# US 2013/0156512 A1 · Apparatus for the conveying of plastics material preforms > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0156512 A1 - Document ID: US20130156512A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,879 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Assignees: Krones AG - Inventors: Jürgen Beutl; Andreas Seidl; Florian Geltinger; Carsten Schröter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156512A1 ## CPC - B65G 51/03: over a flat surface or in troughs - B29C 49/42097: {Sliding rails, e.g. inclined} - B29C 49/42101: {Conveyors, e.g. flat conveyor or clamping between two bands} - B29C 49/4268: {Auxiliary operations during the blow-moulding operation} - B65G 21/2072: {Laterial guidance means} - B65G 51/035: {for suspended articles, e.g. bottles} - B29C 49/42087: {holding outside the neck} - B65G 2201/0247: Suspended bottles - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract An apparatus for the conveying of plastics material pre-forms along a preset conveying path with a first guide rail for guiding the plastics material pre-forms, with a second guide rail for guiding the plastics material pre-forms, wherein the plastics material pre-forms are capable of being guided between the guide rails and the guide rails have in each case first support faces which extend along the conveying path and which support the plastics material pre-forms during the conveying thereof. According to the invention the apparatus has a stressing device for acting upon the plastics material pre-forms with a gaseous medium, which stressing device is designed in such a way that the plastics material pre-forms are conveyed along their conveying path by being acted upon with the gaseous medium, and wherein a geometrical position of the guide rails is capable of being altered with respect to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus (1) for the conveying of plastics material pre-forms (10) along a pre-set conveying path (P) with a first guide rail (2) for guiding the plastics material pre-forms (10), with a second guide rail (4) for guiding the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein the plastics material pre-forms (10) are capable of being guided between the guide rails (2, 4) and the guide rails (2, 4) have in each case first support faces (12, 14) which extend along the conveying path (P) and which support the plastics material pre-forms (10) during the conveying thereof, wherein the apparatus (1) has a stressing device (42, 44) for acting upon the plastics material pre-forms (10) with a gaseous medium, which stressing device (42, 44) is designed in such a way that the plastics material pre-forms are conveyed along their conveying path by being acted upon with the gaseous medium, and wherein a geometrical position of the guide rails is capable of being altered with respect to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one guide rail (2, 4) for changing the geometrical position is pivotable about a pivot axis (S1, S2) which extends parallel to the conveying path of the plastics material pre-forms (10). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has lateral guiding elements (22, 24) for the lateral guidance of the plastics material pre-forms (10). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the stressing device has a first air guide duct (46) which is arranged above the guide rails and which acts upon the apertures of the plastics material pre-forms with the gaseous medium for the conveying thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus (1) has a holding down element (32) which is preferably arranged above the guide rails (2, 4). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An apparatus (1) according to claim 5, wherein a position of the holding down element (32) with respect to the guide rails (2, 4) is capable of being altered in a longitudinal direction of the plastics material containers (10). ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) An apparatus (1) according to claim 5, wherein at least one guide rail has a second support face (14, 16) which extends along the conveying path (P) of the plastics material pre-forms (10), in such a way that the plastics material pre-forms (10) are capable of being optionally supported by means of the first support face (12) or the second support face (14, 16) during their conveying. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the air shaft has two separate air shafts (56, 57). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An apparatus (1) according to claim 8, wherein the separate air shafts are formed by at least one displaceable air shaft (56) and one stationary air shaft (57). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An apparatus (1) according to claim 9, wherein all the respective lateral guides (2, 22) are jointly displaceable with the at least one displaceable air shaft (56). ### Claim 11 A guide rail (2, 4) for the conveying of plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein the guide rail (2, 4) extends along a pre-set longitudinal direction and wherein the guide rail has a first support face (12) which likewise extends along the pre-set longitudinal direction and by means of which the plastics material pre-form (10) is capable of being supported during the conveying thereof, wherein the guide rail (2, 4) has a second support face (14, 16) which extends along the pre-set longitudinal direction and by means of which the plastics material pre-form (10) is capable of being supported during the conveying thereof, and wherein the two support faces (12, 14, 16) are formed on the guide rail (2, 4) in such a way that the plastics material pre-form is capable of being optionally supported by the first support face (12) or the second support face (14, 16) during its conveying. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A guide rail (2, 4) according to claim 11, wherein the guide rail has an adapter element (40) capable of being removed from the guide rail (2, 4), wherein this adapter element (40) extends in a state arranged on the guide rail (2, 4) along the pre-set longitudinal direction and forms a third support face (45), by means of which the plastics material pre-form is capable of being supported. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A guide rail (2, 4) according to claim 11, wherein at least one support face (14, 16) is a face bounding a guide groove (19a, 19b) for guiding the plastics material pre-forms (10).