Abstract: Apparatus for producing press-molded articles having a plurality of cavities therein includes a mold cavity which can be filled with a particulate molding compound, which mold cavity contains rods sheathed with expandable tubes which can be expanded by means of a fluid under pressure conveyed into the space between the rods and the tubes: this causes compaction of the molding compound to form the pressed article, which can be removed from the mold after reduction of the fluid pressure to allow detumescence of the expandable tubes and withdrawal of these from the mold cavity so that the mold cavity can be opened to remove the shaped pressed article.

Abstract: A die casting mold part, which may be mounted on or applied to a die casting mold to provide for the molding and shaping of a variety of projections from the molded article and a simple and sure release from the mold of such projections including a plurality of projections lying closely adjacent to one another and extending outside the mold separation plane. The mold part includes segments, which are received in a bore that guides them and holds them together to form a die casting cavity, the segments together thus forming a mold at one of their ends. On their opposite end they flare outwardly and are mounted pivotally on a central control shaft so that they are caused to be opened where together they formed a mold, by relative movement between the control shaft and bore.

Abstract: A system for recovering hot-melt materials for reuse in a glue gun includes a flexible mold form mounted in a carrier and having an internal cavity that approximates the dimensions of the preformed hot-melt sticks. In order to change from one type hot-melt material to another, the sticks of the desired material are loaded into the gun while the heated, hot-melt material in the gun is discharged into the mold form. The hot-melt material flows into the mold form and assumes the shape of a conventional preformed stick. After cooling and solidification of the material, the mold form is removed from its carrier and the cooled, cast stick is removed from the mold form for reuse. The mold form is fabricated from a flexible, heat-resistant material, such as a silicone rubber, and includes an elongated tubular portion having a tapered exterior to facilitate removal from its carrier and an internal bore dimensioned to produce a cast stick having the dimensions of the preformed stick.

Abstract: Forming process, during vulcanization on a mandrel, of the end portions of rubber tubes, using a tool having a radially deformable skirt in the form of a corolla, made of vulcanized rubber which encloses the end portions of rubber tubes using solely the action of the circumferential elasticity of its corolla. The disengagement of the part after vulcanization is accomplished by a simple axial thrust on the corolla. An upturned position of the radially deformable skirt makes possible the installation of the rubber tubes and other preparation operations.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing press-molded articles having a plurality of cavities therein includes a mold cavity which can be filled with a particulate molding compound, which mold cavity contains rods sheathed with expandable tubes which can be expanded by means of a fluid under pressure conveyed into the space between the rods and the tubes: this causes compaction of the molding compound to form the pressed article, which can be removed from the mold after reduction of the fluid pressure to allow detumescence of the expandable tubes and withdrawal of these from the mold cavity so that the mold cavity can be opened to remove the shaped pressed article.

Abstract: Sailboards having a tucked rail are made from a flexible, resilient mold so that the seam of the board is along its bottom edge instead of at its point of greatest breadth. A flexible mold part having the contour of the sailboard to be produced has an opening smaller than the greatest breadth of the board. The mold is first flexed so that its opening is sufficiently wide to receive the blank that forms the body of the sailboard. Secondly, the blank is inserted into the flexed mold, and thirdly, the mold is released and its resiliency returns it to its original shape. A conventional rigid mold part closes the open end, and a vacuum is applied to form the final product. The flexible mold part is flexed a second time to remove the product.

Abstract: A mould for an injection moulding apparatus, the mould including at least two mould parts which mate to form the mould cavity and which separate to permit removal of the moulded article, each mould part including a relatively rigid body having an abutment face which abuts with an abutment face of the other mould part when said parts mate, the body of at least one mould part including a recess in its abutment face which is filled with a resilient material defining a portion of said mould cavity.

