CHANGE OF FORM CARS

Abstract

A mold change carriage (50) has a carriage rail (56), an engagement section (55c), and an engagement state actuation section (55x). The carriage rail (56) can be connected to a mold assembly table (31) of a mold change device (30). The engagement section (55c) is provided on a carriage-side counter surface (55m) of the carriage rail (56) facing the mold assembly table (31) and can be engaged with a counter-engagement section (31p) provided on or near a device-side counter surface (31m) of the mold assembly table (31) facing the carriage rail (56).The engagement state actuation section (55x) can be actuated between a locked engagement state, in which the carriage-side counter surface (55m) is in contact with or close to the device-side counter surface (31m), the carriage rail (56) is positioned relative to the mold assembly table (31) and the engagement section (55c), which engages with the counter-engagement section (31p), is held in an engagement state, and a disengaged state, in which the locked engagement state is released and separation of the carriage rail (56) from the mold assembly table (31) is enabled.

Description

Technical field The technology revealed here concerns mold change carriages. background Various molding systems were commonly used in the production of die-cast and resin-cast products. During production, the mold of the molding system must be changed depending on the type of part being molded. There are cassette molding systems, which use cassette molds that allow for relatively simple mold changes, and non-cassette molding systems. Because the mold to be replaced is extremely large and heavy, it must be lifted and exchanged using a lifting device, such as a hoist, in the non-cassette molding machine. Therefore, the mold exchange can only be performed by experienced operators, and the process is relatively time-consuming. In contrast, with the cassette molding machine, the size and weight of the cassette mold to be replaced are significantly smaller than in the non-cassette molding machine. Therefore, experienced operators do not need to use a hoist for the exchange. Ordinary operators can place the cassette mold on a cart and perform part of the exchange process, allowing for a relatively simple and quick replacement. For example, JPH8-11283 B discloses a forming device equipped with a guide, such as a protective rail, which is attached to a lower section of the guide for positioning a relatively large carriage operated by a person riding on it. The lower part of the carriage is equipped with a curve follower and a cylinder for engaging with the guide. The operator positions the carriage relative to the forming device by moving the carriage so that the curve follower and cylinder on the lower section of the carriage engage with predetermined points on the guide. During a mold change, the mold is transferred between a rail of the forming device located above the guide and a rail of the carriage located above the curve follower and cylinder. Furthermore, JP 2013-86492 A describes a configuration in which a relatively small trolley, pushed by an operator, is moved into a predetermined position of a molding device and the operator transfers the mold between a rail of the molding device and a rail of the trolley. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be solved In the molding fixture and carriage described in JPH8-11283 B, the carriage rail is not positioned directly relative to the molding fixture rail on which the mold is placed. Instead, the carriage is positioned relative to the molding fixture at a distance from both rails using the guide provided in the lower section. Therefore, if, for example, the height or lateral position of the molding fixture rail and the carriage rail are not precisely aligned, a step may form between the molding fixture rail and the carriage rail, making it difficult to properly transfer the mold between the molding fixture and the carriage. In the case of the molding device and carriage described in JP 2013-86492 A, although the carriage wheels are equipped with a locking mechanism, the carriage rail is not directly positioned relative to the molding device rail on which the mold is placed, similar to the disclosure in JPH8-11283 B. The carriage rail has a lifting mechanism that can suppress a height misalignment between the molding device rail and the carriage rail. However, if the carriage moves during the mold change process, there is a possibility that the mold could fall off. Accordingly, the technology disclosed here provides a mold change carriage that is able to assist an operator in exchanging cassette molds in a cassette molding machine more safely, easily and in a shorter time. [Means to solve the problem] To solve the problems described above, the mold change carriage revealed here employs the following means. In a first device, a mold changer carriage is provided, which is designed to assist in transferring a cassette mold to and from a mold changer. The cassette mold is detachably attached to a base mold in a cassette molding device. The base mold has a fixed mold half and a movable mold half. The mold changer is designed to remove the cassette mold from the base mold and attach a different cassette mold to the base mold. The mold changer carriage comprises a carriage rail, an engagement section, and an engagement state actuation section. The carriage rail is connectable to a mold assembly table of the mold changer. The carriage rail has a mating surface on the carriage side, which is designed to face the mold assembly table.The mold assembly table is designed such that the cassette mold removed from the base mold by the mold changing device, or the cassette mold to be attached to the base mold by the mold changing device, is placed on it. The mold assembly table has a counter surface on the machine side, which is designed to face the carriage rail, and a counter-engagement section provided on or near the machine-side counter surface. The engagement section is provided on the carriage-side counter surface and can be brought into engagement with the counter-engagement section.The engagement state actuation section can be actuated between a locked engagement state, in which the carriage-side counter surface is in contact with or close to the device-side counter surface, the carriage rail is positioned relative to the mold assembly table, and the engagement section, which engages with the counter-engagement section, is held in an engagement state, and a disengaged state, in which the locked engagement state is released and separation of the carriage rail from the mold assembly table is allowed. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a molding system comprising a cassette molding unit (which includes a mold changer), an injection device, auxiliary equipment, and a mold changer carriage. Fig. 2 is a side view of the molding system of Fig. 1 (excluding the mold changer carriage, a mold rack, and the like), viewed in direction II. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a movable mold half and a fixed mold half, to which a cassette of the movable mold half and a cassette of the fixed mold half, respectively, are attached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cassette mold in which the cassette of the movable mold half and the cassette of the fixed mold half are coupled to each other. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a mold assembly table of the mold changer provided in the cassette molding unit and its surroundings. Fig. 6 is a top view of the mold changer carriage.Figure 7 is a side view of the mold change carriage of Figure 6, viewed in direction VII. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a carriage rail (movable rail) and a carriage-side counter surface of the mold change carriage and their surroundings. Figure 9 is a side view of the carriage rail and the carriage-side counter surface of Figure 8, viewed in direction IX. Figure 10 is a schematic representation of a structure for raising and lowering a positioning stop and a fall-protection stop of the mold assembly table. Figure 11 is a perspective view, viewed obliquely from below, of a counter-engagement section (a pair of locking pins) provided near a device-side counter surface of the mold assembly table and an engagement section provided on the carriage-side counter surface of the mold change carriage. Figure 12 is a view of the counter-engagement section and the engagement section of Figure 11, viewed from below. Fig.Figure 13 is a view illustrating a state in which the mold changer carriage, from the state of Figure 12, approaches the mold assembly table such that an opening / closing section of the engagement section is in a closed state while passing the counter-engagement section (the locking pin). Figure 14 is a view illustrating a state in which the carriage-side mating surface of the mold changer carriage, from the state of Figure 13, is brought close to the device-side mating surface of the mold assembly table until the surfaces