Non-symmetric and volume reduced preforms and containers stretch blow moulded therefrom by a continuously rotating, preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric or reduced volume injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric or reduced volume preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

A continuously rotating, non-symmetric preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

Apparatus for transporting plastic preforms, has a sorting device configured for sorting plastic preforms and a transport device arranged after the sorting device in a transport direction. The transport device includes a first support rail and a second support rail for carrying the plastic preforms between the first and second support rails along the direction of transport. The sorting device has two rollers spaced apart from one another, between which the plastic performs are guided. The apparatus has an adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one lateral spacing of the support rails, wherein this adjustment mechanism has several adjustment units which are arranged one behind the other along the transport direction, wherein these adjustment units each enable an adjustment of the lateral spacing and wherein these adjustment units are mechanically coupled such that the adjustment units can be adjusted together.

A device and method tests preforms that are rotationally symmetrical with respect to an axis of rotation during their conveyance along a conveyance path. The device and method tests only a statistically relevant number of produced preforms, thus allowing substantial reduction in the constructive complexity required for aligning the preforms prior to being tested. A certain number of preforms that have not been correctly aligned are allowed to continue along the conveyance path without being tested.

Apparatus (1) for treating plastic preforms (10) with a preform sorting device (2) comprising a sorting device (3) and a damming device (5) which transports the plastic preforms (10) along a first rectilinear transport path (T1), wherein the sorting device (3) is suitable and intended to bring the plastic preforms (10) into a predetermined orientation and the damming device (5) is suitable and intended to feed the plastic preforms (10) in an ordered manner to a heating device (12) arranged downstream of the preform sorting device (2), which heats the plastic preforms (10) to a temperature necessary for blow moulding, wherein the heating device (12) transports the plastic preforms (10) along a substantially second rectilinear transport path (T2) and a plurality of stationary arranged heating elements (14) are arranged along the second rectilinear transport path (T2). According to the invention, the preforms sorting device (2) and the heating device (12) are arranged on a common carrier (9).

Provided is a device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a feed device for feeding the plastic preforms to the device, at least one first preform store, a multiplicity of plastic preforms being arranged unsorted in the preform store, and having an alignment device for bringing the plastic preforms into a predetermined position before feeding them to the device. The device includes at least a second preform store, wherein a plurality of plastic preforms of exactly one production batch can be accommodated in each preform store.

A blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Provided is a method for treating plastic preforms, wherein the plastic preforms are transported in a row by a feed transport device and are separated by a separating device, wherein the separating device has a carrier which is rotatable with respect to a predetermined axis of rotation and has on its outer circumference a plurality of recesses for receiving the plastic preforms in a takeover area and which are equidistant from one another in a circumferential direction of the carrier, wherein the separating device transporting the plastic preforms separately along a predetermined transport path section, and wherein the separating device transferring the plastic preforms in a transfer area to a further transport device which transports the plastic preforms further at a predetermined transport speed. During a start-up process, the separating device increases a transport speed at which it conveys the plastic preforms from the takeover area to the transfer area.

A blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Provided is an apparatus for sorting piece goods and in particular plastic parisons with a delivery device which delivers the piece goods and with a sorting device which is arranged in a transport direction of the piece goods after the delivery device and is suitable for aligning the piece goods at least partially, and with a dispensing device which is arranged in the transport direction of the piece goods between the delivery device and the sorting device and which conveys the piece goods from the delivery device to the sorting device and is suitable and intended for dispensing the piece goods reaching the sorting device from the delivery device, wherein the dispensing device includes a body which is rotatable about a predetermined axis of rotation and on this body a receiver is arranged for receiving a predetermined number of piece goods.