A compression molding machine, for compression molding a closure shell
having a base wall with an opening and in accordance with one aspect of
the disclosure, includes a male mold section and a female mold section
having associated surfaces that oppose each other to form a cavity for
compression molding the base wall of the closure shell. An annular bead
on one of these surfaces cooperates with the opposing other surface to
compression mold a disk connected to the base wall by a thin frangible
web. The disk and the shell are stripped separately from the mold so that
the shell emerges from the machine with the opening formed in the shell
base wall by removal of the disk within the machine.