Fiber molding system and method

A method for supplying wet pressed molded fiber articles to a dry press, the method comprising:

• a) moving a forming platen to dip a forming face of a forming die secured thereto into a slurry tank and deposit a first fiber mat on a porous forming surface of the forming face;
• b) moving the forming platen to a pressing position, wherein the forming platen is rotated about a first horizontal axis to direct the forming face upwards;
• c) pressing a first transfer die of transfer tooling mounted to the transfer platen against the first fiber mat on the forming platen when the forming platen is in the pressing position, the transfer platen having a second transfer die opposite the first transfer die;
• d) transferring the first fiber mat from retained engagement on the forming platen to retained engagement on the first transfer die;
• e) rotating the transfer platen about a second horizontal axis to direct the first transfer die upwards and the second transfer die downwards;
• f) moving the forming platen proximate the slurry tank, wherein the forming platen is rotated about the first horizontal axis to direct the forming face downwards;
• g) dipping the forming face in the slurry tank, to deposit a second fiber mat on the porous forming surface of the forming face;
• h) moving the forming platen to the pressing position, wherein the forming platen is rotated about the first horizontal axis to direct the forming face upwards;
• i) pressing the second transfer die of the transfer tooling mounted to the transfer platen against the second fiber mat on the forming platen when the forming platen is in the pressing position;
• j) transferring the second fiber mat from retained engagement on the forming face to retained engagement on the second transfer die;
• and
• k) transferring the first fiber mat and the second fiber mat from the transfer tooling to first and second press stations of the dry press.