Device for filling casting molds with hardenable casting resin

Claim 1

Apparatus for moulding items by filling casting moulds with a mixture of resin and a hardener, which apparatus comprises a plurality of casting moulds adapted for movement along a path, each of said moulds having a pair of mould halves which are disposed in abutting relation and form a casting cavity, having upper and lower cover plates which flank said mould halves, having elastic means disposed between one of said mould halves and the adjacent cover plate, having clamping means attached to said cover plates for interconnecting said cover plates and holding said mould halves in abutting relation and having opening means in the upper cover plate to provide an entry into the casting cavity, a filling station along said path having a device for filling said moulds with the resin-hardener mixture, which device includes vacuum hood means having abutment means in connection therewith, carrier means for supporting the lower cover plate of one of said casting moulds, means for carrying out relative vertical movement between said vacuum hood and said carrier to move said abutment means and said upper cover plate into abutting relationship and to press said mould halves together, seal means carried by said vacuum hood means for creating a seal peripheral of said opening into the casting cavity, means for connecting said vacuum hood means with a source of vacuum, filling valve means mounted in connection with said vacuum hood means for movement into said opening in said upper cover plate and into sealing relationship about said cavity entry, means for moving said filling valve means into said sealing relationship, and means for supplying said resin-hardener mixture to said filling valve means, and a heating station along said path for accelerating the setting of said resin-hardener mixture in said filled casting cavity.