Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
  • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
  • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
  • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
  • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
  • E06B9/266—Devices or accessories for making or mounting lamellar blinds or parts thereof

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a machine for producing Venetian blinds and a punching device and a punching tool therefor.
• the development of Venetian blind production machines has been going on for many years, and as examples of prior-art technique mention can be made of Swedish Patents SE-B-323,787, SE-B- 323,501, SE-B-339,097, SE-B-361,915 (US-A-3,824,657), SE-B-441,941 (US-A-4,655,599 and EP-B-0 182 805) and SE B-458,379 (USSN 315,799 and EP-A-0 331 657).
• a strip of material (normally a metal strip) is intermittently fed into the machine so as to be subjected to treatment by punching and cutting into slats having any desired length and any desired number of holes for lift and guide cords.
• this punching was carried out at separate punching sta ⁇ tions where the strip of material has been stopped before being finally introduced into a mounting station where the strip of material has been inserted in a number of ladder tapes that are to be included in the finished Venetian blind.
• This old type of Venetian blind pro ⁇ duction machines it has therefore been necessary to use long machine beds where the punching devices intended for the ladder tape holes have been arranged at a punching station before the actual mounting station.
• SE-B-441,941 US-A-4,655,599 and EP-B-0 182 805 in which a cutting station is positioned between two neighbouring mounting stations, thereby making it possible to manufacture at least two Venetian blinds simultaneously along the same machine bed.
• SE-B-441,941 US-A-4,655,599 and EP-B-0 182 805 in which a cutting station is positioned between two neighbouring mounting stations, thereby making it possible to manufacture at least two Venetian blinds simultaneously along the same machine bed.
• the strip of material is advanced by small steps for suc ⁇ cessive punching of the various ladder tape holes, which entails an increased number of stops of the advancing of the strip of material.
• the Venetian blind production machine according to SE-B-468,401 (US-A-5,243,744 and EP-B-0 512 969) there- fore represented a very great improvement by using punch ⁇ ing tools which are movable laterally relative to the longitudinal direction of the strip of material between an operative position, in which the die and punch of the punching tool are in the correct position for punching the strip of material, and an inoperative position, in which the die and punch of the punching tool are posi ⁇ tioned laterally outside the strip of material.
• This ar ⁇ rangement permits a significant shortening of the machine bed, thereby making it possible to use the machine more efficiently.
• One object of the present invention therefore is to comply with one or more of these desiderata. Further objects of the invention are apparent from the following specification.
• the invention thus relates to a machine for producing Venetian blinds, comprising punching devices for punching a strip of material fed into the machine for the forming of slats.
• the punching devices comprise at least one punching tool and a driving device for the punching tool, which is movable laterally rela ⁇ tive to the longitudinal direction of the strip of mate ⁇ rial between an operative and an inoperative position.
• the punching tool is connected to its driving device by means of a quick coupling comprising a disengageable locking device and a linear guide means extending in the intended direction of insertion of the punching tool when the tool is inserted in its mounting and the parts of the quick coupling are joined together.
• the punching device includes a connecting device for connecting and disconnecting the tool concerned to and from the tool driving device of the machine.
• Fig. 1 is a side view of a basic sketch of a machine according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2 illustrates in more detail a ladder tape thread- ing station and a punching station in the Vene ⁇ tian blind production machine.
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III in Fig. 2, a punching tool being in its inoperative position
• Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, but illustrating the punching tool in its operative position
• Fig. 5 illustrates in more detail parts of a cross-sec ⁇ tional view corresponding to Fig.
• Fig. 6 shows parts of a cross-sectional view along line VI-VI in Fig. 3 and illustrates the various com ⁇ ponents in a driving position
• Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to
• Fig. 8 illustrates in more detail the design of the die and punch of a punching tool.
• Fig. 1 is a side view of a basic sketch of a machine for producing Venetian blinds.
• the machine comprises a frame 10 supporting a bed 11.
• Ladder tape threading sta ⁇ tions 12 are arranged along the bed 11. These stations can be movable along the bed according to e.g. Swedish Patent Specification SE-B-458,379 which is incorporated in this specification by reference.
• the machine comprises a slat material supply station in the form of a supply reel 14, from which a strip of material 15 is unwound during operation of the machine.
• the slat material can be a strip of metal, plastic, fabric, wood or paper and is advanced along the machine bed by driving devices 16 which are not shown in detail. These driving devices may be designed as described in Swedish Patent Specification SE-B-441,941 which is included in this spe ⁇ cification by reference.
• the machine also comprises in a per se known manner a numerical control means 16' for controlling the various functions of the machine.
• Fig. 2 illustrates a ladder tape threading station 12 which is included in the Venetian blind mounting sta- tion and which is combined with a punching station.
