Abstract: Transport star for containers with a basic body which can rotate, on whose circumference several gripper arms, in the form of double levers, are attached in bearings, which can be locked by selflocking in the closed position by means of spreader bodies which are arranged in the basic body so they can rotate. Each gripper arm consists of two parts which are connected to each other by articulation, between which a spring element is inserted, which can be elastically deformed in the closed position. As a result the duration of use of the gripper arms is increased and the range of diameters for the containers to be processed is considerably increased.

Abstract: A transport star in which movable expanders with multiple self-locking positions, which can be selected with a control apparatus, engage the radially inward-directed counter-arms of several gripping pliers with pivoting clamps positioned along the perimeter of a rotating basic structure. This provides a design for a device which is relatively simple and reliable, and can be adjusted quickly and easily to accommodate different-sized containers.

Abstract: An inspection machine for transilluminatable bottles inspects the sidewalls of bottles by transmitting a diffused beam of light through the sidewall and using a plurality of mirrors appropriately arranged for detecting or recording the images emergent from the bottle in different directions in the same image recording camera. The arrangement requires at least two separate beam paths and mirrors in each path directing the bottle emergent beams to the camera while the bottles are being conveyed through a position in which they are illuminated. In an improved arrangement, there is a separate cooperating series of beam deflecting mirrors which generate at least three independent beam paths that impinge from different directions on the sidewall of the bottle being inspected. The recording device is preferably a camera having a charge coupled device image plate.

Abstract: In a transport star for containers with a rotatable basic body and several gripper tongs mounted on its circumference, which are formed by clamps in the form of double-levers, a rotatable, lifter is provided mounted between the counterarms of radially inward-facing associated clamps, and the lifter forces the two adjacent counterarms apart in at least one angular or closed position and allows the counterarms to come together in at least one other angular or open position. In this way, low production costs, high operating safety, and universal application possibilities are achieved.

Abstract: Bottles to be cleaned are fed in succession to an infeed starwheel from which they are transferred to a rotor on which there are circumferentially spaced apart cam operated bottle inverting devices that grip the bottles and invert them with their mouths over a nozzle that injects cleaning fluid into them. The gripping devices have on them gripper fingers which are V-shaped and are molded, respectively, of a resilient and deflectable synthetic resin such as a polyamide. There is an upper gripper having finger tips spaced apart to engage the neck of a bottle and a lower gripper having finger tips or the like that grip or support the cylindrical body of the bottle.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a transport device for vessels comprising a reception hub connected to a drive shaft, and a star collar releasably secured to the reception hub and centered thereon. To considerably reduce the risk of contaminations and infections of the transported vessels without impairing the easy and rapid exchangeability of the star collar, the reception hub (2) is provided with a plurality of extension arms (4) which project therefrom and which are distributed over the circumference thereof, with the star collar (3) resting on the free ends of said extension arms (4).

Abstract: A process and a device for the sterile filling of beverage liquids. In the process and device a bottle is sterilized by passing steam into it through a short feed pipe. All other phases such as CO.sub.2 flushing, counter-pressurizing and return gas discharge also take place through the feed pipe. During the filling process the liquid to be filled flows into the bottle around the feed pipe.

Abstract: Containers containing a mixture of acceptable and unacceptable bottles are conveyed to a removal station in the path of movement of a carrier head that has at least one group of gripping elements that are adapted to selectively grip and remove acceptable bottles and at least another group of gripping elements that are adapted to grip and remove unacceptable bottles. In one implementation, the carrier head picks up the acceptable bottles from incoming containers and simultaneously picks up unacceptable bottles from containers from which acceptable bottles have been removed and transfers the respective groups of bottles to individual outfeed conveyors.

Abstract: A conduit system for spraying cleansing and rinsing liquids on a machine for processing containers such as bottles has vertical conduit columns arranged around the machine with liquid infeed conduits confluent with the lower end of at least some of the conduit columns and opposite ends of the infeed conduits are closed by welding to a support plate that is bolted in non-interfering locations to the legs of a machine table below the level of the bottle transporting rotor. Further support for the conduit columns is obtained with pipe arms that do not conduct liquid but have opposite ends welded to the support plate and to the conduit column, respectively. Conduit struts connect between uppers ends of the conduit columns. The conduits have a series of nozzles aimed for spraying all regions of the machine that must be cleansed and sterilized intermittently or continuously.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved process for the filling and closing of vessels, preferably of bottles with a liquid, in which vessels filled in a filling means are closed with a closure element with the deformation of the closure element or/and the vessel and with the formation of a sealing press fit between the vessel and the closure element and a device for carrying out the process. The process according to the invention is characterized in that the closure element is affixed with a low sealing pressing pressure to form a sealing press fit in a first closing phase and the final sealing pressing pressure is produced in a second closing phase.

Abstract: A labelling machine for treating vessels of different shapes or with different labels comprising a rotatingly drivable turntable with at least one labelling station disposed on its circumference with following wipe-on and pressure-applying elements, the turntable having rotary tables with one associated control element each, which cooperates optionally with one of several radial cams secured against rotation and disposed in axially staggered relationship in the direction of the rotary table axis, the control element associated to the rotary table and/or the radial cams are adjusted relatively to each other for change-over of one type of vessel and/or label to another one.

