Patent ID: 6231329
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
Mold clamping apparatus for moving a pair of mold halves into and out of contacting relationship, said apparatus comprising:a) a stationary platen having a first face for carrying a first mold half;b) a plurality of strain rods extending from the first face of the stationary platen, the strain rods including a smooth outer surface portion and a grooved outer surface portion;c) a movable platen slidably carried on the strain rods for movement toward and away from stationary platen, the movable platen having a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face is opposed to the first face of the stationary platen for carrying a second mold half that is cooperable with the first mold half to define a mold cavity therebetween; andd) locking apparatus carried by the movable platen for engaging the grooved outer surface portion of the strain rods, the locking apparatus including at least one pair of pivotable split nuts having grooved inner surfaces that are engageable with the grooved outer surface portion of a strain rod and that are pivotable between a first, engaged position at which the split nuts each engage the grooved outer surface portion of a strain rod, and a second, disengaged position at which the split nuts are each spaced outwardly from the strain rod outer surface, each split nut individually pivotably carried on a respect pivot pin extending from the movable platen, wherein the pivot axes of the respective split nuts are substantially parallel to each other and are spaced from each other.