Enrobed core medicament

Abstract

A medicine tablet is described as a new article of manufacture. The tablet is enrobed in a gelatin coating formed by application of respective layers of elastic gelatin film to opposite sides of the tablet. The applied gelatin layers conform tightly to the tablet surface, bond securely to the tablet, and are sealed together in essentially edge-to-edge manner at a seal line which extends around the tablet at a desired place on the tablet. The gelatin layers can be colored differently from the tablet and differently from each other. A range of formulations are described for film which can be peelable from a tablet or other product core, and for films which bond to the core. A presently preferred formulation for producing tablets having a bonded tamper-evident coating comprises a water-based gelatin preparation having about 45% gelatin and about 9% plasticizer (glycerin and/or sorbitol) by weight Method and apparatus for producing such new products are also described. Product cores can be dispensed on a self-timed basis into essentially simultaneous contact with two enrobing films which are supported on locally recessed coacting rotary dies. The cores contact the films adjacent a nip between the dies at places on the films which overlie die recesses which are oversize relative to the cores.. The films deform around each core and are sealed by the dies to each other before the dies coact to cut the enrobed cores from the films. A core feeding mechanism can include an alignment device which causes the cores to have a desired orientation as they are handled by the dies.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article of manufacture comprising a unitary article preform of selected shape and size and an enrobing coating fully enclosing the preform, the coating being comprised of two applied layers of film material of selected thickness and composition which substantially conforms to the contours of the preform and which are sealed to each other along a line encircling the preform substantially in a common plane, the film material, when applied to the preform, exhibiting substantially low water (activity and having an elastic plastic character.  
     
     
         2 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 1  wherein the film materials substantially free of synthetic hydrocarbon resins constituents.  
     
     
         3 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 2  wherein the film material is a gelatin-base material.  
     
     
         4 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 1  wherein the article has within the coating a core consisting of the preform.  
     
     
         5 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 1  wherein the preform comprises a tablet containing a selected amount of at least one active ingredient.  
     
     
         6 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 5  wherein the film material is a gelatin-based material which, as applied to the tablet, adheres tightly to the surface of the tablet and forms a hard coating.  
     
     
         7 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 6  wherein the coating is colored differently from the tablet.  
     
     
         8 . An article of manufacture according to clam  7  wherein the coating is of the same color over the extent of the tablet.  
     
     
         9 . An article of manufacture according to  claim 7  wherein the coating is of one color on one side of said line and of a different color on the other side of the line.  
     
     
         10 . A gelatin enrobed tablet comprising a unitary tablet core and a hard gelatin-base coating fully enrobing the core, conforming to the ore contours, and tightly adhering to the core surfaces, the core having at least one plane of symmetry, the coating being comprised of two applied layers of gelatin film, which layers are sealed together along a line encircling the core and lying substantially in the plane of symmetry of the core.  
     
     
         11 . A gelatin enrobed tablet according to  claim 10  wherein the core is of caplet configuration which is substantially longer in one direction than in either of two other directions orthogonal to each other and to the one direction, and the seal line between the applied gelatin layers is disposed substantially in a plane parallel to the one direction.  
     
     
         12 . A gelatin enrobed tablet according to  claim 11  wherein the caplet configuration includes a cylindrical surface which extends parallel to the elongated one direction between ends of the caplet and around the caplet ends, and the seal line is located on the cylindrical surface.  
     
     
         13 . A gelatin enrobed tablet according to  claim 10  in which the applied films are sealed together in essentially gelatin edge-to-edge manner along the seal line.  
     
     
         14 . A gelatin composition castable into a film which is capable of being deformed round a medicine tablet and the like, of conforming to and bonding to surfaces of the tablet, of bonding to a second film of similar composition, and of curing to a hard, glass-like coating on the tablet, the composition comprising gelatin in the range of from about 40 percent to about 60 percent by weight, a plasticizer in the range of from about 5 percent to about 12 percent by weight, the balance comprising water and such pigments and colorants as may be desired.  
     
     
         15 . A gelatin composition according to  claim 14  wherein the gelatin, before creation of the composition, has a bloom value in the range of from-about 120 to about 250.  
     
