Claims
- 1. A method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds, the Venetian blinds having a head rail, a bottom rail and a plurality of blind slats, each having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
inserting the first end of the head rail, the bottom rail and the plurality of blind slats into respective openings in a support body, said respective openings aligned along an axis transverse to the Venetian blinds, and including, separating the plurality of blind slats into groups by a partition, wherein said groups of the plurality of blind slats are cut in sequence upon movement of a cutting means; inserting the head rail in a head rail cutter located alongside said support body; inserting the bottom rail and the plurality of blind slats in said cutting means for cutting the bottom rail and the plurality of blind slats; moving said cutting means to cut the bottom rail and the plurality of blind slats; and moving said head rail cutter to cut the head rail.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of engaging said second ends of the head rail, the plurality of blind slats and the bottom rail by an end stop to define a predetermined length of a cut in respect thereof, and moving said end stop being responsive to movement of said cutting means, whereby to move said end stop free of said head rail, said plurality of blind slats and said bottom rail clear a plurality of trim portions of the plurality of blinds.
- 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of moving a linkage between said cutting means and said end stop whereby to cause movement of said end stop.
- 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of moving said cutting means by a first manual lever connected for moving said cutting means, and then moving a second manual lever for moving said head rail cutter, wherein said first and second manual movement is operable separately and at different times.
- 5. A method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds, the Venetian blinds having at least a head rail and a plurality of slats, each of the head rail and the plurality of slats having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
separating the plurality of slats into at least two bundles; placing said first end of the head rail through a corresponding head rail opening in a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter; placing a first end of said first and said second bundles of the plurality of slats through respective first and second slat openings in said support body into a position proximate a second cutter; and moving said first and second cutters whereby said first cutter cuts said first end of said head rail, and wherein said second cutter cuts said first end of at least said first and second bundles of slats.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the head rail is metal.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the head rail is shaped as a generally U-shaped channel.
- 8. The method of claim 5, wherein said head rail opening in said support body is shaped to correspond with the shape of the head rail.
- 9. The method of claim 5, wherein said first and second cutters are mechanically linked to each other, and wherein the head rail and the plurality of slats are cut in substantial synchronism with each other.
- 10. The method of claim 5, wherein the Venetian blind further comprises a bottom rail and the method further comprises the step of cutting said bottom rail.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said cutting of the head rail and said cutting of said bottom rail are synchronized with each other.
- 12. The method of claim 5, wherein said head rail opening and said first and second slat openings in said support body are aligned.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the head rail and said slat openings are aligned along a common horizontal axis.
- 14. The method of claim 5, wherein after said first end of the head rail and the first end of at least the first and the second bundle of slats are cut, said method further comprises the steps of:
separating the slats into at least two bundles; placing the second end of the head rail through said corresponding head rail opening in said support body and into position proximate said first cutter; placing a second end of the first and the second bundles of the plurality of slats through said first and second slat openings in said support body into a position proximate said second cutter; and moving said first and second cutters, wherein said first cutter cuts said second end of the head rail, and wherein said second cutter cuts said second end of at least said first and second bundles of the plurality of slats.
- 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of cutting a substantially equal amount of material from each of said first and second ends of the head rail and the plurality of slats so that a finally cut Venetian blind has a substantially symmetrical appearance.
- 16. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of positioning an end stop beyond said first and second cutters in a position corresponding to the amount of material to be trimmed from the blind, the step being prior to the steps of placing said first end of the head rail and said slat bundles through said respective openings in said support body.
- 17. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of moving said first and second cutters back to an original position substantially after cutting is completed.
- 18. A method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds having at least a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of the head rail, the plurality of slats and the bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
placing a first end of the head rail through a corresponding head rail opening and a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter; and rotating a crank for rotation of a cam, said cam rotation urging said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening, wherein said first cutter cuts said first end of said head rail.
- 19. A method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds having at least a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of said head rail, slats and bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, said method comprising the steps of:
placing a first end of said head rail through a corresponding head rail opening and a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter; and continuously rotating a crank in a single direction to cause rotation of a cam, said cam rotation urging said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening, wherein said first cutter cuts said first end of said head rail.
- 20. The method of claims 18, further comprising the steps of placing a first end of the plurality of slats through a corresponding opening in said support body while placing the head rail through said head rail opening; and
cutting said first end of the plurality of slats with a second cutter.
- 21. A method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds having at least a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of the head rail, the plurality of slats and the bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
placing a first end of the head rail through a corresponding head rail opening and a support body and into a position proximate a first cutter; and rotating a crank to cause rotation of a cam, said cam rotation urging said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening, wherein said first cutter cuts said first end of the head rail; placing a first end of the slats through a corresponding opening in said support body while placing the head rail through said head rail opening; and cutting said first end of said slats with a second cutter.
- 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of placing a first end of said bottom rail through an opening in said support body while placing said head rail through said head rail opening; and
cutting said first end of said bottom rail.
- 23. The method of claim 18, wherein the head rail is a metal.
- 24. The method of claim 18, wherein said head rail opening in said support body is shaped to substantially correspond with the shape of the head rail.
- 25. The method of claim 22, wherein said head rail opening is shaped as a generally U-shaped channel.
- 26. The method of claim 21, wherein said head rail opening and said slat opening in said support body are substantially aligned.
- 27. The method of claim 24, wherein said head rail opening and said slat opening are substantially aligned along a common horizontal axis.
