Overhead work and mold storage platform for plastic injection molding machine

• US 20050220917A1
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Technologies Services, LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Technologies Services, LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Welsh, John E., Pierik, Steven H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,134,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/88
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/70 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/00 Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00

Abstract

The mold access and storage structure comprises an elevated work platform of generally rectangular configuration which is supported at the comers thereof by columns which straddle a machine. The top of the platform includes a walkway and a plurality of spaced apart parallel oil and water containment reservoirs or pans for receiving and storing molds when not in use by the machine and for collecting any oil or lubricant draining from the mold. A vertical ladder permits a person to access the work platform for maintenance purposes. A railing enclosure is mounted around the top of the platform and extends around the outer periphery of the walkway and reservoirs. The railing enclosure includes a pair of slideable gates which, when open, prevents the machine from operating and permits a ladder to be pivoted and moved from the walkway, into the space between the open slideable gates, thereby permitting a maintenance worker to access the top of the machine.

Claims

1. A mold access and storage structure for a machine comprising:

an elevated platform having a generally rectangular horizontally extending frame, a pair of parallel longitudinally extending sides and a pair of parallel transversely extending sides extending upwardly from said frame;

legs attached to said frame and straddling the machine for holding said platform above the machine;

a walkway mounted on said frame along one of said transverse sides and one of said longitudinal sides;

a plurality of spaced apart parallel oil and water containment reservoirs carried by said frame adjacent said walkway and along the other transverse and longitudinal sides;

said reservoirs each having a bottom wall and four upstanding side walls for receiving and storing a mold when not in use by the machine and for collecting any oil or lubricant draining from the mold; and

a vertical ladder with upper and lower ends for permitting a person to access said walkway, said ladder having the lower end engaging the ground and the upper end attached to said frame near said walkway.

2. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said frame is comprised of structural steel members which are fastened together.

3. The mold access and storage structure of claim 2, wherein said structural steel members forming said frame are connected to said legs by nuts and bolts which are removable to permit the frame and associated structure to be disassembled from said legs to permit access to the machine for repair and maintenance purposes.

4. The mold access and storage structure of claim 1, wherein said sides include a railing enclosure mounted at the top of said frame and which extends around the outer periphery of said walkway and said reservoirs.

5. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 4, wherein said railing enclosure includes an inwardly swingable gate forming a part thereof, said swingable gate being located above said ladder, said gate, when opened inwardly, permitting a person to access the platform and the molds stored in the reservoirs.

6. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 5, wherein said swingable gate is mounted on said railing enclosure by a pair of spring loaded hinges which return the gate to a closed position once the force against the gate to open has been removed.

7. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 4, wherein said railing enclosure includes a pair of slidable rail panels, movable towards and away from each other, to close and open the space therebetween;

and a flip-out ladder hingedly connected to said walkway;

said flip-out ladder being provided with only a few steps;

said flip-out ladder being swingable through the space between said slidable rail panels when open to permit a person to climb down the flip-out ladder to the top of the machine.

8. The mold access and storage structure defined in claim 7, wherein said slidable rail panels are provided with rollers engageable with said walkway which permit the gates to freely open.

9. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 7, wherein a safety switch is mounted on said railing enclosure, said switch being connected to the emergency stop circuit of the machine so that when said sliding rail panels open, the safety switch is also open thereby preventing the machine from operating.

10. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said frame is formed by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart structural members deck girders, having upper and lower flanges, with the lower flanges having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart holes arranged in patterns to permit the legs to be attached to the structural member deck girders at different locations in order to fit the machine.

11. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said legs are attached to said frame at or near the corners thereof.

12. A mold access and storage structure for a machine comprising:

an elevated platform have a generally rectangular horizontally extending frame;

said frame having a pair of longitudinally extending parallel structural member deck girders having upper and lower horizontal flanges, with the lower horizontal flanges having a series of bolt openings arranged in a pattern;

a pair of parallel transversely extending girders extending between the ends of said longitudinally extending structural members girders;

legs attached to said longitudinally extending structural member girders and straddling the machine by holding said platform above the machine;

a walkway mounted on said frame along one of said transverse girders and one of said longitudinal structural member deck girders;

a plurality of spaced apart parallel oil and water containment reservoirs carried by said frame adjacent said walkway and along the other transverse and longitudinal structural member deck girders;

said reservoirs each having a bottom wall and four upstanding side walls for receiving and storing a mold when not in use by the machine and for collecting any oil or lubricant draining from the mold; and

a vertical ladder with upper and lower ends for permitting a person to access said walkway, said ladder having a lower end engaging the ground and the upper end attached to said frame near said walkway.

13. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 12, wherein said frame is comprised of structural steel members which are fastened together.

14. The mold access and storage structure of claim 13, wherein said structural steel members forming said frame are connected to said legs by nuts and bolts which are removable to permit the frame and associated structure to be disassembled from said legs to permit access to the machine for repair and maintenance purposes.

15. The mold access and storage structure of claim 12, wherein said elevated platform includes a railing enclosure mounted at the top of said frame and which extends around the outer periphery of said walkway and said reservoirs.

16. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 15, wherein said railing enclosure includes an inwardly swingable gate forming a part thereof, said swingable gate being located above said vertical ladder, said gate, when opened inwardly, permitting a person to access the platform and the molds stored in the reservoirs.

17. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 16, wherein said swingable gate is mounted on said railing enclosure by a pair of spring loaded hinges which return the gate to a closed position once the opening force against the gate has been removed.

18. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 15, wherein said railing enclosure includes a pair of slideable rail panels, movable towards and away from each other, to close and open the space therebetween;

and a flip-out ladder hingedly connected to said walkway;

said flip-out ladder being provided with only a few steps;

said flip-out ladder being swingable through the space between said slideable rail panels when open to permit a person to climb down the flip-out ladder to the top of the machine.

19. The mold access and storage structure defined in claim 18, wherein said slideable rail panels are provided with rollers engageable with said walkway which permit the gates to freely open.

20. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 18, wherein a safety latch and switch is mounted on said slideable rail panels of the railing enclosure, said switch being connected to the emergency stop circuit of the machine so that when said safety sliding rail panels open, the safety switch is also open thereby preventing the machine from operating.

21. The mold access and storage structure as recited in claim 12, wherein said frame include a pair of spaced apart, longitudinally extending structural member deck girders, having upper and lower flanges, with the lower flanges having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart holes arranged in patterns to permit the legs to be attached to the structural member girders at different locations in order to select the proper location for the legs to fit around the machine.