A forming assembly for forming a wick is disclosed. The forming assembly includes a tube inflatable to an inflated configuration. A wick mesh is configured to be wrapped about the tube. The forming assembly further includes a sheath positionable about the tube and the wick mesh. The tube and the sheath are configured to compress the wick mesh and form the wick based on the tube inflating towards the inflated configuration.

A wire shaping tool and method of using the tool to reshape wire, including the discrete sections of wire in a wire mesh panel, is provided. The tool includes a pair of levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, a pair of jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and a pair of handles on the other side. The first jaw can include an elongate body with a concave surface having a pair of opposing lateral edges. The second jaw can include a complementary convex surface configured to converge toward contacting the concave surface of the first jaw. The concave and complementary convex surfaces can transform the shape of a wire positioned between the jaws when they are actuated. The second jaw can include a third shaping component that allows for the simultaneous reshaping of two adjacent wire sections in a wire mesh panel.

A rebar tying robot configured to tie a plurality of first rebars and a plurality of second rebars intersecting the plurality of first rebars at points where the plurality of first rebars and the plurality of second rebars intersect. The rebar tying robot may include a rebar tying machine, a conveying unit configured to convey the rebar tying machine, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the conveying unit. The conveying unit may include a crawler configured to move on the plurality of first rebars and the plurality of second rebars.

A rebar tying robot configured to tie a plurality of first rebars and a plurality of second rebars intersecting the plurality of first rebars at points where the plurality of first rebars and the plurality of second rebars intersect. The rebar tying robot may include a rebar tying machine, a conveying unit configured to convey the rebar tying machine, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the conveying unit. The conveying unit may include a crawler configured to move on the plurality of first rebars and the plurality of second rebars.

A material-forming device for a wire mesh includes a plurality of contact rods that are supported by the frame and configured to threadedly receive a sheet of wire mesh that moves through the plurality of contact rods in a downstream direction. An inner contact rod and an outer contact rod are each configured to engage a first side of the sheet of wire mesh, and a middle contact rod is positioned between the inner contact rod and the outer rod and configured to engage a second side of the sheet of wire mesh that opposes the first side. The shape of the outer contact rod and/or the inner contact rod is configured to bend the sheet of wire mesh around the middle contact rod as the sheet of wire mesh moves in the downstream direction.

A device for crossing a multistrand wire fence may comprise a handle, a crossbar, a first and second side supports coupled between the handle and the crossbar, and first and second angled arms extending from each end of the crossbar away from the handled and at least partially towards each other. A fence wire receptacle may be defined between the crossbar and the first and second angled arms. In use, a user may hook the first angled arm of a first wire of the fence and pull down, allowing the user to scoop up an adjacent, or other, wire and place the second angled arm under the adjacent wire thus causing the wires to be pulled toward each other, thus increasing an ease of accessibility from one side of the fence to the other.

A device for crossing a multistrand wire fence may comprise a handle, a crossbar, a first and second side supports coupled between the handle and the crossbar, and first and second angled arms extending from each end of the crossbar away from the handled and at least partially towards each other. A fence wire receptacle may be defined between the crossbar and the first and second angled arms. In use, a user may hook the first angled arm of a first wire of the fence and pull down, allowing the user to scoop up an adjacent, or other, wire and place the second angled arm under the adjacent wire thus causing the wires to be pulled toward each other, thus increasing an ease of accessibility from one side of the fence to the other.

A wire shaping tool and method of using the tool to reshape wire, including the discrete sections of wire in a wire mesh panel, is provided. The tool includes a pair of levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, a pair of jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and a pair of handles on the other side. The first jaw can include an elongate body with a concave surface having a pair of opposing lateral edges. The second jaw can include a complementary convex surface configured to converge toward contacting the concave surface of the first jaw. The concave and complementary convex surfaces can transform the shape of a wire positioned between the jaws when they are actuated. The second jaw can include a third shaping component that allows for the simultaneous reshaping of two adjacent wire sections in a wire mesh panel.

A material-forming device for a wire mesh includes a plurality of contact rods that are supported by the frame and configured to threadedly receive a sheet of wire mesh that moves through the plurality of contact rods in a downstream direction. An inner contact rod and an outer contact rod are each configured to engage a first side of the sheet of wire mesh, and a middle contact rod is positioned between the inner contact rod and the outer rod and configured to engage a second side of the sheet of wire mesh that opposes the first side. The shape of the outer contact rod and/or the inner contact rod is configured to bend the sheet of wire mesh around the middle contact rod as the sheet of wire mesh moves in the downstream direction.

A wire mesh rivet (13) is provided which is used to produce a wire mesh isolator (11) in a bore (9) of a substrate such as a heat shield (7) for a vehicle exhaust system. The rivet (13) comprises a unitary wire mesh structure (19) which has a collar (15) and a shank (17). The collar (15) has a higher density than the shank (17), e.g., the collar (15) has the density of the finished isolator (11). The rivet (13) is formed into the finished isolator (11) by compressing the shank (17) to form a second collar, while restraining the original collar (15) from substantially changing its shape. The rivet (13) can include a metal insert (23) which prevents the wire mesh of the finished isolator (11) from experiencing high levels of compression when the substrate is fastened to its supporting structure. The rivets (13) can be carried by a dispensing strip (31) and can be formed into the finished isolator (11) using forming equipment (39) whose dimensions are compatible with the limited space available with some substrates.