Abstract:
A blind cut-down apparatus for cutting a blind having at least a head rail component, and blind material suspended from the head rail, and having a blind component holding plate having at least a head rail opening and a blind material opening for receiving respective components of a blind, and holding them in position for cutting, a blind material cutting bar moveable relative to the holding plate, and carrying material cutting means, for cutting blind material extending through the holding plate, a cutting die support adjacent to the cutting bar, having at least one cutting die for receiving the headrail, and being moveable relative to the holding plate for cutting at least one the headrail and including a movement device for moving the blind material cutting bar and the cutting die support substantially simultaneously, so as to cut the blind material and the head rail in a common plane. End stops are provided for setting the length of material trimmed off the various components.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part of Application: Ser. No. 09/340,574 Filed Jun. 28, 1999 Title Single Plate Cut Down Apparatus, Inventor Norbert Marocco  
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a machine for trimming the ends of blinds and window coverings, typically vertical blinds having a horizontal head rail and vertical strips or slats.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Horizontal blinds or so-called Venetians, have a horizontal head rail and slats suspended from the head rail. They are customarily fitted to the width of the window opening. Recently this customised fifting has been performed at the point of purchase, in the retail store. Blinds are socked in standard widths, and cut to specified dimensions in the store, to suit each customer.  
           [0005]    Vertical blinds are available in which the head rails are formed of metal, such as steel, usually with trolleys sliding in the head rail and from which vertical slats are suspended. These slats may be of aluminium, or may be formed of other materials such as thermo plastic, or of fabric.  
           [0006]    Such blinds must be fitted to the width and to the height, of the window or other opening for which they are intended. In the past such vertical blinds have been made in a factory, on a custom basis to a particular width and height specified by the purchaser. A salesperson would usually have had to call on the customer to take measurements and take an order. However, it is more convenient to manufacture blinds in certain standard widths and heights and stock these standard blinds in a retail store. A customer may then simply come into the store and buy a blind slightly wider and higher than the desired width and height, and have it trimmed. The head rail is cut to the desired width and in the case of vertical blinds the vertical slats are cut at their lower ends to the desired height. This is both more economical, and thus more readily saleable, and at the same time provides the customer with an opportunity to purchase blinds in a retail establishment and walk out of the store with them in his possession, rather than meeting a salesperson at home, and waiting a few weeks for them to be fabricated in a factory.  
           [0007]    As mentioned above, in the past various apparatus has been designed for cutting down widths of horizontal Venetian blinds. However, in general terms, these machines have not been totally suitable for cutting down vertical blinds, especially those made of a variety of different materials. In addition they have been somewhat more complex and costly than is required. In vertical blinds, the trolleys and the blind slats may be drawn along the head rail to one side or the other of the window opening, or in some cases to both sides, and may be rotated between open and closed positions, by a mechanism located in the head rail.  
           [0008]    Advantageously, these vertical blinds too would be provided in standard widths and heights, in a retail store and it would be desirable to provide an apparatus in the store for cutting down the width of the head rail and the height of the slats.  
           [0009]    Preferably, in order to economize in-store installations of cut-down equipment and also to simplify instruction of staff, a single cut-down machine will be provided which enables both the head rails and the blind slats of vertical blinds to be cut down to the desired width and height.  
           [0010]    One of the considerations in designing such a cut-down machine is the manual effort that is required to operate the machine to cut through the various different materials.  
           [0011]    Clearly, metal such as steel used in the horizontal head rails, is relatively hard to cut. On the other hand, since the sections used in this type of product are relatively thin, the die for cutting the steel components of the blind may only be required to move a short distance.  
           [0012]    Consequently, so long as adequate leverage is provided to move the metal cutting die a relatively short distance, this problem can be addressed.  
           [0013]    On the other hand, the cutting of the vertical blind slats themselves presents entirely different problems. The slats are usually made of relatively soft material that is easy to cut, and requires less manual effort. On the other hand, the thickness of all of the blind slats when bundled together for cuffing is considerable. Consequently, the means for cutting the blind slats must move a considerable distance.  
           [0014]    While it is relatively easy to provide for the manual operation of such a cutting means moving a considerable distance for cutting bundles of blind slats, the problem becomes more complex when it is understood that it is desirable to cut all of the components in a single machine.  
           [0015]    It is not desirable to provide two machines one that cuts only the head rail, usually made of steel, and a second machine for an entirely separate cut for cuffing the blind slats. The cost of two machines may not be justified. Personnel must be trained on two machines.  
