Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a drawn heat-set plastic hollow vessel, which comprises a rotary member having a plurality of openable-closable blow-forming and heat-setting molds and preform-supporting mechanisms corresponding to said molds, a preform supply mechanism for supplying a preform maintained at a drawing temperature into the mold of the rotary member at the opening position and a vessel withdrawal mechanism for withdrawing a drawn and heat-set vessel from the mold of the rotary member at the opening position, wherein the rotary member comprises a mold-heating mechanism for maintaining the molds at a heat-setting temperature through the entire rotation course of the rotary member, an opening and closing mechanism for closing the molds after passage through the position of the preform supply mechanism and opening the molds before arrival at the position of the vessel withdrawal mechanism, a sealing member capable of reciprocating relatively to the preform supported by the preform support mechanism while

Abstract: A method for making a partially crystalline, biaxially oriented heat set hollow plastic container from a hollow parison having an open end and a closed end comprising engaging the open end of a plastic parison which is at a temperature within its molecular orientation temperature range, positioning a mold base in axial alignment with said engaged hot parison, enclosing a hot mold about the mold base, the mold being at heat setting temperature, expanding the plastic parison within the hot mold and mold base by internal pressurization to induce biaxial orientation of the plastic parison and force the plastic parison into intimate contact and conformance with the hot mold and to maintain contact by such internal pressurization between the mold and the biaxially oriented container for a time sufficient to induce partial crystallization in the biaxially oriented container, lowering the internal pressure in the container, opening the hot mold while maintaining engagement of the open end and engagement of the mold b

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying labels in the molds of a plastic blow molding machine of the type wherein a plurality of sets of molds are mounted on a wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis and the molds are moved toward and away from one another to enclose a parison and the parison is then blown to the confines of the cavity between the mold sections which comprises successively die punching labels from a web directly onto vacuum cups and delivering the labels successively between the mold sections by moving the vacuum cups between the mold sections and thereafter moving the cups laterally into the cavities of the mold sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placement of labels within the blow molds of an injection blow molding machine. The injection blow molding machine comprising a turret having plurality of circumferentially spaced surfaces, each of which supports a plurality of spaced core rods, a plurality of injection molds at an injection molding station for forming a plurality of preforms, and a plurality of blow mold sections at a blow molding station which close about the preforms so that the preforms can be blown outwardly against the confines of the mold to form hollow plastic articles. The blow molds include movable bases exposing the interior of the blow molds when the blow molds are closed about preforms on the core rods.

Abstract: A rotary blow molding machine includes a base, a turntable on the base rotatable about a vertical axis and a number of mold units spaced around the turntable. Each mold unit includes a pair of mold halves which close on and capture a growing vertical parison at an extrusion station and then fall away from the parison as the parison is severed. The captured parison is blow molded and cooled as the blow unit is rotated around the turntable. The finished article, commonly a bottle, is ejected from between the mold halves before the mold halves return to the extrusion station.

Abstract: An extrusion blow molding apparatus of the type having a parison tube extruder and at least one blowing station for producing a dual-compartment container as an improvement for increasing the rate at which containers can be produced, wherein a cooling liquid is circulated through a pair of blow pins in a manner creating a zone of highest cooling effect at a tip portion of the blow pins for internally cooling a portion of the parison formed into pouring openings of the dual-compartment container. The zone of highest cooling effect is produced, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, through the provision of a blow pin assembly having an inner tube through which inflation air is blown into a parison, an outer sleeve positioned around the inner tube, and a tip element mounted in a position overlying an air outlet end of the inner tube. A blow port in the tip element communicates with an air outlet of the inner tube.

Abstract: A temperature control blow molding equipment which has a temperature control mold and a blow mold on one seat body and which is used in an injection stretch blow molding machine comprising a disk-like moving plate intermittently rotatably disposed above a base disk, a plurality of neck molds provided at regular intervals under the carrying plate, and operation zones disposed at stop positions of the neck molds, the operation zones being necessary for a series of treatments from an injection molding of a parison to a removal of a molded article.