Abstract: Fabrication of contact lenses whereby the yield of lenses removed from plastic casting molds is significantly increased. In fabricating contact lenses where a lens is initially formed in a plastic casting mold, the mold is compressed to a degree sufficient to initiate permanent deformation of the mold material, in progressive steps, incrementally decreasing in diameter from a starting diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the molded lens, until the lens self-detaches from the mold.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing cast products which include a filling unit wherein elastic moulds of open-bag shape are filled with non-solid materials, a solidifying unit wherein the materials are allowed to solidify in the elastic moulds, and a withdrawal unit wherein the solidified materials are withdrawn from the inside of the elastic moulds in the filling unit, the elastic mould is positioned under a vacuum when filling starts. The apparatus provides cast products without mould joint marks, low mould production costs and prevention of mould breakage as well as a great degree of production simplification.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing cast products comprises a filling unit wherein non-solid materials are filled into open-bag shaped elastic moulds through filling nozzles, a solidifying unit wherein the material is solidified in the elastic mould, and a withdrawal unit wherein the solidified product is removed from the inside of the elastic mould. The apparatus can produce cast products with high commercial values and low production costs.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an opening, such as a window or door, in a concrete structure comprises a form and a device for removing the form from the formed structure. The form has operating members and tension bars for collapsing the sides of the form inwardly. The device comprises a stand having a pair of adjustable length beams carrying hydraulically actuated claw members at their ends for engaging the interior of the form.

Abstract: In a method of using an elongate steel core for making passages in a body of castable material, preferably concrete which is cast in an outer mould, the core is prestressed prior to casting, and to disengage the core from the finished body, the prestress is relieved against the body or the outer mould when the material has set sufficiently. The core is provided at its ends with anchoring means for one or more tensioning members extending therebetween for prestressing the core prior to casting, the prestress for disengaging the core from the finished body being relievable against said body or said outer mould by means of an abutment engageable therewith.

Abstract: A production line for bitumen cakes comprising sequential processing stations, i.e. a station whereat hot bitumen is cast into basins or pans, a station whereat the bitumen is air cooled, a station whereat the solidified bitumen cakes are shaken out, a station whereat the cakes are packaged in a heat-shrinkable plastic material, and an optional palletization station. The production line is set up to accommodate a plurality of pans which are carried in groups on a plurality of platforms or supporting frames adapted to be cyclically passed through the casting, station, cooling station where they are piled, and shake-out station. The cake shake-out station includes an extraction apparatus equipped with a pusher intended for acting on the outside of the pan bottoms to produce resilient deformation of such bottoms and twisting of the pans to separate the pan from the bitumen cake contained therein.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a molded article from a ceramic material, such as a porcelain substance, in which a design or decorative substance is applied to at least one of the surfaces of the article, a certain amount of the ceramic material is introduced into a mold cavity formed between mold parts. The material is distributed in the cavity and then is pressed. The decorative substance is applied to the surface of at least one of the mold parts before the parts are closed to form the mold cavity. The decorative substance is then transferred to the molded article during the pressing operation.

Abstract: A machine for producing ice-cream units, preferably separate elongate units on a stick known as ice-cream lollies. The ice-cream paste is discharged from nozzles into moulds formed in essentially square plates. The plates are arranged on trays which form a conveyor belt and they are arranged to be lifted off said trays. The machine also comprises means arranged to lift the plates turn them over a quarter of a turn or more and then again lower them onto the conveyor belt.The ice-cream is discharged into the moulds in the direction of advancement of the conveyor belt and the turning of the plates means that the ice-cream units are accessible from the side for application of sticks or the like.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating a metal stamper from a metal mold on which the stamper is electro-formed. The gas flows between the mold and stamper to separate the stamper from the mold which are maintained separated by the vacuum applied to their back surfaces. Means is provided for centering the mold-stamper assembly between the backing plates just before the assembly is clamped between the backing plates. Means is provided for mechanically bending the outer peripheral portion of the mold-stamper assembly back and forth to separate the peripheral portion of the stamper from the mold.

