A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material. A lower unit has a shredding chamber configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material from the outlet end of the chute. The shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material. The shredders include a shredder shaft and a plurality of vane assemblies. The vane assemblies are oriented such that adjacent vane assemblies are offset from each other by an angle in a range of from about 45 to about 75. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber. The discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism.

The present disclosure relates generally to methods, devices and systems for insulation, e.g., of cavities associated with walls, ceilings, floors and other building structures, with foam insulation. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for providing a cavity of a building with a predetermined amount of foam insulation. The method includes actuating a valve to begin dispensing foam insulation into the cavity, the actuation being performed by a user, the actuation by the user fixing a start time and/or a zero volume of a time and/or volume meter; then, dispensing the foam insulation from the insulation dispenser into the cavity as the time and/or volume meter counts time and/or volume dispensed; then when a predetermined time after the start time elapses or a predetermined volume of the foam insulation beyond the zero volume is dispensed as measured by the time and/or volume meter, actuating the valve to stop dispensing the foam insulation into the cavity.

The present disclosure relates generally to an insulation-retaining sheet, e.g., for blown-in insulation, that includes an integral vapor-retarding membrane. In one aspect, the disclosure provides an insulation-retaining sheet including a sheet of mesh having an air permeability of at least 200 cfm per square foot; and one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane, the one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane being laminated to the sheet of mesh, the first side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the first side edge of the sheet of mesh, the second side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh, wherein the insulation-retaining sheet has a plurality of open zones extending laterally from the first side edge of the sheet of mesh to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh in which no vapor-retarding membrane is laminated to the mesh.

A system for processing material has a power supply and a machine having a hopper for receiving and passing material to an auger. The auger has a shaft with an axis about which it rotates, a helical flighting mounted to the shaft, pins mounted to the helical flighting, and paddles mounted to the shaft. The radial outer edge of the helical flighting is crenelated with periodic notches that form rectangular blades on the helical flighting. The pins are rotationally and angularly aligned with leading edges of the rectangular blades. The system may include a vehicle, such as a trailer, having first and second compartments separated by a partition. The power supply is located in the first compartment and has a power supply member extending though the partition. The machine is located in the second compartment and coupled to the power supply member.

A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is configured to receive loosefill insulation material. The chute has a first portion in fluid communication with a second portion and forms an angle with the second portion. A shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive the loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber. The discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism. The angle between the first portion of the chute and the second portion of the chute is configured to control the descent of the loosefill insulation material into the shredding chamber.

A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end receives compressed loosefill insulation material. The chute has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion forms an angle with the second portion. A shredding chamber receives the compressed loosefill insulation material from the chute. The shredding chamber forms conditioned loosefill insulation material. A discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower provides the airstream. The angle between the first and second portions of the chute is configured to form a bend in the package of compressed loosefill insulation material. The bend in the package of compressed loosefill insulation material is configured to control the descent and direction of the loosefill insulation material entering the shredding chamber.

An automated drywalling system having a computing device executing a computational planner that generates, before hanging any of a plurality of drywall pieces, a plan for a configuration of a plurality of cut pieces of drywall to be disposed on studs of a target wall assembly including a plurality of seams respectively defined by adjoining edges of different pairs of drywall pieces of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall, the plan for the configuration generated based at least in part on an optimization of the plurality of cut pieces of drywall.

A machine for distributing loosefill insulation from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end receives the loosefill insulation material. A shredding chamber is configured to receive the loosefill insulation material from the outlet end. The shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive the conditioned material. The discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned material into an airstream. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism. The blower has a rotational speed that defines the volume and the velocity of the airstream. A remote control assembly is configured to communicate with the machine such that the volume and velocity of the airstream can be adjusted in a remote location.

An automated drywalling system network that including one or more automated drywalling systems that each has a robotic arm. The automated drywalling system network can also include a computational planner that generates instructions for the one or more automated drywalling systems to perform two or more drywalling tasks associated with a target wall assembly. The two or more drywalling tasks can include a hanging task that includes hanging pieces of drywall on studs of the target wall assembly; a mudding task that includes applying joint compound to pieces of drywall hung on studs of the target wall assembly; a sanding task that includes sanding joint compound applied to the pieces of drywall hung on studs of the target wall assembly; and a painting task that includes painting sanded the joint compound applied to the pieces of drywall hung on studs of the target wall assembly.

An automated drywalling system for cutting and/or hanging drywall that includes one or more vision systems and a computing device executing a computational planner. The computational planner obtains target wall assembly data from the one or more vision systems, the target wall assembly data including information regarding a configuration of a target wall assembly including a plurality of studs that define a portion of the target wall assembly; and generates a plan for a configuration of a plurality of drywall pieces to be disposed on studs of the target wall assembly based on the target wall assembly data.