Article repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine

An article repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine is disclosed for simultaneously molding a plurality of containers from plastic parisons. Between work stations, the apparatus repositions articles from a compact, evenly spaced first position to an extended, unevenly paired second position. After insertion of the articles into receivers slidably mounted on tracks, the receivers are moved by a servo motor to various separations by sliding movement along the tracks, the receivers attached to aligning ribs threadably engaged with ball screws. Simultaneously, the tracks are moved by a second servo motor to uneven paired separations by attachment to movable scissors having large and small scissor portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for the manufacture of 
plastic bottles and other similar containers, and particularly to 
apparatus for the simultaneous manufacture of a large number of containers 
from preforms according to known general parameters, wherein apparatus is 
provided for repositioning the preforms which are injection molded at one 
spacing in preparation for blow molding the preforms to form containers at 
another spacing. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The production of plastic articles is often facilitated by performing 
various operations and treatments at a series of work stations, in order 
to efficiently obtain the desired final articles. As part of performing 
such operations and treatments, is often the case that the work stations 
require different relative center spacings of parisons. For instance, 
where starting material is injection molded to form parisons at an initial 
work station, close center spacings are often needed due to the difficulty 
of maintaining the required molten plastic temperature over relatively 
long flow paths, while at a later work stations, such as a blow molding 
work station, parisons are expanded, necessitating larger relative center 
spacings between parisons to permit such expansion. In addition, 
processing of parisons at later work stations is frequently aided by 
pairwise disposition of the parisons. As a result, it is often desirable 
to increase efficiency by increasing the relative center spacings of the 
parisons from relatively compact, even spacings to relatively extended, 
paired spacings as the parisons move from one work station to another. The 
array of available apparatus for repositioning preforms includes apparatus 
whereby the relative center spacings of a set of parisons disposed in a 
rectangular array may be varied in a single direction, for example, as 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,073, disclosing an apparatus having 
diverging tracks acting to expand the center spacings of the parisons in a 
single direction. In addition, apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,323,341 whereby parisons are spread in a single direction to accommodate 
the center spacings required for blow molding, and further, apparatus is 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,905 where the relative center spacings of 
a set of preforms disposed in a linear array may be varied through the use 
of a carrier block rack having a plurality of angular tines. 
Also, there are presently available apparatus for altering the relative 
spacings, in two directions, between the members of a set of parisons 
disposed in a rectangular array. A number of embodiments of one such 
device are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,152. In a first such 
embodiment, the spreading of parisons between a first center spacing and a 
second center spacing is controlled by relative movement of the parisons 
with respect to a guide plate having a plurality of angled grooves. In a 
second embodiment, a single pantograph scissor unit is employed to expand 
the parisons in a first direction with the parisons maintained to be 
evenly spaced, while a piston and rod structure is employed to expand the 
outer pair of rows of parisons in an orthogonal second direction. In 
another device, described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,039, apparatus for 
conditioning pressure molded plastic articles is disclosed, and includes a 
means operative to change the center spacings of parisons between an 
evenly spaced, compact first center spacing and an evenly spaced, expanded 
second center spacing, the change in center spacings occurring during 
movement of the parisons from a pressure molding section to a conditioning 
section. 
Despite the availability of such apparatus, there exists a need in the art 
for an article repositioning apparatus for altering in two directions the 
relative center spacings of a set of parisons disposed in a 
two-dimensional array between an evenly spaced first position and a 
relatively expanded, paired unevenly spaced second position, for use with 
an injection stretch blow molding machine for simultaneously molding a 
plurality of containers from plastic parisons, the machine having a first 
work station where the parisons are disposed in the first position and a 
second work station where the parisons are disposed in the second position 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In order to aid in the understanding of the present invention, it can be 
stated in essentially summary form that, with respect to an injection 
stretch blow molding machine for simultaneously molding a plurality of 
containers from plastic parisons, the machine including a first work 
station wherein the parisons are disposed in a first position and a second 
work station wherein the parisons are disposed in a second position with 
spacings between the parisons greater than in the first position, the 
present invention is directed to an apparatus that is capable of altering 
the spacings between the parisons between the first position and the 
second position. 
