Patent ID: 8944796
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: B21F,B22D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus to form a mesh, the apparatus comprising: a mold that includes a first plurality of cavities and a second plurality of cavities that are positioned separately within the mold, the first and second plurality of cavities configured to hold preformed link elements, the mold being structured with a plurality of molding cavities that are dimensioned and arranged to pass through and separate from the first and second plurality of cavities and the preformed link elements configured to be held therein, a guide to advance a first plurality of preformed link elements from the first plurality of cavities to the second plurality of cavities, and a second plurality of preformed link elements to the first plurality of cavities in accordance with the advancement, and a molding injector configured to supply a material to the plurality of molding cavities to thereby mold a plurality of new link elements through and separate from the first and second plurality of preformed link elements respectively held in the plurality of second and first cavities so as to interconnect the first and second plurality of preformed link elements with the plurality of new link elements to form a continuous mesh of interconnected link elements, wherein at least one of the preformed link elements from both the first and second plurality of preformed link elements and at least another preformed link element from the first and/or second plurality of preformed link elements are interconnected through a common aperture of a corresponding new link element of the plurality of new link elements, wherein each of the preformed link elements interconnected through the common aperture are positioned within separate ones of the plurality of cavities and/or the second plurality of cavities.