Abstract: A replaceable mold assembly for use in an injection molding machine includes first and second complemental mold halves adapted to be in a face-to-face engagement with one another; a first and a second engagement plate secured to the rear side of the first and the second mold half, respectively; and a bell crank lever pivotally secured to the first mold half and including a locking arm and an actuating arm and having a bolting position and an unbolting position. In the bolting position the locking arm engages the second mold half for interlocking the two mold halves and in the unbolting position the locking arm is out of engagement with the second mold half. A return spring is arranged in the first mold half for urging the bell crank lever into the bolting position. The actuating arm has an engagement face with a rocker profile.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for simultaneously driving two hydraulic loads of a production machine by means of a variable delivery pump feeding drive fluid to the two loads through separate load lines, in accordance with independently controllable programs of flow rate and pressure, the two load lines being controlled by two proportional P/Q valves, the pump being continuously adjusted for a constant pressure gradient in the load line which carries the higher pressure, the other load line having a pressure imbalance compensating device in the form of either a flow rate measuring device, a pressure balancing valve, or a displacement-to-voltage converter connected to the associated load.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes a plasticizing cylinder, a shutoff nozzle mounted at the front of the plasticizing cylinder, a shutoff nozzle control for opening or closing the shutoff nozzle, and a carrier block including a bore for receiving a rear terminus of the plasticizing cylinder. The shutoff nozzle control includes a first power device supported in the carrier block; a force-transmitting element connected to the shutoff nozzle and extending therefrom to the first power device; and a coupling arrangement including a movable coupling mechanism for placing the force-transmitting element into an engaged or a disengaged position relative to the first power device, whereby in the disengaged position the plasticizing cylinder is, together with the force-transmitting element, movable away from the first power device and the carrier block.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes a machine bed having a support face and a vertical side wall; a mold closing unit mounted on the support face; an injection molding unit mounted on the support face; a computer; a data display device spaced from the computer accessible by operating personnel in a service location laterally adjacent the machine; and a vertical slide panel mounted on the vertical wall. The vertical slide panel and the vertical wall constitute a partition separating a service zone from a danger zone. A vertical carrier column is supported adjacent the carrier block of the injection molding unit on the vertical wall of the machine bed; and a protective door is supported by the vertical carrier column and is arranged for displacement in a travelling path parallel to the injection axis. The protective door is arranged for shielding a frontal side of the injection molding unit.

Abstract: The flow rates in the cooling circuits of the apparatus can be controlled with the aid of a computer by means of ceramic turning valves. The computer is connected to the central computer of a plastic injection molding machine. The valve body disks, lying under constant pressure via ceramic sealing surfaces against valve seat disks, can be turned by means of pulse-controlled electric motors. Each fitting has a valve channel between the channel section of the supply channel and the channel section of the discharge channel which is covered by a valve seat disk and which forms a valve chamber. This achieves the effect that the deviations from the set temperature in the temperature-critical zones can be substantially reduced with acceptable technical expenditure. The temperature constancy achieved may be maintained for a virtually unlimited time without appreciable maintenance work.

Abstract: A transposing apparatus for moving a replaceable plasticizing unit of an injection molding machine from a position in which it is disengaged from an injection mold assembly of the machine, but is still in an axial alignment with the injection axis thereof, onto an emplacement spaced from the injection axis. The apparatus includes a stationarily supported transport rail oriented generally horizontally and transversely to the injection axis; a sled mounted for travel on the transport rail; and a hoisting device mounted on the sled for lifting the plasticizing unit into and holding it at a transporting height while the sled moves with the hoisting device from the disengaged position to the emplacement. The transposing apparatus has a pivotal lever forming part of the hoisting device and is mounted on the sled for up and down swinging motions about a generally horizontal axis; and first and second cooperating coupling devices mounted on the plasticizing unit and the pivotal lever, respectively.

Abstract: A component changing apparatus which serves a group of injection molding machines has a transport carriage arranged for travel on a carriage track oriented parallel to the injection axis of each injection molding machine, between a storage magazine and a selected injection molding machine. A platform is mounted on the transport carriage for rotation through at least 180.degree. about a vertical axis. The platform defines an emplacement for holding a mold to be carried by the transport carriage. A mold guide is mounted on the platform for guiding the mold for a horizontal displacement into and out of the emplacement of the platform. Transport tracks are formed by the mold guides on the carriage and on the respective mold changing table and by the mold guides on the carriage and in a selected storage compartment when the transport carriage is in a coupling position adjacent one of the mold changing tables or the storage magazine, respectively.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes an injection molding unit which has a plasticizing unit formed of a plasticizing cylinder and a feed screw rotatably and axially shiftably received in the plsticizing cylinder, a supply block having a central passage adapted to receive an end portion of the plasticizing cylinder and a hopper or chute communicating with the passage.

