Abstract: Disclosed is a plastic drum having a circumferential recess in the sidewall of the drum near its top, in the form of a frustum of a cone and adapted to receive a one-piece snap-on metal ring carrier structure of a disclosed design that allows handling of the drum with fork lifts, parrot beaks and similar chime engaging devices.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a fluid product dispenser. The dispenser includes first and second containers. The second container is positioned within the first container. The product is placed in one of the containers and a dispensing nozzle or opening is in communication with the product. The second container has a flexible wall adjacent the product. Fluid is introduced into the other container. A force is applied to the flexible wall to urge the product outwardly through the dispensing nozzle or opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making a hollow plastic article having a separate full ring-shaped member bonded to the article within the blow mold, and the article so made.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reinforcing bottles with a tubular netting embedded in an exterior surface of the bottle. A tubular netting section is initially compressed in an axial direction to increase its diameter. The compressed netting is positioned over a preformed parison of a thermoplastic material. The compressed netting is then released to re-expand axially and contract diametrically, until the netting contacts the parison. The parison is finally transferred to a blow mold and blown into a finished bottle. During the blowing operation, the netting is embedded into and reinforces the walls of the blown bottle. Depending upon the materials from which the netting and bottle are formed, the netting may also weld to the bottle wall to further increase the strength of the bottle.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of plastic containers. In a first embodiment of the invention a tubular length of thermoplastic material is severed from an extruder and blown into a preform shape in a movable preform mold. After completion of the cycle, the preform mold opens and returns to the extruder for a new section of material. The preform shape remains in the location where it was formed. Return of the preform mold moves the previously completed preform shape into registry with a conditioning mold. At this location, it is grasped by an indexable neck clamp. After completion of the thermal conditioning provided by the conditioning mold, the preform shape is indexed to a final shape mold where it is given its final configuration. The completed container is then indexed to a removal station for ejection from the forming process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a plastic drum having a radially extending projection near its top to which is crimped a circumferential metal carrier ring adapted to be grasped by conventional metal drum chime handling devices; and the resulting product.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for two-stage blow molding especially suitable for large plastic containers, wherein an overhead shuttle mechanism transfers a blown preform from a preform station to a final blowing station and then to a separation station where the completed article is separated from the upper tail by which it was suspended from the shuttle mechanism during each of the transfer steps. The lower tail is separated from the preform prior to removal from the preform blowing station.An alternative form uses a rotary indexing transfer mechanism, wherein the shape of an upper flash or tail-forming clamp half which is carried by the indexing mechanism creates an interlock with the flash permitting the article to be suspended from and transferred by such single clamp half throughout the operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a plastic container by a blow molding operation. In the method, a tubular thermoplastic parison is blown to a preform within a first mold by a blow pipe inserted into one axial open end of the parison. Prior to removing the preform from the first mold, a secondary opening is formed in the wall of the preform, either by a spike-shaped piercing surface over which the parison is expanded or by a vent port through which blow air is exhausted to rupture an opening in the preform wall. The preform is then transferred to a second mold, which pinches shut the initial blowing opening of the preform. A second blow pin is inserted into the secondary opening to supply blow air under pressure to expand the preform to a container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a hollow plastic article by blow molding, followed by reshaping said article by mechanical means outside the blow mold. Also disclosed is a plastic drum having an integral upstanding peripheral plastic rim adapted to be grasped by steel drum chime-handling devices.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a fluid product dispenser. The dispenser includes first and second containers. The second container is positioned within the first container. The product is placed in one of the containers and a dispensing nozzle or opening is in communication with the product. The second container has a flexible wall adjacent the product. Fluid is introduced into the other container. A force is applied to the flexible wall to urge the product outwardly through the dispensing nozzle or opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plastic drum having a circumferential recess in the sidewall of the drum near its top, in the form of a frustum of a cone and adapted to receive a one-piece snap-on metal ring carrier structure of a disclosed design that allows handling of the drum with fork lifts, parrot beaks and similar chime engaging devices.

Abstract: An improved shell mold and method are provided for thermal conditioning a thermoplastic parison prior to blow molding the parison into a hollow container and especially a biaxially oriented container. The mold has an inner shell and an outer shell defining a passageway therebetween for a circulated heat transfer fluid. Heat transfer between the fluid and the parison is controlled to adjust the thermal history at different locations of the parison as it will be required by the mode of stretching and the blow out ratio at the different locations.

