Blow-moulding installation for fabricating a container from a blank

Blow-moulding installation (10) for the fabrication of a container from a blank (12), the installation comprising:

• a mould (20) which bounds an internal moulding cavity (18) in which the blank (12) can be arranged in such a way that an upper neck (14) of the blank (12) emerges from the cavity (18) of the mould (20),
• a blowing nozzle (28) which is movably mounted between a rest position in which the nozzle (28) is arranged above the neck (14) of the blank (12), and a blowing position in which the nozzle (28) capping the mould (20) is suitable for conveying a pressurized fluid into the blank (12), and
• a locking device (46) which comprises at least one means (46a) for locking the nozzle (28) and the mould (20) in the said blowing position, the locking means (46a) comprising at least one female element (48a) carried by the mould (20) and at least one male locking element (58a) which, joined to the nozzle (28), is movably mounted between:
• a locking position in which the male element (58a) cooperates with the female element (48a) to lock the nozzle (28) to the mould (20) in its blowing position, and
• an unlocking position in which the male element (58a) is released from the female element (48a) to allow the nozzle (28) to return to its rest position,
• characterized in that the locking means (46a) comprises a first means (98a) for returning the male element (58a) to its locking position, and in that the male element (58a) comprises an actuating surface (64a) which, during the movement of the nozzle (28) towards its blowing position, cooperates with a matching control surface (54a) joined to the mould (20) in order to mechanically force the male element (58a) towards its locking position against the first return means (98a), the said male element (58a) being returned automatically to its locking position when the nozzle (28) occupies its blowing position.