Method and apparatus for making an expandable cellular shade

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like comprising, providing a web of material accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, supporting the accordion folded web in a supply stack with adjacent panels in sidewise abutting relation with the first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, feeding web panels from an outlet end of the supply stack and advancing successive panels in a downward direction and in an unfolded condition from the outlet end of the supply stack through an adhesive applying zone to an upper end of a refold stack, applying adhesive in the adhesive applying zone to each panel in a band parallel to and spaced from the associated creased fold with a preceding panel a distance greater than one-half the width of the panel, and refolding the web panels having adhesive applied thereto in succession along the associated creased fold with a preceding panel onto the upper end of the refold stack, the band of adhesive being applied at the second side of the web to each panel that is joined along a first creased fold to the preceding web panel and the band of adhesive being applied at the first side of the web to each panel that is joined along a second creased fold to a preceding panel.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like comprising, providing a web of material accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, supporting a supply of prefolded web in a supply stack having a lower end with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, extending a section of the web from the lower end of supply stack downwardly in an unfolded condition through a web feed slot between a pair of shuttle blades through an adhesive applying zone to an upper end of a refold stack, moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane at the lower end of the supply stack to position the web feed slot alternately at the first and the second sides of the median plane, applying adhesive in the adhesive applying zone to each web panel in a band parallel to and spaced from its creased fold with a preceding panel a distance greater than one-half the width of a panel, providing a first folding blade adjacent the upper end of the refold stack at the first side of the web and a second folding blade adjacent the upper end of the refold stack at the second side of the web, and moving the folding blades alternately to a panel fold position extending across the inlet end of the refold stack during movement of the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane, to refold the web panels having adhesive applied thereto in succession along the associated creased fold with a preceding panel onto the inlet end of the refold stack.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like comprising, providing a web of material accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, supporting a supply of prefolded web in a supply stack having a lower end with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, extending a section of the web from the lower end of supply stack downwardly in an unfolded condition through a web feed slot between a pair of shuttle blades to an upper end of a refold stack, moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane at the lower end of the supply stack to position the web feed slot alternately at the first and the second sides of the median plane, applying adhesive to each web panel in succession when it is contiguous to the upper end of the refold stack in a band parallel to and spaced from its creased fold with a preceding panel on the upper end of the refold stack a distance greater than one-half the width of the panel, positioning a first folding blade at the first side of the web during application of adhesive at the second side of the web to each panel that is joined along a first creased fold to the preceding panel on the upper end of the refold stack and then moving the first folding blade to a panel fold position extending across the upper end of the refold stack, positioning a second folding blade at its second side of the web during application of adhesive at the first side of the web to each panel joined along a second creased fold to the preceding panel on the upper end of the refold stand and then moving the second folding blade to a panel fold position extending crosswise of the inlet end of the refold stack.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like comprising, providing a web of material accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, supporting a supply of prefolded web in a supply stack having a lower end with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, extending a section of the web from the lower end of supply stack downwardly in an unfolded condition through a web feed slot between a pair of shuttle blades to an upper end of a refold stack, moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane at the lower end of the supply stack to position the web feed slot alternately at the first and the second sides of the median plane, applying adhesive at the second side of the web to each panel that is united along a first creased fold with a preceding a panel in a band parallel to and spaced from that creased fold, applying adhesive to the first side of the web to each panel that is united along a second creased fold with a preceding panel, in a band parallel to and spaced from that creased fold, providing a first panel folding blade at the first side of the web adjacent the upper end of the refold stack and a second panel folding blade at the second side of the web adjacent the upper end of the refold stack, moving the folding blades alternately to a panel fold position extending across the inlet end of the refold stack during the movement of the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane to refold web panels having adhesive applied thereto in succession along the associated creased fold with a preceding panel onto the inlet end of the refold stack, the first folding blade being moved out of the panel fold position thereof and the second folding blade being moved into the panel fold position thereof when the web feed slot is positioned at the first side of the median plane, the second folding blade being moved out of the panel fold position thereof and the first panel folding blade being moved into the panel fold position thereof when the web feed slot is positioned at the second side of the median plane.

An apparatus for making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like from a web accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels of like width united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds respectively disposed at first and second sides of the web, the apparatus comprising,

• (a) a web supply receiver means for supporting a supply of the web in a folded condition and with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, the web supply receiver means including a shuttle having a pair of shuttle blades spaced apart to define a web feed slot therebetween;
• means for moving the shuttle crosswise of the median plane at the lower end of the web supply receiver means to position the web feed slot alternately at first and second sides of the median plane for feeding the web from the receiver means one panel at a time for advance lengthwise of the web in an open condition into a panel bonding zone,
• (b) refold stack guide means having an upper end spaced below the lower end of the web supply receiver means,
• (c) a first adhesive applying means in the panel bonding zone below the shuttle and above the upper end of the refold stack guide means at the first side of the web for applying adhesive at the first side of the web to a panel in a band parallel to and spaced from the associated creased fold with a preceding panel,
• (d) a second adhesive applying means in the panel bonding zone below the shuttle and above the refold stack guide means at the second side of the web for applying adhesive at the second side of the web to a panel in aba nd parallel to and spaced from the associated creased fold with a preceding panel,
• (e) a first panel folding blade adjacent the upper end of the refold stack guide means at the first side of the web for refolding pairs of panels that are united along a first creased fold,
• (f) a second panel folding blade adjacent the upper end of the refold stack guide means at the second side of the web for refolding pairs of panels united along a second creased fold,
• (g) means operating said panel folding blades after adhesive has been applied to the web by said adhesive applying means.

