Apparatus and method for molding cup-shaped bodies

Claim 1

IN A MOLDING PRESS, AN ASSEMBLY USEFUL IN PRESSING FROM MOLDABLE GRANULAR MATERIAL A UNITARY CUP-SHAPED BODY WITH AT LEAST ONE WIRE PASSING THROUGH THE BASE OF SAID BODY GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY FROM THE EXTERNAL SIDE SURFACE OF SAID BASE TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID BASE AND THENCE FLUSH WITH SAID INNER SURFACE, COMPRISING A STATIONARY DIE BLOCK HAVING A VERTICAL BORE THERETHROUGH AND AT LEAST ONE GROOVE IN THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID BLOCK EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY FROM AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE, SAID GROOVE ADAPTED TO LOOSELY HOLD A PIECE OF WIRE IN PREDETERMINED POSITION WITH A PORTION EXTENDING INTO SAID BORE, MEANS POSITIONED IN AND COOPERATING WITH SAID BORE TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR MOLD CAVITY COMPRISING A CORE MEMBER WITH MEANS FOR NORMALLY POSITIONING THE TOP END OF SAID CORE MEMBER AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL OF SAID GROOVE TO THEREBY FORM A SUPPORT FOR THE END OF THE EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID WIRE AND AXIALLY MOVABLE SURROUNDING MEANS WITH MEANS FOR NORMALLY POSITIONING THE TOP END OF SAID SURROUNDING MEANS AT A LEVEL BELOW THE TOP END OF SAID CORE MEMBER, MEANS FOR RESTRICTING DOWNWARD DISPLACEMENT OF SAID CORE MEMBER AND SAID AXIALLY MOVABLE SURROUNDING MEANS DURING COMPRESSION OF SAID MOLDABLE MATERIAL, MEANS ARRANGED OVER THE TOP OF SAID DIE BLOCK FOR LOOSELY HOLDING SAID WIRE IN SAID GROOVE AND HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF THE DIAMETER OF SAID BORE IN REGISTER THEREWITH THEREBY INCREASING THE MOLD CAVITY CAPACITY FOR MOLDABLE MATERIAL TO FORM SAID BASE, AND MEANS FOR COMPRESSING A CHARGE OF MOLDABLE MATERIAL AND WIRE PLACED IN SAID MOLD CAVITY.