Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for cutting a strand to a length with regard to a weight and to the use of such device in a method for producing a medicament dosage form of at least one piece composed of at least one medicament and at least one additive, the medicament and the additive being mixed and extruded from a die as a strand and the strand being cut into pieces of precise weight using the device.

Abstract: A tablet rotary compression press for the manufacture of multi-layered tablets, comprising a rotationally driven rotor which has a die-plate with die-plate bores and top and bottom rams aligned towards the die-plate bores which are guided in ram guides of the rotor and are axially actuated by stationary control cams, an insertion device for a portion of the tablet-forming compacts which has two or more arms guided in a radially movable manner at the each end of which a compact is held and can be aligned towards a die-plate bore, wherein said rotor has circumferentially included thereon a support ring or support surfaces on which the compacts can be deposited in the positions approximately aligned towards the die-plate bores, the radial arms are disposed in the rotor, rotate therewith, and have radially movable gripping portions adapted to be radially moved to each other, and the rotor has provided therein a stationary guide with first and second guide cams the cam followers of which are interacted with by the

Abstract: An improved pulp-forming mold-releasing machine having a turnaround table being reciprocatingly rotatable at a prearranged position within the machine body. A net mold (pulp-sucking mold) includes protruding forming members on the surface thereof while the turnaround table of the machine frame body can be fitted with a lower mold (male mold) having a heating pipe therein on the other surface thereof. A reciprocating slide frame is disposed on the top of the machine frame body and includes an upper mold driving device with an air-oil-pressure diversion cylinder adapted to drive the upper mold (female mold) with a heating pipe to lift. An elevating pulp material container is disposed under the net mold of the machine frame body. The forming members of the net mold turn over to an upward direction after sucking pulp fiber.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizer in accordance with the present invention comprises a fixed base on which tire vulcanization molds are mounted, a movable frame which can reciprocate in the longitudinal direction on the fixed base, and an elevating frame attached to the movable frame so as to be raised and lowered. After the tire vulcanization mold is opened by raising the elevating frame and lifting an upper half mold of the tire vulcanization mold, the upper half mold of the tire vulcanization mold is moved to the rear by the movable frame to carry out the removal of a vulcanized tire and the supply of a green tire.

Abstract: A device for lifting an upper part of a curing press steam chamber includes rollers which move along guideways. The lifting device allows an upper part of the steam chamber to be lifted off a lower part of the steam chamber and moved laterally to allow easy access to both the upper part of the steam chamber and the lower part of the steam chamber. A linear motor moves the rollers along the guideways to lift the upper part of the steam chamber off the lower part of the steam chamber. The linear motor may be a translating screw or a hydraulic cylinder motor. A longitudinal axis of the linear motor forms an angle with the guideways which is smaller than a right angle at all positions.

Abstract: A plurality of green tire storage tables and a green tire loading/unloading apparatus for transferring a green tire on the green tire carrier onto the green tire storage table are provided between a green tire loader at the mold opening/closing station and a plurality of green tire carriers, at least one green tire storage table of the green tire storage tables is a movable green tire storage table, the movable green tire storage table being capable of reciprocating between a first position where a green tire is received by using the green tire loading/unloading apparatus and a second position where a green tire is delivered to the green tire loader, the green tire loading/unloading apparatus can travel between the plural green tire carriers and the plural green tire storage tables, the green tire held horizontally on the movable green tire storage table or by the green tire loading/unloading apparatus is turned so that the positioning control of green tire can be carried out, and the green tire type mark att

Abstract: Flanging or curling apparatus particularly for hollow articles obtained by thermoforming from thermoformable sheet material for use in a thermoforming plant equipped with template or mask conveyor for transfer of the thermoformed objects. The apparatus comprises a support frame which delimits at least one workstation for a sequence of masks supporting hot thermoformed objects carried by the conveyor or at least one head for simultaneous curling of all thermoformed objects in the or each workstation.

