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.

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 rotating disk-type preform alignment apparatus 1 including a disk 10, which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis tilted from a vertical direction, and a partition wall 28 erected outwardly of the disk, the apparatus being adapted to align preforms 100, which have been supplied onto the disk, at the peripheral edge of the disk and discharge the aligned preforms from a discharge section, the apparatus comprising: pockets 30 arranged side by side in a circumferential direction at the peripheral edge of the disk, each pocket having an opening portion into which the preform is dropped, and each pocket having a holding portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion for holding the preform in an upright state; and a gas jetting unit 40, provided outwardly of the disk between a region where the preforms are supplied onto the disk and the discharge section, for jetting a gas from outside the pocket and from below the pocket, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the pocket has a tapered shape imitating the trunk shape of the preform.

A rotating disk-type preform alignment apparatus 1 including a disk 10, which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis tilted from a vertical direction, and a partition wall 28 erected outwardly of the disk, the apparatus being adapted to align preforms 100, which have been supplied onto the disk, at the peripheral edge of the disk and discharge the aligned preforms from a discharge section, the apparatus comprising: pockets 30 arranged side by side in a circumferential direction at the peripheral edge of the disk, each pocket having an opening portion into which the preform is dropped, and each pocket having a holding portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion for holding the preform in an upright state; and a gas jetting unit 40, provided outwardly of the disk between a region where the preforms are supplied onto the disk and the discharge section, for jetting a gas from outside the pocket and from below the pocket, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the pocket has a tapered shape imitating the trunk shape of the preform.