Method and apparatus for blow molding hollow plastic containers

A mold system for blow molding hollow plastic containers, which includes:

• a first mold segment,
• a second mold segment movable with respect to the first mold segment between a closed position against said first mold segment forming a mold cavity and an open position spaced from said first mold segment,
• a third mold segment comprising a mold core mounted on said first mold segment for movement between an extended position extending into said mold cavity and a retracted position withdrawn from said mold cavity,
• an extruder for extruding a hollow tube of plastic material between said first and second mold segments in said open position of said mold segments, and
• a blow pin on one of said mold segments for piercing the extruded tube and blowing the tube to the confines of said mold cavity formed by said first and second mold segments in said closed position and said mold core in said extended position,
• wherein the blow pin forms a blow pin hole when the blow pin pierces the extruded tube, and the blow pin hole forms a drainback opening in the container.

A mold system for molding a hollow plastic container having an outlet portion and an axis through the outlet portion, comprising:

• a mold having mold segments that form a mold cavity having a portion for forming the outlet portion of the container and a mold axis parallel to the axis of the outlet portion of the container,
• an extruder for extruding between said mold segments a tube of plastic material having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said mold axis,
• means for closing said mold segments to capture said extruded tube between said mold segments,
• a blow pin on one of said mold segments and extendable into said cavity through said outlet-forming portion of said cavity,
• means for blowing said captured extended tube through said blow pin to the confines of said cavity,
• at least one mold core on one of said mold segments and on which said blow pin is movably mounted, said mold core being extendable and retractable in a direction parallel said axis of said mold cavity, and
• means for extending said mold core into said cavity to form the outlet portion in the container, and retracting said mold core and said blow pin from said cavity to release the outlet portion in the container as molded.