CA1125467A - Apparatus for forming a moulded squeeze toy including whistle - Google Patents

Abstract

A. P. Taluba-P. A. Taluba 1-1 MOLDED SQUEEZE TOY INCLUDING WHISTLE
Abstract of the Disclosure A squeeze toy of air-filled elastomer material including a whistle, and a method and apparatus for forming the same. A
small cavity or depression is molded into the body of the toy to form the whistle site. A small cap, which may comprise a flat or slightly rounded disk, or a small hollow cylinder, closes the small cavity or depression forming the whistle site. A pair of small openings are formed in centered, aligned relation in the cap and in the bottom of the cavity, completing the whistle. The body of the toy is preferably formed by blow molding techniques, using the opening in the bottom of the cavity corresponding to the whistle hole to blow air in during the molding process, and to blow the finished part out of the mold. The whistle cap may either be made simultaneously with the body, by blow molding, or by separate injection molding techniques.

Description

5~7 --A~ P. Taluba-P. lL. ~aluba l-1 Rack~ound_of the_~e~tion.
Thl~ relates in general to a~r-fill~d squeez~ toys o~
ela~tomer mster~ ch ~ncluda wh~tle~; and the method~ d apparatus for ma}cing the same.
~evlces oi ru~ber, sy~thetlc :~ubber or plastic, equipped ~fith whi8tle9 YhiC'.h ma~e a ~loi~e Ihen tho d~r~ce i~ squee~ed or ne~ed~ ha~e long been U8~d B~l toy~ ~or children and anlm~l~. In ~oany ~rior art ty~es, the ~ tle i~ made of one or more metal ~leces ~rhich are fla~ged or crlmpod togother to rorm the re~o~t chamber; tho metal part~ be~g crimped or cls~aped to th~ ed~5es oî
op~ing ~ the toy body. Cnildre~ a~d aDlm~ e bee~ kno~m to ~lodge and ~allow ~uch ~histle parts ~th di~a~trous re~ult~.
TheJ0 m~tal ~histle partB oiten ha~e ~b~rg edge~ ~hioh causs i~u-rie~ e~0n ir ~ot s~all4~red. I~ other ca~es, ~ tle ~art~ ~ormed o~ ~o ~ etal ~ay ne~erthele~ be dt~lodged and sYallo~ed.
Fur~hermors, when th0 whl~tles ar~ made as ~pars~e pRrt3, the tas~ o~ s~parat~ly applying the ~hi8tle8 to the bod~es o~ th~
toy~ 1~ t~e consu~ing a~d espens~ve.

Ac~ordlngl~, ~he ganeral ob~ct o~ the present invention i~ to de~ise impro~ed met~od~ and a~psratu~ ~or forming ~hiotle5 1~ lntegral relat~on wi~h toy~ o~ el~stomer material. A ~ore par-tlculas ob~ect o~ the i~ention lo to prov~de a ~qu~e~e toy hav~ng a~ integrallg ~o~ed ~hlstle which i~ ~ubsta~ti~lly lm~ossiblc ~or childre~ a~d snimal~ to dislodge a~d ~allo~. Ano~her ob~ect Or the ln~sntio~ 1~ to pro~ide a ~or~ e~icie~t, le~ expensi~e wag o~ makl~g ~que~e toya ~hlch ~clude ~hi9tl~e.
~ hese a~d o~her obJect~ ~re realized i~ accorda~ce ~ith the present iave~tlo~ i~ a~ air~illled egueeze toy ~ormed of elastomer mat~rial ~hlch includes a ~hlstle ~ite comprl~ing a small cavity or depre~io~ i~tegrally ~ormed ~lth tha body of the toy, ~hich ca~ity i~ clo~ed by a di~k-~hap~d or cylindrlcal cap. The -lo ~ "\

