Method and apparatus for stretching and crystallizing the neck finish of a molded plastic article

Apparatus for treating a series of molded plastic articles, each article having a relatively wide and thin-walled blow-molded body portion and a relatively narrow and thick-walled unexpanded neck finish portion, the apparatus comprising:

• a series of platforms carried by a conveying apparatus that transports the platforms along a predetermined path of travel through a finish widening station;
• each platform having a top surface and a mating mechanism for engaging the body portion of one article, the top surface engaging a bottom surface and the mating mechanism engaging a sidewall surface of the body portion of the one article;
• the finish widening station comprising a mandrel insertable within and removable from an open top aperture of the finish portion to widen the finish portion, wherein the mandrel has a lower tapered body portion insertable into the open top aperture of the finish portion for widening the neck finish portion from a first neck size to an expanded second neck size and the mandrel further includes a cooled upper body portion of the second expanded neck size for cooling the expanded neck finish portion;
• and
• the mating mechanism adjustably receiving and engaging against the sidewall portion to hold the one article in a steady position relative to the platform during insertion and removal of the mandrel from the aperture.