Arrangement for identifying and removing associated preforms from a continuous transfer line

An apparatus for transferring preforms from an upper loading station to a lower unloading station, comprising:

• two inclined parallel rails extending from said upper loading station to said lower unloading station, said two inclined parallel rails being separated by a gap that is arranged to receive plural preforms therein and allow said plural preforms to travel in an orderly sequence between said two inclined parallel rails;
• and
• a device that is adapted to intercept and remove, from said plural preforms, a joined preform that has one preform positioned within another preform while the another preform is supported by said two inclined parallel rails via a collar of the another preform engaging said two inclined parallel rails such that a collar of the one preform is spaced from an upper edge of said two inclined parallel rails by a distance that is greater than a predetermined value,
• wherein said device includes plural rotary forks, each of said plural rotary forks including two outer parallel arms that are positioned above said two inclined parallel rails, said plural rotary forks being rotatable about a common axis such that said two outer parallel arms of each of said plural rotary forks is capable of moving into a first position at which the collar of the one preform is engaged by a respective said two outer parallel arms and a second position at which said respective said two parallel arms lift and rotate the one and the another preform from said gap so as to remove and eject the joined preform from said two inclined parallel rails.