Patent ID: 8684724

Claim:
A blow-moulding plant for making plastic containers ( 2 ) from respective parisons ( 3 ), comprising: a blow-moulding line ( 7 ) equipped with a plurality of moulding units ( 15 ), each comprising at least two cavities ( 19 ) for blow-moulding respective containers ( 2 ), the moulding cavities ( 19 ) of each moulding unit ( 15 ) having respective first longitudinal axes ( 19 a ) positioned at a first predetermined distance (D 2 ) from each other; a flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) which is equipped with a plurality of members ( 43 ) for picking up and transporting respective parisons ( 3 ) and which extends through a thermal conditioning device ( 38 ); a parison ( 3 ) transfer device ( 39 ) coupled to the blow-moulding line ( 7 ) at a first transfer station ( 13 ) for transferring the parisons ( 3 ) to the moulding units ( 15 ) and coupled to the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) at a second transfer station ( 40 ) for receiving the parisons ( 3 ); a plurality of pick-up and transfer members ( 43 ) associated with the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) for moving the parisons ( 3 ) individually along a predetermined path, wherein the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) extending through the thermal conditioning device ( 38 ), at the second transfer station ( 40 ), is shaped in such a way that couples of consecutive parisons ( 3 ) engaged with the respective pick-up and transfer members ( 43 ) of the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) are spaced on the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) according to a spacing (P 1 ) that is equal to the first distance (D 2 ) so that they can be picked up directly from the transfer device ( 39 ) and put in the cavities ( 19 ) of the corresponding moulding unit ( 15 ), wherein the flexible feed conveyor ( 41 ) comprises a chain arranged in closed loop and having a succession of rotating joints, each joint defines a vertical rotation axis, each pick-up and transfer members ( 43 ) has (i) a structure connected at two consecutive rotating joints of the chain whereby it is hooked up to the conveyor ( 41 ) to project outwardly from the chain loop in cantilever fashion, and (ii) a mandrel ( 47 ) pivotally coupled to the structure to rotate about a vertical axis, wherein the mandrel of each pick-up and transfer members ( 43 ) has a pinion at its top end, which is configured to engage with a stationary element to put the mandrel in rotation as a consequence of the movement of the corresponding pick-up and transfer member ( 43 ) along said predetermined path.