GB1415554A - Method and apparatus for casting or moulding metal or plastics - Google Patents

Abstract

1415554 Injection moulding machines BUEHLER AG Gebr 19 Jan 1973 [20 Jan 1972] 3015/73 Heading B5A [Also in Division B3] Apparatus for casting or moulding composite articles having an insert 7 embedded therein comprises a pair of mould carriers 1 and 31 each supporting a mould component 18, 38, a multi-station comonent 20 mounted between the mould carriers and having at least three mould chambers 26 or groups of mould chambers; means for moving the mould carriers and the multi-station component 20 relative to each other in a direction normal to the planes of the faces of the mould components to provide clearance therebetween, means for rotating the component 20 about an axis 25, an intermediate store 5 for the inserts 7, and means for transferring an insert or group of inserts from the store 5 to a chamber of the multi-station component 20. The store 5 is provided with a plurality of chambers 6 and is rotatable so that the chambers 6 are moved in sequence past the end of a channel 3. The inserts 7 pass down the channel and into the chambers 6. When each chamber 6 has been provided with an insert 7, all the inserts are simultaneously pushed into a corresponding number of chambers 26 in the multi-station component 20 by plungers 81. The mould is now opened, i.e. the mould clamping plate 31 is moved away from the stationary mould clamping plate 1, and the component 20 displaced axially and then rotated about the axis 25 to bring the inserts 7 to the moulding position. After closing the mould, the moulding material is injected into the mould cavities through a duct 15. The mould is then opened and the component 20 rotated again to bring the moulded articles into the region of a discharge store 10. After closing the mould, all the articles are simultaneously pushed into the chambers 12 of the store 10 by members (75), the sprues 16<SP>1</SP> becoming punched out during this movement and being ejected by means 28 or opening of the mould. Auxiliary devices 100 used for handling the inserts 7 may also be pressed out at this stage by a plunger (71), Fig. 4 (not shown), the said devices passing through a bore (72). The articles are discharged from the chambers 12 on rotation of the store 10 and pass along a shoot 13. Several steps in the process take place simultaneously. Thus while the material is being injected into the mould cavities, another batch of inserts is being transferred to one of the other groups of mould chambers 26 in the multistation component 20, and a batch of previously moulded articles is being discharged. The apparatus may be used to mould only a single article at a time if the article has a plurality of inserts embedded therein.