• a ladder tape fold ⁇ ing mechanism and slat retaining mechanism of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Swedish Patent Specifi ⁇ cation SE-B-441,941.
• the ladder tape 17 is supplied from below and passes clamping means 18 on its way up to the actual threading station and to a store 19 in which slats 20 which have already been passed through the ladder tape are retained. After threading and separating the slats, they are raised by a lifting device 21 towards the lower side of the slats that are already positioned in the store 19.
• the slats are then retained in the store in a prior-art manner by means of yieldably spring-loaded holders 22 that can be pivoted away.
• yieldably spring-loaded holders 22 that can be pivoted away.
• For folding the ladder tape use is made of a ladder tape guide which is not shown in more detail and which is moved sideways between two outer positions in a prior-art manner.
• the Venetian blind production machine comprises a punching device which is generally designated 30.
• the punching device comprises a punching tool 31 having a die 32 and a punch 33.
• the die 32 is arranged on a lower holder 34, while the punch 33 is arranged on an upper holder 35.
• the upper holder 35 is guided to move towards and away from the lower holder 34 by means of guide pins 36.
• Recesses in the tool accommodate compression springs 37 which press the upper holder 35 upwards and away from the lower holder 34.
• a stop screw 38 limits the maximum distance between the holders and, thus, between the die and the punch.
• an elastomer ring 39 which is mounted round the punch 33 on the lower side of the tool holder 35.
• the punching motion is effected by means of a slide 40 which is guided to move towards and away from the tool 31 by means of guide rollers 41 in a housing 42.
• the motion of the slide 40 towards and away from the tool is derived from the main shaft 43 of the Venetian blind pro ⁇ duction machine by an eccentric disc 44 being rigidly mounted thereon so as to follow the rotational motion of the main shaft.
• the eccentric disc 44 runs in a recess 45 in the slide 40 and will therefore move this down against the upper holder 35 of the tool and carry out the punch ⁇ ing as is evident from Fig. 4.
• the tool is mounted to move between an inoperative position and an operative position.
• this movement is accomplished by the tool being connected to the machine main drive shaft 43 whose rotational motion is transformed into a displacing motion by means of a cam and cam follower mechanism which is generally designated 50.
• the tool is displaced in a trans- lational motion between the operative position, in which it is correctly aligned for the punching of the strip of material (shown in Fig.
• This motion could also be a pivoting motion as shown in one of the embodiments according to the above-mentioned Swedish Patent SE-B-468,401.
• a cam disc 51 having a cam groove thus is rigidly mounted on the main shaft 43 so as to follow the rotation thereof.
• a cam follower 52 is mounted on a link arm 53 and inserted in the cam groove of the cam disc so as to follow the groove.
• the link arm is mounted to be pivoted about a spindle 54 in the hous ⁇ ing 42.
• the free end 55 of the link arm 53 is forked for engaging with a projection 56 formed on a coupling ele- ment 57.
• This is connected, by means of a wedge-shaped projection 58, to a key groove 59 in an actuating slide 60 in a driving-power-transmitting manner.
• the actuating slide 60 is guided by means of rollers 61 for rectilinear motion towards and away from the path of travel 15 of the strip of material.
• a coupling member 62 is mount ⁇ ed on the slide 60 to impart the intended displacing motions to the slide.
• a detent pawl holder 63 is mounted on the coupling member.
• a rocker arm 64 for pivoting between the extreme positions illustrated in Fig. 3 (locking position) and Fig. 5 (dis ⁇ engaging position), the pivoting occurring about a stub shaft 65.
• a detent pawl 66 is pivotally mounted. The detent pawl is guided to move in the vertical direction (in respect of Fig. 5) by extending through a guide hole 67 in a retaining projection 68 on the coupling member 62.
• the rocker arm is yieldably power-actuated to be pivoted clockwise in respect of Fig. 5 by a compression spring 69 being inserted between the other end 70 of the rocker arm and the coupling member 62.
• the end 70 of the rocker arm is formed with a bevelled surface 71.
• a release button 72 is mounted in the end wall of the housing 42 for moving downwards in respect of Figs 6 and 7 and is power-actuated, by means of a spring 73, away from the bevelled surface 71.
• the release button 72 has a conical tip 74 for engaging with the bevelled surface 71. In such engagement, the pawl 66 is pivoted counterclockwise away from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the one shown in Fig. 5, such that the detent pawl 66 is pulled upwards from its locking position (Fig. 3) to its disengaging position (Fig. 5).
• the lower holder 34 of the tool has a recess or groove 75 which is located on the upper side of the end that is intended to be inserted under the retaining projection 68 of the coupling member 62.
• the holder 34 comprises at least one longitudinal groove 76 in its underside (in the embodiment shown, two such grooves). These grooves extend in the direction of insertion of the tool when inserting the tool into the locking device fitted on the coupling member 62.
• a pin 77 which is attached to the slide 60 and protrudes from the upper side thereof.
• the groove 76 or one of the grooves 76 is designed so as to engage with a corresponding pin 77 also in the outer position of the tool (as illustrated in Fig. 5 for the right groove 76 and the right pin 77).
• This engagement between the pin and the edge of the groove is a protective measure for preventing the tool from being thrown away from its con ⁇ necting member if, for any reason, the detent pawl 66 should come loose and lose its engagement with the groove
• the tool moves quickly back and forth between the two outer posi ⁇ tions, which in itself entails high momentums which are to be absorbed in the outer positions.
• the quick coupling is designed to have a forked holder part 68, 60, in which the mounting end of the tool with the locking groove 75 is inserted, the lower leg 60 being longer than the upper leg 68. This results in additional guiding during mounting of the tool and an increase in stability.
• the tool effects a transla- tional motion between its operative and inoperative posi ⁇ tions.
• the groove or grooves 76 are arcuate, although one or more straight grooves can be used also when the displac ⁇ ing motion is a pivoting motion.
• the mount ⁇ ed tool should be disengageable from its drive mechanism ( he rocker arm 53 and the cam and cam follower assembly 51, 52).
• a preferred and especially efficient disengaging mechanism is illustrated in the drawings. As mentioned above, the free end 55 of the rocker arm 53 engages with the projection 56 of the coupling element 57 which trans ⁇ mits the driving power to the actuating slide 60 by the engagement of the wedge 58 with the groove 59.
• the coupling element 57 is arranged in a U-shaped carriage 78, the legs 79 of which straddle the coupling element 57 but which permits dis ⁇ placement thereof back and forth under the action of the link arm 53.
• the carriage 78 is inserted in a chamber 80 which is formed by recessing one wall of the housing 42 and by arranging a recessed cover 81 on the opposite wall of the housing 42. The arrangement is such that the carriage 78 is prevented from moving back and forth in the direction of travel of the tool (to the right and left in respect of Figs 3, 4, 6, and 7), but can move a limited distance perpendicular to this direction of travel.
• Fig. 6 shows the setting position of the coupling element 57 when the tool should be active, i.e. should be moved to its punching position once every turn of the main shaft 43 of the machine.
• Fig. 7 shows on the other hand the disengaging position in which the carriage 78 has been moved aside (upwards in respect of Fig. 7) to cancel the engagement between the fork 55 and the pro ⁇ jection 56. In this position, the arm 53 can move freely back and forth although the tool remains in the locking device.
• the projection 56 has a hole 82 which is adapted to cooperate with a locking pin 83.
• the lock ⁇ ing pin is attached to the cover 81 and projects into the chamber 80, as shown in Figs 6 and 7.
• an operating handle 84 which is screwed to one leg 79 of the carriage 78 and extends through a hole in the cover 81.
• the operating handle 84 thus is accessible from the outside of the housing 42 and can therefore readily be moved between its two positions shown in Figs 6 and 7 for connecting and disconnecting the tool 31 (for better clarity, the tool is not shown in Figs 6 and 7 ) .
• the slide 40 Since the slide 40 is continuously moved upwards and downwards under the action of the eccentric disc 44, the slide 40 is formed with a recess 85, such that the slide will not engage with the upper holder 35 of the tool when the tool is retained in its resting position by pressing the operating handle 84 and discon ⁇ necting the tool.
• electromagnetic or other operating means instead of manual adjusting and locking of the carriage 78, it is possible to use, for instance, electromagnetic or other operating means. This arrangement results in an increased liberty of choice in the production of Venetian blinds by making it possible to disconnect a punching tool and prevent it from punching holes or recesses in the slat if a lift cord is not intended to be mounted in the position where the ladder tape is placed.
• the embodiment described above applies to a punching device for punching holes or recesses in slats.
• the invention can also be used to cut the slats 20 from the strip of material 15 supplied from the supply reel 14.
• the driving could thus be carried out by means of e.g. pneumatic or hydraulic piston-and-cylinder assemblies or in some other manner.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Perforating, Stamping-Out Or Severing By Means Other Than Cutting (AREA)
• Blinds (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20397732

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (2)

• 1995
  • 1995-03-29 SE SE9501132A patent/SE9501132L/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1996
  • 1996-03-27 AU AU52927/96A patent/AU5292796A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-03-27 WO PCT/SE1996/000396 patent/WO1996030614A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (2)

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