     
         16 . A gelatin composition according to  claim 15  wherein the gelatin, before creation of the composition, has a bloom value in the range of from about 150 to about 180.  
     
     
         17 . A gelatin composition according to  claim 14  wherein the plasticizer is glycerin.  
     
     
         18 . A gelatin composition according to  claim 14  wherein the ratio of gelatin to plasticizer is in the vicinity of 5:1  
     
     
         19 . A composition castable into a film which is capable of being deformed around a medicine tablet and of bonding to a second film of similar composition, the composition comprising a plasticizer, a base compound, and a solvent compatible with the plasticizer and the base compound, the base compound being selected from the group consisting of gelatins, modified gelatins, starches, modified s arches, alginates, acrylates, polyvinyl pyrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose derivatives both esters and others, and polysiloxones.  
     
     
         20 . A composition according to  claim 19  wherein the composition is comprised by weight of about 45% gelatin, about 9% glycerin as a plasticizer, pigments and colorants not in excess of about 3%, and water.  
     
     
         21 . A method of film enrobing article preforms such as medicine tablets and the like as articles of manufacture, comprising the steps of 
 A) providing a pair of films of selected thickness and composition each defined to be elastic, plastic and self-adhering to the other film when heated to a predetermined temperature within a selected range of temperatures, the films each having obverse and reverse surfaces,    B) moving the film at essentially equal velocities along selected paths including through a place of coaction of a pair of coacting dies where the film paths coincide and the film obverse surfaces contact each other, the dies having cooperating working surfaces defined for formation between them upon coaction of the dies at least one cavity sized and shaped for loosely receiving therein a single article preform,    C) at a location along the paths proximate the place of coaction of the dies, heating the obverse surface of at least one of the films to the predetermined temperature,    D) individually dispensing for each cavity formed between the dies a complete article perform into contact with the obverse surface of at least one of the films at each location on the at least one film which corresponds to the location of a cavity for movement of the dispensed preforms to the place of die coaction,    E) at the place of die coaction, contacting the films with each other peripherally around the performs to cause each perform to be enrobed by and between the films, and sealing the films to each other peripherally around each perform, and    F) separating the enrobed preforms from the films to provide the articles of manufacture each of which comprises a single preform sealed between applied layers of the film material.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  including providing the films of gelatin-base material.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22  including forming the films from a material comprising gelatin in the range of 32 to 50% by weight, a plasticizer in the range of 17 to 35% by weight, and the balance water and colorants.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22  including forming the films from a material comprising gelatin in the range of 40: to 60% by weight, a plasticizer in the range of from 5% to 12% by weight, colorants and pigments not in excess of 3% by weight, and water.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24  including forming the films from a material comprising about 45^ % gelatin and about 9% plasticizer.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerin and sorbitol.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 22  including providing the films at a thickness in the range of from 0.005 to 0.045 inches.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27  including providing the films at a thickness in the range of from 0.01 to 0.02 inches.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 22  including coloring one film differently from the other film.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the selected range of temperature is from 100° F. to 190° F.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 24  wherein the gelatin material is formed from gelatin having a bloom value in the range of from 120 to 250.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the gelatin has a bloom value in the range of from 150 to 180.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the article preforms are unitary hard tablets containing at least one active ingredient and which have a plane of symmetry, and including dispensing the tablets in such manner that, upon enrobment of the tablets by the films between the dies, there is formed about each tablet a film seam line which is substantially coincident with the tablet plane of symmetry.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  wherein the tablet are caplets and the plane of symmetry is parallel to the length of the caplets.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  including dispensing the caplets with the length aligned with the path of movement of the film to which the caplets are dispensed.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35  including dispensing the caplets into substantially simultaneous contact with the films substantially at the place of coaction between the dies.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36  including providing the dies as rotary dies rotatable about horizontal axes, and dispensing the caplets lengthwise into contact with the films from above the place of die coaction along a substantially vertical line.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37  including defining the cavities equal, between the dies so that, for each cavity formed between coacting dies, one half said volume is within one die and one half said volume is within the other die, and forming the dies with a plurality of the half-cavity volumes in each die working surface aligned along a line circumferentially of the die and with each half volume spaced as selected small distance from each adjacent one thereof along the line about the die.  
     
