Abstract: A cap transfer unit (1) comprising a cap transfer line (8) defining a transfer path (5) from a cap loading area (4) to a cap discharge area (6), and a cap pusher (16) slidingly mounted along the cap transfer line (8), the cap pusher (16) having a rest position in which the cap pusher (16) is spaced from the transfer path (5), and an active position in which the cap pusher (16) overlaps at least partially the transfer path (5) for coming into abutment with caps (2) located therein.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a container (14) from a blank (2) of thermoplastic material having a body (4) extending along a principal axis (A), which comprises: A selective heating step in which the body (4) of the blank (2) is exposed to monochromatic or pseudo-monochromatic infrared radiation, the power of which is modulated along the principal axis (A) of the body (4) in such a way that said body has alternating hot annular regions (4A, 4C, 4E, 4G, 4I), the temperature of which is far higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the material, and comparatively colder annular regions (4B, 4D, 4F, 4H), the temperature of which is close to the glass transition temperature (Tg); A forming step in which a fluid under pressure is injected into the blank (2) thus heated, said step being carried out in free expansion.

Abstract: The installation comprises:—an upstream conveyor (2) which supplies the lines of products, and a downstream conveying system, having, between the two;—a unit (5) for regulating the flow of products and, in each lane of said unit, a conveying module (9) of the endless belt type and sets of mobile fingers (8) for controlling the advancing speed of said products. The endless belt of each conveying module (9) extends as far as the inlet of the downstream conveyor (4), and control means are provided to separately adjust the speed of the sets of fingers (8) so as to ungroup the products in accordance with two separate modes:—an ungrouping mode with selection by regulated flow (SRF) and—an ungrouping mode with selection by adjustable fingers (SAF).

Abstract: The support cooperates with the half-moulds (2, 3) of a moulding unit used to shape a container from thermoplastic material. This support comprises: a pedestal in the form of an actuating cylinder (11), the rod (12) of which is solidly connected to the mould base (1); and, between the rod (12) of the actuating cylinder (11) and the mould base (1), an assembly system (13) formed by a female part in the form of a nut (14) and of a male part in the form of a screw (15). The nut (14) is trapped at the end of the rod (12) of the actuating cylinder (11) and the screw (15) is associated directly or indirectly with the mould base (1). A system of shim(s) (40, 41) can be used to adjust the working stroke of the rod (12) of the actuating cylinder (11) as required.

Abstract: An apparatus to fill a container includes at least one tank for a fluid product to be delivered and one filling head to deliver the fluid product to the container that is movable towards and away from the container. The apparatus further includes a connecting arrangement interposed between the tank and the filling head to supply the fluid product to the filling head. The connecting arrangement includes a ball-and-socket joint structure which includes a first tubular portion having a spherical body, a second tubular portion in the form of a spherical cavity and a tubular sealing element arranged inside the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion at a zone in which the spherical body and the spherical cavity are mutually engaged.

Abstract: A machine for the manufacture of containers made of thermoplastic, includes at least one molding unit selectively associated with a control module (70) able, in the use state, selectively using a first actuating device (76) to control the locking device and using a second actuating device (78) to control the opening/closing device with which the molding unit is respectively equipped.

Abstract: An example includes a method for forming tubular lengths of linear web material. The example can include winding a portion of linear web material in a tubular configuration such that opposite vertical ends of said linear portion overlap. The example can include welding said overlapping ends to fix said linear portion of linear web material in sleeve configuration. This welding can include heating up at a first temperature a first region of said portion over the whole of which said ends overlap and heating up at a second temperature lower than said first temperature a second region of said portion adjacent to said first region, said ends of said portion of linear web material overlapping over only a part of said second region.

Abstract: An example includes a method for forming tubular lengths of web material. The example can include winding a portion of web material in a tubular configuration such that opposite vertical ends of said linear portion overlap. The example can include welding said overlapping ends to fix said linear portion of web material in sleeve configuration. This welding can include heating up at a first temperature a first region of said portion over the whole of which said ends overlap and heating up at a second temperature lower than said first temperature a second region of said portion adjacent to said first region, said ends of said portion of labelling web material overlapping over only a part of said second region. One or more examples relate to a forming unit configured to implement the method outlined above.

Abstract: A member (22) for gripping vessels (16) includes: a support (32) that moves along a transport trajectory of the vessel (16); a nose (38) including a mandrel (40) capable of holding a neck (26) of the vessel (16), the nose (38) being fixed removably to a bottom axial end of the support (32); characterized in that the nose (38) includes an ejection plate (46) which is mounted to slide axially around the mandrel (40) between a cladding position towards which it is elastically returned and in which the mandrel (40) protrudes axially downwards and an uncladding position in which the mandrel (40) is axially retracted above a bottom face of the plate (46). A device for replacing such a gripping member is also described.

