Abstract: A rubber material is sequentially injected into a plurality of elongated molds positioned within a corresponding plurality of vertical hydraulic presses arranged in a row. The material is injected into each mold by a pair of injection molding machines which are arranged in side-by-side relation and are supported by a carriage for both axial and lateral movement as a unit. Each of the molds has a set of mold sections which are supported by upper and lower platens of the corresponding press, and each press includes a set of vertical tie rods which are spaced longitudinally along the mold and are actuated by hydraulic cylinders for rigidly clamping the platens and mold sections together. The tie rods have upper end portions which are releasably locked to the upper mold platen by a laterally movable latch mechanism. After a molding cycle, the latch mechanism is released, and the tie rods are retracted downwardly.