Continental Pet Technologies, Inc.

Harry L Ieuan

Suppayan M Krishnakumar

Thomas E Nahill

Rolf Grob

Method of securing a separate handle ( ) to a plastic blow-molded container, the container having a molded external flange which is not subject to stretching during the blow-molding process. The flange has a substantially flat underside face and serves as a rigid support for the handle ( ) when a substantially flat upper abutment surface of the handle ( ) is positioned against the flange. Preferably, the upper end of the handle ( ) has a downwardly extending lug ( ) which is surrounded by the blow-molded sidewall of the container. The preform and handle ( ) can be brought together into position where the upper end of the handle is adjacent to the underside of the external flange by relative movement of the preform and handle ( ) towards each other along a first path which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform. In addition, the handle ( ) and preform can be brought together prior to their introduction into the mold, and then introduced together into the blow mold along a second path which is also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform. Further, the preform can be heated prior to introduction into the mold, while the handle ( ) remains unheated.

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Nashua, NH, United States of America

Harry L Ieuan