Patent ID: 7364683

Claim:
A mold assembly, comprising: first, second and third mold plates positioned generally parallel to one another, at least one of the mold plates having a sprue hole; and an automatic transfer rail assembly coupled to one of the mold plates, the automatic transfer rail assembly including: a rail extending generally parallel to the first, second, and third mold plates, and a carrier coupled to the rail, the carrier having first and second members and being translatable along the rail between (a) a first closed position in which the first member is positioned functionally between the first mold plate and the second mold plate and the second member is positioned functionally between the second mold plate and the third mold plate, and (b) an open position in which the first and second members are outside of the first, second, and third mold plates, wherein the mold assembly is configured to assist in performing a first injection molding operation between the first and second mold plates and a second injection molding operation between the second and third mold plates, and wherein the carrier is rotatable about the rail (a) to the first closed position, and (b) to a second closed position in which the first member is positioned functionally between the second mold plate and the third mold plate and the second member is positioned functionally between the first mold plate and the second mold plate.