Patent ID: 7686609

Claim:
An apparatus for molding a plurality of proppants comprising: a first member comprising a manifold for channeling a plastic fluid to a cavity block, said cavity block containing a plurality of semi-spherical cavities; a second member comprising: a movable plate for engaging with said first member, said movable plate having an opening therein; a core block positioned within said opening, said core block containing a plurality of reciprocal semi-spherical cavities configured to engage the semi-spherical cavities of said cavity block so that a plurality of spheres are formed, said core block further containing a plurality of arm cavities that link said plurality of spheres and wherein said plastic fluid within said plurality of arm cavities forms a star cluster and within said plurality of spheres forms the proppants; an ejector plate assembly slidably disposed within said core block, said ejector plate assembly comprising: a first ejector plate; a second ejector plate operatively attached to said first ejector plate; a piston plate operatively attached to said ejector plate assembly for advancing and contracting said ejector plate assembly; a plurality of first ejector pins disposed through said first ejector plate for ejecting said star cluster with said proppants from said core block, said plurality of first ejector pins operatively attached to said first ejector plate; a plurality of second ejector pins disposed through said second ejector plate for ejecting said proppants without said star cluster, said plurality of second ejector pins operatively attached to said second ejector plate.