Provided is an apparatus that conveys container pre-forms comprising a first circulating carrier and a plurality of engagement devices constructed and arranged on the first circulating carrier. The engagement devices circulate along a pre-set circulation path during a movement of the first circulating carrier. The circulation path has at least one portion at which the engagement devices are fed during the movement along the circulation path onto a flow of the containers. The engagement devices are shaped such that during the feed onto the flow of the containers each engagement device applies a force between two adjacent containers and forces the two containers apart from each other.