Method and apparatus for the automatic manufacture of portions of a given length of strip material having a repetitively patterned surface

A strip material cutting apparatus for cutting portions of a given length of strip material from a supply of strip material having a patterned surface, with the pattern being repetitive in the longitudinal direction of the strip material, said apparatus comprising:

• feed means for feeding said strip material;
• interrupting means for interrupting feeding of said strip material;
• cut-off means for cutting said strip material into portions;
• means for separating undesired portions;
• removing means for removing desired portions for further handling;
• control means connected to said interrupting means, said cut-off means and said removing means, said control means being effective to control said interrupting means, said cut-off means and said removing means so as to cut first sections of a first predetermined length from said strip of material and remove said first sections for further handling and to cut variable amounts from said strip material to be separated as undesired portions, to provide a controlled positioning of the repetitive pattern along the length of the cut first sections;
• and
• a plurality of punch dies used for punching holes in said strip material and wherein said control means is further adapted to control each said punch die to punch holes in said first sections.

A strip material cutting apparatus for cutting portions of a given length of strip material from a supply of strip material having a patterned surface, with the pattern being repetitive, in the longitudinal direction of the strip material, said apparatus comprising:

• feed means for feeding said strip material;
• interrupting means for interrupting feeding of said strip material;
• cut-off means for cutting first sections from said strip material and a variable amount of said strip material immediately after at least some of said first sections;
• means for separating said variable amounts from said first sections;
• removing means for removing first cut sections for further handling;
• and
• control means connected to said interrupting means, said cut-off means, and said removing means, said control means being effective to control said interrupting means, said cut-off means, and said removing means so as to cut first sections of a first predetermined length from said strip material and remove said first sections and to cut said variable amounts from said strip material and separate said variable amounts, to provide a controlled positioning of the repetitive pattern along the length of the cut first sections.

A method for the automatic manufacture of a predetermined number of portions of a given length of strip material from a supply of strip material having a patterned surface, with the pattern being repetitive in the longitudinal direction of the strip material, said method comprising the steps of:

• progressively feeding said strip material to a cutting unit;
• cutting first sections, each of said given length, from said strip material;
• removing a variable amount of said strip material immediately following at least some of said cut-off first sections in a controlled manner provide a controlled positioning of the repetitive pattern along the length of the subsequently cut first sections, wherein said variable amount comprises one or more portions of equal length cut separately from the strip of slat material;
• separating said portions from the first sections;
• and
• removing said first sections for further handling.

A method for the automatic manufacture of a predetermined number of venetian blind slats having a given length from a supply of venetian blind slat material having a patterned surface, with the pattern being repetitive in the longitudinal direction of the slat material, said method comprising the steps of:

• progressively feeding said slat material longitudinally to a cutting unit;
• cutting first sections, each of said given length, from said material to form venetian blind slats;
• removing a variable amount of said strip material immediately following at least some of said cut-off first sections in a controlled manner to provide a controlled positioning of the repetitive pattern along the length of the subsequently cut first sections;
• rejecting said second sections;
• and
• removing said first sections for further handling.