Safety protection structure for molding machine

Claim 2

A molding machine, for making plastic articles or the like, including in combination core rod supporting means, a core rod coating station, a blowing station, a stripper station, apparatus for moving the supporting means to shift the core rods from one station to another, the mold at one of the stations including a part that moves toward and from another part to open and close the mold, mechanism for moving the movable part, a safety gate that moves into a closed position for barring access, by an operator, to the mold, guides at different sides of the gate and along which the gate is movable into an open position where it leaves the mold accessible to an operator, mechanism for moving one side of the gate along its guide, motion-transmitting means extending from one side of the gate to the other for moving said other side along its guide in synChronism with the movement of the gate along the first guide, and an interference that prevents operation of the mechanism for opening and closing the mold when the gate is in open position.

Claim 3

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by the guides comprising vertical elements along which the gate slides, said elements extending for a distance sufficient to move the gate to a height that leaves the mold accessible to an operator.

Claim 4

The molding machine described in claim 2 characterized by the guides extending upward above a zone of access to the mold for a distance equal to the height of the gate.

Claim 5

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by the gate having a portion that extends across the front of the machine, another portion that extends across a side of the machine, guides at both sides of each portion of the gate, and motion-transmitting means for each portion for moving one side of each portion in synchronism with the other side of that portion of the gate.

Claim 6

The molding machine described in claim 2 characterized by the motion-transmitting means comprising a rack secured to one side of the gate and extending in the direction of movement of the gate, a pinion that meshes with the rack, a shaft to which the pinion is secured, a bearing, at a relatively fixed location on the machine, in which the shaft is turned by the pinion when the rack moves up and down with the gate, the shaft extending to a location adjacent to the other side of the gate, a bearing in which the shaft turns at said other side, a second pinion secured to the shaft, a second rack secured to said other side of the gate in position to mesh with the second pinion whereby rotation of the first pinion by the first rack causes the second pinion to move the second rack in synchronism with the first rack.

Claim 7

The molding machine described in claim 5 characterized by the gate having a second portion that extends across a different side of the machine, rack and pinion mechanism for moving the second portion of the gate including a second shaft extending from one side to the other of the second portion of the gate, and means for raising both portions of the gate in synchronism.

Claim 8

The molding machine described in claim 6 characterized by the means for raising both portions of the gate in synchronism including gearing connecting the first shaft with the second shaft for rotation in unison therewith.

Claim 9

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by the core rod supporting means being an indexing head of generally triangular cross section and having three faces at 120* angular spacing and from each of which core rods extend, an injection mold at the core rod coating station including a mold part that moves toward and from another to close and open the injection mold, a blowing mold at said blowing station, the gate extending around the outside of the portion of the machine that includes the indexing head and molds so as to block access to the indexing head and movable mold parts when the gate is closed, the gate including a frame of generally triangular cross section with guides adjacent to each of the vertices of the cross section of the frame, the motion-transmitting means for raising the gate extending to the region of each of the vertices of the gate frame.

Claim 10

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by the mold including an interference movable into a position where it prevents the mold from closing, and control means actuated by movement of the gate to the closed position for moving the interference into inoperative position so that the mold can close.

Claim 11

The molding machine described in claim 9 characterized by the interference including a hook that swings angularly into a lowered position in which a portion of the hook extends under the movable part of the mold to block movement of the mold to a closed position, and cam means including a cam and a cam follower for swinging the hook out of its lowered position, one of the cam means being connected with the hook and the other of the cam means being secured to and movable with the gate.

Claim 12

The molding machine described in claim 10 characterized by a ram that moves the movable part of the mold toward and from the other part to close and open the mold, a fixed frame of the machine, a bearing on the fixed frame in which the ram moves, other bearings carried by the fixed frame and extending axially generally parallel to opposite ends of the movable part of the mold, a hook that hangs from each of said other bearings with the lower part of the hook movable into an interference position under an adjacent end of the movable part of the mold, arms extending from the respective hooks, cam followers on the arms, and cams on the gate in position to operate the cam followers to move the hooks out of said interference positions when the gate reaches its closed position.

Claim 13

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by motor means for moving the gate in one direction, a lock holding the gate against movement by said motor means, means for releasing the lock, control means for reversing the movement of the motor means to return the gate to its original position.

Claim 14

The molding machine described in claim 12 characterized by the motor means being a cylinder and piston air motor containing compressed air that urges the motor to raise the gate whenever the lock is released, and a valve carried by the gate and connected with the motor means by flexible hoses, the valve being movable into a position that releases air from the motor so that the gate can descend by gravity and force the air out of the motor as the motor returns to its original position.

Claim 15

The molding machine described in claim 1 characterized by interferences operated by movement of the gate to prevent closing of the mold and operation of the core rod support when the gate is in raised position.

Claim 16

The molding machine described in claim 14 characterized by means at both ends of the stroke of the gate for conditioning the mold operating mechanism and the apparatus for moving the core rod supporting means for operation and for preventing such operation depending upon the position of the gate along its stroke.

