GB2227442A

GB2227442A - Mould releasing apparatus for vulcanizer

Info

Publication number: GB2227442A
Application number: GB8901604A
Authority: GB
Inventors: I Cheng Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-01-25
Filing date: 1989-01-25
Publication date: 1990-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-25
Also published as: GB2227442B; GB8901604D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a movable unit (10) provided with an upper mold releasing piece (19) and a fixed unit (20) provided with a lower mould releasing piece (21). The movable unit has a pivotable frame (11), two vertically spaced supporting boards (12, 13) fixed to the frame, a first piston and cylinder unit (15) mounted between the boards (12, 13) for raising the upper mould releasing piece, and a second piston and cylinder unit (14) for pivoting the movable unit relative to a vulcanizer (A). Two rods (17) pass through the boards (12, 13) and are fixed at the ends to the upper mold releasing piece and to the piston rod (151) by a connector (18) so that when the unit (15) is extended mould pieces are separated. The unit (10) is then pivoted by the unit (14). A mould (30), removed from the vulcanizer, has portions (311) of upper mould which engage grooves (191) and portions (321) of lower mould which engage in confining portions (211). <IMAGE>

Description

MOLD RELEASING APPARATUS FOR VULCANIZER The present invention relates to a vulcanizer, and iore particularly to a mold releasing apparatus therefor.

The vulcanizer is designed for the purpose of vulcanization which is very imPortant in the rubber industry. After the rubber has been pressurized and heated into the desired shaPe in the conventional rubber vulcanizer, the mold needs to be manual liy pulled out of the vulcanizer and then the product is released therefrom.

Such an operating procedure is disadvantageous in that: 1. The mold may fall from a higher position to be damaged or to injure a person.

2. The rejection rate of the product is relativelY large since the mold is manually opened.

3. It is manpower-consuming.

It is therefore proposed to provide a mold releasing apparatus near the vulcanizer to mechanically open the mold in order to overcome the above shortcomings.

Nevertheless, such mold releasing apparatus only vertically places apart the upper and the lower mold halves and thus often burns the hands of the worker who tries to release the product from the "opened" mold.

It is attempted by the Applicant to deal with all the above shortcomings encountered by the prior art.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a vulcanizer a mold releasing apparatus capable of pivoting the upper mold in order to prevent the worker from being burnt.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a mold releasing apparatus enabling that the vulcanizer can be provided at the same time with two such mold releasing apparatus put in alternate operation so that the producing ability of the vulcanizer is increased and the manpower is enconomized.

According to the present invention, a mold releasing apparatus for a vulcanizer includes a frame pivotably attached to one side of the vulcanizer, two vertically spaced supporting boards fixed to the frame, a first oil cylinder mounted between the supporting boards and having a piston rod protruding above the upper board, a molding board seat fixed under the lower supporting board, two guide rods slideably received respectively on respective two opposite sides of each supporting board and each of which has two ends thereof respectively protruded above the upper board and under the molding board seat, a connector secured to the piston rod and having two ends thereof secured to top ends of the guide rods, an upper mold releasing piece secured to bottom ends of the guide rods and having inner engaging grooves, a second oil cylinder having a bottom pivotably fixed to the vulcanizer and a piston rod pivotally fixed to the frame, and a lower mold releasing piece fixed to the vulcanizer and having an inner confining portion.

The present invention may best be understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view shoving a first preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a left view showing a mold releasing apparatus in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic view shoving the operation of the second oil cylinder of a mold releasing apparatus in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view shoving a mold of two layers to be cooperatively used with a iold releasing apparatus in Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective view shoving a second preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a mold of three layers to be cooperatively used with a mold releasing apparatus in Fig. 5;; Fig. 7 is a Partial side view of a mold releasing apparatus in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a schematic view shoving the operation of an intermediate unit of mold releasing apparatus in Fig.

