Blind cut down apparatus
AssigneeShade-O-Matic Limited
InventorNorbert Marocco
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for trimming the width of blinds of the type having a headrail, and a bottom rail and blind slats, and having a support body with a headrail opening, and a bottom rail opening, and a blind slat opening the blind components being insertable into their openings from one side of the support body, a die located adjacent to the support body, a headrail cutting recess in the die, guides on the support body for the die, enabling the die to move relative to the headrail opening between two positions and a bottom rail and blind slat cutter operable to cut the bottom rail and the blind slats. A modified apparatus can be used to trim the width of a vertical blind having a headrail and control rods. Also disclosed is a method of trimming the width of blind, having a head rail, a bottom rail and blind slats.
Claims69
An apparatus for trimming of blinds of the type having a plurality of blind components including a blind headrail having a generally rectangular three sided channel shaped profile, a blind bottom rail having a first generally arcuate profile, and a plurality of blind slats, each having a second generally arcuate profile, and comprising;
- a support body, said support body defining a blind headrail opening, a blind bottom rail opening, and at least one blind slat opening, said blind headrail opening, said blind bottom rail opening, and said at least one blind slat opening being aligned along a transverse axis;
- at least one partition in said blind slat opening for separating said blind slats into groups of blind slats whereby said groups of blind slats are cut in sequence;
- a blind headrail cutter located alongside said support body;
- a blind bottom rail and slat cutter for cutting said blind bottom rail and said blind slats, said bottom rail and slat cutter being movable along a cutting axis, wherein said blind slat opening is located between said blind headrail cutting opening and said blind bottom rail cutting opening, spaced apart from one another along said transverse axis;
- a guide on said support body for movably supporting said blind headrail cutter, said guide defining a predetermined blind headrail cutter movement axis, whereby said blind headrail cutter is movable relative to said blind headrail opening in said support body;
- a first driver connected to said blind bottom rail and slat cutter for moving said blind bottom rail and blind slat cutter to cut said blind bottom rail and said blind slat groups;
- and,
- a second driver connected to said blind headrail cutter for moving said blind headrail cutter.
A method of trimming the width of blinds of the type having a plurality of components including a headrail, and a bottom rail, and a plurality of blind slats, each having a predetermined profile, and comprising;
- inserting respective said blind components into respective said openings in support body, said support body defining a headrail opening;
- a bottom rail opening, and a blind slat opening aligned along a transverse axis, and including separating said blind slats into groups by a partition whereby said groups of blind slats are cut in sequence upon movement of a blind slat cutter;
- inserting said headrail in a headrail cutter located alongside said support body;
- inserting said bottom rail and said blind slats in a bottom rail and slat cutter for cutting said bottom rail and said blind slats;
- moving said bottom rail and blind slat cutter to cut said bottom rail and said blind slats, and,
- moving said headrail cutter, to cut said headrail.
A blind cut-down apparatus for trimming the slat length of a blind having at least a head rail component, and blind slat components suspended from the head rail, and comprising;
- a blind holding plate having a head rail opening for holding a head rail component;
- a first blind slat opening for holding a first group of blind slat components;
- and holding them in position for cutting;
- a second blind slat opening, spaced from said first blind slat opening, for holding a second group of blind slat components separate from said first group, and holding said second group of blind slats in position for cutting;
- a blind slat group separator between said first and second slat openings for holding said first and second slat groups apart from one another;
- at least one clamp for clamping said blind components in position in said first and second blind slat openings, for cutting;
- at least one cutter moveable relative to said blind holding plate, for cutting at least one of said head rail and said first and second groups of blind slats extending through said first and second openings and clamped in said holding plate, and
- a movement transmission for moving said at least one cutter.
