Closing unit for a double toggle molding apparatus and method

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said forcing is between said control ring and said movable die-holder.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said forcing is between said control ring and said stationary die-holder.

Claim 5

A closing apparatus for a molding machine, the apparatus comprising: a base; a stationary die-holder positioned on said base; a closing plate positioned on said base and spaced from said stationary die-holder; a plurality of columns attached to said stationary die-holder and said closing plate; a movable die-holder positioned between said stationary die-holder and said closing plate, said movable die-holder being on said plurality of columns; a toggle mechanism connected to said movable die-holder; a control ring positioned between said closing plate and said movable die-holder and being slidable on said plurality of columns, said control ring defining a substantially center opening; a connecting rod pivotably attached to said control ring and said toggle mechanism; and a hydraulic means for applying force against said movable die-holder and said closing plate, and for moving said movable die-holder between a locking position and an unlocking position, portions of said toggle mechanism and said movable die plate moving through said substantially center opening of said control ring during said moving of said movable die-holder.

Claim 6

A closing apparatus for a molding machine, the apparatus comprising: a base; a stationary die-holder positioned on said base; a closing plate positioned on said base and spaced from said stationary die-holder; a plurality of columns attached to said stationary die-holder and said closing plate; a movable die-holder positioned between said stationary die-holder and said closing plate, said movable die-holder being on said plurality of columns; a toggle mechanism connected to said movable die-holder; a control ring positioned between said closing plate and said movable die-holder and being slidable on said plurality of columns, said control ring defining a substantially center opening; a connecting rod pivotably attached to said control ring and said toggle mechanism; and a hydraulic means for applying force against said movable die-holder and said closing plate, and for moving said movable die-holder between a locking position and an unlocking position, portions of said toggle mechanism and said movable die plate moving through said substantially center opening of said control ring during said moving of said movable die-holder.

Claim 7

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein: each of said plurality of columns is attached to both said stationary die-holder and said closing plate; and said each of said plurality of columns passes through said movable die-holder and said control ring, said movable die-holder and said control ring are slidable on said each of said columns.

Claim 8

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein: said plurality of columns contains four (4 ) columns positioned in a substantially quadrilateral shape and said four columns are horizontal.

Claim 9

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, further comprising: another toggle mechanism connected to said closing plate and said movable die-holder, said toggle mechanism and said another toggle mechanism being on substantially opposite sides of said hydraulic means and between said movable die-holder and said closing plate.

Claim 10

An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein: said control ring defines a substantially center opening and portions of said another toggle mechanism and said closing plate move through said substantially center opening during said moving of said movable die-holder.

Claim 11

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein: said connecting rod turns said toggle mechanism outside of said plurality of columns when said movable die holder moves away from said stationary die holder.

Claim 12

A closing apparatus for a molding machine, the apparatus comprising: a stationary die-holder; a plurality of columns having one end attached to said stationary die-holder; a closing plate attached to another end of said plurality of columns; a movable die-holder being slidable on said plurality of columns; a toggle mechanism connected to said closing plate and said movable die-holder; a control ring positioned between said closing plate and said movable die-holder and being slidable on said plurality of columns; connecting rod means including a connecting rod and pivot points connecting said connecting rod to said control ring and to said toggle mechanism for moving portions of said toggle mechanism away from a longitudinal axis of the molding machine when said movable die-holder moves away from said stationary die-holder; and a hydraulic means for forcing said control ring toward and away from one of said movable die holder and said closing plate to move said movable die-holder toward and away from said stationary die holder.

Claim 13

A closing apparatus for a molding machine, the apparatus comprising: a stationary die-holder; a plurality of columns having one end attached to said stationary die-holder; a closing plate attached to another end of said plurality of columns; a movable die-holder being slidable on said plurality of columns; a toggle mechanism connected to said closing plate and said movable die-holder; a control ring positioned between said closing plate and said movable die-holder and being slidable on said plurality of columns; connecting rod means including a connecting rod and pivot points connecting said connecting rod to said control ring and to said toggle mechanism for moving portions of said toggle mechanism away from a longitudinal axis of the molding machine when said movable die-holder moves away from said stationary die-holder; and a hydraulic means for forcing said control ring toward and away from one of said movable die holder and said closing plate to move said movable die-holder toward and away from said stationary die holder.

Claim 14

A closing apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein: said connecting rod inwardly extends from said pivot point on said control ring towards said longitudinal axis to said pivot point on said toggle mechanism when the molding machine is in a closing position.

Claim 15

An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising: sliding sleeves around each of said plurality of columns, each of said sliding sleeves being connected to said movable die-holder and sliding on said plurality of columns, said sliding sleeves passing between said plurality of columns and said control ring, said control ring sliding on said sliding sleeves.

Claim 16

An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising: sliding sleeves around each of said plurality of columns, each of said sliding sleeves being connected to said closing plate, said sliding sleeves passing between said plurality of columns and said control ring, said control ring sliding on said sliding sleeves.

Claim 17

An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein: said toggle mechanism is a double-toggle having a first toggle rod and a second toggle rod, said first toggle rod being pivotably attached at an end to said closing plate and attached at another end to said second toggle rod, said second toggle rod being pivotably attached at an end to said movable die-holder and being pivotably attached at another end to said first toggle rod.

Claim 18

An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein: said connecting rod is pivotably attached to said second toggle rod at a pivot point spaced from said end and said another end of second toggle rod; and said hydraulic means has a hydraulic cylinder positioned on said control ring and a hydraulic shaft positioned on said movable die-holder.

Claim 19

An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein: said connecting rod is pivotably attached to said first toggle rod at a pivot point spaced from said end and said another end of said first toggle rod; and said hydraulic means has a hydraulic cylinder positioned on said closing plate and a hydraulic shaft positioned on said control ring.

Claim 20

An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein: said connecting rod turns said another end of said first toggle rod and said another end of said second toggle rod away from a longitudinal axis of the molding machine during movement of said movable die-holder away from said stationary die-holder.