Abstract: A method of producing finishing chips comprising the steps of providing a castable mixture of particulate abrasive grains and a solidifiable matrix, depositing the mixture into cavities of a generally-cylindrical, flexible mold having a plurality of cavities in the interior surface thereof conforming to the desired configuration of finishing chips to be produced, rotating said cylindrical mold during solidification of said mixture and the production of solid finishing chips within said cavities, and ejecting said solidified finishing chips from said mold by bringing said mold to an inside-out position, whereby said solidified finishing chips are ejected from said cavities, is disclosed.

Abstract: A device for removing from their moulds elements made of pre-stressed concrete employing stretched adherent reinforcements on a "long bed" and passing through at least one row of moulds of said elements, wherein, prior to the release of the tension of the reinforcements, each of the elements is detached from its mould by an upward thrust exerted on at least one movable portion of the bottom of this mould, then maintained in lifted position until the tension is released and these reinforcements are cut.

Abstract: A ridge remover for smoothing and shaping rod surfaces where jointure marks occur in fibrous rod manufacture when made using a porous belt garniture device.

Abstract: An ice maker for use in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator including a flexible tray having cavities for forming ice pieces. The front of the ice tray has a handle and the rear has a first and second spaced guide element projecting therefrom. There is provided a support structure having a front wall with a triangular-shaped opening with all three sides of the opening being outwardly curved and dimensioned to receive therein the ice tray handle in guiding rotation thereof. There is also provided a rear wall having a track with a vertical inwardly curved portion with a terminal end at the top thereof and a horizontal downwardly curved portion joining the bottom of the vertical curved portion, said track being dimensioned to receive in guiding movement said first and second spaced guide elements on the ice tray.

Abstract: A feed mechanism comprising a rotor and an endless flexible belt carried by the rotor. The rotor comprises a pair of cylindrical guide members arranged coaxially one within the other, the guide members being mounted for rotation in unison about a common axis. Each of the guide members provides a helical groove defining a respective feed channel, the grooves being of the same pitch and opposite hand, and the belt is constrained by the guide members to extend helically along the feed channels in sliding engagement with the guide members. The belt protrudes from one of the feed channels to engage a restraining surface which restrains the belt against rotation so that, in response to rotation of the rotor, the belt is continuously advanced along one of the feed channels and returned along the other, thereby providing a continuously advancing non-rotary bearing surface which bears against the restraining surface.

Abstract: A collapsible mandrel having a longitudinally slit tubular shell providing a molding surface for glass fiber reinforced plastic pipe is provided with a removably mountable longitudinally slit sleeve as a molding surface for pipe of larger diameter.

Abstract: An article expanded at the center portion and having the maximum diameter at said portion, for example a ball-shaped flexible tube joint, is produced by using a mold consisting of a main mold having the same inner surface as the outer shape of said article, a cover mold provided with an elastic core having the same outer shape as the inner shape of the above described article and provided with a hollow cavity in the inside of the core, and a bottom mold provided with a projection, which detachably fits in the hollow cavity in the core, the main mold being put between the cover mold and the bottom mold, and a cavity having the same shape as the article to be molded being formed by the cover mold, the elastic core, the main mold and the bottom mold, and by pouring a liquid elastomer into the thus formed cavity and hardening said liquid elastomer.

Abstract: Molding apparatus for molding articles without a seam or parting line even though the articles may have severe backdraft portions. The apparatus includes a flexible mold of relatively thick and self-supporting wall construction which is deformable by the application of fluid pressure differential to thereby release the finished article from the mold. One modification of the mold also has a thick radially extending flange which forms a seal with a vacuum pot when the mold is simply set in the pot. One modification is directed to a male and female type mold in which the outer female mold is expanded to be withdrawn from the article and the inner mold portion collapses inwardly so as to be withdrawn from the article.

