DESIGN GUIDELINES & CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE JIFFY LATCH-LOK

1. HOW MANY ASSEMBLIES SHOULD I USE?

A MINIMUM OF TWO UNITS PER MOLD IS REQUIRED. HOWEVER, FOUR UNITS ARE THE PREFERRED. LARGE MOLDS MAY REQUIRE SIX, EIGHT OR MORE ASSEMBLIES.

2. WHAT SIZE LATCH-LOK SHOULD I USE?

THE FOLLOWING IS BASED ON USAGE OF FOUR ASSEMBLIES PER MOLD.

    1. MOLD BASE WIDTH OF 7-7/8 AND UNDER – USE LL-050 ASSEMBLY.
    2. MOLD BASE WIDTH OF 9-7/8 TO 14-7/8 – USE LL-101 ASSEMBLY.
    3. MOLD BASE WIDTH OF 15-7/8 AND LARGER – USE LL-201 ASSEMBLY.
  1. NOTICE: THE LATCH-LOK WILL CONTROL ONLY ONE MOLD OPENING AT A TIME. IT WILL NOT CONTROL THE MOLD CLOSED SEQUENCE.
  2. THE LATCH-LOK IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR DIE CAST OR TRANSFER MOLDING APPLICATIONS DUE TO HIGHER TEMPERATURES ENCOUNTERED. THE CUSTOM INTERNAL SPRING THAT APPLIES PRESSURE TO THE ROCKER COULD START TO ANNEAL.
  3. TIMING OF ASSEMBLIES: THE LATCH-LOK ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE TIMED WITHIN +/-.005 OF EACH OTHER FOR RELEASE BARS AND LATCH BARS. THIS WILL PREVENT ONE BAR FROM LATCHING OR RELEASING AHEAD OF ANOTHER ASSEMBLY AND CAUSE DEFLECTION OF THE PLATE OR CREATE AN OVERLOAD CONDITION ON THE LATCH BAR.
  4. SHOCK LOADS CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF THE LATCH BAR. THEREFORE, MOLD OPEN SPEEDS MAY NEED TO BE REDUCED.
  5. THE LATCH-LOK SHOULD NOT BE USED TO OVERCOME SPRINGS. SPRINGS CAN CAUSE THE PLATE TO DEFLECT AND BIND AS SOON AS ONE LATCH BAR IS RELEASED, EVEN IF ONLY THE SLIGHTEST TIMING DIFFERENCE IS PRESENT.
  6. LATCH BARS AND RELEASE BARS MUST BE PROPERLY ALIGNED WITH THE BODY. THE BARS SHOULD ENTER THE BODY FREELY.
  7. THE LATCH BAR SHOULD BE FULLY RELEASED PRIOR TO THE STRIPPER BOLTS STARTING TO PULL THE PLATE. CHECK THE STRIPPER BOLT LENGTH.
  8. THERE SHOULD BE NO PRELOAD ON THE LATCH BARS IN THE LOCKED POSITION.
  9. LUBRICATE ROCKERS PERIODICALLY WITH A LIGHT LUBRICANT SUCH AS LITHIUM OR OIL CONTAINING P.T.F.E.
  10. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USAGE IN A VERTICAL PRESS. LATCH-LOKS SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN A HORIZONTAL PRESS. OTHERWISE, THE WEIGHT OF THE ENTIRE PLATE MUST BE LIFTED.
  11. WHEN ONLY TWO UNITS ARE USED, THE BODIES SHOULD BE MOUNTED ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE MOLD FOR BALANCED OPERATION.

14. KEEP IN MIND: BALANCE – BALANCE – BALANCE. IS THE MOLD DESIGN SYMMETRICAL? IF NOT, BE AWARE OF ANY BINDINGS THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE D-M-E JIFFY LATCH-LOK REFER TO THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE PACKAGED WITH EACH UNIT. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER CONCERNS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT D-M-E APPLICATION ENGINEERING.

 

Latchlok.doc

OCTOBER, 2004