Pivoting barrel injection molding machine

An injection molding apparatus having a mold into which plastic is injected, comprising:

• a) a cylindrical barrel, having a plastic extrusion tunnel formed through its length, and having a convex nozzle, at least a portion of which is spherical, attached to an end of the barrel near the mold, through which plastic is forced and having a nozzle axis substantially co-linear with the barrel;
• b) an undercarriage, on which the barrel is slidably mounted;
• c) a hinge, pivotally attaching the undercarriage to a base;
• d) a concave mold inlet opening into the mold, at least a portion of the inlet being spherical and having an axis of symmetry for matingly engaging the convex nozzle to permit injection of plastic into the mold with the axis of the nozzle at an angle to the axis of the mold inlet;
• e) a first actuator for pivoting the undercarriage about the hinge, and forcing the end of the barrel near the mold through an arcuate path to position the nozzle in alignment with the inlet of the mold;
• and
• f) a second actuator for sliding the barrel with respect to the undercarriage along a path which is substantially parallel to the axis of the mold inlet to position the nozzle in engagement with the mold inlet.