More specifically, the present invention is directed to an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine for 
simultaneously molding a plurality of containers from plastic parisons, 
the machine including a first work station where parisons are disposed in 
a relatively compact, evenly spaced first position and a second work 
station where parisons are disposed in a pairwise unevenly spaced second 
position with spacings between parisons greater than in the first 
position. The apparatus of the present invention includes a frame coupled 
to the first work station and the second work station, and a base having a 
plate with a generally planar surface, the base vertically movable with 
respect to the frame using an actuator means and inner and outer guide 
means. A plurality of parallel ways extend in a first direction and are 
coupled to the base. A set of tracks extends in a second direction 
orthogonal to the first direction, the tracks including a fixed track and 
a plurality of movable tracks. The movable tracks include a first group of 
movable tracks and a second group of movable tracks, the members of the 
second group interposed in alternating position with respect to members of 
first group of movable tracks. The fixed track is disposed proximate to 
the movable tracks and adjacent to a member of second group of movable 
tracks. Coupled to each movable track are way bearings, with at least one 
way bearing engaging each way, thereby permitting relative sliding 
movement of each movable track with respect to the base. Each way includes 
a support rail fixed to the planar surface of the plate, supporting the 
movable tracks for movement in the first direction. 
Linking elements are coupled together and to the tracks to permit variation 
of spacings between tracks. Preferably, linking elements are formed of a 
pair of sets of movable scissor levers, the sets of movable scissor levers 
coupled to opposite ends of the fixed track and each movable track. Each 
set of movable scissor levers includes smaller scissor levers coupled to 
the fixed track and to members of first group of movable tracks, and 
larger scissor levers coupled to members of second group of movable tracks 
and to the smaller scissor levers. Coordinated movement of each of the 
sets of scissor levers causes variation in spacings between the fixed 
track and each movable track, whereby the movable tracks are capable of 
movement between a relatively compact, even spacing corresponding to the 
first position, and a relatively extended, paired uneven spacing 
corresponding to the second position. 
Parison receivers are mounted on the tracks, with each parison receiver 
including a tubular element having an open upper end, a closed lower end, 
a linear bearing, and an adapter plate including a cam follower. The 
linear bearings couple each lower end to one of the tracks so that each 
tubular element is mounted to and slidably movable along one of the 
tracks. The closed lower end of each parison receiver may include a vacuum 
channel coupled to a source of vacuum and to the interior of the tubular 
element using a sliding spool. The sliding spool is captured within the 
tubular element and has a spool upper end which extends into an insert 
disposed within the tubular element. Each tubular element may include a 
pair of vertical vacuum channels and horizontal stub channels which couple 
the vacuum to a small annular space separating the lower portion of the 
spool from the interior surface of the tubular element. The small annular 
space couples the vacuum to a second space existing between the bottom of 
the spool and the closed lower end, and a spring biases the spool away 
from the closed lower end. The spool includes vertical channels running 
from the bottom of the spool to a concave dished surface at the top of the 
spool, a circular channel, and a pair of intersecting horizontal channels 
terminating in the circular channel. The small dimension existing between 
the outer surface of the spool and the inner surface of the tubular 
element below the channel allows only a small flow of air down the 
interior of the insert through vertical channels into the second space. 
The throttling action of this close space insures that when the spool is 
situated separate from the interior of closed lower end, there is very 
little flow of air into the vacuum line. This small flow of air is 
sufficient to aid in the capture of parisons as hereinafter described. 
