Abstract: The invention relates to a testing device for testing the tightness of containers (2), comprising a supply unit (3) for supplying the containers (2), a testing unit (4) for testing the tightness of the containers (2), a diverting unit (5) for diverting tested tight containers (2), and a discharge unit (6) for discharging containers (2?) tested to be untight in the testing unit (2). The testing unit (4) has at least one individual testing chamber (42) for testing individual containers and at least one multiple testing chamber (41) for receiving a plurality of containers in order to simultaneously test multiple containers (2). The testing device also comprises a control unit (10) which is designed to supply possibly untight containers (2?) which have been discharged by means of the discharge unit (6) from a multiple testing chamber (41) individually back into an individual testing chamber (42) in order to carry out an individual test of said containers.

Abstract: A machine for gaging the inner diameter and outer diameter of a bottle opening comprising a telescoping gage including an inner plug gage and an outer ring gage. The plug gage includes a plug gage tube with a plug gage at one end. The ring gage includes a ring gage tube with a ring gage at one end, a support set-up for supporting the plug gage tube for axial displacement within the ring gage tube including a first annular collar secured to the inner diameter of the ring gage tube, a second annular collar secured to the outer diameter of the plug gage tube. A first spring compressively located between the collars urges the plug gage tube to a fully advanced position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a preform handling apparatus for orienting and testing a plurality of preforms. The preform handling apparatus of this invention comprises an orienter, an inverter and a tester. The orienter of the preform handling apparatus comprises a base driving mechanism, a rotatable circular disc carried by the base driving mechanism and a retaining wall which extends substantially around the circumference of the disc. An inverter of the present invention comprises two juxtaposed semicircular plates adapted to receive a preform in an upright position and to rotate the preform 180.degree. such that the preform is discharged from the inverter in an inverted position. A tester of the present invention comprises a hub subassembly and a star wheel subassembly for moving preforms along an arcuate path and further comprises a gage subassembly, a cam and a bridge subassembly for detecting defective preforms and preventing defective preforms from being processed into a final product.

Abstract: There is described a plug and air warp gauge which takes the form of an elongated vertically, reciprocated gauging head that is mechanically driven under the influence of a rotating cam. Coaxially within an annular head is positioned a plug which has a diameter such that it will pass through an unchoked neck of a bottle. The plug is attached to the lower end of a tube which is coaxially positioned within a larger tube. The larger tube is raised and lowered mechanically and when in its uppermost position, will support the plug-carrying tube. When the larger tube is lowered, the plug tube also is lowered. The lower end of the larger tube is in the form of an annular piston which will move downward within a cylinder that seats on the bottle finish. As the annular piston moves down, it will pressurize the inside of the bottle and the cylinder if the seal with the finish of the bottle is good.

Abstract: Newly made glass containers received on a conveyor belt in random orientation are conveyed and brushed into transversally separated columns in lying-down orientation, mouths randomly forwards and rearwards. An escapement periodically addresses the leading row of the columns and sets all the containers of this row in a mouth-upwards upright condition. These upright containers are transferred, several at a time, to individual pockets of an indexing rotary table. Typically, the table has four positions, in which the containers are respectively loaded into pockets, plug gauged, photoelectrically inspected, and unloaded. The relative position of inspection-failing containers is stored in a memory and, in connection with unloading the rotary table, these containers are culled. Apparatus for accepting and automatically packing the inspection-passing containers in boxes is preferably juxtaposed with the unloading station of the rotary table.