Abstract: A device for gripping a hollow body includes a freely-rotating shaft and a mandrel that is integral with the shaft. The mandrel itself includes: an end fitting; a radiator that is mounted directly on the end fitting; a crosspiece inserted between the end fitting and the radiator; an expandable ring mounted between the end fitting and the crosspiece; an elastic element mounted between the end fitting and the expandable ring; an insert made of a material with high thermal conductivity, set in a housing made in the end fitting and emptying onto a free end face of the former, with the insert extending up to the point facing the radiator.

Abstract: A device for gripping a hollow body includes a freely-rotating shaft and a mandrel that is integral with the shaft. The mandrel itself includes: an end fitting; a radiator that is mounted directly on the end fitting; a crosspiece inserted between the end fitting and the radiator; an expandable ring mounted between the end fitting and the crosspiece; an elastic element mounted between the end fitting and the expandable ring; an insert made of a material with high thermal conductivity, set in a housing made in the end fitting and emptying onto a free end face of the former, with the insert extending up to the point facing the radiator.

Abstract: A blow-moulding installation (10) for fabricating a container from a blank (12), includes a mould (20) which bounds a moulding cavity (18) in which a blank (12) is arranged, emerging through an opening of the mould (20), a tubular blowing nozzle (28) slidingly mounted between a raised rest position, and a lowered blowing position, in which the nozzle (28) is suitable for conveying a pressurized fluid into the blank (12), at least one element (46a) for locking the nozzle (28) in its lowered blowing position, the locking element (46a) being such as a lock (46a) including a strike (48a) and a movable bolt (58a) which is elastically returned to a locking position in the strike.

Abstract: A device (10) for gripping a hollow body (12) having a tubular neck (16), the device (10) includes a back plate (38) defining an axial bearing surface (40), a head (34) delimiting a radial bearing surface (50), a locking catch (54) supported by the head (34), characterised in that the head (34) is movably mounted between a locking position of the neck (16), in which the locking catch (54) bears on an inner surface (58) of the neck (16), such that the bearing surfaces (40, 50) define an so-called gripping area (Z), and an unlocking position (16) of the neck, in which the catch (54) is removed from the gripping area (Z).

Abstract: A blow-moulding installation (10) for fabricating a container from a blank (12), includes a mould (20) which bounds a moulding cavity (18) in which a blank (12) is arranged, emerging through an opening of the mould (20), a tubular blowing nozzle (28) slidingly mounted between a raised rest position, and a lowered blowing position, in which the nozzle (28) is suitable for conveying a pressurized fluid into the blank (12), at least one element (46a) for locking the nozzle (28) in its lowered blowing position, the locking element (46a) being such as a lock (46a) including a strike (48a) and a movable bolt (58a) which is elastically returned to a locking position in the strike.

Abstract: The invention relates to a furnace (10) for heating preforms (20), of the type that comprises a preform-heating tunnel (12). According to the invention, the tunnel consists of a heating module (18) comprising vertical walls (14, 16) between which the preforms (20) travel. Moreover, at least one wall (16) of the module (18) is provided with at least one heating means (32) which is mounted to supports (34) such that it can move transversely and means (40) for adjusting the transverse position of the heating means (32) comprising at least one member (42) for controlling the movement of the heating means (32) between at least two indexed positions. The invention is characterized in that the control member (42) comprises an indexing boss (54) which can deform elastically such as to fit inside the complementary indexing notches (56, 58) on the corresponding support (34) at proximal and distal positions respectively.

Abstract: A preform conveyor system (10), of the type including a number of transport elements (18) which each have at least one grasping device (26) for carrying a preform, movable between an upper release position and a lower grasping position, characterized in that each grasping device (26) is linked in terms of upward and downward axial movement to an associated bracket (46), and in that the bracket (46) includes a stud (74) designed to interact slidingly with a fixed ramp (78), when the grasping device (26) is in an intermediate axial position between its upper release position and its lower grasping position, so as to cause the grasping device (26) to slide axially into its upper release position.

