Linkage assembly for a multiple level stack mold molding machine

A multiple level stack mold molding machine having a fixed platen, a movable platen, a plurality of carriage assemblies and a pair of linkage assemblies for opening and closing said mold, each said linkage assembly comprising:

• a separate arm pivotally connected to a first central pivot point on each said carriage assembly;
• an arm pivotally connected to said fixed platen at one end and to a first end of a said separate arm of an adjacent carriage assembly at another end;
• another arm pivotally connected to said movable platen at one end and to a first end of a said separate arm of an adjacent carriage assembly at another end;
• a pair of arms extending between each pair of separate arms;
• and
• one of said arm being connected to an upper end of one of said platens and said another arm being connected to a lower end of the other of said platens and a first of each said pair of arms extending between a second end of a said separate arm and said central pivot point of an adjacent separate arm and a second of each said pair of arms extending between a second end of said adjacent separate arm and said central pivot point of said separate arm, wherein said pair of arms and said separate arms surround an opening between mold faces of a each associated moldset when said mold is open and said arm and said another arm extend across a moldset in a position below or above mold faces of moldsets on either end of said mold to facilitate access to said mold faces when said mold is open.

In a multiple level stack mold molding machine having a fixed platen, a movable platen, a plurality of carriage assemblies and a linkage assembly for opening and closing said mold, said linkage assembly comprising:

• an arm on each said carriage assembly, each said arm being pivotally connected to a central pivot point on one of said carriage assemblies;
• an arm extending between said fixed platen and an end of one of said arms on a said carriage assembly;
• another arm extending between said movable platen and an end of another of said arms on another of said carriage assemblies;
• and
• a pair of arms extending between each adjacent carriage assembly, each arm of said pair of arms extending from an end of an arm of one said carriage assembly to a central pivot point on an adjacent said carriage assembly, each arm of said pair of arms being shaped to extend around a periphery portion of a mold opening.

A linkage assembly for opening and closing a multiple level stack mold in a molding machine having a fixed platen, a movable platen and a plurality of carriage assemblies, said linkage assembly comprising:

• an arm on each said carriage assembly, each said arm being pivotally connected to a central pivot point on one of said carriage assemblies;
• an arm extending between said fixed platen and an end of one of said arms on a said carriage assembly;
• another arm extending between said movable platen and an end of another of said arms on another of said carriage assemblies;
• and
• a pair of arms extending between each adjacent carriage assembly, each arm of said pair of arms extending from an end of an arm of one said carriage assembly to a central pivot point on an adjacent said carriage assembly and surrounding a portion of a mold opening.