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A mold vent and method. The vent has expanding passages. A preferred vent comprises an insert that has a plurality of passages. One insert comprises a grate formed of a plurality of portions that interleave fingers forming vent passages therebetween that preferably are vent slots. Supports can be di

A mold vent and method. The vent has expanding passages. A preferred vent comprises an insert that has a plurality of passages. One insert comprises a grate formed of a plurality of portions that interleave fingers forming vent passages therebetween that preferably are vent slots. Supports can be disposed between fingers. The grate preferably is discharge-machined from a blank cut from stock made material that preferably is non-porous and smooth. The grate can be mounted in a pocket in the mold cavity or carried by a movable pin. The grate can be used in a system that includes valving, a source of fluid, and, if needed, a source of vacuum to help facilitate venting by drawing atmosphere out of the cavity during molding. The grate can also be used to introduce fluid into the mold that can be foaming moldable material or a heat transfer medium.

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1. A pin vent for a mold equipped with a mold cavity, the pin vent comprising a reciprocable pin disposed in a bore in the mold that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin that is exposed to the mold cavity, a vent passage that communicates with the vent orifice, a perforate insert that i

1. A pin vent for a mold equipped with a mold cavity, the pin vent comprising a reciprocable pin disposed in a bore in the mold that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin that is exposed to the mold cavity, a vent passage that communicates with the vent orifice, a perforate insert that is received in the vent orifice, and wherein a portion of the pin bounding the perforate insert is deformed against the perforate insert to retain the perforate insert. 2. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the perforate insert comprises a perforate grate that is comprised of a plurality of interlocking vent grate sections. 3. A pin vent for a mold comprisinga reciprocable pin that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin and a vent passage in the pin that communicates with the vent orifice;a disc-shaped perforate insert that comprises a grate; andwherein the perforate insert is received in a pocket in the one end of the pin and bounded by a lip of the pin that is deformed against the perforate insert to retain the insert. 4. The pin vent of claim 3 wherein the perforate insert has a sidewall with an outward taper that opposes removal of the perforate insert. 5. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable pin that has a vent orifice; anda perforate vent grate carried by the pin in line with the vent orifice, the vent grate comprised of a plurality vent grate halves with each one of the vent grate halves having a plurality of spaced apart fingers with the fingers of one of the vent grate halves disposed between the fingers of another one of the vent grate halves defining a plurality of vent grate slots therebetween when the vent grate halves are assembled together. 6. The pin vent of claim 5 wherein one of the halves has a key and the other one of the halves has a keyway that receives the key of the one of the halves when the two halves are assembled together. 7. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the vent passage is disposed between an outer sidewall of the pin and a portion of the mold adjacent the pin. 8. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the perforate insert comprises a vent grate that has a plurality of vent perforations with each vent perforation having a opening that is exposed to the mold cavity and a discharge located downstream of the opening that is in communication with the vent passage, and wherein, for each one of a plurality of vent perforations, the discharge is larger in width than the opening. 9. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the vent passage is disposed in an outer sidewall of the pin and extends generally in an axial direction. 10. The pin vent of claim 9 wherein the vent passage comprises a channel formed in the outer sidewall of the pin that is generally helical. 11. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the vent passage further comprises a generally radially extending port. 12. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the vent orifice includes a port that extends radially to communicate gas or vapor being vented from the vent grate to the vent passage, and wherein the vent passage is defined by a portion of an outer sidewall of the pin and extends in a generally axial direction. 13. The pin vent of claim 1 wherein the perforate insert comprises a vent grate that has a plurality of through-slots with each slot defined by a pair of sidewalls that taper away from each other such that a mouth of each slot that is exposed to the mold cavity is narrower than a discharge of the slot that is located downstream of the mouth with a throat disposed between the mouth and the discharge that has a depth of three to five times a minimum width of the slot. 14. A vent for a mold comprising:(a) a first vent grate half having a plurality of spaced apart fingers that extend outwardly from a web with the web and fingers defining a vent grate half of one-piece and unitary construction;(b) a second vent grate half having a finger that extends outwardly from a web with the web and finger defining a vent grate half of one-piece and unitary con struction;(c) wherein the first vent grate half engages the second vent grate half with the finger of the second vent grate half disposed between the plurality of the fingers of the first vent grate half thereby defining a plurality of vent slots; and(d) wherein the first vent grate half and second vent grate half form a disc-shaped vent insert when engaged. 