Abstract: Machine for making crayons or the like comprising means for supplying fluid material to a series of mold cavities in a horizontally rotatable mold table, means for controlling the temperatures of the cavities, means for ejecting the molding products from the cavities, means for receiving the ejected products and conveying them to one or more delivery points and means for removing excess material from the mold table and recycling it, with suitable controls for operating the several elements according to a desired program and with specific improvements in the apparatus and in the method of operation.

Abstract: A food mold is disclosed which has a flexible sanitary liner and a rigid holder for the liner, the liner has a rim for securement to the holder and a cup shaped portion for forming food to a predetermined shape, the cup is flexibly and resiliently movable for discharge of food from the mold when the mold is turned upside down; the holder may include a finger actuatable valve for control of flow of air into a space between the liner and holder, for control of movement of the cup and release of the molded food product, and the liner may have a weight attached to the cup for automatically retracting the cup when the mold is turned from an inverted emptying to a normal upright filling position.

Abstract: Molding apparatus for molding articles without a seam or parting line even though the molded articles may have severe backdraft portions. The apparatus includes a one-piece flexible mold which is deformable subject to the application of fluid pressure, a vacuum pot large enough to accommodate the flexible mold therein and means for applying vacuum to the pot such that the mold may be expanded by the vacuum thereby releasing the molded article. The vacuum pot is provided with upwardly extending projections positioned in the bottom of the pot and the mold is provided with a restraining ring member for supporting the mold wall and for acting in conjunction with the upwardly extending projection to control the mode of expansion of the mold.

Abstract: Automatic machine for manufacturing ice creams consisting of a creamy mass or ice block joined to a stick or a cone of edible biscuit material, comprises elastomer moulds deformable under cold conditions to assume two symmetrical concave and convex configurations, and the means for accomplishing said deformation.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding articles free of seams and parting lines including a one-piece flexible mold which is deformable and which includes a rigid core member, and a vacuum pot which is used to cause the mold to expand radially outwardly to allow the molded article to be released. The core member may comprise a rigid central mandrel which is rigidly embedded in the bottom wall of the mold and which is hollow and includes ports such that a pressurized catalytic gas may be injected into the mold material to cause a bonding agent to set.

Abstract: Concrete structural members are cast in a metal mold form which comprises side members closed off by a horizontally extending resilient pallet. The side members have affixed thereto at their lower ends adjustable swivel arm actuating mechanisms adapted to flex the side members laterally away from one another to enable stripping of the cast member from the form. The resilient pallet forms the bottom surface of the mold form and etablishes a seal to prevent slurry leakage. The pallet is supported by a roller transfer assembly that enables the cast member to be transported to another operating station after the cast member has been stripped from the form. The transfer assembly is adjustable in height by means of a swing arm assembly which in addition to setting the depth of the casting also causes the cast member to be elevated clear of the form to enable it to be removed therefrom.

Abstract: Molding apparatus for molding articles which are free of seams and parting lines even though the articles may have severe backdraft portions. The apparatus includes a one-piece distensible flexible mold of relatively thick and self-supporting wall construction which is deformable by fluid pressure in order to release the molded article. The flexible walls of the mold include internal slits extending from the mold cavity and partially through the walls for facilitating increased expansion of the mold. The ends of the slits include transversely extending slits in order to prevent tearing of the mold wall at the end of the slit and to further facilitate expansion of the mold.

Abstract: Molding apparatus for molding articles without a seam or parting line even though articles may have severe backdraft portions. The apparatus includes a one-piece flexible mold which is deformable by the application of a fluid pressure differential to thereby release the finished article from the mold. The mold has a self-supporting, radially extending annular flange which forms a seal with a vacuum pot when the mold is set in the pot and the flange has a downwardly extending annular projection or lip which fits freely over the outside diameter of the side wall of the pot. The downwardly extending projection is of sufficient inside diameter to allow the flange to be easily set upon or removed from the vacuum pot and the flange also has sufficiently close tolerances with respect to the outside diameter of the pot as to accurately align and center the mold in the pot.