Abstract: A multiple station, multiple clamp assembly rotary blow molding machine for the manufacture of plastic bottles and the like incorporating novel toggle actuation means for the clamp assemblies, novel actuation means for the pre-finish mechanism and novel actuation means for parison stretching. The novel toggle actuation means for the clamp assemblies eliminate the need for separate linear or rotary hydraulically driven clamp actuators for each clamp assembly. Rather, a single rotary actuator is required for the mold closing station and a second single rotary actuator is required for the mold opening station. The toggle linkage includes adjustment means for fine adjusting the length of each toggle linkage. The clamp assemblies include spring means for assuring complete overcentering action of the toggle linkages to thereby provide a positive latching or locking of the clamp assemblies and molds in the closed position.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved hand-over-hand blow molding machine and the method for forming a chain of hollow, shaped article bodies of biaxially oriented, normally highly crystalline thermoplastic material from a tube of said material in substantially unoriented condition, but at an orientation temperature. The machine and method are characterized by an additional blow mold in tandem with one of the blow molds of the prior art two mold machine and method. The machine is operated so that each longitudinally stretched portion of the tube on which the mold pieces of each blow mold closes has substantially the same extent of longitudinal stretch or elongation. This is done by arresting the travel of the tube into the machine according to the distance of travel of the blow mold pulling it into the machine.

Abstract: An article carrier is provided for blow molding equipment which permits relatively simple exchange of the article gripping chuck portion of the carrier. The carrier includes a carrier body, a spindle rotatably supported by the body, an article gripping chuck removeably attached to the spindle and seals between the chuck and the spindle and between the chuck and a preform retained thereby. The chuck is provided with article gripping levers preferably rotatably supported by ball and socket joints. The levers have preform grasping projections at one end and first and second ball ends at the other end. The first ball end mates with the chuck body socket and the second ball end is engaged by a lever actuating ring slidably mounted on the outside of the chuck body.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming hollow articles from plasticized materials are disclosed. A preform is partially formed under substantially no pressure on a preform core by introducing the core into a void-free charge of plasticized material that is placed in a preform cavity from a source of the plasticized material. After the preform core and preform cavity have moved together to define a preform mold space, the charge of plasticized material is subjected to a pressure forming step to form a completely packed preform on the core. The preform is then blow-molded in a blow cavity by introducing blowing gas into the preform through the preform core. Neck mold structure that strips and releases the formed article from the core is also disclosed.

Abstract: A label transferring device for blow molding machines which includes a sliding mold insert with a plurality of label carrying segments which are shifted into an access aperture communicative with the mold cavity. As the insert is shifted, each label carrying segment cooperates with the mold to form the cavity. A label transfer arm assembly removes a label from a supply magazine and places the label on one exposed label carrying segment while another label carrying segment is within the mold cavity undergoing the molding and label attachment process.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for forming a chain of hollow, shaped article bodies of a normally highly crystalline thermoplastic material which is biaxially oriented, from a continuous tube of the material in substantially unoriented condition, but at its orientation temperature, which includes a tube and chain transporter for pulling the tube from a first point to a second point, and for pushing beyond the second point that portion of the chain formed between the two points; a tube brake to brake the travel of the tube past the first point during at least part of the time it is being pulled, whereby the part of the tube between the points becomes longitudinally stretched; and stationary blow molding means including a plurality of stationary blow molds between the first point and the second point, each having corresponding mold pieces closable on the stretched part of the tube, and openable after formation of the hollow body in the cavity defined by the closed mold pieces, and means for inflating the portion of the

Abstract: A blow molding method for forming a chain of hollow, shaped article bodies of biaxially oriented, normally highly crystalline thermoplastic material from a tube of the material in substantially unoriented condition, but at its orientation temperature, which includes pulling the tube from a first point to a second point, and pushing beyond the second point that portion of the chain formed between the two points; braking the travel of the tube past the first point during at least part of the time it is being pulled, whereby the part of the tube between the points becomes stretched; closing the corresponding mold pieces of a plurality of stationary blow molds on the stretched part of the tube; inflating the portions of the stretched part of the tube within the mold cavities defined by the corresponding mold pieces to form in each the mold cavity one of the bodies, and to biaxially orient the material thereof; and sequentially opening the mold pieces, following the inflating, to minimize snap-back of the chain.

