Abstract: An apparatus (1) for unscrambling and aligning bulk plastic containers (2) includes a plurality of pick-up element (3) for picking up containers (2), which are mounted to one or more pull-out turrets (50) of rotary type (4), located at each aperture (5a) the pick-up element (3) being of the type adapted to pull out the container (2) from the pocket (7) at the corresponding aperture (5a) and rotate it neck up; the pull-out action being substantially radial to the position of the container (2) in the ring (7a) of pockets (7). Each pick-up unit (3) has element (14, 40) for adjusting its rotation in a first axis (AA) and its height in one more axis (BB), to change both the pick-up position and the release location according to the type of container (2).

Abstract: An automatic system for orderly packaging of plastic preforms in carton boxes includes a manipulator unit (6) having a vacuum gripping head (23) and one or more units (10) for handling and inserting separators (12) in the carton box (13) to be filled. The head (23) includes a plurality of compartments (30) conforming to the shape of the preforms (2) whereas the separator (12) has a plurality of partitions (12a) parallel to one of its sides and equally spaced at a distance at least corresponding to the length of the preform (2).

Abstract: A plastic bottle unscrambler, wherein the tables (8) for settling and supporting the containers (2) in the cradles (6) comprise a box-like chamber having a housing (9) under the surface supporting the container (2), in which vacuum is applied, and at least one row of holes (12) arranged over the surface supporting the container (2) in the direction of feed of the cradles (6); as vacuum is applied in the housing (9), a negative pressure is created around the container (2) contained in the overlying cradle (6) to draw it and keep it lying against the outer wall (6b) of the cradle (6).

Abstract: A process and a device for picking up, transferring and handling plastic container preforms molded by a special molding machine, wherein gripper pick up and transfers the preforms from the mold or from an ejector to a conveyor device. The preforms are deposited and carried on the conveyor in a standing position. The conveyor device (2) holds the preform in a stable position during handling.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for unscrambling and aligning bulk plastic containers (2) includes a plurality of pick-up element (3) for picking up containers (2), which are mounted to one or more pull-out turrets (50) of rotary type (4), located at each aperture (5a) the pick-up element (3) being of the type adapted to pull out the container (2) from the pocket (7) at the corresponding aperture (5a) and rotate it neck up; the pull-out action being substantially radial to the position of the container (2) in the ring (7a) of pockets (7). Each pick-up unit (3) has element (14, 40) for adjusting its rotation in a first axis (AA) and its height in one more axis (BB), to change both the pick-up position and the release location according to the type of container (2).

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of bottling and particularly relates to an apparatus (1) for unscrambling and aligning bulk plastic containers (2). It is comprised of a substantially circular collecting hopper (6), a plurality of container cradle pockets (7) arranged in a circular ring (7a) outside and concentric with the hopper (6) and delimited by an outer retaining wall (5). At least one aperture (5a) is formed in said wall (5), for a plurality of pick-up means (3) to extract the containers (2) in a substantially radial direction. One or more inspection devices (11) determine the orientation of the container (2) and communicate it to the pick-up means (3), which rotates the container and orients it with the neck up before releasing it.

Abstract: A plastic bottle unscrambler, wherein the tables (8) for settling and supporting the containers (2) in the cradles (6) comprise a box-like chamber having a housing (9) under the surface supporting the container (2), in which vacuum is applied, and at least one row of holes (12) arranged over the surface supporting the container (2) in the direction of feed of the cradles (6); as vacuum is applied in the housing (9), a negative pressure is created around the container (2) contained in the overlying cradle (6) to draw it and keep it lying against the outer wall (6b) of the cradle (6).

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of machines for orienting and aligning empty plastic bottles or containers and particularly relates to a star wheel conveyor for unloading the bottles or containers from such a machine. The conveyor (1) is of the type having a plurality of box-like pockets which have a slit through which negative pressure is generated in the pocket to hold the container. Particularly, each pocket (7) is interchangeable and may be quick-connected to the star wheel structure to allow replacement thereof when changing the container format.

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of systems for storage of containers, particularly plastic bottles or empty lightweight containers. The invention relates to a silo (1) or box of the type including a closed structure (1a) having a container loading inlet in an upper portion, either at the top or at the side thereof, and a bottom (1b) having at least one unloading outlet, which can be controlled by suitable elements, including a plurality of sheets (21) for dividing the structure (1a) into a plurality of bottle guiding channels (22) in alternating directions to define a zigzag path with respect to the bottle falling direction, the sheets (21) being mounted and held under tension by fixing rollers (13), return rollers (13a) and tension rollers (14); the arrangement of the rollers (13, 13a, 14) being adapted to allow positioning of the sheets (21) according to the above desired zigzag path.

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of systems for orderly packaging of plastic preforms in carton boxes. The system comprises a manipulator unit (6), having a vacuum gripping head (23) and one or more units (10) for handling and inserting separators (12) in the carton box (13) to be filled. The head (23) comprises a plurality of compartments (30) conforming to the shape of the performs (2) whereas the separator (12) has a plurality of partitions (12a) parallel to one of its sides and equally spaced at a distance at least corresponding to the length of the preform (2).