Abstract: The regulating unit is inserted in an installation for preparing batches of containers of the bottle kind. This regulating unit is interposed between an upstream conveyor and a downstream conveyor and at each of its ends, between two adjacent walls (16), comprises means for centring each conveyor module (9). These means consist of arms (25) of the same length forming a pair of compasses between two adjacent walls (16), which pair of compasses has a central articulation secured to said conveying module (9) by means of a sliding connection located in the mid-plane of the corresponding lane. The walls (16) are connected to one another by a pantograph system (30) and a connecting member, consisting of a link rod (35), which extends between the pair of compasses and said pantograph to collaborate with the corresponding support of the conveying module (9) in order to keep it in the mid plane of the corresponding lane.

Abstract: A module (4) in a support structure (5) for container handling machines (2), comprises a connecting bar (6) provided with bearing expansions (7) at its ends, each of the bearing expansions (7) being detachably connectable with a corresponding bearing expansion of another module in such a way as to define a support (8) for a star wheel conveyor (3).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a container having a local recessed or relief impression, from a blank (2) of thermoplastic material. The method includes a heating step in which the blank (2) is exposed to infrared radiation and in which the infrared radiation is monochromatic or pseudo-monochromatic, the intensity of which locally has an extremum in front of a localized zone (11) of the blank, in such a way as to generate a temperature extremum in the zone (11). The method also includes a forming step in which a fluid under pressure is injected into the blank (2) thus heated, and in which the recessed or relief impression is formed at the localized zone (11).

Abstract: Conveyor for transporting articles such as a chain conveyor that can be changed between a stretched configuration and a compact configuration, the chain being formed from a plurality of articulated links. Each link includes a trolley provided with lateral guide mechanism cooperating with a track defining a predetermined trajectory, a support carrying a nozzle for the releasable attachment of an article, the support mounted rotatably with respect to the trolley between a straight position corresponding to the deployed configuration of the chain, and an oblique position, corresponding to the compact position of the chain and in which the support is inclined with respect to the straight position; and an actuator coupled to the support, capable of driving the support in rotation from its straight position to its oblique position, and reciprocally.

Abstract: A method for placing an oven (12) for heat-treating preforms (13) into standby, including: a device (16) for conveying the preforms (13); at least one heating lamp (22); at least one heat-accumulation element (24, 26); and an electronic unit for controlling the heating lamps (22), characterized in that the method includes, in series: a first switching-off step (E1) which is triggered when a stop in production is determined, and in which the heating lamps (22) are completely switched off; and then a second temperature-maintaining step (E2) which is triggered after the first step (E1), and in which the heating lamps (22) are activated at a predetermined intensity in order to reheat the accumulation elements (24, 26).

Abstract: There is disclosed a container processing machine comprising a material handling surface for handling a sheet-like material through suction and a vacuum source in fluid connection with said material handling surface, the machine including means for detecting and transmitting a value of pressure of the gas being suctioned; a controllably operable flow valve; a control unit operatively connected with said detection and transmission means and with said flow valve; said detection and transmission means and said flow valve being arranged between said vacuum source and said material handling surface; said control unit being programmed to adjust the degree of opening of said flow valve in response to a signal which is a function of at least said value of pressure.

Abstract: Container of thermoplastic material having a body extending along a principal axis, characterized in that the body has at least one annular narrowed zone of extra thickness.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a container (2) by stretch-blow molding in a mold (8) from a blank (3) of plastic material, which comprises the operations consisting of: measuring the pressure prevailing inside the blank (3) during a pre-blowing phase; detecting an instant corresponding to a local minimum pressure in the blank (3); placing in memory the instant at which said minimum pressure occurs as well as the corresponding pressure prevailing in the blank (3); comparing the instant and the pressure of the detected minimum with, respectively, a predetermined instant and pressure of a theoretical minimum pressure; if the measured minimum and the theoretical minimum do not coincide, ordering a modification of at least one of the following parameters: pre-blowing pressure, pre-blowing flow rate, stretching speed, heating temperature.

Abstract: A removable device (3) for attaching with fluidic connection a mold base (1) on a support (4), said device (3) comprising a male part (6) and a female part (7), said male part (6) having a truncated-cone-shaped surface (10), said female part (7) comprising a locking mechanism (26) including balls (33) suitable for engaging with said surface (10), a device wherein the female part (7) comprises a peripheral cage (27) provided with holes (2) where the balls (33) are seated, and a lock (34) provided with an annular ramp (41), mounted around said cage (27), that can be manually accessed and moved between a locking position wherein the ramp (41) is arranged in line with the balls (33), and a release position wherein the ramp (41) is separated from the balls (33).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for collecting products (2) arriving in line on a conveyor (1), using a collector device (4) provided transversally relative to the advancement direction. The collector (4) deposits and drops the products collected at a take-up station (10) located on the side of said supply conveyor (1) the collector (4) is capable of a loop movement that can divided into a transverse movement combined with a longitudinal movement upwards of the queue, i.e. a movement opposite to that of the product supply conveyor. The equipment for implementing the method includes a table (3) provided at and along the conveyor (1), a collector (4) carried by an appropriate structure for longitudinal and transverse movement above said conveyor (1) and said table (3). The table (3) includes two panels (31, 32) extending on either side of the supply conveyor (1) for depositing and dropping the products collected on either side of the conveyor (1) at the edge thereof.