Abstract: A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Abstract: A blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

Abstract: A method of forming a container (10) from bi-axially orientable plastics material and having an integral handle formed from a stem (15); said method comprising: (a) forming a preform (26, 36) having a neck portion and an expandable portion (12) below the neck portion (11), said neck portion including a locating ring (14) above the expandable portion and a solid stem (15) of orientable thermoplastics material projecting from or near the neck portion or immediately below it and moulded integrally therewith, and (b) performing a blow moulding operation on said preform to expand the expandable portion to form the body of the container. Also disclosed is a container (10) manufactured from a two stage injection stretch blow moulding process, said container including a graspable handle affixed at at least a first point to said container so as to form an enclosed area between the handle and the container and through which the fingers of a human hand may be passed.

Abstract: A preform (207,301), and a container (201,312,319) blown therefrom in a two stage process (as defined in the specification) is disclosed having a loop (202,304,313) defining a handle portion of the resulting blown container and wherein the loop is integrally connected by both a first end (306) and a second end (308) to respective first location (307) and second location (309) of the preform during manufacture of the preform.