Injection molding apparatus for foamed plastics

Claim 2

In an injection molding apparatus for plastic materials, the combination which includes a main carriage, an auxiliary carriage and power means to reciprocate the two carriages; a first mold with relatively movable halves and a second mold with relatively movable halves, the two molds being spacedapart; a first half of the first mold being on one end of the main carriage and the second half of the first mold being positioned on the auxiliary carriage to mate with the first half; a first half of the second mold being on the other end of the main carriage; the second half of the second mold being stationary in a position confronting said other end of the main carriage to mate with the first half of the second mold, said power means opening and closing said two molds alternately upon reciprocating the two carriages; an injection unit positioned between the two molds and movable to the two molds alternately to fill the two molds; said injection unit extending into the space between the two mold halves on the main carriage.

Claim 3

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said main carriage and auxiliary carriage are movable on a fixed support structure and in which said power means comprises a first power means mounted on one end of the fixed structure to actuate the main carriage and a second power means mounted on the other end of the fixed structure to actuate the auxiliary carriage.

Claim 4

A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the two carriages are mounted on a plurality of guide rods with the opposite ends of the guide rods mounted on the opposite ends of the fixed structure.

Claim 5

A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which each of said power means is a fluid-pressure-actuated power means.

Claim 6

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said injection unit has two oppositely directed nozzles to cooperate with the two molds respectively.

Claim 7

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said carriage is U-shaped in configuration, the two legs of the U-shape configuration being two opposite transverse end walls respectively of the carriage; and in which the first half of the first mold and the first half of the second mold are mounted on said two end walls respectIvely.

Claim 8

The combination as in claim 6, the injection unit slidably disposed in the interior of the U-shaped carriage.

Claim 9

The combination as in claim 1, there being guide rods for slidable mounting the main carriage and the auxiliary carriage for individual reciprocating motion, first and second support means for positioning the rods, first hydraulic motor means on the first means and coupled to the auxiliary carriage for displacement thereof and second hydraulic motor means on the second means and coupled to the main carriage for displacement thereof, the second half of the second mold mounted to the second support means.

Claim 10

The combination as in claim 8, the second support means disposed for adjustment transverse to the extension of the guide rods.

Claim 11

In an injection molding apparatus for plastic materials, the combination comprising: a first mold having first and second halves; a second mold having first and second halves; a carriage disposed for reciprocating motion and supporting each of the first mold halves of the first and second molds; first means for mounting the second half of the first mold; second means for displaceably mounting the second half of the second mold for reciprocating relative to and colinear with the carriage; first driving means connected to the carriage and to the first means and operating for reciprocating the carriage so as to move the first mold half of the first mold relative to the second mold half of the first mold for opening and closing the first mold; second driving means coupled to the second means for moving the second mold halve of the second mold relative to the carriage colinear with the direction of reciprocating motion as imparted by the first driving means upon the carriage for opening and closing the second mold, so that the closing times of both molds overlap significantly, the first and second driving means moving in unison with the carriage when upon opening the first mold the second mold is to remain closed; and injection means for alternatingly charging the first and second molds respectively upon closing thereof.

Claim 12

In an injection molding apparatus for plastic materials, the combination comprising: a first mold having first and second halves; a second mold having first and second halves; a carriage disposed for reciprocating motion and supporting each of the first mold halves of the first and second molds; first means for mounting the second half of the first mold; second means for displaceably mounting the second half of the second mold for reciprocating relative to and colinear with the carriage; first driving means connected to the carriage and to the first means and operating for reciprocating the carriage so as to move the first mold half of the first mold relative to the second mold half of the first mold for opening and closing the first mold; second driving means coupled to the second means for moving the second mold halve of the second mold relative to the carriage colinear with the direction of reciprocating motion as imparted by the first driving means upon the carriage for opening and closing the second mold, so that the closing times of both molds overlap significantly, the first and second driving means moving in unison with the carriage when upon opening the first mold the second mold is to remain closed; and injection means for alternatingly charging the first and second molds respectively upon closing thereof.

Claim 13

In an apparatus as in claim 10, the second driving means reciprocating the second mold half of the second mold, while the carriage remains stationary for keeping the first mold closed; the first and second means reciprocating in unison for opening and closing the first mold while keeping the second mold closed.