PET bottle gripping device

An apparatus for gripping and retaining PET bottles in a filling system, said apparatus comprising a passive clamping system, said passive clamping system comprising a first pivotable gripping arm that pivots about a first pivot axle and a second pivotable gripping arm that pivots about a second axle, said first and second pivotable gripping arms being acted on by one of a spring and permanent magnets, wherein said first pivotable gripping arm comprises a first extension on an other side of said first pivot axle and said second pivotable gripping arm comprises a second extension on an other side of said second pivot axle, said first and second extensions comprising receptacles for guiding at least one compression spring and for applying a bending force to at least one of said at least one compression spring and to sub-segments of said at least one compression spring, said receptacles being selected from the group consisting of rod-shaped receptacles and rail-shaped receptacles, a first permanent magnet arranged in said receptacles for guiding said at least one compression spring, and a second permanent magnet arranged in said receptacles for guiding said at least one compression spring, and wherein said second permanent magnet and said first permanent magnet being oriented with opposing poles so as to attract each other.