Abstract: A preform (9) made of thermoplastic material and including a body (11) provided with an at least partially longitudinally extending inner partition (10). The preform is used for molding and particularly blow molding or stretch-blow molding a container with a body having opposed portions defining hollow recesses with inwardly-directed convex surfaces, said portions being spaced apart by said inner partition. In a straight cross-sectional view, the body (11) has a non-circular outline with two opposed portions (a, b) separated by a minimum distance (d1) that is smaller than the distances between the other pairs of opposed portions of said outline. The inner partition (10) extends between said two opposed portions (a, b), and said distance (d1) is such that, relative to the periphery of the body (11) of the preform, during molding, the inner partition (10) is transversely stretched at a rate equal to that at which the body (11) is transversely or peripherally stretched.

Abstract: A container such as a bottle or the like consisting of a biaxially oriented thermoplastic material and capable of withstanding a relatively harsh use environment without noticeably losing its shape. Said container has an inwardly curved base (2) with an inwardly projecting convex portion as in a champagne bottle bottom, and a substantially greater thickness than the side wall (3) of the container. Said base (2) includes an outwardly-facing non-convex central portion (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to the thermal treatment of the body (2) of a preform (1) or of an intermediate container made of a thermoplastic material during a process for manufacture of the container, such as a flask or bottle, in particular by blowing or stretching-blowing, the entirety of the body (2) of the preform being heated to a temperature greater than the softening temperature of the material, at least one longitudinal portion (13) of the body (2) of the preform in rotation on itself being heated to a temperature greater than that of the rest (14) of the body, thereby making it possible to produce a finished container incorporating a body having a complex shape.

Abstract: An in-line bottling plant essentially comprising a unit (1) for producing containers, particularly bottles, from a thermoplastic material, a unit (2) for filling the containers, and a unit (3) for conveying freshly produced containers, the conveying unit being arranged between an outlet (4) of the container producing unit (1) and an inlet (5) of the container filling unit (2). The container producing unit (1) and filling unit (2) are arranged as close together as possible and the conveying unit (3) is short and conveys the containers one after the other substantially without bumping them, particularly against one another. The in-line bottling plant preferably further comprises a unit (19) for temporarily retaining the containers, which unit is selectively connectable to the conveying unit (3) for receiving and retaining a number of containers.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for producing thermoplastic containers, in particular bottles, by the blow-molding or stretch blow-molding of a preheated preform. The device comprises at least one mould consisting of two half-molds (2) each supported by a mould carrier, the two mould carriers being movable relative to each other. Each half-mould (2) comprises a shell holder (9), supported by the respective mould carrier, and a shell (7) which is equipped with a half-impression (8) of the container to be obtained and can be rendered integral in a detachable manner with its shell holder (9) by rapid-fastening means (19-23). The shell (7) and the shell holder (9) are of complementary shapes such that they contact each other at least partially for heat conduction purposes whilst the pipes and connections for circulating and/or heating fluids are provided in the shell holder alone.

Abstract: The invention seeks to position a thermoplastic container or container preform having a neck (1) with a substantially circularly cylindrical inside wall (2) in a predetermined angular position on a mandrel (11) inserted into the neck (1); the inside wall (2) of the neck (1) includes at least one approximately radial projection (8), and the outside wall (13) of the mandrel includes at least one thrust shoulder (14) facing towards the free end of the mandrel, to guide the radial projection, the shoulder (14) extending over the wall and being inclined relative to the axis of the mandrel, looking means is also provided to stop relative movement of the mandrel and of the container when the neck thereof is disposed in a predetermined angular orientation relative to the mandrel.

Abstract: The invention relates to the thermal treatment of the body of a preform (1) or of an intermediate container made of a thermoplastic material during a process for manufacture of the container, such as a flask or bottle, in particular by blowing or stretching-blowing, the entirety of the body of the preform being heated to a temperature greater than the softening temperature of the material, at least one longitudinal portion (13) of the body (2) of the preform in rotation on itself being heated to a temperature greater than that of the rest (14) of the body, thereby making it possible to produce a finished container incorporating a body having a complex shape.

Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which, in one embodiment, first heats only the body section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and then heats the neck section while the contracted intermediate body continues to be heated to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body. In a second embodiment, the neck and body sections are heated simultaneously.

