A mould transfer mechanism in combination with and for a precision moulding or finishing system including a finishing process for providing moulded products, said system having an input mould carrier mounted on axes parallel with and rotating in synchronized continuous motion with a finishing mould carrier and one or more transfer mould carriers, with input moulds mounted on said input mould carrier each input mould having an input face to contain and present a moulded preform for transfer, and with finishing moulds mounted on said finishing mould carrier each finishing mould having a finishing face to function as one of a pair of finishing moulds in a finishing opertion between a pair of pressing moulds, said transfer mechanism comprising:
- (a) a multiplicity of dual purpose transfer moulds mounted singly or in groups on a series of transfer mould assemblies, and
- (b) one or more transfer mould carriers to transport said transfer moulds sequentially and in uninterrupted continuous motion on an endless path from tangential contact with said input moulds on said input mould carrier to pick up and contain said moulded preforms for transport to and around on said finishing mould carrier to mate at said finishing mould carrier with the finishing moulds mounted thereon, each transfer mould functioning at said finishing mould carrier as one of a pair of finishing moulds which remain together throughout the finishing process, after which said transfer moulds are transferred while still mounted on the said transfer mould assemblies and still containing said moulded products now in finished condition, from said finishing mould carrier to a transfer mould carrier, thereby being unmated from the finishing moulds mounted on said finishing mould carrier, and travelling thenceforward through a point where said moulded products are discharged and thereafter the transfer moulds being empty, travelling onward to tangential contact once more, all in continuous motion and in continuing repetition of an input, finishing and discharge sequence, and
- (c) a system of control to generate a precise travel path and orientation program wherein each said transfer mould assembly has an axis of rotation about which it is fully rotatable as required for said transfer moulds supported thereon, to face outwardly of their endless travel path loop when cooperating with said input moulds mounted on said input mould carrier, to then face inwardly of said travel path loop when cooperating with said finishing moulds on said finishing mould carrier, and to then face outwardly again while said transfer mould assemblies with said transfer moulds mounted thereon are passing through a discharge station, each of said transfer mould assemblies having a shaft at each end, said shafts being located along the axis of rotation of said transfer mould assemblies, each of said shafts having mounted thereon a pair of rollers, one of each said pair of rollers providing rotatable support in releasable mounts on each of said transfer mould carriers, while the other one of each said pair of rollers serves as a guide roller, each of said guide rollers travelling along a continuous series of parallel guide tracks so as to guide said transfer mould assemblies along an optimum travel path so as to cooperate in cyclical order and with maximum precision with each of said transfer moulds with a matching input mould on said input mould carrier and with a matching finishing mould on said finishing mould carrier, and wherein each of said shafts mounted at the ends of each transfer mould assemblies is mounted at its outer end with an orienting lever arm, each of said lever arms being fitted with a multiplicity of cam rollers each of which cam rollers travels intermittently and alternatively along cam roller tracks while said transfer mould assemblies are transported sequentially on each of said transfer mould carriers, said cam rollers cooperating with said cam roller tracks to provide a precisely controlled optimum continuous orientation program for said transfer moulds as they travel into and out of cooperation alternatively with said input moulds on said input mould carrier and with said finishing moulds on said finishing mould carrier.