Injection-mold clamping unit having alternately ejecting die assemblies

Claim 2

A molding apparatus comprising: stationary frame means; movable frame means; at least two die assemblies, each die assembly including a pair of die sections; each pair of said die sections being arranged to define a cavity when in abutting relation; said die cavities being operable to receive a charge of plasticated material; power means, common to said die assemblies, for exerting force to simultaneously clamp together the die sections of said die assemblies during insertion of a charge of plasticated material, and releasing such clamping force simultaneously from the die sections of said die assemblies; said movable frame means being common to said die assemblies and being arranged to transmit clamping forces from said power means simultaneously to said die assemblies; said stationary frame means carrying one of the die sections of each of said die assemblies so that such carried die sections constitute stationary die sections; the other die section of each die assembly being displaceable relative to said stationary die sections so as to constitute floating die sections; means for coupling a floating die section of one of said die assemblies to said movable frame means when the die sections of said last-names die assembly are rendered relatively displaceable; maintaining means, including means for coupling the floating die section of one of said die assemblies to its respective stationary die section, for maintaining the die sections of said one of said die assemblies in abutting relationship while the die sections of another die assembly are rendered relatively displaceable, when said power means is in a forcereleasing mode; and maintaining means, including means for coupling the floating die section of said other die assembly to its respective stationary die section, for maintaining the die sections of said other die assembly in abutting relationship while the sections of said one die assembly are rendered relatively displaceable, when said power means is in a subsequent force-releasing mode.

Claim 3

A molding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises at least one fluid-actuated locking cylinder, said cylinder including and extendable and retractable locking dog for engaging and releasing portions of said die assemblies.

Claim 4

A molding apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said movable frame means includes a further pair of die sections associated with said pair of die assemblies, said further pair of die sections constituting movable die sections; the locking cylinders being carried by said movable and stationary die sections and having tapered recesses in the locking dogs thereof for engaging tapered lug portions of said die sections.

Claim 5

A molding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each die assembly further includes guide rod means carried by at least one of said die sections; said projection means projecting toward and being receivable in aperture means carried by at least an adjacent die section.

Claim 6

The mold apparatus of claim 4 wherein said guide rod means comprises a plurality of guide rods carried by said floating die section and being receivable in apertures carried by said movable and stationary die sections.

Claim 7

In molding apparatus of the type in which material is injected into die cavity means and allowed to remain in said die cavity means for an interval, and then the molded material is removed from the die cavity means, the improvement comprising: first and second frame members arranged for relative movement toward and away from one another; at least first and second die assemblies disposed between said first and second frame members in side-by-side relation so as to be spaced in a direction transverse to the direction of relative movement between said frame members; each die assembly including a mating die section and a floating die section, the proximate faces of which being configured so as to define therebetween a closed mold cavity when said die sections are disposed in abutting relation; said floating die sections being movable relative to one another; the mating die section of each die assembly being carried by one of said first and second frame members; coupling means for coupling said floating die sections selectively to either of said frame members to the exclusion of the other frame member; said coupling means being arranged, while coupling a floating die section to the frame member which carries the mating die section associated with said last-named floating die section, to lock said die sections together in abutting relationship so as to maintain said mold cavity closed; and power means for moving said frame members relatively toward and away from one another such that: with said floating die section of said first die assembly being coupled to said one frame member and uncoupled from said other frame member, and with said floating die section of said second die assembly being coupled to said other frame member and uncoupled from said one frame member, separation of said frame members by said power means causes the mold cavity of said second die assembly to be opened for removing material therefrom, with the mold cavity of said first die assembly being maintained in a closed condition for retaining material therein; and with said floating die section of said first die assembly being coupled to said other frame member and uncoupled from said one frame member, and with said floating die section of said second die assembly being coupled to said one frame member and uncoupled from said other frame members, separation of said frame members by said power means causes said mold cavity of said first die assembly to be opened for removing material therefrom, with said mold cavity of said second die assembly being maintained closed for retaining material therein; and with said first and second frame members being moved toward one another so that said first and second mold cavities are clamped closed by said power means, an empty one of said mold cavities may be supplied with material while material being carried by the other mold cavity cures.

Claim 8

In molding apparatus of the type in which material is injected into die cavity means and allowed to remain in said die cavity means for an interval, and then the molded material is removed from the die cavity means, the improvement comprising: first and second frame members arranged for relative movement toward and away from one another; at least first and second die assemblies disposed between said first and second frame members in side-by-side relation so as to be spaced in a direction transverse to the direction of relative movement between said frame members; each die assembly including a mating die section and a floating die section, the proximate faces of which being configured so as to define therebetween a closed mold cavity when said die sections are disposed in abutting relation; said floating die sections being movable relative to one another; the mating die section of each die assembly being carried by one of said first and second frame members; coupling means for coupling said floating die sections selectively to either of said frame members to the exclusion of the other frame member; said coupling means being arranged, while coupling a floating die section to the frame member which carries the mating die section associated with said last-named floating die section, to lock said die sections together in abutting relationship so as to maintain said mold cavity closed; and power means for moving said frame members relatively toward and away from one another such that: with said floating die section of said first die assembly being coupled to said one frame member and uncoupled from said other frame member, and with said floating die section of said second die assembly being coupled to said other frame member and uncoupled from said one frame member, separation of said frame members by said power means causes the mold cavity of said second die assembly to be opened for removing material therefrom, with the mold cavity of said first die assembly being maintained in a closed condition for retaining material therein; and with said floating die section of said first die assembly being coupled to said other frame member and uncoupled from said one frame member, and with said floating die section of said second die assembly being coupled to said one frame member and uncoupled from said other frame members, separation of said frame members by said power means causes said mold cavity of said first die assembly to be opened for removing material therefrom, with said mold cavity of said second die assembly being maintained closed for retaining material therein; and with said first and second frame members being moved toward one another so that said first and second mold cavities are clamped closed by said power means, an empty one of said mold cavities may be supplied with material while material being carried by the other mold cavity cures.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said coupling means comprises fluid-actuated cylinders carried by said die assemblies and including locking dogs for lockingly engaging portions of said die sections.

