Patent ID: 6136254
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A rotary take-out apparatus for sequentially removing blow molded hollow articles from each of a plurality of molds that are mounted on a rotary mold carrousel in a rotary blow-molding machine, the apparatus comprising:a take-out carrousel supported for rotation about a take-out carrousel axis;a take-out carrousel drive operatively connected to the take-out carrousel and configured to cause the take-out carrousel to rotate around the take-out carrousel axis;a pick-up station supported on the take-out carrousel to rotate along a circular pick-up station path and including a pick-up head array comprising at least one pick-up head;a fluid cylinder supported on the take-out carrousel and operatively connected to the pick-up head array, the cylinder configured to move the pick-up head array to an extended position when differential fluid pressure is directed to a first chamber in the cylinder, the cylinder configured to move the pick-up head array to a retracted position when differential fluid pressure is diverted from the first chamber to a second chamber in the cylinder, each pick-up head configured to releasably grasp a blow molded article while in the extended position;a cylinder valve supported on the take-out carrousel and connected between a source of differential fluid pressure and the cylinder, the cylinder valve configured to alternately divert differential fluid pressure to one of the first and the second chamber in the cylinder; anda controller connected to the cylinder valve and configured to operate the cylinder valve to coordinate pick-up head extension and retraction with the motion of the take-out carrousel and the motion of the mold carrousel and the opening and closing of the molds at the article take-out work station on the mold carrousel to grasp and remove blow-molded articles from mold carrousel molds and release them at a point spaced from the mold carrousel.