Patent ID: 8206144

Claim:
A transfer device ( 50 , 50 ′) for transferring a preform ( 14 ) or a container ( 12 ), comprising at least one gripper ( 54 , 54 ′) which consists of two horizontal levers ( 54 a , 54 b , 54 ′ a , 54 ′ b ) mounted articulated about a vertical axis (B) between a position in which the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′) is open and a position in which it is closed, and which comprises elastic return means ( 60 , 60 ′) which return the levers ( 54 a , 54 b , 54 ′ a , 54 ′ b ) toward the closed position, characterized in that the transfer device ( 50 , 50 ′) comprises a mechanism ( 80 , 80 ′) for selectively instigating the opening and closing of the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′), this mechanism ( 80 , 80 ′) comprising: a separating member ( 82 , 82 ′) for separating the levers ( 54 a , 54 b , 54 ′ a , 54 ′ b ) which is intended to be driven by a driving link ( 84 , 84 ′) which is pivot-mounted about a shaft (C, 56 ), the driving link ( 84 , 84 ′) that drives the separating member ( 82 , 82 ′) comprising at least one free end ( 88 , 88 ′) which is able to collaborate with first actuating means ( 90 ) intended to cause the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′) to open against the action of first elastic return means ( 60 , 60 ′) that return the levers ( 54 a , 54 b , 54 ′ a , 54 ′ b ), and associated locking means ( 92 ) which are mounted able to move between a locked position in which the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′) is kept in the open position and a retracted position in which the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′) is free to close, the locking means ( 92 , 92 ′) being able to collaborate with second actuating means ( 94 ) intended to cause the locking means ( 92 ) to move from the locked position into the retracted position so as automatically to trigger the closing of the gripper ( 54 , 54 ′).