Apparatus for forming plastic articles

Apparatus for forming molded articles, which comprises:

• at least one injection mold having a mold cavity space and a mold gate communicating with said mold cavity space;
• an injection nozzle for feeding at least one stream of molten material to said at least one injection mold, said injection nozzle having at least one nozzle outlet therein substantially in line with said mold gate;
• movable valve gating means positioned between the mold gate and the at least one nozzle outlet and having at least one orifice therein;
• means for moving said valve gating means between a first position wherein said at least one orifice communicates with said at least one nozzle outlet and with said mold gate and permits the flow of molten material from said at least one outlet to said mold gate, and a second position blocking flow from said at least one nozzle outlet to said mold gate;
• said valve gating means being sufficiently thin that during movement of said valve gating means between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said valve gating means and no residual waste material is formed;
• and
• each orifice including a divider therein to provide a split orifice.

Apparatus for forming molded articles, which comprises:

• at least one injection mold having a mold cavity space and a mold gate communicating with said mold cavity space;
• an injection nozzle for feeding at least one stream of molten material to said at least one injection mold, said injection nozzle having at least one nozzle outlet therein substantially in line with said mold gate;
• movable valve gating means positioned between the mold gate and the at least one nozzle outlet and having at least one orifice therein;
• means for moving said valve gating means between a first position wherein said at least one orifice communicates with said at least one nozzle outlet and with said mold gate and permits the flow of molten material from said at least one outlet to said mold gate, and a second position blocking flow from said at least one nozzle outlet to said mold gate;
• said valve gating means being sufficiently thin that during movement of said valve gating means between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said valve gating means and no residual waste material is formed;
• and
• said valve gating means comprising two blades movable in opposite directions, each said blade having an orifice therein.

Apparatus for forming molded articles, which comprises:

• at least one injection mold having a mold cavity space and a mold gate communicating with said mold cavity space;
• an injection nozzle for feeding at least one stream of molten material to said at least one injection mold, said injection nozzle having at least one nozzle outlet therein substantially in line with said mold gate;
• movable valve gating means positioned between the mold gate and the at least one nozzle outlet and having at least one orifice therein;
• means for moving said valve gating means between a first position wherein said at least one orifice communicates with said at least one nozzle outlet and with said mold gate and permits the flow of molten material from said at least one outlet to said mold gate, and a second position blocking flow from said at least one nozzle outlet to said mold gate;
• said valve gating means being sufficiently thin that during movement of said valve gating means between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said valve gating means and no residual waste material is formed;
• and
• said valve gating means comprising a disk having at least one said orifice, and said disk being rotatably moved between said first and second positions.

Apparatus for forming molded articles, which comprises:

• at least one injection mold having a mold cavity space and a mold gate communicating with said mold cavity space;
• an injection nozzle for feeding at least one stream of molten material to said at least one injection mold, said injection nozzle having at least one nozzle outlet therein substantially in line with said mold gate;
• movable valve gating means positioned between the mold gate and the at least one nozzle outlet and having at least one orifice therein;
• means for moving said valve gating means between a first position wherein said at least one orifice communicates with said at least one nozzle outlet and with said mold gate and permits the flow of molten material from said at least one outlet to said mold gate, and a second position blocking flow from said at least one nozzle outlet to said mold gate;
• said valve gating means being sufficiently thin that during movement of said valve gating means between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said valve gating means and no residual waste material is formed;
• the injection nozzle including a plurality of outlets positioned substantially perpendicular to the main flow of said molten material through said injection nozzle;
• and
• said valve gating means comprising a rotatable member having a number of orifices equal to the number of outlets.

Apparatus for forming molded articles, which comprises:

• at least one injection mold having a mold cavity space and a mold gate communicating with said mold cavity space;
• an injection nozzle for feeding at least one stream of molten material to said at least one injection mold, said injection nozzle having at least one nozzle outlet therein substantially in line with said mold gate;
• movable valve gating means positioned between the mold gate and the at least one nozzle outlet and having at least one orifice therein;
• means for moving said valve gating means between a first position wherein said at least one orifice communicates with said at least one nozzle outlet and with said mold gate and permits the flow of molten material from said at least one outlet to said mold gate, and a second position blocking flow from said at least one nozzle outlet to said mold gate;
• said valve gating means being sufficiently thin that during movement of said valve gating means between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said valve gating means and no residual waste material is formed;
• and
• the valve gating means comprising a blade, said blade having a first portion with first thickness sufficient to substantially prevent its bending and at least one second portion having a second thickness, which second thickness is sufficiently thin that during movement of said blade between said first and second positions substantially no material is carried by said blade and no residual waste material is formed.