Abstract: A device for lifting a plurality of rows of containers has a base and a lifter with a transport surface formed like a blind and displaceable parallel to the base and provided with a frame. The surface slipped under the layer by feeding the containers into the frame. Prior to raising the layer, the lifter is moved toward the layer so that the transport surface is located with its front edge in front of the first row of the layer and is then moved underneath the layer into its lifting position by relative movement with respect to the containers. A partial region of the base is underneath every container at any point in time and the edge of the transport surface is shifted downward to form a clearance is given between the bottoms of the containers of the row and the base.

Abstract: A container inverting device is capable of inverting containers that have a neck oriented in a first direction at the entrance of the device and then in a second direction at the exit of the device. The inverting device includes at least one clamp (45) for holding the neck of a container. The clamp (45) is mounted on a belt (49) by a fixing bracket (47), and in order to invert the container, the belt passes around at least one pulley (33) and moves the clamp from one side of the pulley (33) to the other.

Abstract: A transfer assembly for transferring glass articles from a supporting surface onto an unloading conveyor, wherein a pickup member, for engaging the articles for transfer, is hinged to one end of a first powered actuating rod, and is connected to one end of a second powered actuating rod movable independently of the first powered actuating rod to adjust the angular position of the pickup member about a movable hinge axis as the pickup member rotates between a pickup position and a release position in which the articles are released onto the unloading conveyor.

Abstract: A take-out mechanism for removing sets of blow molded bottles from a blow mold includes a rotary turret, a take-away conveyor and a drive for moving the turret between the blow mold and the take-away conveyor. The turret has a number of sides with a plurality of vacuum plugs extending from each side. The drive moves the turret toward the mold to extend a set of plugs on one side of the turret into mold cavities and vacuum-capture bottles molded in the cavities. After opening of the mold, the turret is lowered and rotated 90.degree. to position the vacuum-held bottles at the infeed end of the take-away conveyor. Rotation of the turret positions a second set of plugs facing a second mold moved to the take-out position. Subsequent rapid retraction of the turret moves the set of removed bottles into the take-away conveyor and powers the conveyor to receive the bottles while maintaining orientation between individual bottles.

Abstract: A transport machine includes a frame for cyclically receiving a plurality of containers from an unloading station and for transporting them to the discharge region. The discharge region is spaced apart from the unloading station by a predetermined distance. The machine includes a platform connected to the frame, and is operable in a first position thereof adjacent the unloadiing station for accepting the containers, and pivotably movable thereafter about an axis to a second position angularly spaced away from the unloading station; it is movable subsequently from the second position to a third position adjacent the discharge region for temporarily storing the containers thereat; the platform is operable thereafter, and upon having temporarily stored the containers at the third position, to move to a fourth position spaced away from the discharge region, and similar to said second position, and thereafter operable to execute a pivotable return movement from the fourth position to the first position.