Take out and cooling system and method

Abstract

A take-out and cooling method and apparatus conveys molded plastic articles from a molding machine to and through a cooling station and preferably includes a take-out apparatus that has a main support, a conveyor carried by the main support for movement in an endless path, a cam adjacent to the support, a plurality of arms carried by the conveyor for movement with the conveyor along the endless path and including a follower responsive to the contour of the cam to vary the position of the arms relative to the support, and at least one holder carried by each arm. Each holder is adapted to receive and carry at least one molded article to facilitate in conveying the molded articles and is flexible and resilient to permit relative movement of at least a portion of the holder relative to its associated arm.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . A molded article cooling system, including:
 a transfer mechanism that receives a plurality of molded articles and conveys them along a path from an infeed section to an outfeed section;   a cooling mechanism extending along said path and having an elongate fluid outlet through which fluid is directed toward said plurality of molded articles, the fluid outlet being substantially continuous along at least a portion of said path so that a substantially continuous stream of fluid is directed toward said molded articles.   
   
   
       36 - 61 . (canceled) 
   
   
       62 . A system for removing molded articles from a molding machine and cooling the molded articles, the system including:
 a takeout apparatus having a plurality of arms adapted to receive molded articles from the molding machine and to convey molded articles from the molding machine, the arms being driven in an endless path to transfer molded articles from the molding machine;   an intermediate conveyor having an infeed section adjacent to at least a portion of the takeout apparatus to receive molded articles from the takeout apparatus and convey molded articles away from the takeout apparatus and an outfeed section from which molded articles leave the intermediate conveyor;   a cooling station through which the molded articles pass and including at least one fluid outlet through which a fluid is directed toward the molded articles to cool them; and   a cooling conveyor having an infeed section adjacent to the outfeed section of the intermediate conveyor to receive molded articles from the intermediate conveyor and an outfeed section from which molded articles are removed from the cooling station.   
   
   
       63 - 78 . (canceled) 
   
   
       79 . A method of cooling a molded article, including the steps of:
 (a) conveying molded articles along a path; and   (b) directing an elongate stream of coolant onto the molded articles as they are conveyed along said path, the elongate stream being continuous along at least a major portion of said path.   
   
   
       80 - 108 . (canceled)