Apparatus and methods for automating movement of mold drawers

Automated removal and insertion machine for mold drawers operable with a molding machine, said machine comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of actuators mounted within said frame, said actuators retractable and extendible in a substantially horizontal direction for removal and insertion of molds with respect to the molding machine, said actuators movable within said frame in a substantially vertical direction;
• a plurality of encoders, each said encoder operably attached to a respective one of said actuators for providing data indicative of a position of the respective said actuator;
• a plurality of electromagnetic effectors, each said electromagnetic effector attached to a terminal end of a respective one of said actuators for engagement with a respective mold;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to said actuators to control retraction and extension of said actuators in the substantially horizontal direction and further communicatively coupled to said electromagnetic effectors for controlling power applied to said electromagnetic effectors, the controlled retraction and extension of said actuators and application of power to said electromagnetic effectors operable for insertion and removal of at least one mold drawer with respect to the molding machine.

A system for positioning a mold with respect to a molding machine, the system comprising:

• a frame having at least a bottom side and a vertical axis;
• an adjustment mechanism positioned within said frame, said adjustment mechanism substantially parallel to the vertical axis;
• a plurality of hydraulic cylinders each having a terminal end, wherein said plurality of hydraulic cylinders are individually engaged with said adjustment mechanism within said frame in a substantially perpendicular orientation with respect thereto, wherein said adjustment mechanism permits independent vertical positioning of each of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders with respect to said frame;
• a corresponding plurality of electromagnetic effectors affixed to the terminal ends of each of said plurality of hydraulic cylinders, wherein said plurality of corresponding electromagnetic effectors and said plurality of hydraulic cylinders are operable to independently engage one or more molds to cause lateral movement of the molds;
• and
• a plurality of anti-rotation rods having a distal end and a terminal end and positioned substantially parallel to each of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders, wherein the terminal end of each of the plurality of anti-rotation rods is affixed to a portion of the electromagnetic effectors affixed to the terminal end of the hydraulic cylinder, and wherein the distal end is connected to a portion of the frame.