Preform conveying device

A preform conveying device, receiving, via an unloading device (31), preforms (P), which have been molded by an injection molding machine having a plurality of preform molding cavities aligned vertically and laterally, and supplying said preforms (P) to a subsequent process side upon alignment in single rows, said device comprising:

• a preform aligning part (1), having a slide table (3) installed on a frame (2) in a manner enabling sliding in a Y-direction that is a single horizontal direction and having, on said slide table (3), slide plates (4), each provided with supporting parts (11) that respectively hold individual preforms (P) in inverted states at alignment positions corresponding to the alignment of the preforms (P) in a single vertical row of said unloading device (31), said slide plates (4) being at least the same in number as the number of vertical rows of said unloading device (31) and being aligned parallel to a horizontal X-direction, perpendicular to the Y-direction, at intervals corresponding to the alignment of said vertical rows in a manner enabling sliding individually in the X-direction;
• and a grip conveyor (21), having grips (22) formed of a rubber-like soft material for holding said preforms (P) in a sandwiching manner and having, in a state in which a conveying line (L) formed thereby is aligned in direction in the X-direction and inclined by the raising of a downstream part, an upstream end positioned above said preform alignment part (1);
• wherein each slide plate (4), upon being successively set by the sliding of said slide table (3) in the Y-direction so that its Y-direction position matches the Y-direction position of the conveying line (L) formed by said grip conveyor (21), is slid in the X-direction at substantially the same speed as the conveying speed of said grip conveyor (21) and moved below said grip conveyor (21) as the individual preforms (P) are transferred to the grip conveyor (21).