Abstract: A heating unit for heating preforms made of plastics material and having a flange separating a body and neck. The heating unit comprising a plurality of supports, each bearing a gripping member for gripping the preforms. The supports are movable in the heating unit such that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit also comprises a plurality of shells secured to the supports, where each shell is connected to one or more supports by an actuating member. The actuating member is mounted on said support to pivot about an axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit further comprising means for pivoting the actuating member to drive the shell from an open position to a protection position when the support to which said shell is connected is passing from an admission/releasing zone to a holding zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for gripping a container preform having a base, a spindle which is mounted on the base, and an ejector at least partially surrounding the spindle. The spinner includes a spindle mounted such that it pivots in a sliding manner in relation to the base and a spinner tip removably fixed to the spindle. The ejector partially surrounds the spinner and is able to occupy a working position in which it is secured to the base. The spinner tip and the ejector are respectively provided with an imprint and a complementary counter-imprint. The ejector can be removed from the base and can occupy a tooling position in which the counterpart thereof cooperates with the cavity of the spinner tip so that they rotate together.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for positioning protective screening ramps of a station for heating preforms, on the occasion of a change of format, the heating station comprising: —members for transporting preforms; —at least one pair of parallel longitudinal screening ramps for protecting necks against heat, which ramps are parted in order to leave a slot through which the preforms progress; —a motorized device for moving the ramps transversely. The method includes a preliminary calibration step which consists in arranging at least two calibration elements between the two protective screening ramps occupying an initial position, and manually causing the protective screening ramps to move into a calibrated position in which they are each in simultaneous contact with the two calibration elements.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of controlling a device for conveying thermoplastic material preforms for use in a heat treatment oven and such a device for conveying preforms including at least one principal wheel and one auxiliary wheel at least one of which is driven in rotation to move at least one transport device to which are connected in movement holding device each configured to cooperate with a preform, said holding device being adapted to be actuated relative to a preform—or vice versa—between an inactive position and an active holding position, said principal wheel of the conveyor device including electric actuators that selectively drive at least in rotation said holding device in such a manner as to index said preform in a reference position.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for positioning protective screening ramps of a station for heating preforms, on the occasion of a change of format, the heating station comprising:—members for transporting preforms;—at least one pair of parallel longitudinal screening ramps for protecting necks against heat, which ramps are parted in order to leave a slot through which the preforms progress;—a motorized device for moving the ramps transversely. The method includes a preliminary calibration step which consists in arranging at least two calibration elements between the two protective screening ramps occupying an initial position, and manually causing the protective screening ramps to move into a calibrated position in which they are each in simultaneous contact with the two calibration elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transporting a hollow body provided with a neck, for a hollow body made of a thermoplastic material. The device comprises at least one mounting translatably mobile along a predetermined path, at least one shaft rotatably mounted in the mounting mobile about a predetermined axis, and a member for gripping the hollow body by a neck which is supported by the rotary shaft. The transport device further comprises means for angular indexing of the rotary shaft in a single predetermined indexed angular position in relation to the mounting.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for gripping a container preform having a base, a spindle which is mounted on the base, and an ejector at least partially surrounding the spindle. The spinner includes a spindle mounted such that it pivots in a sliding manner in relation to the base and a spinner tip removably fixed to the spindle. The ejector partially surrounds the spinner and is able to occupy a working position in which it is secured to the base. The spinner tip and the ejector are respectively provided with an imprint and a complementary counter-imprint. The ejector can be removed from the base and can occupy a tooling position in which the counterpart thereof cooperates with the cavity of the spinner tip so that they rotate together.

Abstract: A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

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 method for ejecting a vessel (12), carried by a transporting device (10), the vessel (12) being provided with a neck (16) including a mouth (18), the transporting device (10) including: —a mobile support (28); —a gripping mandrel (30) that grips by vertical engagement with the neck (16); —an ejection face (64) mounted on the mobile support (28), the gripping mandrel (30) being mounted vertically slidable relative to the ejection face (64) to allow the gripping mandrel (30) to be extracted from the neck (16) when it slides via contact between the ejection face (64) and a bearing face (24) of the neck (16); characterized in that the bearing face (24) of the neck (16) is formed by a shoulder face that protrudes radially towards the outside relative to the mouth (18) and is arranged under the mouth (18) in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A device for transporting a hollow body having a neck including an inner vertical orientation wall and a top edge, the device including elements for grasping the hollow body by engaging with the neck's inner wall, which are mounted at the bottom end of a rod and movably connected to the rod, the rod being movably mounted vertically between a high position and a low position. The grasping elements are movably mounted radially between: a retracted position, in which the grasping elements are inserted vertically, from top to bottom, inside the neck, without contact with the inner wall; and a deployed position, in which the grasping elements engage with the inner wall of the neck, wherein changing the position of the grasping elements from the retracted to the deployed position is controlled by the vertical movement toward the bottom of the rod, from the high to the low position.

