Molding device for plastic material

Claim 2

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material having a bottom section; partition means dividing said bottom section into a plurality of separate parts; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a plurality of mold openings therein for simultaneously forming a plurality of molded articles; access passages means extending from said hopper bottom section toward said mold for communicating with said mold openings; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold openings communicate with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward and away from said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold openings when said openings are in communication with said passage means; force means for moving said feeder means; agitator means in each said bottom section part adjacent a said feeder means movable to dislodge said material from adjacent portions of said hopper, said agitator means comprising a separate agitator between each adjacent pair of said partition means; means for moving said agitator means; and means mounting the separate agitators on said partition means for simultaneous operation including bearings in each said partition means mounting said agitator means for arcuate movement in said hopper bottom section.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feeder means comprises a separate feeder in each said bottom section part.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said agitator means comprises gear means for interconnecting said agitator means and said force means, said agitator means is arcuately movable about an axis of oscillation and said gear means comprises a pinion gear attached to said agitator means and a rack gear movable with said force means.

Claim 5

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclicAlly moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable to adjacent said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper on opposite sides of said hopper adjacent to said feeder means when said feeder means is adjacent said passage means; and operating means for rotating said mover devices in successive fractional increments of a complete revolution toward said feeder means for urging said material toward said feeder means.

Claim 6

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclicAlly moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable to adjacent said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper on opposite sides of said hopper adjacent to said feeder means when said feeder means is adjacent said passage means; and operating means for rotating said mover devices in successive fractional increments of a complete revolution toward said feeder means for urging said material toward said feeder means.

Claim 7

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a plurality of mold openings therein for simultaneously forming a plurality of molded articles; access passage means for communicating with said mold openings; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold openings communicate with said access passage means and a discharge position; a plurality of feeder means in said supply means movable each in a straight path toward and away from said mold openings passage means for forcing said material from said supply means into all said plurality of mold openings substantially simultaneously when said openings are in communication with said passage means; force means for moving said feeders; means dividing the bottom section of said hopper into a plurality of separate parts each having a said feeder means and a number of passage means therein, said force means comprises a separate drive means for each feeder means, and each drive means for each feeder means comprises a yieldable means for limiting the amount of pressure applied to its said feeder means and thus to said material engaged by said feeder means, said force means including means for moving all said feeder means simultaneously; separate catch means for retaining each feeder means adjacent its access passage means; and separate release means for releasing each catch means after the corresponding mold opening has been moved out of communication with its access passage means.

Claim 8

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a plurality of mold openings therein for simultaneously forming a plurality of molded articles; access passage means for communicating with said mold openings; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold openings communicate with said access passage means and a discharge position; a plurality of feeder means in said supply means movable each in a straight path toward and away from said mold openings passage means for forcing said material from said supply means into all said plurality of mold openings substantially simultaneously when said openings are in communication with said passage means; force means for moving said feeders; means dividing the bottom section of said hopper into a plurality of separate parts each having a said feeder means and a number of passage means therein, said force means comprises a separate drive means for each feeder means, and each drive means for each feeder means comprises a yieldable means for limiting the amount of pressure applied to its said feeder means and thus to said material engaged by said feeder means, said force means including means for moving all said feeder means simultaneously; separate catch means for retaining each feeder means adjacent its access passage means; and separate release means for releasing each catch means after the corresponding mold opening has been moved out of communication with its access passage means.

Claim 9

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper adjacent to and on opposite sides of said feeder means; and operating means for rotating said devices toward said feeder for urging said material toward said feeder means, said operating means including means for rotating each said device alternately in successive fractional increments of a complete revolution, and said means for rotating comprises a ratchet wheel and cooperating pawl on each said mover device, and lever means interconnecting said pawls for simultaneous movement thereof.

Claim 10

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper adjacent to and on opposite sides of said feeder means; and operating means for rotating said devices toward said feeder for urging said material toward said feeder means, said operating means including means for rotating each said device alternately in successive fractional increments of a complete revolution, and said means for rotating comprises a ratchet wheel and cooperating pawl on each said mover device, and lever means interconnecting said pawls for simultaneous movement thereof.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein there are provided lost motion connecting means between said lever means and said means for moving said feeder means.

