Patent ID: 7128865

Claim:
A method of ejecting a preform from an injection mold, comprising the steps of: actuating at least one piston to separate an ejector plate and a stripper plate from a core plate, thereby separating an inner sidewall of a lock ring and an open end of a preform from a curved notch on the outer surface of a core, where said inner sidewall of said lock ring and said core are sealed and aligned during a molding operation; actuating at least one connecting rod to separate said stripper plate from said ejector plate, thereby separating a neck ring and the preform from an upper surface of said lock ring, wherein said neck ring maintains non-sliding contact with the preform throughout the separation of the neck ring from the lock ring, wherein a first portion of said upper surface of said lock ring is sealed and aligned with said neck ring during a molding operation, and wherein a second portion of said upper surface of said lock ring is a lifting surface for lifting the preform during the step of actuating said at least one piston; and moving at least a portion of the neck ring in a direction non parallel to the separation of stripper plate and the ejector plate.