Abstract: The invention relates to a selecting and screening device (15) for sealing elements or for hollow stoppers intended for a sealing station (4), the device being provided in the form of a chute consisting of two portions: a feed portion (17) and an outlet portion (18), and, between said two portions, a transit channel (20) forming an arc and comprising an ejection window (33), wherein said outlet portion (18) is to be connected to the sealing station (4), said channel (20) partially encloses a wheel (21) provided with notches (22) that match the size of said stoppers (2), and the wheel (21) is associated with pins (30), characterized in that the function of said pins (30) is to support the stoppers (2) in the respective notch (22) thereof as the former pass in front of said ejection window (33), if said stoppers are correctly oriented and not defective, and in that said outlet portion (18) is intended to convey said properly oriented and non-defective stoppers.

Abstract: In the context of an endless conveyor finishing machine, the method of the invention consists of preparing objects which are aligned on the battens of said conveyor with a view to delivering same to, for example, a capping station of a filling machine, wherein said preparation method consists of modifying the position of each batten so as to cause each row of objects to move from a horizontal position to a position that is sufficiently inclined, for example vertical, so as to cause the automatic unloading of said batten and the discharge of the series of objects toward a receiving and transit area in which said objects are inserted, single file, into the chute of a conveying device. The finishing machine for implementing the method comprises a module built into the conveying device, including means for propelling the objects to a sufficient height in order to feed same to, for example, a capping station, and for carrying out a complementary selection, checking, and sorting operation on said objects.

Abstract: Clamp (1) for holding a container (2) by a neck (3) in a container handling machine (5), said clamp comprising a body (7) for mounting the clamp (1) on a rotary support (4), and a pair of resilient arms (11) protruding sidewise from the body (7) and each provided with a gripping jaw (12), wherein each resilient arm (11) comprises: an inner section (13) extending along the body (7) and connected thereto at a first back end junction (16); an intermediate section (14) extending substantially parallel to the inner section (13) and connected thereto at a front end junction (17); an outer section (15), provided, at a front end, with a gripping jaw (12), and extending substantially parallel to the intermediate section (14) and connected thereto at a second back end junction (18).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bottom of a mould for producing thermoplastic containers, and to a container thus produced. The container (1) produced comprises: a base (4) having a concave peripheral wall (6) extending essentially coaxially to the X-X? axis, this concavity defining a non null curvature all along the wall (6); an annular region (7) forming a tubular peripheral wall (8) extending essentially coaxially to the X-X? axis, the transversal radial distance between the X-X? axis and said wall (8) being longer than the transversal radial distance between the X-X? axis and any point along the concave peripheral wall (6) of said base (4); and a shoulder (9) forming a connecting region between the base (4) and the annular region (7). The depth of said annular region is between 0.5 and 2%, preferably between 1 and 1.5%, especially 1.2% of the diameter of the annular region (7), and the height of the base (4) is between 5 and 15 mm.

Abstract: A method for shaping at least one cardboard cut-out between an inlet position and an outlet position of a shaping station. The method includes a step of using shaping tools on the cardboard cut-out, the tools reciprocatingly moving on either side of the cut-out between a shaping position and a retracted position. The method involves moving the cardboard cut-out by the tools between the inlet position and the outlet position of the shaping station while the cardboard cut-out is being shaped by the tools.

Abstract: A container made of thermoplastic material, including a body that extends between a neck and a base that is able to withstand, without significantly deforming, a hydrostatic pressure caused by the column of a liquid contained in the container, the column of liquid being increased by a pressure not exceeding 2×105 Pa. The base includes main ribs in the form of grooves that are open towards the outside and extend approximately radially, passing through an annular zone that forms an approximately flat seat by way of which the base can rest in a stable manner on a flat support. The main ribs extend upwards on a wall connecting the base to the body of the container. The container has a shoulder that forms a joining zone between the connecting wall and the body of the container, and the main ribs extend upwards beyond the shoulder.

