Provided are a handle-orienting preform feeding mechanism and orienting preform feeding method for a bottle preform with a handle. Under the combined action of the axial rotation of a plastic bottle preform and a handle positioning structure on a preform feeding tray, the handle of the plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle (especially a PET plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle) is positioned so that the plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle enters a heating machine and a bottle blowing machine of the next process according to the predetermined orientation. Accordingly, the wrong orientation of the integrated handle of the plastic bottle preform is avoided so that a mechanical arm can grasp the plastic bottle preform correctly and place the plastic bottle preform at the correct position of a bottle blowing mold. Thus the plastic bottle preform can be blown successfully.

A molded article supply apparatus is provided in a transport device 30 having transport members 20 on which molded articles 1 having mouths 2 are held in an inverted state, with the mouths 2 facing downward, and which are provided with rod members 22 to be inserted into the molded articles 1; and a transport path 31 on which the transport members 20 are continuously transported. The molded article supply apparatus comprises a supply unit 110 disposed above the transport path 31, for holding the molded articles 1 at predetermined intervals and lowering the molded articles 1, while transporting the molded articles 1 in synchronization with movement of the transport members 20, to supply the molded articles 1 to the transport members 20.

The invention relates to devices and to methods for transporting preforms in the region of a blow-molding machine, in particular a sorting device (10) for transporting preforms (20) composed of a thermoplastic material in the region of a blow-molding machine for the blow-molding of containers, comprising a transportation wheel (12), which has a plurality of accommodating recesses (18) for accommodating and conveying the preforms (20), which accommodating recesses are arranged on the circumference of the transportation wheel in such a way that the accommodating recesses are distributed in the circumferential direction, a guide collar (16), which extends circumferentially around the transportation wheel (12) in some regions in such a way that the guide collar is radially spaced apart from the transportation wheel, wherein the preforms (20) are transported in suspension between the transportation wheel (12) and the guide collar (16) in the region of the sorting device (10), and a selection unit for selectively removing a respective individual preform (20) transported in one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12), wherein the selection unit comprises a pivotable ejecting star (14) with a plurality of ejecting arms (31), which ejecting star, when in the idle position, reaches into the peripheral region of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a first ejecting arm (31) immediately adjacent to the guide collar (16) in the transportation direction of the preforms (20), in such a way that the preforms (20) in the accommodating recesses (18) that are transported past the first ejecting arm (31) are secured against unintentionally falling out, wherein the ejecting star (14), in the event of a rotational motion, pushes an individual preform (20), which is marked for removal, out of one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a second ejecting arm (32) following after the first ejecting arm (31), and wherein, in a recurring manner after the preform (20) marked for removal has been pushed out, the second ejecting arm (31) takes on the securing of the preforms (20) transported past the second ejecting arm against falling out of the accommodating recesses (18).

A blow molding device for blow molding preforms into a predetermined shape. The blow molding device includes a batch-type mold provided with cavities, a heating furnace that heats preforms while the preforms are arranged in series, a transfer machine that simultaneously transfers the preforms as a batch to the cavities of the mold after the preforms are heated and sent out sequentially from the heating furnace, and a pressurized liquid feeder that feeds pressurized liquid to the preforms after the preforms are arranged in all of the cavities of the mold and the mold is closed.

The invention relates to devices and to methods for transporting preforms in the region of a blow-molding machine, in particular a sorting device (10) for transporting preforms (20) composed of a thermoplastic material in the region of a blow-molding machine for the blow-molding of containers, comprising a transportation wheel (12), which has a plurality of accommodating recesses (18) for accommodating and conveying the preforms (20), which accommodating recesses are arranged on the circumference of the transportation wheel in such a way that the accommodating recesses are distributed in the circumferential direction, a guide collar (16), which extends circumferentially around the transportation wheel (12) in some regions in such a way that the guide collar is radially spaced apart from the transportation wheel, wherein the preforms (20) are transported in suspension between the transportation wheel (12) and the guide collar (16) in the region of the sorting device (10), and a selection unit for selectively removing a respective individual preform (20) transported in one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12), wherein the selection unit comprises a pivotable ejecting star (14) with a plurality of ejecting arms (31), which ejecting star, when in the idle position, reaches into the peripheral region of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a first ejecting arm (31) immediately adjacent to the guide collar (16) in the transportation direction of the preforms (20), in such a way that the preforms (20) in the accommodating recesses (18) that are transported past the first ejecting arm (31) are secured against unintentionally falling out, wherein the ejecting star (14), in the event of a rotational motion, pushes an individual preform (20), which is marked for removal, out of one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a second ejecting arm (32) following after the first ejecting arm (31), and wherein, in a recurring manner after the preform (20) marked for removal has been pushed out, the second ejecting arm (31) takes on the securing of the preforms (20) transported past the second ejecting arm against falling out of the accommodating recesses (18).

A molded article supply apparatus is provided in a transport device 30 having transport members 20 on which molded articles 1 having mouths 2 are held in an inverted state, with the mouths 2 facing downward, and which are provided with rod members 22 to be inserted into the molded articles 1; and a transport path 31 on which the transport members 20 are continuously transported. The molded article supply apparatus comprises a supply unit 110 disposed above the transport path 31, for holding the molded articles 1 at predetermined intervals and lowering the molded articles 1, while transporting the molded articles 1 in synchronization with movement of the transport members 20, to supply the molded articles 1 to the transport members 20.

A blow molding device for blow molding preforms into a predetermined shape. The blow molding device includes a batch-type mold provided with cavities, a heating furnace that heats preforms while the preforms are arranged in series, a transfer machine that simultaneously transfers the preforms as a batch to the cavities of the mold after the preforms are heated and sent out sequentially from the heating furnace, and a pressurized liquid feeder that feeds pressurized liquid to the preforms after the preforms are arranged in all of the cavities of the mold and the mold is closed.