- 28. The method of claim 18, wherein after said first end of said head rail is cut, the method comprises the steps of:
placing a second end of the head rail through said corresponding head rail opening in said support body and into a position proximate said first cutter; and rotating said crank to cause rotation of said cam, said cam rotation urging said first cutter to move relative to said head rail opening, wherein said first cutter cuts said second end of said head rail.
- 29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of cutting a substantially equal amount of material from each of said first and second ends of said head rail so that a finally cut Venetian blind has a symmetrical appearance.
- 30. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of positioning an end stop beyond said first cutter in a position corresponding to the amount of material to be trimmed from the blind prior to the step of placing said first end of the head rail through said head rail opening in said support body.
- 31. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of moving said first cutter back to an original position after cutting is completed.
- 32. The method of trimming the width of Venetian blinds having a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of the head rail, the plurality of slats and the bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
placing a first end of the head rail of the Venetian blinds through a corresponding head rail opening in a support body and placing a first end of the bottom rail and a first end of the plurality of slats through respective openings in said support body, wherein respective first ends of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats each extend through said openings; moving said first ends of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats through said openings in said support body and into respective aligned further openings in a cutting means; and moving said cutting means, wherein the head rail and the plurality of slats are cut.
- 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of aligning said openings in said support body along a common horizontal axis.
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of moving said cutting mechanism further comprises actuating a rotary cam mechanism for successive cutting of said first end of each of the head rail and the bottom rail.
- 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of actuating said rotary cam mechanism further cuts said first end of the plurality of slats.
- 36. The method of claim 32, wherein after said first end of the head rail and the plurality of slats are cut, the method further comprises the steps of placing a second end of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats through said corresponding head rail opening, the bottom rail opening and said slat opening in said support body, wherein the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats of said second end extend through the head rail, the bottom rail, and said slat openings;
moving said second ends of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats through said openings in said support body and into respective said aligned further openings in said cutting means; and moving said cutting mechanism to cut said second ends of at least the head rail and the plurality of slats.
- 37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of cutting a substantially equal amount of material from each of said first and second ends of at least said head rail and said slats so that a finally cut venetian blind has a symmetrical appearance.
- 38. The method of claim 32, wherein said cutting means has a first cutter for cutting the head rail and a second cutter for cutting at least the plurality of slats.
- 39. The method of claims 19, further comprising the steps of placing a first end of the plurality of slats through a corresponding opening in said support body while placing the head rail through said head rail opening; and
cutting said first end of the plurality of slats with a second cutter.
- 40. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of placing a first end of said bottom rail through an opening in said support body while placing said head rail through said head rail opening; and cutting said first end of said bottom rail.
- 41. A method of trimming a width of Venetian blinds having a head rail, a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, each of the head rail, the plurality of slats and the bottom rail having first and second opposed ends, the method comprising the steps of:
placing a first end of the head rail through a corresponding head rail opening in a support body and placing a first end of the bottom rail and a first end of the plurality of slats through separate respective openings in said support body, wherein respective first ends of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats extend through said openings; moving said first ends of the head rail, the bottom rail and the plurality of slats through said openings in said support body and into aligned further openings in a cutting means; and moving said cutting means, wherein the head rail and the plurality of slats are cut.
- 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of aligning said openings in said support body along a common horizontal axis.
- 43. The method of claim 41, wherein said step of moving the cutting means includes actuating a rotary cam mechanism to obtain successive cutting of said first end of each of the head rail and the bottom rail.
- 44. The method of claim 43, wherein said step of actuating said rotary cam mechanism obtains cutting of said first end of the plurality of slats.
- 45. The method of claim 41, wherein after said first end of the head rail and the plurality of slats are cut, placing a second end of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats through said corresponding separate head rail, bottom rail, and slat openings in said support body, wherein the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats of said second end extend through said separate respective ones of said head rail, bottom rail, and slat openings;
moving said second ends of the head rail, the bottom rail, and the plurality of slats through said openings in said support body and into said aligned further openings in said cutting means; and moving said cutting means to cut said second ends of at least the head rail and the slats.
- 46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of cutting a substantially equal amount of material from each of said first and second ends of at least the head rail and the plurality of slats so that a finally cut Venetian blind has a symmetrical appearance.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/935,489 which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/414,767, filed Oct. 7, 1999, title: Two Handle Cut Down Apparatus, Inventor: Norbert Marocco, which was a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/132,748 filed Aug. 12, 1998, title: Improved End Trimming Apparatus for Blinds, Inventor: Norbert Marocco, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,099 B1, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/132,750, title: Method of End Trimming of Blinds, Inventor: Norbert Marocco, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,857 B1 both of which were Continuations-in-Part of application Ser. No. 08/627,015 filed Apr. 3, 1996, title End Trimming Apparatus for Venetian Blinds, Inventor Norbert Marocco, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,394, which was in turn a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 08/526,329 filed Sep. 11, 1995, title End Trimming Apparatus for Venetian Blinds, Inventor Norbert Marocco, now abandoned.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09935489 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10867802 |
Jun 2004 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (4)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09414767 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
09935489 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09132748 |
Aug 1998 |
US |
Child |
09414767 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Parent |
08627015 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Child |
09132748 |
Aug 1998 |
US |
Parent |
08526329 |
Sep 1995 |
US |
Child |
08627015 |
Apr 1996 |
US |