Abstract An apparatus for manufacturing ceramic articles, such a tableware. A charge of substantially dry powder is introduced into a mold cavity defined between a substantially rigid mold member and a flexible mold member, and then one of these mold members is urged toward the other to compress the charge in the cavity between the mold members so as to give to the charge a predetermined configuration. Thereafter, the charge is removed from the mold and fired. In this mold, the flexible mold member is in the form of an elastic member capable of resiliently retracting itself from the charge when the molding pressure is released. A restraining means coacts with the flexible elastic mold member to prevent the latter from exerting on the charge any radial forces so that the elastic mold member will move toward and away from the charge but will not have any tendency to rub along the surface of the charge.
For use in the manufacture of ceramic articles, a mold having a central axis and comprising a rigid mold member extending substantially perpendicularly across said axis and a flexible, elastic mold member also extending substantially perpendicularly across said central mold axis, said flexible and rigid mold members respectively having outer peripheries surrounding said axis and engaging each other and said mold members defining between themselves a mold cavity for receiving a charge which is to be molded, urging means coacting with at least one of said mold members for urging the latter toward the other of said mold members for compressing a charge in said cavity and molding the charge to a configuration determined by said mold members, and restraining means coacting with said flexible elastic mold member for restraining the latter from applying to the charge, during compression thereof, forces which extend radially with respect to said central axis, said restraining means coacting with said flexible elastic mold member during compression of a charge between said mold members for limiting said urging means to action upon the charge substantially exclusively with forces which extend parallel to said axis both during action of said urging means and when the action of the latter is terminated, said elastic mold member having an inherent resiliency sufficient for retracting itself from said charge without exerting any radial forces thereon upon termination of compression by said urging means, and said urging means coacting with said elastic mold member to release the latter for automatic retraction away from the charge due to the inherent resiliency of the elastic mold member upon termination of compression by said urging means, said urging means including a flexible wall engaging said elastic mold member at the exterior thereof and an enclosure part of which is formed by said flexible wall for receiving a fluid under pressure to act through said flexible wall on said elastic mold member to apply the compressive force therethrough to the charge.