Abstract: Molding apparatus for molding hollow articles without a seam or parting line even though the articles may have backdraft or undercut portions on both the inside and outside surfaces. The apparatus includes a generally one-piece flexible mold having a generally thick self-supporting wall construction which is deformable by the application of a fluid pressure differential. The mold includes a generally hollow outer portion and a generally hollow inner portion integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the outer portion, said mold portions defining an upwardly opening generally annular cavity into which hardenable material is placed.

Abstract: A flexible, distensible mold suitable for use in conjunction with a vacuum pot to shape art forms and utilitarian articles, such as foundry sand articles, is disclosed. The composite mold provides an integral, internal, flexible, stretchable shaping element thereof having shaping surfaces therein to confine and shape and hardenable or otherwise curable material being molded, and an outer second element which is a flexible, stretchable element distinct and separate from the first, the outer element being in direct and closely confining contact with the inner element, the outer element being in a condition of stress due to stretching.

Abstract: Machine for making crayons or the like comprising means for supplying fluid material to a series of mold cavities in a horizontally rotatable mold table, means for controlling the temperatures of the cavities, means for ejecting the molded products from the cavities, means for receiving the ejected products and conveying them to one or more delivery points and means for removing excess material from the mold table and recycling it, with suitable controls for operating the several elements according to a desired program and with specific improvements in the apparatus and in the method of operation.

Abstract: This invention relates to blow molding apparatus for making plastic articles. It circulates cooling fluid through core rods for cooling blown articles from the inside, preferably with the blown article on the outside of a balloon that is permanently connected with the core rod. The connection of the balloon to the core rod is constructed so that there is no axial pull on the balloon during stripping of the blown article from the core rod and balloon. The invention provides constructions for admitting air between the balloon and a blown parison to break the vacuum when the balloon is to be collapsed. Fluid is also circulated over the outside of the blown parison to cool it, and this can be done in a perforated shroud that serves as a blowing mold, particularly for flexible wall containers.

Abstract: An elastic candle mold has a plurality of circumferentially spaced metal plates embedded in the side walls of the mold and which are pulled radially outward simultaneously by individual pull cables, each cable having one end attached to the plate and the opposite end attached to the movable element of an air powered piston-cylinder or other actuator device. A spring mounted on each cable attachment at the mold serves to return the mold and cables to a contracted position for the mold when the piston-cylinder device is reversed.

Abstract: A flexible, distensible mold for use in fabricating art forms and utilitarian articles, and for use with the aid of air pressure differential enlargement of the shaping cavity, is provided with closeable slits extending from at least a portion of the shaping cavity partly into the mold wall, and cooperating slits extending from the outer wall of the mold into a position which is adjacent to and overlapping the internal slits. With these improved molds a withdrawal bore of the shaping cavity can be greatly enlarged and the side walls can be greatly extended with lower air pressure differentials than would be otherwise necessary. This invention provides a hinging action in the expansion of the side wall which utilizes the flexibility of the mold material to expand the withdrawal bore.

Abstract: A flexible distensible mold for use in fabricating art forms and utilitarian articles, and for use with the aid of air pressure differential enlargement of the shaping cavity is provided with closeable slits extending from at least portions of the outside surface of the mold partly into the mold. With these improved molds, the withdrawal bore of the shaping cavity can be greatly enlarged and the side walls can be greatly extended with lower air pressure differentials than would be otherwise necessary. In addition, the closed slits permits the use of thicker walls and thus provide additional support for the weight of the shaped article particularly when formed in elongated molds.

Abstract: A flexible distensible mold for use in fabricating art forms and utilitarian articles, and for use with the aid of air pressure differential enlargment of the shaping cavity, is provided with closeable slits extending from at least portions of the shaping cavity partly into the mold wall. With these improved molds the withdrawalbore of the shaping cavity can be greatly enlarged, and the side walls can be greatly extended with lower air pressure differentials than would be otherwise necessary.