Parallel aligning ribs extend in the first direction, disposed parallel to 
the ways, and are coupled to the cam followers for aligning the parison 
receivers with respect to the ways. Coupling components act to couple the 
aligning ribs together at preselected variable spacings. The coupling 
components include a pair of ball screws, with the ball screws disposed in 
the second direction at opposite ends of the aligning ribs. Each ball 
screw is formed to have a contiguous first segment group with right-hand 
threads, and a contiguous second segment group with left-hand threads. In 
addition, the first segment group includes first inner segment and a first 
outer segment, with the relatively fine thread pitch of the first inner 
segment less than the relatively coarse thread pitch of the first outer 
segment. Similarly, the second segment group includes a second inner 
segment and a second outer segment, with the relatively fine thread pitch 
of the second inner segment less than the relatively coarse thread pitch 
of the second outer segment. The ball screws are supported for rotation 
with respect to the base by ball screw bearings. Ball nuts are attached to 
the aligning ribs and threadably engage the ball screws, with each ball 
nut engaging a member of the first segment group or the second segment 
group having corresponding thread pitch and sense. By simultaneous 
rotation of the ball screws, the aligning ribs are movable through varying 
distances due to of attachment of the aligning ribs to the ball nuts. 
Those aligning ribs attached to ball nuts engaged with members of the 
first segment group are caused to move oppositely to those aligning ribs 
fixed to ball nuts engaged with members of the second segment group, as 
the first segment group has threads of opposite sense to that of the 
second segment group. In addition, as a result of the relatively fine 
thread pitch of the first inner segment being less than the relatively 
coarse thread pitch of the first outer segment, simultaneous rotation of 
the ball screws causes the aligning ribs fixed to ball nuts engaged with 
the first segment group and disposed relatively more proximate to the 
second segment group to be moved through relatively smaller distances than 
the aligning ribs fixed to the ball nuts engaged with the first segment 
group and disposed relatively less proximate to the second segment group. 
Similarly, as a result of the relatively fine thread pitch of the second 
inner segment being less than the relatively coarse thread pitch of the 
second outer segment, simultaneous rotation of the ball screws causes the 
aligning ribs fixed to ball nuts engaged with the second segment group and 
disposed relatively more proximate to the first segment group to be moved 
through relatively smaller distances than the aligning ribs fixed to the 
ball nuts engaged with the second segment group and disposed relatively 
less proximate to the first segment group. 
The movement of the linking elements is effectuated by a reversible first 
servo motor coupled to a small drive pulley using a drive belt. The small 
drive pulley is attached to a drive shaft supported for rotation by drive 
shaft bearings. A large drive pulley is attached to each end of the drive 
shaft, and similarly, idler pulleys are attached to each end of an idler 
shaft rotatably mounted through idler shaft bearings. Each large drive 
pulley is rotatably coupled to an idler pulley by a timing belt. The 
movable scissors levers are coupled to the timing belts by timing belt 
clamps, so that the first servo motor causes the movable tracks, and hence 
the parison receivers, to move in the first direction relative to the 
base. 
The ball screws are rotationally coupled together using a ball screw 
coupling belt mounted between a pair of ball screw pulleys. A ball screw 
pulley is attached to each end of each ball screw, with a reversible 
second servo motor coupled to one of the ball screws. In this way, the 
second servo motor acts to produce movement of the aligning ribs in the 
second direction relative to the base, moving the parison receivers in the 
second direction. A controller coupled to the first and second servo 
motors is used to associate and coordinate movement of the parison 
receivers between spacings corresponding to the first position and the 
second position, by way of actuation of the first servo motor and 
contemporaneous actuation of the second servo motor, as will next be 
described. 
In use, the machine transports parisons disposed with relative center 
spacings of the first position from the first work station and positions 
the parisons above the parison receivers. The actuator means moves the 
base vertically upward, so that each parison engages a parison receiver. 
