Die-cutting beaded material

A length of beaded material comprising:

• a strip of fabric;
• a generally rigid bead attached to a side portion of the fabric strip;
• a plurality of cuts formed in the fabric strip substantially outlining a plurality of tie-downs along with the rigid bead;
• and
• a plurality of reduced cross-section regions in the rigid bead, each reduced cross-section region being disposed at an end portion of a corresponding one of the tie-downs and including a pair of opposing cuts through the bead.

A length of beaded material comprising:

• a strip of fabric;
• a generally rigid bead attached to a side portion of the fabric strip;
• a plurality of cuts formed in the fabric strip substantially outlining a plurality of tie-downs along with the rigid bead;
• and
• a plurality of reduced cross-section regions in the rigid bead, each reduced cross-section region being disposed at an end portion of a corresponding one of the tie-downs and including a depression in the bead.

A method for cutting beaded fabric, the method comprising:

• advancing a substantially continuous length of beaded fabric through a generally continuous guide disposed in a die press until the beaded fabric substantially covers a steel rule disposed within the die press;
• pressing a cutting edge of the steel rule through fabric of the beaded fabric;
• and
• withdrawing a cut portion of the continuous length of beaded fabric from an exit end of the guide while simultaneously advancing an uncut portion of the continuous length of beaded fabric into an entrance end of the guide.

A die-cut press for cutting fabric having a long bead attached thereto, the die-cut press comprising:

• a first platen;
• a second platen opposing the first platen;
• a steel rule having a serrated cutting edge attached to the first platen;
• a guide attached to the first platen and generally extending in a long direction, the guide forming a channel disposed generally parallel to the first platen and a slot extending from the channel such that the long bead may be disposed within the channel and the fabric may extend from the bead through the slot;
• a resilient member attached to the first platen, the guide being attached to the resilient member;
• and
• a cutting pad attached to the second platen opposite the steel rule die;
• wherein the channel in the guide is disposed a greater distance from the first platen than the steel rule.