Abstract: A furnace (22) for heating a preform (10), includes an upper longitudinal heating tunnel (24) bounded transversely by the longitudinal vertical internal faces (36, 38) of two walls (40, 42), one wall (40), being equipped with a heating system (46), and the other wall (42), having aeration orifices (50) intended to let the air blown by a blower (52) pass transversely through them, and in which one portion (16) of the preform (10) is held outside the heating tunnel (24), a blower (52) blowing air transversely towards the portion (16) of the preform (10) so as to keep the constituent material of this portion (16) of the preform (10) at a temperature below its softening point, characterized in that the blower (52) includes two independent fans (54a, 54b) that deliver air to the aerated wall (42) and to the portion (16) of the preform (10), respectively.

Abstract: A module for heating a plastic container perform, includes a longitudinal heating tunnel bounded transversely by the longitudinal vertical internal faces of two walls, one a heating wall, being equipped with a heating system, and the other wall having aeration orifices that are intended to let the air blown by a blower pass through them transversely from the upstream, and in which module a first portion of the preform is heated in the heating tunnel, while a second portion of the preform is held outside the heating tunnel through a longitudinal opening. The blower includes a deflector that deflects a portion of the air blown towards the second portion of the preform so as to prevent it from being heated up to its softening point, characterized in that the upstream end of the deflector is aerodynamically profiled.

Abstract: The invention relates to a furnace (10) for heating preforms (20), of the type that comprises a preform-heating tunnel (12). According to the invention, the tunnel consists of a heating module (18) comprising vertical walls (14, 16) between which the preforms (20) travel. Moreover, at least one wall (16) of the module (18) is provided with at least one heating means (32) which is mounted to supports (34) such that it can move transversely and means (40) for adjusting the transverse position of the heating means (32) comprising at least one member (42) for controlling the movement of the heating means (32) between at least two indexed positions. The invention is characterised in that the control member (42) comprises an indexing boss (54) which can deform elastically such as to fit inside the complementary indexing notches (56, 58) on the corresponding support (34) at proximal and distal positions respectively.

Abstract: A preform conveyor system (10), of the type including a number of transport elements (18) which each have at least one grasping device (26) for carrying a preform, movable between an upper release position and a lower grasping position, characterized in that each grasping device (26) is linked in terms of upward and downward axial movement to an associated bracket (46), and in that the bracket (46) includes a stud (74) designed to interact slidingly with a fixed ramp (78), when the grasping device (26) is in an intermediate axial position between its upper release position and its lower grasping position, so as to cause the grasping device (26) to slide axially into its upper release position.

Abstract: A furnace (22) for heating a preform (10), includes an upper longitudinal heating tunnel (24) bounded transversely by the longitudinal vertical internal faces (36, 38) of two walls (40, 42), one wall (40), being equipped with a heating system (46), and the other wall (42), having aeration orifices (50) intended to let the air blown by a blower (52) pass transversely through them, and in which one portion (16) of the preform (10) is held outside the heating tunnel (24), a blower (52) blowing air transversely towards the portion (16) of the preform (10) so as to keep the constituent material of this portion (16) of the preform (10) at a temperature below its softening point, characterized in that the blower (52) includes two independent fans (54a, 54b) that deliver air to the aerated wall (42) and to the portion (16) of the preform (10), respectively.

Abstract: A module for heating a plastic container perform, includes a longitudinal heating tunnel bounded transversely by the longitudinal vertical internal faces of two walls, one a heating wall, being equipped with a heating system, and the other wall having aeration orifices that are intended to let the air blown by a blower pass through them transversely from the upstream, and in which module a first portion of the preform is heated in the heating tunnel, while a second portion of the preform is held outside the heating tunnel through a longitudinal opening. The blower includes a deflector that deflects a portion of the air blown towards the second portion of the preform so as to prevent it from being heated up to its softening point, characterized in that the upstream end of the deflector is aerodynamically profiled.