     
         39 . The Method according to  claim 38  including disposing a selected plurality of caplets end to end in a column thereof along the vertical line in a passage in which the caplets are free to move downwardly by gravity, and allowing the caplets to move freely along the passage for movement of the lowermost caplet in the column from the passage into contact with the films and for movement with the films.  
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39  including imposing on the films at the place of coaction between the dies a selected amount of tension in each film in the direction of each film path.  
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40  including performing the dispensing procedure in an internally clocked manner without actively timing movement of the caplets in the passage with reference to die angular position.  
     
     
         42 . A method of film enrobing article preforms such as medicine tablets and the like as articles of manufacture, comprising the steps of 
 A) providing a pair of gelatin-base films of selected thickness and formulation which are elastic, plastic and self-adhering to the other film when heated to a predetermined temperature within a selected range of temperatures, the films each having obverse and reverse surfaces,    B) moving the films at essentially equal velocities along selected paths around and between a pair of matching coacting cylindrical rotary dies between which the film obverse surfaces are adjacent each other, the dies being essentially identical and each defining along at least one line circumferentially of the die a plurality of closely and uniformly spaced cavities in a surface thereof cooperable with the other die,    C) at a location along the film paths proximate a place of substantial coaction of the dies with each other, heating the obverse surface of the films to the predetermined temperature,    D) creating in the films at said place a selected amount of tension in the films in the direction of each film path,    E) individually dispensing a complete article preform essentially at the place of die coaction into contact with the obverse surfaces of the films at locations on the films which overlie corresponding ones of the die cavities for deformation of the films into the cavities around the preform and for transporting engagement of the preform by the films,    F) at the place of substantial die coaction, forcefully contacting the films with each other peripherally; around the performs to cause each perform to be enrobed by and between the films, and sealing the films to each other peripherally around each preform, and    G) separating the enrobed preforms from the films to provide the articles of manufacture each of which comprises a single preform sealed within a coating of substantially uniform thickness comprised of two gelatin layers sealed together in substantially edge to edge relation.    
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42  including supplying preforms to the films as a column of performs of selected height in a vertical passage opening substantially to the place of substantial die coaction at location between corresponding lines of die cavities, each preform in the passage being free to move along the passage under the bias of gravity and the weight of other preforms above it in the column, and electing the film thickness, formulation, temperature, and tension and the preform column height in coordination with each other so that preforms self-dispense from the passage to simultaneous contact with the films in synchronism with movement of corresponding opposite die cavities into alignment with each other in response to rotation of the dies.  
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43  wherein the preforms are essentially identical and each of the preforms has associated with it a selected reference plane, and including supplying each preform to the films with the preform reference plane disposed in a selected orientation relative to the films.  
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44  including acting upon the preforms in the passage to place each perform in the selected orientation.  
     
     
         46 . Apparatus for film enrobing article preforms of selected size and shape such as medicine tablets and the like, the apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of matching dies having coacting working surfaces configured for defining between them upon movement of the working surfaces into coacting relation at a selected place at least one cavity of sufficient size and shape to receive loosely therein a single one of the article preforms,    film moving means operable for moving two films of selected thickness and cosealable composition along respective paths which converge at the place of coaction between the die working surfaces with the films in overlying relation to the respective cavity defining features of the die working surfaces,    means cooperating with the film paths for creating in films moving therealong to said place predetermined conditions of elasticity, plasticity and axial tension in the films as disposed at said place in said overlying relation to the die working surfaces,    preform dispensing means located proximate the place of die coaction operable for dispensing preforms individually to at least one of the films in a selected orientation of the dispensed preforms relative to the dies at respective film locations which correspond to the die cavities, the dispensed preforms moving with the at least one film to the place of die coaction for enrobing engagement there between the films within the die cavities, and    means for moving the die into and out of coacting relation at said place, the dies being formed to cause them, when moving into coacting relation, to apply the films to the preforms from opposite directions, and to seal the layers of film so applied to the preforms to each other in essentially edge-to-edge manner.    
     