Claim 12

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material having a bottom section; partition means dividing said bottom section into a plurality of separate parts; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a plurality of molded openings therein for siMultaneously forming a plurality of molded articles; access passage means extending from said hopper bottom section toward said mold for communicating with said mold openings; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold openings communicate with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward and away from said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold openings when said openings are in communication with said passage means; force means for moving said feeder means; agitator means in each said bottom section part adjacent a said feeder means movable to dislodge said material from adjacent portions of said hopper; means for moving said agitator means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said mold adjacent to said feeder means; operating means for rotating said devices toward said feeder means for dislodging said material and urging it toward said feeder means in which said operating means includes means for rotating each said device alternately in successive increments of a complete revolution; and means for interconnecting said operating means and said means for moving said feeder means whereby movement of said feeder means causes said rotating of said devices, said means for rotating comprises a ratchet wheel and cooperating pawl on each said device and lever means interconnecting said pawls for simultaneous movement thereof, and lost motion connecting means between said lever means and said means for moving said feeder means.

Claim 13

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material having a bottom section; partition means dividing said bottom section into a plurality of separate parts; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a plurality of molded openings therein for siMultaneously forming a plurality of molded articles; access passage means extending from said hopper bottom section toward said mold for communicating with said mold openings; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold openings communicate with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward and away from said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold openings when said openings are in communication with said passage means; force means for moving said feeder means; agitator means in each said bottom section part adjacent a said feeder means movable to dislodge said material from adjacent portions of said hopper; means for moving said agitator means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said mold adjacent to said feeder means; operating means for rotating said devices toward said feeder means for dislodging said material and urging it toward said feeder means in which said operating means includes means for rotating each said device alternately in successive increments of a complete revolution; and means for interconnecting said operating means and said means for moving said feeder means whereby movement of said feeder means causes said rotating of said devices, said means for rotating comprises a ratchet wheel and cooperating pawl on each said device and lever means interconnecting said pawls for simultaneous movement thereof, and lost motion connecting means between said lever means and said means for moving said feeder means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said hopper is provided with arcuate bottom side sections in which are located said mover devices.

Claim 15

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper on opposite sides of said hopper and adjacent to said feeder means; operating means for rotating said devices toward said feed means for urging said material toward said feeder means; agitator means between said mover devices and adjacent said feeder means movable to dislodge said material from adjacent portions of said hopper, said hopper having a bottom section beneath said mover devices and above said feeder means in which said agitator means is positioned; and means for moving said agitator means comprising gear means for interconnecting said agitator means and said force means, said agitator means being arcuately movable about an axis of oscillation and said gear means comprising a pinion gear attached to said agitator means and a rack gear movable with said force means.

Claim 16

Molding apparatus, comprising: supply means including a hopper for retaining a supply of moldable material; a movable mold adjacent said supply means having a mold opening therein for forming a molded article; access passage means for communicating with said mold opening; means for cyclically moving said mold between a position where said mold opening communicates with said access passage means and a discharge position; feeder means in said supply means movable toward said passage means for forcing said material from said hopper into said mold opening when said opening is in communication with said passage means; means for moving said feeder means toward said passage means; a pair of rotatable mover devices in said hopper on opposite sides of said hopper and adjacent to said feeder means; operating means for rotating said devices toward said feed means for urging said material toward said feeder means; agitator means between said mover devices and adjacent said feeder means movable to dislodge said material from adjacent portions of said hopper, said hopper having a bottom section beneath said mover devices and above said feeder means in which said agitator means is positioned; and means for moving said agitator means comprising gear means for interconnecting said agitator means and said force means, said agitator means being arcuately movable about an axis of oscillation and said gear means comprising a pinion gear attached to said agitator means and a rack gear movable with said force means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said hopper is provided with arcuate bottom side sections in which are located said mover devices.