Patent ID: 6916442

Claim:
A process for the extrusion-molding of hollow bodies made of a thermoplastic, comprising the cycle of the following steps: a) a tubular parison is extruded in a vertical direction and flows downwardly under the effect of its own weight; b) the parison is gripped by a mechanical handling device; c) the parison is transferred and deposited in a preforming tool by the device; d) the preformed parison is transferred to above a lower part of a mold by means of this preforming tool; e) the parison is deposited from the preforming tool in the lower part of the mold; f) the mold is closed and the parison is molded; g) the mold is opened; and h) the hollow body is removed from the mold, wherein: the preforming tool is separate from the mechanical handling device and comprises a portion that comes into direct contact with the parison, said portion being of a shape corresponding to the final shape of the hollow body molded by the process, before the parison is gripped by the mechanical handling device, said parison is taken away over a certain length, and the gripping of the parison and the deposition in the preforming tool are performed by means of an arm of the mechanical handling device acting as a robot.