Apparatus for molding plastic articles

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FORMING PLASTIC ARTICLES, COMPRISING (A) A CARRIER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER TABLES WITH SPACED PARALLEL FACING SURFACES, (B) A VERTICAL SHAFT ON WHICH THE CARRIER IS ROTATABLY MOUNTED, (C) A SERIES OF MOLDS MOUNTED ON THE CARRIER IN A CIRCLE CONCENTRIC OF THE SHAFT, EACH MOLD HAVING A HALF MOUNTED ON EACH OF THE SAID TABLE SURFACES, (D) A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER ASSOCAITED WITH EACH MOLD FOR MOVING THE HALVES TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER, (E) A SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE, AND (F) COMMUTATION MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE SOURCE TO THE CYLINDERS IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER AS THE CARRIER IS ROTATED ABOUT THE SHAFT, THE COMMUNICATION MEANS CONSISTING OF A SLEEVE FIXED TO THE SHAFT AND CONCENTRIC THEREWITH, THE SLEEVE HAVING A SERIES OF PASSAGE ENTERING AT THE LOWER EDGE AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE, THE PASSAGES ALSO OPENING ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE, THE CARRIER BEING FORMED WITH A DOWNWARDLY-DIRECTED BORE HAVING A CYCLINDRICAL SURFACE WHICH FITS SLIDABLY OVER THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE, THE CARRIER HAVING PASSAGES LEADING TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CYLINDERS, EACH CARRIER PASSAGE OPENING ON THE SAID SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE, TO COINCIDE, ON OCCASION, WITH THE OPENINGS OF THE SLEEVE PASSAGES ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SLEEVE, THE SLEEVE AND THE CARRIER PASSAGES COOPERATING TO PROVIDE FLUID AT HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CYLINDER AND CONNECT THEM TO DRAIN, ON OCCASION.