The parisons are generally of a test tube shape with a rounded bottom and 
a support flange separating a lower body portion from a finish portion 
intended to engage a closure. The curvature of the dish-shaped upper 
surface of the spool conforms generally with the outer surface the bottom 
end of a parison. After insertion of a parison into a parison receiver, 
the upper ends of the vertical channels are obstructed, substantially 
restricting the flow of air down the vertical channels and into the second 
space. The absence of this flow of air causes the vacuum within the second 
space to increase, resulting in a net downward force on the spool by air 
pressure acting on the parison. The differential air pressure overcomes 
the force of the spring and produces a relative downward movement of the 
spool towards the closed lower end. The downward translation of the spool 
couples the horizontal channels in the tubular element with the circular 
channel and the horizontal intersecting channels which operates to latch 
the spool in the downward position and maintains a hard vacuum hold on the 
parison, until such time as the parison is forcibly removed. The parisons 
are released from the machine, and the first and second servo motors are 
then energized by the controller. The first servo motor produces movement 
of the large drive pulleys coupled by the small drive pulley, drive belt, 
and drive shaft, with rotation of large drive pulleys moving the timing 
belts. Each set of movable scissor levers, attached to a timing belt by a 
timing belt clamp, expands as a result of translation of timing belts 
clamps with movement of the timing belts. During such expansion, each set 
of movable scissors remains fixed at a point where attached to the fixed 
track, with the remainder of each set of scissor levers expanding relative 
to the fixed track. The movable tracks thereby translate with respect to 
the fixed track, with the way bearings sliding within the ways. 
In the first position, the tracks are disposed compactly and evenly spaced. 
In the second position, corresponding to sets of scissors levers as 
extended, the tracks are relatively separated and are disposed unevenly 
and pairwise, due to attachment of the smaller scissor levers and the 
larger scissor levers to members of the first and second groups of movable 
tracks, respectively. Second servo motor provides drive directly to one 
ball screw, with coupling to the other ball screw using the ball screw 
coupling belts and the ball screw pulleys. Simultaneous rotation of the 
ball screws causes translation of the aligning ribs parallel to the ball 
screws. The aligning ribs attached to those ball nuts engaged with members 
of the first segment group move oppositely to those aligning ribs fixed to 
the ball nuts engaged with members of the second segment group, as the 
first segment group has threads of opposite sense to the second segment 
group. Further, as the relatively fine thread pitch of the first inner 
segment is less than the relatively coarse pitch of the first outer 
segment, simultaneous rotation of the ball screws causes the aligning ribs 
fixed to ball nuts engaged with the first segment group and disposed 
relatively more proximate to the second segment group to be moved through 
relatively smaller distances than the aligning ribs fixed to the ball nuts 
engaged with the first segment group and disposed relatively less 
proximate to the second segment group, and similarly, causes the aligning 
ribs fixed to ball nuts engaged with the second segment group and disposed 
relatively more proximate to the first segment group to be moved through 
relatively smaller distances than the aligning ribs fixed to the ball nuts 
engaged with the second segment group and disposed relatively less 
proximate to the first segment group. Consequently, simultaneous rotation 
of the ball nuts causes the parison receivers to slidably translate along 
the tracks through attachment to the aligning ribs fixed to the ball nuts, 
between a compact configuration corresponding to the first position and an 
extended configuration corresponding to the second position. 
With the parison receivers moved from the first position to the second 
position, the parisons may then be transported by the machine from the 
apparatus of the present invention to the second work station, where 
further operative steps on the parisons may be performed. As the 
controller reverses the direction of drive of the first and second servo 
motors, the tracks and the aligning ribs are caused to each move in the 
opposite sense, from the second position to the first position, so that 
the present invention is ready for engagement with another set of parisons 
emerging from the first work station. 
In a second embodiment, the first and second servo motors are replaced by a 
reversible single servo motor coupled to the timing belts and to the ball 
screws. The single servo motor thus provides the motive force to cause the 
movable tracks to move in the first direction in response to action by the 
movable scissors, and to cause the aligning ribs to move in the second 
direction in response to rotation of the ball screws, thereby moving the 
parison receivers between the first and second positions. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine 
whereby the center spacing of parisons can be altered in two directions. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine for 
altering in two directions the relative center spacings of parisons 
between a compact, evenly spaced first position and an expanded, paired 
unevenly spaced second position. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine 
which can alter the center spacing of parisons without interruption of the 
operation of the machine. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine that 
quickly and efficiently alters in two directions the relative center 
spacings of parisons between a first position and a second position. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an article 
repositioning apparatus for an injection stretch blow molding machine 
having components of sturdy construction and that may be easily adjusted, 
serviced and repaired. 
