A braid separation apparatus for separating rope strands of a braided rope, thereby allowing reuse of the separated rope strands, is provided and may include an input assembly configured to move a braided rope made of at least three rope strands, into the apparatus. Further, the apparatus may comprise three or more winding carriers, each being coupled to one of the rope strands. The winding carriers configured to move about each other in serpentine path such that rope strands of the braided rope are separated. Each winding carrier may comprise a spool which is connected to the rope strand coupled to the winding carrier. Each winding carrier may further comprise a torque creating unit configured to provide a torque on the spool and to cause the spool to rotate such that the rope strand is wound around the spool.

A braid separation apparatus for separating rope strands of a braided rope, thereby allowing reuse of the separated rope strands, is provided and may include an input assembly configured to move a braided rope made of at least three rope strands, into the apparatus. Further, the apparatus may comprise three or more winding carriers, each being coupled to one of the rope strands. The winding carriers configured to move about each other in serpentine path such that rope strands of the braided rope are separated. Each winding carrier may comprise a spool which is connected to the rope strand coupled to the winding carrier. Each winding carrier may further comprise a torque creating unit configured to provide a torque on the spool and to cause the spool to rotate such that the rope strand is wound around the spool.

A device for forming an item from closed loop elastic bands includes a guide having a cam surface and at least two poles spaced apart from each other. The poles are configured to hold at least one closed loop elastic band therebetween. A slider including at least two arms is movable relative to the at least two poles of the guide. Each of the at least two arms include a finger portion having a hook and a push surface. The hook is configured to pick a lowermost elastic band supported on a corresponding one of each of the at least two poles and the push surface configured to push the picked elastic band over the outwardly extending flange. Movement of the slider relative to the guide automatically drives movement of the fingers to lift and release an elastic band to form a link a linked item.

A device for forming an item from closed loop elastic bands includes a guide having a cam surface and at least two poles spaced apart from each other. The poles are configured to hold at least one closed loop elastic band therebetween. A slider including at least two arms is movable relative to the at least two poles of the guide. Each of the at least two arms include a finger portion having a hook and a push surface. The hook is configured to pick a lowermost elastic band supported on a corresponding one of each of the at least two poles and the push surface configured to push the picked elastic band over the outwardly extending flange. Movement of the slider relative to the guide automatically drives movement of the fingers to lift and release an elastic band to form a link a linked item.

In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.

In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.