Combined injection-molding and pressing machine

A combined injection-molding and pressing machine comprising:

• a vertical press adapted for opening and closing of an upper mold and a lower mold, with the lower mold having an underside and a resin inlet in said underside, said vertical press having a stationary horizontal die plate adapted to support said lower mold thereon;
• a horizontal injection apparatus including an L-shaped injection nozzle having an outlet, a resin passageway through said nozzle to said outlet, and a valve for opening and closing said resin passageway, said injection apparatus being adapted for injection of molten resin through said nozzle, a platform, said injection apparatus being carried by said platform so that the outlet of said injection nozzle can be moved into and out of positive abutment with a resin inlet in the underside of said lower mold with said injection nozzle exerting contact pressure against the underside of said lower mold during such abutment when said lower mold is supported on said die plate;
• a base movable horizontally toward and away from said vertical press, a first hydraulic actuator for moving said base horizontally toward said vertical press so as to position said injection nozzle under said die plate and for moving said base horizontally away from said vertical press so as to withdraw said injection nozzle from under said die plate;
• said platform being movably supported on said base so as to provide for relative vertical motion of said injection nozzle with respect to said base, a second hydraulic actuator, said platform being movable by said second hydraulic actuator so as to move said injection nozzle vertically into and out of positive abutment with the resin inlet in the underside of said lower mold when said lower mold is supported on said die plate and when said injection nozzle is positioned under said die plate by said base;
• a hydraulic circuit which includes said first and second hydraulic actuators and a pressure source to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure to said first and second hydraulic actuators;
• a first detection means for producing a first output signal which is responsive to the pressure at which said injection nozzle contacts said lower mold positioned on said die plate;
• and
• control means for controlling said second hydraulic actuator in response to said first output signal to maintain a predetermined contact pressure between said injection nozzle and said lower mold positioned on said die plate during the injection of molten resin through said nozzle.