Abstract: A plasticizing unit for an injection molding machine includes a plasticizing cylinder; a plurality of separately energizable resistance heaters arranged on the plasticizing cylinder; clamping sleeves surrounding the resistance heaters and oriented generally coaxially with the plasticizing cylinder; and clamping elements tightening the clamping sleeves for pressing the resistance heaters against the outer face of the plasticizing cylinder. There is provided a protective casing surrounding the plasticizing cylinder and being attached thereto. Each resistance heater comprises a flat-tube heater body including consecutive first and second length portions. The first length portion contains heating wires and has a helical course about the outer face of the plasticizing cylinder. The second length portion forms an end of the flat-tube heater body and is free from heating wires and contains the lead wires.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for the operation of three linear and one rotary hydraulic drive assemblies of the injection unit of an injection molding machine, comprising a variable delivery pump supplying drive fluid at a constant pressure gradient to several supply lines controlled by two control units which are arranged in parallel and feature proportional P/Q valves and pressure transducers, a smaller pressure maintenance pump which is controllable by a third proportional P/Q valve and switchable into one of the supply lines, and a hydraulic accumulator for the temporary supply of a large quantity of drive fluid. The proportional P/Q valves convert automatically from their flow rate programs, controlled by displacement-to-voltage converters on the injection unit, to pressure programs controlled by the pressure transducers.

Abstract: A mold closing unit for an injection molding machine has an exchangeable injection mold assembly; a mold exchanging device; a conditioning table situated adjacent a clamping space of the mold closing unit; and a supply line coupling for connecting to and disconnecting from, one another conduit terminals of mold-side supply conduits and machine-side supply conduits. The supply line coupling is formed of a mold-side coupling half fixedly attached to the mold body and a machine-side coupling half arranged to be movable between the conditioning table and the clamping space. The mold-side coupling half and the machine-side coupling half are joinable to and disconnectable from, one another along a horizontal parting plane of the supply line coupling for joining the machine-side and mold-side conduits to one another for preheating the injection mold assembly on the conditioning table.

Abstract: An injection unit is disclosed with bridges for carrying a plastification cylinder and plastification screw, which bridges are capable of moving along stationary guide rods. The bridges also carry a central injection cylinder and drive cylinders, the drive cylinders being diametrically disposed with respect to the injection cylinder. An antirotation arrangement includes diametrically disposed support bearings to prevent the rotary drive motor as a whole from turning. The surfaces of the plunger pistons of two decompression cylinders serve as such support bearings. The plunger pistons are anchored adjacent one of the bridges, i.e., the bridge which bears the plastification screw. This bridge forms a structural unit with the other bridge. The overall arrangement frees the guide rods to a great extent from the repeating cyclical stress of bending due to resisting rotation of the rotary guide motor as a whole.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes an injection mold assembly, an injection molding unit, and a drive for inserting the injection molding unit on and withdrawing it from the injection mold assembly. The injection molding unit includes a carrier block, a plasticizing cylinder projecting into a central longitudinal bore of the carrier block, a feed screw coaxially received in the plasticizing cylinder, and a coupling for releasably axially immobilizing the plasticizing cylinder in the carrier block. The coupling has a plurality of locking bolts radially slidably supported on radial guide faces of the carrier block. The locking bolts have a locking position in which they project into a circumferential locking groove of the plasticizing cylinder and an unlocking position in which the locking bolts are, by a drive, radially withdrawn from the circumferential locking groove.

Abstract: An injection molding machine has an exchangeable working unit including an injection mold assembly and a plasticizing unit. The latter has a plasticizing cylinder and a feed screw. The machine further has a drive, including a spindle for imparting a rotation and a periodic axial shifting motion to the feed screw. There is further provided a coupling assembly for operatively connecting the feed screw to and disconnecting it from the spindle. The coupling assembly has radially displaceable locking bolts, springs urging the locking bolts into a locking position, a radially guided expander wedge driving the locking bolts away from one another into a releasing position, a radially oriented piston-and-cylinder unit for moving the expander wedge between the locking bolts and an axially displaceable radial coupling. The feed screw shaft has a circumferential groove into which the locking bolts project in their locking position, for axially immobilizing the feed screw relative to the spindle.

