Abstract: A gripper for holding preforms or containers in their neck region having two pivotable gripper arms held in a base position under spring tension such that their gripping ends jointly enclose and hold the neck region. They are pivotable out of the base position jointly in one direction if they come into contact with an obstacle. In the base position, a main gripper arm is clamped via a spring with the gripper base, which pulls the main arm into contact with the other secondary gripper arm. The main and secondary arms are each mounted in a respective joint. The joint of the secondary arm is closer to its gripping end than the joint of the main arm is to its gripping end. The arms press against one another in the closed position at least in two regions, one above the joint of the secondary arm and the other below it.

Abstract: A tray packer includes a positioning-and-folding unit, an application unit, and a storage-and-feed unit. The positioning-and-folding unit arranges a container group on a packaging blank's bottom and places its sides against the group. The application unit places a material blank on the group opposite the bottom portion such as to form a bundle. The storage-and-feed unit stores and provides the material blanks to the application unit. The application unit comprises a pressing element that comprises a tool plate that moves continuously on a circular path in such a way that the tool plate adjusts between engagement positions with the containers. The circular path spans a plane oriented parallel to a transport plane along which the groups travel.

Abstract: A container guiding device has a railing with two guide elements that are spaced from one another, that extend in the transport direction of a container transport device, and that guide containers or packages. At least one guide element can be adjusted transversely to the transport direction relative to the other guide element by an adjusting device. The adjusting device has a drive body which can be rotated about a rotational axis and a coupling element which is connected to the at least one guide element and to the drive body such that a rotation of the drive body produces a translation of the coupling element transversely to the transport direction. The drive body has a control element which is in engagement with the coupling element and which runs in a spiral shape about the rotational axis of the drive body, at least along some sections.

Abstract: A beverage bottle and container handling arrangement for handling beverage bottles, cans, or similar containers, and a method of operating a beverage bottle and container handling arrangement, and an adjustment arrangement configured to adjust components of the beverage bottle and container handling arrangement and a method therefor.

Abstract: A label box includes a dispensing region and a storage region for holding a stack of labels, all of which have the same two-dimensional contour. The dispensing region includes a guiding-and-holding body that has been manufactured by an additive-manufacturing process based on a three-dimensional computer model thereof. The guiding-and-holding body forms a guide space for receiving and guiding of the stack and for dispensing the labels. The guide space includes a guide section that is adjustable to conform to the contour. The guiding-and-holding body also includes a securing region for at least partially securing the label box to a holding device.

Abstract: A transport system for transporting containers along a transport path in a transport direction includes first and second transporters that define first and second transport-path sections, at least one of which follows a circular arc. A third transport-path section between the first and second transport-path sections comprises an adjustable transition curve.

Abstract: A bundling machine includes a wrapper that wraps the combination while it rests on a forward end of a paper cutout and a rear end of the paper cutout overlaps the forward end of the paper cutout while the combination moves in a transport direction, a transporter having a wrapping belt and a removal belt that follows the wrapping belt along the transport direction for conveying the combination of packages along a transport plane in the transport direction through the wrapper, and a controller that controls the relative speed of the belts so that, while the combination contacts both belts, the wrapping belt moves faster than the removal belt, thereby causing the rear end to sustain a tension in the direction of the forward end.

Abstract: A container transport device for transporting containers in a container handling system includes a chassis for supporting the container transport device on a track. The chassis is equipped with a frame on which at least one tray for transporting the containers is provided in a vertically adjustable manner. The at least one tray has a transport surface with multiple transport elements arranged in a substantially parallel manner for temporarily storing and conveying containers in rows, and each transport element is drivable in a controlled and/or closed-loop manner independently of one another in two different conveying directions.

Abstract: A palletizing apparatus and a method for stacking packages on a load carrier. The palletizing apparatus has a stacking location for palletizing the packages and at least two supply stations, which are in conveying connection with the stacking location and each have an intermediate carrier formed for receiving the packages. It is possible for the intermediate carriers to be vertically adjusted by a motor at least to some extent independently of one another between a low-level position and a high-level position. In order to make a rapid palletizing cycle possible, provision is made for the intermediate carriers to be horizontally adjustable by a motor-drive independently of one another between a starting position and an end position. The intermediate carriers are arranged at the supply stations for adjustment in a collision-free manner in opposite adjustment directions between a receiving position and a transfer position.

Abstract: A method for filling and closing containers at a filling and closing unit of a handling station. After the completion of a filling phase, a handling phase is carried out at the filling and closing unit of the handling station, in which the process chamber is pre-loaded, in particular above the container opening of the corresponding container, by way of nitrogen to a pressure which is at or above the saturation pressure of the CO2 contained in the filling material.

