Booking apparatus

Details Booking apparatus Booking apparatus

1999-08-28

2001-11-13

Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1722)

Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus

Press forming apparatus having opposed press members

Pressure applying member mounted for arcuate motion

C100S233000, C425S450100, C425S453000, C425S454000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06315548

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to large scale molding presses such as those designed for production of RIM (Reaction Injection Mold) parts in which an improved booking drive mechanism is employed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial production of large scale plastic composite parts has become important in many industries including the automotive, appliance and airline industries. Significant interest lies in large structural RIM presses in which heated polymer components are mixed and reacted directly in the mold cavity. A host of other composite components such as fiberglass, graphite and the like may also be fed to the mold in addition to the desired polymeric or monomeric components in order to form the desired composite upon pressure consolidation.
Working pressure of such large scale SRIM molds can often be on the order of about 200,000 pounds. This, of course, dictates that the mold presses should be large with the vertical span of these often reaching to about 25 feet and with effective ram surface areas being on the order of 100 square feet and greater.
In many of these presses, a booking plate is detachably mounted to a moveable or ram and, in turn, one of the dies is detachably fixed to the booking plate. After the molding step, the dies are opened and then subsequently closed again so that rollers or the like on the booking plate can be received in tracks supported by the frame. Then, the booking plate and attached die are released from attachment to the ram and they can then be moved along the tracks away from their position under the ram so that the operator can gain access to the die for cleaning and other purposes. This additional mold closing step, after performance of the molding operation, adds to cycling or press down time between the actual molding steps of the cycle.
In some presses, the booking plate is pivotally mounted to the moveable ram by direct connection of hydraulic cylinders thereto, with the cylinder pistons actuating pivotal movement of the booking plates away from the moveable ram so that the press operator may gain access to the die. Direct connection of the booking plate to the pivot drive cylinders dictates that these cylinders should be generally vertically disposed, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the SRIM apparatus. Addition of lengthy piston displacement along the vertical axis of these machine requires additional overhead spatial requirements, which, in many factories cannot be accommodated without removal of overhead ceilings.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide a pivot drive connection for booking plates in large scale SRIM machines that minimizes overhead spatial requirements.
There is also a need in the art for a SRIM machine that may cycle quickly from molding step to next successive molding step.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are met by the instant invention which in basic form comprises an improvement in vertically extending SRIM presses of the type in which a vertically moveable ram member is driven against a base carrying a lower die. The molding press includes a booking plate pivotally mounted to the moveable ram member and an upper die detachably mounted to the underside of the booking plate. The upper die is adapted to form a mold cavity with the lower die.
Instead of direct connection of the booking plate to vertically disposed hydraulic cylinders or the like which require excessive overhead machine space, pivotal drive for the booking plate is actuated by a pair of horizontally disposed cylinders that are connected via cable connection to the booking plates to translate horizontal displacement of the cylinder pistons to vertical displacement of the cables that are fixedly attached to the booking plate.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, horizontal extension of the pistons from their associated cylinders relaxes the cables, thus allowing the booking plate to pivot outwardly away from its associated ram. The operator may then gain access to the surface of the upper die for cleaning and maintenance.
Upon opposite horizontal displacement or movement of the pistons back toward their associated cylinders, the cables are pulled under tension to, in turn, pivotally close the booking plate to its position in abutting relation to and under the movable ram, ready for initiation of the RIM molding process.
The invention will be further described in conjunction with the attached drawings to be read along with the following detailed description.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30130 (1979-10-01), Edwards
patent: 1679483 (1928-08-01), Lewis
patent: 1709921 (1929-04-01), Stacy
patent: 3142093 (1964-07-01), Tribbett
patent: 3355805 (1967-12-01), Krueger et al.
patent: 3704979 (1972-12-01), Thiessen
patent: 3741216 (1973-06-01), Duarte et al.
patent: 4181485 (1980-01-01), Schramm
patent: 4726754 (1988-02-01), Breuker et al.
patent: 5044919 (1991-09-01), Hama et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Booking apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Booking apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Booking apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2608583