Abstract: A thin wall blow molded plastic container includes a generally rectangular body, a cylindrical spout, generally flat neck panels tapering from the container body to the spout and container support members integrally formed in the sides and neck panels of the container. At least one first support member is provided on at least two opposed sides of the container which extends from the bottom of the container across the associated neck panel and terminates proximate the spout. Preferably four second support members are provided each of which extends from the top of the container body along an intersection of the neck panels terminating proximate to the spout.

Abstract: Improvements in an unloader unit for an automatic system for unloading articles, such as plastic milk bottles, from a truck trailer and depositing them onto a conveyor system includes a synchronization control system and means for stably positioning the articles during the unloading operation.

Abstract: A lightweight plastic container having improved strength and rigidity characteristics for a given amount of plastic material is provided. The container is of one-piece thin-walled construction having four generally flat sidewalls interconnected by curved corner portions and having a bottom portion interconnected to the flat sidewalls by curved base portions and further having an integral handle formed within the bottle profile. The container incorporates a pair of longitudinally extending ribbing structures in a pair of opposed curved corner portions and other inventive constructional features enabling the lightweight container to withstand hydrostatic forces without buckling or dimpling as well as heavier conventionally constructed plastic containers.

Abstract: In a seal removal station positioned along a bottle conveyor line upstream of a filling operation, oversized adhesive seals covering the mouths of plastic bottles are lifted off each bottle and transferred to a collector bin. Vacuum pressure generated in a plenum chamber formed in a stator member is transmitted to the non-adhesive upper surface of each seal through a perforated rotor surface rotating beneath the stator. Air jet means directing fluid pressure upward against overlapping marginal portions of each seal and guide surfaces to flatten out curled portions of the seal are utilized to assure seal lift off by virtue of fluid pressure differentials. A removed seal is kept adhered to the moving rotor surface by the maintenance of vacuum pressure above the seal. Adjacent to the collector bin, a further plenum having pressure air therein communicates through the rotor perforations with the adhered seal to propel the seal into the bin.

Abstract: In the manufacture of extra thin walled plastic containers the tail flash formed during the molding operation is spaced from the container proper by molding one or more standoff projections into the flash. This maintains the tail flash in an appropriate relationship relative to the container until it can be severed by a shearing mechanism. The projections are formed in the tail flash by providing male and female projection elements in the mold. In the absence of such standoffs, the tail flash will come in contact with the container while still sufficiently hot enough to adhere thereto.

Abstract: A rotor provided with a plurality of air holes therethrough is driven by a vertically mounted shaft. The rotor is disposed beneath a stator provided with two plenums or manifolds on opposite sides thereof. One plenum is pressurized while the other plenum is maintained at a reduced pressure. The rotor is positioned above a bottle line which conveys bottles having tape thereon which must be removed prior to filling the bottles. The vacuum plenum causes the tape to be lifted from the bottles and drawn against the rotor. As the rotor turns it reaches the pressurized plenum where reverse air flow causes the tape to drop into a collecting receptacle.