CLAIMS :

1. A rotary blow moulding apparatus, which comprises a spatially fixed die and extrusion system arranged to extrude a free hanging parison, in combination with a. rotary turret which is arranged for intermittent rotation about a horizontal axis, the turret carrying mould
assemblies which are controlled and" effective in
succession to collect successive portions of the parison, the apparatus having severance means arranged for severing the said successive portions of parison on collection, and the turret being thereafter effective to accelerate the moulds with the parison portions therein away from the parent parison so as to create a gap behind each parison portion, and hold them for their inflation by blow arms introduced into the respective gaps and effective on their trailing ends.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, which includes a cam assembly arranged to oscillate generally in synchronism with the indexing movements of the mould assemblies and the dwell periods between them, in such a way that relative movement always exists between the cam assembly and the rotary turret.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the severance means is effective on the parison at a time when the mould assembly is accelerating and its speed is substantially the same as the extrusion speed of the parison.
4. A method of blow moulding thermoplastics articles, which comprises :- extruding a free-hanging thermoplastics parison in a vertically downward direction;

intermittently rotating a plurality of moulds in a circular, vertically oriented path about a horizontal axis of rotation, the vertically oriented path lying adjacent to the thermoplastic parison, and movement of the moulds in the path presenting each mould in turn to the parison in a downward direction;
at a time when the mould is accelerating downwardly and the speeds of the parison and mould have become susta tially equal,
closing each so-presented mould onto the
parison, and
severing from the parent parison the parison length thereby held in the mould; and
after the mould has accelerated away from the parent parison to create a gap between, the parison length and the parent parison,
moving the respective blow arm into the gap and engaging it with the trailing end of the parison length to effect blow moulding.
5. A rotary blow moulding apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A method of rotary blow moulding" thermoplastics articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.