ROTARY COMPRESSION MOLDING MACHINE

IN A ROTARY COMPRESSION MOLDING MACHINE (1), AN OPERATION MECHANISM (80) IS PROVIDED TO SELECTIVELY BRING EACH OF LOWER PUNCHES (20) INTO A FIXED POSITION SO AS TO HOLD THE SAME AT AN UPPER LIMIT REGARDLESS OF THE ROTATIONAL MOTION OF THE LOWER PUNCHES (30) ABOUT A ROTATING VERTICAL AXIS, AND AN OPERATING POSITION SO AS TO ALLOW THE SAME TO BE VERTICALLY MOVABLE ACCORDING TO THE ROTATIONAL MOTION OF THE LOWER PUNCHES (30). THE OPERATION MECHANISM (80) MAY BE IN THE FORM OF OPERATION MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY PROVIDED TO THE LOWER PUNCHES (30). THE OPERATION MEMBERS (81) EACH IS CAPABLE OF TAKING A FIXING POSITION ENABLING ITSELF TO BE ENGAGED WITH A CORRESPONDING LOWER PUNCH (30) SO AS TO HOLD THE SAME AT THE UPPER LIMIT AND AN OPERATING POSITION ENABLING ITSELF TO BE DISENGAGED FROM THE LOWER PUNCH (30). THUS, THE ROTARY COMPRESSION MOLDING MACHINE (1) CAN BE EASILY ADAPTED TO PRODUCE MOLDED PRODUCTS HAVING DIFFERENT SHAPES OR SIZES BY FOLLOWING A RELATIVELY SIMPLE OPERATION, AND THEREFORE IS SUITABLE FOR A SMALL-LOT PRODUCTION OF MOLDED PRODUCTS HAVING VARIOUS SHAPES OR SIZES IN A REMARKABLY EFFICIENT MANNER.