           [0016]    The moving of the blind from one machine would be cumbersome and undesirable and the end result would not be satisfactory.  
           [0017]    For these reasons therefore the design of a vertical blind cut down machine meeting all of these objectives, i.e. being capable of cutting through both the thicker bundle of blind slats, and the thinner harder head rail in a single manual cutting machine presents a complex problem.  
           [0018]    When trimming the blind it is necessary to provide for cutting the complete bundle of blind slat or along their lower ends, by cutting all the slat ends along a common plane.  
           [0019]    It is also desirable to provide end stops for controlling the length of cut both from the blind slats and from the head rail, respectively. The lengths will usually be different from one another, in the case of a vertical blind, so that the end stops should be seftable to two different lengths, while enabling the machine to cut both the blind slats and the head rail in a single manual operation.  
           [0020]    It is also desirable to provide a form of ends stop which is both adjustable to adjust the length of trim cut being cut off the blind components, and which is also moveable during the cutting stroke. This last requirement moves the end stops away from contact with the components, so that as they are cut the trim portions are free to fall away without obstruction from the end stops.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0021]    With a view to providing a vertical blind cut down apparatus which addresses the various foregoing conflicting problems, the invention comprises a blind cut-down apparatus for cutting a shade or a blind, the blind being of the type having at least a head rail component, and window coverings suspended from the head rail, and comprising a blind component holding plate having at least a head rail opening and a blind slat opening formed therein for receiving respective components of a blind there through, and holding them in position for cutting, a blind cutting bar moveable relative to said holding plate, and carrying blind cuffing means, for cutting blind material extending through said holding plate, a cutting die support adjacent to said cutting bar, said cutting die support carrying at least one cutting die for receiving said head rail extending there through, and said cutting bar being moveable relative to said holding plate for cutting at least one said component, and including movement means for moving said blind cutting bar and said cutting die support substantially simultaneously, whereby both said blind material and said head rail may be cut in a common plane along the surface of said holding plate.  
           [0022]    The invention further provides such an apparatus in which the head rail defines a transverse axis and in which the head rail opening in the holding plate is located and oriented so as to position the axis of said head rail diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the holding plate, and in which the head rail cutting die defines a cutting opening which is similarly diagonal, the cutting die support means being slidably moveable relative to the holding plate, so that the head rail is cut along a linear axis which is diagonal to the transverse axis of the head rail.  
           [0023]    The invention further provides such a cut down apparatus in which the blind cutter bar for the blind cuffing means is slidable along a linear path relative to the holder plate, and in the same plane as said cutting die support, said cutter bar being spaced from said cutting die support by a distance at least equal to the cuffing path of said cutting means.  
           [0024]    The invention further provides such an apparatus in which the movement means comprises a rotary shaft mounted in said holder plate, and a cam mounted on said rotary shaft for moving said cutting die support a sufficient distance to sever the head rail, and including movement transmission means connecting between said rotary shaft and said cutter bar, for moving said cutter bar simultaneously with said cuffing die support.  
           [0025]    The invention further provides end stop apparatus for defining the length of the blind slats to be cut off, and also for defining the length of the head rail to be cut off, and having adjustment devices for setting two lengths different from one another.  
           [0026]    The invention further provides end stops positioned to register with the various blind components being trimmed, and which end stops are adjustable to fix the trim length of each component separately, and which end stops are also moveable, during the cuffing stroke, so that they move away from the trim portions of the components, as they are being cut so that they are free to fall away and do not remain held in position.  
           [0027]    The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with more particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a perspective of a blind cut down apparatus illustrating the invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus from the fixed holder plate side;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus from the moveable die and cutter side;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 is a side elevation view showing, in phantom, the length of travel of the head rail cutting die and the blind slat cutter respectively and showing in phantom two positions of the manual transmission.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 is a section along the line  5 - 5  of FIG. 3;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 6 is a section along the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 7 is a section along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 1, showing a first position;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8 is a section along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 1, showing a second position;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of blind cut down apparatus having ends stops; and  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 10 is a perspective from another angle of the apparatus of FIG. 9.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]    Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the invention is illustrated as an embodiment of an in-line cut down apparatus indicated generally as  10 . It comprises of base plate  12 , and a fixed component holder plate  14 . The component holder plate  14  is secured to a lower channel  16  which is mounted on plate  12 , and an upper channel  18  is secured is to the top edge of plate  14 .  
