Apparatus for injection molding

Claim 1

AN INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN INJECTION MOLD INCLUDING SEPARABLE MOLD HALVES HAVING MATING FACES DEFINING A MOLD CAVITY, MOLD EVACUATION MEANS FOR EVACUATING SAID MOLD CAVITY; A SUPPLY VESSEL ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A SUPPLY OF MOLDING MATERIAL, MEANS FOR VACUUM SEALING SAID MOLDING MATERIAL SUPPLY VESSEL, VESSEL EVACUATION MEANS FOR EVACUATING SAID SUPPLY VESSEL; VACUUM-TIGHT CONVEYOR MEANS FOR GUIDING MOLDING MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY VESSEL INTO SAID MOLD CAVITY, HEATING MEANS POSITIONED IN THE VICINITY OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS PROVIDING WITHIN SAID CONVEYOR MEANS A HEATING ZONE FOR RENDERING THE MOLDING MATERIAL INTO A PLIABLE STATE BEFORE INJECTION THEREOF INTO SAID MOLD CAVITY; A DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF THE MOLDING MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID SUPPLY VESSEL AND SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, CHAMBER EVACUATION MEANS FOR EVACUATING SAID DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER, SAID DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER BEING POSITIONED BELOW SAID SUPPLY VESSEL, THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SUPPLY VESSEL HAVING AN APERTURE ADAPTED TO PERMIT THE DROPPING OF MOLDING MATERIAL INTO SAID DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER, SAID DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER HAVING A LARGER CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF THE APERTURE IN SAID SUPPLY VESSEL THEREBY INSURING THE FREE FALL OF MOLDING MATERIAL THROUGH SAID DEGASSING VACUUM CHAMBER; SAID SEPARABLE MOLD HALVES MEANS IN SAID MATING FACES DEFINING A GUARD VACUUM CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID MOLD CAVITY, SAID MATING FACES HAVING PARTING SURFACES DEFINING A WALL SEPARATING SAID GUARD VACUUM CHAMBER FROM SAID MOLD CAVITY WITH THE INJECTION MOLD IN A CLOSED POSITION, AND GUARD VACUUM EVACUATION MEANS INDEPENDENT OF SAID MOLD EVACUATION MEANS FOR EVACUATING SAID GUARD VACUUM CHAMBER.