Patent ID: 6872353

Claim:
A method of molding wherein the molding apparatus is easily transported from one location to another, comprising: providing a frame member; attaching a movable mold platen having a mold base to said frame member, said movable mold platen being capable of substantially reciprocal movement between an advanced and retracted position relative to a fixable door platen in a closed position, said fixable door platen being hingedly mounted to said frame member and fixable via substantially rotating movement in a fixed relationship relative to said movable platen when said movable platen is in an advanced position; connecting a first powered actuator to said movable platen to provide a primary means for said substantially reciprocal movement; attaching a first portion of a mold to said movable mold platen; connecting a second powered actuator to said door platen to provide a primary means for said substantially rotating movement; attaching a second portion of a mold to said fixable door platen; providing means to control the primary means for moving said movable mold platen and said fixable door platen; and mounting at least one vacuum head to said mold base of said movable mold platen wherein upon applying a vacuum to said vacuum head, said vacuum head is capable of holding a substrate in position on said mold base; wherein during normal operation of the molding apparatus, direct access to said substrate on said movable mold portion is gained through a door opening that is defined in said frame member when said fixable door platen is in the open position, and wherein a compact molding apparatus is movable from place to place, as needed.