Topwin

Similarly spaced pairs of opposed wedge clamp guides are mounted upon the clamp plates on one side of the molding die and have similarly spaced opposed pairs of locator slots. Each clamp assembly includes a locator key mounted upon a platen of a shape to snugly receive the corresponding wedge ramp slot for locating the molding die in a predetermined position relative to the platen.

A wedge is yieldably mounted upon and extends transversely of a key and has a tapered undersurface adapted for operative retaining engagement with the adjacent wedge ramp guide. Additional clamp assemblies are mounted upon the clamp plates upon the other side of the molding die for securing the clamp plates to the platens. The sectional die includes a reciprocal ejector plate, there being at least one reciprocal knock-out bar on the molding machine. A reciprocal lifter plate within the movable clamp plate is connected to the ejector plate and removably interlocked with the knock-out bar.

Heretofore sectional plastic mold dies having stationary and movable clamp plates or clamping slots integral to the die have been removably positioned within and between stationary and movable platens of a molding machine and suitably securedthereto. Often the plastic mold machine may employ additional plastic mold dies to replace the first mentioned molding die. The problem heretofore has been in the disassembly of a sectional plastic mold die from said platens and the reassemblyof a different plastic mold die thereon required a separate securing of the clamp plates thereof to the corresponding platens of the molding machine. Locating rings upon the cavity halves were needed to effectively align the cavity tools to therespective platens. This required considerable time in reanchoring and realigning successively the second or third plastic mold die upon the molding machine so that the same molding machine may be used for a plurality of different molding operationsincluding the use of separately employed plastic mold sectional dies.

There has existed a need by which in a simple manner a first plastic mold die may be quickly located and mounted upon the platens of a molding machine and secured thereon for a particular molding operation. Means are needed for unclamping afirst plastic mold die and locating and reassembling another plastic mold die for a different job into the plastic mold machine and for clamping the same thereon.

An important feature of the present invention is to provide a quick change locator and wedge clamp assembly for a plastic mold machine having opposed movable and stationary platens adapted to receive, mount and support a sectional die havingstationary and movable clamp plates.

It is a further feature to provide laterally spaced pairs of opposed lower locator wedge clamp assemblies upon the platens and wherein mounted upon the clamp plates upon one side of the plastic mold die are similarly spaced opposed pairs oflocator wedge ramps with guide slots. Each locator wedge clamp assembly includes a locator key secured to the adjacent platen of a shape to snugly and guidably receive a corresponding wedge ramp guide slot for locating the molding die in a predeterminedposition relative to the platens. This precludes the need for the commonly utilized locating rings.

A further feature includes as a part of each locator wedge clamp assembly a spring biased yieldable wedge adapted for operative retaining engagement with the wedge ramp guide upon the adjacent clamp plate.

A further feature incorporates the use of laterally spaced pairs of opposed upper wedge clamp assemblies mounted upon and projecting from the corresponding platens of the plastic mold machine upon the other side of the molding die. Each upperwedge clamp assembly includes a wedge clamp body mounting a spring biased yieldable wedge adapted for operable retaining engagement with a corresponding upper wedge ramp upon the respective clamp plates.