US3843289A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for transfer molding thermosetting materials
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-07-09
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-07-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved apparatus for molding thermosetting material, such as strips of uncured mill rubber or other thermosetting elastomers, includes a preheater assembly which preheats the thermosetting material to a temperature which is below its curing temperature. A movable pot receives at least a portion of a charge of the preheated strip material at a loading station. The pot is then moved to a discharge or unloading station where a ram assembly is extended to force the thermosetting material from the pot into a mold. The ram assembly is then retracted and the pot is returned to the loading station. The pot is then filled so as to contain a charge which includes both preheated strip material and thermosetting material which was not forced into the mold on the previous cycle of operation. The pot is cooled at the loading station to maintain thermosetting material in the pot at a temperature below its curing or setting temperature. As the pot is being loaded, a slide block applies pressure against the mold and heats the thermosetting material in the mold to a temperature above its setting temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 D Taylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:39
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/02; B29C2045/027; B29C2045/028; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/228
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
379 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from thermosetting material, said apparatus comprising pot means for holding a charge of the thermosetting material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the thermosetting material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the thermosetting material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means being located at a loading station, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the thermosetting material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said means for forcing a portion of a charge to flow through said discharge opening being located at an unloading station spaced from said loading station, means for moving said pot means between said loading and unloading stations on each cycle of operation of said apparatus, movable heater means for applying heat to the thermosetting material in the mold, said means for moving said pot means between said loading and unloading stations including means for moving said heater means from an inactive position in which said heater means is disposed to one side of said unloading station to an active position in which said heater means is located at said unloading station adjacent to the mold simultaneously with movement of said pot means from the unloading station to the loading station to enable said heater means to heat the thermosetting material in the mold while thermosetting material is loaded into said pot means at said loading station by said loader means, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the thermosetting material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the thermosetting material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
379 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from thermosetting material, said apparatus comprising pot means for holding a charge of the thermosetting material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the thermosetting material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the thermosetting material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means being located at a loading station, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the thermosetting material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said means for forcing a portion of a charge to flow through said discharge opening being located at an unloading station spaced from said loading station, means for moving said pot means between said loading and unloading stations on each cycle of operation of said apparatus, movable heater means for applying heat to the thermosetting material in the mold, said means for moving said pot means between said loading and unloading stations including means for moving said heater means from an inactive position in which said heater means is disposed to one side of said unloading station to an active position in which said heater means is located at said unloading station adjacent to the mold simultaneously with movement of said pot means from the unloading station to the loading station to enable said heater means to heat the thermosetting material in the mold while thermosetting material is loaded into said pot means at said loading station by said loader means, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the thermosetting material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the thermosetting material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cyclically operable apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means for cooling the thermosetting material in said pot means during the loading of said pot means by said loader means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cyclically operable apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including preheater means for heating the thermosetting material prior to loading of the thermosetting material into said pot means by said loader means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means applying pressure to the mold during the application of heat to the thermosetting material in the mold by said heater means, said means for moving said pot means between said loading and unloading stations also including means for moving said means for applying pressure from an inactive position disposed to one side of said unloading station to said unloading station simultaneously with movement of said pot means from the unloading station to the loading station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means at said unloading station for cooling the thermosetting material in said pot means during the heating of the thermosetting material in the mold by said heater means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including preheater means for preheating the thermosetting material to a temperature below its setting temperature prior to loading of the thermosetting material into said pot means by said loader means, said means for cooling the thermosetting material being effective to maintain the preheated thermosetting material in said pot means at a temperature below the setting temperature of the preheated thermosetting material during heating of the thermosetting material in the mold by said heater means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
278 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from molding material, said apparatus comprising pot means for holding a charge of the molding material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the molding material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the molding material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means being located at a loading station spaced apart from the mold, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the molding material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said means for forcing a portion of a charge to flow through said discharge opening being located at an unloading station adjacent the mold and spaced apart from said loading station, means for moving said pot means relative to the mold between said loading and unloading stations on each cycle of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the molding material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the molding material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
