Disclosed is a device for aligning preforms in a row and righting same, the device including a bowl centrifuge formed by: a horizontal circular platen rotating about a vertical axis; a fixed peripheral rail; at least a first angular sector for aligning the preforms against the rail; and at least a second angular sector for righting the preforms. The device includes a unit for actively ejecting incorrectly aligned preforms from the row of correctly aligned and righted preforms.

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded 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.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined, direction by the positioning means 300.

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.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined direction by the positioning means 300.

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded 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.

Disclosed is a method for aligning preforms in a row and righting same, the method being intended for use with axisymmetric preforms having an annular supporting face. The method includes: a first step of discharging preforms in bulk onto a rotating horizontal platen; a second step of aligning the preforms against a fixed peripheral rail by way of the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the rotating platen; a third step of successively righting the aligned preforms by tilting the preform bodies, performed under the annular supporting face. During the second alignment step, the main axis of the preforms is oriented essentially tangentially to the direction of movement. Also disclosed is a device for carrying out the method.

Disclosed is a device for aligning preforms in a row and righting same, the device including a bowl centrifuge formed by: a horizontal circular platen rotating about a vertical axis; a fixed peripheral rail; at least a first angular sector for aligning the preforms against the rail; and at least a second angular sector for righting the preforms. The device includes a unit for actively ejecting incorrectly aligned preforms from the row of correctly aligned and righted preforms.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined direction by the positioning means 300.

Objects, such as, for example, preforms for producing PET bottles, are feedable to silo as bulk material by a bulk material feeding device. A fill level sensor of the silo is connected to the control device. The control device actuates the feed drive in order to refill the silo with objects in dependence on the determined fill level of the silo. Connected downstream of the silo is an overhead conveyor and downstream of the overhead conveyor a separating-into-singles system. Both the overhead conveyor and the separating-into-singles system comprise sensors and drives, all the sensors being connected to the control device and the control device controlling all the drives.