15. The vent of claim 14 wherein the web of the first vent grate half is arcuately shaped, the web of the second vent grate half is arcuately shaped, and the first vent grate half and the second vent grate half form a round disc-shaped vent grate insert when the first vent grate half is engaged with the second vent grate half. 16. The vent of claim 15 further comprising a reciprocable pin that carries the vent and the engaged vent grate halves form an insert that is disposed in a bore in the pin. 17. A vent for a mold having a mold cavity that is used to form a hardenable material, the vent comprising a perforate insert that is disposed in a bore in the mold, the insert having a plurality of spaced apart vent slots that each have a mouth disposed in the mold cavity and a discharge downstream of the mouth, wherein each slot is defined by a plurality of sidewalls that taper away from each other such that the discharge of each slot is wider than the mouth. 18. The vent of claim 17 wherein each one of the slots has a throat between its mouth and its discharge that has an axial length of three to five times the width of the mouth. 19. A vent disposed in a passageway in a mold having a mold cavity used to form hardenable material comprising:a first grate portion and a second grate portion that engage each other to form a vent grate;wherein one of the grate portions has a first vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the other one of the grate portions, and the other one of the grate portions has a second vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate portions and that is adjacent the first vent grate finger;wherein the first vent grate finger and the second vent grate finger define a vent passage therebetween; andwherein at least one of the vent grate fingers of one of the grate portions has a tip with an inclined end that is supported on a complementarily inclined wall of the other one of the grate portions during molding. 20. The vent of claim 19 wherein the hardenable material comprises plastic, the first grate and second grate form a perforate vent grate insert that is disc-shaped, and each vent passage comprises a slot that has a mouth with a minimum width of between 0.005 inches and 0.0005 inches for permitting gas or vapor to flow therethrough while opposing flow of plastic. 21. The vent of claim 19 wherein each vent passage has a slot-shaped mouth that opens in the mold cavity and that communicates with a downstream vent passage chamber therein that is defined by sidewalls that taper outwardly such that the vent passage chamber widens downstream from the slot-shaped mouth. 22. A vent insert disposed in a passageway in a mold having a mold cavity used in forming hardenable material comprising:a first grate portion and a second grate portion with one of the grate portions having a keyway and the other one of the grate portions having a key that is received in the keyway to interlock the first and second grate portions defining a vent grate,wherein one of the grate portions has first and second spaced apart vent grate fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate portions, and the other one of the grate portions having a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate portions and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers,wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger defines a first vent passage therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second vent passage therebetween,wherein each one of the vent grate fingers of one of the grate portions have a tip with an inclined end that is supported on a complementarily inclined wall of the other one of the grate portions, andwherein each vent passage has an opening that communicates with a chamber in the vent passage that has sidewalls that taper away from each other such that the vent passage chamber widens as it extends away from its opening. 23. The pin vent of claim 5 wherein one of the fingers further comprises a tab disposed in one of the vent passages that extends outwardly from the one of the fingers toward an adjacent one of the fingers to space the adjacent one of the fingers away from the one of the fingers. 24. The vent of claim 14 wherein one of the fingers further comprises an integral tab disposed in one of the vent passages that extends outwardly from the one of the fingers toward an adjacent one of the fingers spacing the adjacent one of the fingers away from the one of the fingers. 25. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable pin that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin;a perforate insert disposed in the vent orifice; andwherein the pin has a lip that is deformed against the perforate insert to retain the insert in the vent orifice. 26. The pin vent of claim 25 wherein the vent orifice further comprises a pocket in the one end of the pin, the perforate insert is disposed in the pocket, and the lip bounds the perforate insert. 27. The pin vent of claim 25 wherein the lip encircles the vent orifice and the perforate insert comprises a disc-shaped perforate grate that is round. 28. The pin vent of claim 25 wherein the pin comprises an ejector pin. 29. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable pin that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin;a perforate insert disposed in the vent orifice that has a top, a bottom and an outer sidewall that tapers from top to bottom such that it is wider adjacent the bottom; andwherein the pin is deformed against the sidewall of the perforate insert adjacent the top of the perforate insert retaining the perforate insert in the vent orifice. 30. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable ejector pin that has a vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin and a vent passage leading to the vent orifice;a round perforate insert disposed in the vent orifice that has a top, a bottom and an outer sidewall that tapers from top to bottom such that it is wider adjacent the bottom; andwherein the pin comprises a lip bounding the vent orifice that encircles the perforate insert which is deformed against the sidewall of the perforate insert above the bottom of the perforate insert retaining the perforate insert in the vent orifice. 31. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable ejector pin that has a circular vent orifice disposed in one end of the pin that is defined by an endless inner sidewall and a vent passage in the pin that leads to the vent orifice;a round perforate vent grate that has a top, a bottom, an outer sidewall that diametrically enlarges from top to bottom such that it is diametrically larger at the bottom than at the top, and a plurality of pairs of parallel and spaced apart fingers with each pair of adjacent fingers defining an elongate vent slot therebetween that extends from the top to the bottom completely through the perforate vent grate, the perforate vent grate disposed in the vent orifice with its top substantially flush with the one end of the ejector pin; andwherein a portion of the endless inner sidewall of the pin is deformed against the outer sidewall of the perforate vent grate above the bottom of the perforate vent grate to retain the perforate vent grate in the vent orifice. 32. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable pm that has a vent orifice that communicates with a vent passage; anda perforate vent grate disposed in line with the vent orifice, the vent grate comprised of a plurality vent grate sections that each have a plurality of spaced apart fingers with th e fingers of one of the vent grate sections disposed between the fingers of another one of the vent grate sections defining a plurality of elongate vent grate slots therebetween. 33. A pin vent for a mold comprising:a reciprocable ejector pin that has a vent orifice formed in its free end that communicates with a vent passage; anda perforate vent grate disposed in the vent orifice that has a top, a bottom, an outer sidewall that tapers from top to bottom such that it is wider at the bottom than at the top, the perforate vent grate comprised of a plurality vent grate halves with one of the vent grate halves having a plurality of spaced apart fingers and another one of the vent grate halves having a finger that is disposed between the plurality of fingers of the one of the vent grate halves defining a plurality of elongate vent grate slots therebetween;wherein one of the vent grate halves comprises a key and another one of the vent grate halves has a keyway that receives the key of the one of the vent grate halves to engage the vent grate halves; andwherein the pin has a lip that bounds the vent orifice and encircles the perforate vent grate that is deformed against the outer sidewall of the perforate vent grate adjacent the top of the perforate vent grate. 34. A mold vent comprising:a first grate portion and a second grate portion that engage to form a vent grate;wherein one of the grate portions has a first finger that projects outwardly toward the other one of the grate portions, and the other one of the grate portions has a second finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate portions and that is adjacent the first finger;wherein the first finger and the second finger define an elongate vent slot therebetween; andwherein at least one of the fingers includes an integral tab disposed in the vent slot that extends outwardly toward another one of the fingers maintaining spacing between the fingers. 35. A mold vent comprising:a first grate section and a second grate section with one of the first and second grate sections comprised of a key that is received in a keyway formed in the other one of the first and second grate sections defining a vent grate;wherein one of the grate sections has a first finger and second finger that both project outwardly toward the other one of the grate sections, and the other one of the grate sections has a third finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate sections and that is disposed between the first finger and the second finger; andwherein the first finger and the third finger define a first vent passage therebetween and the second finger and the third finger define a second vent passage therebetween. 36. A mold vent comprising a first grate section and a second grate section with one of the first and second grate sections comprised of a key that is received in a keyway formed in the other one of the first and second grate sections defining a vent grate, wherein each one of the grate sections comprises a plurality of parallel fingers with each finger of one of the vent grate sections extending toward the other one of the vent grate sections and disposed alongside one of the fingers of the other one of the vent grate sections defining an elongate vent slot therebetween with each one of the fingers including a generally transversely extending tab disposed in one of the vent slots toward an adjacent one of the fingers. 