Apparatus for inserting molds filled with a monomer mixture into rotating polymerization columns

Claim 1

In an apparatus for polymerizing a dosed monomeric mixture in a mold subjected to rotation during said polymerization, said apparatus including a magazine for feeding said molds from a column of molds in said magazine, and a rotatable polymerizing column in which said polymerization takes place, an improved mold insertion device for inserting said molds by clamping and releasing said column of molds falling from said magazine comprising: a body made of non-magnetic material and adapted to be secured to the lower end of said magazine and to the upper end of said column for coincidental rotation of said magazine, said column, and said body, said body having a first through-opening along a linear axis from said magazine to said column, said through-opening having a cross-sectional dimension greater than the transverse cross-sectional dimension of said molds, a second through-opening in said body oriented substantially perpendicularly to said linear axis of said first through-opening and capable of accommodating jaw means, jaw means mounted in said second through-opening for reciprocal movement between a clamping position against molds falling into said insertion device from said magazine and a release position which releases said molds, said jaws biased toward said clamping position, and said jaws having first means for providing magnetic attraction, release actuating means provided at a position outside said body adjacent said jaw means, said release actuating means having a second means for providing magnetic attractions for magnetic counterpole interaction with said first magnetic means in said jaws sufficient to pull said jaws from said clamping position to said release position, whereby said mold clamped in said jaw means is released upon actuation of said release actuating means.