Abstract: A technique is described for preparing molecular biaxially oriented hollow articles from thermoplastic materials. The invention involves forming a parison on a cooled core rod by injecting a hot thermoplastic material into a cavity formed by the core rod and a cooled injection mold, cooling the parison with low temperature coolant to a temperature within the orientation range of the thermoplastic material, transferring the parison to a stretch blow molding position and permitting the temperature of the parison to equilibrate itself. The parison is then stretched, oriented to yield the desired biaxially oriented article, cooled and ejected.

Abstract: This relates to a loader for loading preforms into collets of pallets in a blow molding machine wherein a plurality of preforms are simultaneously loaded into the blow molding molds during each operation of the machine. The loader includes a preform supply wherein there is a preform receptacle having a number of preform pockets corresponding to the number of preforms to be loaded in a pallet. A preform carrier is moved between a position underlying the preform receptable for receiving preforms therefrom to a position underlying a pallet presented to the loading station. The preform positioning device then engages the bottoms of preforms and moves the preforms up through the preform carrier into the lower end of the collets of pallets where they are automatically retained in place by spring loaded detents. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of making hollow plastic articles are disclosed in which the preforms or other articles are sequentially molded from a continuous stream of plasticized resin supplied by an extruder. The preforms are formed sequentially in a plurality of molds and immediately transferred from the molds to blowing apparatus where they are blown into plastic articles. The molds are disposed in sets of two or more molds each, and the number of blowing apparatus units is equal to the number of sets of molds, with at least two sets of molds being provided. After the preform is formed in one mold of a set of molds, it is transferred while it is still hot to the corresponding blowing apparatus for that set while the extruded stream of plasticized resin is fed into the other molds to form other preforms.

Abstract: A blow molding machine is provided with an external center pin so that blowing is accomplished without introducing a mechanical or rigid member within the preform and/or bottle. To do this, the blowing is done by introducing a fluid, preferably a gas such as air, into the preform to expand it. Outside of the preform, meanwhile, is the subject center pin or center rod which is located on the preform center line (axis) and near the middle of the preform bottom. The rod receives a gate disposed centrally on the bottom of the preform when the preform is expanded by the entering fluid. In this manner, the center part of the bottom of the preform is engaged by the center pin which thereafter keeps the preform on center as the blowing action continues. A process is disclosed of blowing using a compressed fluid alone inside the preform to expand the preform axially against the bias of an external resiliently biased center pin.

Abstract: This relates to an unloading mechanism for unloading blow molded articles from collects carried by a pallet. At an unloading station there is provided a plurality of vertically disposed, guided plungers or ejectors which are carried by a common support and which are spaced along the path of a pallet in accordance with the spacing of collects caried by the pallet. A single actuator carries the support for the movement of the support and the plungers in unison, whereby all blow molded articles carried by collets of a pallet are simultaneously unloaded or discharged. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Abstract: A machine for high rate production of molecularly oriented thermoplastic bottles is disclosed. The machine is of the reheat-and-blow type. A blow molding station simultaneously blow molds article preforms arranged in matrices by modular article carriers for conveying the preforms and articles through the machine. The carriers are designed to retain the performs throughout all operations of the machine from a preform load station through a thermal conditioning section, a blow molding station, and to a bottle eject station, thereby eliminating the need for other preform transferring apparatus. The article carriers together with the associated conveying apparatus comprise a sufficiently flexible structure that minor misalignments of the carriers with the blow molding mechanism do not adversely affect bottle production. Both loading of preforms and ejection of finished bottles are accomplished by operation upon matrices of preforms and bottles as defined by the carriers and conveyor lanes.

