Machine and method for molding heat-curable articles

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSION MOLDING ARTICLES OF THERMO PLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED DIE MEMBERS, ONE OF WHICH IS MOVABLE AXIALLY RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, ONE OF SAID DIE MEMBERS CARRYING A PLURALITY OF MOLDING DIES RELATIVELY MOVABLE FROM CLOSED MOLDING POSITION TO OPEN ARTICLE-DISCHARGING POSITION, SAID PLURALITY OF MOLDING DIES COMPRISING A PAIR OF HINGED DIES SHAPED TO FORM WHEN CLOSED AN OPEN CAVITY RECESSED TRANSVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF THE DIE MEMBERS; CLOSING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PAIR OF MOLDING DIES TO CLOSED POSITION; A COMPANION CAVITY-CLOSING DIE ON THE OTHER DIE MEMBER; COOPERATING INCLINED CUT-OFF SURFACES ON SAID PAIR OF DIES AND SAID COMPANION DIE; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DIE MEMBERS TOGETHER ON A STRIP OF MOLDING MATERIAL TO BRING SAID CUT-OFF SURFACES TOGETHER TO BLANK A PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL THEREFROM AND FILL THE CAVITY FORMED BY SAID PAIR OF MOLDING DIES AND SAID COMPANION DIE MEMBER WITH SAID MOLDABLE MATERIAL TO MOLD THE ARTICLE; MEANS FOR SEPARATING SAID COMPANION DIE AND SAID PAIR OF MOLDING DIES LEAVING THE MOLDED ARTICLE TRAPPED IN SAID PAIR OF MOLDING DIES; AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING SAID PLURALITY OF MOLDING DIES TO PERMIT THE ESCAPE THEREFROM OF THE MOLDED ARTICLE, AFTER WHICH THE DIES OF THE PAIR ARE MOVED TO CLOSED POSITION BY SAID CLOSING MEANS, THE INCLINED CUT-OFF SURFACES OF THE COMPANION DIE OVERLAPPING THE INCLINED CUT-OFF SURFACES OF THE PAIR OF DIES TO FORCE THE LATTER TIGHTLY IN CLOSED POSITION AND HOLD THEM THUS AGAINST THE TENDENCY OF THE MOLDING MATERIAL UNDER COMPRESSION IN THE CAVITY TO PART THE MOLDING DIES.