Abstract: A packing apparatus used for filling or/and emptying bottle cases or the like. The packing apparatus comprises an extension arm, which is adapted to have attached thereto a gripping head and which is articulated on two articulation points with the aid of steering rods defining a steering rod system which is adapted to be moved after the fashion of the bars of a parallelogram, said extension arm being adapted to be moved in an essentially horizontal direction via a cam disk. The steering system also comprises a bipartite steering rod whose parts are adapted to be pivoted relative to each other. By pivoting the two parts of the steering rod relative to each other with the aid of a second cam disk and by changing thus the effective length of the steering rod defined by these two parts, an essentially vertical motion can be superimposed on the horizontal motion of the extension arm, to provide an appropriate path for the gripping head.

Abstract: A process and a device for the sorting of bottles, in which unsorted bottles received in crates and identified according to type are removed from the crates at least partly and are then inserted again into different crates according to type without intermediate storage. Due to this, crates with only one type of bottles can be produced in a small space with low cost expenditure and smooth-running bottle transport.

Abstract: A gripping bell for bottles or the like, comprising a sleevelike housing which has on one side thereof a reception opening for a bottle, the reception opening being followed by a control surface which conically widens towards the inside, further comprising an axially movable actuating element arranged in the housing on the other side thereof, and a collet chuck acted upon by the actuating element and guided in the housing such that it is axially movable therein. The collet chuck has elastic gripping fingers which are separated from one another by slots and adapted to be moved in the radial direction by means of the control surface in response to axial relative movement between the collet chuck and the housing, whereby the gripping fingers will take hold of a bottle from outside or release it. A stationary guide surface (8) for the collet chuck (5, 5a) and its gripping fingers (7), is provided in the interior of the bell.

Abstract: A apparatus for packing or unpacking containers, particularly bottles, into and from carrying crates, respectively, including a rotation element mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having suspended therefrom, in the manner of gondolas and at locations spaced from its axis of rotation, a number of container pickup heads adapted to repeatedly travel through a closed loop path including a pickup position and a grip release position. Each container pickup head is connected to the rotation element by a suspension device permitting the pickup head to move relative to the rotation element in a substantially vertical plane, and a drive and control mechanism is provided for the movement of the pickup heads relative to the rotation element in a manner to generate the loop path in a desired configuration.

Abstract: A vessel handling machine comprises a machine frame on which is arranged a drivable conveyor start with the star crown (3) consisting of several superimposed external star rings and a concentric internal flange plate (10) located at the level of the lowest star ring. The star crown can be secured to the internal flange plate (10) by an inwardly facing edge (14) and a flange plate is connected to a drive shaft (12). To permit easier and faster replacement of the star crown, the flange plate is rigidly connected to the drive shaft and rapid locking latches (15) which hold the inner edge of the star crown are mounted on the outer edge of the flange plate.

Abstract: A device for supplying bottles to a bottle washing machine which has an inlet and a transfer table in front of the inlet. The transfer table is partitioned into four major compartments which are each subdivided into individual passageways under which there are adjacent conveyor belts or bottles constituting the transfer table. The transfer table surface is inclined by about 4.degree. in the direction in which the bottles flow toward the inlet of the washing machine and this feature, among others, results in reducing the forces generated between bottles that have accumulated in the area from which they are transferred to the washing machine.

Abstract: A magazine assembly for labels having a main magazine for feeding the labels to a take-out location, a stationary support disposed rearwards thereof for retaining a replaceable supply magazine in alignment with the main magazine, the support having a lateral entry opening for a full supply magazine and an exit opening for an empty supply magazine. Connected to the entry opening is storage for a plurality of full supply magazines, from which the supply magazines may be fed onto the support through the entry opening. Adjacent the exit opening is a cam stop for holding the supply magazine in position for supplying labels to the main magazine.

Abstract: A receptacle handling machine for the handling of receptacles which are passed through the machine and having a machine frame and at least one receptacle guiding body releasably mounted on the machine frame, the guiding body on its end adjacent the frame is formed with first insertion and stop elements to respectively engage in pairs, in the assembled state, associated second insertion and stop elements of the machine frame. The guiding body is positively held transversely to the direction of insertion and a clamping member is attached to the guiding body or to the machine frame. The guiding body is held either non-positively or positively in the direction of insertion together with the stop elements.

Abstract: A screw conveyor for conveying containers such as bottles and cans is arranged adjacent a guide rail which restrains the containers to stay in the groove of the screw until they are discharged, this being known per se. The angles for the screw conveyor and guide rail are adjustable to assure guidance of the center points of containers of any size along the same straight line without relying on inserting test containers. The guide rail is supporting on a transversely movable carriage and is pivotable thereon. The undriven end of the screw is supported on a member which is movable by a small amount. Stop elements such as bolts having different lengths are mounted in groups on a slidable member to enable positioning concurrently a stop element for the screw conveyor and a stop element for the guide rail pertaining to a particular container size and the stop elements react against stops on the carriage and the screw conveyor support member.