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent 
from a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims, 
and the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The following portion of the specification, taken in conjunction with the 
drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
The embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are the best mode 
contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention in a 
commercial environment, although it should be understood that various 
modifications can be accomplished within the parameters of the present 
invention. 
Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the present 
invention, reference is first made to FIGS. 1-3, generally depicting an 
injection stretch blow molding machine 10 for simultaneously molding sets 
of 48 containers from plastic parisons. Machine 10 includes a first work 
station 12 where parisons 13 are disposed in a relatively compact, evenly 
spaced first position and second work station 14 where parisons 13 are 
disposed in a pairwise unevenly spaced second position with spacings 
between parisons 13 greater than in the first position. As partially 
depicted in FIG. 1, it is contemplated that first work station 12 may be a 
vertical clamp, 48 cavity preform injection module, and that second work 
station 14 may be a stretch blow molding module. The apparatus of the 
present invention includes frame 16 coupled to first work station 12 and 
second work station 14, and base 18 having plate 20 with generally planar 
surface 22, with base 18 vertically movable with respect to frame 16. 
Parallel ways 24 extend in a first direction and are coupled to base 18, 
and a set of tracks 26 extends in a second direction orthogonal to the 
first direction, with tracks 26 including fixed track 28 and movable 
tracks 30. Movable tracks 30 include a first group of movable tracks 32, 
and a second group of movable tracks 34, with members of the second group 
of movable tracks 34 interposed in alternating position with respect to 
members of first group of movable tracks 32. Although twelve tracks 26 are 
depicted in FIGS. 1-7, it will be understood that a greater or lesser 
number of tracks 26 may be utilized within the scope of the present 
invention. Fixed track 28 is disposed proximate to movable tracks 30 and 
adjacent to a member of second group of movable tracks 34. Coupled to each 
movable track 30 are way bearings 36, with at least one way bearing 36 
engaging each way 24, thereby permitting relative sliding movement of each 
movable track 30 with respect to base 18. Each way 24 includes a support 
rail 38 fixed to plate 20, supporting movable tracks 30 for movement in 
the first direction. 
As seen most clearly in FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6, linking elements 40 are coupled 
together and to tracks 26 to permit variation of spacings between tracks 
26. Preferably, linking elements 40 are formed of a pair of sets of 
movable scissor levers 42, each coupled to an end of fixed track 28 and 
each movable track 30. Each set of movable scissor levers 42 includes 
smaller scissor levers 46 coupled to fixed track 28 and to members of 
first group of movable tracks 32, and larger scissor levers 44 coupled to 
members of second group of movable tracks 34 and to smaller scissor levers 
46. Coordinated movement of the sets of scissor levers 42 causes variation 
in spacings between fixed track 28 and each movable track 30, whereby 
movable tracks 30 are capable of movement between a relatively compact, 
even spacing corresponding to the first position depicted in FIGS. 2 and 
5, and a relatively extended, paired uneven spacing corresponding to the 
second position as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 6. 
Referring to FIGS. 1-8, parison receivers 50 are mounted on tracks 26, with 
each parison receiver 50 including tubular element 52 having open upper 
end 54, closed lower end 56, linear bearing 58, and an adapter plate 60 
having a cam follower 61. A linear bearing 58 couples each lower end 56 to 
one of tracks 26 so that each tubular element 52 is mounted to and 
slidably movable along one of tracks 26. Base 18 is movable vertically 
with respect to frame 16 by actuator means 62 and inner and outer guide 
means 64 and 66, permitting parisons 13 to be inserted in and withdrawn 
from parison receivers 50. 
