Importance

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Abstract

A molded article retrieval apparatus in combination with a plastic article molding machine. The molding machine has at least a first mold portion and a second mold portion, at least one of the first and second mold portions being reciprocally movable with respect to the other mold portion, between a conjoined position, wherein a set of articles of plastic can be formed in a set of cavities defined by the conjoined first and second mold portions, and a spaced-apart position, wherein the set of articles of plastic can be released from the cavities into a gap formed between the first and second mold portions. The molded article retrieval apparatus includes an article carrier having at least two sets of article receivers, each set of article receivers being positionable at a different lateral alignment of the article carrier within the gap to receive an entire set of the articles of plastic, and a mover for moving the article carrier into and out of the gap. An alignment mechanism is provided for aligning the article carrier within the gap to permit engagement of the set of articles by any one the sets of article receivers carried by the article carrier. The alignment mechanism includes at least one pin fixed to one of the first and second mold portions and projecting into the gap, and at least one fork fixed to the article carrier. Each fork has two tines separated by a slot projecting from the article carrier toward the pin so that the pin is received in the slot when the article carrier is aligned in the gap with any of the sets of article receivers confronting the set of articles to be retrieved. The slot of at least one fork being dimensioned to engage the at least one pin over a range of different lateral alignments of the article carrier permitting any of the sets of article receivers to be employed to receive the set of molded articles.

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First Claim