An apparatus for making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like from a web accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels of like width united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respectively first and second sides of the web, the apparatus comprising, means for feeding successive panels in a unfolded condition lengthwise of the web and in a downward direction to the panel bonding station, the panel bonding station including:

• (a) refold stack guide means having an upper end,
• (b) a first panel folding blade at the first side of the web and operable between a first position and a generally horizontal panel fold position extending across the upper end of the refold stack guide means,
• (c) a second panel folding blade at the second side of the web and operable between a first position and a generally horizontal panel fold position extending across the upper end of the refold stack guide means,
• (d) first adhesive applying means at the first side of the web for applying adhesive at the first side of the web in a horizontal band spaced a first distance above the upper end of the refold stack guide means and extending parallel to the creased folds in the web,
• (e) a second adhesive applying means at the second side of the web for applying adhesive at the second side of the web in a horizontal band spaced a second distance above the upper end of the refold stack guide means and extending parallel to the creased folds in the web,
• (f) means operating said first and second panel folding blades alternately to position the first panel folding blade in the first position thereof when the second panel folding blade is in its fold position and to position the second panel folding blade in the first position thereof when the first panel folding blade is in its fold position, and
• (g) means for operating said adhesive applying means when one of said panel folding blades is in the panel fold position thereof.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like from a web accordion folded widthwise and having a series of web panels of uniform width united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, the apparatus comprising, web supply receiver means for supporting a supply of the web in a folded condition and with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, the supply receiver means including a shuttle having a pair of shuttle blades spaced apart to define a web feed slot therebetween, means for moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane to position the web feed slot alternately at first and second sides of the median plane, a first panel folding blade spaced below the shuttle at the first side of the median plane and operable into and out of a generally horizontal panel fold position, a second panel folding blade spaced below the shuttle at the second side of the median plane and operable into and out of a generally horizontal panel fold position, web tensioning means engageable with the web in a zone intermediate the shuttle blades and the web folding blades for displacing the unfolded web section to the first side of the median plane when the shuttle blades are moved to the first side of the median plane and for displacing the unfolded web section to the second side of the median plane when the shuttle blades are moved to the second side of the median plane, a first adhesive applying means at the first side of the median plane for applying adhesive at the first side of the web in a band extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, a second adhesive applying means at the second side of the median plane for applying adhesive to a second side of the web in a band extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, means for operating said first and second panel folding blades alternately.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like from a web accordion folded widthwise and having a plurality of web panels of uniform width serially united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, the apparatus comprising, web supply receiver means for supporting a supply of the web in a folded condition and with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, the supply receiver means including a shuttle having a pair of shuttle blades spaced apart to define a web feed slot therebetween, means for moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane to position the web feed slot alternately at first and second sides of the median plane, a first panel folding blade spaced below the shuttle at the first side of the median plane and operable between a generally upright panel support postion and a generally horizonal panel fold position, a second panel folding blade at the second side of the median plane and operable between a generally upright panel support position and a generally horizontal panel fold position, a first adhesive applying means at the first side of the median plane for applying adhesive at the first side of the web in a band extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, a second adhesive applying means at the second side of the median plane for applying adhesive to a second side of the web in a band extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, means for operating said first and second panel folding blades alternately in timed relation with said shuttle to position the first panel folding blade in its support position when the second panel folding blade is in its fold position and to position the second panel folding blade in its support position when the first panel folding blade is in its fold position, and means for operating said second adhesive applying means when the first panel folding blade is in its support position and for operating said first adhesive applying means when the second panel folding blade is in its support position.

A process of making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell product for window coverings and the like from a web accordion folded widthwise and having a plurality of web panels of uniform width serially united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web, the apparatus comprising, web supply receiver means for supporting a supply of the web in a folded condition and with the first and second creased folds at first and second sides of a generally upright median plane, the supply receiver means including a shuttle having a pair of shuttle blades spaced apart to define a web feed slot therebetween, means for moving the shuttle blades crosswise of the median plane to position the web feed slot alternately at first and second sides of the median plane, refold stack guide means having an upper end spaced below the web supply receiver means, a first panel folding blade spaced below the shuttle at the first side of the median plane and movable into and out of a generally horizontal panel fold position extending across the upper end of the refold stack guide means, a second panel folding blade at the second side of the median plane and movable into and out of a generally horizontal panel fold position extending across the upper end of the refold stack guide means, a first adhesive applying means at the first side of the median plane for applying adhesive at the first side of the web in a horizontal band spaced a first distance above the upper end of the refold stack guide means and extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, a second adhesive applying means at the second side of the median plane for applying adhesive to a second side of the web in a horizontal band spaced a second distance above the upper end of the refold stack guide means and extending parallel to the creased folds in the web, means for operating said first and second panel folding blades alternately in timed relation with said shuttle to move first panel folding blade into the fold position thereof when the second panel folding blade is moved out of the fold position thereof and to move the second panel folding blade into the fold position thereof when the first panel folding blade is moved out of the fold position thereof, and means for operating the first and second adhesive applying means when one of the panel folding blades is in the fold position thereof.