Jeffrey A Joseph

US Patent:

50982729, Mar 24, 1992

Filed:

May 1, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/345427

Inventors:

Jeffrey S. Joseph - Perrysburg OH
Robert F. LaForme - Genoa OH

Assignee:

Motor Wheel Corporation - Lansing MI

International Classification:

B29C 4514

US Classification:

425127

Abstract:

Apparatus for molding a composite metal-elastomer styled wheel in which a middle mold part includes a metal wheel disc and rim subassembly. A base mold part seats against the outboard face of the metal wheel in the closed condition of the mold and has a mold cavity surface to provide an ornamental configuration for the outboard face of the decorative plastic body of the composite wheel. A clamp seats against the inboard face of the middle mold part to urge the middle part into sealing engagement with the base mold part. The mold parts are axially separable from one another to open the molding apparatus to clear the middle mold part from said clamp and base mold parts. The clamp includes a funnel adapted for registry with a liquid reaction mixture injection nozzle coupled with injecting mixing apparatus. The funnel has a nozzle passage registering with a bolt-hole pour opening in the disc in the closed condition of the mold. A sprue passageway is provided in a core part affixed to the base mold part in juxtaposed relation to the disc pour opening and cooperates with the margin of the pour opening to define an increasingly restricted sprue passageway to the mold cavity during the injection pour of the urethane reaction mixture.

US Patent:

50591061, Oct 22, 1991

Filed:

Nov 30, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/443412

Inventors:

Jeffrey S. Joseph - Perrysburg OH

Assignee:

Motor Wheel Corporation - Lansing MI

International Classification:

B22C 928
B29C 4537

US Classification:

425125

Abstract:

Three-part vertical stack-up mold apparatus for molding a composite styled wheel wherein the middle mold part is metal disc and rim subassembly operable as metal street wheel when a pneumatic tire is mounted on said rim. The lower mold part has a mold cavity surface to define an ornamental configuration for the outboard face of a plastic body of the composite wheel. An upper mold part urges the wheel into sealing engagement with the lower mold part. The lower mold part includes cores adapted for individual registry with disc air vent openings so as to protrude therethrough into the mold cavity in the closed condition of the mold. The upper mold part includes an expansible lid seal juxtaposed in mold cavity sealing relation to the disc inboard face and the cores in the mold-closed condition. The lid seal is radially outwardly expansible in response to clamping pressure of the upper mold part against the middle mold part as resisted by lower mold part during mold closure to thereby radially outwardly enlarge the sealing engagement of the lid seal against the disc inboard surface in the mold-closed condition, and vice versa during mold opening. The lid seal includes an elastomer annular flexible seal and a rigid ring which resists radially inwardly deformation of the seal under the clamping pressure.