As described in application Ser. No. 08/359,037 filed Dec. 19, 1994 and 
entitled Take-Out and Cooling Apparatus, incorporated herein by reference, 
closed lower end 56 of each parison receiver 50 may include a vacuum 
channel coupled to a source of vacuum and to the interior of tubular 
element 52 by way of a sliding spool. The sliding spool may be captured 
within tubular element 52, and has a spool upper end which extends into an 
insert disposed within tubular element 52. Each tubular element 52 
includes a pair of vertical vacuum channels and horizontal stub channels 
which couple the vacuum to a small annular space separating the lower 
portion of the spool from the interior surface of tubular element 52. The 
small annular space couples the vacuum to a second space existing between 
the bottom of the spool and closed lower end 56. A spring biases the spool 
away from closed lower end 56. The spool also includes vertical channels 
running from the bottom of the spool to a concave dished surface at the 
top of the spool, a circular channel, and a pair of intersecting 
horizontal channels terminating in the circular channel. The small 
dimension existing between the outer surface of the spool and the inner 
surface of tubular element 52 below the channel allows only a small flow 
of air down the interior of the insert through vertical channels into the 
second space. The throttling action of this close space insures that when 
the spool is situated separate from the interior of closed lower end, 
there is very little flow of air into the vacuum line. This small flow of 
air is sufficient to aid in the capture of parisons as will be described. 
As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, parallel aligning ribs 68 extend 
in the first direction, disposed parallel to ways 24 and coupled to cam 
followers 61 for aligning parison receivers 50 with respect to ways 24. As 
illustrated, four ribs 68 may be utilized with the twelve tracks 26 to 
cooperate with 48 parison receivers 50. Clearly, a greater or lesser 
number of ribs 68 may be utilized within the scope of the present 
invention. Coupling components 70 act to couple aligning ribs 68 together 
at preselected variable spacings therebetween. Coupling components 70 
include a pair of ball screws 72, disposed in the second direction at 
opposite aligning ribs 68. Each ball screw 72 is formed to have a number 
of segments, divided into contiguous first segment group 74 having 
right-hand threads and contiguous second segment group 76 having left-hand 
threads. First segment group 74 includes first inner segment 78 and first 
outer segment 80, with the relatively fine thread pitch of first inner 
segment 78 less than the relatively coarse thread pitch of first outer 
segment 80. Similarly, second segment group 76 includes second inner 
segment 82 and second outer segment 84, with the relatively fine thread 
pitch of second inner segment 82 less than the relatively coarse thread 
pitch of second outer segment 84. Ball screws 72 are supported for 
rotation with respect to base 18 by ball screw bearings 86. Coupling 
components 70 also include ball nuts 88, attached to aligning ribs 68 and 
threadably engaging ball screws 72, with each ball nut 88 engaging a 
member of first segment group 74 or second segment group 76 having 
corresponding thread pitch and sense. By simultaneous rotation of ball 
screws 72, aligning ribs 68 are movable through varying distances by 
virtue of attachment of aligning ribs 68 to ball nuts 88. As described, 
those aligning ribs 68 attached to ball nuts 88 engaged with first segment 
group 74 are thereby caused to move oppositely to aligning ribs 68 fixed 
to ball nuts 88 engaged with second segment group 76, due to first segment 
group 74 having threads of opposite sense to that of second segment group 
76. In addition, as a result of the thread pitch of first inner segment 78 
being less than the thread pitch of first outer segment 80, simultaneous 
rotation of ball screws 72 causes aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 
engaged with first segment group 74 and disposed relatively more proximate 
to second segment group 76 to be moved through relatively smaller 
distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with first 
segment group 74 and disposed relatively less proximate to second segment 
group 76. Similarly, as a result of the thread pitch of second inner 
segment 82 being less than the thread pitch of second outer segment 84, 
simultaneous rotation of ball screws 72 causes aligning ribs 68 fixed to 
ball nuts 88 engaged with second segment group 76 and disposed relatively 
more proximate to first segment group 74 to be moved through relatively 
smaller distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with 
second segment group 76 and disposed relatively less proximate to first 
segment group 74. It will be understood that the use of four ribs 68 
corresponds to each ball screw 72 including four segments, that is, first 
inner segment 78, first outer segment 80, second inner segment 82 and 
second outer segment 84. As described, it is within the scope of the 
present invention to utilize a greater or lesser number of ribs 68, in 
which event each ball screw 72 may be correspondingly divided into a 
greater or lesser number of segments, whereby each rib 68 is threadably 
coupled to a segment of each ball screw 72 having a particular thread 
pitch and sense. Specifically, where each ball screw 72 has a plurality of 
segments in first segment group 74 and second segment group 76, first 
segment group 74, having right-hand threads, is disposed in order of 
decreasing pitch, with the member of first segment group 74 having the 
least, finest pitch disposed adjacent to second segment group 76. In this 
way, aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with first segment 
group 74 move oppositely to those aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 
engaged with second segment group 76, aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 
88 engaged with first segment group 74 and disposed relatively more 
proximate to second segment group 76 moving through relatively smaller 
distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with first 
segment group 74 and disposed relatively less proximate to second segment 
group 76. Similarly, second segment group 76, having left-hand threads, is 
disposed in order of decreasing pitch with the member of second segment 
group 76 having the least, finest pitch disposed adjacent to first segment 
group 74, whereby aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with 
second segment group 76 move oppositely to those aligning ribs 68 fixed to 
ball nuts 88 engaged with first segment group 74, aligning ribs 68 fixed 
to ball nuts 88 engaged with second segment group 76 and disposed 
relatively more proximate to first segment group 74 moving through 
relatively smaller distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 
engaged with second segment group 76 and disposed relatively less 
proximate to first segment group 74. 
