Apparatus for injection-blow-molding hollow articles

Claim 2

A machine for making articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow articles; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transfer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means or selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said clamping mold means includes two parts, and wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said first disengaging means includes a cam and toggle arrangement for moving said two parts away from one another against the action of the spring means.

Claim 3

A machine for making articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow articles; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transfer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means or selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said clamping mold means includes two parts, and wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said first disengaging means includes a cam and toggle arrangement for moving said two parts away from one another against the action of the spring means.

Claim 4

A machine for making articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow articles; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transfer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means or selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said clamping mold means includes two parts, and wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said first disengaging means includes a cam and toggle arrangement for moving said two parts away from one another against the action of the spring means.

Claim 5

A machine according to claim 1, further comprising an ejection station arranged after said blow-molding station and second disengaging means for automatically releasing said clamping mold means when said transfer means moves saId mandrel and associated clamping mold means to said ejection station.

Claim 6

A machine for making hollow articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow article; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transfer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means for selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said clamping mold means includes two parts, and wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said injection station includes cam means for assisting the spring means in holding the two parts together during the injection molding operation.

Claim 7

A machine for making hollow articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow article; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transfer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means for selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said clamping mold means includes two parts, and wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said injection station includes cam means for assisting the spring means in holding the two parts together during the injection molding operation.

Claim 8

A machine according to claim 3, wherein said injection molding station and said blow molding station are arranged in facing relationship to one another, and wherein said transfer means is located between said injection molding station and said blow molding station.

Claim 9

A machine according to claim 4, wherein said transfer means includes a rotatable indexing unit having a vertical axis of rotation, and wherein said mandrel has a free end extending radially outwardly from said vertical axis.

Claim 10

A machine according to claim 4, wherein said mandrel means consists of two sets of mandrels arranged along two oppositely facing vertical sides of said indexing unit such that one set of mandrels is in facing relationship with said injection molding station while the other set of mandrels is in facing relationship with the blow molding station.

Claim 11

A machine for making hollow articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow article; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding statIon to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means for selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said injection molding station and said blow molding station are arranged in facing relationship to one another, and wherein said transfer means is located between said injection molding station and said blow molding station, wherein said mandrel means consists of two sets of mandrels arranged along two oppositely facing vertical sides of said indexing unit such that one set of mandrels is in facing relationship with said injection molding station while the other set of mandrels is in facing relationship with the blow molding station, wherein said clamping mold means includes a two part clamp for each set of mandrels, wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said first disengaging means includes a cam and toggle arrangement for moving said two parts away from one another against the action of the spring means.

Claim 12

A machine for making hollow articles of moldable material such as plastics and the like by sequentially injection molding a parison around a mandrel and blow molding the parison to form the finished hollow article; said machine comprising: an injection molding station, a blow molding station, an intermediate station arranged between said injection molding station and said blow molding station and including an open space, mandrel means including at least one mandrel for forming a core support for a parison to be injection molded at the injection molding station, transfer means for transferring said mandrel and associated parison from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping mold means arranged adjacent said mandrel and having a mold surface configuration corresponding to the final desired shape of a portion of the hollow article to be made, said clamping mold means being connected to said transfer means for movement with said mandrel from said injection molding statIon to said blow molding station, said clamping mold means including a plurality of parts forming a disengageable clamping connection with said portion of the hollow article for holding said parison on said mandrel during transfer from said injection molding station to said blow molding station, clamping means for normally maintaining said clamping mold means in clamping engagement with said parison throughout the transer from the injection molding station to the blow molding station, and selectively actuable first disengaging means for selectively releasing said clamping mold means when said parison is at said intermediate station adjacent said open space to facilitate removal of said parison from said mandrel during shut down and start up of the machine, wherein said injection molding station and said blow molding station are arranged in facing relationship to one another, and wherein said transfer means is located between said injection molding station and said blow molding station, wherein said mandrel means consists of two sets of mandrels arranged along two oppositely facing vertical sides of said indexing unit such that one set of mandrels is in facing relationship with said injection molding station while the other set of mandrels is in facing relationship with the blow molding station, wherein said clamping mold means includes a two part clamp for each set of mandrels, wherein said clamping means includes spring means normally biasing said two parts toward one another, and wherein said first disengaging means includes a cam and toggle arrangement for moving said two parts away from one another against the action of the spring means.

Claim 13

A machine according to claim 7, wherein said blow molding station, said indexing unit and said injection molding station are mounted on axially extending tiebars, and wherein moving means are provided for selectively moving said blow molding and injection molding station with respect to said indexing unit into and out of operative engagement with the mandrels.

Claim 14

A machine according to claim 8, wherein said injection molding station is fixed in position on said tiebars, and wherein said blow molding station and indexing unit are movable along said tiebars.

Claim 15

A machine according to claim 9, wherein said moving means includes a piston-cylinder and toggle means.

Claim 16

A machine according to claim 8, wherein said intermediate station is a curing station located radially outwardly of said vertical axis at a position 90* from each of said blow molding and injection molding stations.

Claim 17

A machine according to claim 11, further comprising an ejection station located radially outwardly of said vertical axis at a position 180* from said intermediate station.

Claim 18

A machine according to claim 12, wherein said indexing unit includes means for sequentially moving the sets of mandrels in 90* intervals such that one set of mandrels is moved from said injection molding station to said intermediate station then to said blow molding station and lastly to said ejection station.

Claim 19

A machine according to claim 13, wherein control means are provided for actuating said moving means to move said molding stations into operative engagement when the sets of mandrels are facing the respective molding stations so as to facilitate the simultaneous injection molding of parisons on one set of mandrels and blow molding of finished hollow articles at the other set of mandrels.

Claim 20

A machine according to claim 14, wherein said control means also includes means for actuating said moving means to move said molding stations out of operative engagement after the molding operations to facilitate advancing of the indexing unit.