are substantially in contact, the opening / closing section of the engagement section passes the counter-engagement section (the locking pin), and the engagement state actuating section is actuated to establish an open state (a locked, engaged state).Figure 15 is a view illustrating a state in which the engagement state actuation section is actuated from the state of Fig. 14 to set the opening / closing section of the engagement section to a closed state (a disengaged state). [Models for implementing the invention] The following descriptions illustrate embodiments with reference to the drawings. Where an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis are shown in the drawings, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are orthogonal to each other. The Z-axis runs vertically, and the X-axis and Y-axis each run horizontally. More precisely, the Z-direction indicates a vertical upward direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the Y-direction indicates the direction in which a movable mold half 12 moves toward a fixed mold half 11. The X-direction indicates the direction in which a cassette mold 20 is moved from a mold assembly table 31 to a mold exchange carriage 50 when the cassette mold 20 is exchanged using the mold exchange carriage 50. The X-axis direction signifies both the X-direction and its opposite direction. The Y-axis direction signifies both the Y-direction and its opposite direction.The mold change carriage 50 described in the present embodiment supports operating operations performed by an operator S who transfers the cassette mold 20 to and from a mold change device 30 during the exchange of the cassette mold 20 in a mold system 1 shown in Fig. 1. << Overall configuration of the mold system 1 (Fig. 1 and 2) >> First, an example of the overall configuration of the molding system 1 is described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The molding system 1 comprises a cassette molding device 2, an injection device 3, auxiliary equipment 4, a molding rack 5, and the mold change carriage 50. The cassette forming device 2 comprises a base mold 10, a mold changer 30, a mold control panel 2a, an exchange control panel 2b, device-side guides 42 (also referred to as guide elements), and device-side positioning sections 41. The base mold 10 has the fixed mold half 11 and the movable mold half 12. The device-side guide 42 is designed to guide the mold changer carriage 50. The device-side positioning section 41 is designed to position the mold changer carriage 50. A cassette 21 of the fixed mold half of the cassette mold 20 is attached to the fixed mold half 11. A cassette 22 of the movable mold half of the cassette mold 20 is attached to the movable mold half 12. The cassette mold 20 is interchangeable with respect to the base mold 10. The mold changer 30 is a device configured to automatically remove one cassette mold 20 from the base mold 10 and to automatically attach another cassette mold 20 to the base mold 10. During removal in a cassette mold exchange operation, the mold changer 30 automatically removes the cassette mold 20 from the base mold 10 and places the cassette mold 20 on the mold assembly table 31. During attachment in the cassette mold exchange operation, the mold changer 30 automatically attaches the cassette mold 20 placed on the mold assembly table 31 to the base mold 10. Details of the removal and attachment operations performed by the mold changer 30 are omitted. As shown in Fig. 2, the mold changing device 30 comprises the mold assembly table 31, on which the cassette mold 20 is placed, a lifter 32, and a slider 33. The lifter 32 has a lifting cylinder or the like and is configured to raise and lower the mold assembly table 31. The slider 33 has a displacement motor 33m and a displacement spindle 33n and is configured to move the mold assembly table 31, which is integrated with the slider 33, back and forth along a displacement rail 33r extending in the Y-axis direction (see Fig. 5). The injection device 3 is a device designed to inject molten aluminum, resin, or the like during the production of molded parts. The auxiliary equipment 4 includes a robot hand 4a (see Fig. 1) for removing molded parts produced by the cassette molding unit 2 and a conveyor 4b (see Fig. 1) for transporting the removed molded parts to a subsequent process. The auxiliary equipment 4 is designed to supply compressed air, water, oil, electrical energy, and the like used in the cassette molding unit 2. The molding rack 5 is a rack designed to store cassette molds 20 prepared for the corresponding molded parts. The following is an overview of the procedures performed by operator S during the replacement of cassette form 20. Details of the procedures performed by operator S during the replacement of cassette form 20 are described later. When the mold is changed to a different mold, operator S uses the mold control panel 2a to stop the molding process and then uses the exchange control panel 2b to instruct the removal of the cassette mold 20. In response to the instructions, the mold changer 30 automatically removes the cassette mold 20 from the base mold 10 and places the cassette mold 20 on the mold assembly table 31. Next, operator S moves the mold changer carriage 50, which is empty without a cassette mold placed on it, to the position of the mold changer device 30. Operator S then transfers the cassette mold 20 from the mold assembly table 31 to the mold changer carriage 50, moves the mold changer carriage 50 to the position of the mold rack 5 and places the cassette mold 20 in the mold rack 5. Next, operator S removes another cassette mold 20 from the mold rack 5 to produce the next molded part and places the cassette mold 20 on the mold changer carriage 50. Operator S then moves the mold changer carriage 50, which carries the cassette mold 20, to the position of the mold changer device 30. Furthermore, operator S transfers the cassette mold 20 from the mold changer carriage 50 to the mold assembly table 31 and then detaches the mold changer carriage 50 from the mold assembly table 31. The operator S then uses the exchange control panel 2b to instruct the mounting process of the cassette mold 20. In response to the instruction, the mold changer 30 automatically attaches the cassette mold 20, which is placed on the mold assembly table 31, to the base mold 10, thus completing the preparation for molding. The mold changer 50 assists the operator S in moving the cassette mold 20, which has been removed from the mold changer 30 and placed on the mold assembly table 31, to the mold rack 5, and in moving another cassette mold 20 from the mold rack 5 to the mold assembly table 31. With the structure described below, the mold changer 50 assists the operator S in performing these operations more safely, easily, and in less time. << External appearance of the base form 10 (Fig. 3) and the cassette form 20 (Fig. 4) >> Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base mold 10 (the fixed mold half 11 and the movable mold half 12) contained in the cassette molding device 2 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cassette mold 20 (the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half and the cassette 22 of the movable mold half) contained in the base mold 10 shown in Fig. 3. The cassette mold 20, removed from the base mold 10 by the mold changing device 30 (see Figs. 1 and 2), is pulled out in a state in which the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half and the cassette 22 of the movable mold half are coupled to each other, as shown in Fig. 4. The fastening of the cassette mold 20 to the base mold 10 by the mold changing device 30 is also started from a state in which the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half and the cassette 22 of the movable mold half are coupled to each other, as shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 3, the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half is attached to the fixed mold half 11 of the base mold 10. The cassette 22 of the movable mold half is attached to the movable mold half 12 of the base mold 10. In the present embodiment, the movable mold half 12 is provided with core drive sections 12a, 12b, and 12c that drive cores 22a, 22b, and 22c of the cassette 22 of the movable mold half. Furthermore, a mold cavity is formed in the respective mating surfaces of the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half and the cassette 22 of the movable mold half (not shown), which defines the shape of the molded part. As shown in Fig. 4, in both the cassette mold 20 removed from the base mold 10 by the mold changing device 30 and the cassette mold 20 to be attached to the base mold 10 by the mold changing device 30, the cassette 21 of the fixed mold half and the cassette 22 of the movable mold half are coupled to each other. The cassette 22 of the movable mold half has an ejector plate 22d and an ejector shaft 22e. The ejector plate 22d is used when removing the molded part. The ejector shaft 22e projects from the cassette 