A. P. ~aluba-P. A. Talub~

cap a~ld the oa~ity have a~a~ aligned ce~tral oI~enl~gs which ~er~e as air ~e~t~.
The body o~ the toy ~8 pre~erably blow molded, the ~rhlst:Le ca~lty bei~g ~oFmed by the ~e of s~ecisll~ desig~ed inserts 5 incor;porated i~to the primaxy mold, ~hlch i~serts include a blo~r hole corr~opo~d~g to the hole to be ~orslled ~ the ~hlstlc s~te.
Dur~ the moldi~g process, the body o~ the tog~ 19 lrlilated by a bla~t o~ alr ~ich passos through the blo~ hole ln ~hs in~rt, and rh~ the mold~ proce~s ie co~leted, the body i8 blolm out o~ the 10 ~old by a ~e¢ond blast of air pasalrlg ~t throu~ blow hole .
The cap mE~ either be ~ormed s~ltaneou~ly ~th the toy body 1~ est~sio~L o~ the ~sert; or~ alternati~l~, it ma;r be ~o~ed separat~ prererab~r by inJectlon molding tec~que~.
The toy~ to lrhlch the present in~ention applie~ may ¢omprl~e a bodg ~ormed e~sent~ally o~ le~ible or ela~tomer ~atsrial, su~h a~ a thermoplastio rubber ~ade by the Shell Che~ical Co~pa~ u~d~r th~ trade~ark "~RATO~". The caps~ ~hl¢h may be o~ a ~l~ilar ~aterlal, m~y as~um6 an~ ons o~ a number o~ dl~iar~nt ror~e~
ZO ~ch a~ a ~lat di~c, a rounded button or a 8~11 c~tnder, ~hlch are fltted i~to and bonded ~to place in the c~ll~drical ~rhietlo ol~e. IrL those embodlm~2~0 ~ ~ he oa~ aro ~ormed ~parately ~rom the body o~ tho toy, th~y ar-t ~n~ped ~to a~d bonded in ~lace ~ the ca~lty by e. bonding agent uhlcb, 1~ ~re~erab~r rorDled o~ ths 25 ela~to~er ~aterl~l Or the toy body~ dlasol~ed ln a~ ~ dry~
~ol~nt.
Part~cular reatures Or the proc~es Or thc pre~e~t l~en-tlon are that it ~ rid~e a n~or~ e~iclent and economical l-ay, ths~
a~ lable in th~ prior art, i~ ~hich ~o mold the toy body and 30 whi~tle ~lte in a single operation~ ~hare~ the blow hols in the mold functlo~ to Iorm one o~ tho hole~ ln the ~rhl~tle site. I~
ons embodlment, the cap 1~ aleo made in the ~ame blo~ moldi~g l~Z54~;7 opexation. Time conslming and expensive handling operations are min:imized. In another embodiment, the caps may be made by separate injection molding techniques.
The final product of this process is a squeeze toy, including a whistle, which can be safely given to children and animals without fear that the whistle will be dislodged and swallowed.
Accordingly there is provided a molding system for blow molding a toy comprising an air-filled squeeze body of blow-moldable elastomer material including a whistle cavity integrallyformed in molded relation to said body, said system comprisiny in combination:
means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material;
a pair of primary molds constructed in closed relation to deform said parison for shaping said body, insert means comprising a blow hole interposed in said primary molds, means comprising a blow pin constructed to operate in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds to move to and fro inflating said parison and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing said molded s~ueeze body free from said molds, said insert means constructed to form a whistle cavity substantially simultaneously with the formation of said squeeze body, the blow hole of said insert means disposed to accommodate said blow pin to form at least one of the whistle openings in said whistle cavity.
There is also provided an insert for forming a whistle cavity integrally with an air-filled squeeze body in a blow-molding system, which system comprises means for producing aparison of thermoplastic material, a pair of primary molds shaped to clutch said parison between them to impose thereon a pre-11'~5~67 selected shape, and means comprising a blow-pin op~rative in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds for inflating saicl parison, and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing the molded squeeze body free from said molds and said blow-pin;
said insert comprising:
a pair of insert-halves interposed into said primary molds;
each of said insert-halves comprising a semi-annular protuberance substantially closed at one end by a semi-annular closure disposed substantially concentrically with the principal axis between said insert-halves for forming said whistle cavity;
said semi-annular closures constructed to form between them in closed position of said primary molds a central blow-hole to accommodate the incursion of said blow-pin into a position coinciding with the center of said whistle cavity for forming a precisely-dimensioned whistle hole in said whistle cavity.
There is further provided in combination with a molding system for blow-molding an air-filled squeeze body, wherein said system comprises means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material, a pair of primary molds shaped to clutch said parison between them to impose thereon a preselected shape, and means comprising a blow-pin operative in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds for inflating said parison, and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing themDlded s~ueeze body free from said molds and said blow-pin; the improvement comprising:
means for forming a whistle cavity which is integral with said squeeze body simultaneously with the formation of said squeeze body, said means comprising a pair of insert-halves interposed into said primary molds;
each of said insert-halves comprising a semi-annular protuberance substantially closed at one end by a semi-annular closure disposed substantially concentric with the principal ~y .....
-3a-1125~6~

