when this type oi' material is i'ormed into any particular shape, such as the decorative cover 14, the formed sheet of material tends to return to the un~ormed state with constraints are removed. In addition, the strength o~ the polypropylene sheet is not sufficient to sustain the formed shape which combines with the lack of ~9165~

dead Yold characteristics to render it extremely di~ficult to utilize this material in making pre~ormed articles or covers.

In another example, a ~irst sheet of polypropylene film has a transparent color printed on one sur~ace thereof and a metallic ink is applied to one suriace of a second sheet o~ polypropylene ~ilm. The color and the metallic ink may be incorporated with the adhesive coating i~ the adhesive coating is to be applied to that sur~ace of the 10 sheet. The ~irst sheet with the transparent color i'orms the outer or lower suri'ace 43 oi the cover 14 and the se-cond sheet with the metallic ink ~orms the inner or upper sur~ace 41 o~ the cover 14, the combination o~ the transpa-rent color along with the metallic ink or ~inish provides 15 a ~inished, preformed article i'ormed oi a sheet o~ material 12 comprising two polypropylene i'ilms, but also having an overall metallic appearance. In lieu of metallic inks, the metallic iinish can be applied to the iilm by metaliæing one sur~ace oi' the i'ilm or by adhesively connecting a ~ilm 20 to a ~oil, Yor example.

The present invention provides a means ~or ~orming an article, a sheet o~ material 12 ~ormed using one sheet o~ polypropylene material or two or three layered and ad-hesively connected sheets Or polypropylene material. The 25 overlapping ~olds 42 which extend various distances and at various angles over or about the ~ormed article provide the strength required ~or the i'ormed sheet oi' material 12 to sustain the ~ormed shape. The overlapping ~olds 42 ~ormed in this manner provide a uniYorm resistance and a uniform 30 Ylexibility and give the Yormed portion oi' the sheet oY
material 12 the greatest overall strength per unit mass, the random ~orming o~ the overlapping ~olds 42 providing a 9~6~;9 close approximation to a uni$orm thickening-like action thereby allowing thin, non-shape sustaining sheets or $ilms to be utilized in forming articles while resulting in a substantial shape sustaining, relatively thin, article.

The particular $ilms mentioned be$ore were con-structed o$ a polypropylene ~ilm. However, such $ilms also could be polyvinyl chloride ~ilms which have the advantage o~ being inherently heat sealable with respect to like materials.

The sealing oi' one ~ilm to another or the sealing o$ the overlapping ~olds 42 also can be accomplished uti-lizing a heat sealable lacquer, a pressure sensitive adhe-sive which may or may not also require heat, a heat seala-ble adhesive described bei'ore, a hot melt adhesive, wax, 15 solvent, a light activated adhesive or other means oi' chemically connecting two sheets. The adhesive material can be applied to the sheets by gravure, ~lexographic, let-ter presæ, spray or other means $or applying adhesive to i'ilms.

~0 The ~ilms utilized to ~orm the sheet oi' material 12, described be$ore, are substantially waterproo$ so the pre$ormed article also i8 waterprooi'. Also, these iilms have the ability o$ being $1ame retarded.

When decorative $10wer pot covers 14 are formed in 25 accordance with the present invention, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the pre$ormed covers 14 may be ~lattened ~or shipping and storage purposes and the covers 14 then may be un$1attened $or display or sale or both. The decorative $10wer pot covers 14 i'ormed in accordance with the present 30 invention easily are un~lattened to assume the original ~9 preformed shape without any substantial loss o~ the pre-~ormed shape, thereby providing a ~lexible, yet shape sus-taining article. The ~lattened covers 14 occupy about one-third o~ the space as compared with stacked covers 14 which reduces shipping costs and storage space.

After the decorative flower pot cover 14 (shown in Figures 3A and 3B) is i'ormed, the decorative border 34 is ~ormed by trimming the edges to the desired shape, the de-corative ~lower pot cover 14 shown in Figures 3A and 3B
10 being trimmed to a square shape. The particular shape depends on the e~fect desired and the shape may be round, scalloped or heart shaped, ~or example. Also, the border 34 may be trimmed in a round shape by cutting the border 34 in the round shape generally near the upper end 28 o~ the 15 base 26 and, in this embodiment, the cover 14 may be used as a ~lower pot cover or a hat, such as a St. Patrick's Day hat, for example, with appropriate decorative ei~ects added.
The trimming of the border pre~erably is accomplished uti-lizing a wire formed in the desired shape which is connected 20 to an electrical supply ior heating the wire. The ~ormed cover 14 then can be passed through the opening formed by the wire with the heated wire contacting the border 3~ and e~ecting the desired cut or, in the alternative, the heated wire can be passed over the cover 14 to contact the border 25 3~ at the appropriate position to eii'ect the desired cut.