22 of the movable mold half and is coupled to the ejector plate 22d. << External appearance of the mold assembly table 31, the mold changing device 30 and the surroundings (Fig. 5) >> In Fig. 5, the double-dotted dashed line indicates the cassette form 20, which is removed from the base form 10 by the form-changing device 30 and placed on the form-assembly table 31 (or the cassette form 20, which is placed on the form-assembly table 31 to be attached to the base form 10 by the form-changing device 30). As shown in Fig. 5, the upper surface of the mold assembly table 31 is provided with a positioning stop 31a, a fall protection stop 31b, a rear stop 31c, fixture rails 31n, and rollers 31r. The rollers 31r facilitate the movement of the cassette mold 20 on the mold assembly table 31 in the X-axis direction. The rear stop 31c prevents the cassette mold 20 from moving backward (in the opposite direction to the X-axis) and falling off the mold assembly table 31. The positioning stop 31a holds the cassette mold 20 between the positioning stop 31a and the rear stop 31c (corresponding to a predetermined position) on the mold assembly table 31. The fall protection stop 31b prevents the cassette form 20 from moving forward (in the X direction) and falling off the form assembly table 31 if the positioning stop 31a fails for any reason. Furthermore, a mold guide 31k is provided on the side surface of the mold assembly table 31 opposite the Y-direction. The mold guide 31k is inserted between the cassette 22 of the movable mold half and the ejector plate 22d. In this configuration, the mold guide 31k prevents movement of the cassette mold 20 (represented by the double-dotted dashed line in Fig. 5) in the Y-axis direction and guides the movement of the cassette mold 20 in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the front surface of the mold assembly table 31 (a surface facing the mold change carriage 50 (see Fig. 1)) is the counter surface 31m on the side of the equipment. The counter surface 31m on the side of the equipment is provided with positioning holes 31h, a positioning stop actuation hole 31e, a fall protection stop actuation hole 31f and an opening 31s. Each positioning hole 31h is a hole into which a positioning pin 55p, shown in Fig. 8, is to be inserted when a carriage-side counter surface 55m of the mold-changing carriage 50, shown in Fig. 8, is brought into contact with or approached by the device-side counter surface 31m during the exchange process of the cassette mold 20. The positioning stop actuation hole 31e is a hole through which a positioning stop control section 55a of the mold-changing carriage 50, shown in Fig. 8, is to be inserted. The fall-stop actuation hole 31f is a hole through which a fall-stop release section 55b of the mold-changing carriage 50, shown in Fig. 8, is to be inserted. The opening 31s is designed such that an engagement section 55c, shown in Fig. 8, is inserted into it. In the opening 31s there is a pair of locking pins 31p (corresponding to a counter-engagement section) which are separated by a predetermined distance D1 (see Fig.12) extend downwards, provided. The pair of locking pins 31p is provided on or near the device-side counter surface 31 m. << Overall configuration of the mold changer carriage 50 (Figs. 6 and 7) » Next, the overall configuration of the mold-changing carriage 50 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The mold-changing carriage 50 has a lower table 51, an upper table 52, and a lifting device 53 configured to raise and lower the upper table 52 relative to the lower table 51. The mold-changing carriage 50 has a rear wall 51k extending from one end of the lower table 51 in the Z-direction, and a carriage handle 51g provided at an upper end of the rear wall 51k. The carriage handle 51g is designed to be gripped by the operator S when the operator S moves the mold-changing carriage 50. A pair of swivel casters 51d are provided on the underside of the lower table 51 on the side near the carriage handle 51g. A pair of fixed casters 51f are provided on the underside of the lower table 51 on the side farther from the carriage handle 51g. A drive wheel 51e, driven by an electric motor 51m, is provided at a position between the swivel casters 51d and the fixed casters 51f on the underside of the lower table 51. The drive wheel 51e is a single wheel and is located essentially in the center of the lower table 51 when the mold changer carriage 50 is viewed from above. The electric motor 51m is supplied with electrical energy by a battery 51n located on the lower table 51. When the operator S grasps a drive handle 51h, which is attached to the carriage handle 51g, and pushes the drive handle 51h forward (in the direction opposite to the X-direction in Figs. 6 and 7), the drive wheel 51e causes the mold changer carriage 50 to move forward at a safe speed (i.e., in the direction opposite to the X-direction). When the operator S grasps the drive handle 51h and pulls the drive handle 51h backwards (in the X direction in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7), the drive wheel 51e causes the mold change carriage 50 to move backwards (i.e. in the X direction) at a safe speed.Furthermore, the mold-changing carriage 50 has at the other end of the lower table 51 a pair of carriage-side guides 51b, which are configured to be guided by the device-side guides 42 shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, and a pair of carriage-side positioning sections 51a, which are configured to fit into the device-side positioning sections 41 to be positioned. In the present embodiment, each carriage-side guide 51b is a roller configured to rotate about a vertical axis. In contrast, each device-side guide 42 has a plate shape, extends from the side of the lifter 32 in the X-direction, and is bent outwards at an angle of approximately 30° to 45° at a substantially central section thereof.Accordingly, when the mold change carriage 50 is moved towards the cassette molding device 2, the carriage-side guides 51b come into rolling contact with the device-side guides 42, whereby the mold change carriage 50 is smoothly guided into a connecting position in which the carriage-side counter surface 55m is in contact with or close to the device-side counter surface 31m. The lower table 51 further comprises a lifting handle 53h, a height information display section 53g, a carriage coupling lever 51v, a carriage coupling section 51w, and a floor locking device 51s. By pressing down the floor locking device 51s, the operator S can fix the positioned mold change carriage 50 to the floor surface, and then the operator S can release the fixation by pressing down the floor locking device 51s again. The operator S operates the lifting handle 53h to actuate the lifting device 53 and raise or lower the upper table 52. The height information display section 53g shows height information of the upper table 52 relative to the floor surface or the like. Furthermore, the mold assembly table 31 of the mold changing device 30 (see Fig. 5, Fig. 6 to Fig. 7) also displays height information of the mold assembly table 31 relative to the floor surface or the like (not shown). During the cassette mold exchange process, the operator S first confirms the height information displayed on the mold assembly table 31 before positioning the mold changing carriage 50 at the position of the mold assembly table 31.Then, while viewing the height information display section 53g, the operator S operates the lifting handle 53h to adjust the height of the upper table 52 so that the height information of the mold assembly table 31 matches the height information displayed on the height information display section 53g. The carriage coupling lever 51v is provided on the rear wall 51k. When the operator S actuates the carriage coupling lever 51v, the carriage coupling section 51w provided at a front end of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to perform a coupling with and a decoupling from a coupled section (not shown) provided on the mold change device 30, as shown in Fig. 7. The upper table 52 is equipped with a carriage rail 56 and a comb chain device 57. The carriage rail 56 has a fixed rail 54 and a movable rail 55. As described later, the carriage rail 56 (the movable rail 55) can be connected to the device rails 31n of the mold assembly table 31 (see Fig. 5). The fixed rail 54 consists of a pair of rails fixed to the upper table 52. Several rollers 54r are provided on an upper surface of the fixed rail 54 to allow movement (movement along the X-axis direction) of the cassette form 20. Furthermore, the comb chain device 57 is attached to the fixed rail 54 on the side near the carriage handle 51g (near an end section in the X-direction). The movable rail 55 consists of a pair of rails placed on the upper table 52. The movable rail 55 is displaceable relative to the fixed rail 54 along its longitudinal direction, which is the same as the longitudinal direction of the fixed rail 54 (i.e., the X-axis direction). When the movable rail 