Securing/clamping assembly for injection molding machines

An injection molding machine, comprising:

• a stationary platen including at least one stationary mold half;
• a movable platen movable relative said stationary platen and having a mold half adapted to engage said stationary mold half to form a first mold;
• tie bars extending between said stationary platen and movable platens;
• annular body members for each tie bar securing each of said tie bars to at least one of said platens, each of said annular body members attached to at least one of said platens, and each of said annular body members including a means for securing said annular body members to said tie bars, and having a structure which is movable as a single unit;
• wherein said annular body members are operative to convey a clamping force to said mold halves, and are also operative to convey a mold break force to said mold halves;
• and
• engagement means of said body members placing said body members in and out of locking engagement with said tie bars so that when said engagement means is out of locking engagement with said tie bars, said platens are relatively movable,
• wherein said body members are rotatable into locking engagement with said tie bars, and including strips of teeth of said tie bars which engage strips of teeth of said body members, and including slots of said tie bars which align with slots of said body members.

A tandem injection molding machine, comprising:

• a stationary platen including at least two stationary mold halves, said at least two stationary mold halves located on opposed sides of said stationary platen;
• a first movable platen movable relative to said stationary platen and having a mold half adapted to engage one of said stationary mold halves to form a first mold, and a second movable platen movable toward said stationary platen and including a mold half adapted to engage the other of said stationary mold halves to form a second mold;
• tie bars extending between and connecting said stationary platen, said first movable platen and said second movable platen;
• annular body members for each tie bar securing each of said tie bars to at least one of said platens, each of said annular body members attached to at least one of said platens, and each of said annular body members including a means for securing said annular body members to said tie bars, and having a structure which is movable as a single unit;
• wherein said annular body members are operative to convey a clamping force to said mold halves, and are also operative to convey a mold break force to said mold halves;
• and
• engagement means of said body members placing said body members in and out of locking engagement with said tie bars so that when said engagement means is out of locking engagement with said tie bars, said platens are relatively movable,
• including bores in at least one of said platens, wherein said body members are situated at least in part in said bores, and wherein said body members have outer surfaces, and wherein said body members are shaped to form a cavity between the outer surfaces and said bores and to form surfaces extending substantially transverse to a clamping direction of said platens, and means for introducing pressurized fluid into said cavity.

A tandem injection molding machine, comprising:

• a stationary platen including at least two stationary mold halves, said at least two stationary mold halves located on opposed sides of said stationary platen;
• a first movable platen movable relative to said stationary platen and having a mold half adapted to engage one of said stationary mold halves to form a first mold, and a second movable platen movable toward said stationary platen and including a mold half adapted to engage the other of said stationary mold halves to form a second mold;
• tie bars extending between and connecting said stationary platen, said first movable platen and said second movable platen;
• annular body members for each tie bar securing each of said tie bars to at least one of said platens, each of said annular body members attached to at least one of said platens, and each of said annular body members including a means for securing said annular body members to said tie bars, and having a structure which is movable as a single unit;
• wherein said annular body members are operative to convey a clamping force to said mold halves, and are also operative to convey a mold break force to said mold halves;
• and
• engagement means of said body members placing said body members in and out of locking engagement with said tie bars so that when said engagement means is out of locking engagement with said tie bars, said platens are relatively movable,
• wherein said body members are rotatable into locking engagement with said tie bars, and including strips of teeth of said tie bars which engage strips of teeth of said body members, and including slots of said tie bars which align with slots of said body members.

A securing and clamping assembly for clamping platens of an injection mold machine, comprising:

• tie bars extending between and connecting said platens;
• first and second mold halves carried by said platens and engaging each other to form a first mold;
• annular body members for each tie bar securing each of said tie bars to at least one of said platens, each of said annular body members attached to at least one of said platens, and each of said annular body members including a means for securing said annular body members to said tie bars, and having a structure which is movable as a single unit;
• wherein said annular body members are operative to convey a clamping force to said mold halves, and are also operative to convey a mold break force to said mold halves;
• and
• engagement means of said body members placing said body members in and out of locking engagement with said tie bars so that when said engagement means is out of locking engagement with said tie bars, said platens are relatively movable,
• including bores in at least one of said platens, wherein said body members are situated at least in part in said bores, and wherein said body members have outer surfaces, and wherein said body members are shaped to form a cavity between the outer surfaces and said bores and to form surfaces extending substantially transverse to a clamping direction of said platens, and means for introducing pressurized fluid into said cavity.

A securing and clamping assembly for clamping platens of an injection mold machine, comprising:

• tie bars extending between and connecting said platens;
• first and second mold halves carried by said platens and engaging each other to form a first mold;
• annular body members for each tie bar securing each of said tie bars to at least one of said platens, each of said annular body members attached to at least one of said platens, and each of said annular body members including a means for securing said annular body members to said tie bars, and having a structure which is movable as a single unit;
• wherein said annular body members are operative to convey a clamping force to said mold halves, and are also operative to convey a mold break force to said mold halves;
• and
• engagement means of said body members placing said body members in and out of locking engagement with said tie bars so that when said engagement means is out of locking engagement with said tie bars, said platens are relatively movable,
• wherein said body members are rotatable into locking engagement with said tie bars, and including strips of teeth of said tie bars which engage strips of teeth of said body members, and including slots of said tie bars which align with slots of said body members.