Abstract: In a machine for promoting spherulite crystal growth in polyester bottle preform finishes, a gear arrangement for controlling the rate of vertical motion of a quill support platform to insure simultaneous engagement of all of the preforms onto adjacent gauges sized to a standard dimension for the preform finishes, the gear arrangement including two pairs of spur pinion gears positioned on opposite sides of the machine base engaging racks fixed to quill support platform and a plurality of rods fixed to the pinion gears and arranged in a rectangular array containing miter bevel gears fixed to the ends of the plurality of rods situated at the corners of the array, the miter bevel gears being engaged together in pairs to coordinate the rotation of all the rods and the vertical movement of the quill support platform.