Hopper transport for injection molding
OwnerRichard A. Hall, Sr.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for feeding raw polymeric material in pellet form from a hopper into the input opening of an injection molding machine. The apparatus includes a carriage for supporting the hopper upright and a track assembly to which the carriage is slidably connected for allowing repositioning of the hopper. The track assembly includes a feed port arranged so that when the carriage is positioned aligned with the feed port, the raw material flows due to gravity from the hopper, through the feed port and into the machine. A preferred embodiment includes a dual-hopper transport having two carriages slidably mounted on a single track assembly. Cleanout ports are provided in the track assembly for discharging unused raw materials from the hopper.
Claims8
A method of feeding polymeric raw materials from a pair of hoppers into an input opening of an injection molding machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate track over the machine upon which each of the hoppers is supported in an upright position for manual sliding movement along the track longitudinal axis independently of the other hopper;
- loading raw material into the first hopper;
- positioning the first hopper over the input opening to allow material to flow from the first hopper into the input opening to provide raw material for a first injection molding job;
- actuating the machine to commence the first job;
- while the first job proceeds, positioning the second hopper at a standby position for loading;
- and
- while the first job proceeds, loading the second hopper with raw material to prepare for commencing a second job thereby minimizing machine down-time after completion of the first job.
A hopper transport apparatus for feeding polymeric raw material from a material hopper into an injection molding machine having an input opening, said apparatus comprising:
- a substantially planar carriage plate for supporting the hopper in a substantially upright position and having a central aperture through which material from the hopper can flow;
- a transition tube connected around its top end to the underside of the carriage plate and extending therebelow for receiving material flowing through said central aperture;
- bearing blocks mounted on the underside of said carriage plate;
- a substantially planar base plate connectable to said machine and having a feed port therethrough which is aligned over said input opening;
- an elongate track mounted on top of said base plate for supporting the carriage plate, the track having said bearing blocks engaged therewith for sliding said carriage plate into a first position in which said transition tube is aligned over the feed port for discharging material from said hopper into said input opening and into a second position in which the lower end of said transition tube is offset from the feed port to prevent flow of material from the hopper;
- the base plate, track, and bearing blocks being constructed and arranged to maintain the carriage plate spaced apart from the base plate to prevent frictional engagement therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.