37. A vent for a mold having a mold cavity that is used to form a hardenable material, the vent comprising a perforate insert that is disposed in a bore in the mold, the insert having a plurality of spaced apart vent slots that each have a mouth disposed in the mold cavity and a discharge downstream of the mouth, wherein each slot is defined by a plurality of sidewalls that taper away from each other such that the discharge of each slot is wider than the mouth wherein each one of the slots has a throat between its mouth and its discharge that has an axial l ength of three to five times the width of the mouth. 38. A mold vent comprising:a first grate half and a second grate half that engage and form a vent grate;wherein one of the grate halves comprises first and second spaced apart and parallel fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate halves, and the other one of the grate halves comprises a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate halves and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers;wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger defines a first elongate vent slot therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second elongate vent slot therebetween; andwherein each vent slot includes an opening that communicates with a chamber downstream of the opening that is defined by adjacent finger sidewalls that taper away from each other such that the vent slot chamber widens in a direction downstream from the vent slot opening. 39. A mold vent comprising:a first grate half and a second grate half with one of the grate halves comprising a key that is received in a keyway to engage the vent grate halves;wherein one of the grate halves has first and second spaced apart parallel fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate halves, and the other one of the grate halves has a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate halves and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers;wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger defines a first elongate vent slot therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second elongate vent slot therebetween; andwherein each finger has an integrally formed spacer that extends outwardly therefrom into one of the vent slots toward an adjacent finger. 40. A mold vent comprising:a first grate half and a second grate half with one of the grate halves comprising a key that is received in a keyway to engage the vent grate halves;wherein one of the grate halves has first and second spaced apart parallel fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate halves, and the other one of the grate halves has a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate halves and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers;wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a first elongate vent slot therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second elongate vent slot therebetween; andwherein the first finger and the second finger of the one of the grate halves each have an end that is supported by the other one of the grate halves and the third finger of the other one of the grate halves is supported by the other one of the grate halves. 41. A mold vent comprising:a first grate half and a second grate half with one of the grate halves comprising a key that is received in a keyway to engage the vent grate halves;wherein one of the grate halves has first and second spaced apart parallel fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate halves, and the other one of the grate halves has a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate halves and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers;wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a first elongate vent slot therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second elongate vent slot therebetween;wherein the first finger and the second finger of the one of the grate halves each have an end that is supported by the other one of the grate halves and the third finger of the other one of the grate halves is supported by the other one of the grate halves; andwherein each finger has an integrally form ed spacer that extends outwardly therefrom into one of the vent slots toward an adjacent finger. 42. A mold vent comprising:a first grate half and a second grate half with one of the grate halves comprising a key that is received in a keyway to engage the vent grate halves;wherein one of the grate halves has first and second spaced apart parallel fingers that each project outwardly toward the other one of the grate halves, and the other one of the grate halves has a third vent grate finger that projects outwardly toward the one of the grate halves and that is disposed between the first and second vent grate fingers;wherein the first vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a first elongate vent slot therebetween and the second vent grate finger and the third vent grate finger define a second elongate vent slot therebetween;wherein the first finger and the second finger of the one of the grate halves each have an end that is supported by the other one of the grate halves and the third finger of the other one of the grate halves is supported by the other one of the grate halves;wherein each finger has an integrally formed spacer that extends outwardly therefrom into one of the vent slots toward an adjacent finger; andwherein each vent slot includes an opening that communicates with a chamber downstream of the opening that is defined by adjacent finger sidewalls that taper away from each other such that the vent slot chamber widens in a direction downstream from the vent slot opening.