Abstract: (1) During vulcanization, a tire clamping device C is released. (2) After vulcanization has been completed in one tire mold M, the tire mold clamping device C on the side of this tire mold assembly M is operated, so that an upper mold M.sub.2 is connected to an upper mold attaching plate 1. (3) The upper mold attaching plate 1 is raised and the upper mold M.sub.2 connected to the upper mold attaching plate 1 is opened, while on the side of the other tire mold assembly M, vulcanization is continued with the upper mold M.sub.2 being closed. (4) On the side of one tire mold assembly M in which vulcanization has been completed, the removal of the vulcanized tire and the insertion and forming of an unvulcanized tire are carried out in sequence by the procedure similar to the conventional one, and then the upper mold M.sub.2 is closed. Then, a predetermined heating/pressurizing medium is supplied to start vulcanization.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system includes a vulcanizing station in which a plurality of sets of tire molds for vulcanization are arranged; a mold opening/closing station having a mold opening/closing device for opening/closing the tire mold, a loader for inserting an unvulcanized tire into the tire mold, and an unloader for removing a vulcanized tire from the tire mold; and a transferring device for transferring a tire mold between the vulcanizing station and the mold opening/closing station.

Abstract: A tire press in which a pair of upper and lower molds are opened/closed and squeezed by an operation of a crank mechanism is disclosed. Especially, the tire press is improved in the aspects of its machine accuracy, strength, size, and maintenance. The tire press has: a pair of upper and lower molds; a base for supporting the lower mold; side frames on both sides of the base; a side slot vertically extended in each of the side frames; a top slide which slides along the side slots and holds the upper mold; and a crank mechanism for moving the top slide only in the vertical direction. The crank mechanism includes: a crank gear; a lever attached to the crank gear and whose front and is positioned on the outer side of the outer diameter of the crank gear; and a link connecting a crank fulcrum at the tip of the lever and the top slide sliding along the side slots. The side slot vertically extends parallel to a vertical central line crossing the center of rotation of the crank gear and the crank fulcrum.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system capable of performing high accuracy transportation of a green tire by a loader and of performing high accuracy transportation of a vulcanized tire by an unloader including a group of tire vulcanizing presses having many tire vulcanizing presses 1 arranged in a row and manipulators 2 arranged along the group of the tire vulcanizing presses in such a way that they may freely run. The tire vulcanizing presses 1 are constructed such that the upper and lower molds 80, 81 are stored between the engaging or disengaging upper and lower press members in such a manner that they may be fastened with the green tire mounting table 7 and the post-cure inflator 8 arranged around them.

Abstract: A tire transporter which shuttles between a vulcanizing station 1 in which plural pairs of tire molds are arranged to perform vulcanization and a mold opening/closing station 2 in which the tire mold is opened and the vulcanized tire is taken out from the tire mold. Subsequently, an unvulcanized tire to be vulcanized is inserted into the tire mold and shaped before the tire mold is closed. The tire transporter includes a first railway 4 disposed along the vulcanizing station 1 and the mold opening/closing station 2. A truck is provided and moves along the first railway between a first position P1, set in the mold opening/closing station 2, and second positions P2, set at a plurality of portions in front of the vulcanizing station 1. A second railway 12 is disposed on the truck along a direction orthogonal to the first railway 4.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system comprising (a) a tire vulcanizing press having a plurality of molding stations (b) a tire loader for loading tires onto the molding stations and (c) a tire unloader for unloading tires off of the molding stations, wherein the tire vulcanizing press comprises a fixed frame upon which the fixed molds of each molding station are mounted, a displaceable frame upon which the displaceable molds of each molding station are mounted, a tie-rod arranged between the molding stations and connecting the fixed frame to the displaceable frame, lifting cylinder for vertically displacing the displaceable frame along the tie-rod with respect to the fixed frame, half blocks for securing when necessary the displaceable frame to the tie-rod, thereby securing the displaceable frame to the fixed frame, and clamping means for forcibly clamping said displaceable molds to said fixed molds during tire vulcanization.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizer is provided with a vulcanizing station where tire vulcanizing molds are arranged to perform vulcanization. The tire vulcanizer also includes a mold opening/closing station where, after the tire vulcanizing mold is opened, a vulcanized tire is taken out from the inside of the tire vulcanizing mold, and then an unvulcanized tire to be succeedingly vulcanized is inserted into the inside of the tire vulcanizing mold so as to be shaped before the tire vulcanizing mold is closed. Also, a mold carrier truck is provided which is movable between the vulcanizing mold and the mold opening/closing station. An unvulcanized tire storage section is disposed above each of the tire vulcanizing molds in the vulcanizing station.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing apparatus has a mold body divided into a first mold portion and a second mold portion by a line perpendicular to an axis of a tire. The apparatus includes a device for opening or closing the mold body to mount the tire on the mold body and remove the tire from the mold body. A heat pressure medium is supplied into the tire mounted on the mold body in a vulcanizing station to vulcanize the tire. The mold body is arranged to receive and vertically hold the tire therein. A plurality of vulcanizers are disposed side by side in the vulcanizing station to vulcanize the tire. Each vulcanizer detachably accommodates the mold body. The vulcanizer supplies the heat pressure medium into the tire held in the mold body. The device is movable to positions respectively opposite to the vulcanizers. The mold body is movable between the device and the vulcanizer opposite to the device.

