Modular moulding tools for use in a machine for manufacturing shells or thin-walled blanks from pulp material

In a moulding tool for use in a machine for manufacturing individual articles from pulp material by aspirating a layer of pulp material from a liquid suspension on a liquid-permeable moulding surface, wherein said moulding tool comprises a suction mould (4, 26) and an associated pressing-and-depositing mould (16, 40), each being configured and dimensioned to be secured in a pressure-tight manner to a low, elongated box enclosing a chamber adapted to be sequentially connected to a vacuum source and a pressurized-air source, respectively, wherein said suction and pressing-and-depositing moulds (4, 26;

• 16, 40) comprise mutually facing elements (12, 23;
• 37, 47) adapted to moulding of the individual articles, wherein each suction and pressing-and-depositing mould (4, 26;
• 16, 40) comprises a substantially planar baseplate (1) provided with a plurality of perforations (3) to form the base of said elongated box, and wherein the improvement comprises:
• a) said baseplate (1) including a modularly divided area (2) which is dividable into a plurality of modules;
• b) in a number corresponding to the number of the individual articles, a plurality of modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43), each of which is configured and dimensioned to form a respective one of the individual articles and having a base surface (10, 35, 21, 45) disposed parallel to the baseplate (1), and provided with either projections (12, 47) or recesses (23, 37), are removably secured in the modularly divided area (2) of the baseplate (1), said plurality of modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43) being positioned substantially adjacent to each other to at least partially, but not totally, cover the modularly divided area;
• and
• c) means for masking-off any regions of the modularly divided area (2) on the baseplate (1) not covered by the modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43) thereby producing a coherent pulp shell having the individual articles formed therein such that the articles are separable from each other after drying of the pulp material shell in a drying plate of a drier, said means for masking-off being removably secured in the modularly divided area.

In a moulding tool for use in a machine for manufacturing individual articles from pulp material by aspirating a layer of pulp material from a liquid suspension on a liquid-permeable moulding surface, wherein said moulding tool comprises a suction mould (4, 26) and an associated pressing-and-depositing mould (16, 40), each being configured and dimensioned to be secured in a pressure-tight manner to a low, elongated box enclosing a chamber adapted to be sequentially connected to a vacuum source and a pressurized-air source, respectively, wherein said suction and pressing-and-depositing moulds (4, 26;

• 16, 40) comprise mutually facing elements (12, 23;
• 37, 47) adapted to moulding of the individual articles, wherein each suction and pressing-and-depositing mould (4, 26;
• 16, 40) comprises a substantially planar baseplate (1) provided with a plurality of perforations (3) to form the base of said elongated box, and wherein the improvement comprises:
• a) said baseplate (1) including a modularly divided area (2) which is dividable into a plurality of modules;
• b) in a number corresponding to the number of the individual articles, a plurality of modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43), each of which is configured and dimiensioned to form a respective one of the individual articles and having a base surface (10, 35, 21, 45) disposed parallel to the baseplate (1), and provided with either projections (12, 47) or recesses (23, 37), are removably secured in the modularly divided area (2) of the baseplate (1), said plurality of modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43) being positioned substantially adjacent to each other to at least partially cover the modularly divided area;
• and
• c) at least one masking body for masking any regions of the modularly divided area (2) on the baseplate (1) not covered by the modular mould parts (7, 8, 18, 19, 30, 31, 42, 43) to thereby produce a coherent pulp shell having the individual articles formed therein such that the articles are separable from each other after drying of the pulp material shell in a drying plate of a drier, said means for masking-off being removably secured in the modularly divided area.