Molding apparatus and vacuum system therefor

Abstract

A press and vacuum box combination for manufacturing articles from fluent, curable or hardenable material within a vacuum atmosphere, especially designed to provide access to the mold parts, optimum article handling and improved safety. The press has side frame members, a cross head lying in a horizontal plane and extending between the side frame members, an axially reciprocable ram movable between raised and lowered positions, a platen associated with the cross head and a platen associated with the ram. A mold part is associated with each of said platens, and the mold parts are arranged for movement between opened and closed positions. In the closed position, the mold parts define at least one cavity having the shape of an article to be molded in the press. One of the platens has means at one edge thereof for hingedly mounting the platen for movement between raised and lowered positions with respect to the cross head. Means are associated with the cross head for supporting the hinged mounting means. A vacuum box is provided which has a portion thereof affixed to the side plates and other portions defining a front opening. The box also has a generally vertically movable door covering the opening, upper and lower vacuum box walls associated respectively with said platens, with the upper and lower walls of said vacuum box being in air-tight engagement with the other vacuum box walls only in the raised positions respectively of said ram and said upper platen.