Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
334 words
The combinations of a moulding machine and a mechanism for feeding a foil to the moulding machine, the moulding machine comprising: a. first and second mould tools; b. means for moving said mould tools relative to each other in a moulding station to and from a moulding position in which said mould tools co-operate to define a mould cavity; and c. means for moving said first mould tool laterally out of said moulding station; the mechanism comprising: a. a carriage movable between first and second stations; b. drive means for moving the carriage between said first and second stations; c. a foil carrier comprising a body having an axis of symmetry and defining a circumferential surface for receiving a foil, port means in the circumferential surface and means for connecting said port means to a source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure; d. means mounting said carrier on the carriage for rotation about said axis of symmetry; e. drive means for rotating said carrier; f. positioning means for positioning a foil tangentially of said circumferential surface of said carrier when said carriage is in said first station; and g. control means for connecting said source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure to said ports and for causing said carrier drive means to be energised to rotate said carrier to cause a foil positioned by said positioning means tangentially of said carrier surface to be progressively applied to said surface when said carriage is in said first station, and for disconnecting said source of fluid from said ports when said carriage is in said second station and wherein the mechanism is mounted on said moulding machine such that the direction of movement of said carriage between said first and second stations is generally parallel to said direction of movement of said mould tools in said moulding station and said means for moving said first mould tool laterally of the said moulding station is adapted to move said first mould tool into said second station of said carriage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
334 words
The combinations of a moulding machine and a mechanism for feeding a foil to the moulding machine, the moulding machine comprising: a. first and second mould tools; b. means for moving said mould tools relative to each other in a moulding station to and from a moulding position in which said mould tools co-operate to define a mould cavity; and c. means for moving said first mould tool laterally out of said moulding station; the mechanism comprising: a. a carriage movable between first and second stations; b. drive means for moving the carriage between said first and second stations; c. a foil carrier comprising a body having an axis of symmetry and defining a circumferential surface for receiving a foil, port means in the circumferential surface and means for connecting said port means to a source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure; d. means mounting said carrier on the carriage for rotation about said axis of symmetry; e. drive means for rotating said carrier; f. positioning means for positioning a foil tangentially of said circumferential surface of said carrier when said carriage is in said first station; and g. control means for connecting said source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure to said ports and for causing said carrier drive means to be energised to rotate said carrier to cause a foil positioned by said positioning means tangentially of said carrier surface to be progressively applied to said surface when said carriage is in said first station, and for disconnecting said source of fluid from said ports when said carriage is in said second station and wherein the mechanism is mounted on said moulding machine such that the direction of movement of said carriage between said first and second stations is generally parallel to said direction of movement of said mould tools in said moulding station and said means for moving said first mould tool laterally of the said moulding station is adapted to move said first mould tool into said second station of said carriage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first mould tool includes a female mould and said second mould tool includes a male mould, said carrier being arranged such that when said carriage is in said second station said body of said carrier is within said female mould.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shape of said carrier body conforms to the shape of said female mould.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mechanism includes a plurality of carriers and said first and second mould tools co-operate to define an equal number of mould cavities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
302 words
The combination of a moulding machine and a mechanism for feeding a foil to the moulding machine, the moulding machine comprising: a. first and second mould tools; b. means for moving said mould tools relative to each other in a moulding station to and from a moulding position in which said mould tools co-operate to define a mould cavity; and c. means for moving said first mould tool laterally out of said moulding station and into a foil release station, and vice versa; the mechanism comprising: a. a foil carrier comprising a body having an axis of symmetry and defining a circumferential surface for receiving a foil, port means in the circumferential surface and means for connecting said port means to source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure; b. means for moving said carrier between a foil feed station and the foil release station of said first mould tool, said means being operable to move said carrier along its axis of symmetry to said foil release station in a direction generally parallel to the direction of movement of said mould tools in said moulding station; c. means for positioning a foil tangentially of said circumferential surface of said carrier when said carrier is in said foil feed station; d. means for progressively applying a foil to said circumferential surface when the carrier is in the foil feed station; and e. control means for connecting said sourcE of fluid at subatmospheric pressure to said ports and for causing said foil applying means to be energised to cause a foil positioned by said positioning means tangentially of said carrier surface to be progressively applied about said surface when said carrier is in said foil feed station, and for disconnecting said source of fluid from said ports when said carrier is in said foil release station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
302 words
The combination of a moulding machine and a mechanism for feeding a foil to the moulding machine, the moulding machine comprising: a. first and second mould tools; b. means for moving said mould tools relative to each other in a moulding station to and from a moulding position in which said mould tools co-operate to define a mould cavity; and c. means for moving said first mould tool laterally out of said moulding station and into a foil release station, and vice versa; the mechanism comprising: a. a foil carrier comprising a body having an axis of symmetry and defining a circumferential surface for receiving a foil, port means in the circumferential surface and means for connecting said port means to source of fluid at subatmospheric pressure; b. means for moving said carrier between a foil feed station and the foil release station of said first mould tool, said means being operable to move said carrier along its axis of symmetry to said foil release station in a direction generally parallel to the direction of movement of said mould tools in said moulding station; c. means for positioning a foil tangentially of said circumferential surface of said carrier when said carrier is in said foil feed station; d. means for progressively applying a foil to said circumferential surface when the carrier is in the foil feed station; and e. control means for connecting said sourcE of fluid at subatmospheric pressure to said ports and for causing said foil applying means to be energised to cause a foil positioned by said positioning means tangentially of said carrier surface to be progressively applied about said surface when said carrier is in said foil feed station, and for disconnecting said source of fluid from said ports when said carrier is in said foil release station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination according to claim 5 in which said foil applying means comprise means mounting the carrier for rotation about its axis of symmetry and said positioning means comprise means for offering one end of the foil tangentially to the carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 5 in which the said first mould tool includes a female mould, said second tool includes a male mould, and the carrier is positioned in the female mould when in the foil release station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination according to claim 7 wherein the shape of said carrier body conforms to the shape of said female mould.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein the mechanism includes a plurality of carriers and said first and second mould tools co-operate to define an equal number of mould cavities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination according to claim 5 including another first mould tool, each of said first mould tools being a cavity tool, and a respective carrier co-operating with each of said cavity tools.