Apparatus for molding rubber

Claim 2

In an apparatus for injection molding during the manufacture of rubber-soled footwear, in combination: mold ring means surrounding and defining part of a predetermined cavity adapted to be closed at an upper portion by a lasted upper; a sole plate surrounded by and slidingly engaging said side ring means; means for collecting excess material and for severing the collected material from the molded article, said means including a lip on said sole plate extending toward and into close proximity of said side ring means and means on the peripheral wall of said sole plate adjacent said lip, but on that side of said lip which is facing away from said lasted upper, for forming into a peripherally extending bead that portion of the midsole rubber which escapes between said lip and said side ring means during the molding operation, and means coacting with said sole plate for retracting said sole plate away from said upper after said molding operation for severing from the molded article the bead of excess material.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the configuration of said lip is such as to form a peripherally extending weakened section in the portion of said first rubber which depends from said midsole after said application of said midsole rubber to said lasted upper, whereby said rubber is torn along said weakened section in response to said initial retraction of said sole plate, during which the bead-shaped rubber is entrained by said bead forming means to move with the sole plate in a direction away from said upper.

Claim 4

In an apparatus for molding rubber onto an article, wherein mold side ring means surround and define part of a predetermined cavity adapted to have unvulcanized rubber deposited therein, said cavity being adapted to be closed at one end by said article and having a movable mold member surrounded by and slideably received in said mold side ring means and adapted to be advanced toward and retracted from said article within said cavity, the improvement comprising: means for collecting excess material and for severing the collected material from the molded article, said means including forming means provided at the periphery of said movable mold member and extending circumferentially thereabout and adpated to form in the rubber which escapes between said movable mold member and said ring means, in response to advance of said movable mold member, a peripherally extending weAkened portion, collecting means on said movable mold member coextensive with said forming means for collecting and entraining therein that portion of said rubber which escapes past said forming means, and operating means coacting with said movable mold member for retracting the latter away from said molded article whereby said excess material entrained by said collecting means is severed from the molded article.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for molding rubber onto an article, wherein mold side ring means surround and define part of a predetermined cavity adapted to have unvulcanized rubber deposited therein, said cavity being adapted to be closed at one end by said article and having a movable mold member surrounded by and slideably received in said mold side ring means and adapted to be advanced toward and retracted from said article within said cavity, the improvement comprising: means for collecting excess material and for severing the collected material from the molded article, said means including forming means provided at the periphery of said movable mold member and extending circumferentially thereabout and adpated to form in the rubber which escapes between said movable mold member and said ring means, in response to advance of said movable mold member, a peripherally extending weAkened portion, collecting means on said movable mold member coextensive with said forming means for collecting and entraining therein that portion of said rubber which escapes past said forming means, and operating means coacting with said movable mold member for retracting the latter away from said molded article whereby said excess material entrained by said collecting means is severed from the molded article.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 3 said forming means comprising a substantially continuous peripheral lip extending outwardly toward and into sliding contact with said mold side ring means surrounding the latter, said lip being adapted to form a weakened peripherally extending region in the rubber flash material escaping from said cavity between said lip and said side ring means; and said collecting means including a substantially peripherally extending groove, in said movable mold member, adjacent said lip on the side thereof facing away from said article, said groove opening towards said side wall means so that flash rubber escaping from said cavity past said lip will be collected in said groove in the form of a peripherally extending bead, whereby the rubber flash will be torn along said weakened peripherally extending region thereof in response to such retraction movement.