Abstract: In an apparatus for treating containers with a medium, the containers are transported cyclically in groups. A linear holding device has a plurality of container holders for holding the containers in a suspended state. A treatment device has a plurality of outlet heads that are connected to a supply line for the medium via respective branch lines. The outlet heads are moved together as a group in the vertical direction. Each outlet head has an outlet line for discharging the medium into the containers. For the purpose of treating the container, the outlet line is introduced into the container, which is held in a suspended state in the container mount. Each outlet head is assigned a controllable restraining mechanism. A controller communicates with the restraining mechanism to control a restraining element to hold back the outlet line of a respective outlet head in a restraining position as required.

Abstract: A gripping unit grips a base having a thickness that is defined by an upper side and a lower side thereof and that conveys a product on the upper side. The gripping unit has a pair of first guides with corresponding guide surfaces in contact with the base. The guide surfaces extends as far as beneath the lower side of the base.

Abstract: A container-handling apparatus, in particular a closing machine for closing cans or similar containers with a closure cap. A transfer element is provided between at least two adjacent container-closing positions. The transfer element surrounds at least part of the circumference of the respective container carrier and is provided so as to rotate with, i.e., revolve with, the container-closing positions. Furthermore, the upper side of the transfer element forms a transfer plane for transferring the upright containers in a planar manner from the transport plane onto the transfer plane spanned by the transfer element. The transfer plane and the transport plane are coplanar, spanning a common plane.

Abstract: A shrink-wrapping tunnel heater which comprises a gas heater which heats gas used to heat and shrink a shrink film onto articles, such as packages or packaging units. The heater has at least one porous burner which comprises a porous body or reactor. The porous body or reactor designed to combust fuel therein to produce heat, but without an open flame. Articles are moved through the shrink tunnel and the heated gas heats and shrinks shrinkwrap film onto the articles.

Abstract: A filling machine includes filling elements, each having a seal that seals a container's mouth, a filling valve, a gas valve, a liquid channel that, when the filling valve is opened, is in fluid communication with the container's interior, and a gas channel that, when the gas valve is open, is in fluid communication with the container's interior. The filling machine introduces an inert gas into the container's interior via the gas channel to create a preload pressure in the container such that the inert gas in the container dissolves in the liquid when the liquid is later introduced into the container. The filling machine is further configured to introduce a volume of liquid into the container's interior through the liquid channel at a filling pressure that exceeds the preload pressure.

Abstract: A handle applicator includes controller that receives signals concerning marks on an endless band. The controller controls a contact body to be between a release position, in which a handle applicator is freely driven and a drawing position, in which the contact body contacts the endless band of material prior to its being cut to form the handle. The contact body moves along a continuum of positions between the release position and the drawing position based on actual position data indicative of actual positions of position markings on the handle.

Abstract: A container-handling machine that comprises a rotor that rotates around a machine axis, an inlet transporter that brings containers to the rotor, an outlet transporter that takes containers from the rotor, and a container-handling section that extends along a handling direction along which the containers move after having been taken from the rotor, wherein the rotor comprises handling positions and a transport element, wherein the transport element comprises pockets along a circumference thereof, wherein each of the pockets comprises a flank that forms a first abutment surface that abuts a container during motion thereof, wherein the container-handling machine further comprises a finger that is assigned to the pocket, and wherein the finger forms a second abutment surface that adjoins the first abutment surface and that extends in a radial direction away from the machine axis.

Abstract: A transport unit transports a package combination through a wrapping unit that wraps it with a cutout such that a front end of the cutout and a rear end of the cutout are arranged to overlap each other while lying on the transport unit. The transport unit includes a wrapping belt that passes through the wrapping unit for conveying the combination along a transport plane from an inlet to an outlet. The wrapping belt comprises long belts and short belts that are parallel to each other and that circulate in a transport direction. The long belts extend from the wrapping-belt inlet to the wrapping-belt outlet and the short belts extends from the wrapping-belt inlet as far as an end region that falls short of the wrapping-belt outlet. Each of the short belts is arranged between a pair of the long belts, thereby forming free spaces between the long belts.

Abstract: A beverage bottle filling machine and a method of filling beverage bottles and similar containers.

Abstract: A gripper for a container-transporter includes a system, first and second arms with corresponding inner faces and a controller disposed between the arms to pivot the arms. A spring pre-loads the arms towards one another. Rollers at the control unit rotate about a central control-axis thereof. The faces are shaped such that, in response to the rollers' movement, they carry out an equiangular and symmetric pivoting between an opened and closed position of the gripper.