axis between said insert-halves for forming said whistle cavity;
said semi-annular closures constructed to form between them in closed position of said primary molds a central blow-hole to accommodate the incursion of said blow-pin into a position coinciding with the center of said whistle cavity, and said blow-pin constructed to form at least one whistle hole in said position upon the freeing of said squeeze body from said blow-pin;
wherein each of said protuberances is semi-cylindrical in form and substantially closed at its inner end by a semi-annular disk, said protuberances being constructed to formbetween them a cylindrical whistle cavity directed inwardly from the external surface of said body, the blow-hole formed by said insert means being disposed in axial relation to said cylindrical whistle cavity.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the attached drawings with reference to the specification hereinafter.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 shows, in side elevation, a typical air-filled elastomer squeeze toy containing a whistle formed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary section through the plane 2A-2A of FIG. 1, showing one embodiment of the whistle assembly in accordance with the present invention, in which the closure is provided by a cylindrical cap;
FIG. 2B shows the whistle àssembly of FIG. 2A in end elevation;
FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively show, in section, the whistle site and the cap of FIG. 2A in spaced apart relation;
FIG. 4A shows, in section, a modified form of whistle assembly in which a flat disk replaces the cap of FIG. 3B;

FIG. 4B shows the whistle assembly of FIG. 4A in end ~ .
-3b-112546'7 elevation;
FIGS. 5A and 5B show, in section and end elevation, respectively, a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 4A, 4B
in which the closure disk is slightly recessed;
FIGS. 6A and 6B show, in section and end elevation, respectively, another modification of the whistle assembly of the previous figures in which the cylindrical cap is seated on an -3c-.

l~Z5467 ~. P. Tal~ P. ~ luba 1-1 an~lar rec~e~ ~ th~ ~rhistle ca~ltg, ~o that the cap ~9 rlu~h ~rlth the lDut~r ~ aoe;
S. 7A~ d 7C ~hou, in ssctlon, ln pe~8pective and in e~d ele~atio~l, reopectivel~r, a ~urther mod~i~icatio~ of the 5 ~/hlotle o~r the pre~I3t i~ve~tion ln lrhlch the outer ~ ace oi the closure ~olRpri~es a round~d button;
~ IG. 8A ~ho~s, i~ plan ~e~, 0D8 0:~ the hal~ o~ the u~lmodliied blod ~old ~or the toy body ln e~pty ~nd ~ d co~dition;
FI~. ~3 ie a~a enlarged perspectlY~ sho~i~g o~ the two 10 hal~ o~ th~ ~1lB8rt ~or molding tha whlstle ~lte ca~ty ~ntegrall~
ith the to~ body;
~ I~. 8C i8 a ~ra~me~targ~ ~howlng of the mold b~l~ oi~
~a. 8~, eDIpty and ~illed, modl~led to include the l~sert o~

FIGS. 9A and 9B ~pectiv~ ho~ ~L P1aD ~e~, the t~ro hal~e~3 of the mold rOx forming caps by lDJectlon mold~ng teo~lque~;
and ~ IG9. lOA and 10}3 re~pe¢tively show, in ope~ a~d closed po~itio~ che~t~c longltud~al ~ctlo~, th~ ect~on mold and mecha~l~m ior rO~g th~ cap~.

