Machine and method for producing footwear

摘要

A molding machine for producing footwear soles includes a frame carrying a pair of extruders for thermoplastic material at one end; a pair of bottom molds mounted on hot runner systems on the other end of the frame; a pair of vertically movable top molds mounted above and cooperating with the bottom molds to define mold cavities for receiving the thermoplastic material from the hot runner systems; a swing out system for swinging each top mold from a horizontal molding position to an unloading position; gripper jaws for gripping the soles and removing them from the top molds; and swing arm assemblies carrying the gripper jaws for carrying the soles away from the molds to conveyor or packaging locations.