Molding-system clamp assembly

A molding system being configured to handle a mold, the molding system comprising:

• a molding-system clamp assembly, including:
• a clamp piston being configured to apply a mold-clamping force to the mold that is being held shut by the molding system, and the clamp piston being configured to remove the mold-clamping force from the mold after the mold becomes filled with a molding material and the molding material has cooled down and become solidified;
• and
• a clamp ram being movable relative to the clamp piston, the clamp ram and the clamp piston each including:
• inter-meshable structures being configured to selectively inter-mesh the clamp piston relative to the clamp ram, the inter-meshable structures being intermeshing with each other so that the clamp piston and the clamp ram intermesh relative to each other, once the inter-meshable structures do not interfere with each other while the mold remains not yet been broken apart, the clamp piston is movable, the inter-meshable structures being configured to be movable to an unmeshed position, in the unmeshed position the clamp piston and the clamp ram do not inter-mesh relative to each other;
• and
• inter-abuttable structures being configured to selectively inter-abut the clamp piston relative to the clamp ram, at least one of the inter-abuttable structures having an interposing body, the interposing body being abuttable against the clamp ram, and the interposing body being abuttable against the clamp piston, the inter-abuttable structures being configured to abut with each other so that the clamp piston makes contact with the interposing body, and the inter-abuttable structures being configured to transfer a mold-break force so that the mold-break force is applied from the clamp piston against the interposing body, and in response the mold-break force is transferred from the clamp piston through the interposing body and to the clamp ram, and once mold break has occurred, the clamp piston is deactivated so that the mold may be opened.

A method of operating a molding-system clamp assembly of a molding system, the molding system having a mold, the molding-system clamp assembly having a clamp ram and a clamp piston each including inter-abuttable structures and inter-meshable structures, the clamp ram being movable relative to the clamp piston, the inter-meshable structures being configured to selectively inter-mesh the clamp piston relative to the clamp ram, the inter-abuttable structures being configured to selectively inter-abut the clamp piston relative to the clamp ram, at least one of the inter-abuttable structures having an interposing body, the interposing body being abuttable against the clamp ram, and the interposing body being abuttable against the clamp piston, the method comprising:

• intermeshing the inter-meshable structures with each other so that the clamp piston and the clamp ram intermesh relative to each other;
• actuating the clamp piston to apply a mold-clamping force to the mold that is being held shut by the molding system;
• deactivating the clamp piston so as to remove the mold-clamping force from the mold after the mold is filled with a molding material and the molding material has cooled down and become solidified;
• moving the clamp piston so that the inter-meshable structures do not interfere with each other and the mold remains not yet been broken apart;
• moving the inter-meshable structures to an unmeshed position, in the unmeshed position the clamp piston and the clamp ram do not inter-mesh relative to each other;
• abutting the inter-abuttable structures with each other so that the clamp piston makes contact with the interposing body;
• and
• transferring, via the inter-abuttable structures, a mold-break force so that the mold-break force is applied from the clamp piston against the interposing body, and in response the mold-break force is transferred from the clamp piston through the interposing body and to the clamp ram, and once mold break has occurred, the clamp piston is deactivated so that the mold may be opened.