~ he prese~t i~ventlo~ i~ applt cabl~ to a~y sgueeze toy or ob~ect o~ an elasto~er material filled fith air, ~ormed b~ ~y type 25 OI ~ell-k~o~ molding process 1~ h it 1~ desired to ~orm a tle i~tegral with the ob~ect~ ~rhioh ~rhlstlea ~en the toy i9 squeezed, ~hich will ~ot come loose or readily be di~lodged, ~d 5~
A. P. Taluua-P. A. ~aluba 1-1 Yhlch ~ ot be tosic or other~ e h~ul to a child or a~nal UB~r~4 th~ toy.
Although an~ ~uitable rubber, sy~thetic rubb~r or ela~-tomer m~t~rial ~8~ b~ u~ed ror th~ product o~ th~ present i~re~-5 tlo~l, a ~aterlal w~lch iB particularly adaptea ior this purpose 18a ~hermoplastic rubber ma~u:tac~red by the Shell Chemical Compa~
under the ~radsmark "~L~O~n. Thie if3 a the~oplastic ~lock co~
polym~r o~ styrene Qnd butad~e~e ~rhich combi~e3 the rs3ilie2;c~ and ela~tlc~t~ o~ ~ulcsniz~d rubber ~ith thermoplastic processlng tech-iques, achi~ed w~t~out ~ulcQn~$ation. The eomposition, char~c-teri8tlc8 a~d method o~ ~aking thi~ mhtsrial are mor~ partlculsrly de~cxibed in ~ Pate~t ~o. 3,2~5,765, ls~ued ~ugu~t 9~ 1966 to Geoi~rey Holden ELd Ralph ~ilkovioh, asalg~or~ to ~hell Oil Co~p~
It ~ill b~ understood that any other plast~o or synthetlc rubber materlal can ~e ~mployed ~or the purpo~e~ o~ the present i~entlon~ pro~ided it cures to a bod~ having the de~ired ~le~l-billty. Por w e ~n toys~ the ~aterial ~u~t al~o be nonto~c.
Re~crri~g to ~I~. l, thero i8 ~how~ slde elevatlo~, an ob~ect l, ~hi~h i8 an air~ led ~que~ze toy ln the iorm o~ a hot do~ oi o~nthetic rubber or pla~tic material, such ae the thermo-pla~t~c materlal kno~n by the trademark ~ATO~n, or a~y 8imilar synth~ti¢ rubber or ~lsstlc materi~l. Re~erence character 2 re~ers to ~ whi~tle located at one ~nd, ~hich is indicated in enlarged iragmentary ~ootion ~n ~IG. 2A, and in ~nd ele~at~on ~n FIB. 2B.
FIG. 3~ i~ a oe~rate eho~ln~ oi the caYlt~ 4 o~ Fq~. 2~, from ~hich thc cap, ~eparatel~ oho~n 1~ ~IG. ~B, ha~ bee~ removed.
T~e ca~ity 4, ~hich i~ centered ln the end o~ hot dog body l, 1B
~bout 0~143 inch d~ep. Ca~it~ 4 has a wall th~c~ne~e Or 35 mil~, 1~ a~out 0.50 lnch in l~ner diameter, and ha8 a central opening 5, 9ay, 0.110 inch in diam~ter. The bottom of cavity 4 h~e a ~ltght reces~ 4a, ~orml~g an annular shoulder about 25 ~il~ wide, and hav~g an i~ward taper.

