Importance

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Abstract

A mold conveyor drive assembly is provided to selectively drive an endless mold conveyor chain with a central unitary driving force exerted along the longitudinal (horizontal) axis of the mold conveyor chain being driven. The mold conveyor drive assembly comprises a vertically oriented endless cat drive chain which is provided with motor drive means. The cat drive chain is positioned below and in spaced-apart register with the mold conveyor chain. The cat drive chain is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart drive dogs along the longitudinal axis thereof which are adapted to be selectively moved into engagement with the mold conveyor chain so as to driveably engage selected of a plurality of corresponding spaced-apart pusher elements provided along the longitudinal axis of the mold conveyor chain and to selectively act upon the mold conveyor chain to decelerate and stop it when desired. Elongate curvilinear guide rail cam means are provided in association with the cat drive chain so as to selectively engage the moving drive dogs when the cat drive chain is actuated by the motor drive means in association therewith. The guide rail cam means are in spaced-apart aligned register with the mold conveyor chain positioned thereabove and are configured to selectively engage and raise the moving drive dogs into driving engagement with the pusher elements of the mold conveyor chain so as to cause the mold conveyor chain to move correspondingly. The guide rail cam means are further configured to maintain the moving drive dogs engaged thereby in continuous driving engagement with the pusher elements of the mold conveyor chain for a predetermined distance and then to selectively lower the drive dogs out of engagement with the pusher elements of the mold conveyor chain.

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First Claim