Apparatus for manufacturing photographic filmstrips

An apparatus for manufacturing different filmstrips, from a long strip of continuous film, said different filmstrips having different lengths and numbers of perforations, said apparatus comprising:

• a designating device for designating the number of perforations per filmstrip;
• a die set device comprising a plurality of punch holders aligned adjacent to one another in a film transporting direction, each of said punch holders having a plurality of punches, at least one die plate having dies that correspond to said punches, and an actuation mechanism for selectively actuating at least one of said punch holders in accordance with the number of perforations designated by said designation device, to make the designated number of perforations in one punching operation through said continuous film;
• a cutter for cutting said continuous film into individual filmstrips at a length corresponding to the designated number of perforations,
• wherein said filmstrips cut by said cutter include photographic filmstrips having at least a perforation per frame exposure location;
• means for transporting said continuous film along a path from said die set device toward said cutter by a unit length after each selective actuation of said punch holders, said unit length being determined in accordance with the length of the filmstrip having the designated number of perforations and the length of a cutting blank between said filmstrips in said continuous film;
• a mechanism for adjusting film length comprising:
• first and second pass rollers,
• a movable roller mounted on a supporting block and disposed between said pass rollers,
• a guide member for guiding said movable roller in the vertical direction,
• a timing belt connected to said supporting block and suspended between a first pulley and a second pulley, said first pulley moving said supporting block such that said movable roller is movable in a vertical direction between one of three predetermined positions based on said unit length;
• and
• an encoder connected to said second pulley to detect said one of said three predetermined positions of said movable roller;
• wherein said film length adjusting mechanism adjusts the length of a portion of said path between said die set device and said cutter to said unit length based on said one of three predetermined positions, such that said cutter and said at least one of said punch holders are actuated in synchronism with each other while said continuous film stops after each transport by said unit length;
• and
• wherein the length of said portion of said path adjusted by said film length adjusting mechanism is set to be a value that is a number of M times as long as said unit length, plus a length from a first end of each of said filmstrips to be cut at said cut position, to a first perforation to be made at said punching position in said each filmstrip.