Apparatus and method for removing molded articles from their molds

An apparatus for removing a plurality of molded articles respectively from a plurality of molds, comprising:

• each mold having an elongated shape with an elongated external molding surface oriented according to a mold axis, the elongated external molding surface directly contacting a respective molded article, the molds being arranged such that a respective axis of one mold is substantially parallel to the respective axis of the other molds, and
• a plurality of pairs of jaws, each corresponding to a respective mold and including a first jaw and an opposed second jaw which are moveable with respect to the respective mold according to a first relative motion, between an open position wherein the jaws are spaced apart from the mold and a closed position wherein the jaws engage the mold or the molded article, and a substantially axial second relative motion,
• wherein the pair of jaws is slidably displaced along the mold axis and around at least a portion of the molding surface so as to contact and axially displace the respective molded article and remove it from the mold, and
• wherein the jaws, for the first relative motion, are linearly moveable in parallel directions radially toward and radially away from the respective mold axis, and
• a drive mechanism capable of moving the jaws of each pair between the open and closed positions, and a second drive mechanism capable of axially moving the jaws, and further comprising a first carrier carrying the first jaws and a second carrier carrying the second jaws, the first and second carriers being linearly moveable according to two successive orthogonal directions, so as to displace the jaws according to their first relative motion, between their open position and their closed position on their respective molds, and their substantially axial second relative motion.

A method of removing a plurality of molded articles from respective molds, each mold having an external molding surface oriented according to a mold axis, said molds being arranged with their axes parallel, the method comprising the following successive steps:

• (i) aligning each mold with a respective pair of jaws, each pair of jaws including a first jaw and an opposed second jaw;
• (ii) moving the first and second jaws of each pair according to a first relative motion from an open position, wherein the first and second jaws engage the mold or the molded article, said first motion of the pairs of jaws is made linearly in parallel directions which are radial to the respective mold axis;
• (iii) moving the pairs of jaws according to a substantially axial second relative motion, wherein each pair of jaws is slidably displaced along the mold axis so as to axially displace the respective molded article and remove it from the mold,
• wherein the first jaws are carried by a first carrier and the second jaws are carried by a second carrier, and the first motion of the first and second jaws from the open position to the closed position is achieved by movement of the respective carriers.