     
         47 . Apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein the dies are rotary dies having circularly cylindrical working surfaces, and the means for moving the dies comprises means for rotating the dies about respective parallel axes in opposite directions with equal working surface velocities.  
     
     
         48 . Apparatus according to  claim 47  wherein the cavity defining features in the die working surfaces are disposed along at least one line circumferentially of each of the dies and are arranged for defining between the dies for each rotation of the dies a plurality of cavities which are uniformly spaced from each other.  
     
     
         49 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein the cavities are elongated in the direction of the film paths.  
     
     
         50 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein the dies, subject to the presence of the film layers there between, substantially register with each other along a line parallel to the die axes, and the perform dispensing means is substantially centered on a plane which includes the die registration line.  
     
     
         51 . Apparatus according to  claim 50  wherein the film paths converge at the die registration line and conform to the respective dies over a selected portion of the path lengths adjacent that line, and the preform dispensing means is operable to dispense preforms individually into substantially simultaneous contact with both of the films.  
     
     
         52 . Apparatus according to  claim 50  wherein the cavity defining features in the die working surfaces are arranged to define a plurality of cavities and include a plurality of recesses in each die at uniformly spaced locations along the respective line circumferentially of the die.  
     
     
         53 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  including means for timing dispensing of a preform to the films to coincide with the presence of a corresponding pair of die recesses at a certain location relative to the die registration line.  
     
     
         54 . Apparatus according to  claim 53  wherein the preform dispensing means is located in association with one of the film paths away from the place of coaction between the dies.  
     
     
         55 . Apparatus according to  claim 53  wherein the means for timing includes mechanical means operating in response to operation of a different component of the apparatus for actively clocking operation of the preform dispensing means.  
     
     
         56 . Apparatus according to  claim 55  wherein the means for timing comprises active means for forcibly engaging a preform with the films.  
     
     
         57 . Apparatus according to  claim 53  wherein the means for timing is a passive means.  
     
     
         58 . Apparatus according to  claim 53  wherein the means for timing is sensitive, inter alia, to selected characteristics of the preforms and of the films at the certain location.  
     
     
         59 . Apparatus according to  claim 58  wherein the dispensing means includes a substantially vertical passage through which preforms can move and which opens toward the die registration line substantially at said certain point, the passage being sufficiently long to contain therein a selected minimum number of preforms stacked in a column, and wherein the selected characteristics of the preforms include the mass of a preform and the number of preforms stacked in a column in the passage.  
     
     
         60 . Apparatus according to  claim 58  wherein the selected characteristics of the films include their thickness, elasticity and tension.  
     
     
         61 . Apparatus according to  claim 58  wherein the selected characteristics of the films include their properties of adhesion to a preform.  
     
     
         62 . Apparatus according to  claim 58  wherein the means for timing includes the spacing between adjacent recesses along the respective lines circumferentially of the respective die.  
     
     
         63 . Apparatus according to  claim 58  wherein the means for timing includes the configuration of the recesses in each of the dies.  
     
     
         64 . Apparatus according to  claim 56  wherein the dispensing means includes a passage through which preforms can move and which opens at an end thereof toward the die registration line substantially at said certain point, the passage being sufficiently long adjacent the end thereof that a plurality of preforms can be disposed in the passage in a row, and the timing means includes means periodically engageable with a preform at a selected place in a row thereof in synchronism with rotation of the dies for urging preforms in the passage between the selected places and the passage end to move toward the passage end.  
     
     
         65 . Apparatus according to  claim 64  wherein the periodically engageable means comprises a drive mechanism.  
     
     
         66 . Apparatus according to  claim 63  wherein the article preforms are medicine tablets and the like, the recesses have openings in the die working surface which correspond in shape to and are a selected amount larger than a planform shape of the tablets and each recess has a rim, and the end portion of each rim toward the direction of die rotation along the line of recess alignment in the respective die is relieved along such line away from the center part of the recess.  
     
     
         67 . Apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein the film conditioning means comprises a heater adjacent the dispensing means in association with each film path for heating to a predetermined temperature an obverse surface of a film moving along the path.  
     