5; Fig. 9 is a perspective view shoving a third preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 10 is a front view of a mold releasing apparatus in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a perspective view shoving a fourth preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1-4, a first preferred eiibodiment of a mold releasing apparatus (B) for a known vulcanizer (A) according to the present invention includes a movable unit 10 and a fixed unit 20. Unit 10 includes a frame 11 pivotably attached to vulcanizer (A) around a shaft 120 rotatably mounted between two projections 112 of frame 11 having a vertical reinforcing arm 110 having a projection 111, two vertically spaced supporting boards 12, 13 fixed to frame 11 and having side holes 122, 131, a first oil cylinder 15 mounted between supporting boards 12, 13 and having a piston rod 151 Protruding beyond a central hole 121 of board 12, a molding board seat 16 having two side indentations 161 and fixed beneath board 13 for locking thereto the molding board of a mold, two guide rods 17 respectively slidably received in side holes 122, 131 and passing side indentations 161, a connector 18 secured to piston rod 151 and having two ends thereof secured to top ends of guide rods 17 having bottom ends thereof secured to an upper mold releasing piece 19 having inner facing engaging grooves 191, and a second oil cylinder 14 being of a rocker type which means that cylinder 14 has a bottom pivotably fixed to vulcanizer (A) and a piston rod 141 pivotally fixed to projection 111.

Unit 20 includes a lower mold releasing piece 21 fixed to vulcanizer (A) and having a confining portion 211.

Such a mold releasing apparatus (B) is designed to be used with a mold of 2-layers 30 which, as shown in Fig. 4, includes an upper mold 31 and a lower mold 32 respectively having side engaging portions 311, 321 so that when mold 30 is pulled from vulcanizer (A) into apparatus (B) engaging portions 311 respectively engage with engaging grooves 191 and engaging portions 321 engage in confining portion 211.

The operation of such apparatus (B) is as follows: After piston rod 151 has upwardly raised connector 18 and thus guide rods 17 and upper mold releasing piece 19, upper mold 31 will detach from lower mold 32 since engaging portions 311 engage with engaging grooves 191.

Thereafter, second cylinder 14 pivots movable unit 10 around shaft 120 as shown in Fig. 3 so that the worker can obtain the product from the mold cavity without accidental burn and with efficiency since the upper mold 31 now is pivoted about 45 degrees.

Such apparatus is suitable for being used with a 2 layers-mold, however, it is not functionally efficient to be used with a 3-laYers-mold used to work a rubber product having a relatively complicated shape.

As shown in Figs. 5-8, a second preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus B according to the present invention to be used with a 3-layers-mold includes a movable unit 10, a fixed unit 20 and an intermediate unit 40, in which units 10, 20 are substantially the same with those in Figs. 1-4.Unit 40 includes two opposite supporting piece 41 positioned outside of mold releasing pieces 19, 21 and each of which has a top surface provided with an arcuate groove 411 and a positioning groove 412, a supporting frame 42 mounting thereabove supporting pieces 41 through 4 supporting rods 43, a third oil cylinder 44 having a piston rod 441 connecting thereabove supporting frame 42, and a stopping rod 45 mounted between two projections 46 of vulcanizer A and incapable of interfering the rising movement of mold releasing piece 19.

Such mold releasing apparatus (B) is designed to be used with a mold 50 of three layers which includes an upper mold 51, a middle mold 52 and a lower mold 53 in which molds 51, 53 are the same with molds 31, 32 in structure and middle mold 52 includes two opposite side enlarged portions 521 and two opposite projecting lugs 522 near the rear end 523 thereof so that when mold 50 is pulled from vulcanizer (A) into apparatus (B), enlarged portions 521 are rested upon positioning grooves 312 and projecting lugs 522 are pivotably positioned on arcuate grooves 311 resPectivelY.

The operation of such apparatus B is as follows: After first cylinder 15 has caused upper mold 51 to be detached from middle mold 52, third cylinder 44 raises upwardly supporting frame 42, supporting rods 43 and supporting pieces 41 to detach middle mold 52 from lower mold 53. Since rear end 523 is stopped by stopping rod 45, the succeeding rising movement of supporting pieces 41 will pivot upwardly middle aold 52 around projecting lugs 522 to facilitate the operation for the worker.

As shown in Figs. 9 & 10, a third preferred embodiment of a mold releasing apparatus 60 for a vulcanizer (A) according to the present invention is characterized in that apparatus 60 is mounted on the left side of vulcanizer (A) and has the height of its upper and lower mold releasing pieces 61, 62 corresponding to that of a lower mold seat (E) supporting thereon a lower mold (e) in vulcanizer (A), and further a mold releasing apparatus 70 is mounted on the right side of vulcanizer (A) and has the height of its upper and lower mold releasing pieces 71, 72 corresponding to that of an upper mold seat (D) supporting thereon an upper mold (d) in vulcanizer (A) so that when mold (e) is pulled into apparatus 60 for being taken therefrom a product therein, mold (d) can be pressurized and heated in vulcanizer (A).After one has filled the rubber material into the empty mold (e), mold (d) can be pulled into apparatus 70 for the mold releasing operation and mold (e) is again put into vulcanizer (A) for vulcanization procedure so that apparatus 60, 70 can be put in alternate operation to increase the producing ability of vulcanizer (A) and the worker needs onlY to move at the same side of vulcanizer (A).

