Take-off plate device

An improved carrying device for holding and cooling a heated molded article, said carrying device comprising:

• a plate;
• a hollow tube attached to a first surface of said plate, said hollow tube having a hollow central portion for receiving said molded article in a heated condition;
• means for mechanically ejecting said molded article from said hollow tube, said mechanical ejecting means comprising an ejector means mounted to said plate for movement along an axis substantially perpendicular to said first surface between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said ejector means first contact a portion of said molded article located externally of said hollow tube;
• said ejector means comprising an ejector bar mounted to said plate;
• and
• said ejector bar having at least one hole slightly larger in diameter than the hollow central portion of the tube.

An improved carrying device for holding and cooling a heated molded article, said carrying device comprising:

• a plate ;
• a hollow tube attached to a first surface of said plate, said hollow tube having a hollow central portion for receiving said molded article in a heated condition;
• means for mechanically ejecting said molded article from said hollow tube, said mechanical ejecting means comprising an ejector means mounted to said plate for movement along an axis substantially perpendicular to said first surface between a retracted position and an extended position wherein said ejector means first contacts a portion of said molded article located externally of said hollow tube;
• means for cooling said molded article while said molded article is in said hollow tube;
• said tube including an inner tube member forming a receptacle for said molded article and an outer sleeve substantially surrounding said inner tube member;
• said cooling means comprising a coolant passageway formed between said inner tube member and said outer sleeve;
• a bottom plug fixedly positioned within said inner tube member;
• said bottom plug mounting said hollow tube to said plate;
• and
• said bottom plug having a surface shaped to match an end portion of said molded article.

An improved system for cooling a heated molded article while said molded article is being transferred by a robot take-off plate, said system comprising:

• a hollow tube for receiving said molded article, said hollow tube having a central portion into which said molded article is drawn;
• means for cooling said molded article while said molded article is in said hollow tube, said cooling means including a cooling passageway extending substantially the entire length of said hollow tube and a plug positioned within said hollow tube;
• and
• said plug communicating with said cooling passageway and contacting an end portion of said molded article to effect cooling of said end portion and thereby cooling of said molded article.

An improved arrangement for removing molded articles from a molding machine and for cooling said molded articles while transferring the molded articles to a receiving station, said arrangement comprising:

• a plate;
• a plurality of tubes mounted to a surface of said plate for receiving said molded articles;
• and
• ejector means for removing molded articles positioned within said tubes, said ejector means comprising at least one ejector bar mounted to said plate by an actuator, said at least one ejector bar being movable in a direction substantially transverse to said surface of said plate, said at least one ejector bar having means for engaging a portion of an individual molded article to facilitate removal of said individual molded article from a respective one of said tubes.

An improved arrangement for removing molded articles from a molding machine and for cooling said molded articles while transferring the molded articles to a receiving station, said arrangement comprising:

• a plate;
• a plurality of tubes mounted to a surface of said plate for receiving said molded articles;
• ejector means for removing molded articles positioned within said tubes, said ejector means comprising elector bars mounted to said plate and movable in a direction substantially transverse to said surface of said plate, said ejector bars each having means for engaging a portion of an individual molded article to facilitate removal of said individual molded article from a respective one of said tubes;
• said plurality of tubes being arranged in a plurality of columns;
• and
• said ejector bars comprising an ejector bar for each of said columns, each said ejector bar having a plurality of holes therein for allowing molded articles to be inserted into said tubes in said column.