     
         68 . Apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein the film conditioning means comprises a film drive device along each film path adjacent each die ahead of the die along the path for moving the film along the path at a selected velocity, and means for rotating the adjacent die with a surface speed a predetermined amount greater than the selected velocity.  
     
     
         69 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  wherein the preforms are medicine tablets and the like each having a selected plane of symmetry and wherein the dispensing means includes aligning means for dispensing the tablets into contact with the films with the tablet selected planes of symmetry substantially coincident with the plane on which the dispensing means is centered, whereby the films connect at a seam line between the films substantially in the tablet selected plane of symmetry.  
     
     
         70 . Apparatus according to  claim 69  including a passage in the dispensing means through which the tablets can move toward contact with the films, and wherein the aligning means includes a portion of the passage which has a substantially non-vertical attitude.  
     
     
         71 . Apparatus according to  claim 69  including a passage in the dispensing means opening to the films and through which the tablets can move toward the films, and including means for turning in the passage to a position for contact in said plane-to-plane coincidence any tablets in the passage not disposed for such contact with the films.  
     
     
         72 . Apparatus according to  claim 71  wherein the passage extends substantially vertically in the dispensing means from the opening and has a lower portion cross-sectionally contoured in conformance with a tablet having its major plane of symmetry coincident with center plane of the dispensing means, and tablet turning means in the passage above the lower portion thereof for engaging and turning tablets into alignment with the cross-sectional contour of the passage lower portion.  
     
     
         73 . Apparatus according to  claim 72  wherein the dies define corresponding pluralities of circumferential lines of recesses for forming a corresponding plurality of cavities along the die registration line, the dispensing means defines a corresponding plurality of said passages, and the tablet turning means is an active means common to all of the passages.  
     
     
         74 . Apparatus for film enrobing article preforms of selected size and shape such as medicine tablets and the like, the apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of rotary dies having coacting cylindrical working surfaces each defining along a line circumferentially of the die a uniformly and closely spaced plurality of recesses each of which is cooperable with a recess in the other die to form a cavity of sufficient size and shape to receive loosely therein a single one of the article preforms,    film moving/means operable for moving two soft films of selected thickness and composition along respective paths which converge at a place of coation of the dies at which the films are disposed in overlying relation to the respective die recesses,    means for synchronously rotating the dies at said place,    film conditioning means cooperating with the film paths adjacent each die proximate the place of die coation for creating in films moving therealong predetermined conditions of deformability and axial tension in the films as disposed at said place in said overlying relation to the die recesses, and    preform dispensing means located centrally between the dies substantially at the place of die coation operable for dispensing preforms individually to essentially simultaneous contact with the films at film locations overlying corresponding die recesses so that each dispensed preform moves with the films into enrobing engagement between the films within a corresponding cavity.    
     
     
         75 . A die useful with a similar cooperating die for enrobing between a pair of films of soft elastic and plastic material of selected thickness individual ones of a plurality of essentially identical medicine tablets and the like having specified overall geometry and size and having rounded edge configurations, which tablets are supplied toward a substantially linear place of coaction of the die with its operating die along a path substantially normal to the place of die coaction and disposed substantially symmetrically between the dies, the die comprising a drum-like article rotatable in a selected direction about an axis and having a substantially circularly cylindrical outer working surface in which are formed at regularly spaced intervals along at least one line circumferentially about the working surface a plurality of essentially identical recesses each having an opening shaped geometrically similarly to the geometry of one of the tablets and dimensioned oversize relative to the tablet, each recess being bounded by a rim conforming to the shape of the recess opening, the rim of each recess at least at a portion of the recess on the corresponding line of recesses toward the direction of die rotation being relieved a selected amount away from the recess.  
     
     
         76 . A die according to  claim 75  wherein each recess has opposite ends along the corresponding line of recesses, the rim of each recess being relieved at each end of the recess.  
     
     
         77 . A die according to  claim 76  wherein each die rim is raised from the die working surface.  
     
     
         78 . A die according to  claim 77  wherein relief of each end of each recess is defined by a concavity in the rim and the adjacent recess surfaces.  
     
     
         79 . A die according to  claim 78  wherein the rim concavity is arcuate and has an effective radius of curvature less than the adjacent rim portions.  
     