Abstract: Method of forming a container in a collapsed or folded configuration from a thermoplastic material. A preform is made from an extruded tube of thermoplastic material in a preform mold. The preform is then transferred to a deformation mold. The preform has a skin of relatively cool material on its exterior and interior surfaces; however, the interior of the walls between the skins is still in a deformable state. In the deformation mold, the preform is collapsed or folded and held in such condition until the interior material in the walls has become set. This leaves the container so formed with a memory in the folded state. When filled, the container may be elongated beyond the folded state dimensions, but will try to return to that state as the contents are dispensed as a result of the formed-in memory.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a plastic container by a blow molding operation. In the method, a tubular thermoplastic parison is blown to a preform within a first mold by a blow pipe inserted into one axial open end of the parison. Prior to removing the preform from the first mold, a secondary opening is formed in the wall of the preform, either by a spike-shaped piercing surface over which the parison is expanded or by a vent port through which blow air is exhausted to rupture an opening in the preform wall. The preform is then transferred to a second mold, which pinches shut the initial blowing opening of the preform. A second blow pin is inserted into the secondary opening to supply blow air under pressure to expand the preform to a container.

Abstract: A method utilizing preform and final blow molds for forming molecularly oriented thermoplastic articles. According to the method, an extruded tubular parison is positioned within the pre-form blow mold and blown to a pre-form configuration. The blown pre-form is then conveyed, while suspended from a moveable carrier, through a thermal conditioning chamber and the temperature of the pre-form is adjusted to within the range for molecular orientation. Next, the thermally conditioned pre-form is conveyed by the moveable carrier to a final blowing station where the pre-form is blown to the configuration of the final article. In a first disclosed embodiment, the carrier is a blow pin which is inserted into the tubular parison at the pre-form molding station prior to the first molding operation.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a novel method of making a blown plastic article. A cantilevered blow pin is axially insertable into and removable from a parison mold cavity. When inserted into the cavity, the blow pin abuts a support which is coaxial with the blow pin and which supports the blow pin against deflection in the cavity. Upon filling of the parison mold cavity with plasticized plastic material under pressure, a parison is formed about the blow pin and the support. Upon removal of the blow pin from the cavity, the parison thereon is stripped from the cavity and from the support. That portion of the parison projecting beyond the blow pin and formerly enclosing the support forms a tubular extension projecting beyond the blow pin. Upon transfer to a blow mold, the projecting portion of the parison is pinched shut to form a blowable shape, which is then blown interiorily of a blow mold into either a blown pre-form or the final article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blow molding plastic articles, particularly containers. The method involves shuttling a pre-form blow mold between a parison forming location and a pre-form blowing location, and the transfer of a blown pre-form to a fixed final blow mold. The movement of the pre-form blow mold, both in its shuttling movement and in its open and closing movement, is utilized to transfer the blown pre-form. A clamp arm is secured to each pre-form mold section for engaging the pre-form at the pre-form blowing location and for transferring the pre-form to the final blow mold as the pre-form blow mold moves.In the use of the method and apparatus for the forming of containers, the clamp arms form the finish-defining portions of the final blow mold. When the pre-form blow mold is at its blowing location, the clamp arms register with the mold cavity of the fixed final blow mold to define the complete final article mold.

Abstract: Plastic containers having internal reinforcing ribs are formed by a molding operation including pre-blow and final-blow steps. The pre-blow step includes inflating a blowable plastic parison into contact with the cavity walls of a first blow mold to form a blown pre-form, the cavity walls of the first blow mold including a plurality of concave grooves to form a pattern of convex or protuberant ribs on the outer-periphery of the pre-form. The final-blow step includes positioning the blown, ribbed pre-form within a second or final blow mold having a cavity defined by substantially smooth wall surfaces conforming to the exterior configuration of the desired container. Next, the pre-form is blown to stretch and expand against the cavity walls of the second mold, during which step the convex ribs on the exterior of the pre-form are flattened, forming concave portions intermediate convex reinforcing ribs on the internal wall surface of the container.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for blow molding a plastic article by forming a parison into a blown pre-form and then blowing the pre-form into the final article. The final blow mold is fixed, and the pre-form mold is movable from a parison-forming location to a pre-form blowing location. An arcuately movable turret carries a plurality of blow tubes sequentially registerable with the pre-form blowing location and the final blow mold location, these tubes are utilized for the blowing operation and also transfer the preform to the final mold location. The turret thus traverses the two blowing locations, but not the parison-forming location. The turret may also traverse additional thermal conditioning or ejection stations, or the like, if desired. The turret may also move vertically for mold clearance, if necessary. The turret can oscillate between the two blow mold stations or can rotate through a complete 360.degree. traverse, as required by the number of indexing positions desired.

Abstract: An improved method for forming blow molded articles of enhanced physical characteristics by orienting the material during the formation of the article. A two-stage blowing operation is provided wherein a pre-form blow mold effects a uniform and controllable transfer of heat from a freely extruded tube. The pre-form is conditioned, both thermally and dimensionally, within the pre-form for most effective orientation during a subsequent final blowing operation.Manipulatively, the disclosed method provides a completely overlapped pre-blowing and final blowing operation, and more than one set of pre-blow and final blow molds may be utilized at a single extruder orifice, if desired. Further, the direction and extent of movement of the molds adapts the method to presently existing blow molding machines, while increasing the machine output.Successively utilized blow tubes form and reform the open or blowing end of the tube to a final configuration.