As shown in Fig. 11, a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention has two adjacent sides of a generally 6-sided vulcanizer (A) thereof respectively provided with two mold releasing apparatus 80, 90 in order to achieve that the worker needs not move but can work with apparatus 80, 90.

Referring back to Figs. 1-5, vulcanizer (A) is generally of an open type which means that during vulcanization, vulcanizer (A) is not closed and thus is not suitable for a rubber product of relatively higher class requiring a vulcanizer of the vacuum type which is normally closed at 6 sides thereof and is made movable at the side mounting the mold releasing apparatus (A) to allow the mold to pass therethrough. In the instance of a vulcanizer cooperating with two mold releasing apparatus as shown in Figs. 9-11, two movable closing sides are necessary. Thus, the vulcanizer can be vacuumized before it proceeds the vulcanization procedure so that the present invention can have a vacuum molding effect.

Claims

1. A mold releasing apparatus for a vulcanizer comprising a movable unit including: a frame held pivotably attached to one side of said vulcanizer; two vertically sPaced supporting boards fixed to said frame; a first cylinder being of a linear reciprocating type, mounted between said supporting boards, and having a piston rod protruding above an upper one of said supporting boards; a molding board seat fixed under a lower one of said supporting board; two guide rods respectively slideably received on respective two opposite sides of each of said two supporting boards, and each of which has two ends thereof respectively protruded above said upper board and under said molding board seat; a connector secured to said piston rod and having two ends thereof secured to top ends of said guide rods;; an upper mold releasing piece secured to bottom ends of said guide rods and having inner engaging grooves; and a second cylinder having a bottom pivotablY fixed to said vulcanizer and a piston rod pivotally fixed to said frame; and a fixed unit primarily including a lower mold releasing piece which is fixed to said vulcanizer and has an inner confining portion.

2. A mold releasing apparatus according to Claim 1.

further comprising an intermediate unit which includes: two opposite supporting pieces positioned outside of said mold releasing pieces and each of which has a top surface provided with a positioning groove and an arcuate groove; a supporting frame mounting thereabove said supporting pieces; a third cylinder having a piston rod connecting thereabove said supporting frame; and a stopping rod held attached to said vulcanizer in a manner that when said supporting frame is raised by said third cylinder, it can stoP an end of a middle mold of a mold of 3-layers in which said middle mold has two opposite enlarged portions rested upon said positioning grooves of said supporting pieces and two opposite projecting lugs pivotably positioned on said arcuate grooves of said supporting pieces.

3. A mold releasing apparatus for a vulcanizer according to Claim 2, wherein said vulcanizer has an opposite side comprising further a mold releasing apparatus so that said two mold releasing apparatus can be put in alternate operations.

4. A mold releasing apparatus for a vulcanizer according to Claim 2, wherein said vulcanizer is 6-sided and has a side adjacent to said one side provided with further a mold releasing apparatus.

5. A mold releasing apparatus for a vulcanizer, comprising a first unit having first means engageable with an upper mould part and a second unit having second means engageable with a lower mould part, the first unit further having first fluid pressure actuated means for raising the first means relative to the second means and second fluid pressure actuated means for pivoting the first unit when the first means has been raised relative to the second means.

6. A mould releasing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the pivot axis of the first unit is fixed.

7. A mould releasing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the first fluid pressure actuated means comprises a piston and cylinder unit, the cylinder of which is mounted between two vertically spaced supports and a piston rod of which is connected to the first means by two guide rods slidably mounted in the two supports, the guide rods being connected at their lower ends to the first means and being connected at their upper ends to the piston rod by a transverse connector.

8. A mould releasing apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the supports are in the form of boards and are fixed to a frame.

9. A mould releasing apparatus as claimed in anyone of Claims 5 to 8, further comprising a third unit for raising and pivoting a middle part of a three part mould after the upper part of the mould has been raised by the first unit.

10. A mould releasing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or Figures 5 to 8, or Figure 9 and 10, or Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

11 A vulcanizer provided with a mould releasing apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims.