Patent Publication Number: US-6336406-B1

Title: Apparatus for manufacturing photographic filmstrips

Description:
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/839,773 filed Apr. 15, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,420, which is a divisional of Application Ser. No. 08/494,061, filed Jun. 23, 1995, now abandoned the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing photographic filmstrips from a long strip of photographic film, especially for manufacturing photographic filmstrips having one or two perforations and sections of data per picture frame along one or both of lateral sides thereof by perforating, recording data and cutting the long film. 
     2. Background Art 
     Leader-advancing type photographic film cassettes have been disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,418, in which the whole length of a filmstrip is contained within a cassette shell, and a film leader of the filmstrip can be advanced to the outside of the cassette shell by rotating a spool of the cassette. With this type of film cassette, a camera need not have the sprocket wheel that has conventionally been used for feeding the film leader to the take-up spool of the camera. Once the film leader has been engaged with the take-up spool, the filmstrip may be advanced by rotating the take-up spool. Therefore, the filmstrip of the leader-advancing type cassette need not have a lot of successive perforations which conventional 135-type filmstrips have for engagement with the sprocket wheel or the take-up spool. 
     Still, in order to advance the filmstrip one frame after each exposure, the filmstrip of the leader advancing type cassette has at least a perforation per picture frame. The perforation is intended to be detected by a photo-sensor in the camera to determine each frame exposure location and position it in an exposure aperture of the camera. Since these perforations for frame positioning are disposed in association with the frame exposure locations, the filmstrip of the leader advancing type cassette, hereinafter referred to as a new type filmstrip, does not have a positioning perforation in its leader and trailer where no picture frame is to be recorded. Hereinafter, a section which extends over the frame exposure locations of each individual filmstrip will be referred to as a recording section. 
     For providing perforations only in the recording sections of the filmstrips to be made from the long film, it is not appropriate to use a conventional perforating method for the 135-type film, such as disclosed in JPA 61-214999 and JPY 4-2800, wherein perforations are formed at constant intervals all along the long film while the long film is continuously transported. 
     For this reason, apparatuses for manufacturing the new type of filmstrip have been suggested, one of which uses a die set having a number of punches and dies corresponding to the number of frame exposure locations to be provided in the individual filmstrips formed from the long film. The apparatus makes the corresponding number of perforations in one punching operation in the recording section of each individual filmstrip. Hereinafter, the number of frame exposure locations per filmstrip will be referred to as the film frame number. A similar method has conventionally been applied to manufacturing 110-type filmstrips. 
     In FIG. 13 showing such an apparatus, the long film  12  is fed from a roll  10  to a first vacuum suction chamber  15  through dancer roller  13  and sub-feed rollers  14 . The suction chamber  15  transiently stores an appropriate length of the long film  12  before being fed to the die set  17  through a pass roller  16 . 
     The die set  17  has a punch holder  19  with the same number of punches  18  as the film frame number, and a die plate  21  with the corresponding number of dies  20 . The punches and dies  18  and  20  are arranged at the same intervals as the frame exposure locations. An air cylinder  22  is driven to move the punch holder  19  down to the die plate  21  while the long film  12  stops on the die plate  21 , making the same number of perforations as the film frame number at one time. 
     Downstream of the die set  17  are disposed a first vacuum suction drum  24 , a second vacuum suction chamber  25 , a second vacuum suction drum  26 , a side-printer  27  and a cutter  28  in serial fashion. The first and second suction drums  24  and  26  have suction holes formed through respective peripheral surfaces, and are driven by servo motors  30  and  32 , respectively. Thus, the suction drums  24  and  26  transport the film  12  while sucking it on the peripheral surfaces there of. 
     While the first suction drum  24  is driven by the servo motor  30 , an encoder  31  connected to the servo motor  30  monitors the rotational amount of the drum  24  to detect the transported length of the film  12 . The drum  24  starts rotating after each die-punching operation for forming the perforations P in the film  12 , and stops rotating when the film  12  is transported by a unit length which is predetermined in accordance with the film frame number. Thus the next recording section to be perforated is positioned in the die set  17 . 
     The perforated section of the film  12  is transported through the first suction drum  24  to the second suction chamber  25  to transiently store an appropriate length of the film  12  before being fed to the cutter  28 . The film  12  is transported from the suction chamber  25  to the cutter  28  through the second suction drum  26 , while an encoder  33  connected to the servo motor  32  monitors the rotational amount of the second suction drum  26  to detect the transported length of the film  12 . The detection signal from the encoder  33  is sent to the side-printer  27 . 
     In synchronism with the detection signal, the side-printer  27  optically records data such as the name of film manufacturer, frame serial numbers and the like as latent images of characters and bar codes along one or both of lateral sides of the film  12  while the film  12  is being transported through the second suction drum  26 . The side-printer  27  is movable toward a peripheral position of the second suction drum  26  where the transported film  12  is tightly held, so that the side-printer  27  faces the photosensitive emulsion surface of the film  12  at a constant distance. The peripheral position may be referred to as a side-print position. 
     The second suction drum  26  stops rotating when it has transported the film  12  by the predetermined unit length. Then, the cutter  28  is actuated to cut the film  12  into individual filmstrips. 
     Meanwhile, the new type filmstrip may have variations in the film frame number like conventional filmstrips. To cope with the different film frame numbers, the apparatus as shown in FIG. 13 is provided with interchangeable punch holders having different numbers of punches. One of the punch holders is selected in correspondence with the film frame number of the filmstrips designated to be produced. Also the unit length for the transport of the film  12  through the suction drums  24  and  26  is changed in accordance with the selected film frame number. Although the film length extending from the die set  17  to the cutter  28  changes with the change of the unit length, the second suction chamber  25  absorbs the variation by changing the storing length of the film  12 . It is to be noted that the side-print position is unchanged regardless of the film frame number. Of course, the number of times of recording as well as a side-print end position vary depending on the film frame number, as a side-print end position. 
     Since the above-described apparatus needs two suction drums  24  and  26 , two servo motors  30  and  32 , and two encoders  31  and  33  for transporting the film  12  by the unit length relative to the die set  17  and the cutter  28 , respectively, its mechanism and control system are complicated. Moreover, since the drums  24  and  26  must have a diameter large enough to ensure the suction of the film  12 , the distance between the cutter  28  and side-printer  27 , and thus the length of the film  12  from a cut position B to the side-print position C must correspondingly be long, as is shown in FIG. 14, wherein the cut position B is a position to cut trailing ends  6  of individual filmstrips  5 , that is, an innermost end in a cassette shell. However, to make use of as much area of the individual filmstrip  5  as possible, it is desirable to limit a film trailer length L 3  to a range from 50 mm to 100 mm or so, wherein the film trailer length L 3  represents the length from the trailing end  6  of the individual filmstrip  5  to the start of its recording section. When using the apparatus as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the length from the cut position B to the side-print position C is beyond the desirable trailer length L 3 , as is shown in FIG.  15 . 
     To solve this problem, it is necessary in the above-described apparatus to start side-printing while the film  12  is transported through the drum  26 , interrupt side-printing while the film  12  stops to be cut by the cutter  28 , and restart side-printing in synchronism with the start of the next film transport. Because the transport speed of the film inevitably changes immediately before and after the film stops, side-printed images may be damaged at the interrupted portion. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient filmstrip manufacturing apparatus which has a perforator capable of making a variable number of perforations at time in a long continuous film and a cutter for cutting the continuous film into individual filmstrips at a variable length corresponding to the number of perforations. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a filmstrip manufacturing apparatus which has a side-printer between a perforator and a cutter, the side-printer being capable of printing data on the long film along one or both lateral sides of recording sections of individual filmstrips to be made from the long film, without the need for interrupting the side-printing in middle of each recording section. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the above objects, in an apparatus for manufacturing filmstrips having a variable length and a variable number of perforations from a long strip of continuous film, the present invention provides a die set device having a plurality of punch holders aligned adjacent to one another in a film transporting direction. At least one of the punch holders are selectively actuated to make a designated number of equally spaced perforations at one time. A film length adjusting device is provided for adjusting the length of the continuous film extending between the die set device and a cutter in accordance with a unit length which is predetermined for each variable length of the filmstrip. Thereby, the cutter and the punch holder or punch holders can be actuated in synchronism with each other while the continuous film stops after each transport by the unit length. 
     The film length adjusting device sets the length of the continuous film from a cut position of the cutter to a punching position of the die set device into a value that is a number M times as long as the unit length, plus a length from a first end of each filmstrip, which is to be cut at the cut position, to a first perforation to be made at the punching position in each filmstrip. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, a suction drum is disposed between the die set and the cutter, to transport the film toward the cutter by a unit length after each die-punching, and a pair of feed rollers are disposed between the cutter and the suction drum. The feed rollers have diameters that are less than that of the suction drum, and one of the feed rollers has a larger diameter than the other. A side-printer is arranged to record data on the film at a peripheral position of the larger feed roller. In this way, it is possible to dispose the side-printer closer to the cutter close enough to continue side-printing without intermediate stops in the recording section of each filmstrip. The distance between the cut position and the peripheral position for side-printing is preferably equal to or less than the length from the first end to the first perforation of each filmstrip. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a filmstrip manufacturing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of filmstrip to be manufactured by the apparatus according to the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the die set unit of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating the film length adjusting device of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a long strip of film and the individual filmstrips to be formed from the long film; 
     FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the film length adjusting device shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the film length adjusting device shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating a side-print position C and a cut position B of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating a film transporting system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the long film comes into contact at its base surface with the suction drum; 
     FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the apparatus 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a filmstrip of another format; 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a die set according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a filmstrip manufacturing apparatus as a background of the invention; 
     FIG. 14 is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating a side-printer and a cutter of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13; and 
     FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a side-print position C and a cut position B of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13, relative to a filmstrip. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIG. 1, a filmstrip manufacturing apparatus is adapted to manufacture filmstrips in a format as shown in FIG. 2, wherein each film exposure location  40  is designated by a perforation P. The filmstrip  5  has a length L 1  which is variable depending on its film frame number N, i.e., the number of the frame exposure locations  40  to be provided in the filmstrip  5 . The perforations P 1  to P N  are disposed at constant intervals L 2  in a recording section of each individual filmstrip  5 . As shown by hatching, both lateral sides of the filmstrip  5  serve as side-print zones  42 . 
     A long continuous strip of film  12  is fed from a roll  10  through a dancer roller  13 , sub-feed rollers  14 , a vacuum suction drum  15  and a pass roller  16  into a die set device  45 , like the apparatus shown in FIG.  13 . The die set device  45  is constituted of first to third die sets  46 ,  47  and  48  which are aligned in continuity along a film transport path, and may be individually actuated. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the first die set  46  is constituted of a punch holder  46   a  having fifteen punches  50  arranged at the same interval L 2  as the perforations P 1  to P N , a die plate  46   b  having fifteen dies  51  arranged in correspondence with the punches  50 , and an air cylinder  46   c  for moving the punch holder  46   a  downward. The second and third die sets  47  and  48  are each constituted of a punch holder  47   a  or  48   a  having ten punches  50  arranged at the same interval L 2  as the perforations P 1  to P N , a die plate  47   b  or  48   b  having ten dies  51  arranged in correspondence with the punches  50 , and an air cylinder  47   c  or  48   c  for moving the punch holder  47   a  or  48   a  downward. The three die sets  46 ,  47  and  48  are arranged such that all the punches  50  and the dies  51  as well are spaced at the same interval L 2  along the film transport path. 
     The die set device  45  can make a series of perforations P 1  to P N  in each stroke of die-punching while selecting the film frame number N among three variations: 15-exposure, 25-exposure and 35-exposure formats. To make 15-exposure format filmstrips, only the first die set  46  is actuated. To make 25-exposure format filmstrips, the first and second die sets  46  and  47  are actuated simultaneously. For 35-exposure format filmstrips, all the three die sets  46  to  48  are simultaneously actuated. Since the die plates  46   b ,  47   b  and  48   b  are stationary, and the same effect is achieved by merely actuating the punch holders  46   a ,  47   a  and  48   a , the die plates  46   b ,  47   b  and  48   b  may be replaced by a single die plate extending over the three punch holders  46   a  to  48   a.    
     At a film exit of the die set device  45  is disposed a film length adjusting mechanism  58  which is constituted of pass rollers  53  and  54 , and a movable roller  56  which is movable in a vertical direction inside a chamber  55  which is disposed between the pass rollers  53  and  54 . A vacuum suction drum  60  is disposed downstream of the film length adjusting mechanism  58 , to transport the long film  12  by a unit length which is predetermined in accordance with the film frame number N. The suction drum  60  sucks the long film  12  by suction holes formed through a peripheral surface of the drum  60 . The suction drum  60  is driven by a servo motor  61 , while an encoder  62  monitors the rotational amount of the suction drum  60  through the servo motor  61 . 
     The long film  12  is transported from the suction drum  60  to a cutter  28  through a pair of feed rollers consisting of a capstan roller  65  driven by the motor  61 , and a pinch roller  64  for pressing the long film  12  onto the capstan roller  65 . A side-printer  27  is disposed near the feed roller  65  to print film data as character data and bar code data along both lateral sides of the long film  12  in the side-print zone  42  of the individual filmstrips  5  to be formed from the long film  12 . The cutter  28  cuts off the individual filmstrips  5  from the long film  12  at the variable length L 1 . The cutter  28  has first and second knife edges  28   a  and  28   b  respectively for cutting a trailing end  6  of a filmstrip  5  and a leading end  7  of an adjacent preceding filmstrip  5  in the long film  12 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the long film  12  and two adjacent filmstrips  5   a  and  5   b  to a be cut off therefrom. When the cutter  28  make a stroke, a leading end  7   a  of the preceding filmstrip  5   a  and a trailing end  6   b  of the following filmstrip  5   b  are simultaneously cut by the edges  28   b  and  28   a  of the cutter  28 , respectively. Since a trailing end  6   a  of the preceding filmstrip  5   a  has been cut at the preceding cutting stroke, the filmstrip  5   a  is cut off from the film  12  when its leading end  7   a  is cut by the edge  28   b.    
     In correspondence with the spacing between the knife edges  28   a  and  28   b , a blank having a constant length L 5  is provided between the leading end  7   a  and the trailing end  6   b . Accordingly, the film  12  is transported by a unit length L 4 =L 1 +L 5  after each stroke of the cutter  28 . The cutter  28  preferably has a pair of punches in addition to the knife edges  28   a  and  28   b  to provide engaging holes  9  concurrently with cutting the long film  12  into individual filmstrip  5 , the engaging holes  9  being used to secure the trailing end  6  to a spool of a photographic film cassette. 
     The film length adjusting mechanism  58  is adapted to adjust the length of the film  12  extending between a cut position B defined by the knife edge  28   a  of the cutter  28  and a punching position A defined by the leftmost punch and die  50   a  and  51   a  of the first die set  46  in FIG.  4 . As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the movable roller  56  is movably mounted to a supporting block  70  which is movable along a pair of vertical guide shaft  71 . 
     A timing belt  72  is securely connected to the supporting block  70 , and is suspended between teethed pulleys  73  and  74 . The pulley  74  is driven by a servo motor  75  to move the supporting block  70  and thus the movable roller  56  in the vertical direction. An encoder  76  is connected to the other pulley  73  to detect position of the movable roller  56 . The movable roller  56  may be stopped at one of three predetermined positions X, Y and X, as is shown in FIG. 4, such that the length of the film  12  extending from the cut position B to the punching position A, hereinafter referred to as a film buffer length, is set at a value determined based on the unit length L 4  for the designated kind of filmstrip, and a film trailer length L 3  as well. The film trailer length L 3  is the length from the trailing end  6  to a first perforation P 1  of the individual filmstrip  5 , which is to be formed by the die and punch  50   a  and  51   b  at the punching position A. 
     In other words, when the film  12  stops to be cut by the cutter  28 , the length of the film  12  between a trailing end  6  being positioned at the cut position B, on one hand, and a trailing end  6  of a filmstrip  5  being positioned in the die set device  45 , on the other hand, is set at a value an integral number M of times as long as the unit length L 4  for the designated kind filmstrips. Accordingly, it is possible to actuate the die set device  45  and the cutter  28  in synchronism with each other each time the film  12  stops after being transported by the unit length L 4 . 
     In this embodiment, the movable roller  56  is moved to the position X when manufacturing 15-exposure filmstrips from the film  12 , to set the film buffer length M times as long as a unit length L 4   a  for 15-exposure filmstrip, plus the film trailer length L 3 , that is, L 4   a ×M+L 3 . When manufacturing 25-exposure filmstrips, the movable roller  56  is moved to the position Y, so that the film buffer length becomes M times as long as a unit length L 4   b  for 25-exposure filmstrip, plus the film trailer length L 3 , that is, L 4   b ×M+L 3 . When the movable roller  56  moves to the position Z, the film buffer length is M times as long as a unit length L 4   c  for 35-exposure filmstrip, plus the film trailer length L 3 , that is, L 4   c ×M+L 3 . The positioning of the movable roller  56  may be manually executed, so the servo motor  75  is dispensable. 
     Alternatively, it is possible to assign the position Z of the movable roller  56  to the 15-exposure filmstrips, and the position Y to the 25-exposure filmstrips by using a larger integral number M+α as a factor to define the film buffer length for the 15-exposure filmstrips than an integral number M which is used as a factor to define the film buffer length for the 25-exposure filmstrips. In that case, the position X may be assigned to the 35-exposure filmstrips by using a smaller integral number M−α as a factor to define the film buffer length for the 35-exposure filmstrips. 
     The feed and  65  are rotated at the same circumferential speed as that of the suction drum  60  so the film  12  may not be loosened. In order to ensure a constant distance from the side-printer  27  to the film  12  at the side-print position C, the side-print position C is set in a peripheral position of the feed roller  65  where the film  12  is in tight contact with the roller  65 . The roller  64  ensured the tight contact of the film  12  with the roller  65 . In order to tense the film  12  at the side-print position, it is possible to set the circumferential speed of the feed roller  64  and  65  slightly, i.e. 1% or less, higher than the circumferential speed of the suction drum  60 . 
     Since the feed roller  65  has smaller diameter than the suction drum  60 , the side-printer  27  may be disposed closer to the cutter  28 , as is shown in FIG. 8, compared with the case shown in FIG.  14 . Accordingly, it is possible to make the distance between the side-print position C and the cut position B equal to or less than the film trailer length L 3 , as is shown in FIG.  2 . The distance between the positions B and C may be about 50 mm to 100 mm, preferably 50 mm to 70 mm, and more preferably 60 mm to 70 mm. In this way, when the film  12  stops to be cut by the cutter  28 , the print position C is located before or at the first perforation P 1  defining the start or front end of the recording section in the film transporting direction. Accordingly, side-printing can be performed without intermediate stops through the recording section of each individual filmstrip. 
     It is preferable to provide pass rollers  67  and  69  in a manner as shown in FIG. 9, instead of the pass roller  54 , so that the photosensitive emulsion surface of the film  12  will not contact the suction drum  60 . This embodiment prevents the photosensitive emulsion surface of the film  12  from being scratched or damaged by sucking. 
     The operation of the above-described apparatus is controlled by a controller  80 , as shown in FIG. 10. A console  81  serves as an input device for the operator to enter the film frame number N of the filmstrips to be manufactured. In correspondence with the entered film frame number N, the controller  80  selectively drives the air cylinders  46   c ,  47   c  and  48   c  to actuate the first, or the first and second, or all of the die sets  46 ,  47  and  48 , to form fifteen, twenty-five, or thirty-five perforations at one time, respectively. 
     Thereafter, the controller  80  drives the servo motor  61  to rotate the suction drum  60  to transport the film  12  by the unit length L 4 , which is determined in accordance with the film frame number N, while monitoring output signals from the encoder  62 . The controller  80  concurrently drives the servo motor  75  to move the movable roller  56  into one of the three positions X, Y and Z in accordance with the film frame number N, while monitoring output signal from the encoder  76 . The controller  80  also actuates the side-printer  27  and the cutter  28  with respect to the output signal from the encoder  62  under the control of the controller  80 . The controller  80  sequentially controls the respective parts in accordance with a program stored in a ROM  83 . 
     The above-described apparatus operates as follows: 
     After loading the roll  10 , the operator enters the film frame number N, e.g., N=15, through the console. Then, the controller  80  moves the movable roller  56  in the position X through the servo motor  75 , and rotate the suction drum  60 , the feed rollers  64  and  65  through the servo motor  61  to transport the film  12  toward the cutter  28 . When the film  12  is positioned in the die set device  45  by transporting the film  12  a certain amount from the roll  10 , the controller  80  actuates the first die set  46  through the air cylinder  46   c  to make fifteen perforations P 1  to P 15  through the film  12 . Simultaneously, the cutter  28  is actuated to cut a portion of the film  12  where no perforation is made. Thereafter, the film  12  is transported by the unit length L 4   a  for 15-exposure filmstrip. 
     When die-punching and transporting of the film  12  by the unit length L 4   a  are repeated a number of times corresponding to the film buffer length provided at the position X of the movable roller  56 , the trailing end  6  of the filmstrip  5  having the fifteen perforations in its recording section is placed in the cut position B. Simultaneously therewith, the next recording section to be perforated is placed between the punch holder  46   a  and the dies plate  46   b  of the first die set  46 . Then, the controller  80  stops transporting the film  12 , and actuates the cutter  28  and the first die set  46  at the same time. Thereafter the film  12  is transported by the unit length L 4   a , and then the first die set  46  is actuated and, simultaneously, the cutter  28  is actuated to cut the trailing end  6  of the next filmstrip  5  and the leading end  7  of the filmstrip  5  whose trailing end  6  has previously been cut. As a result, the filmstrip  5  with fifteen perforations is cut off the film  12  into an individual 15-exposure filmstrip. In this way, die-punching and cutting are performed in synchronism with each other. 
     While the film  12  is transported by the unit length L 4   a  after each cutting, the side-printer  27  starts printing when the front end of the recording section immediately after the first perforation P 1  is located in the prints position C, and continuously print data of 15-exposure filmstrip along the side-print zone  42  in the recording section. Preferably, the side-printer  27  is disposed relative to the cutter  28  such that the side-printer  27  can start printing immediately after the start of film transport. 
     When changing the film frame number N, e.g., to N=25, the operator enters a stop signal and the film frame number N=25 through the console. Then, the controller  80  stops activating the die set device  45 , the side-printer and the cutter  28  after the film  12  is transported by the unit length L 4   a  for 15-exposure filmstrip following a die-punching of the first die set  46 . Thereafter, the movable roller  56  is moved to the position Y to adjust the film buffer length between the cut position B and the punching position A to the unit length L 4   b  for 25-exposure filmstrip. 
