A method of controlling a preform for stretch blow-moulding a container with an integrally formed handle; the preform comprising a body portion and the integrally formed handle; the preform transferred from a perform supply source to a blow moulding die for blowing the container; the method including the steps of passing the preform through a preform handle orientating apparatus, transferring the preform to a preform transportation system, maintaining orientation of the preform handle imposed by the perform handle orientating apparatus during transfer to the perform transportation system and transfer to the blow moulding die, rotating the preforms during transport along the transportation system past an array of preform heating elements while shielding the integrally formed handle from excessive exposure to the heating elements, transferring the preform from the transportation system to the blow moulding die, and wherein the handle comprises a loop of orientable material extending between an upper connection region and a lower connection region on the body portion of the preform; characterised in that the handle has a generally uniform cross section from proximate the lower connection region to a gradually widening cross section approaching the upper connection region; the cross section reaching and maintaining a maximum width proximate the upper connection region.

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.

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.

Apparatus for producing plastic containers has a heating device having a transport device for transporting the plastic preforms singly along a predefined transport path. The transport device has a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastic preforms, and at least one heating unit for heating the plastic preforms, wherein furthermore a rotating device is provided which rotates the plastic preforms held by the holding devices and is connected to a forming device, which transforms the plastic preforms transported by the heating device into plastic containers. The apparatus has an alignment device which enables alignment of the rotational position of the plastic preforms with respect to their longitudinal direction relative to the holding devices holding these plastic preforms and/or the apparatus has a rotational position alignment device arranged along the transport path which enables alignment of a rotational position of the holding devices with the plastic preforms arranged thereon.

A method of controlling a preform for stretch blow-moulding a container with an integrally formed handle; the preform comprising, a body portion and the integrally formed handle; the preform transferred from a perform supply source to a blow moulding die for blowing the container; the method including the steps of passing the preform through a preform handle orientating apparatus, transferring the preform to a preform transportation system, maintaining orientation of the preform handle imposed by the perform handle orientating apparatus during transfer to the perform transportation system and transfer to the blow moulding die, rotating the preforms during transport along the transportation system past an array of preform heating elements while shielding the integrally formed handle from excessive exposure to the heating elements, transferring the preform from the transportation system to the blow moulding die, and wherein the handle comprises a loop of orientable material extending between an upper connection region and a lower connection region on the body portion of the preform; characterised in that the handle has a generally uniform cross section from proximate the lower connection region to a gradually widening cross section approaching the upper connection region; the cross section reaching and maintaining a maximum width proximate the upper connection region.

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.

A blow molding device of the invention includes a pair of blow cavity split molds (50A, 50B), a chuck member (80) that chucks a mouth portion (20) and conveys a preform (10A), a blow core mold (70) that includes a tubular portion (71) which surrounds circumferences of the mouth portion and a flange (25) and introduces blow air into the preform, and a pair of projecting members (60A, 60B) which have a halved ring shape and are provided detachably on each upper surface of the pair of blow cavity split molds. Each of the pair of projecting members includes an airtight sealing portion (61) which is in contact with a lower end face of the tubular portion of the blow core mold, and a positioning portion (62) which positions the flange of the preform.

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.

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.

The invention includes a device for supplying preforms having a collar. The device comprising a file-forming slide for the preforms, and the slide comprises a fixed frame and elements for guiding the preforms. The guiding elements are mounted so as to be adjustable in terms of position on the frame so as to be adapted to different formats of preform. The frame comprises support plates that are fixed in a reference position on the frame by removable fastening means, the guiding elements being mounted so as to be adjustable on the support plates.