Molding apparatus and means for spacing the mold plates

In an apparatus having first and second parts adapted for relative movement toward and away from each other and for movement together, comprising:

• a first part having one end of an elongated member fixed thereto,
• a second part having said elongated member in slidable engagement therewith,
• a fixed member in slidable engagement with said elongated member,
• protrusion means carried by said elongated member, said protrusion means being adapted to protrude in an outward position and in an alternate inward position with respect to said elongated member, said protrusion means being radially alignable with said fixed member,
• said fixed member being adapted to hold said protrusion means in the outward position when radially aligned therewith, and to release said protrusion means to be in the inward position when out of radial alignment,
• said second part being adapted to engage said protrusion means in the outward position when moved in one direction so as to move said first part in the same one direction,
• said protrusion means being movable out of radial alignment with said fixed member when said second part is moved to a predetermined position in said one direction to release said protrusion means to move inwardly to the inward position whereby continued movement of said second part ceases to move said first part in one direction,
• said second part being adapted to be moved in the opposite direction when said protrusion means is in the inward position,
• said first part being prevented from movement in the opposite direction when said protrusion means is in the inward position,
• said first and second parts being movable together in said opposite direction when said second part moves past said predetermined position in the opposite direction, said protrusion means being in the outward position,
• said first and second parts are first and second slidable plates,
• said elongated member being a sleeve and said fixed member being a cylindrical pin slidably engaged within said sleeve,
• said protrusion means are annularly spaced balls retained in annularly spaced holes in a wall of said sleeve,
• said pin has a conical point on its end,
• said apparatus is a power actuated molding press, said second plate being slidably movable in said directions by a power actuator,
• said second plate having a molding cavity therein opening away from said first plate,
• said second plate having openings therethrough to the cavity to receive ejector pins therein,
• said first plate being an ejector plate having ejector pins secured therein, said ejector pins extending to the cavity when the mold is in a closed position,
• said mold being opened by moving said second plate in said one direction,
• fixed means to prevent movement of said first plate in said one direction when said second plate has moved in said one direction to said predetermined position, whereby continued movement of said second plate in said one direction moves said cavity so that said ejector pins extend therein to eject a molded piece therein, and
• whereby when said second plate is moved in said opposite direction said cavity moves away from said ejector pins, said first plate being prevented from movement in said opposite direction until said second plate moves past said predetermined position.

In a power actuated molding press,

• a fixed clamp plate,
• a first slidable mold cavity plate juxtaposed to said fixed plate,
• a second slidable mold cavity plate juxtaposed to said first plate, said cavities being aligned and open toward each other,
• said first and second plates being adapted to be moved into contact to form a closed mold cavity of the cavities in the two plates, said first plate being adapted to be moved into contact with said fixed plate by the movement of the second plate against the first plate to close the mold,
• a slidable ejector plate juxtaposed to said second plate,
• power means connected to slidably move said second plate in one direction and in an opposite direction thereto,
• the improvement comprising:
• first means carried by said first plate and second means carried by said second plate, and
• fixed means carried by said fixed plate being cooperatively engaged with said first and second means carried so as to lock the first and second plates together when the mold is closed, whereby movement of said second plate in said one direction is adapted to move said first plate to a first predetermined position spaced from the fixed clamp plate,
• said fixed means being disengaged from said first and second means carried to unlock said first and second plates when said first plate is at said first predetermined position whereby continued movement of said second plate in said one direction ceases to move said first plate.