Abstract: A conveyor system that performs a conveyance by using pallets for loading green tires and device for conveying these pallets, installs a storage area for storing pallets as they are on the way to convey, and uses robots for transferring the green tires from a pallet to a tire vulcanizer. Pallets being of such a type as to be able to load two or more green tires for planar placement and a conveyor devise is desired to be able to get under these pallets for lifting up. Furthermore, a visual sensor provided on a robot reads at least one of a mark concerning the specification of a green tire, a mark for its positioning on a pallet, and a mark for its positioning on a tire vulcanizer, identifies a green tire to be conveyed, and automatically performs a positioning in transferring the green tire from the relevant pallet and a positioning in transferring the green tire to a tire vulcanizer in the conveyor system.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing press of the present invention uses a split die device having an upper disk to which an upper die portion for molding the tire side is attached, a lower disk to which a lower die portion for molding the tire side is attached, divided segments to which a split tread die portion for molding the tire tread is attached, and an outer ring which has an inner inclined surface corresponding to the outer inclined surface of the segment and are slidably engaged with the outer inclined surface. Each of the divided segments has protrusions at the upper part and the lower part so that outward forces applied to the die portions during vulcanization are received by the protrusions of the segments.

Abstract: A vulcanizer constructed in that a body structure which is wide in the vertical direction is provided above a lower frame for supporting a lower mold in such a manner that an opening/closing and tightening mechanism is disposed below a laterally extending plane of an upper mold and a lower mold. Accordingly, there is no opening/closing and tightening mechanism in the periphery of a radial direction of the upper and lower molds, which makes it possible to utilize a split mold of a complex shape.

Abstract: A tire curing press has a cross beam that carries the upper mold section and is moved to open and close the press. When the press is closed, a cross beam locking mechanism located in the middle of the cross beam holds the cross beam to the tire press base that carries the bottom mold section. The locking mechanism prevents bending or bowing of the cross beam which would otherwise adversely affect the quality of the tires produced in the press.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a curved rubber pipe is provided with a guide member (3) arranged concentrically with a mandrel (2, 402). A straight rubber semi-finished product (4) of an unvulcanized or semi-vulcanized rubber is inserted into the guide member (3). A die lubricant can be applied only to the inside of the rubber semi-finished product (4) over its whole length. The rubber semi-finished product (4) is fitted on the mandrel (2, 402) by pushing the product by a head (7) mounted on a leading end of an arm (6). One end of the curved rubber pipe (1) is gripped after vulcanizing by a gripping member (10) and is extracted from the mandrel (2, 402). By this method, it is possible to fit and smoothly extract the rubber semi-finished product (4). The method can also easily be automated.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing press is provided, which is of high accuracy, eliminates the adjustment for a guide member, and reduces the area to be machined. The tire vulcanizing press comprises a main body frame including a lower frame, and at least one side frame erected on the lower frame; a lower mold mounting member mounted on the lower frame for fixing a lower mold; an upper mold mounting member for fixing an upper mold in surface-contact with the lower mold; a guide member disposed on one side of the upper mold mounting member for supporting the upper mold mounting member on the side frame in a cantilever state, and which travels to be lifted/lowered; and a drive body for freely vertically lifting/lowering the upper mold mounting member relatively to the lower mold mounting member by traveling of the guide member.

Abstract: A rim clearance adjusting device of a postcure tire inflator is capable of automatically adjusting a clearance between upper and lower rims, A vulcanized tire from a vulcanizer is filled with high-pressure air for inflating and cooling purposes. For these purposes there is installed a rotating screw member which holds the tire between the separable upper and lower rims, and moves the lower rim upwards and downwards between the lower rim and its support member. Also there is provided a sliding device for moving the lower rim, together with the support member thereof, between the lower position of the upper rim and the intermediate position on the vulcanizer side. And furthermore there is mounted a driving mechanism for driving the rotating screw member to the intermediate position.

