Removal of injection-molded tie from mold by moving core disposed outside of abutment wall of tie

A method of injection molding a tie that includes an elongated tongue with two ends and two broad sides, a locking head at one end of the tongue, a first set of ratchet teeth extending along one broad side of the tongue and a second set of ratchet teeth extending along the other broad side of the tongue, wherein the locking head has sides defining a continuoulsy bounded opening for receiving the tongue, the sides include a movable pawl that is hinged at one side of said opening and an abutment wall that is across the opening from the pawl, and the pawl has at least one pawl tooth disposed for engaging the set of first ratchet teeth when the tongue has been inserted through said opening with the first set of ratchet teeth facing the pawl, wherein the pawl, when the at least one pawl tooth is so engaged, is movable toward an abutment surface of the abutment wall in response to pressure applied to the tongue in a direction opposite to the direction of said insertion in order to force the second set of ratchet teeth against the abutment surface;

• and wherein the abutment surface includes at least one tooth for locking engagement with the second set of ratchet teeth when the tongue has been inserted through the opening with the second set of ratchet teeth facing the abutment surface and the side of the tongue including the second set of ratchet teeth is forced against the abutment surface by movement of the pawl;
• the method comprising the steps of
• (a) providing a mold that includes mold parts for defining a cavity between the mold parts in the general shape of the tie;
• (b) injecting molten plastic material into the mold cavity;
• (c) solidifying the plastic material in the mold cavity to form the tie;
• (d) separating the mold parts to enable removal of the tie from the mold;
• and
• (e) removing the tie from the mold;
• wherein step (a) comprises providing a said mold in which one of the mold parts is a movable core that defines at least a portion of a surface of the abutment wall that is on the opposite side of the abutment wall from the portion of the abutment surface that includes the at least one abutment surface tooth;
• and
• wherein step (d) comprises the step of
• (f) moving the core to thereby enable the abutment wall to flex in a direction away from the pawl into a space vacated by movement of the core so that the tie can be removed from the mold pursuant to step (e) without significantly damaging the at least one abutment surface tooth.