Molding apparatus

Claim 1

MOLDING APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MOLDING OF ARTICLES FROM THERMALLY EXPANDABLE PARTICULATE PLASTIC MATERIAL COMPRISING: A PAIR OF OPPOSED MOLD SUPPORTS OF WHICH ONE, AT LEAST, IS MOVABLE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER FOR CLOSING AND OPENING MOLDS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTS, AND A PLURALITY OF MOLDS RESPECTIVELY FORMED OF AT LEAST TWO SEPARABLE SECTIONS WHICH ARE COMPLEMENTARY TO EACH OTHER AND WHICH WHEN CLOSED WITH EACH OTHER DEFINE A MOLDING CAVITY; ONE SECTION OF EACH SAID MOLD BEING MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID MOLD SUPPORTS AND THE COMPLEMENTARY SECTION OF EACH SAID MOLD BEING MOUNTED ON THE OTHER OF SAID MOLD SUPPORTS PROVIDING A PAIR OF COMPOSITE BATTERIES OF MOLD SECTIONS DIRECTED TOWARDS EACH OTHER AND RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID MOLD SUPPORTS; EACH SAID MOLD SUPPORT INCLUDING: A RIGID BOX-LIKE FRAME WITH OPEN SIDES PROVIDING CLEAR PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND RENDERING THE INTERIOR OF SAID RIGID FRAME ACCESSIBLE FROM EACH SAID SIDE, AND A PLURALITY OF MOUNTING BARS SECURED TO SAID FRAME IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION SPANNING AN OPEN SIDE OF SAID FRAME; SAID MOUNTING BARS BEING REPLACEABLE ON SAID FRAME RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER; EACH SAID MOLD SECTION INCLUDING: A PARTING FACE WHICH CONFRONTS THE PARTING FACE ON ITS COMPLEMENTARY MOLD SECTION IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE MOLD, AND A FLANGE IN A PREDETERMINED STANDARD POSITION RELATIVE TO THE PARTING FACE OF THE SAME SECTION AND ENGAGING SAID MOUNTING BARS ON ONE OF SAID MOLD SUPPORTSD; SECURING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID MOLD SECTIONS TO SAID MOUNTING BARS BY THEIR RESPECTIVE FLANGES; SAID SECURRING MEANS PERMITTING ADJUSTMENT OF SAID MOLD SECTIONS ALONG SAID MOUNTING BARS FOR ALIGNING EACH SAID MOLD SECTION ON ONE OF SAID SUPPORTS WITH ITS COMPLEMENTARY SECTION ON THE OPPOSITE SUPPORT; SAID PARTING FACES OF SAID MOLD SECTIONS IN EACH SAID BATTERY BEING ALIGNED IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE PERMITTING SIMULTANEOUS CLOSING OF ALL SAID MOLDS AT A PREDETERMINED SHUT-HEIGHT; CHARGING FACILITIES AT THE REAR OF AT LEAST ONE SECTION OF EACH SAID MOLD, SAID CHARGING FACILITIES BEING ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE OPEN SIDE AT THE REAR OF THE RIGID FRAME CARRYING SAID MOUNTING BARS TO WHICH SAID MOLD SECTION IS ATTACHED, FOR CONNECTION TO MOLD CHARGING APPARATUS; AND MECHANISM FOR MOVING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SUPPORTS IN A DIRECTION TOO EFFECT SIMULTANEOUS CLOSING OF ALL SAID MOLDS AT A PREDETERMINED SHUT-HEIGHT AS AFORESAID, FOR MAINTAINING SAID MOLDS IN THEIR CLOSED POSITION DURING EXPANSION OF SAID PLASTIC MATERIAL THEREIN DURING MOLDING AND FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO EFFECT SIMULTANEOUS OPENING OF SAID MOLDS.