Port protective ring in a male mold

Abstract

Protection against fluid port blockage in a mold is provided by a novel, easily mountable fluid port protective ring and combination frustoconical mold having fluid ports in an annular groove of a side wall adjacent an edge defining a circumferential flange. The ring may comprise a non-elastomeric relatively rigid material such as inert plastic, stainless steel or the like. Structurally, the ring includes an internal circumferential shoulder which accommodates the roof or the flange edge of the groove, an inner wall adapted to slip over the roof and fit into the groove to define an annular cavity confronting the fluid ports, and to provide at least one relatively narrow fluid release orifice in fluid communication with the fluid ports for protection of the fluid ports. Typically, the orifice internal diameter is less than about 0.01 inch.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.