GB2235896A - Moulding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An injection moulding machine has a rotary carrier for a number of sets of moulding tools 20. During use, the tool sets are transferred in succession to a clamping station 2, an injection station, a cooling station and an unlocking station. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION TITLE:-ROYARY ACTION MOULDING MACHINE THIS INVENTION RELATES TO MOULDING MACHINES CONVENTION MOULDING MACHINE OPERATE EITHER A VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL INJECTION HEAB AND HOPPER. THEY ARE ALSO OF THE SINGLE TOOL TYPE WHICH OPEN AND CLOSE THE TOOLS MOUNTED UPON PLATERNS THE INJECTION OPERATION IS FOLLOWED BY A RECHARGE SCREW BACK OPERATION. THEN FOLLOWS THE COOLING PHASE. MANY MEANS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO TRY TO REOUCE THIS STAGE TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY BUT MOSE ARE EXPENSIVE AND NEED ELABORATE CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE OPEN STAGE OPERATES THE TOOL INBUILT EJECTION MECHANISM. IN PRINCIPLE THE HIGHER THE CLOSING TONNAGE REQUIRED THE LARGER MORE EXPENSIVE MACHINE IS REQUIRED. ACORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION THERE IS PROVIDED A RIGID, WELOED BOX SECTION, STEEL MAIN FRAME WITH ADJUSTABLE FEET AT ITS BASE THE FEET CAN BE LOCKED INTO POSITION WHEN THE MACHINE IS SITED.THIS FRAME AND ITS INTERNAL STUCTURES SUPPORT A RIGIOLY MOUNTED ROTARY TABLE. THE TOOL POSITIONS PROVIDING ACCURATE AND POSITIVE LOCATION FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ITS TOOLS, SEVERAL TOOLS ARE EQUALLY DISPLACED RADIALLY.

THIS ROTARY TABLE CAN BE INDEXED AND POSITION ACCURATELY.

DISPLACED AT SITES ARROUND THE TABLE ARE CLAMPING DEVICES WHICH CLOSE AND LOCK THE TOOLS DURING THE INJECTION STAGE. AN ADUSTABLE INJECTING UNIT IS POSITIONED CENTRALLY NORMALLY AT THE SAME SITE AS THE CLAMP BUT SEVERAL INJECTORS COULD BE SIGHTED.

OTHER STATIONS PROVIDE COOLING FACILITIES FED FROM THE INBOARD COOLING/HEATING SYSTEM.

ONE SUCH SIGHT PROYIDES AN UNLOCK SYSTEM AND A FURTHER SITE HAS INSTALLED AN TOOL OPENING AND COMPONENT EJECT FACILITY.

ONE SITE FACILITATES THE INSTALLATIGN OF MECHANICAL LOADING OF PARTS TO BE INCORPATED IN THE MOULDING OPERATION. THE MACHINE HAS AN INBOARD HOPPER & FEEDING SYSTEM. AND FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE CONTROLS. AND IS FULLY GUARDED AND EQUIPED WITH FAULT IDENTITY FACILITIES.

A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION WILL NOW BE DESCRIBED BY WAY OF EXAMPLE WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS IN WHICH : FIGURE 1. SHOWS THE MACHINE IN PERPECTIVE AND ITS RELATIVE CONSTRUCTION.

FIGURE 2. SHOWS IN PERSPECTIVE THE INSTALLED COOLING SYSTEM.

FIGURE 3. SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF PUNPS, RADIATOR AND HEATER TANK.

FIGURE 4. SHOWS THE INSTALLED HOPPER UNIT.

FIGURE 5. SHOWS THE GOUBLE HOPPER ARRANGEMENT.

REFERRING TO THE DRAWINGS THE MOULDING MACHINE COMPRISES f RIGID WELDED BOX SECTION FRAME 1 FITTED WITH ADJUSTABLE & LOCKABLE MOUNTING FEET AT ITS BASE. A CLAMPING DEVICE 2 IS SITED TO THE REAR OF THE MACHINE OR WHERE NECESSARY TO SATISFY ANY DESIGN REQUIREMENT, IN EXAMPLE ONE WILL SUFFICE. THIS CLAMPING DEVICE 2 IS CAPABLE OF CLOSING THE MOULDING TOOLS 20, OF 2WHICH IN THIS EXAMPLE THERE ARE SIX BUT ANY PRACTICLE NUMBER CAN BE DEPLOYED. CENTRALY POSITIONED IS A PLASTIC INJECTION SYSTEM WHICH HAS THE FACILITY TO RAISE & LOWER AND ADJUSTMENT TO POSITION ITS NOZZLE TO ALIGN THE TOOL INPUT NOZZLE TO THE INJECTION NOZZLE.

IN OPERATION THE TOOLS ARE CLAMPED AND LOCKED DONN FOR INJECTION, THE CLAMP RELEASED ALLOWS THE TABLE AND TOOLS, WHICH ARE ACCURATELY LOCATED TO THE TABLE, TO BE INDEXED THE INJECTION IS REPEATED SIMULTANEOUSLY THE COOLER HEADS CLOSE ON BOTH THE TOP @ AND THE BOTTOM OF THE TOOLS REMOVING UNWANTED HEAT AT THE EJECTOR SITE THE TOOLS ARE MECHANICALLY UNLOCKED, OPENED AND THE COMPONENTS AND SPRU ARE REMOYED BY THERE RESPECTIVE MECHANISME. THE MACHINE IN OPERATION IS TOTALLY ENCLOSED AND GUARDED. THE ROTARY LAYOUT OF THIS MACHINE PROVIDES A HIGH RATIO OF INJECTION TIME TO COOLING TIME WHICH RESULTS IN A HIGHLY. PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE.

SITED IN FRONT OFF EACH TOOL ON THE ROTARY TABLE ARE A SPRING LOADED PIN WHICH IS PRESSED DOWN WHEN A TOOL IS PLACED AND FIXED It POSITION. THE PIN OPERATES A SWITCH TO IDENTIFY THAT A TOOL IS IN THAT STATION. SHOULD h TOOL. BE MISSING THE ROTARY TABLE WILL INDEX ON TO THE NEXT POSITION.

THERE IS ALSO AN ADJUSTABLE SCREW WHICH SETS THE INJECTION STROKE REQUIRED FOR THE TOOL AT THAT STATION OR SITE.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. An injection moulding machine comprising a carrier for a number of sets of mould tools, the carrier being movable to bring the sets successively into an injection station, clamping means for clamping in a closed condition a set of tools when carried by the carrier and means for injecting into a cavity of a set of tools at the injection station a material which is to be moulded.

2. A machine according to Claim 1 further comprising cooling means for cooling a set of tools at a cooling station, the carrier being arranged for transferring each set of tools from the injection station to the cooling station.

3. A machine according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the carrier is rotatable.

4. A machine according to any preceding claim in combination with a number of tool sets, each set being supported on the carrier and spaced from adjacent tool sets, wherein each tool set includes means for locking the tool set in a closed condition and wherein the machine includes means for cooperating with the locking means of a tool set at an unlocking station to unlock the tools of the set and permit or cause opening of the tool set.

5. An injection moulding machine substantially as hereindescribed with reference to the accompanying drawing.

6. Any novel feature or novel combination,Qtfeatures disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing. '..