Mould

Abstract

A mold for molding post and strap in a cast on strap machine includes a mold body having an upper surface, a cavity in the upper surface for molding a strap and an opening aligned with the cavity for receiving a water-coolable insert for molding a post. The opening extends through the mold with its mouth in the upper surface to enable the insert to be inserted into the opening through the mouth. The mold body further includes a removable plate for being received in the mouth to retain releasably the insert in the opening and for defining the cavity.

Claims

1. A post and strap moulding system for a cast on strap machine, the system comprising: a post and strap mould including: a mould body having an upper surface, a cavity in the upper surface for moulding a strap and an opening aligned with the cavity and configured to receive a water-coolable post moulding insert wherein: the opening extends through the mould and a mouth is provided in the upper surface of the mould to enable the insert to be inserted into the opening through the mouth and wherein: the mould body further includes a removable plate having a cavity provided therein, the plate being configured to be received in the mouth to releasably retain the insert within the opening and with the cavity of the removable plate being aligned and contiguous with the water-coolable post moulding insert; and the system further comprising a manifold at an end of the opening remote from the mouth, the manifold defining plug/socket formations for receiving cooperating formations of the water-coolable post moulding insert to enable connection for a water supply.

2. A post and strap moulding system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the manifold is connected to inlet and outlet pipes.

3. A post and strap moulding system as claimed in claim 1, wherein thermal insulating spaces are provided between the manifold and the water-coolable post moulding insert.

Description

(1) The invention may be performed in various ways and a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example in connection with the following drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a mould assembly; and

(3) FIG. 4 is an assembled view.

(4) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the opening 14 now has an enlarged mouth 16 opening into the upper surface 13. This enables the selected insert 15 to be top loaded into the opening 14. A retaining plate 17 can then be located into the mouth 16. It will be seen that the plate 17 now defines the cavity 12. The plate 17 can be fixed by any suitable fastening arrangement.

(5) A manifold 18 is suspended from the base of the mould body 11 by a pair of struts 19. The manifold defines a pair of sockets 20, which are connected to respective input and output pipes. The connection for the input pipe 21 only is shown but the other connection corresponds. The insert has cooperating main or plug connections 22 which engage sealingly into the sockets 20 so that water can flow in through the inlet pipe 21 up through the respective socket 20 into the associated plug 21, through the jacket (not shown) and then out through the other plug 21, socket 20 and the outlet pipe (not shown).

(6) It will be understood that this arrangement is a significant advance on the previous design in that it allows the inserts 15 to be inserted through the top of the mould making insert changes considerably easier and faster; it introduces the possibility of having bespoke cavities 12 associated with particular post constructions and it is not necessary to connect and disconnect the inlet and outlet pipes each time the insert is changed. This not only increases the speed of changeover but also reduces the likelihood of damage to the inlet and outlet pipes. Further, because the inlet and outlet pipes do not need to in any way alter position for connection and disconnection, they can be made of rigid material and, therefore, are far more robust.

(7) The spacing of the manifold 18 from the mould body 11 prevents unnecessary heating of the water passing through the manifold and the spaces 19 may conveniently be thermal insulators.