Apparatus and method for handling and cooling plastic preforms

Method for cooling plastic preforms carried out in an apparatus according to any combination of the preceding claims, characterized in that said method comprises following phases:

• injection moulding of a cluster of preforms (30) in appropriate half-moulds (23, 24), which are subsequently opened apart;
• insertion of a collection and translation element (2) between said two half-moulds and release of said preforms from the upper half-mould, so that the cluster of preforms, which are released at the same time from said upper half-mould, are able to fall down exactly into a corresponding number of receptacles (10) provided in said element (2);
• transfer of said element (2) to a position above a cooling structure (3) provided with a plurality of cooling cups (6), in such a manner as to enable said preforms to be carried above the cups of a first distribution pattern;
• release of said preforms so as to allow them to fall down into respective cups arranged in according to said first distribution pattern, possibly at successive moments;
• latching of a different sub-cluster of preforms, inserted in cups of said cooling structure (3) that are arranged according to a second distribution pattern, on to a conveying means (20) provided with appropriate, preferably aligned pick-up means, in which such a latching may possibly occur at successive moments and by means of a vertical displacement and possibly a horizontal translation of said cooling structure (3).