Abstract: This relates to a blow molding apparatus wherein plural preforms are directed to plural cavity blow molds by way of a pallet which supports the preforms by neck portions thereof. The pallets are positioned relative to blow molds of a set by way of a track. The track is transversely shiftable to present preforms transversely of the blow mold halves prior to the closing of the blow molds and there is associated with supports for the track wedge members which automatically lower the track relative to the blow molds more closely to position a supporting flange of each preform with respect to the upper surface of the blow molds. The track is finally further moved downwardly to engage the support flanges of the preforms with the top surfaces of the blow molds under controlled pressure conditions by means of fluid cylinders. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Abstract: A method for producing hollow articles from, for instance, plastic or glass in viscous condition by means of at least one multiple mold comprising a plurality of mold elements into which gobs of the material are introduced and subsequently formed and expanded to finished hollow articles during a molding cycle, and in which the center distances of the plurality of mold elements or of part thereof are changed during each molding cycle; and a machine for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A machine for high rate production of molecularly oriented thermoplastic bottles is disclosed. The machine is of the reheat-and-blow type. A blow molding station simultaneously blow molds article preforms arranged in matrices by modular article carriers for conveying the preforms and articles through the machine. The carriers are designed to retain the preforms throughout all operations of the machine from a preform load station through a thermal conditioning section, a blow molding station, and to a bottle eject station, thereby eliminating the need for other preform transferring apparatus. The article carriers together with the associated conveying apparatus comprise a sufficiently flexible structure that minor misalignments of the carriers with the blow molding mechanism do not adversely affect bottle production. Both loading of preforms and ejection of finished bottles are accomplished by operation upon matrices of preforms and bottles as defined by the carriers and conveyor lanes.

Abstract: This relates to a blow molding system wherein a plurality of preforms are simultaneously blow molded within a mold set with the preforms being carried by one or more carriers which move first to a loading station to receive preforms, then through an oven to heat the preforms, then into a mold set wherein the plural preforms are simultaneously blow molded, then to an ejection station where the blow molded articles are discharged, and finally back to the loading station. There are two mold sets which are part of a clamp which operates sequentially to open and close each mold set with one mold set being closed as the other mold set is being opened. The carriers may travel either in a single continuous path for sequentially positioning at first one mold set and then the other, or there may be two continuous circuits for the carriers in which event the two mold sets of the clamp may be different.

Abstract: A self-centering blow mold for a rotary indexing blow molding machine has at the blow station a system for obtaining and keeping alignment among the chordally arranged blowing pins, neck rings, and blow molds. This self-centering system includes a toggle system which moves one set of the blow molds radially past alignment with the blowing pins to an overcenter position and a fluid operated drive means that thereafter moves the other of the set of blow molds radially in the opposite direction until it is in alignment with the first mentioned blow mold at the overcenter position and then continues moving to force both blow molds together, compress the toggle system, and to where the blow molds, neck rings and blowing pins are all aligned. There is also provided means for engaging the neck rings by the toggle system molds and fluid driven molds, respectively, so that alignment is achieved and maintained. The means for engaging includes biasing means consisting of a resilient member such as a spring.

Abstract: Parisons are presented at a pickup station related to a plurality of spaced molding stations and a spaced discharge station, so that a plurality of angularly spaced pickup and mold loading devices and a plurality of angularly spaced article transfer devices are operable on a cyclically oscillatable transfer mechanism for orienting the loading devices alternately in a parison pickup position at the pickup station and a mold loading position at the respective molding stations, and for orienting the article transfer devices alternately in an article stripping position at the molding stations and in a discharge position at the discharge station. In each cycle of operation, all of the devices are operated in coordination, and at least one parison is picked up at the pickup station, then at least one previously picked up parison is loaded into one of the molds, another mold is stripped of a molded article, and a previously stripped article is discharged at the discharge station.

Abstract: An article moulding and conveying method including alternately extruding parisons and alternately blow-moulding articles from the extruded parisons and thereafter delivering the blow-moulded articles alternately and at different times along parallel paths directly after being blow moulded to two stationary constantly spaced points of deposit along a predetermined path of article travel, the two constantly spaced points defining a first predetermined distance between each other, intermittently moving deposited articles as a constantly spaced group at a time between the alternate delivery of any two successively delivered blow-moulded articles, the intermittent movement being in a first direction along the predetermined path of article travel a second distance, and the first predetermined distance being an even numbered multiple of the second distance.

Abstract: A multi-stage blow molding method according to which parisons are extruded one after the other at an extruding station and are accepted by a first mold which transfers them from the extruding station to a first blowing station where the parisons are converted into hollow blanks. Such blanks are removed from the first blowing station by two or more additional molds which thereupon convert the blanks into final shaped articles at discrete second blowing stations. The number of blanks which are treated by each additional mold is half or less than half the total number of parisons which are being converted into blanks at the first blowing station. This insures that the time for cooling and hardening of shaped articles at the respective second blowing stations can greatly exceed the time which is allotted for partial hardening of blanks at the first blowing station.