55 is displaced in the opposite direction to the X-direction, the carriage rail 56 formed by the fixed rail 54 and the movable rail 55 is lengthened accordingly, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Conversely, when the movable rail 55 is displaced in the X-direction, the carriage rail 56 formed by the fixed rail 54 and the movable rail 55 is shortened, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. During the mold exchange shown in Figures 6 and 7, a surface of the movable rail 55 facing the mold assembly table 31 (a surface of the movable rail 55 on the side opposite the carriage handle 51g) is defined as a carriage-side counter surface 55m. A surface of the mold assembly table 31 facing the carriage-side counter surface 55m is defined as the equipment-side counter surface 31m. As described above, the carriage rail 56, which has the fixed rail 54 and the movable rail 55, is extendable and retractable along the longitudinal direction of the rail (the X-axis direction), which is the longitudinal direction of the carriage rail 56 (the movable rail 55). Several rollers 55r are provided on an upper surface of the movable rail 55 to allow movement (movement along the X-axis direction) of the cassette mold 20.Furthermore, the width of the movable rail 55 is set to a width that allows the placement and movement of the cassette form 20. Furthermore, the movable rail 55 is provided with guides 55t and 55u (see Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. 8) which extend in the longitudinal direction of the movable rail 55 (X-axis direction). The guides 55t and 55u prevent the cassette form 20 from shifting along the Y-axis direction and falling off the movable rail 55. The combing chain device 57 comprises a chain handle 57h, a combing chain 57a, a form-coupling section 57b, and a form-coupling lever 57c. The chain handle 57h is designed to be operated by the operator S. The combing chain 57a ​​is designed to be extended and retracted in the X-axis direction. The form-coupling section 57b is provided at a distal end of the combing chain 57a. The form-coupling lever 57c is designed to rotate the form-coupling section 57b. The comb-chain device 57 houses two chains. When the operator S turns the chain handle 57h clockwise, the two chains comb together to form a rod-shaped comb-chain 57a, and the comb-chain 57a ​​is extended in the direction opposite to the X-direction (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). When the operator S turns the chain handle 57h counterclockwise, the comb-chain 57a ​​is stored in the comb-chain device 57 while it separates into its two chains, and the comb-chain 57a ​​is retracted in the X-direction. As shown in Fig. 7, the form coupling section 57b has an upright pin. When the operator S moves the form coupling lever 57c in the opposite direction to the Y-direction (i.e., rotates the form coupling lever 57c counterclockwise about the central axis of the coupling section along the X-axis direction), the pin of the form coupling section 57b is brought into a vertical position and can be inserted into a pin hole formed in the cassette mold 20. When the pin of the form coupling section 57b is inserted into the pin hole of the cassette mold 20 and the operator S moves the form coupling lever 57c in the Y-direction (i.e., rotates the form coupling lever 57c clockwise about the central axis of the coupling section), the pin of the form coupling section 57b becomes horizontal and is locked in the pin hole of the cassette mold 20.The comb chain 57a ​​and the form coupling section 57b form a push-pull mechanism 57d. The push-pull mechanism 57d allows the cassette form 20, placed on the device rail 31n (see Fig. 5) or on the carriage rail 56 (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7), to be pushed and pulled in the longitudinal direction of the rail (the X-axis direction). << Structure around the carriage-side counter surface 55m of the mold change carriage 50 (Figs. 8 and 9) and structure around the equipment-side counter surface 31m (Fig. 10) >> As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the carriage-side counter surface 55m is provided with the positioning pin 55p, the fall-protection stop release section 55b, an insertion hole 55n for the reciprocating actuating element, and the engagement section 55c. When the cassette mold is exchanged, the movable rail 55 (see Fig. 8) is coupled to the fixture rail 31n of the mold assembly table 31 (see Fig. 5) by the operator S, so that the carriage-side counter surface 55m (see Fig. 8) comes into contact with the machine-side counter surface 31m (see Figs. 5 and 10). The operator S then transfers the cassette mold between the mold exchange carriage 50 and the mold assembly table 31. The positioning pin 55p is a pin designed to be inserted into the positioning hole 31h of the mold assembly table 31 shown in Fig. 5 in order to position the carriage-side counter surface 55m of the movable rail 55 (see Fig. 8) relative to the device-side counter surface 31m of the mold assembly table 31 (see Fig. 5). The fall protection release section 55b is to be inserted into the fall protection actuation hole 31f of the mold assembly table 31 shown in Fig. 5. The fall protection release section 55b is an element designed to lower the fall protection stop 31b, which is provided on the mold assembly table 31 shown in Fig. 5, thereby releasing the fall protection state of the cassette mold 20 achieved by the fall protection stop 31b. Fig. 10 is a schematic representation of the structure around the fall arrestor 31b and the positioning stop 31a, which are provided on the mold assembly table 31. When the carriage-side counter surface 55m is positioned relative to and brought into contact with (or approached by) the equipment-side counter surface 31m (i.e., when the movable rail 55 is coupled to the mold assembly table 31), the fall arrestor release section 55b is inserted into the fall arrestor actuation hole 31f of the mold assembly table 31. As shown in Fig. 10, when the fall arrest release section 55b is inserted into the fall arrest actuation hole 31f, the forward-shaped inclined section of the fall arrest release section 55b pushes a roller 37a downwards to lower the fall arrest 31b (i.e., to change from the fall arrest state to the fall arrest release state).When the mold change carriage 50 is separated from the mold assembly table 31 and the fall protection stop release section 55b is pulled out of the fall protection stop actuation hole 31f, the fall protection stop 31b is lifted by the elastic force of a spring 37b (i.e. returned to the fall protection state). The insertion hole 55n for the reciprocating actuating element is a hole through which the distal end of the rod-shaped positioning stop control section 55a, shown in Figures 8 and 9, can be inserted and retracted. The operator S actuates a positioning stop actuating lever 55v to move the positioning stop control section 55a back and forth along the X-axis. After coupling the movable rail 55 to the mold assembly table 31, the operator S actuates the positioning stop actuating lever 55v so that, as shown in Figure 10, the distal end of the positioning stop control section 55a is inserted into and withdrawn from the positioning stop actuating hole 31e of the mold assembly table 31, thereby raising or lowering the positioning stop 31a. As shown in Fig. 10, when the distal end of the positioning stop control section 55a is inserted into the positioning stop actuation hole 31e and a shaft 36a is pushed in the direction opposite to the X-direction, the positioning stop 31a is lowered via the gears 36b, 36c, and 36d and a rack 36e. This brings the positioning stop 31a into the position release state, in which the positioning stop 31a does not protrude from the top of the mold assembly table 31. When the distal end of the positioning stop control section 55a is retracted from the positioning stop actuation hole 31e, the positioning stop 31a is raised by the elastic force of a spring 36f, as shown in Fig. 10. This brings the positioning stop 31a into the positioning state in which the positioning stop 31a protrudes upwards beyond the top of the mold assembly table 31. The engagement section 55c is an element 31 designed to be inserted between the pair of locking pins 31p of the mold assembly table shown in Figures 5 and 10 in order to hold the movable rail 55, which is coupled to the mold assembly table 31, in a coupled state (to switch to the locked engagement state) and to release the hold (to switch to the disengaged state). As shown in Figure 11, the engagement section 55c has an engagement base section 55d, opening / closing sections 55e, an opening / closing guide section 55f, a reciprocating actuating section 55g, and an elastic element 55y. The engagement section 55c can be brought into engagement with the pair of locking pins 31p (corresponding to the opposing engagement section). As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the engagement base section 55d is fixedly attached to the carriage-side counter surface 55m. As shown in Figures 9 and 12 to 15, the opening / closing sections 55e are attached to the engagement base section 55d by pivot pins 55h and are rotatable about the pivot pins 55h. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 12 to 15, opening / closing guide pins 55j are provided upright on the opening / closing section 55e. The opening / closing guide pins 55j are inserted into the guide holes 55k of the opening / closing guide section 55f and cause the opening / closing sections 55e to perform an opening / closing operation according to a movement of the opening / closing guide section 55f along the X-axis direction (see Fig. 12, Fig. 13, Fig. 14 to Fig. 15). As shown in Figures 9 and 12 to 15, the distal end of the reciprocating actuating section 55g is connected to the opening / closing guide section 55f. As shown in Figure 8, the reciprocating actuating section 55g is configured to move back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the rail (the X-axis direction), which is the longitudinal direction of the carriage rail 56 (the movable rail 55). As shown in Figure 9, the operator S can actuate an engagement lever 55w to move the reciprocating actuating section 55g (i.e., the opening / closing guide section 55f) back and forth in the X-axis direction. The reciprocating actuating section 55g and the opening / closing guide section 55f form an engagement state actuating section 55x.As described above, the engagement state actuation section 55x is able to actuate the engagement section 55c, which engages with the locking pins 31p (the counter-engagement section), either into the locked engagement state or into the disengaged state. << Actuation of the engagement section 55c, which engages with the locking pins 31p (counter-engagement section), between the locked engaged state and the disengaged state (Figs. 11 to 15) >> Fig. 11 shows the mold assembly table 31 and the engagement section 55c (the engagement section 55c provided at the distal end of the movable rail 55) in a state immediately before coupling the movable rail 55 (see Fig. 8) of the mold change carriage 50 to the mold assembly table 31 (see Fig. 5). When the movable rail 55 is coupled to the mold assembly table 31, the engagement base section 55d and the opening / closing sections 55e of the engagement section 55c are inserted between the pair of locking pins 31p (the counter-engagement section), as shown in Figs. 12, 13, 14 to 15. Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the state shown in Fig. 11. Furthermore, the pair of opening / closing sections 55e is prestressed by the elastic element 55y such that the side of the carriage-side counter surface 55m opens (i.e., is prestressed so that it is in the open state). Fig. 13 shows a state in which the operator S advances the mold change carriage 50 from the state shown in Fig. 12 such that the engagement section 55c is partially inserted between the pair of locking pins 31p. The opening / closing guide section 55f of the engagement section 55c is located at a position that does not obstruct the locking pins 31p. That is, the length of the downwardly extending locking pins 31p does not reach the opening / closing guide section 55f. As shown in Fig. 13, the opening / closing section 55e, which was in an open state wider than the predetermined distance D1 of the locking pins 31p shown in Fig. 12, collides with the locking pins 31p and is pressed by the locking pins 31p so that it automatically rotates into the closed state, which is narrower than the predetermined distance D1. At this point, as shown in Fig.As shown in Fig. 13, the actuating distance L2 between the pivot pins 55h and the opening / closing guide section 55f is slightly larger than the actuating distance L1 shown in Fig. 12, and thus the reciprocating actuating section 55g is pushed in the X direction by the distance corresponding to the actuating distance L2. Fig. 14 shows a state in which the operator S advances the mold changer carriage 50 from the state shown in Fig. 13 such that the carriage-side counter surface 55m of the mold changer carriage 50 is close to (essentially in contact with) the device-side counter surface 31m of the mold assembly table 31. In this state, the opening / closing section 55e of the engagement section 55c has completely passed the pair of locking pins 31p. Fig. 14 illustrates a state in which the reciprocating actuating section 55g has been moved in the Xa direction shown in Fig. 14 as a result of the operator S actuating the engagement actuating lever 55w (see Fig. 9). At this point, the actuating distance L3 between the pivot pins 55h and the opening / closing guide section 55f is essentially zero.In this case, the opening / closing guide pins 55j are guided through the guide holes 55k of the opening / closing guide section 55f to push the opening / closing sections 55e into the open state shown in Fig. 14 (i.e., the state in which the opening / closing sections 55e are wider than the distance D1 shown in Fig. 12) by the preload force of the elastic element 55y. In the open state shown in Fig. 14, the rear end sections (the left end sections in the drawing) of the opening / closing sections 55e obstruct the pair of locking pins 31p when the mold changer carriage 50 attempts to separate from the mold assembly table 31 (i.e., to move in the X direction). That is, in the open state (i.e., in the locked engagement state), the opening / closing sections 55e of the engagement section 55c prevent the mold changer carriage 50 from detaching from the mold assembly table 31. Fig. 15 shows a state in which the reciprocating actuating section 55g has been moved from the state shown in Fig. 14 to the Xb direction shown in Fig. 15 as a result of the actuation of the engagement actuating lever 55w (see Fig. 9) by the operator S. At this point, the actuating distance L4 between the pivot pins 55h and the opening / closing guide section 55f is slightly greater than the actuating distance L3 shown in Fig. 14. In this case, the opening / closing guide pins 55j are guided through the guide holes 55k of the opening / closing guide section 55f to push the opening / closing sections 55e into the state shown in Fig. 15 (i.e., into the state in which the opening / closing sections 55e are narrower than the distance D1 shown in Fig. 12). In the closed state shown in Fig. 15, the locked engagement state (the state shown in Fig. 14) achieved by the opening / closing section 55e of the engagement section 55c is released (i.e., switched to the disengaged state). In this state, the operator S can move the mold changer carriage 50 backward to separate it from the mold assembly table 31. That is, in the closed state, the opening / closing section 55e of the engagement section 55c allows the mold changer carriage 50 to be separated from the mold assembly table 31 (i.e., to be in the disengaged state). In this way, the opening / closing section 55e is movable between the closed and open states. << Operating procedure of operator S when exchanging cassette form 20 >> The mold changer 50 and the mold assembly table 31 have the configurations described above. During the exchange of the cassette mold 20, the operator S must perform the following operating actions (1) and (2) as part of the exchange process, with the mold changer 50 assisting these operating actions (1) and (2): (1) Moving the cassette mold 20 (the cassette mold 20 shown by the double-dotted dashed line in Fig. 5), which was automatically removed by the mold changer 30 (see Fig. 2) and placed on the mold assembly table 31, to the mold rack 5 (see Fig. 1) using the mold changer 50; and (2) Moving a cassette mold for automatic fastening by the mold changing device 30 (see Fig. 2) from the mold frame 5 (see Fig. 1) to the mold assembly table 31 (i.e. to the position of the cassette mold 20 indicated by the double dotted line in Fig.5 shown) using the mold change carriage 50. The operator S performs the above operating actions (1) and (2) according to the following steps (A) to (T). (A) The mold control panel 2a (see Fig. 1) of the molding system 1 is operated to stop the production of molded parts. The exchange control panel 2b (see Fig. 1) is operated to cause the mold changer 30 to remove the cassette mold 20 (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 5). The cassette mold 20, automatically removed by the mold changer 30, is placed at the position of the cassette mold 20 indicated in Fig. 5 by the two-dotted dashed line (i.e., the position between the positioning stop 31a and the rear stop 31c of the mold assembly table 31). (B) The mold changer carriage 50 is prepared in an empty state without a cassette mold placed on it.The height of the upper table 52 (the height of the movable rail 55) of the mold change carriage 50 is adjusted using the lifting handle 53h and the height information display section 53g according to the height of the mold assembly table 31. (C) The mold change carriage 50 is moved so that the movable rail 55 of the mold change carriage 50 faces the mold assembly table 31. Then the mold change carriage 50 is slowly advanced towards the cassette molding unit 2, so that the carriage-side guides 51b (see Fig. 1, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold change carriage 50 come into rolling contact with the unit-side guides 42 (see Fig. 1, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the cassette molding unit 2, thereby moving the mold change carriage 50 into the joinable position. The carriage-side positioning sections 51a (see Fig. 1, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold change carriage 50 are inserted into the device-side positioning sections 41 (see Fig. 1, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7).7) fitted into the cassette forming device 2. Then the carriage coupling lever 51v of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to couple the carriage coupling section 51w (see Fig. 7) with the cassette forming device 2. The floor locking device 51s (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold changer carriage 50 is then pressed downwards to fix the mold changer carriage 50 to the floor surface. (D) The movable rail 55 (see Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. 