As shown in FIGS. 2-7, the movement of linking elements 40 is effectuated 
by reversible first servo motor 90 coupled to small drive pulley, not 
shown, using drive belt 92. The small drive pulley is attached to drive 
shaft 93 supported for rotation by drive shaft bearings 94. A large drive 
pulley 95 is attached to each end of drive shaft 93, and similarly, idler 
pulleys 96 are attached to each end of idler shaft 97 rotatably mounted 
through idler shaft bearings 98. Each large drive pulley 95 is rotatably 
coupled to an idler pulley 96 by a timing belt 99. Movable scissors levers 
42 are coupled to timing belts 99 by timing belt clamps 100, so that first 
servo motor 90 acts to cause movable tracks 30, and hence parison 
receivers 50, to move in the first direction relative to base 18. 
Also as shown in FIGS. 2-7, rotational movement of ball screws 72 is 
coupled together using ball screw coupling belt 102 mounted between a pair 
of ball screw pulleys 104. One ball screw pulley 104 is attached to each 
end of each ball screw 72, with reversible second servo motor 106 coupled 
to one ball screw 72. In this way, second servo motor 106 acts to produce 
movement of aligning ribs 68 in the second direction relative to base 18, 
thereby causing movement of parison receivers 50 in the second direction. 
A controller, not shown, coupled to first and second servo motors 90 and 
106, respectively, is used to associate and coordinate movement of parison 
receivers 50 between spacings corresponding to the first position and the 
second position, by way of actuation of first servo motor 90 and 
contemporaneous actuation of second servo motor 106. 
In use, machine 10 transports parisons 13 disposed with relative center 
spacings of the first position out of first work station 12, using 
transport means 108, to be positioned above parison receivers 50 of the 
present invention disposed in the first position, as shown in FIG. 1. 
Operation of actuator means 62 causes base 18 to move vertically upward, 
so that each parison 13 is placed into mating engagement with one parison 
receiver 50. As described in application Ser. No. 08/359,037 filed Dec. 