Abstract: A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

Abstract: A method for ejecting a vessel (12), carried by a transporting device (10), the vessel (12) being provided with a neck (16) including a mouth (18), the transporting device (10) including: a mobile support (28); a gripping mandrel (30) that grips by vertical engagement with the neck (16); an ejection face (64) mounted on the mobile support (28), the gripping mandrel (30) being mounted vertically slidable relative to the ejection face (64) to allow the gripping mandrel (30) to be extracted from the neck (16) when it slides via contact between the ejection face (64) and a bearing face (24) of the neck (16); characterized in that the bearing face (24) of the neck (16) is formed by a shoulder face that protrudes radially towards the outside relative to the mouth (18) and is arranged under the mouth (18) in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A device for transporting a hollow body having a neck including an inner vertical orientation wall and a top edge, the device including elements for grasping the hollow body by engaging with the neck's inner wall, which are mounted at the bottom end of a rod and movably connected to the rod, the rod being movably mounted vertically between a high position and a low position. The grasping elements are movably mounted radially between: a retracted position, in which the grasping elements are inserted vertically, from top to bottom, inside the neck, without contact with the inner wall; and a deployed position, in which the grasping elements engage with the inner wall of the neck, wherein changing the position of the grasping elements from the retracted to the deployed position is controlled by the vertical movement toward the bottom of the rod, from the high to the low position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of a catalyst that comprises a noble metal M that is selected from the group that consists of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium, at least one promoter X1 that is selected from the group that consists of tin, germanium, and lead, and optionally a promoter X2 that is selected from the group that consists of gallium, indium and thallium, an alkaline or alkaline-earth compound and a porous substrate, in which the atomic ratio X1/M and optionally X2/M is between 0.3 and 8, the Hir/M ratio that is measured by hydrogen adsorption is greater than 0.40, and the bimetallicity index BMI that is measured by hydrogen/oxygen titration is greater than 108.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conveying vessels of the bottle type, characterized in that it comprises: a primary wheel for conveying the bottles including a plurality of transfer arms; at least two secondary conveying wheels respectively capable of conveying the bottles fed by the primary wheel; the conveying path of the bottles grasped by the clamps of the transfer arms of each secondary wheel being at one point tangential to the conveying path of the bottles grasped by the transfer arms of the primary wheel, whereby the main flow of bottles conveyed by the primary wheel is divided into at least two secondary flows of bottles respectively conveyed by the secondary conveying wheels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conveying vessels of the bottle type, characterised in that it comprises: a primary wheel for conveying the bottles including a plurality of transfer arms; at least two secondary conveying wheels respectively capable of conveying the bottles fed by the primary wheel; the conveying path of the bottles grasped by the clamps of the transfer arms of each secondary wheel being at one point tangential to the conveying path of the bottles grasped by the transfer arms of the primary wheel, whereby the main flow of bottles conveyed by the primary wheel is divided into at least two secondary flows of bottles respectively conveyed by the secondary conveying wheels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of a catalyst that comprises a noble metal M that is selected from the group that consists of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium, at least one promoter X1 that is selected from the group that consists of tin, germanium, and lead, and optionally a promoter X2 that is selected from the group that consists of gallium, indium and thallium, an alkaline or alkaline-earth compound and a porous substrate, in which the atomic ratio X1/M and optionally X2/M is between 0.3 and 8, the Hir/M ratio that is measured by hydrogen adsorption is greater than 0.40, and the bimetallicity index BMI that is measured by hydrogen/oxygen titration is greater than 108.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for conversion of a gasoline-range hydrocarbon feed into a gasoline fraction with a higher octane rating than that of the feedstream, and a gasoil fraction with a cetane number higher than 45, including the following steps: a) a membrane separation step (B) applied to the hydrocarbon feed under conditions enabling selective separation of the majority of the linear olefins present in said feed and constituting the ? fraction, the fraction containing the majority of the branched olefins, termed the ? fraction, constituting a gasoline with a high octane rating, greater than that of the feed; b) an oligomerisation step (C) applied to the linear olefins (? fraction) contained in the effluent stream from the membrane separation step (B) under moderate oligomerisation conditions; c) a distillation separation step (D) applied to the effluent stream arising from the oligomerisation step in at least two fractions; d) a hydrogenation step (E) applied to one of the fractions obtained at