GB1200544A - A machine for assembling stacks of slats for venetian blinds - Google Patents

Abstract

1,200,544. Assembling venetian blinds. HUNTER DOUGLAS. 22 Jan., 1968 [23 Jan., 1967], No. 3229/68. Heading E1J. A machine for assembling a stack of slats respectively located between the cross connections of the ladder tapes or cords of a Venetian blind comprises horizontally adjustably spaced tufting units each including a lifting device 14 for the slats 17 fed individually horizontally on to projecting pins 16, each slat in its turn operating a starting switch by its horizontal movement for starting operation of shaft 4 pulley 12 and tape 15 connected at one end to the plate 14 to lift the slat 17 past spring pressed stops 20 horizontally adjustable in the arms of a U-shaped guide with a follower limiting switch cutting off the electric power driving the shaft 4 whereupon the weight of the plate 14 returns the pulley 15 and the slats 17 are rested on the projecting stops 20, the upward movement of the plate 14 lifting the already stacked slats and thus building up the stack from below; horizontally adjustable suspension and tensioning means for guiding the carrier tape 21 and including a spreader means mounted on the plate 14 and consisting of two cooperating pivoted elements 24 of U-shaped section with outer end walls 30 provided with vertically aligned slots parallel to the legs of the U where the U meets the end walls for guiding the ladder side tapes 21, the central part constituting spreader means for opening apart the side tapes to allow feed of the individual slats into the space between the tapes, one of the elements 24 being spring biased downwards to tension the tapes 21, and both elements engaging each other by gear segments 26, the end wall of the U section elements bearing on the lower cross-tape eventually being taken off the tape as the tape rises. When the spring 27 returns the elements 26 into contact with the next lower cross-tape. A U-shape guide 29 on plate 14 guides the ladder tapes vertically. A modified arrangement for ladder cords is described (Fig. 5, 6) together with means for threading a lifting and lowering cord through the assembled slats described also in Specification 1,200,545.