Molding die apparatus

Claim 1

In a die frame assembly for molding parts from heated fluid material, said die frame assembly comprising: a first frame including a first mold half; a second frame including a second mold half, said second frame including a clamp plate through which said frame is secured to a molding machine and a support plate spaced from said clamp plate; at least one of said first and second mold halves having a mold cavity forming a part to be molded; at least one of said first and second mold halves having means passing the fluid molding material from a sprue opening to the mold cavity; at least one support post extending between the clamp plate and the support plate to provide rigid support for the support plate; an ejector plate mounted within the second frame with the support post extending through the ejector plate; ejector pins mounted on the ejector plate and extending through the second mold half; means mounting the ejector plate for reciprocatory movement within the second frame between a retracted position and an ejected position, the ejector pins being positioned at the surface of the mold cavity or the fluid material passing means when the ejector plate is in a retracted position, the ejector pins extending into the mold cavity or the fluid material passing means when the ejector plate is in the ejected position to eject the molded part from the second die half as the mold separates; the improvement which comprises: a bushing mounted to said ejector plate and snugly engaging said at least one support post to permit smooth guided movement of the ejector plate within the second die frame during ejection of the molded parts and return of the ejector plate to the retracted position, said ejector plate riding on and being guided within the second frame essentially only by said at