Mold-closing unit for an injection molding machine, and method for locking a force transmission element

A mold closing unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics and other plasticizable materials, comprising:

• a stationary mold carrier,
• a movable mold carrier that is movable relative to the stationary mold carrier and forms, between itself and the stationary mold carrier, a mold clamping space for receiving injection molds and is movable in a closing direction (s-s) for closing and opening parts of an injection mold,
• a mold drive device configured to bring the movable mold carrier into and out of a mold closure of the parts of the injection mold (M) which are received between the movable mold carrier and the stationary mold carrier, which together form mold carriers,
• at least one force transmission element, which is connected to one of the mold carriers and has at an end spaced from the one of the mold carriers an actuable por-tion associated with the other of the mold carriers and configured to be actuable for an operative engagement,
• at least one locking device associated with the other mold carrier and comprising a plurality of locking elements that are arranged radially in relation to the at least one force transmission element and which, during mold closure of the parts of the injection mold, are configured to be brought into positively locking operative connection with the actuable portion for applying a closing force,
• wherein the at least one locking device comprises at least one actuator (16) that is movable in the closing direction and on which, during movement of the at least one actuator, the locking elements are configured to be brought into and out of positively locking operative connection with the actuable portion, transversely to the closing direction in a forced guidance during mold closure, and
• wherein at the same time the at least one actuator is connected to at least one piston of a piston-and-cylinder unit, for applying the closing force,
• wherein the forced guidance is a cam guide for the locking elements, which take the form of clamping jaws being configured to be brought into operative connection with the actuable portion.