Changes may be made in the various elements, compo-nents, parts and assemblies described herein or in the steps or sequence o~ steps in the methods described herein with-out departing ~rom the spirit and scope o~ the invention 30 as de~ined in the ~ollowing claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover, comprising:
a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die;
a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die;
means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for supporting the male die above the female die and said means being moveable to a forming position wherein the male die is supported generally above the female die and to an unloading position wherein the male die is not supported generally above the female die for facilitating the unloading of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover, the male die being moveable to the forming position for forming the flower pot of flower pot cover and the male die being moveable from the forming position to the storage position with the formed flower pot or flower pot cover disposed on the male die and the male die then being moveable from the forming position to the unloading position wherein the formed flower pot or flower pot cover is removeable from the male die.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
means for holding the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the form position to the unloading position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for holding the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die further comprised means for discharging the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the male die after the female die is moved to the unloading position.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the male die includes at least one opening intersecting the male die surface, and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a vacuum source connected to the opening in the male die surface for cooperating to hold the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the forming position to the unloading position, the vacuum source being disconnectable from the male die when the male die is moved to the unloading position for facilitating the discharging of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the male die in the unloading position of the male die.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for supporting the male die above the female die comprises:
a post having one end supported on a support surface and the post extending a distance from the support surface terminating with an opposite upper end;
a beam having one end pivotally connected to the post generally near the upper end of the post, the male die being supported on the beam and the beam being pivotally moveable for positioning the male die in the form position and in the unload-ing position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:
a vacuum source connected to the male die for cooperating to hold the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the forming position to the unloading position, the vacuum source being disconnectable from the male die when the male die is moved to the unloading position for facilitating the discharging of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the male die in the unloading position of the male die.

7. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a preformed flower pot or flower pot cover;
a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die;

a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die;
means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for automatically positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die in the storage position of the male die.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for auto-matically positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die comprises:
a roll of material;
means for removing material from the roll of material and positioning a predetermined length of material between the male die and the female die; and means for cutting the material into the sheet of material after the predetermined length of material has been positioned between the male die and the female die.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:
means for supporting the male die above the female die and said means being moveable to a forming position wherein the male die is supported generally above the female die and to an unloading position wherein the male die is not supported generally above the female die for facilitating the unloading of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover, the male die being moveable to the forming position for forming the flower pot or flower pot cover and the male die being moveable from the forming position to the storage position with the formed flower pot or flower pot cover disposed on the male die and the male die then being moveable from the forming position to the unloading position wherein the formed flower pot or flower pot cover is removeable from the male die.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
means for holding the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the form position to the unloading position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for holding the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die further comprises means for discharging the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the male die after the female die is moved to the unloading position.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the means for support-ing the male die above the female die comprises:

a post having one end supported on a support surface and the post-extending a distance from the support surface terminating with an opposite upper end;
a beam having one end pivotally connected to the post generally near the upper end of the post, the male die being supported on the beam and the beam being pivotally moveable for positioning the male die in the form position and in the unloading position; and means for pivotally moving the beam for positioning the male die in the form position and the unloading position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
a vacuum source connected to the male die for cooperat-ing to hold the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the forming position to the unloading position, the vacuum source being disconnectable from the male die when the male die is moved to the unloading position for facilitating the discharging of the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the male die in the unloading position of the male die.

14. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising:
at least two male dies, each male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extend-ing a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die;

at least one female die, having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die;
means for moving each male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving each male die successively to a form position wherein the male die is supported generally above the female die and to an unloading position wherein the male die is not supported above the female die, one of the male dies being positioned in the form position and moved to the forming while the other male die is moved to the unloading position and when the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position the male die is moved to the unloading position while the other male die is moved from the unloading position to the form position.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further defined to comprise:
means for holding the formed flower pot or flower pot cover on the male die as the male die is moved from the forming position to the storage position and as the male die is moved from the form position to the unloading position.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:
means for automatically positioning a sheet of material between each male die and the female die when the male die is in the form position and before the male die is moved to the forming position.

17. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising:
a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die;
a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die;
means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving the formed flower pot or flower pot cover to a discharge station after the male die has been moved to the forming position and then moved to the storage position.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:
means for automatically positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die when the male die has been moved to the storage position.

19. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into a flower pot or flower pot cover comprising:
a male die having an upper end, a lower end and an outer peripheral male die surface extending a distance generally between the upper end and the lower end of the male die;
a female die having an upper end, a lower end and an opening intersecting the upper end and extending a distance toward the lower end forming an inner peripheral female die surface, the opening being shaped for receiving the portion of the male die having the male die surface formed thereon, the female die surface being mateable with the male die surface with a clearance therebetween in a forming position of the male die and the female die;
means for moving the male die to the forming position with the male die surface matingly disposed in the female die surface and for removing the male die from the forming position and moving the male die to a storage position disposed a distance from the female die; and means for moving the female die to a discharge station after the sheet of material has been formed into a predetermined shape of the flower pot or flower pot cover by moving the male die to the forming position and after the male die has been returned to the storage position, the formed flower pot or flower pot cover being carried to the discharge station in the female die.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:
means for removing the formed flower pot or flower pot cover from the female die after the female die has been moved to the discharge station.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:
means for automatically positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for automatically positioning the sheet of material comprises:
a roll of material;
means for removing material from the roll of material and positioning a predetermined length of material between the male die and the female die; and means for cutting the material into the sheet of material after the predetermined length of material has been positioned between the male die and the female die.