Claim 10

Molding apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said mating die sections are mounted so as to be stationary.

Claim 11

A molding apparatus comprising: first and second relatively movable frame means: a first die assembly including a pair of die sections arranged to define a closed first die cavity when in abutting relationship, said closed die cavity being operable to hold a charge of plasticated material; one die section of said first die assembly comprising a first mating die section carried by one of said frame means; the other die section of said first die assembly comprising a floating die section capable of being: coupled to said one frame means carrying said first mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means wherein said first mating die section and said first floating die section are in abutting relationShip to define said closed first die cavity, and coupled to said other rame means and uncoupled from said one frame means carrying said first mating die section so as to be out of abutting relationship with said first mating die section such that said first die cavity is opened for ejecting cured material therefrom; a second die assembly including a pair of die sections arranged to define a closed second die cavity when in abutting relationship, said closed second die cavity being operable to hold a charge of plasticated material; one die section of said second die assembly comprising a second mating die section carried by one of said frame means; the other die section of said second die assembly comprising a second floating die section capable of being: coupled to said one frame means carrying said second mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means wherein said second mating die section and said second floating die section are in abutting relationship to define said closed second die cavity, and coupled to said other frame means and uncoupled from said one frame means carrying said second mating die section so as to be out of abutting relationship with said second mating die section such that said second die cavity is opened for ejecting cured material therefrom; said first floating die section being movable relative to said second floating die section; power means for: shifting said first and second frame means relatively toward one another such that said die sections of said first and second die assembly are clamped in abutting relationship, said power means being arranged to exert sufficient clamping force to resist forces occurring during the insertion of plasticated material into one of said die cavities, and shifting said first and second frame means to a separated position; coupling means being arranged, with said first and second frame means being in a separated position, for: maintaining said first floating die section coupled to the frame means carrying said first mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means, wherein said first die cavity is closed to allow uncured material therein to cure, and simultaneously maintaining said second floating die section uncoupled from the frame means carrying said second mating die section and coupled to the other frame means so that said second die cavity is opened for the removal of cured material therefrom; and said coupling means being further arranged, with said first and second frame means being in a subsequent separated position, for: maintaining said first floating die section uncoupled from the frame means carrying said first mating die section and coupled to the other frame means so that said first die cavity is opened for the removal of cured material therefrom, and simultaneously maintaining said second floating die section coupled to the frame means carrying said second mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means, wherein said second die cavity is closed to allow uncured material therein to cure.

Claim 12

A molding apparatus comprising: first and second relatively movable frame means: a first die assembly including a pair of die sections arranged to define a closed first die cavity when in abutting relationship, said closed die cavity being operable to hold a charge of plasticated material; one die section of said first die assembly comprising a first mating die section carried by one of said frame means; the other die section of said first die assembly comprising a floating die section capable of being: coupled to said one frame means carrying said first mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means wherein said first mating die section and said first floating die section are in abutting relationShip to define said closed first die cavity, and coupled to said other rame means and uncoupled from said one frame means carrying said first mating die section so as to be out of abutting relationship with said first mating die section such that said first die cavity is opened for ejecting cured material therefrom; a second die assembly including a pair of die sections arranged to define a closed second die cavity when in abutting relationship, said closed second die cavity being operable to hold a charge of plasticated material; one die section of said second die assembly comprising a second mating die section carried by one of said frame means; the other die section of said second die assembly comprising a second floating die section capable of being: coupled to said one frame means carrying said second mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means wherein said second mating die section and said second floating die section are in abutting relationship to define said closed second die cavity, and coupled to said other frame means and uncoupled from said one frame means carrying said second mating die section so as to be out of abutting relationship with said second mating die section such that said second die cavity is opened for ejecting cured material therefrom; said first floating die section being movable relative to said second floating die section; power means for: shifting said first and second frame means relatively toward one another such that said die sections of said first and second die assembly are clamped in abutting relationship, said power means being arranged to exert sufficient clamping force to resist forces occurring during the insertion of plasticated material into one of said die cavities, and shifting said first and second frame means to a separated position; coupling means being arranged, with said first and second frame means being in a separated position, for: maintaining said first floating die section coupled to the frame means carrying said first mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means, wherein said first die cavity is closed to allow uncured material therein to cure, and simultaneously maintaining said second floating die section uncoupled from the frame means carrying said second mating die section and coupled to the other frame means so that said second die cavity is opened for the removal of cured material therefrom; and said coupling means being further arranged, with said first and second frame means being in a subsequent separated position, for: maintaining said first floating die section uncoupled from the frame means carrying said first mating die section and coupled to the other frame means so that said first die cavity is opened for the removal of cured material therefrom, and simultaneously maintaining said second floating die section coupled to the frame means carrying said second mating die section and uncoupled from the other frame means, wherein said second die cavity is closed to allow uncured material therein to cure.

Claim 13

Molding apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said first and second mating sections are disposed between said first and second frame means in side-by-side relation so as to be spaced in a direction transverse to the direction of relative movement between said frame means.

Claim 14

Molding apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said first and second mating die sections are mounted so as to be stationary.

Claim 15

Molding apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first and second mating die sections are mounted so as to be stationary.