Abstract: A container manufacturing plant (10) includes an air circuit (78) employing a recycling method that includes at least the successive steps of: extracting filtered air from an oven (26), after the air has been used in the latter, for the purpose of cooling at least one part of the preforms; treating the sterilizing agent present in the extracted air resulting from the sterilization of the preforms; and recycling the extracted and treated air to the industrial area (16) where the plant (10) is installed. An air recycling method is also described.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for handling articles (2), including an endless infeed drive member (3) moving in an infeed direction (ID); an endless outfeed drive member (4) moving in a second, outfeed direction (OD); and an endless carrier conveyor (33) having. The carrier conveyor includes an infeed section (34) overlying the infeed drive member (3), whereby the infeed drive member (3) drives the infeed section (34) in the infeed direction (ID); an outfeed section (35) overlying the outfeed drive member (4), whereby the outfeed drive member (4) drives the outfeed section (35) in the outfeed direction (OD); and an arcuate intermediate section (36) bridging the infeed section (34) and the outfeed section (35) along a transfer path (37) between a diverting point (DIV) where the carrier conveyor (33) disconnects from the infeed drive member (3), and an inverting point (INV) where the carrier conveyor (33) connects the outfeed drive member (4).

Abstract: A device for transporting hollow bodies, includes: at least one element for grasping a hollow body, the element including at least one cam follower (30A) made of an electrically conductive material; at least one fixed cam (32) which is intended to engage with the cam follower (30A), the cam (32) being made of an electrically conductive material; a contact layer (34) which is made of an electrically insulating material and is interposed between the cam (32) and the cam follower (30A); characterized in that the cam follower (30A) is connected to a first electrical signal (P1) whereas the cam (32) is connected to a second electrical signal (P2), a member (36) being positioned so as to detect electrical contact between the cam follower (30A) and the cam (32).

Abstract: There is described a labelling machine for applying a plurality of labels to a respective plurality of articles; the machine comprises a conveying device movable along a given path (P) and having a plurality of operating units for receiving and retaining the articles to be labelled, feeding means for feeding the labels to the operating units, application means for applying the labels to the articles, and a marking unit (100) arranged upstream from the conveying device and comprising means (101) for marking a surface of each label with a mark (M) univocally associable with the corresponding operating unit by which said label shall be received and processed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for producing cardboard cutouts, comprising a magazine (3) which projects outside the closed chamber of said machine, and a window (10) in one of the walls of said chamber for feeding said cutouts into said chamber. Said machine includes at least two associated sensors (15 and 16), which are positioned in the immediate vicinity of the window (10); said sensors are slightly offset such that, in particular, one or the other causes the complete and absolute stoppage of the machine before said window is opened. The two sensors (15, 16) are of different types, and the operations thereof are based on separate physical principles: one (15) of the sensors consists of a photoelectric cell, and the other sensor (16) is an ultrasonic sensor.

Abstract: A unit for treating blanks of hollow bodies made of a plastic material which includes: an enclosure which the blanks travel through longitudinally; a plurality of electromagnetic radiation sources, arranged on at least one lateral side of the enclosure; at least one airlock adjoining the enclosure, provided with mobile shields that are opaque to the electromagnetic radiation travelling along a path locally encroaching upon the path of the blanks; two shields defining two-by-two an area for holding at least one blank.

Abstract: A container filling machine includes at least one filling spout, and a cleaning device including a stationary collecting member with a passage opening, a sealing member that can be displaced between a retracted position and a service position in which said sealing member is capable of tightly sealing the passage opening, and displacement means for displacing said sealing member between the retracted position and the service position thereof. The sealing member includes an elastically deformable membrane mounted on a holder and forming therewith a tight deformation chamber capable of receiving a pressurized fluid in order to deform the deformable membrane for sealing the passage opening when said holder is displaced into the service position by the displacement means.

