Injection-molding machine and unthreading means therefor

Claim 1

IN AN INJECTION-MOLDING MACHINE HAVING A DIVIDED MOLD WITH A PLURALITY OF PORTIONS SEPARABLE BY RELATIVE MOTION ALONG A MOLD AXIS, ONE OF SAID PORTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH A SWINGABLE CARRIER FOR DISPLACEMENT IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO SAID MOLD AXIS, THE LAST-MENTIONED MOLD PORTION HAVING AT LEAST ONE CAVITY WITH PERIPHERAL SCREW THREADS FOR THE MOLDING OF A COMPLEMENTARILY THREADED ARTICLE PROJECTING FROM SAID CAVITY UPON SEPARATION OF SAID PORTIONS, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF AN UNTHREADING STATION OFFSET FROM SAID MOLD AXIS COMPRISING: A HOLDER DISPLACEABLE IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID MOLD AXIS AND INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS OF LIMITED RELATIVE AXIAL MOBILITY; ROTATABLE GRIPPER MEANS ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE PROJECTING PART OF A MOLDED ARTICLE IN A SWUNG-OUT POSITION OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED MOLD PORTION; FIRST DRIVE MEANS COUPLED WITH THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND SAID GRIPPER MEANS FOR ROTATING AND AXIALLY ADVANCING THE LATTER WITH A RESULTING HELICAL MOTION AT A PITCH CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF SAID SCREW THREADS; SECOND DRIVE MEANS ON SAID HOLDER FOR FURTHER ADVANCING SAID GRIPPER MEANS BY RELATIVELY SHIFTING SAID MEMBERS UPON DEACTIVATION OF SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS WHEREBY SAID GRIPPER MEANS CAN BE MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MOLDED ARTICLE FROM A TERMINAL POSITION PROXIMAL TO THE SWUNG-OUT MOLD PORTION; AND SWITCH MEANS EFFECTIVE UPON SUCH ENGAGEMENT FOR REVERSE-OPERATING SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS TO UNTHREAD SAID MOLDED ARTICLE FROM SAID CAVITY.