Molding machine with expandable chamber and locking means

A molding machine comprising in combination first and second opposed and relatively movable mold bodies;

• means for moving said first and second mold bodies relative to each other along a predetermined path of travel between the first remote open position and a second adjacent closed position, said mold bodies in the closed position defining a chamber adapted to receive therein an article to be molded, said first and second mold bodies being carried by respective first and second supports, means for locking said first and second mold bodies in the closed position thereof, said locking means including at least one locking post carried by said first support and projecting toward said second support in the open position, said locking post having an axis disposed in generally parallel relationship to said predetermined path of travel, said locking means further including cooperative first and second locking elements carried respectively by said locking post and said second support and being interlockable with each other, means carried by said second support for moving said second locking element transversely relative to said locking post axis to move said second locking element out of and into alignment with said first locking element when said mold bodies are in the respective first and second positions, means rotatable relative to said locking post at a position generally remote from said first locking element for axially varying the position of said locking post to alter the position of the first locking element relative to the second locking element, and means between one of said first and second supports and said first locking element for preventing rotation of said first locking element and said locking post during the rotation of said rotatable means.