19, 1994 and entitled Take-Out and Cooling Apparatus, parisons 13 handled 
by the present invention are generally of a test tube shape having a 
rounded bottom and having a support flange separating a lower body portion 
from a finish portion intended to engage a closure. The curvature of the 
dish-shaped upper surface of the spool is selected to conform generally to 
the outer surface of the bottom end of a parison 13. Upon insertion of a 
parison 13 into a parison receiver 50, the upper ends of the vertical 
channels are obstructed, thus substantially restricting the flow of air 
down the vertical channels and into the second space. The absence of this 
flow of air causes the vacuum within the second space to increase which, 
in turn, results in a net downward force on the spool by air pressure 
acting on parison 13, the differential in air pressure overcoming the 
biasing force of the spring and producing a relative downward movement of 
the spool towards closed lower end 56. The downward translation of the 
spool couples the horizontal channels in tubular element 52 with the 
circular channel and the horizontal intersecting channels, effectively 
latching the spool in the downward position and maintaining a hard vacuum 
hold on parison 13 until forcibly removed. Parisons 13 are then released 
from transport means 108, and first servo motor 90 and second servo motor 
106 are energized by the controller. First servo motor 90 produces 
movement of large drive pulleys 95 as coupled by way of the small drive 
pulley, drive belt 92, and drive shaft 93, with rotation of large drive 
pulleys 95 causing movement of timing belts 99. Each set of movable 
scissor levers 42, attached to a timing belt 99 by a timing belt clamp 
100, expands as a result of translation of timing belt clamps 100 with 
movement of timing belt 99. During such expansion, each set of movable 
scissors 42 remains fixed at a point where attached to fixed track 28, 
with the remainder of each set of scissor levers 42 expanding relative to 
fixed track 28. Movable tracks 30 are thereby caused to translate with 
respect to fixed track 28, with way bearings sliding within ways 24. 
In the first position, tracks 26 are disposed to be compact and evenly 
spaced, however, in the second position, corresponding to sets of scissors 
levers 42 as extended, tracks 26 are relatively separated and are disposed 
unevenly and pairwise, due to attachment of smaller scissor levers 46 and 
larger scissor levers 44 to members of first group of movable tracks 32 
and second group of movable tracks 34 disposed in alternation. Second 
servo motor 106 provides drive directly to one ball screw 72, with 
coupling to the other ball screw 72 using ball screw coupling belts 102 
and ball screw pulleys 104. Simultaneous rotation of ball screws 72 causes 
translation of aligning ribs 68 parallel to ball screws 72. Aligning ribs 
68 attached to ball nuts 88 engaged with members of first segment group 74 
move oppositely to those aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged 
with members of second segment group 76, as first segment group 74 has 
threads of opposite sense to second segment group 76. Further, as the 
thread pitch of first inner segment 78 is less than the thread pitch of 
first outer segment 80, rotation of ball screws 72 causes aligning ribs 68 
fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with members of first segment group 74 and 
disposed relatively more proximate to second segment group 76 to be moved 
through relatively smaller distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball 
nuts 88 engaged with first segment group 74 and disposed relatively less 
proximate to second segment group 76, and similarly, causes aligning ribs 
68 fixed to ball nuts 88 engaged with second segment group 76 and disposed 
relatively more proximate to first segment group 75 to be moved through 
relatively smaller distances than aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88 
engaged with second segment group 76 and disposed relatively less 
proximate to first segment group 74. Hence, simultaneous rotation of ball 
nuts 88 causes parison receivers 50 to slidably translate along tracks 26, 
through attachment to aligning ribs 68 fixed to ball nuts 88, between a 
compact configuration corresponding to the first position and an extended 
configuration corresponding to the second position. 
With parison receivers 50 moved from the first position to the second 
position, parisons 13 may thereafter be transported by machine 10 from the 
apparatus of the present invention to second work station 14, where 
further operations on parisons 13 may be performed. By causing the 
controller to reverse the direction of drive of first and second servo 
motors 90 and 106, tracks 26 and aligning ribs 68 may be caused to each 
move in the opposite sense as before, that is, from the second position 
back to the first position. Further, actuator means 62 may be operated to 
cause base 18 to move vertically downward, so that the present invention 
is once again ready for engagement with another set of parisons 13 
emerging from first work station 12. 
In a second embodiment, not shown, first servo motor 90 and second servo 
motor 106 may be replaced by a reversible single servo motor coupled to 
timing belts 99 and ball screws 72. The single servo motor may thus 
provide the motive force to cause movable tracks 30 to move in the first 
direction in response to action by movable scissors 42, and to cause 
aligning ribs 68 to move in the second direction in response to rotation 
of ball screws 72, thereby moving parison receivers 50 between the first 
and second positions. 
The present invention having been described in its preferred embodiments, 
it is clear that the present invention is susceptible to numerous 
modifications and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the 
art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the 
scope of the present invention is defined as set forth by the scope of the 
following claims.