Claim 17

A molding machine for making plastic articles or the like including a mold having a first part support from the machine, a second mold part movable along a predetermined path toward and from the first part to close and open the mold, a motor-operated ram for moving the second mold part toward and from the first part, a fixed frame of the machine with a bearing in which the ram moves to actuate the second mold part of the mold toward and from the first part, an arm extending from the fixed frame, bearing means on the fixed frame and supporting the arm and about which the arm is angularly movable, the arm having an interference extending from it across a surface of the second mold part that faces the first part of the mold and in the path of movement of the second part of the mold when the mold is moving toward closed position, the arm and interference being of sufficient strength to stop the movement of the ram, a movable safety gate associated with said molding machine, and means mounted on said safety gate for moving the arm and interference out of interfering position when the mold is to be closed.

Claim 18

A molding machine for making plastic articles or the like including a mold having a first part support from the machine, a second mold part movable along a predetermined path toward and from the first part to close and open the mold, a motor-operated ram for moving the second mold part toward and from the first part, a fixed frame of the machine with a bearing in which the ram moves to actuate the second mold part of the mold toward and from the first part, an arm extending from the fixed frame, bearing means on the fixed frame and supporting the arm and about which the arm is angularly movable, the arm having an interference extending from it across a surface of the second mold part that faces the first part of the mold and in the path of movement of the second part of the mold when the mold is moving toward closed position, the arm and interference being of sufficient strength to stop the movement of the ram, a movable safety gate associated with said molding machine, and means mounted on said safety gate for moving the arm and interference out of interfering position when the mold is to be closed.

Claim 19

The molding machine described in claim 16 characterized by a plurality of molds at different positions on the molding machine, each with a ram and a bearing, on the fixed frame, with which the ram moves, other bearings supported by the fixed frame, arms extending down from said other bearings at each end of the movable parts of the different molds, and each of the arms having an interference that extends under one end of one of the movable parts of one of the molds.

Claim 20

The molding machine described in claim 17 characterized by the arms being located in positions that cause them to swing by gravity into interfering positions when the second molD part moves past the interference on said arm that extends under the movable part when the mold is open, said interferences being shaped for contact with the ends of the movable parts of the molds along surfaces that exert a cam action to swing the arms outward from the ends of the molds as the molds open.

Claim 21

A molding machine, for making plastic articles or the like, including in combination core rod supporting means and a plurality of operational stations, a mold at one of the stations including a part that moves toward and from another part to open and close the mold, mechanism for moving the movable part, a safety gate that moves into a closed position for barring access, by an operator, to the mold, guides at different sides of the gate and along which the gate is movable into an open position where it leaves the mold accessible to an operator, an air operated cylinder and piston motor that raises the gate to its open position, valve means for supplying energy to the motor, said valve means including a manually operated handle attached to the lower part of the gate and in position to be manually actuated when the gate is either in open or closed position, and means preventing operation of the mold when the gate is out of its closed position, characterized by the cylinder and piston motor being air operated and having air pressure on the piston when the gate is down, a latch that holds the gate down against the pressure of the air that operates the motor, the valve means being operable into position to release air pressure in the motor when the gate is open and to be closed, the valve means being attached to the gate for movement up and down as a unit with the gate, a handle that operates the valve means and that moves up and down as a unit with the valve means, a latch on the gate near the valve means and in position to engage a stop on one of the gate guides, the handle that operates the valve means being connected with the latch and connected so as to release the latch when moved into the position that operates the valve means to lower the gate into closed position, a different handle for releasing the latch that holds the gate in closed position, and limit switches operated by the closing of the gate for making the mold operating mechanism of the machine operable.

Claim 22

A molding machine, for making plastic articles or the like, including in combination core rod supporting means and a plurality of operational stations, a mold at one of the stations including a part that moves toward and from another part to open and close the mold, mechanism for moving the movable part, a safety gate that moves into a closed position for barring access, by an operator, to the mold, guides at different sides of the gate and along which the gate is movable into an open position where it leaves the mold accessible to an operator, an air operated cylinder and piston motor that raises the gate to its open position, valve means for supplying energy to the motor, said valve means including a manually operated handle attached to the lower part of the gate and in position to be manually actuated when the gate is either in open or closed position, and means preventing operation of the mold when the gate is out of its closed position, characterized by the cylinder and piston motor being air operated and having air pressure on the piston when the gate is down, a latch that holds the gate down against the pressure of the air that operates the motor, the valve means being operable into position to release air pressure in the motor when the gate is open and to be closed, the valve means being attached to the gate for movement up and down as a unit with the gate, a handle that operates the valve means and that moves up and down as a unit with the valve means, a latch on the gate near the valve means and in position to engage a stop on one of the gate guides, the handle that operates the valve means being connected with the latch and connected so as to release the latch when moved into the position that operates the valve means to lower the gate into closed position, a different handle for releasing the latch that holds the gate in closed position, and limit switches operated by the closing of the gate for making the mold operating mechanism of the machine operable.

Claim 23

The molding machine described in claim 19, characterized by limit switches at both the upper and lower ends of the travel of the gate, and adjustable operating mechanism on the gate for operating the limit switches.