     Then, the first and second die sets  46  and  47  are simultaneously actuated to make twenty-five perforations P 1  to P 25  at a time through the film  12  and, thereafter, the suction drum  60  is driven to transport the film  12  by the unit length L 4   b  for 25-exposure filmstrip. Since the leading end and the trailing end of two adjacent filmstrips having fifteen perforations P 1  to P 15  formed therethrough are cut by the cutter  28  in synchronism with the die-punching of the first and second die sets  46  and  47 , the preceding one of the two filmstrips is cut off the film  12  into an individual 15-exposure filmstrip. But the leading end of the following filmstrip is transported farther than the cutter  28  as a result of the rotation of the suction drum  60  by the unit length L 4   b  for 25-exposure filmstrip. 
     Accordingly, defective filmstrips will be produced until the leading end of the filmstrip having twenty-five perforations P 1  to P 25  reaches the cutter  28 . To minimize the number of defective filmstrips at the film frame number change, it is preferable to determine the film buffer length to be L 4 +L 3  for any film frame number N, by selecting a factor “1” to multiply the unit length L 4  in the above-described definition. In this way, merely a defective filmstrip will be produced at each film frame number change. 
     Thereafter, die-punching of the first and second die sets  46  and  47  and cutting of the cutter  28  are repeated in synchronism with each other, and the side-printer  27  prints data of 25-exposure filmstrip along the side-print zone  42  while the film  12  is transported by the unit length L 4 b after each die-punching, in the same way as above, to produce 25-exposure filmstrips. 
     When the operator designates the film frame number N=35, the movable roller  56  is moved to the position Z to adjust the film buffer length to the unit length L 4   c  for 35-exposure filmstrip. Then, the first to third die sets  46  to  48  are simultaneously actuated to make thirty-five perforations P 1  to P 35  at a time. Thereafter, the suction drum  60  is driven to transport the film  12  by the unit length L 4   c , while the side-printer  27  prints data of 35-exposure filmstrip along the side-print zone  42 . The same operation is repeated to produce 35-exposure filmstrips in continuous succession. 
     Although the above-described embodiment relates to a case where a single perforation is provided in association with each frame exposure location, the present invention is applicable to a case where a pair of perforations P 1   a  and P 1   b ; P 2   a  and P 2   b ; . . . P N a and P N b are provided for each frame exposure location, as is shown in FIG.  11 . Two perforations for assigning longitudinal ends of each frame exposure location facilitate more accurate positioning of the frame exposure location in the exposure aperture of the camera. It is also possible to dispose a pair of perforations on opposite lateral sides of each frame exposure location. 
     Although the air cylinders  46   c ,  47   c  and  48   c  are selectively driven by the controller  80  for each die-punching stroke of the associated die sets  46  to  48 , it is also possible to provide a cam  90  and a lever  91 , as is shown in FIG. 12, for actuation of each punch holder  93 . In this embodiment, the lowermost position of the punch holder  93  in the die-punching stroke is changed over by an air cylinder  92  connected to the punch holder  93 , between an active position and an inactive position. The cam  90  is connected to the air cylinder  92  through the lever  91 . The lever  91  has a cam follower  95  at its one end, the cam follower  95  always contacts the cam surface of the cam  90 , and is connected to the air cylinder  92  at the opposite end, with its fulcrum  94  disposed at an intermediate position. 
     Accordingly, one rotation of the cam  90  causes one stroke of the punch holder  93 . When the lowermost position of the punch holder  93  in the stroke is set in the inactive position by the air cylinder  92 , the punch holder  93  cannot perforate the film  12  placed on a dies plate  96 . Though FIG. 12 shows only one punch holder  93 , a plurality of such punch holders  93  are disposed along the film  12 , and only those punch holders  93  which are set in the active position by the associated air cylinders  92  can effect die-punching by one stroke. This embodiment is suitable for a faster die-punching operation. 
     Although the cam  90  and the lever  91  are provided for each die set, and are actuated in synchronism with one another in the above-embodiment, it is possible to actuate a plurality of punch holders with air cylinders by a single cam and a lever. 
     The present invention is not only applicable to manufacturing photographic filmstrips, but also to manufacturing other kinds of strips or webs from a long strip of resin film or paper. 
     Thus, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but on the contrary, various modifications may be possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.