.~, ~ ~ 5 -1~2S~6~ 1 A. P. ~aluv--P. ~. ~slubs 1-1 F~G. 3~3 sho~l~ the cyllndrical cap ~ r ty~callg, about 0.500 ich i~ outer dia~er, 0.220 ~c~ ~ he ght and ha~g a ~all t~lc~cne2s Or 27 r~la. It hag a central op~ g 6, sa~r, 0.110 inch i~ d.lameter, and a ~ ht out~ardly d~re~ted ilange ~8 dh~ch ~its 5 into reces~ 4a in ca~ty 4. ~h~ open~g 6 ha~ rardly dlrected taper.
Although the oa~ 3 18 de~ed to be ~a~l'cted into ~a~lty 4, in pr~rred ~om~ ~t i8 80CUr~ly bos~ded therei~. I~ the pre~t esample, the bor~irlg material ~r comprise a pas~e ~de 10 rrom pellet~ oi a thermo~la~tic m~t~r~al, ouoh a~ ~T0~", dl9~01-~ed ~ toluol.
F~. 4~ sho~o, in section ~d end ele~atio~, an alterna-tive form of the i~e~tlor~ compri~g 8 toy oi a di~îere~lt shape, but Or the 8am~ ~terlals as aet iorth in the pre~rlous embodiments, 15 in ~rhi.ch a dlsk: 7 (~L~tead oi a oap) 18 seatod in a rece3s 9a oi the ca~lty g. In this embodiment, the disl~ m~y ~e, ~ay, 40 mil~
thi~ and about 0.570 inch i~ dia~eter, and may have a ce~tr~l openi~g 8, Oollû i~ch i~ dia~eter, whlch i~ sllghtly ln~ardl~ taper-ed. Ca~ity 9 ha8 aD o~e:rall depth oi, Ja;jr, 0.183 l~ch, the ~ular 20 reces~ 9R ~O~g a~ i~er rla~e, ~, 40 mll9 deep ~rom the e~;d ~acel, ha~ g a ~houlder 40 mll8 l~lae- Ihi8 pro~lde~ a s~ace 0.143 inch bet.ree~ the bottom Or dis~c 7 and the bottom o~ c~lt~r 9 Yhi~ }~o a oe~tral ope~l~g 10.
FI~. 49 18 an end elevatlonal vie~ o~ ~he toy of PIG. 4~.
FI~. 5A a~d 5B ~ho~, ~n ~ection ~nd end ele~at~on, a~other alter~ati~e ~a ~hi¢h th~ c~lty 1~ i5 oi oi~lar inner dla-m~ter to that oi F5~. 4~. It has z~ o~erall depth o~ 0.225 1nCh a~d ha~ a~ ancular recess 13bt about 0.042 lnch belo~ the end ~ur-iace, ~hlch i3 0.04 i~ch ~id~ a~d 0.04 inch deep. 1~ ~he end ~ur-faca, Ga~ity 13 ha8 an ~nnular llp 13a, about 30 m11A ~de and 42 mll8 deep, ior h~lding dl~ 11 in plAce. ~ia ha~ central o~e~i~gs 11~54167 A. P. ~alub~--P. ~. Talub 1-1 12 i~l the dlsk, and 14 in the ca~ity, ~ch are ~ub~tarltlall~r the ~lze Or the openines pre~ious~ degcrtbed~ and are E~ally Al~gned.
~ ?IG~. 6A and 6~, in eection a~d end ele~ration, sho~ a ~ther alternati~re to the ~hlstle~ pre~iously de~cr~bed" ~L~rlng a 5 ca~ity 17 ~hich 1~ 0.183 inch deep. Thls ha~ nnular reGess 17a about O.Ogl5 lnch i2~ ~rom the outside erld, and about 40 ~ ~de.
Thi~ 1J adapted ~or accom~odating ca}) 15, ~th lts clo3ed e~d out ~d ~rlth it~ îace ilush ~lth the end ~ ace 17b. Th~ cap has a central ope~in4 16, and the caYlty hh5 a central opening 1~, both of a ~$milar ~ize to those ~r~iously descr~bed, ana axl~lly Aligned~
~ I~. 7~ 1~ ~ub~tantlall~ el~lsr to FIG. 4~ (the pri~ed ~umbers lndlcating ide~tical eleme~ts), e~cept that lt l~cludee an esternal memb~r 19, ~avlng an este~ded perlpheral rlange, ~ith an o~erall dtameter oi 0.64~ inch. An a~erag~ thickness oi abcut 30 mll9 has been added. The n a~ged member 19 ha~ a elight out~ard ~urrature ~nd con~orms to the ~urroundin4 suriace at ~tB periphery.
~IG. 7B 18 an ~d cle~ation Or FI~. 7~.
. It w~ll be appr~lated that any o~ the embodlment~ pre-~iously desGribed can be madQ to lnclud~ a rounded nang~ or button, suGh a~ 19. ~urth~r, any o~ the cap~ de~crlbe~ ~ith referenc~ to EIas. 4A, 5~, 6A a~d 7A lo pr~erably bonded in place ln its COrre9-po~dlng ca~ity by a bondlng age~t ~hich ~ay take the form o~ a th~rmopla3tic, ~u~h ag ~ERA~ONnt dlssolv~d ln toluol, or any plastlc corr~spo~ding to the bodr of the toy, dissolved i~ a ~o~to~ic alr-dryi~g c~rrisr.
InasmNch as the preYerred method ot ~orm~ng the prlmary toy bod~ ~, to lnclude the ca~lt~ 4 at the deslred ~lstle ~lte, i~
by ~low molding, thl~ met~od ~ill be deYcribed~ Referring to ~IG.
~0 8.~, there iB ~ho~n one kal~ Or the prlmary ~old~ 21a for the "hot dogn, havlng cavitles 22a,22b. The molds 21a,21b are ln the ~or~
of water~cooled al~minum or berylllum alloy blocks, ~ay, two ln~hes 46 ~ A. P. ~alu rP. A. ~aluba ~ l by four i~ch~s b~ ~ lnch~ hich bav~ been ioundry cast ln a conventlonal man~er from a rubber pattern, and then machined to the decired patt~rn, includlng p~nch-of~.
FI~. 8~ sho~s the ~h~pe o~ the lnsert halve~ 2~a,2~b whic.h together ar~ deslgnea to i~Rose a ~hlstle site ca~lty, ~uch as 4 Di FI¢. 3A, on the prlmary to~ body. These in~ert hal~es are resp~ctlvely iormed with matching ca~ltles 25a and 25b a~d the ~emictrcular outli~e~ 26a 2nd 26b oi the blow hol~. Screw holes 24a and 24b permit th~ ln~ert to be scre~ed lnto place in the ~nd oi the ~old.
~ I~. 8C sho~s9 ln irag~e~t, one h~l~ oi the blo~ ~old 22Q
~th the insert hali 23a i~ place at one end Or the pr~mary ca~ity 22a. ~nsert halves 27a~ 2~b are ~achined to speciflcatlons fro~ a type oi ateel which 4 8 characterize~ by ~1 n~ mal ~hrlnkage. ~8 in6ert hal~es ~hown ~n FI~. 83 are each ~ollow ~emlcylinder~, about 0.684 lnch ~n outer diameter and 14 inches along the ~2i8~ belng ~baped lnternall~. o~eth~r the~ ior~ at their upper end~ a diEk normal to the a~i8, and a cyllndrlcal ca~lty 25a,25b ~etween 8 irch a~d 16 i~ch deep, and, ~Qy, 0.5 l~ch in d~ameter, correspond~ng to ca~ity 4 ln FIGS. ~A et seq. Di~ halves 25a!25b together for3 a central a~ial OpeDi~g 26a,26b, which i9, cay, 0.110 inch ln dia-~eter, through ~hich le lnterpo~ed a blow pln, whlch 1~ a ~mall ~teel tube 27 tSee Fig. 8C) about four inche long and just large .. .. . . . . . ..
enough i~ diameter to be accommodated by the hole in the inserts.
. .