8) of the mold changer carriage 50 is pushed towards the mold assembly table 31 (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) so that the carriage-side counter surface 55m (see Fig. 6, Fig. 7 to Fig. 8) of the movable rail 55 comes into contact with (or is brought close to) the device-side counter surface 31m (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold assembly table 31, thereby coupling the movable rail 55 with the device rail 31n. At this point, the fall protection stop 31b (see Fig.5) of the mold assembly table 31 is automatically lowered by the fall protection stop release section 55b (see Fig. 8). (E) The engagement actuation lever 55w (see Fig. 9) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to set the engagement section 55c into the locked engagement state with respect to the locking pins 31p (in the state shown in Fig. 14). In the locked engagement state, the engagement section 55c, which engages with the locking pins 31p (the counter-engagement section), is held in the engaged state. Accordingly, the state in which the movable rail 55 of the mold change carriage 50 is positioned relative to and coupled with the mold assembly table 31 is locked. (F) The chain handle 57h (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to extend (advance) the comb chain 57a ​​and the mold coupling section 57b towards the cassette mold 20 placed on the mold assembly table 31.When the mold coupling section 57b is inserted into the pin hole of the cassette mold 20, the actuation of the chain handle 57h is stopped, and the mold coupling lever 57c (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is actuated to fix the mold coupling section 57b in the pin hole of the cassette mold 20. (G) The positioning stop actuating lever 55v (see Fig. 9) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to lower the positioning stop 31a (see Fig. 5) of the mold assembly table 31 (i.e., to bring it into the position release state). The chain handle 57h (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold change carriage 50 is then actuated to retract (move backward) the comb chain 57a, thereby pulling the cassette mold 20, which is attached to the mold coupling section 57b, and moving the cassette mold 20 from the mold assembly table 31 to the mold change carriage 50. Once the movement is complete, the actuation of the chain handle 57h is stopped.(H) The engagement lever 55w (see Fig. 9) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to move the engagement section 55c, which has been brought into the locked engagement state shown in (E) (the state shown in Fig. 14), into the disengaged state (the state shown in Fig. 15). In the disengaged state, the locked engagement state is released, thus enabling the carriage rails 56 to be separated from the mold assembly table 31. The bottom locking device 51s (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is then pressed to release the fixation to the floor surface, and then the carriage coupling lever 51v (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is actuated to release the coupling of the carriage coupling section 51w. (I) The mold change carriage 50 is moved backward to separate it from the mold assembly table 31, and then the mold change carriage 50, carrying the removed cassette mold 20, is moved to the mold stand 5 (see Fig. 1).The cassette mold 20, placed on the mold change carriage 50, is then moved to a predetermined position on the mold rack 5 (performing steps similar to (O) and (P) below). (J) A cassette mold 20 is selected from the mold rack 5 to be used for the production of the next molded part. The cassette mold 20 is then moved from the mold rack 5 to the mold change carriage 50 by performing steps similar to (F) and (G) using the chain handle 57h, the comb chain 57a, the mold coupling section 57b, and the mold coupling lever 57c (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). The form coupling section 57b is inserted into the pin hole of the cassette form 20 placed on the form change carriage 50 and fixed therein. (K) By performing the same step as in (C) above, the form change carriage 50 is positioned relative to the cassette form assembly 2 and coupled to it, and then the form change carriage 50 is fixed to the base surface.(L) By performing the same step as in (D) above, the movable rail 55 is positioned relative to and coupled with the mold assembly table 31. (M) By performing the same step as in (E) above, the state in which the movable rail 55 is positioned relative to and coupled with the mold assembly table 31 is locked (i.e., brought into the locked engagement state). (N) The positioning stop actuating lever 55v (see Fig. 9) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to lower the positioning stop 31a (see Fig. 5) of the mold assembly table 31 (i.e., to bring it into the position release state). The fall protection stop 31b is automatically lowered.(O) The chain handle 57h (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to extend (advance) the comb chain 57a ​​to the mold assembly table 31.Accordingly, the cassette mold 20, which is fixed at the distal end of the comb chain 57a ​​on the mold coupling section 57b, is pushed out and moved onto the mold assembly table 31. The cassette mold 20 is moved into a position beyond the lowered positioning stop 31a (see Fig. 5), and then the actuation of the chain handle 57h is stopped. (P) The positioning stop actuating lever 55v (see Fig. 9) of the mold change carriage 50 is actuated to raise (i.e., to bring into the positioning state) the positioning stop 31a (see Fig. 5) of the mold assembly table 31. Next, the chain handle 57h (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is actuated to retract (move backward) the comb chain 57a ​​to bring the cassette mold 20 into contact with the positioning stop 31a (see Fig. 5) for positioning, and then the actuation of the chain handle 57h is stopped. Afterward, the mold coupling lever 57c (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is7) is actuated to release the fixation of the mold coupling section 57b inserted into the pin hole of the cassette mold 20. The chain handle 57h (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is then actuated to retract (move backward) the comb chain 57a ​​and the mold coupling section 57b, thereby separating them from the cassette mold 20. (Q) The same step as in (H) above is performed to release the engagement and coupling of the movable rail 55 and the mold change carriage 50 with respect to the mold assembly table 31 and the cassette molding device 2, and also to release the fixation to the base surface. (R) The mold change carriage 50 is moved backward to be separated from the mold assembly table 31. The mold change carriage 50 is moved into a carriage storage position (a position for storing the mold change carriage 50), and then the bottom locking device 51s (see Fig. 6 and Fig. 1) is engaged.7) pressed down to fix the mold changer carriage 50 to the floor surface. (S) The exchange control panel 2b (see Fig. 1) is operated to cause the mold changer 30 to automatically attach the cassette mold 20, placed on the mold assembly table 31, to the base mold 10. (T) The mold control panel 2a (see Fig. 1) is operated to begin the production of molded parts. The steps (A) to (T) described above do not require any special work, such as lifting with a hoist. Therefore, even an ordinary operator, without specialized expertise, can perform the exchange process more safely, easily, and quickly. Furthermore, since the mold change carriage 50 is positioned and fixed relative to the cassette molding unit 2 (the mold change device 30), and the movable rail 55 is directly positioned and fixed relative to the mold assembly table 31 on which the cassette mold is placed, the operator can perform the exchange process