Blowing mold (10, 100) for blowing thermoplastic material containers, comprising two half molds (1, 2) and a device for the cyclic opening and closing of the half molds (1, 2) which comprises a control shaft connected to the half molds by means of connecting rods (14, 20) and a control hub (15). The control hub is provided with a plurality of holes appropriately positioned so that by choosing the holes to which the connecting rods are hinged, it is possible to change the maximum opening angle of the mold.

Disclosed is a method for controlling a conveyor for conveying hollow bodies through a hollow-body heating station including:a heating tunnel defining a heating path,a conveyor including at least one travel track and shuttles capable of moving along the track while picking up at least one hollow body, the movement of each shuttle being controlled individually,a travel-track loading portion on which two consecutive shuttles move at a first predetermined input separation, and a travel-track unloading portion. Two consecutive shuttles moving on this unloading portion are spaced apart by a predetermined output separation that is different from the first input separation.

The invention relates to a heating apparatus (H) having at least one heating line (24) for the thermal conditioning of preforms (1) made of thermoplastic material to a temperature profile which is suitable for blow shaping, wherein the heating apparatus (H) comprises a transport device for transporting the preforms (1) along a transport path (T) of the heating apparatus (H), said transport device comprising a revolving conveyor chain (F) having a plurality of pivotably interconnected chain links (33), and wherein the transport device comprises handling means (39) for holding and manipulating a single preform (1) each, wherein the transport device is embodied and configured such that the preforms (1) are guided in a single row in at least a first section of the transport path (T), and are guided in two adjacent rows in at least a second section of the transport path (T), and wherein each chain link (33) comprises a bracket (41) on which a first handling means (39) and a second handling means (39) are arranged, and wherein the bracket (41) comprises a main arm (42) and a pivot arm (43), pivotably connected to the main arm (42), and wherein a change between a single-row transport of the preforms (1) and a double-row transport is enabled by pivoting the pivot arm (43).

A system for molding an object includes an articulated mold having an axis and a plurality of mold portions configured to collectively define a molding cavity for shaping the object when arranged in respective molding positions. The system includes a plurality of actuators, each operatively coupled to a respective mold portion and configured to move the respective mold portion along the axis from the respective molding position toward a respective ejecting position for releasing the object. The system includes a controller in communication with each of the plurality of actuators and configured to independently activate each of the plurality of actuators such that one of the plurality of mold portions moves along the axis from the respective molding position toward the respective ejecting position while at least one other of the plurality of mold portions remains stationary relative to the object in order to at least partially support the object.

In various embodiments, a molded product delivery apparatus or a blow molding machine includes a first transfer member that includes first paired chucks that hold a portion of an outer wall of a neck portion of a molded product, and a second transfer member that includes second paired chucks that hold another portion of the outer wall of the neck portion of the molded product. From a state where the molded product is held by both of the first paired chucks and the second paired chucks simultaneously, by opening one of the first paired chucks and the second paired chucks without interfering with the other, the molded product is delivered between the first paired chucks and the second paired chucks.