Patent ID: 7160497

Claim:
A method of forming a sweep elbow fitting having a bend portion and two straight portions, a greater curvature and a lesser curvature, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a first segmented mold core, having a plurality of segments, including a first segment and a second segment, the mold core having a bend portion and a straight portion, into a mold cavity, the first segment being positioned along the greater curvature and the second segment being positioned along the lesser curvature and the first segment being slidably movable relative to the second segment; inserting a second similar segmented mold core, having a plurality of segments, including a third segment and a fourth segment, the mold core having a bend portion and a straight portion, into the mold cavity, the third segment being positioned along the greater curvature and the fourth segment being positioned along the lesser curvature and the third segment being slidably movable relative to the fourth segment; injecting a molten polymer into the mold cavity; allowing the molten polymer to, at least partially, set; linearly retracting the first segment of the mold core from the mold cavity in a first direction substantially parallel to the straight portion; translating the first mold core in a direction generally normal to the first direction of linear retraction; linearly retracting the second segment; linearly retracting the third segment of the mold core from the mold cavity in a second direction; translating the second mold core in a direction generally normal to the second direction of linear retraction; and linearly retracting the second segment.