Continuous deflashing apparatus for molded articles

A deflashing apparatus for removing residual flash from molded article which comprises:

• (a) a housing defining a plurality of serially oriented, individual work stations including a prechill station, a chill station and a deflashing station arranged in that order;
• (b) means for providing an atmosphere of air within the work stations;
• (c) vapor compression refrigeration means connected to the prechill station for maintaining a temperature at the prechill station which is between the ambient temperature outside of the housing and the temperature required to embrittle the residual flash, the vapor compression refrigeration means including a heat exchanger disposed within the the housing adjacent the prechill station, means for continuously circulating refrigerant through the heat exchanger in a vapor compression cycle so that the refrigerant within the heat exchanger has a temperature below ambient and means for circulating air through the heat exchanger and over the articles located at the prechill station;
• (d) cryogenic refrigeration means connected to the chill station, the cryogenic refrigeration means including a closed coil disposed within the housing, and means for introducing liquid cryogen at a temperature below that required to embrittle the flash into the coil, means for circulating air over said coil and against the molded articles located at the chill stations to embrittle the residual flash on the articles, and means for exhausting the vaporized cryogen from the coil outside of the housing for venting or further use;
• (e) means for directing a deflashing media at high velocity at articles located at the deflashing station to remove the residual flash therefrom;
• and
• (f) conveyor means for transporting the articles to be deflashed through each of the prechill, chill and deflash stations.