2~ The blow moldlng operatio~ ~s carried out ln any of the machlnes well-k~o~ i~ the art for th~s type of operation, ~hlch may be oi the ge~eral iorm de~cribed on page 8, ~IG. 1.8 of Pl~st'cs ~old EnRineeri~, Re~lsed ~d~tlo~, edited by J. H. DuBois and ~. I.
~ribble, Reinhold Publiehi~g Corporation, ~e~ ~or~, 1966.
~0 Pelleta o~ ~ultable synthetlc rubber of a~y oi the types described abo~, such as the thermopla~tic rubber ~old under the trademark ~R~TO~", are poured l~to the hopper o~ the conventional 112S4~;~

. . .
~. P. T~:lubh-r. ~. Taluba 1-1 blo~ ~oldin~ ~aoh~le oi th~ type descrlbed, and heated to a temr ~er~ture of bet~ee~ 320 and ~25~ ~ ~ enhelt. ~ tu~e o~ molten plastlc, called a "parlaon~, i8 e~truded ~erticaily dow~ rro~ a tube die. The molten pari80~ 1~ clamped between the ~alr Or dle 5 halve~ 22a snd lts counterpart 22b. A small tube, blow pin 27, about ~our inchee long and ~u6t les~ than 1 l~ch in d~a~eter, 18 interposed a~lally through an ~nsert at the lo~er ~nd o~ thc mold.
Co~pre~eed air 1~ then ~orced ~nto the mold throu~h a reclprocatlng blo~ pin 27, whlch i~ con~ected through a sys~em o~ ho6e~ 1~ the ~low molding machl~e. The air p896~ in at a pre~sure o~ between 30 and 70 poundc per s~uare inch~ ~hapi~g the pari~on to the die.
~e the blo~ pin 1~ retracted, lt pu118 the product out with it through the lower end of the die. A seco~d bla~t o~ alr ~ro~ the blow pln 27 blows the blo~ molded product ofr of ths blo~ pi~
a~d into a oollectlng bin.
~ partlcular feature o~ the method o~ the ~resent ir.~c~-tion i~ that the hole 26a,26b, ~ormed by t~e in~erts o~ ~IG. 8~, ~erve~ a plurality o~ purpo~ee. It ~erves aQ a hole through which the blow pin 27 pa~ses to blow a~r into the mold 22a,22b in the ~nitial step o~ ehcplng the parlson. Further, re~e~rin6 agai~ t~ A, ~ ca~ be ~een tha~ the external Rhape o~ insert combination 25a,25b orms the whistle cavlty 4 (?ee Fig. 2A) in the blow molded product ~o that the blow hole 5 in the cavity of the product functlons as part of the whistle, when the latter 25 is fully as embled.
Once the toy body l, lncluding whlstle ~lto cavlt~ 4, ha8 bee~ formed~ lt i8 neCe~8ary to ~orm a~d install the cap 3, a~
shown in FIG. 3B o~ the drawings.

