Glass container handling

In an apparatus for the inspection of glass containers which removes glass containers one at a time from a continually moving conveyor, wherein said glass containers are indexed through a plurality of inspection stations and acceptable glass containers are returned to an output conveyor for removal, the improvement in said apparatus to allow inspection of glass containers having a finish portion, an elongated neck portion and a flattened main body portion which comprises, in combination:

• an upper starwheel;
• a plurality of spaced-apart neck holders that are open at their peripheral edges to engage substantially 180.degree. of the circumferences of the neck portion of said glass containers, said neck holders being carried by said upper starwheel and having a height that is at least one-half the height of said neck portion;
• a lower starwheel, vertically spaced apart from said upper starwheel, said lower starwheel having a plurality of open pockets formed in the periphery thereof to accept the flattened main body portion of said glass containers, said open pockets being generally in vertical alignment with said neck holders;
• a fixed slide plate upon which said glass containers ride during indexing;
• a circular spinner pad at at least one of the inspection stations for spinning a glass container positioned thereon;
• a lower guide rail positioned to prevent escape of said main body portion of said glass containers from said open pockets in said lower starwheel;
• an upper guide rail positioned in contact with said neck portion of said glass containers, said upper guide rail having a height that is at least one-half the height of said neck portion;
• and
• said upper and lower guide rails confining the containers to the area of the pockets in the starwheels but permitting rotation of the containers so confined about their vertical axes.