Method and apparatus for feeding container bodies

A conveyor assembly for transporting container bodies from one or more first locations to one or more second locations, the conveyor assembly including:

• primary pneumatic conveyor means for conveying container bodies from a first location to a second location;
• a plurality of diverter gates along the primary conveyor means to divert the conveyed container bodies from a primary conveyor path to one of a plurality of alternate conveyor paths;
• a plurality of converger gates along the primary conveyor means to direct the conveyed container bodies from one of a plurality of alternate conveyor paths to a primary conveyor path;
• a plurality of sensors associated with each converger gate upstream thereof and a plurality of sensors associated with each diverter gate downstream thereof for effecting the switching of each gate.

A method of feeding a flow of container bodies to one or a plurality of base cupping machines from one or a plurality of blow molding machines comprising:

• providing primary conveyor means for feeding container bodies from a blow molding machine toward a base cupping machine;
• providing a secondary conveyor means for feeding container bodies from the primary conveyor means to a preselected base cupping machine;
• positioning diverter and converter blades at the function of the primary and secondary conveyor means to direct container bodies along a preselected path to a preselected base cupping machine, the diverter blades being adapted to forward conveyed container bodies from a primary conveyor path to one of a plurality of alternate conveyor paths and the converger blade adapted to direct the conveyed container bodies from one of a plurality of alternate conveyor paths to a primary conveyor path;
• sensing the movement of container bodies upstream of each blade and downstream of each blade along the primary conveyor and secondary conveyor;
• and
• controlling the blades through programmable control means in response to signals from the sensing adjacent to the blades.