i 1~$4~7 A. P. ~al R-P. A. Taluba 1-1 cap 3, an~ other slmilar cap~, may be lnJection molded i~ con-ve~tiLonal lnjectlon mold~ng egulpment o~ the type described i~
Chapter~ 1 and 9 oi the bock entitled Plastics ~ola E~lneering, Re~i~3ed Editlon, ~y~. t~ee, ~or example~ . 1.5 on pag8 6.) 5 It ~111 be understood that any other con~e~tlo~al type oi in~ectio~
~olding equi~me~t ca~ be used for the pUrpo8~ oi the Rre.6ent ln-~e~ion.
The upper and lower hal~es oi ~uitable in~ection mold~
are shown in pla~ vie~ in FIGS. 9A and 9B, which ~how the inJectlon side 30 and the knoc~out alde ~1, re~pecti~ely. ~ach o~ the~e comprises a bloc~ o~, say, stainle3s cteel whlch ha~ been cast and then machlned to the des~red shapes.
T~e 8prue ~2 i8 the central char~el along ~hich the ~olten plastic tra~els from the source; 38 18 the sprue well where the excess collects; ~3s,~3b and 33c,33d for~ the runs whlch connect th~ ~prue to the ~old ca~ltie~ ~5a and 35b at o~posite end~ oi the in~ectio~ side oi the mold. ~he cores ~4a and 34b are ~ormed irl the Imoc~out side to mate coa:~tlall~r ~rith ca~it~eQ 35a, 35b to iorm the wall~ of the cap~, under control of knockout p ~ 8 ... . . . . . . .. . . .
39. The central pins 36a, 36b form the central holes in the caps.
~ IG. lOA iB Q ~che~atlc ~ho~ng in lon~itudi~al sec~on o~ the tNo hhlves oi the mold ln open posltlon, wlth a con~e~tlo~al plunger-type ~ect~o~ prees being ind~cated sche~atically. FIG.
lOR show6 the in~ect o~ pres6 operated ~lth the mold in clo~ed po~ltlon. Whe~ the mold i8 clo~ed, the ~olten plastic materiPl i8 forced into the mold by a hydraullcally driven plston 41, after the s~pply ~aterial compri~ing pellet~ of "~R~TO~" ther-~opla~tlc or the lIke have bee~ placed in hopper 44, and heated up to a ~olten mass ~n ca~ity 45. The molten material then pas~es throu$h the runs ror~ed by 33a,33c and 3~b,~3d. Si~ultaneously, t~.e core~
~4a and 34b are forced into the cavitl~e, 80 t~at the ~olten ~F -10-J

54~;7 A. P. Talu`l~a-P. .~ ube. 1-1 plast;Lc pa~es from the Il~lB throu~h ~ubmar~e gates 37a,37b, i~171~lg ~n ~he space between the core and th~ inner ~all of each o~ th~s ca~ities. Pin~ ~6a and ~6b are disposed to clo~e ~lall;y aga~at each o~ the cores 34~, 34b to iorm th~ ce~tral openi~
the cape.
It ~111 be understood th~t ca~s oi ~ o~ the types sho~ ~ PI~S. 3~, 5B, 6B or 79, or Variat~.0~18 thereoi, ca~ be iorm~d by the con~entio~ e~tion p~oce~s ~ust deecribed.
~ lthou~ the ir~ention haB bee~ describea ~lth refe~nce 10 to ~peolfic e~campl~s by ~ o~ llluatration, it ~11 be u~der3tood that th~ rentlon i~ not llmited to an~ Or the spe~ilc fon~ or materials sholm a~d descrlbedt but o~l~r by the acope of tke apps~ded claime.

