Abstract: A fully contoured three dimensional toy figure made of at least two figure parts, and a toy apparatus and a method for molding the toy figure are disclosed. The figure parts are molded in respective mold cavities with receptacles, e.g., holes, in a side thereof and selected parts are joined together with simple connectors inserted into aligned receptacles of adjacently positioned parts. The receptacles may simply be blind holes in one side of the figure parts, and the connectors may be simple rods, bars or tubes which may have structure that assists in engaging the walls of the holes. The invention allows small children to make fully-contoured toy figures easily without having to use adhesives or typical fasteners to attach the figure parts together. Child-safe plastic materials such as Plasti-Goop.RTM. may be used as the plastic molding material.
Abstract: Novel and improved means for retaining an indicia forming member on a tire mold. The structure for accomplishing this involves a latch mechanism which is operable both to selectively latch the indicia forming member to the mold and to assist in the ready removal of the member from the tire mold.