A plant-trimming apparatus comprises two spaced-apart end plates, a rotatable tumbler, a rotatable reel comprising a reel shaft and reel blades, two bearing blocks, each detachably connected to a respective end plate and rotatably supporting a respective end of the reel, a motor arranged to drive the reel and the tumbler, a bed bar assembly comprising a bed bar and a bed knife, the bed knife being in operative engagement with the reel blade for cutting of plant material from the tumbler, and a manually-operated locking mechanism operable to secure the bearing blocks and the bed bar assembly to the end plates. The apparatus can be easily disassembled for cleaning and re-assembled, without using tools.

A bucking machine with internal motor rollers includes a frame and first and second rollers mounted on the frame. Each of the first and second rollers includes an internal housing inside the roller, and a motor is disposed inside the internal housing within each roller. Each motor is completely housed inside the roller such that external motors are not necessary to drive rotation of the rollers. Each motor roller is connected to a motor control via a cable that provides power and instructions to the motor. A stem on a plant is inserted into a bore in a debudding cone such that the stem is received between the first and second rollers and is pulled through the machine. As the stem is pulled through the machine between the first and second rollers the flower is separated from the stem by engagement with the debudding cone.

An apparatus and method for separating plant flowers from stalks by means of a lateral rotating tube having a plurality of flexible, elongated members affixed to and extending radially outward from the tube. The apparatus may include a platform and a frame supporting the tube above the platform to accommodate plants held between the platform and the tube so that when the tube is rotating, the elongated members affixed thereto brush against the plants and cause the flowers to brush off at and separate from the stalks. The frame further supports a housing to form a contained space, including a back wall, side walls and a hood to direct the flow of flowers after separation from the stalks. The back wall is positioned a distance away from the platform to allow separated flower and stalk to be eliminated from the apparatus. The hood extends above and over the tube, having a front wall extending about or below a central axis of the tube. A power system provides rotational power to the tube.

The invention provides a device and method for quickly, easily and accurately removing flowers or buds from a plant stem in a single step by using a device that is a cover or partial cover for a bucket or container that can be attached and removed from the bucket or container, and the device further providing one or more substantially rigid grooves or shaped edges and pressing an herb or stem of herbs or plants firmly into and against the one or more grooves or shaped edges utilizing a method according to the invention to permit stripping or removing the flower(s) or bud(s) that are attached to the plant or herb stem in a single step. In a preferred aspect, the invention provides such devices and methods that include a device having a plurality of grooves or shaped edges that can efficiently catch and strip buds or flowers from herbs or plants.

A bearing block assembly for a plant-trimming machine having a rotatable perforated tumbler, a rotatable reel and a bed bar assembly. The bearing block assembly comprises an outer bearing plate having a bearing-receiving bore for holding a reel bearing to rotatably support an end of the reel, and an inner bearing plate affixed to the outer bearing plate. The inner bearing plate has a pocket for receiving the bearing-receiving bore of the outer bearing plate, the pocket having a tolerance permitting the bearing-receiving bore to be set at a selected position within the pocket. The bearing block assembly has connectors for affixing the outer bearing plate to the inner bearing plate. The bearing block assembly sets the positions of the reel, bed knife and tumbler correctly during assembly of the plant-trimming machine, reducing the time and skill required for maintenance.

A plant material trimmer (PMT) that cuts/separates plant leaf material from plant flower material. The PMT has a trimming assembly that includes a motor with a shaft. A propeller is attached to the motor shaft, above the motor. A twisted metal stand wire rope cutting element is attached to the propeller. An upward extending pin is located at each end of the propeller and the cutting element's ends interface with the pins. A trimming platform is located above the trimming assembly. The platform has multiple elliptical beveled slots extending therethrough. Above the platform is a conveyor assembly with a belt that rotates about two axles. A plurality of push panels are attached to the belt. A conveyor motor produces a forward movement of the belt and push panels which sweep across the platform. Wet or dry plant material is placed on the platform, and the push panels sweeping across the platform cause the plant material down through the slots. Upon exiting the slots the plant material is immediately cut by the rotating propeller and cutting element. The cut plant then falls into a mesh fabric bag located below.

An apparatus for trimming plant material includes a rotatable tumbler through which the plant material is to be axially propagated while rotationally tumbling, and a plurality of cutting reel systems adjacent the tumbler. The plurality of cutting reel systems includes a first cutting reel system adjacent the tumbler, and a second cutting reel system adjacent a landing zone of the rotatable tumbler. The landing zone is an angular range about the axis of the tumbler within which plant material tends to land on the tumbler after tumbling through a central volume of the tumbler.

A cannabis trimming assembly includes a pair of conveyors for transporting a cannabis plant. A trimming housing is positioned between the pair of conveyors to receive the cannabis plant. A pair of trap doors is each movably integrated into the trimming housing. A plurality of cameras is each integrated into the trimming housing to view the cannabis plant. A plurality of laser emitters is each integrated into the trimming housing and each of the laser emitters is guided by the cameras to trim shade leaves and buds from the cannabis. A grapping claw is integrated into the trimming housing to hang the cannabis plant in the trimming housing during trimming.

A continuous feed machine for trimming and separating plant material, the machine having one or more augers or conveyors for feeding plant material into a trommel barrel covered with mesh netting, adapted to include baffles between longitudinal sections of the trommel barrel, and sized for rotational speeds to so as to process the plant material as components of the plant material progress longitudinally through successive sections of the trommel barrel. The mesh netting trims plant material as it moves through the trommel barrel, with the trim falling through the mesh netting. One or more augers or conveyors may be used to remove trimmed plant material exiting an output end of the trommel barrel, and one or more augers or conveyors may be used to remove trim material from below one or more sections of the trommel barrel.

Methods to produce a spray dried cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or active tetrahydrocannabinol powder are described and include spray drying a liquid mixture followed by a two-step separation process including cyclones, filters, or an electrostatic precipitator, the liquid mixture includes treated water, and alcohol or an oil, and the powder has a particle size ranging from between 5 nanometers to 750 microns. The liquid mixture may be spray dried into a powder using a rotary atomizer, a spray nozzle, or a plurality of spray nozzles within a counter-current spray dryer or a co-current spray dryer and then sifted.