Electra Form, Inc.

Wentworth Mold, Inc., Electra Form Industries Division

David P Meiring

Carl L Knepper

Timothy L Bright

David C Oas

Lynn R Maggert

A release mechanism operating to release molded articles from a third mold portion includes a guide coupled to the second mold portion forming a cam track. A cam follower coupled to the surfaces of the third mold portion, which are holding the molded articles, is engaged in the cam track when the second and third mold portions are within a pre-selected distance of each other. The cam follower interacts with the cam track to cause some initial movement of the surfaces holding the molded articles to a pre-release position for the holding surfaces so that the molded articles are loosely retained by the holding surfaces. A power operator, carried by the third mold portion and coupled to the article holding surfaces, is responsive to a signal to move the article holding surfaces from the pre-release position to a full release position when a molded article receiver is suitably positioned to receive the molded articles. The molded article receiver includes receiver tubes for receiving the molded articles. The receiver tubes have an open forward end configured to receive a molded article, a closed rearward end including a surface contact element movably situated with respect to the forward end. The surface contact element is configured to conform to a portion of the surface of the molded article. A vacuum duct couples the closed rearward end to a source of vacuum for assisting in the retention of the molded articles within the receiver tubes. An air cylinder is coupled to each surface contact element, and a pressure duct couples to each air cylinder to a source of air pressure for controlling the position of the surface contact element with respect to the forward end of the receiving tube.

Robotic parison handling method and apparatus

Method and apparatus for forming stretch blow molded containers having uniform sidewall thickness from physical symmetric parisons. Parisons are heated non-uniformly by rotating at a non-uniform rate in a heating station. A sensor determines the angular orientation of the parisons emerging from the heating station. Each parison is angularly reoriented at a repositioning station prior to introduction into a stretch blow molding station having non-round interior surfaces, so that the temperature profile of each parison corresponds with differential expansion required to form the desired non-round container.

Non-Round container blow molding apparatus

A blow mold assembly has a first and second carriage, and air cylinders for moving the first and second carriages along guide rods between an open position and a closed position. A first and second mold half are coupled respectively to the first and second carriages to define in the closed position at least one blow mold cavity. A lock situated on confronting surfaces of the first and second carriages locks the carriages together when the carriages are located in the closed position. The lock includes a pair of channel defining members coupled to one of the carriages having opposed edges including a series of teeth separated by interdental spaces, and a corresponding pair of cooperating toothed members coupled to another of the carriages and arranged to penetrate the interdental spaces. Each first mold half is movably mounted to the first carriage and is biased away from the second mold half. A chamber is situated between the first carriage and the first mold half having an opening for introducing fluid into said chamber in sufficient amount and under sufficient pressure to overcome the biasing forces and to resist any pressure applied to the first blow mold half during blow molding of an article within the blow mold cavity insuring faithful continuous mating of the two mold halves defining each blow mold cavity.

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Troy, OH, United States of America

David P Meiring