Pellet transfer appratus and method

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring a mold charge pellet to a molding machine having a mold with a mold cavity includes a hub rotated about an axis, at least one arm extending generally radially from the hub to rotate with the hub around the axis, and a cam system extending at least partially around the axis and operably coupled to the arm for moving the arm along a predetermined path with respect to the axis as the hub and the arm rotate around the axis. In one presently preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the arm traveling along a plane that is parallel to the axis during a portion of said path.

1 . Apparatus for compression molded plastic articles, which includes: a plurality of molds mounted for endless motion around a first axis, each of said molds including a first section and a second section, at least one of which is movable with respect to the other in a direction parallel to said first axis to form a mold cavity, and a pellet cutter and transfer apparatus for forming individual mold charge pellets from a source of plastic material and delivering the individual mold charge pellets to said mold cavities, said apparatus including: a hub rotational around a second axis parallel to said first axis, at least one arm extending generally radially from said hub to rotate with said hub around said second axis, and a cam system extending at least partially around said second axis and operatively coupled to said arm for moving said arm in at least one predetermined direction with respect to said second axis as said hub and said arm rotate around said second axis. 
   
   
       2 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm angularly with respect to said hub as a function of rotation of said hub and said arm around said second axis. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm axially parallel to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis, and for moving said arm angularly with respect to said hub as a function of rotation of said hub and said arm around said second axis. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis and for moving said arm axially parallel to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm angularly with respect to said hub as a function of rotation of said hub and said arm around said second axis and for moving said arm axially parallel to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cam system includes a cam arrangement for moving said arm radially, axially and angularly with respect to said second axis as a function of rotation around said second axis. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  wherein said arm includes a pivot shaft carried by the hub and defining a pivot axis about which the arm is pivoted, said pivot axis being parallel to said second axis. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 9  wherein the arm includes a base plate that is operably connected to the pivot shaft. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 10  wherein the arm includes a slide plate carried by the base plate for movement along the base plate generally radially with respect to said second axis, said slide plate being responsive to the contour of a cam surface of the cam system to drive the slide plate relative to the base plate. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 10  wherein the arm includes a plate carried by the base plate for movement along the base plate generally axially with respect to said second axis, said plate being responsive to the contour of a cam surface of the cam system to control movement of the plate relative to the base plate. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 10  wherein the arm includes an intermediate plate carried by the base plate for radial movement relative to the base plate and a third plate carried by the intermediate plate for movement with the intermediate plate relative to the base plate, and said third plate being movable relative to the intermediate plate in a direction parallel to the pivot axis. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 1  which also includes a pair of tooling assemblies carried by the arm and spaced from each other with each tooling assembly adapted to carry a separate mold charge pellet, and wherein each mold includes at least a pair of radially aligned mold cavities, said arm being moved relative to said hub so that a point midway between the tooling assemblies moves in a plane during a portion of the hub rotation to facilitate aligning the mold charge pellets carried by the tooling assemblies. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 14  wherein said plane is perpendicular to a plane that includes the first axis and second axis. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 15  wherein during the portion of the hub rotation wherein said point midway between the tooling assemblies moves in said plane said point intersects said plane that includes the first axis and the second axis. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 14  wherein during said portion of hub rotation the arm is moved angularly and radially relative to the hub. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 17  wherein the arm is also moved axially relative to the hub to facilitate releasing the mold charge pellets from the tooling assemblies. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 18  wherein said arm includes a base plate pivotally carried by the hub, an intermediate plate carried by the base plate for radial movement relative to the base plate, and a third plate carried by the intermediate plate for axial movement relative to the intermediate plate. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus set forth in  claim 19  wherein each of the base plate, intermediate plate and third plate includes at least one follower engageable with a cam surface of the cam system to control the movement of the base plate, intermediate plate and third plate relative to the hub. 
   
   
       21 .- 84 . (canceled)