Lifting apparatus for an injection mold

A mold top lifting apparatus for lifting a mold top generally upwardly away from a position adjacent a mold bottom to a position spaced from said mold bottom, said mold top having generally vertical first and second side surfaces facing outwardly on opposite sides thereof and having means defining a downwardly facing lip at the top of each said side surface, comprising:

• movable support means supporting said mold bottom and first drive means for effecting movement of said support means in a generally horizontal direction approximately perpendicular to the directions in which said side surfaces on said mold top face;
• movable frame means and second drive means for effecting generally vertical movement of said frame means between a first position and a second position above said first position;
• and
• first and second gripping means on said frame means which are spaced horizontally in a direction approximately perpendicular to said direction of movement of said support means, movement of said support means when said frame means is in said first position causing said mold top to move to a position in which said mold top is between said first and second gripping means and said first and second gripping means are respectively engaging said side surfaces thereon, and subsequent movement of said frame means from said first toward said second position thereof causing said mold top to be lifted upwardly away from said mold bottom due to engagement of said gripping means with said lips on said mold top;
• wherein said first and second gripping means respectively include first and second roller support members supported on said frame means for pivotal movement about respective substantially vertical pivot axes, wherein said first gripping means includes two first rollers supported on said first roller support member on opposite sides of said pivot axis thereof for rotation about respective substantially vertical axes, and wherein said second gripping means includes two second rollers supported on said second roller support member on opposite sides of said pivot axis thereof for rotation about respective substantially vertical axes, said mold top passing between said first and second roller support members as said support means moves and said first rollers and said second rollers respectively rolling firmly across said first and second side surfaces on said mold top just below said lips thereon.