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of machines for orienting and aligning empty plastic bottles or containers and particularly relates to a star wheel conveyor for unloading the bottles or containers from such a machine. The conveyor (1) is of the type having a plurality of box-like pockets which have a slit through which negative pressure is generated in the pocket to hold the container. Particularly, each pocket (7) is interchangeable and may be quick-connected to the star wheel structure to allow replacement thereof when changing the container format.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of systems for conveying empty plastics bottles and more precisely to a star-shaped conveyor adapted to feed or discharge empty bottles to or from an operative machine. Preferably, but not exclusively, the machine which the star-shaped conveyor is connected to, is a machine for orienting and aligning empty plastics bottles or containers. The star-shaped conveyor is provided with a plurality of recesses (4), a negative pressure is established in each recess for an arc between 90° and 180°, the arc starts in correspondence of a machine and ends in correspondence of a conveyor (7) for transferring the bottles to a filling apparatus or to feed a bottle processing machine.

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of systems for storage of empty plastic bottles, which systems may be either storage silos in a bottle filling plant or boxes for transportation from a bottle manufacturing plant to a bottle filling plant. More particularly, according to the invention, strips or ribbons are placed in the silo or box which has a square or rectangular section, and stretched from one wall to the opposite wall, to form a plurality of grids lying on parallel horizontal planes, which have the function of preventing any excessive pressure from being exerted on the lower layers of the column of bottles, thence any bottle crushing. In accordance with the invention these strips are inserted with their bottom side inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis of the strip. The inclination angle a is preferably of 20 to 35°.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of machines for orienting, straightening and aligning plastic vessels such as bottles, and in particular the invention refers to those types of machines that provide for a hopper for randomly loading the bottles that are composed of a cylindrical rotating wall (1) carrying on its external face a plurality of cradles (5) with below-placed discharging channels (8) that are substantially funnel-shaped and a carousel (7) carrying a plurality of separators (9) composing vertical channels of openings (10) in a multiple number of dischargers minus one. The machine provides a mechanical speed gear (50) for changing the speed of the separators-carrying carousel (7) with respect to the speed of the cylindrical rotating wall (1). A mechanical phase change gear (37) is further provided for changing the angular position of the separators-carrying carousel with respect to the cylindrical rotating wall.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of systems for conveying empty plastics bottles and more precisely to a star-shaped conveyor adapted to feed or discharge empty bottles to or from an operative machine. Preferably, but not exclusively, the machine which the star-shaped conveyor is connected to, is a machine for orienting and aligning empty plastics bottles or containers. The star-shaped conveyor is provided with a plurality of recesses (4), a negative pressure is established in each recess for an arc between 90° and 180°, the arc starts in correspondence of a machine and ends in correspondence of a conveyor (7) for transferring the bottles to a filling apparatus or to feed a bottle processing machine.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of systems for conveying empty plastics bottles and more precisely to a star-shaped conveyor adapted to feed or discharge empty bottles to or from an operative machine. Preferably, but not exclusively, the machine which the star-shaped conveyor is connected to, is a machine for orienting and aligning empty plastics bottles or containers. The star-shaped conveyor is provided with a plurality of recesses (4), a negative pressure is established in each recess for an arc between 90° and 180°, the arc starts in correspondence of a machine and ends in correspondence of a conveyor (7) for transferring the bottles to a filling apparatus or to feed a bottle processing machine.

Abstract: Machine for straightening and aligning plastic vessels or bottles, comprising a rotating cylindrical hopper (1) in which vessels are randomly thrown. In the hopper, means are provided for taking the vessels onto the upper hopper edge in order to make them fall into a plurality of horizontal cradles with below-placed vertical unloading channels (2) shaped as a funnel and integral with the external hopper part. A turntable rotating at a different speed with respect to the cylindrical hopper carries a plurality of separating channels (10) placed below the unloading channels. Means (14) are provided for closing the passage between unloading channels and separating channels when said channels are offset, together with means (5, 7, 13) for controlling the opening of the closing means to free the passage of vessels from a unloading channel to the separating channel.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of machines for orienting, straightening and aligning plastic vessels such as bottles, and in particular the invention refers to those types of machines that provide for a hopper for randomly loading the bottles that are composed of a cylindrical rotating wall (1) carrying on its external face a plurality of cradles (5) with below-placed discharging channels (8) that are substantially funnel-shaped and a carousel (7) carrying a plurality of separators (9) composing vertical channels of openings (10) in a multiple number of dischargers minus one. The machine provides a mechanical speed gear (50) for changing the speed of the separators-carrying carousel (7) with respect to the speed of the cylindrical rotating wall (1). A mechanical phase change gear (37) is further provided for changing the angular position of the separators-carrying carousel with respect to the cylindrical rotating wall.

Abstract: The invention refers to the field of air transport systems for plastic vessels equipped with a projecting collar, and in particular refers to a device equipped with guides (10) and (11) for the vessel body (2) that provide for adjusting means (18) of the vertical guide position with respect to a sliding lane of the bottle collar and adjusting means (19) of the horizontal guide position with respect to the vertical vessel axis. The adjusting means can be simultaneously driven through a processor in which characteristic dimensional data of various vessels are entered.

Abstract: A device (1) for conveying and checking containers, in particular preforms, comprises an infeed and accumulation section (2) for containers arriving from a forming station and a carrousel (3) located downstream of the infeed and accumulation section (2) in the direction of feed of the containers, to feed the containers through a sequence of checking stations (4) disposed in the periphery of carrousel (3). The infeed section is intermittently supplied with containers by the forming station while the carrousel (3) turns continuously. An endless chain (5) extends along a path defined by driving gearwheels (6) which partially overlaps the infeed and accumulation section (2) and the circular trajectory of the carrousel (3). A first and second driving gearwheels (9a, 9b) positioned along the path followed by the endless chain (5) are mobile to compensate the variations in the length of a delivery section and a return section of the chain (5).