A method of trimming the width of venetian blinds of the type having at least a head rail and a plurality of slats, each of said head rail and said slats having first and second opposed ends, said method comprising the steps of:
- separating the slats into at least two bundles;
- placing a first end of said head rail through a corresponding head rail opening in a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter;
- placing a first end of said first and second bundles of slats through respective first and second slat openings in said support body into a position proximate a second cutter;
- and
- moving said first and second cutters whereby said first cutter cuts said first end of said head rail and whereby said second cutter cuts said first end of at least said first and second bundles of slats.
An apparatus for trimming blinds of the type having a head rail with a predetermined generally U-shaped profile, a bottom rail and a plurality of blind slats, said apparatus being adapted to trim the length of said head rail, said bottom rail and said blind slats and comprising:
- a support body defining a head rail opening having substantially the same generally U-shaped contour of said head rail of said blind, a plurality of slat openings and a bottom rail opening;
- a head rail cutter positioned proximate said head rail opening and adapted to cut a predetermined amount of material from said head rail;
- a slat cutter positioned proximate said slat openings and adapted to cut the same predetermined amount of material from each of said first and second bundles of slats extending through said first and second slat openings;
- a bottom rail cutter positioned approximate said bottom rail and adapted to cut said predetermined amount of material from said bottom rail;
- and
- said head rail cutter, said slat cutter and said bottom rail cutter being linked to each other to operate in synchronism.
A method of trimming the width of at least the headrail of blinds having at least a head rail and a plurality of slats, each of said head rail and slats having first and second opposed ends, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing a first end of said head rail through a corresponding head rail opening in a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter;
- and
- rotating a crank to cause rotation of a cam, said cam rotation urging said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening, whereby said first cutter cuts said first end of said head rail.
An apparatus for trimming at least the head rail of blinds of the type having a head rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of blind slats, said apparatus being adapted to trim the length of said head rail, said bottom rail and said blind slats and comprising:
- a support body defining a head rail opening having substantially the same contour as said head rail of said blind;
- a head rail cutter positioned proximate said head rail opening and adapted to cut a predetermined amount of material from said head rail;
- a rotatable cam having an outer surface adapted to move said first cutter relative to said head rail opening upon rotation of said cam;
- and
- a crank rotatably connected to said cam, whereby rotation of said crank causes said cam to rotate and to urge said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening.
A method of trimming the width of at least the head rail and slats of blinds having at least a head rail and a plurality of slats, each of said head rail and slats having first and second opposed ends, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing a first end of said head rail through a corresponding opening in a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter;
- placing a first end of at least said slats through a slat opening in said support body proximate a second cutter, said first and second cutters being connected to each other by a lost-motion mechanism;
- and
- moving a selected one of said first and second cutters such that said lost-motion mechanism causes the other of said first and second cutters to begin movement after said selected one of said cutters begins its movement.
A method of trimming the width of at least the headrail and bottom rail of blinds having at least a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of said head rail, slats and bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing a first end of said head rail through a corresponding opening in a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter;
- placing a first end of at least said bottom rail through a bottom rail opening in said support body proximate a second cutter, said first and second cutters being connected to each other by a lost-motion mechanism;
- and
- moving a selected one of said first and second cutters such that said lost-motion mechanism causes the other of said first and second cutters to begin movement after said selected one of said cutters begins its movement.
An apparatus for trimming components of blinds of the type having a head rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of blind slats, said apparatus being adapted to trim the length of said head rail, said bottom rail and said blind slats and comprising:
- a support body defining first and second openings, each of said first and second openings being adapted to receive at least one of said head rail, said bottom rail and said slats;
- a first cutter positioned proximate said first opening and adapted to cut a predetermined amount of material extending through said first opening;
- a second cutter positioned proximate said second opening and adapted to cut a predetermined amount of material extending through said second opening;
- a lost-motion mechanism linking said first and second cutters such that during one portion of the movement of a selected one of said first and second cutters the other of said first and second cutters remains stationary, and during a second portion of movement of said selected one of said first and second cutters, the other of said first and second cutters moves in conjunction with the movement of said selected one of said first and second cutters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.