Abstract: A filling valve includes a hollow housing including a liquid chamber, a gas chamber, and a sliding valve assembly. The sliding valve assembly includes a hollow valve rod with an opening in the gas chamber at an upper end of the valve rod, the valve rod sliding in the housing between an open position where valve rod opens an aperture in the housing allowing liquid to flow from the liquid chamber through the aperture, and a closed position where the valve rod closes the aperture, and a sliding piston disposed in the housing between an open position where a lower end of the piston is spaced from the upper end of the valve rod allowing gas to pass from the gas chamber to the opening in the valve and a closed position where the lower end of the piston contacts the upper end of the valve rod.

Abstract: The device for fast assembly of a tool on its support comprises a bolt attached to said support and disposed within a bore with a through hole and a mandrel, which is attached to the tool as such and disposed within said through hole and interacting with said bolt. At the junction between the tool and its support, the device comprises centering and locking means which consist of a set of the tenon and mortise type, which set extends perpendicularly to the mandrel and thus forms a T-shaped structure of the assembly, which confers high rigidity to the tool. Said assembly device is in particular suitable for tools such as actuators or pliers, i.e. tools which are utilized in machines for packaging flasks, bottles or the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas feed installation for depositing barrier layers in a container. According to the invention, a balancing step is carried out using a start-up feed device (70) during transient states when the operation passes from a vacuum step, then to a step of depositing a preparatory layer and finally a step of depositing an actual barrier layer on an injector (44) inside a container (42).

Abstract: Container (1) of thermoplastic material produced by blowing or stretch blowing of a blank, said container comprising a petaloid bottom (3) provided with projecting feet (4) separated by hollow valleys (8) that extend radially from a central zone (5) of the bottom (3), each foot (4) having two flanks (9), each of which laterally borders a valley (8). Each foot (4) is provided, on each of its flanks (9), with a cheek (18) that projects laterally from the side of the valley (8).

Abstract: Plant and process for assembling, in the form of an open-ended box (27; 31), a cardboard blank (1) for the manufacture of a box of the American box type, said blank (1) comprising two opposite walls, joined by their lateral edges, each of the walls comprising two adjacent sides of the box to be formed, the two adjacent sides having different lengths, said process consisting in using three assembly arms (10, 11, 12), the three arms being actuated, in pairs, by control means (5) following a first operating mode (I) or a second operating mode (II).

Abstract: The invention relates to an entry station (1) which comprises at least one passageway for parallelepiped packages, located upstream from the preparation station (3), said passageway (6) being defined by means of lateral rails (7, 8) which are separated by a distance substantially corresponding to the length of said packages (2) and comprising a means for varying the width thereof at the pivoting area of said packages (2). The passageway (6) is defined by a rail (7) which is aligned with the pivoting abutment (15), and a rail (8) located opposite, facing the former, said opposite rail (8) including, in the downstream portion thereof, in the pivoting area, a rail section (14) that extends as far as the entrance to the preparation station (3) and said section can be retracted in order to allow the pivoting of the package (2) halted by said abutment (15) at said pivoting area.

Abstract: The invention relates notably to an installation comprising a device for orienting objects which have more or less two axes of symmetry and are placed on a conveyor. The installation is notable in that the device comprises four arms (81, 82, 83, 84) arranged perpendicular to one another so as to form a cross, the arms (81, 82, 83, 84) being mounted on a chassis, said chassis being mounted so that it can rotate about a common axis (Z) of rotation which is perpendicular to the plane of said conveyor. In addition, each arm (81, 82, 83, 84) is mounted with the ability to effect a rectilinear translational movement along a segment of a straight line, said segments being offset by a distance in relation to the common axis of rotation (Z), said segments intersecting to form a square centred on said common axis of rotation (Z). Finally, the installation comprises means for moving the axis (Z) of rotation of the device transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis (Z) of said conveyor of said items.