Abstract: A tire curing press (20) according to the concepts of the present invention includes a pair of spaced mold cavities (MC), base assemblies (22, 23) for supporting lower mold sections (L) in the mold cavities, a cross beam assembly (100) for supporting upper mold sections (U) in the mold cavities, a center post assembly (201) substantially aligned between the centerline of the mold cavities, and a lift mechanism (215) positioned interiorly of the center post assembly for supporting and vertically moving the cross beam assembly to open and close the press. A roller guide assembly (230) is provided for stabilizing and effecting precision vertical movement of the cross beam assembly relative to the center post assembly, while a safety stop mechanism (275) precludes uncontrolled descent of the cross beam assembly from the press open position. A mold locking and clamping assembly (120) locks the mold section (L, U) and applies squeeze forces thereto when the press is closed for curing a tire.

Abstract: A mold changing apparatus for use in a tire vulcanizer includes a mold stations having tire molds disposed in a row, a movable mold open-close manipulator, and a mold preparing station provided at a proper position in the row of tire molds for centering and preheating a tire mold. A mold that has been centered and preheated completely in the mold preparing station is automatically received by the mold open-close manipulator, and it is then automatically transferred to and installed in the mold station where vulcanization is executed. A mold which is to be removed is automatically received from the mold station by the manipulator, and it is automatically transferred to the mold preparing station and separated from the manipulator. Subsequently, the manipulator automatically receives a new mold which has already been heated. Thus, a fully-automatic mold change is realized.

Abstract: A vulcanization press for vehicle tires having a bed with at least two molds, each mold having a lower holding mold on the bed and an upper counter-mold. A guide column upstanding from the bed has a handling arm projecting outwardly therefrom which is capable of vertical movement along the column and rotational movement about the column. The handling arm has a series of rotatably operable latches for engaging the upper counter mold cover of one mold and to move it upwardly and arcuately sideways and vertically downwardly to be positioned upon the other mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for deep drawing a bowl from a blank of deep-drawable plastic material is provided comprising deep drawing tools, and cooperating jaws including an outside heating jaw and a forward feed heating jaw. The deep drawing tools and cooperating jaws are movable relative to each other to advance a blank of deep-drawable material for preheating, forming, and deep drawing a bowl open at one end therefrom. The outside heating jaw includes at least one outside suction plate to retain the blank, and intermittently moves in a first direction into and out of cooperating relationship with the forward feed heating jaw. The deep drawing tool also intermittently moves parallel to the first direction into and out of cooperating relationship with the forward feed heating jaw. The forward feed heating jaw includes a plurality of main suction plates secured to a heatable carrier to retain and heat the blank as it advances thereon.

Abstract: A modification to a multiple cavity tire press places a plurality of hydraulic cylinders beneath the lower mold half and heat platen of each mold in the press. The size of the side links of the press is adjusted so that in normal operation, the side links only bring the upper and lower mold halves into close registration and hydraulic pressure applied to the lower mold halves through the plurality of hydraulic cylinders gives the squeeze to the press halves, as well as eliminating or minimizing the malocclusion of the mold halves known in the prior art due to deflection of the respected upper and lower portions of the mold by application of mechanical squeeze.

Abstract: In a tire vulcanizer, a single long-stroke cylinder is mounted at the central position of a top frame, and is supported to a mounting frame fixedly mounted on the top frame rather than being fixed directly to the top frame. Furthermore, a centering mechanism for a pressure plate is provided between the pressure plate and each of opposed side frames so as to adjust the levelness of the pressure plate with respect to both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the pressure plate.

Abstract: A process for molding thermosetting plastic parts in a more efficient manner involving less cost and a higher production output, includes sequentially filling molds with a thermosetting plastic material in a continuous and uniform manner, passing the molds sequentially through an elongated heating chamber, removing the parts from the molds, and returning the molds for reuse. Also, to increase the versatility of the process, a plurality of independently driven conveyor assemblies are positioned within the heating chamber so that a number of different parts having different sizes, configurations and/or material may be fabricated concurrently with one another.

Abstract: A steam done type vertical tire press includes an upper dome for holding an upper mold through an upper mold mounting member and a lower dome for holding a lower mold through a lower mold mounting member. The upper dome and the lower dome are abutted at respective connection edges. A dome ring is engagable with the connection edges of the upper and lower domes. A central mechanism is vertically movably located at a central position of the lower mold mounting member. A mold clamping cylinder has a pressure rod connected to the lower mold mounting member. A cylinder support extends downwardly from the lower dome through a press base for supporting the mold clamping cylinder. A mold height adjusting device is provided outside a dome space defined by the upper and lower domes for adjusting a height between the upper and lower molds.

