COMPRESSION MOLDING CONTAINER PREFORMS

An apparatus for supplying a mold charge for a mold cavity in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a mold charge chamber having a longitudinal dimension and at least two lateral inlets for supplying resin materials to the chamber such that the materials are stratified longitudinally of the chamber. A plunger is movable longitudinally into the chamber to force the stratified materials out of the chamber and thereby provide a stratified mold charge for a mold cavity. The at last two lateral inlets to the chamber preferably are spaced from each other lengthwise of the chamber. In one embodiment, the plunger has a contoured end for imparting a contour to the mold charge as the mold charge is forced from the chamber. A gate preferably is positioned at an end of the chamber remote from the plunger for selectively closing the chamber for filling and opening the chamber for discharge of the mold charge.