Footwear sole-injection-molding apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for injection molding soles onto lasted footwear uppers, the apparatus comprising a mold ring for defining the sidewalls of a sloe mold cavity, a bottom mold member engageable with said mold ring, a top mold member comprising a footform for mounting a lasted upper, said top mold member being engageable with said mold ring to enclose the mold cavity defined by said mold ring, said top mold member and said bottom mold member, barrier means disposed in said mold cavity between said bottom mold member and said top mold member for dividing said cavity into outer and inner nonconnected zones of free space, said barrier means being relatively narrow and extending about the periphery of said inner zone, and first and second passageways for directing molten material into said outer and inner zones respectively.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 in which the material passes through the passageways into the outer and inner zones sequentially.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 in which said barrier means is disposed on said bottom mold member, and in which the bottom mold member is movable to a first position in which said barrier means divides said mold cavity into said outer and inner zones, said bottom mold member being responsive to injection into said inner zone to move to a second position whereby to enlarge said inner zone.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 in which said barrier means engages said top mold member when the bottom mold member is in the first position in the mold cavity.

Claim 6

Apparatus for injection molding a sole in two stages onto a lasted footwear upper, the apparatus comprising a mold ring for defining the sidewalls of a sole mold cavity, a top mold member comprising a footform for mounting the lasted footwear upper, said top mold member being movable toward said mold ring for engagement therewith, a bottom mold member, barrier means disposed on said bottom mold member, said bottom mold member being movable to a position within said mold ring in which said barrier divides said cavity into outer and inner nonconnected zones of free space, said barrier means being relatively narrow and extending about the periphery of said inner zone, said mold ring having at least one sprue passage therein interconnecting a first source of molding material and said outer zone, said bottom mold member having at least one sprue passage therein interconnecting a second source of molding material and said inner zone.

Claim 7

Apparatus for injection molding a sole in two stages onto a lasted footwear upper, the apparatus comprising a mold ring for defining the sidewalls of a sole mold cavity, a top mold member comprising a footform for mounting the lasted footwear upper, said top mold member being movable toward said mold ring for engagement therewith, a bottom mold member, barrier means disposed on said bottom mold member, said bottom mold member being movable to a position within said mold ring in which said barrier divides said cavity into outer and inner nonconnected zones of free space, said barrier means being relatively narrow and extending about the periphery of said inner zone, said mold ring having at least one sprue passage therein interconnecting a first source of molding material and said outer zone, said bottom mold member having at least one sprue passage therein interconnecting a second source of molding material and said inner zone.

Claim 8

Apparatus for injection molding a sole onto a lasted footwear upper, said apparatus comprising a mold ring for defining the edge of the molded sole, a bottom mold member for defining the bottom of the molded sole, a top mold member comprising a footform for mounting a lasted upper to which the sole is to be molded, said top mold member being movable toward said mold ring whereby to engage said upper with said mold ring and enclose a mold cavity, barrier means mounted on said bottom mold member, said bottom mold member being movable to a first position within said mold ring in which said barrier means divides said mold cavity into outer and inner nonconnected zones, said barrier means being relatively narrow and extending about the periphery of said inner zone, conduit means in said mold ring for injecting a first injection material into said outer zone, and conduit means in said bottom mold member for injecting a second injection material into said inner zone, said second injection material operating to move said bottom mold member to a second position whereby to enlarge said inner zone, the enlarged inner zone being defined in part by the first injection material in the mold cavity.

Claim 9

Apparatus for injection molding a sole onto a lasted footwear upper, said apparatus comprising a mold ring for defining the edge of the molded sole, a bottom mold member for defining the bottom of the molded sole, a top mold member comprising a footform for mounting a lasted upper to which the sole is to be molded, said top mold member being movable toward said mold ring whereby to engage said upper with said mold ring and enclose a mold cavity, barrier means mounted on said bottom mold member, said bottom mold member being movable to a first position within said mold ring in which said barrier means divides said mold cavity into outer and inner nonconnected zones, said barrier means being relatively narrow and extending about the periphery of said inner zone, conduit means in said mold ring for injecting a first injection material into said outer zone, and conduit means in said bottom mold member for injecting a second injection material into said inner zone, said second injection material operating to move said bottom mold member to a second position whereby to enlarge said inner zone, the enlarged inner zone being defined in part by the first injection material in the mold cavity.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 2 in which said barrier means is disposed on said top mold member for dividing said mold cavity into said outer and inner zones when said bottom mold member is in a first position and said bottom mold member is responsive to injection into said inner zone to move to a second position whereby to enlarge said inner zone.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 7 in which said barrier means is engageable with said bottom mold member when the bottom mold member is in the first position in the mold cavity.