Abstract: A hot tire forming method whereby at least some of the elements constituting each tire are formed starting from respective masterbatches, which are mixed with given chemical compounds inside respective continuous mixers to obtain respective final mixes, which are hot-fed to respective continuous production means, such as extruders, for obtaining semifinished products, which are hot-fed onto a green tire building drum, with the completed green tire then being transferred, hot, to a curing department; the transfer from the continuous mixers to the curing department being performed in such a manner as to preserve, inside each green tire entering the curing department, at least part of the initial mixing thermal energy and at least part of the initial continuous production thermal energy.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the transportation of cured tires on a tire feed path including a device for supplying a white tire which can be discriminated positively from the cured tires on the tire feed path, a device for placing cured tires on the tire feed path in such an order that the white tire is followed by the cured tires, a photoelectric sensor for detecting the white tire on the tire feed path to generate a reference signal, a memory circuit for storing tire identification signals by means of which the tires have been cured by curing machines, a circuit for reading the tire identification signals out of the memory circuit under the control of the reference signal, and a device for selectively transporting respective cured tires into predetermined paths in accordance with the read out tire identification signals.

Abstract: A slide falling prevention device in a tire vulcanizer including a vulcanizer frame, a fixed lower die fixedly located on the vulcanizer frame, a slide adapted to be lifted and lowered along the frame, a movable upper die retained to the slide and adapted to be vertically opened and closed relative to the lower die, a vertically moving member provided at a central position of the slide for opening and closing the upper die, a hollow pressure member provided at the central position of the slide for applying pressure to the upper die, said hollow pressure member being located diametrically outside the vertically moving member in such a manner as to be concentrical to and separate from the vertically moving member, a pressure device mounted to the vulcanizer frame in such a manner as to surround the hollow pressure member, an upper die height adjusting mechanism for connecting the slide with the hollow pressure member; and a movable pressure member provided in the pressure device and a locking member disengageab

Abstract: A vertically opening and closing type tire vulcanizer in which a plurality of vulcanizing molds installed on a vulcanizer frame are individually driven. A mold clamping mechanism and a mold height adjusting mechanism which are simplified in terms of construction are provided. A high rigidity heat insulating plate for transmitting a clamping force is interposed between a top slide and an upper mold.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of shaped bodies from silicon granulates for producing silicon melts includes first incipiently melting silicon grains on their surfaces, so that they bond with their neighbors in the process and, after solidifying, form a porous compound shaped body which only then may be melted completely. Such compound shaped bodies can be manufactured continuously or semi-continuously and converted without difficulty by a subsequent step into the molten state. An apparatus for producing shaped bodies is also provided which preferably employs an electron beam, to supply energy to incipiently melt the granulate.

Abstract: A tire press having upper and lower cavity molds with a tire loader which is vertically and horizontally movable and has a chuck which grips a tire by the tread rather than the bead. The gripper has plural gripping shoes movable by bell-cranks and piston actuators. The chuck of the invention grips a tire by the tread and positions it adjacent a mold where the tire bead is gripped by a second chuck (not claimed) which deposits the tire in the mold.

Abstract: A system for producing generally concavo-convex synthetic plastic containers and like articles, such as picnic plates wherein a mold station has a stationary intermediate mold with projecting male mold parts on one side and directly opposite recessed female mold cavities in alignment therewith on the other side. A first movable mold, on the side of the intermediate mold having the male mold parts is provided with recessed mating female mold cavities of the same dimensions as the said cavities in the intermediate mold and a second movable mold on the other side of the intermediate mold has aligned projecting male mold parts mating with the cavities in the intermediate mold. A pair of heated, moldable synthetic plastic webs are advanced in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold and are later removed in unison from the mold station. The heated sections of the webs are moved in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold when the said first and second movable molds are separated therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an invention that belongs to the technical field of mines or equipment for bakeries and relates, in particular, to a machine for forming unbroken rings, or similar, of dough out of strips of moistened and kneaded flour.The technical problem that has to be solved is how to construct a machine of this nature which, despite being simple and of a relatively reduced volume, is able to handle contemporaneously many strips of dough and, above all, has the ability to prevent the strips from undergoing force harmful to the formation of dough of a particular shape, for example an unbroken ring.