Abstract: A horizontal mold closing unit for an injection molding machine includes a mold exchanging device, and injection mold assembly having a mold body and back plates attached face-to-face to the mold body at each clamping side thereof. The back plates have an extended portion projecting beyond a frontal side of the mold body. There is further provided a mold exchanging table forming part of the mold exchanging device and being arranged for displacement adjacent the mold closing unit in a direction parallel to a mold closing direction, and an endless conveyor chain arranged to convey the injection mold assembly, by cooperating with coupling elements in the back plates, from the mold exchanging table to the clamping space of the mold closing unit and conversely. The endless conveyor chain has a chain driving end sprocket and an idling end sprocket mounted on the mold exchanging table and supporting the conveyor chain thereon.

Abstract: A pipe coupling having an annular gasket deformed and compressed within a closed gasket chamber to form a seal for a pressurized hydraulic line, for example, one wall of the gasket chamber being formed by the outer surface of a pipe end portion which is to be connected either to a second pipe end portion or to a wall port. The axial width of the gasket chamber is determined by an abutment of the end face of the pipe end portion which transmits the abutment force to a threaded clamping sleeve or, as the case may be, to a coupling nut with the aid of a snap ring which engages a peripheral groove of the pipe end portion and a thrust shoulder of the threaded clamping sleeve. The pipe-to-pipe version of the coupling has two annular gaskets inside identical gasket chambers on opposite axial sides of a centering sleeve which surrounds both pipe end portions.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes an injection molding unit, an injection mold assembly, and a first drive for inserting the injection molding unit in and withdrawing it from the injection mold assembly. The injection molding unit includes a plasticizing cylinder, a feed screw accommodated therein, a carrier block form-fittingly receiving the plasticizing cylinder at the rear terminus thereof, a mechanism for axially fixing the position of the plasticizing cylinder in the carrier block, a second drive for imparting injection strokes to the feed screw and a third drive for rotating the feed screw. The plasticizing cylinder has a released position in which it is slightly withdrawn from the injection mold assembly and is separated from the carrier block. A first support situated adjacent the injection mold assembly supporting the plasticizing cylinder at the frontal end thereof and a second support situated at a distance from the first support support the plasticizing cylinder at its rear terminus.

Abstract: A linear potentiometer, which is used for measuring the relative movement between component parts of a processing machine, particularly an injection molding machine, wherein the covering band of the linear potentiometer, which band covers a longitudinal slit in the upper surface of a tubular housing for a resistance element, is guided through the potentiometer slide per se by means of through openings with a slight upward curvature. As a result, the prerequisites are met that the entire potentiometer slide, including its guide ribs, its slide body and its anchoring plate for a joint, can be formed as an integral cast shaped part made of a high-polymer material. With this type of a slide embodiment, the accuracy of measurement can be kept at a sufficiently high level over long periods of time, even under conditions of extremely sever strains.

Abstract: A vented cover assembly for a hydraulic fluid reservoir comprising a socket ring mountable in a large opening of the reservoir wall, a filter casing attachable to the socket ring by means of a first bayonet lock, and a cap attachable to the filter casing by means of a second bayonet lock, following insertion of a filter cartridge into the filter casing. The second bayonet lock has a higher release resistance than the first bayonet lock, for the removal of the filter casing, filter cartridge and cap from the socket ring as a closed filter subassembly. Air flowing into or out of the fluid reservoir is strained by the filter cartridge.

Abstract: A device for automatically latching together the two die halves of an injection molding die of a plastics injection molding machine, when the die is removed from the machine, the device comprising a guide sleeve in one die half having a guide portion cooperating with the guide bore of a guide bushing in the other die half, a latching plunger in the guide sleeve having a latching head cooperating with an end face of the guide sleeve to radially expand a split latch ring or a cupped latch disk into engagement with a groove of the guide bushing, when the latching plunger is freed to move from its depressed release position to its latching position, under the action of a preloaded plunger spring. The attachment of the die half to a die carrier member automatically disengages the latching device by depressing the latching plunger.