         [0039]    The holder plate  14  is provided with a head rail holder opening  20 , and a blind covering component holder opening  22 , (in this case blind slats).  
         [0040]    The head rail opening  20  will clearly have to necessarily conform to the shape of the head rail of the particular blind being cut down. However, since the apparatus will normally be provided to the retail outlet by the manufacturer of the blinds, this presents no problem.  
         [0041]    In some cases, it is conceivable that interchangeable dies could be provided, but it is believed to be an unnecessary and expensive refinement.  
         [0042]    A moveable head rail cutting die support plate  24  is slidably mounted between the lower channel  16  and the upper channel  18 . The moveable head rail cutting plate  24  has a head rail cutting die defining an opening  26 , which has a shape corresponding to the head rail holder opening  20  in fixed plate  14 . Movement of the plate  24  will therefore cause movement of the die opening  26  and thereby sever the head rail.  
         [0043]    A blind cutting bar  30  is slidably mounted between lower channel  16  and upper channel  18 . It is provided with a blind cutting opening  32 , which is preferably provided with some form of blind material cutter such as knives  34  which are located so as to sweep past the opening  22  in holder plate  14  and thereby cut blind material extending therethrough.  
         [0044]    As best shown in FIG. 3, there is a space between head rail die support  24  and blind cutter bar  30 , for reasons to be described below, so as to permit the two members to travel simultaneously, and co-axially but along movement paths which are of different lengths from one another.  
         [0045]    In order to move both members simultaneously, there is provided a drive shaft  38 , which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in fixed holder plate  14  (FIG. 6). Coupled to the drive shaft  38  is a manually operable lever  40 .  
         [0046]    Drive shaft  38  terminates within the thickness of moveable plate  24 , in an off-set drive cam  42 . Drive cam  42  is moveable around an orbit. A drive opening  44  is provided in plate  24  to receive cam  42 .  
         [0047]    It will thus be seen that by the operation of lever  40 , the drive shaft  38  can be rotated. Rotation of the drive shaft  38  will procure orbital movement of the cam  42  within recess  44 . The cam  42  is offset from the central axis of the drive shaft  36 , by a relatively small radial distance, and therefore drive cam  42  will cause sliding movement of plate  24  along a relatively short distance (compare FIGS. 3 and 4).  
         [0048]    A boss  46  is mounted on the end of orbital drive cam  42 . Drive cam  42 , will cause boss  46  to orbit around the axis of shaft  38 . The boss  46  is connected to a crank arm  48 , which is in turn pinned by pin  50  to cutter bar  30 .  
         [0049]    Thus as the drive pin  42  orbits around a relatively small arc relative to the central axis of drive shaft  38 , the outer periphery of boss  46  will orbit around a much greater distance. This greater distance will be coupled through crank arm  48 , to cutter bar  30 , which will thus move simultaneously with movement of die support  24  but over a distance which is substantially greater (compare FIGS. 3 and 4 and  5  and  6 ).  
         [0050]    Reference may be made to the arrow A 1 , A 2  (FIG. 4) for a comparison of the two different distances moved by the two separate members.  
         [0051]    It will thus be seen that the invention provides a relatively simple straightforward blind cut down apparatus which is adapted to cut down the head rail and the blind material of the blind simultaneously, in a single machine. The blind head rail cutting action is achieved over a relatively small distance using considerable leverage. The blind material cutting bar moves a substantially greater distance, simultaneously with movement of the head rail cutting die support, which moves over a shorter distance. Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, a modified form of cut down apparatus is shown, having end stops for pre-setting the lengths of the components to be trimmed. It will be appreciated that such end stops will be required to register with the different specific blind components, and may have to be adjusted to different lengths of trim for different components. Thus while the blind slats of a vertical blind are trimmed to fit the height of an opening, the head rail must be trimmed to fit the width.  
         [0052]    Accordingly, the modified machine is indicated generally as  60  and has a base plate  62 , which can be secured to a bench, and component holder plate  64  fixed to base  62  at right angles. Component plate  64  is secured in a lower channel  66  , which is mounted on base  62  and an upper channel  68  is secured along the upper edge of plate  64 . Holder plate  64  has first head rail opening  20  tilted at an angle, and a second head rail opening  72  which is oriented to lie on a vertical axis. A third head rail opening  74  is provided spaced from second opening  72 . The three head rail openings are shaped to conform to and to receive head rails of various different types of blinds or window coverings, which customarily have various different types of head rails, having various different profiles. Holder plate  64  also has a component recess  76 . The recess  76  is of generally rectangular shape and functions to receive the closure elements or material of the blind or window covering.  