     
         80 . A die according to  claim 79  wherein the tablets are of caplet configuration with each caplet having rounded end spaced along an elongate extent of the caplet, each caplet end being rounded in a major plane of symmetry of the caplet and in a second plane parallel to the caplet length and normal to the major plane, and the die recesses on each line are elongated in a direction along the line.  
     
     
         81 . A die according to  claim 80  wherein the spacing between each adjacent pair of recess rims along the corresponding line of recesses is as small as possible consistent with the thickness and material of the films with which the die cooperates in use.  
     
     
         82 . In combination with a pair of dies according to  claim 81 , a caplet feed mechanism for supplying toward the plane of die coaction principally under the bias of gravity a plurality of caplets stacked end-to-end in a column along the path, the caplets in the column at least at a to lower end thereof having a predetermined orientation o the path, each die being operable for advancing a respective one of the films toward the place of die coaction in response to rotation of the die, the feed mechanism locating the column lower end between the films closely proximate the place of die coaction.  
     
     
         83 . In combination with a pair of dies according to  claim 75 , a tablet feed mechanism for supplying toward the plane of die coaction principally under the bias of gravity a plurality of tablets stacked in a column along the path, the tablets in the column at least at a lower end thereof having a predetermined orientation to the path, each die being operable for advancing a respective one of the films toward the place of die coaction in response to rotation of the die, the feed mechanism locating the column lower end between the films closely proximate the place of die coaction.  
     
     
         84 . A rotatable die useful with an essentially identical cooperating die for enrobing between a pair of films of soft elastic gelatin of selected thickness which are advanced by rotation of the dies in use thereof to and through a line of die coaction individual ones of a plurality of essentially identical elongate, round-ended medicine caplets and the like which are supplied endwise under the bias of gravity toward the line of coaction of the dies along a feed line substantially normal to the line of die coaction and disposed substantially symmetrically between the dies, the die comprising a drum-like article rotatable in a selected direction about an axis and having a substantially circularly cylindrical outer working surface in which are formed a plurality of essentially identical recesses elongated along a line circumferentially about the working surface and which are spaced at regular intervals along such line, each recess having an opening shaped correspondingly to the geometry of one of the caplets and dimensioned a selected amount oversize relative to the caplet, each recess being bounded by a raised rim, the end of each recess toward a selected direction of die rotation having a local concavity in the recess surfaces and the rim at a location in the recess centered on the recess line, the rim of each recess at each end thereof being spaced from but close to the rim of the adjacent recess along the recess line.  
     
     
         85 . A rotatable die useful with an essentially identical cooperating die for enrobing between a pair r of soft elastic gelatin film sheets of thickness and formulation to which the die is related successive individual ones of a plurality of essentially identical medicine tablets and the like of specified size and configuration, each film sheet being disposed around a selected portion of a respective die and being advanced by rotation of the die to and through a line of coaction between the dies at which the dies cooperate to enrobe each tablet between the sheets, to seal the sheets to each other about each tablet and to sever each enrobed and sealed tablet from the sheets, the tablets being supplied downwardly by gravity along a path between opposing die recess lines in a selected attitude to essentially simultaneous contact of each successive table with the film sheets at a selected place above the line of die coaction, at least the lower part of each tablet having a rounded edge configuration, the die comprising a drum-like article rotatable in a selected direction about an axis and having a cylindrical working surface in which are defined a plurality of essentially identical recesses having peripheral rims raised a predetermined distance above the working surface, the recesses being spaced with their rims noncontiguous uniformly apart along a recess line circumferentially of the die at a place on the die with which a film sheet registers in overlying relation to at least some of the recesses on the recess line, each recess having an opening shaped to correspond to and receive therein a tablet disposed in the selected attitude, each recess opening being a selected amount oversize relative to the tablet, the end of each recess toward the selected direction of die rotation having a local concavity in the rim and surfaces thereof along the recess line, the die recess and rim geometries with the film sheet thickness and condition and the tablets themselves determining the timing of successive tablet contact with the film sheets at places on the sheets which overly the recesses during rotation of the dies.