The most varied devices for the handling of containers, such as labeling machines, blow molding machines, inspection devices for containers and the like, for example, are already known from the state of the art. The use of plastic bottles as beverage containers has become ever more prevalent in recent times. During the manufacturing process, such types of plastic containers are initially present as molding blanks, although the threading is already preformed, however. The body of this molding blank is heated and then inflated during a blowing process, so that the finished plastic bottle is made available as the result of this blowing process.
It is thereby necessary to guide the molding blanks in an appropriate manner and, in particular, to guide them in an appropriate manner during the heating process and the actual blowing process. For this purpose, the devices have a mandrel that engages in the aperture of the container and thus guides the container.
Thus, this mandrel must have a precisely defined length relative to the container or to the aperture of the container, as the case may be. A mandrel that is too long leads to the fact that the heating may proceed defectively, particularly in the area below the threading. A mandrel that is too short can lead to the fact that the container does not have a secure hold relative to the mandrel.
Molding blanks and containers or bottles, as the case may be, which have a shorter threading or a shorter aperture relative to earlier containers, as the case may be, have recently become known. This shorter threading serves, in particular, to save weight in the aperture of the container, as well as to save on manufacturing costs.
Both containers with longer threadings as well as containers with shorter threadings, whereby these threadings have the same cross-section, are thereby handled on the same apparatuses or devices. In the event that it is necessary to switch from one such type of bottle to another type of bottle, in particular, it is necessary to adjust the height of the mandrel or the position of the mandrel, as the case may be, relative to the container. This is necessary because the support- or securing rings, as the case may be, must lie in a precisely defined plane below the threadings during the processing of the containers, even in the case of different type of bottles.
For this purpose, it is also known from the state of the art to replace the entire mandrel in order to slightly lower its working position, in which it is inserted into the aperture, in order to adjust the position of the mandrel to a shorter threading. Thus, the position of the support- or securing ring, as the case may be, can always remain in the same plane, even with different types of threadings during each handling process.
In the state of the art, the mandrels are thereby inserted into the container or into its aperture, as the case may be, from the top, and then removed again after the corresponding handling process.
Switching from one type of container to another type of container is thereby associated with very high expense, however, since each mandrel support must be provided with another mandrel corresponding to the same.
In addition, devices in which the position of the mandrel relative to the container or relative to a clamp that holds the neck of the containers, as the case may be, is varied by means of a rotational process, are also known. This rotational process is also relatively time-consuming, however, and must be carried out manually.