Abstract: A machine for fabricating articles such as glass vials from tubular stock includes a plurality of rotating chucking stations which revolve about the central vertical axis of the machine and a plurality of tooling stations which form the vial finish. The plurality of tooling stations are disposed in euqal numbers related to the number of chucking stations on two conveyor assemblies disposed adjacent the periphery of the circle defined by the revolving chucking stations. The tooling stations each include rollers which form the outside of the vial finish and a segmented mandrel which forms the inside of the vial finish including, if desired, a blowback cavity.

Abstract: This relates to the forming of containers and like hollow articles from sheets or webs of thermoplastic material. Two webs or sheets are simultaneously acted upon by way of a forming apparatus which includes a reciprocating clamp first cooperable with one outer platen and then the other in sequence wherein, while a first web or sheet is being formed within a plurality of mold cavities to define a plurality of hollow articles such as containers, the other sheet or web may be stripped from its respective mold set and a new sheet or a new portion of a sheet or web may be advanced into position for molding. The forming apparatus may be constructed in a manner wherein the web portions which are to be formed may be billowed away from the mold cavities as an initial step in the stretching and orientation of the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: This relates to the forming of containers and like hollow articles from sheets or webs of thermoplastic material. Two webs or sheets are simultaneously acted upon by way of a forming apparatus which includes a reciprocating clamp first cooperable with one outer platen and then the other in sequence wherein, while a first web or sheet is being formed within a plurality of mold cavities to define a plurality of hollow articles such as containers, the other sheet or web may be stripped from its respective mold set and a new sheet or a new portion of a sheet or web may be advanced into position for molding. The forming apparatus may be constructed in a manner wherein the web portions which are to be formed may be billowed away from the mold cavities as an initial step in the stretching and orientation of the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: Particle boards are manufactured by the use of a forming line in which particulate material such as wood chips intermixed with a binder is deposited, in the form of a mat, by a scattering station 3 onto mat carriers moving on a forming conveyor 1 past the scattering station. The mat carriers are loaded by way of an accelerating conveyor 4 onto a faster moving storage conveyor 5 and are then stacked in the tiers of a vertically movable stacker loader 13 which in turn feeds a consolidation press for consolidating the mat sections into particle board. After the pressing operation the particle boards are ejected from the far side of the press and the now empty mat carriers are returned via the stacker-loader and a return conveyor 8 to a forwarding station 2 which feeds the mat carriers back onto the forming conveyor 1 for re-use.

Abstract: The serrated end portions of the barrels of catamenial tampon inserters are permanently deformed into a substantially hemispherical shape by applying heat and pressure thereto in depressions provided at the periphery of a container which accommodates a confined body of liquid, such as silicon oil, and a heating device which maintains the temperature of the body of liquid within a predetermined range. The heating device includes an electric heater which extends only over a part of the trajectory of movement of the deforming depressions. The barrel preforms are supplied to alternate depressions of an odd number of depressions and the final assemblies are discharged only after they have completed more than a full circle about the axis of rotation of the container.

Abstract: A multilevel vulcanizing press is provided which includes a press housing having at least two press levels. Each press level is capable of receiving a molding tool which can be opened and closed within the press housing. Each molding tool is comprised of a plurality of molding plates and can be opened at right angles to the mold parting plane. First and second servicing stations are provided on different sides of the press housing, with each station being able to accommodate a molding tool from each level of the press housing. A first holding station is provided between the press housing and first servicing station for receiving a molding tool from each level of the press housing and a second holding station is provided between the press housing and second servicing station for receiving a molding tool from each level of the press housing. Guide means are provided for guiding each molding tool from the press housing into one of the holding stations and into one of the servicing stations and vice versa.

Abstract: A plurality of groups of mandrels are arranged for movement successively through a plurality of workstations with each group being worked on at a station while other groups are being worked on simultaneously at other stations to produce continuously automatically groups of retractile cords. Cordage is fed from a supply into clamping engagement with each of the mandrels in the group in a cord-loading position and then wound in a plurality of spaced-apart convolutions on each of the mandrels of that group after which the wound cords are severed from the cordage supplies. The wound cords are advanced incrementally through a heating zone, wherein the cords are exposed to radiant heating supplemented by preheating of the mandrels while cordage is being wound on the next successive groups of mandrels.