more safely. Thus, the mold change carriage 50 adequately assists the operator in performing steps (A) to (T) more safely, easily, and quickly. << Other >> The mold-changing carriage 50 according to the technology disclosed herein is not limited to the configuration, structure, appearance, shape, and the like described in the present embodiment, and various modifications, additions, and deletions can be made without deviating from the essence of the disclosed technology. Furthermore, the operating procedures of the operator S can also be modified, added to, or deleted in various ways without deviating from the essence of the disclosed technology. Moreover, the disclosed technology can be implemented using its features alone or in combination with other features. The description of the present embodiment included an example in which the pair of locking pins 31p is used as the counter-engagement section. However, the counter-engagement section is not limited to a pair of locking pins. Furthermore, the shapes and structures of the engagement state actuation section (the reciprocating actuation section 55g and the opening / closing guide section 55f) and the engagement section 55c are not limited to the shapes and structures described in the present embodiment. Furthermore, the shape of the positioning stop 31a and its structure for raising and lowering the positioning stop 31a, the shape of the fall protection stop 31b and its structure for raising and lowering the fall protection stop 31b are not limited to the shapes and structures described in the present embodiment. Furthermore, the push-pull mechanism 57d, which is designed to push and pull the cassette form 20 placed on the fixture rail 31n or the movable rail 55, is not limited to the comb chain 57a ​​and the form coupling section 57b. Furthermore, the carriage-side guides 51b, which are rollers, can be provided on the cassette forming device 2, and the device-side guides 42, which each have a plate form, can be provided on the mold change carriage 50. The present disclosure has the following aspects. According to a first aspect, a mold-changing carriage is provided, which is configured to assist in transferring a cassette mold to and from a mold-changing device. The cassette mold is detachably attached to a base mold in a cassette molding device, the base mold having a fixed mold half and a movable mold half. The mold-changing device is configured to remove the cassette mold from the base mold and attach another cassette mold to the base mold. The mold-changing carriage comprises a carriage rail, an engagement section, and an engagement state actuation section. The carriage rail is connectable to a mold assembly table of the mold-changing device. The carriage rail has a carriage-side mating surface configured to face the mold assembly table.The mold assembly table is designed such that the cassette mold removed from the base mold by the mold changing device, or the cassette mold to be attached to the base mold by the mold changing device, is placed on it. The mold assembly table has a counter surface on the machine side, which is designed to face the carriage rail, and a counter-engagement section provided on or near the machine-side counter surface. The engagement section is provided on the carriage-side counter surface and can be brought into engagement with the counter-engagement section.The engagement state actuation section can be actuated between a locked engagement state, in which the carriage-side counter surface is in contact with or close to the device-side counter surface, the carriage rail is positioned relative to the mold assembly table, and the engagement section, which engages with the counter-engagement section, is held in an engagement state, and a disengaged state, in which the locked engagement state is released and separation of the carriage rail from the mold assembly table is allowed. According to the first aspect, by setting the engagement section, which engages with the opposing engagement section, into the locked engagement state in a position where the carriage-side counter surface is in contact with or nearing the device-side counter surface, and the carriage rail is positioned relative to the mold assembly table, the carriage rail is directly fixed in its position relative to the mold assembly table. Accordingly, separation between the mold assembly table and the carriage rail of the mold changer carriage is prevented. The mold changer carriage facilitates the transfer of the cassette mold to the mold assembly table without lifting by a lifting device or the like, thus making the cassette mold exchange process safer, easier, and faster for the operator. According to a second aspect, the mold change carriage, as described in the first aspect, comprises the counter-engagement section, which includes a pair of locking pins positioned at a predetermined distance between them. The engagement section comprises an opening / closing section, movable between a closed state (narrower than the predetermined distance) and an open state (wider than the predetermined distance), and an elastic element designed to pre-tension the opening / closing section into the open state. According to the second aspect, the counter-engagement section is implemented by the pair of locking pins, and the engagement section is implemented by providing the opening / closing section. The counter-engagement section and the engagement section can therefore be implemented with a simple design. According to a third aspect, the mold change carriage according to the second aspect comprises the engagement state actuation section, which has a reciprocating actuation section configured to move back and forth along a longitudinal direction of the carriage rail, and an opening / closing guide section connected to the reciprocating actuation section. The opening / closing guide section is configured, according to a reciprocating movement of the reciprocating actuation section, to move the opening / closing section of the engagement section, which engages with the opposing engagement section, into the open state to establish the locked engagement state, and to move the opening / closing section of the engagement section, which engages with the opposing engagement section, into the closed state to establish the disengaged state. According to the third aspect, the engagement state actuation section is designed to include the reciprocating actuation section and the opening / closing guide section. This engagement state actuation section allows the opening / closing section to be set to either the closed or the open state. According to a fourth aspect, the mold changer carriage, as defined in the first three aspects, includes a mold assembly table with a positioning stop designed to hold the cassette mold placed on the assembly table in a predetermined position. The mold changer carriage also includes a positioning stop control section designed to actuate the positioning stop between a positioning state and a position release state when engaged. According to the fourth aspect, the positioning stop, which holds the cassette mold placed on the mold assembly table in the predetermined position, can be actuated from the mold changer carriage between the positioning state and the position release state in the engaged state. When the cassette mold is moved between the mold assembly table and the mold changer carriage, the positioning stop obstructs the cassette mold in the positioning state. It is therefore advantageous that the positioning stop can be actuated from the mold changer carriage between the positioning state and the position release state. Accordingly, the mold changer carriage can assist an operator in performing the cassette mold exchange process more easily. According to a fifth aspect, the mold changer carriage, as described in the fourth aspect, includes a mold assembly table with a fall-protection stop located closer to the counter surface of the equipment than the positioning stop. This stop prevents the cassette mold placed on the mold assembly table from moving towards the counter surface of the equipment and falling off the mold assembly table. The mold changer carriage includes a fall-protection stop release section designed to set the fall-protection stop into a fall-protection release state when engaged. According to the fifth aspect, the fall protection stop (which is positioned closer to the counter surface on the machine side than the positioning stop), designed to prevent the cassette mold placed on the mold assembly table from moving towards the counter surface on the machine side and falling off the mold assembly table, can be moved from the engaging position to the fall protection release position by the mold exchange carriage. When the cassette mold is moved between the mold assembly table and the mold exchange carriage, the fall protection stop, in its engaged position, obstructs the cassette mold. It is therefore advantageous that the fall protection stop can be moved from the mold exchange carriage to