Molding die and die-exchanging method

A molding die comprising:

• a lower holder, an intermediate holder, and an upper holder that are stacked and configure a common case of the molding die;
• a lower template, an intermediate template, and an upper template that are disposed in the lower holder, the intermediate holder, and the upper holder, respectively, to be replaceable;
• a lock member, a movement of which in a molding die opening direction or a molding die closing direction is restricted by the intermediate holder, the lock member being supported to be movable in a mold dividing surface direction;
• an upper link bar
• that is attached to the upper holder to protrude from the upper holder toward the intermediate holder,
• that has a first retaining groove, the lock member fitting in the first retaining groove when being located at a molding die closing position, and
• that fixes the intermediate holder and the upper holder to each other when the lock member fits in the first retaining groove;
• a lower link bar
• that is attached to the lower holder to protrude from the lower holder toward the intermediate holder on a side opposite to the upper link bar with respect to the lock member,
• that has a second retaining groove in which the lock member fits and a release portion that enables the lock member to be released from the first retaining groove when the lock member is located in the release portion,
• that fixes the lower holder and the intermediate holder to be a specified first distance away from each other when the lock member fits in the second retaining groove, and
• that releases the upper holder and the intermediate holder from being fixed to each other when the lock member is located at the release portion;
• a restriction member being movable between a restriction position that prevents the lock member from fitting in the second retaining groove and a free position that enables the lock member to fit in the second retaining groove;
• and
• a drive part that sets a position of the restriction member at the restriction position or the free position.