         [0053]    The actual trim cuts are achieved by the cutting die support plate  78  which is slidably supported between lower channel  66  and upper channel  68 . Plate  78  has three headrail cutting die openings  80  and  82  and  84  which register with respective head rail openings  70 ,  72  and  74  in holder plate  64 . This enables various different profiles of head rail to be trimmed in the same machine.  
         [0054]    A component cutting plate  86 , separate from plate  78  is also slidably mounted in channels  66  and  68 . Plate  86  has a cutting opening  88  for cutting the covering components described above. A suitable cutting blade  90  is secured to plate  86  adjacent the opening  88 . Both plates  78  and plate  86  are moveable to perform respective cutting strokes.  
         [0055]    The two plates  78  and  86  are moveable by handle  92  and an internal drive cam (not shown) similar to the drive cam  42  of the embodiment of FIGS.  3 , 4 , 5  and  6 , which drives the plate  78 . The plate  86  is driven by boss  94 , similar to the boss  46  of the embodiments of FIGS. 4, 5 and  6 . Boss  94  is connected by connection arm  96  as in the previous embodiment to cutting plate  86 .  
         [0056]    By this means two plates  78  and  86  are moveable simultaneously in response to the single semi rotary movement of the handle  92 , but will move along cutting paths which are of different lengths. The cutting path of plate of  78  being relatively short and the cutting path of plate  86  being significantly longer in the same way as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.  
         [0057]    In order to provide for a stop means or end stop for the head rails and blind materials or blind components being cut down, and end stop plate  100  is provided. Plate  100  is mounted on a vertical post  102 . Post  102  is mounted on a transverse slide bar  104 . Slide bar  104  is provided a lengthwise slot  106 .  
         [0058]    Slide bar  104  is moveably secured to a slide block  108  being adjustable relative to block  108  by means of locking screw  110  received in slot  106  as shown. Slide block  108  is mounted on parallel guide rods  112 , and is slidable therealong in a manner to be described below. Mounted on end stop plate  100  is a blind component stop bar  114  having an elongated slot  116  form therein. A clamping rod  118  is received in slot  1   16  and may be operated by handle  120 , so as to clamp stop bar  114  to plate  100 . For certain types of blind components, a hinge portion  122  of plate  100  may be hinged on hinge  124  between an upstanding position (not shown) and the horizontal position as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The entire end stop assembly is moveable, in response to cutting movement of handle  92  by means of link  126 , (FIG. 10), connected to an end block  128  on component cutting plate  86 . This will, through the link  126 , move the slide block  108  along guide rods  112 , thereby moving the end stops away from the components at the time they are cut.  
         [0059]    The purpose of providing for the two means of adjustment namely the slide bar  104  and locking screw  110 , and the stop bar  114  and rod  118  is to permit the end stops to be set at different positions, while performing the single cutting operation. This is required because in the case of certain types of window coverings, typically verticals for example, the head rail will be cut down at one end only to fit the width of a door whereas the vertical blind elements or materials will be cut down to fit the height, and the two trim cut will be of different lengths. Similar considerations may arise with all the types of window covering.  
         [0060]    The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.  
                                         PARTS LIST                                10   in line cut down apparatus       12   base plate       14   fixed blind holder plate       16   lower channel       18   upper channel       20   head rail holder opening       22   blind slat holder opening       24   moveable head rail cutting plate       26   head rail cuffing opening       30   blind cutting plate       32   blind slat cutting opening       34   cutting knives       38   drive shaft       40   manually operable lever       42   drive pin       44   drive opening       46   boss       48   crank arm       50   Pin       60   Machine       62   Base       64   Plate       66   Lower Channel       68   Upper Channel       70   First int HR       72   Second HR       74   Third HR       76   Component Receiver       78   Cuffing die plate       80   HR die       82   HR die       84   HR die       86   Component cuffing plate       88   Cuffing opening       90   Blade       92   Handle       94   Boss       96   Arm       102    Post       104    Slide Bar       106    Slot       108    Slide Block       110    Locking screw       112    Guide Rods       114    Stop Bar       116    Slot       118    Rod       120    Handle       122    Hinge portion       124    Hinge       126    Link       128    End Block