Dual-hopper injection unit for injection molding machine

A structure supporting dual raw material hoppers on the injection unit of an injection molding machine for the selective supply of granulate raw material from either hopper to the plastification cylinder of the injection unit, the structure also making it possible to reorient the normally horizontally oriented injection unit to a vertical injection orientation, the dual-hopper support being thereby converted from a configuration in which the hoppers are perpendicular to the horizontal plastification cylinder to a configuration in which the hoppers are parallel to the vertically injecting plastification cylinder, for a gravity flow of raw material from either hopper into the plastification cylinder in either orientation, the dual-hopper supporting structure, as seen in the normal orientation, comprising in combination:

• a mounting hub associated with a rearward portion of the plastification cylinder of the injection unit, the mounting hub having an upwardly facing primary mounting face surrounding a vertical primary charge chute in the form of a bore leading from the primary mounting face into the plastification cylinder, the mounting hub further having a secondary mounting face arranged to the rear of the primary mounting face and surrounding a secondary charge chute which is inclinded rearwardly from the primary charge chute by an acute angle of at least approximately 45 degrees and leads from the secondary mounting face into the plastification cylinder;
• an elongated transverse guide plate removably attached to the primary mounting face of the plastification cylinder so as to extend laterally outwardly on both sides of the plastification cylinder, the guide plate having a central bore forming an extension of said primary charge chute;
• a hopper base assembly with a discharge opening forming part of each raw material hopper;
• a hopper carriage adapted for the attachement thereto of the two hopper base assemblies and for supporting the two hoppers at a fixed distance from each other, the hopper carriage being supported and guided on the transverse guide plate, for the execution of translational movements of the hopper carriage along the guide plate over a distance which is equal to the distance between the discharge openings of the two hopper base assemblies, so that either of the two hoppers is alternatingly movable from a lateral waiting position into an operating position in which the discharge opening of its hopper base assembly is algined with the central bore of the guide plate and the charge chute;
• translation drive means associated with the hopper carriage and the transverse guide plate for the mechanized execution of the translational movements of the hopper carriage;
• and
• an adapter post in the form of a straight hollow member, the adapter post having a lower attachment face by which it is attachable to the secondary mounting face of the mounting hub in such a way that its bore forms an inclined adapter chute in communication with the inclined secondary charge chute, the adapter post having an upper attachment face which is inclined to the axis of the adapter post by approximately the same acute angle by which the secondary charge chute is inclined to the primary charge chute, so as to be oriented substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the plastification cylinder, the upper attachment face of the adapter post being thereby arranged to serve as a raised horizontal mounting face for the transverse guide plate, when the injection unit is reoriented for vertical injection.