Blow molding apparatus varying pitch between holding plate rows

A blow molding apparatus comprising two rows of holding plates each holding at least one preform;

• supporting and conveying means for conveying said two rows of holding plates into a blow molding station while slidably supporting said two rows of holding plates so that the row pitch between said holding plate rows will be variable;
• two rows of blow molds located in said blow molding station at positions corresponding to said two rows of holding plates and positioned to blow mold said performs into hollow articles;
• and a clamping/releasing device for opening and closing said two rows of blow molds, said two rows of blow molds being formed by two first mold halves fixedly mounted opposite to each other and two second mold halves each arranged opposite to the corresponding first mold half and movable toward and away from the first mold half, said clamping/releasing device comprising first and second clamping plates each fixedly mounted on the respective one of the two second mold halves on the opposite sides of the two first mold halves fixedly arranged opposite to each other;
• a movable drive plate disposed outside the first clamping plate;
• a clamp shaft fixedly mounted at one end on said drive plate, the other end of said clamp shaft extending through said first clamping plate and fixedly connected to the second clamping plate;
• and an opening/closing drive mechanism for driving said drive plate and said first clamping plate to change the distance therebetween and to open and close the first and second clamping plates.

A blow molding apparatus comprising:

• two rows of holding plates each for holding at least one preform;
• supporting and conveying means for conveying said two rows of holding plates into a blow molding station while slidably supporting said holding plates so that the row pitch between said holdings plate rows is variable;
• a row pitch changing and setting linkage for changing and setting the row pitch in said two rows of holding plates;
• two rows of blow molds comprising two first mold halves fixedly mounted opposite with each other and two second mold halves each arranged opposite to the corresponding first mold half and movable toward and away from the first mold half;
• a clamping/releasing device for opening and closing said second mold halves;
• and
• a row pitch changing and driving linkage for driving said row pitch changing and setting linkage in association with release of said second mold halves,
• said row pitch changing and setting linkage comprising:
• two first support shafts arranged respectively on the opposite end faces of the two rows of holding plates in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said pitch;
• two first links each rotatably supported at one end around the corresponding one of said first support shafts;
• and
• two second support shafts each for rotatably supporting the other end of the corresponding one of said first link in a coaxial or non-coaxial manner,
• said row pitch changing and driving linkage comprising:
• two third support shafts movable with said two second mold halves;
• two second links each pivotally connected at one end to the corresponding one of said two third support shafts in a coaxial or non-coaxial manner;
• and
• fourth support shafts pivotally supporting the other ends of said two second links in a coaxial or non-coaxial manner,
• said clamping/releasing device comprising:
• first and second clamping plates each fixedly mounted on the respective one of the two second mold halves on the opposite sides of the two first mold halves fixedly arranged opposite to each other;
• a drive plate disposed outside the first clamping plate;
• a clamp shaft fixedly mounted at one end on said drive plate, the other end of said clamp shaft extending through said first clamping plate and fixedly connected to the second clamping plate;
• and
• an opening/closing drive mechanism for driving said drive plate and first clamping plate to change the distance therebetween and to open and close the first and second clamping plates,
• whereby the opening motion of said two second mold halves upwardly moves said fourth support shafts to move said second support shafts upwardly and to increase the row pitch in said two rows of holding plates.