278 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from molding material, said apparatus comprising pot means for holding a charge of the molding material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the molding material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the molding material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means being located at a loading station spaced apart from the mold, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the molding material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said means for forcing a portion of a charge to flow through said discharge opening being located at an unloading station adjacent the mold and spaced apart from said loading station, means for moving said pot means relative to the mold between said loading and unloading stations on each cycle of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the molding material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the molding material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
311 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from molding material, said apparatus comprising pot means defining a cavity for holding a charge of the molding material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the molding material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the molding material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means including a member movable through a variable length operating stroke from a first position spaced apart from the cavity in said pot means to a second position in which said member extends into the cavity in said pot means and engages molding material in the cavity and means for moving said member through an operating stroke which varies in length as function of variations in the amount of molding material in the cavity of said pot means, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the molding material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of the plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the molding material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operatioN of said apparatus and the molding material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude, said control means including means for detecting when said member is moved through an operating stroke of a predetermined length and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to movement of said member through an operating stroke of said predetermined length.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
311 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from molding material, said apparatus comprising pot means defining a cavity for holding a charge of the molding material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which the molding material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of the molding material into said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means including a member movable through a variable length operating stroke from a first position spaced apart from the cavity in said pot means to a second position in which said member extends into the cavity in said pot means and engages molding material in the cavity and means for moving said member through an operating stroke which varies in length as function of variations in the amount of molding material in the cavity of said pot means, means for forcing a portion of a charge of the molding material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of the plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of the molding material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operatioN of said apparatus and the molding material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude, said control means including means for detecting when said member is moved through an operating stroke of a predetermined length and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to movement of said member through an operating stroke of said predetermined length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said loader means is located at a loading station disposed to one side of the mold, said means for forcing a portion of a charge of the molding material to flow through the discharge opening being located at an unloading station which is adjacent to the mold and spaced apart from said loading station, said apparatus further including means for moving said pot means between the loading and unloading stations during each cycle of operation of said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
239 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from an elongated strip of material, said apparatus comprising pot means for receiving a charge of the strip material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of material into said pot means during each cycle of plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means including means for severing a plurality of relatively short pieces of material from the elongated strip of material and depositing the relatively short pieces of material in said pot means, means for forcing a portion of a charge of material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the relatively short pieces of material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
239 words
A cyclically operable apparatus for forming molded articles from an elongated strip of material, said apparatus comprising pot means for receiving a charge of the strip material, said pot means having at least one discharge opening through which material may pass from said pot means into a mold, loader means for loading at least a portion of a charge of material into said pot means during each cycle of plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, said loader means including means for severing a plurality of relatively short pieces of material from the elongated strip of material and depositing the relatively short pieces of material in said pot means, means for forcing a portion of a charge of material to flow through said discharge opening and for enabling another portion of the charge to remain in said pot means during each cycle of a plurality of cycles of operation of said apparatus, and control means for detecting when the portion of a charge of material remaining in said pot means at the end of one cycle of operation of said apparatus and the relatively short pieces of material added to said pot means by said loader means during a next succeeding cycle of operation of said apparatus equals a charge of a predetermined magnitude and for interrupting operation of said loader means in response to the detecting of a charge of the predetermined magnitude in said pot means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for severing a plurality of relatively short pieces of material from the elongated strip of material includes piston means which cooperates with said pot means to sever the elongated strip of material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
128 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said pot means includes surface means for defining a cavity, said means for severing a plurality of relatively short pieces of material from the elongated strip including a first piston, means for effecting relative movement between said pot means and first piston to effect operation of said loader means between a first condition in which said first piston is spaced apart from said pot means and a second condition in which said first piston extends into the cavity in said pot means, and means for locating a portion of the elongated strip of material across an opening to the cavity in said pot means prior to operation of said loader means from the first condition to the second condition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for forcing a portion of a charge of material to flow through said discharge opening includes a second piston and means for effecting relative movement between said second piston and said pot means to enable operation of said apparatus to be operated between a condition in which said second piston is spaced apart from said pot means and a condition in which said second piston extends into the cavity in said second pot means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |