A device for transporting containers in a beverage filling plant is provided. The device has at least one first clamp, which can be pivoted between an open switching position and a closed switching position and is disposed in a pivoting plane, for holding a container of a first container size, and one second clamp, which can be pivoted between an open switching position and a closed switching position and is disposed in the pivoting plane, for holding a container of a second container size. A first control cam is provided for controlling the switching position of the first clamp and a second control cam is provided for controlling the switching position of the second clamp. The first control cam is disposed in a first control plane parallel to the pivoting plane, and the second control cam is disposed in a second control plane parallel to the pivoting plane. The first control plane and the second control plane are spaced apart from each other.

A method of changing container sizes on a container filling carousel, the carousel and container supports thereon, which carousel has one or more pairs of side-by-side first and second container supports, each container support having a frame, a container support platform and at least one pair of container support arms above the container support platform. Each of said container supports is structured to accept a first small-sized container. The second container support is structured to accept a second larger-sized container, relative to said first small-sized container. The carousel includes a product filling head above each of said first and second container supports. The first container support can be radially retracted from a side of the second container support and from beneath its corresponding product filling head to allow the second container support to accommodate a larger-sized container.

A device for transporting containers along a transport path having: a base chain with a plurality of chain links lined up in a row along the transport path and connected to one another in a correspondingly pivotable manner via chain joints, wherein the chain links are at least partly displaceable relative to one another in the direction of the transport path, so that the distance between adjacent chain joints is at least to some extent variable; a plurality of container carriers provided on at least some of the chain links and configured to receive a respective container and carry it along the transport path; a chain track configured to guide the base chain along the transport path; and a toggle lever mechanism attached to the base chain and configured to effect the displacement of the chain links relative to one another in cooperation with the chain track.

A synchronization system for a container-processing plant, including a container-forming machine configured to form a container, the container-forming machine having a first rotating wheel for rotating the container about a first rotation axis; a container-filling machine operatively coupled to the container-forming machine and configured to fill the container, the container-filling machine having a second rotating wheel for rotating the container about a second rotation axis; and at least one electric motor configured to cause the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel to rotate, the synchronization system comprising: a position sensor provided in the container-forming machine and configured to detect a rotating position of the first rotating wheel and to generate a position detection signal; at least one control unit configured to: receive information associated with the position detection signal; synchronize the rotation of the second rotating wheel to the rotation of the first rotating wheel based on the information associated with the position detection signal; and synchronize the rotation of the container-forming machine and container-filling machine from a zero speed up to a full operating speed of the container forming machine at which processing operations are designed to be performed.

There is provided a filling-and-sealing device and a filling-and-sealing method capable of reducing an amount of use of a replacement gas used for replacing air in a container. The filling-and-sealing device includes a filling machine that fills a container with a content fluid; a sealing machine that seals the container transferred from the filling machine with a lid; a chamber that covers the filling machine and the sealing machine; a gassing system that replaces, in the chamber, a gas in the container with a carbon dioxide gas by introducing the carbon dioxide gas as a second replacement gas supplied from a tank; and a pre-gassing system that replaces the gas in the container with a first replacement gas that remains in the chamber containing the carbon dioxide gas before processing by the gassing system.

A facility for processing containers includes a container production device and at least one processing device disposed downstream from the container production device, for further processing the containers. The container production device is synchronized with the processing device during regular operation. However, upon recognition of a malfunction in the processing device, synchronization of the container production device with the processing device can be at least temporarily canceled. Also provided is a method for remedying malfunctions in a facility, in which a container production device is synchronized with a processing device during regular operation, according to which, synchronization between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily canceled upon recognition of a malfunction in the treatment device.

A device for transporting containers in a beverage filling plant is provided. The device has at least one first clamp, which can be pivoted between an open switching position and a closed switching position and is disposed in a pivoting plane, for holding a container of a first container size, and one second clamp, which can be pivoted between an open switching position and a closed switching position and is disposed in the pivoting plane, for holding a container of a second container size. A first control cam is provided for controlling the switching position of the first clamp and a second control cam is provided for controlling the switching position of the second clamp. The first control cam is disposed in a first control plane parallel to the pivoting plane, and the second control cam is disposed in a second control plane parallel to the pivoting plane. The first control plane and the second control plane are spaced apart from each other.

An apparatus for producing plastic containers includes: a forming machine for producing plastic preforms; a blow-molding machine for blowing the preforms to obtain containers, provided with a blow-molding carousel having a plurality of blow-molding molds that expand the preforms to obtain the containers; a thermal conditioning station interposed between the forming machine and the blow-molding machine; a storage station, configured for receiving and containing preforms; a supplying system for feeding the thermal conditioning station with preforms contained in the storage station.

A container sterilizing device includes a transport mechanism that transports a container and a supply unit that supplies a sterilizing agent to the container that is being transported by the transport mechanism. The supply unit includes a nozzle for spraying the sterilizing agent. The nozzle does not move in a vertical direction and, without being inserted into the container, moves in synchronization with the container that is being transported by the transport mechanism.

A container-processing machine includes a transfer star having container-engagement elements disposed along a periphery thereof. The transfer star moves containers past first or second sets of processing stations that are disposed along corresponding diametrically opposed arcuate processing paths.