Patent ID: 6702567
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A shuttle blow molding machine comprising:an extruder head located at a parison-receiving station; a takeout mechanism located at an article-removal station, the parison-receiving station and the article-removal station being located at spaced positions along a horizontal workstation path; first and second groups of mold units, wherein each of the mold units has a carriage, clamp, mold, and blow pin assembly, the mold including a pair of mold halves located in the clamp with the mold being movable by the clamp between an open position, in which the mold halves are spaced from each other, and a closed position, in which the mold halves are mated together to define one or more mold cavities, the blow pin assembly being supported by the clamp and including one or more blow pins that are movable between a retracted position away from the mold and an inserted position in which the one or more blow pins are inserted into one or more corresponding holes within the mold to deliver pressurized gas to the one or more mold cavities, the clamp being mounted on the carriage with the carriage being movable in a direction transverse to the horizontal workstation path such that the mold can reciprocate between a retracted position, in which the mold is spaced from the workstation path, and an extended position, in which the mold is centered along the workstation path; the mold units within the first group being located in side-by-side relation adjacent each other and being movable as a group along a first path that is parallel to the workstation path, the mold units within the second group being located in side-by-side relation adjacent each other and being movable as a group along a second path that is parallel to the workstation path, with the first and second groups of mold units being located on opposite sides of the workstation path.