Ford Motor Company Limited

Donald E Smick

Uwe W Perl

Bhaskar S Modur

Injection apparatus suitable for supplying in-mold thermoset coating material into a compression molding tool is provided, which injection apparatus comprises a housing (10) the forward end of which comprises an outlet nozzle (11) and an outlet channel (12) extending through the outlet nozzle, the forward terminus of the outlet channel being an outlet port (13). First and second material supply channels (14 and 15) extend within the housing from first and second supply inlet ports (16 and 17) in the housing, respectively, to a single common junction with the outlet channel. A shut-off rod (26) is slideably disposed within the outlet channel, being adapted to provide a sealing closure of the outlet port in a first, forward position and being retractable from the forward position to a second position in the outlet channel rearward of the junction of the material supply channels with the outlet channel. In both the forward and retracted position, the shut-off rod forms a sealing engagement with the outlet channel rearward of the junction of the two material supply channels with the outlet channel. Significantly, the first and second material supply channels are in communication with each other via only a single flow-path, at least when the shut-off rod is in the forward position.

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Berkley, MI, United States of America

Donald E Smick