A base frame is used in an injection molding machine provided with a mold clamping unit having a platen, on which at least the mold clamping unit is placed and which supports the mold clamping unit. The base frame includes: a pair of main beams spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the base frame and extending side by side in a longitudinal direction of the base frame; and a platen attachment plate which is disposed on the main beams and to which the platen is attached, in which outer edge portions of the platen attachment plate in the longitudinal direction include welding points joined by welding to the main beams, and the platen attachment plate has a shape in which a length in the longitudinal direction is longer at an outer end than at an inside part in the width direction.

A mould-closing unit for an injection moulding machine for processing plastics has a mould support which is movable relative to a stationary mould support (10). A mould-moving device is provided to move the movable mould support into and out of closure of an injection mould. At least one force transmission element is connected to the movable mould support and at its end remote from the movable mould support has a section (14a) which is assigned to the stationary mould support (10) and can be actuated for operative engagement. The stationary mould support (10) is assigned a locking device (15), which can be moved into interlocking operative connection with the actuatable section (14a) to apply a closing force during closure of the injection mould. According to the method, these elements are used to create a method for locking a force transmission element to a mould support of the injection moulding machine. The fact that the locking device (15) has floating clamping jaws (16) which can be moved into interlocking operative connection with the actuatable section (14a) during closure of the mould to lock the force transmission element and the stationary mould support (10) and at the same time are connected to at least one piston (18) of a piston-cylinder unit (17) for applying the closing force, means that a mould-closing unit is created in which the locking mechanism for locking the tie bars to the mould support is integrated in a common unit with the unit for applying the closing force.

A mold clamping device includes a base, a stationary platen fixed to the base and supporting a stationary mold, a movable platen movable on the base and supporting a movable mold, and a mold clamping mechanism for clamping the movable mold against the stationary mold. Tie bars extend from the stationary platen completely through both the movable platen and the mold clamping mechanism. A shaft supporting plate is fixed to the base and has openings through which the tie bars slidably extend for supporting the tie bars. The shaft supporting plate terminates at its lower end portion in two spaced-apart shoes that are fixed to the base. The bottom surface of each shoe has a larger area than the cross-sectional area of the shaft supporting plate situated vertically above the shoe.

A two-platen clamp apparatus for an injection molding machine includes a first platen having a first mold mounting surface and a second platen having a second mold mounting surface. A first rail and a second rail extend parallel to each other and to a machine axis, the first and second rails disposed at a rail elevation vertically below the machine axis. The second platen is slidably coupled to the first and second rails and translatable between mold-closed and mold-open positions. At least one force-exertion member is coupled to the second platen for clamping the first and second platens together, each clamping force exerted along an axis parallel to and offset vertically below the machine axis. At least one force-reaction member is coupled to the first and second platens for resisting separation of upper portions of the first and second mold mounting surfaces during exertion of the clamping force, each of the at least one force reaction member disposed at an elevation below the machine axis.

The invention relates to a mold-closing unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics, comprising a mold-moving device for moving the movable mold support into and out of closure of an injection mold. At least one force transmission element is connected to the movable mold support and at its end remote from the movable mold support has a section (14a) which is assigned to the stationary mold support. The stationary mold support (10) is assigned a locking device (15) having a plurality of locking elements (70) which can be moved into interlocking operative connection with the actuatable section (14a). The locking device (15) has at least one actuator (16) which is movable in the closing direction (s-s) and on which, during movement of the actuator, the locking elements (70) are movable transversely to the closing direction (s-s) along a sliding block guide (60) in and out of an interlocking operative connection with the actuatable section (14a). The actuator is at the same time connected to at least one piston (18) of a piston-cylinder unit (17) for applying the closing force.

A molding machine includes: a tie bar connected continuously to any one of a stationary platen and a movable platen, and including an engagement groove; a first engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar; a second engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar, and configured to be displaceable in an axial direction of the tie bar; a force transmission member located opposite the first engagement member across the second engagement member, and including a pressure surface to press the second engagement member and a through hole in which the tie bar is inserted; and a drive mechanism configured to use the force transmission member to cause the second engagement member to be displaceable in the axial direction of the tie bar with respect to the first engagement member.

An injection molding apparatus has a mold clamping device that includes a traction platen disposed below a pressure-receiving platen, a movable platen disposed above the pressure-receiving platen and configured to be moved up and down by a mold opening and closing mechanism, and tie bars extending downward from the movable platen and penetrating the pressure-receiving platen and the traction platen. The mold clamping device is configured to clamp molds disposed between the pressure-receiving platen and the movable platen. Each tie bar has a tooth portion at its lower end that engages with a tooth portion of a half nut connected to an underside of the traction plate. An injection device arranged on the movable platen includes a heating cylinder having a screw for feeding resin material through a nozzle to an upper one of the molds, and a purging cover encloses a space between the lower end portion of the heating cylinder and the movable platen.

A molding machine includes: a tie bar connected continuously to any one of a stationary platen and a movable platen, and including an engagement groove; a first engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar; a second engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar, and configured to be displaceable in an axial direction of the tie bar; a force transmission member located opposite the first engagement member across the second engagement member, and including a pressure surface to press the second engagement member and a through hole in which the tie bar is inserted; and a drive mechanism configured to use the force transmission member to cause the second engagement member to be displaceable in the axial direction of the tie bar with respect to the first engagement member.

There are provided a mold clamping device and an injection molding machine including a guide mechanism which reliably prevents falling of a movable platen. The mold clamping device includes: a fixed platen fixed to a bed; a mold clamping housing configured to be slidable on the bed; a movable platen configured to be slidable on the bed between the fixed platen and the mold clamping housing; a plurality of tie-bars connecting the fixed platen and the mold clamping housing and penetrating the movable platen; a mold clamping mechanism provided between the mold clamping housing and the movable platen; a linear guide provided with the movable platen and configured to slide with respect to the bed; and a tie-bar guide bush provided with the movable platen and configured to slide with respect to the tie-bar.

An injection molding machine with an injection system and a clamping system. The injection system may include a removable injection module defining a portion of the material flow path. The injection module may include all of parts that come in contact with the material between the material source and the mold. The injection module may include a valve arrangement movable between a fill position to load the injection module with material and an inject position to eject material from the injection module into the mold. The actuators for the injection module may be supported on the machine rather than the injection module. The clamping system may include a platen linear actuator to open and close the mold, and a hydraulic clamping system to apply clamping force to the closed mold. The hydraulic clamping system may include a free-float valve manifold assembly that selectively places the hydraulic cylinders in free-float mode.