the fall protection release position. Accordingly, the mold exchange carriage can assist an operator in performing the cassette mold exchange process more safely and easily. According to a sixth aspect, the mold changer carriage is provided in accordance with one of the first to fifth aspects, and one of the mold changer carriages and the cassette molding unit has a guide element, and the other has a roller configured to come into rolling contact with the guide element. The guide element is configured to come into contact with the roller when the mold changer carriage is moved towards the cassette molding unit, thereby guiding the mold changer carriage into a connectable position in which the carriage-side counter surface is in contact with, or approximately in contact with, the unit-side counter surface. According to the sixth aspect, as the mold changer carriage is moved towards the cassette molding unit, the guide element comes into contact with the roller to guide the mold changer carriage into the connectable position. This facilitates the positioning of the carriage rail relative to the mold assembly table, thereby enabling precise coupling between the carriage rail and the mold assembly table. According to a seventh aspect, the mold changer carriage includes a mold assembly table which has a fixture rail that can be connected to the carriage rail. The fixture rail is designed to be coupled to the carriage rail after the roller has come into contact with the guide element and the mold changer carriage has been moved into the connectable position. According to the seventh aspect, after the mold changer carriage is guided into the connectable position, the fixture rail of the mold assembly table is coupled to the carriage rail by contact between the roller and the guide element. Since the carriage rail of the mold changer carriage, guided into the predetermined connectable position, can be coupled to the fixture rail, precise coupling between the two is further facilitated. According to an eighth aspect, the mold change carriage, according to aspects one through six, comprises the carriage rail, which is connectable to the fixture rail provided on the mold assembly table and which is extendable and retractable along the longitudinal direction of the rail, which is the longitudinal direction of the carriage rail, and a push-pull mechanism having a comb chain to which the mold coupling section is attached. The mold coupling section is connectable to and detachable from the cassette mold placed on the fixture rail or the carriage rail. The push-pull mechanism is configured to push and pull the cassette mold placed on the fixture rail or the carriage rail along the longitudinal direction of the rail when the mold coupling section is connected to it. According to the eighth aspect, the mold changer carriage comprises a carriage rail that can be connected to the fixture rail and extended and retracted along the longitudinal direction of the rail, and a push-pull mechanism that includes a comb chain designed to push and pull the cassette mold placed on the fixture rail or the carriage rail. The mold changer carriage thus assists an operator in transferring the cassette mold between the mold assembly table and the mold changer carriage more safely, easily, and quickly. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature JP 2013-86492 A [0005, 0007]

Claims

A mold-changing carriage configured to assist in transferring a cassette mold to and from a mold-changing device, wherein the cassette mold is detachably attached to a base mold comprising a fixed mold half and a movable mold half in a cassette mold assembly, and wherein the mold-changing device is configured to remove the cassette mold from the base mold and attach another cassette mold to the base mold, comprising: a carriage rail connectable to a mold-assembly table of the mold-changing device, wherein the carriage rail has a carriage-side counter surface configured to face the mold-assembly table, wherein the mold-assembly table is configured to place the cassette mold removed from the base mold by the mold-changing device or the cassette mold to be attached to the base mold by the mold-changing device on the base mold.and wherein the mold assembly table has a counter surface on the equipment side, which is configured to face the carriage rail, and a counter-engagement section provided on or near the counter surface on the equipment side; an engagement section provided on the carriage surface on the equipment side, which can be engaged with the counter-engagement section; and an engagement state actuation section, which is actuable between a locked engagement state, in which the carriage surface on the equipment side is in contact with or near the counter surface on the equipment side, the carriage rail is positioned relative to the mold assembly table, and the engagement section, which is engaged with the counter-engagement section, is held in an engagement state, and a disengaged state, in which the locked engagement state is released and separation of the carriage rail from the mold assembly table is permitted. Mold change carriage according to claim 1, wherein the counter-engagement section comprises a pair of locking pins provided with a predetermined distance between them, and wherein the engagement section comprises: an opening / closing section movable between a closed state which is narrower than the predetermined distance and an open state which is wider than the predetermined distance; and an elastic element configured to bias the opening / closing section into the open state. Mold change carriage according to claim 2, wherein the engagement state actuation section comprises: a reciprocating actuation section configured to move back and forth along a longitudinal direction of the carriage rail; and an opening / closing guide section connected to the reciprocating actuation section, wherein the opening / closing guide section is configured to move, in accordance with a reciprocating movement of the reciprocating actuation section, the opening / closing section of the engagement section, which engages with the counter-engagement section, into the open state to set the locked engagement state, and to move the opening / closing section of the engagement section, which engages with the counter-engagement section, into the closed state to set the disengaged state. Mold change carriage according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mold assembly table has a positioning stop configured to hold the cassette mold placed on the mold assembly table at a predetermined position on the mold assembly table, and wherein the mold change carriage has a positioning stop control section configured to actuate the positioning stop between a positioning state and a position release state in the engagement state. Mold change carriage according to claim 4, wherein the mold assembly table has a fall protection stop at a position closer to the equipment-side counter surface than the positioning stop, in order to prevent the cassette mold placed on the mold assembly table from moving towards the equipment-side counter surface and falling off the mold assembly table, and the mold change carriage has a fall protection stop release section configured to set the fall protection stop into a fall protection release state when engaged. Mold change carriage according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one of the mold change carriage and the cassette forming device has a guide element and the other has a roller which is designed to come into rolling contact with the guide element, and wherein the guide element is designed to come into contact with the roller when the mold change carriage is moved to the cassette forming device, whereby the mold change carriage is guided into a connectable position in which the carriage-side counter surface is in contact with or is approximately in contact with the device-side counter surface. Mold change carriage according to claim 6, wherein the mold assembly table has a device rail which can be connected to the carriage rail, and wherein the device rail is designed to be coupled to the carriage rail after the roller has come into contact with the guide element and the mold change carriage has been moved into the connectable position. A mold change carriage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a push-pull mechanism having a mold coupling section which is connectable to and detachable from the cassette mold which is placed on a fixture rail provided on the mold assembly table or on the carriage rail, wherein the carriage rail is connectable to the fixture rail and is extendable and retractable along a longitudinal direction of the carriage rail, and wherein the push-pull mechanism has a comb chain configured to push and pull the cassette mold placed on the fixture rail or the carriage rail along the longitudinal direction in a state in which the mold coupling section is coupled to the cassette mold.

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