Apparatus for handling and treating tubular plastic containers

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND TREATING SLEEVES COMPRISING A MANDREL HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE SLEEVES TO BE TREATED FOR RECEIVING AND FIRMLY HOLDING A SLEEVE THEREON IN TELESCOPING RELATION, CONVEYOR MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PROCESSION OF SLEEVES IN END-TO-END RELATION FOR ADVANCING SLEEVES TOWARD SAID MANDREL, A STOP ELEMENT DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID CONVERYOR MEANS TO ARREST ADVANCEMENT OF SAID PROCESS SION OF SLEEVES, A PRESURE MEMBER DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID SLEEVES BEHIND THE LEADING SLEEVE OF SAID PROCESSION TO HOLD BACK SAID PROCESSION OF SLEEVES, MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID STOP ELEMENT AND SAID PRESSURE MEMBER IN TIMED RELATION, A SLEEVE LOCATION HOPPER INTERMEDIATE SAID MANDREL AND SAID CONVEYOR MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID LEADING SLEEVE, FINGER MEANS RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID HOPPER FOR COVEYING SAID LEADING SLEEVE TO SAID HOPPER, A PUSHER HEAD DISPOSED IN SAID HOPPER AND RECIPROCABLE RELATIVE TO SAID MANDREL TO ADVANCE SAID SLEEVE IN SAID HOPPER TO A POSITION ON SAID MANDREL, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PUSHER HEAD, MEANS FOR TREATING THE SLEEVE ON THE MANDREL, AND MEANS FOR STRIPPING THE SLEEVE FROM THE MANDREL.