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Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A molding system for blow molding a toy comprising an air-filled squeeze body of blow-moldable elastomer material including a whistle cavity integrally formed in molded relation to said body, said system comprising in combination:
means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material;
a pair of primary molds constructed in closed relation to deform said parison for shaping said body, insert means comprising a blow hole interposed in said primary molds, means comprising a blow pin constructed to operate in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds to move to and fro inflating said parison and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing said molded squeeze body free from said molds, said insert means constructed to form a whistle cavity substantially simultaneously with the formation of said squeeze body, the blow hole of said insert means disposed to accommodate said blow pin to form at least one of the whistle openings in said whistle cavity.

2. A molding system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insert means is constructed to form a whistle cavity in the form of a cylindrical whistle site directed inwardly from the external surface of said body, the blow hole in said insert means disposed in axial relation to said cylindrical whistle site.

3. In combination with a molding system for blow-molding an air-filled squeeze body, wherein said system comprises means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material, a pair of primary molds shaped to clutch said parison between them to impose thereon a preselected shape, and means comprising a blow-pin operative in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds for inflating said parison, and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing the molded squeeze body free from said molds and said blow-pin; the improvement comprising means for forming a whistle cavity which is integral with said squeeze body simultaneously with the formation of said squeeze body, said means comprising a pair of insert-halves inter-posed into said primary molds;
each of said insert-halves comprising a semi-annular pro-tuberance substantially closed at one end by a semi-annular closure disposed substantially concentric with the principal axis between said insert-halves for forming said whistle cavity;
said semi-annular closures constructed to form between them in closed position of said primary molds a central blow-hole to accommodate the incursion of said blow-pin into a position coinciding with the center of said whistle cavity, and said blow-pin constructed to form at least one whistle hole in said position upon the freeing of said squeeze body from said blow-pin.

4. A molding system in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said protuberances is semi-cylindrical in form, substan-tially closed at its inner end by a semi-annular disk, being constructed to form between them a cylindrical whistle cavity directed inwardly from the external surface of said body, the blow-hole formed by said insert means disposed in axial relation to said cylindrical whistle cavity.

5. An insert for forming a whistle cavity integrally with an air-filled squeeze body in a blow-molding system, which system comprises means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material, a pair of primary molds shaped to clutch said parison between them to impose thereon a preselected shape, and means comprising a blow-pin operative in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds for inflating said parison, and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing the molded squeeze body free from said molds and said blow-pin;
said insert comprising:
a pair of insert-halves interposed into said primary molds;

each of said insert-halves comprising a semi-annular protuberance substantially closed at one end by a semi-annular closure disposed substantially concentrically with the principal axis between said insert-halves for forming said whistle cavity;
said semi-annular closures constructed to form between them in closed position of said primary molds a central blow-hole to accommodate the incursion of said blow-pin into a position coinciding with the center of said whistle cavity for forming a precisely-dimensioned whistle hole in said whistle cavity.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said protuberances is semi-cylindrical in form having a closure in the form of a semi-annular disk.

7. In combination with a molding system for blow-molding an air-filled squeeze body, wherein said system comprises means for producing a parison of thermoplastic material, a pair of primary molds shaped to clutch said parison between them to impose thereon a preselected shape, and means comprising a blow-pin operative in synchronism with the closing of said primary molds for inflating said parison and upon the opening of said primary molds for blowing the molded squeeze body free from said molds and said blow-pin;
the improvement comprising:
means for forming a whistle cavity which is integral with said squeeze body simultaneously with the formation of said squeeze body, said means comprising a pair of insert halves interposed into said primary molds;
each of said insert-halves comprising a semi-annular protuberance substantially closed at one end by a semi-annular closure disposed substantially concentric with the principal axis between said insert-halves for forming said whistle cavity;
said semi-annular closures constructed to form between them in closed position of said primary molds a central blow-hole to accommodate the incursion of said blow-pin into a position coinciding with the center of said whistle cavity, and said blow-pin constructed to form at least one whistle hole in said position upon the freeing of said squeeze body from said blow-pin;
wherein each of said protuberances is semi-cylindrical in form and substantially closed at its inner end by a semi-annular disk, said protuberances being constructed to form between them a cylindrical whistle cavity directed inwardly from the external surface of said body, the blow-hole formed by said insert means being disposed in axial relation to said cylindrical whistle cavity.