Abstract: A tubular preform for a blow-molded container. The preform has a closed end and an opposite open end, the relative dimensions of the ends being such that the closed end would be receivable in the open end of a similar preform to nest there were it not for the provision of an antinesting feature in the form of a plurlity of axially extending ribs which protrude inwardly from the inner surface of the preform adjacent to the open end to prevent entry of another preform.

Abstract: Blow molding processes for the manufacture of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers are disclosed. The containers are capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. A representative process includes the steps of blow molding the heated body of an amorphous PET preform comprising a body and a neck section having a body with dimensions greater than the dimensions of the final PET container to be formed; heating only the body of the intermediate container under specified conditions to rapidly shrink the body, thus forming a contracted body; heating the neck section to effect crystallization thereof; slowly cooling the neck section alone while heating of the contracted intermediate body continues; and blow molding the heated contracted body of the intermediate container in a second mold to its final shape and dimensions.

Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which first heats only the body section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C.

Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which simultaneously heats the body and neck section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body.

Abstract: A buffer storage machine for a bottle conveyor line includes a drum 15 rotatably indexed in a frame 14 by a motor 17. A number of radial struts 20 extend outwardly from the drum casing 19, and together with longitudinal members 21, 22, angle brackets 23 and straightedges 25, define sector shaped slots 30 for storing a row of bottles. A pneumatic transport box 32 extends the length of the machine above the uppermost row, and is raiseable to enable drum rotation. The machine is interposed between a bottle manufacturing unit 2 and a bottle filling unit 4 with half of the rows filled and the other half empty, such that if either unit is temporarily stopped, the other unit can continue operating.

Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which simultaneously heats the body and neck section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The process inlcudes the following steps, on an amorphous PET preform which includes a body and a neck section which already possesses the final shape and dimensions of the PET container to be formed, heating only the body, exclusive of the neck section, of the PET preform to a temperature at least equal to the PET-softening temperature; in a mold, blow molding the heated preform body to form an intermediate container whose body has dimensions greater, by about 20% with respect to height and by 0 to about 30% transversely, than the dimensions of the PET container to be formed, while cooling the mold walls holding the intermediate container to a temperature of about 5.degree. to about 40.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container from a hollow amorphous PET preform which includes an open end and a closed end, the open end forming a neck section having dimensions already conformed to its final size and shape, the container being able to withstand relatively severe thermal conditions encountered when the container is filled with a hot liquid, without appreciable deformation, including the steps of: a) rapidly heating only the body of the PET preform, exclusive of the neck section, to a temperature at which subsequent longitudinal and transverse stretching cause no stresses in the PET; b) transferring the hot preform from step (a) to a mold whose walls are maintained at a temperature lower than the temperature of the hot preform body; c) longitudinally stretching the preform body while simultaneously transversely expanding it by blow-molding using a pressurized fluid so as to mold the preform body to the shape of the mold cavity; d) rapidly evacuating the press

Abstract: Upon leaving the mold, plastic bottle preforms are engaged internally and/or externally by pneumatic suction grips which form an annular chamber (15, 27) through which atmospheric cooling air is circulated. This increases the rate of production of the preforms by cooling them during handling, rather than separately at a discrete cooling station.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for producing thermoplastic containers, in particular bottles, by the blow-molding or stretch blow-molding of a preheated preform. The device comprises at least one mould consisting of two half-molds (2) each supported by a mould carrier, the two mould carriers being movable relative to each other. Each half-mould (2) comprises a shell holder (9), supported by the respective mould carrier, and a shell (7) which is equipped with a half-impression (8) of the container to be obtained and can be rendered integral in a detachable manner with its shell holder (9) by rapid-fastening means (19-23). The shell (7) and the shell holder (9) are of complementary shapes such that they contact each other at least partially for heat conduction purposes whilst the pipes and connections for circulating and/or heating fluids are provided in the shell holder alone.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for producing thermoplastic containers, in particular bottles, by the blow-molding or stretch blow-molding of a preheated preform. The device comprises at least one mould consisting of two half-molds (2) each supported by a mould carrier, the two mould carriers being movable relative to each other. Each half-mould (2) comprises a shell holder (9), supported by the respective mould carrier, and a shell (7) which is equipped with a half-impression (8) of the container to be obtained and can be rendered integral in a detachable manner with its shell holder (9) by rapid-fastening means (19-23). The shell (7) and the shell holder (9) are of complementary shapes such that they contact each other at least partially for heat conduction purposes whilst the pipes and connections for circulating and/or heating fluids are provided in the shell holder alone.