Compact molding apparatus and method
AssigneesLibbey-Owens-Ford Co., Roll-Tech, Inc.
InventorsJohn H. Gillen, Charles E. Ash, John M. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for molding and a molding method utilizing a moveable mold platen which may hold, have affixed to, or carry a first portion of a mold or molds. A second or door platen may hold, have affixed to, or carry a second portion of a mold or molds. The door platen is placed in its closed position, and the moveable mold platen is brought up adjacent to it, so that the two portions of the mold are brought into engagement with one another. A desired molding material is injected into the mold cavity, after which the moveable platen is retracted, the door platen is opened, and the part is removed. A part to be encapsulated may be placed into the mold before the two portions of the mold are brought into engagement.
Claims21
A compact molding apparatus comprising:
- a) a frame member,
- b) a moveable mold platen attached to said frame member for substantially reciprocal movement with regard to a fixable door platen in a closed position,
- c) means to move said movable platen, wherein said means to move said movable platen includes a powered actuator connected to said movable platen,
- d) a first portion of a mold attached to said moveable mold platen,
- e) said door platen hingedly mounted to said frame member and fixable in a fixed relationship with regard to said moveable platen when said moveable platen is in an advanced position,
- f) means to move said door platen, wherein said means to move said door platen includes a powered actuator connected to said door platen,
- g) a second portion of a mold attached to said fixable door platen, and
- h) means to control said means to move said movable mold platen and said means to move said fixable door platen,
- i) wherein direct access to said first mold portion is gained through a door opening that is defined in said frame member when said door platen is in the open position, and
- j) further, wherein said compact molding apparatus is movable from place to place, as needed.
A mold apparatus comprising:
- a frame member;
- a door platen hingedly mounted on said frame member;
- a movable platen movably mounted on said frame member between a first position spaced from said door platen and a second position adjacent said door platen;
- a first toggle linkage joining said movable platen to said frame member, said toggle linkage comprising first and second links pivotally connected at a first toggle joint, said first link being pivotally connected to said movable platen and said second link being pivotally connected to said frame member;
- a second toggle linkage substantially identical to said first toggle linkage and joining said movable platen to said frame member, said second toggle linkage comprising third and fourth links pivotally connected at a second toggle joint said third link being pivotally connected to said movable platen and said fourth link being pivotally connected to said frame member, a cylinder connected to said second toggle joint and extending between said first and second toggle joints;
- said cylinder connected to said toggle joints, which can be extended to press against said toggle joints and thereby straighten said toggle linkage, and force said movable platen and a mold half mounted thereon into engagement with a mold half mounted on said door platen, when said door platen is closed, and contracted to collapse said toggle linkage and move said moveable platen away from said door platen;
- an elongate shaft having a pair of spaced-apart pinion gears rotatably mounted to a selected one of said frame member and said movable platen;
- and
- a pair of rack gears meshing with said pinion gears, said rack gears mounted to the other of said frame member and said movable platen to form an anti-jamming mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.