Self-leveling high heat transfer mold

摘要

A mold for sequentially curing sections of a belt includes two end zones, a center zone, and transition zones between each end zone and the center zone. The mold is heated and/or cooled by heat transfer fluid flowing from intake manifolds through heat transfer cavities. The intake manifolds are preferably arranged perpendicular to the mold length. In the end zones and in the center zone, the heat transfer cavities are arranged substantially parallel to the length of the mold. The arrangement of the heat transfer cavities provides for a more controlled cure of the belt by allowing the center zone to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the center zone while allowing a cooler consistent temperature to be maintained in the end zones. The transition zones allow a steep temperature gradient from the cooler end zones to the hotter center zone. Heat transfer rates are adjustable without modification to the body of the mold.