An apparatus and method for trimming plants is described. Workers place individual plants separating individual plants from plant and non-plant matter. In one embodiment, an air curtain is directed to a falling mixture of plant and non-plant matter. The air directs some of the plant and non-plant material into a waste or recycling bin and permits further processing of individual plants. In another embodiment, individual plants are placed in a trim belt and then passed through a trimming station that trims the individual plants.

An apparatus for tensioning, terminating and cutting a cable lacing tape includes a housing, a shaft having a first end and a second end, a sliding worm gear coupled proximate the first end of the shaft, and a motor coupled proximate the second end of the shaft and configured to rotate the shaft. The apparatus also includes a biasing element coupled to the shaft between the sliding worm gear and the motor to exert a biasing force on the sliding worm gear and a capstan rotatably engaged to the sliding worm gear. In addition, the apparatus includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut the lacing tape when a predetermined torque on the capstan is exceeded. The biasing force is configured to prevent translation of the sliding worm gear until the predetermined torque on the capstan is exceeded and the translation of the sliding worm gear activates the cutting mechanism.

An apparatus for tensioning, terminating and cutting a cable lacing tape includes a housing, a shaft having a first end and a second end, a sliding worm gear coupled proximate the first end of the shaft, and a motor coupled proximate the second end of the shaft and configured to rotate the shaft. The apparatus also includes a biasing element coupled to the shaft between the sliding worm gear and the motor to exert a biasing force on the sliding worm gear and a capstan rotatably engaged to the sliding worm gear. In addition, the apparatus includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut the lacing tape when a predetermined torque on the capstan is exceeded. The biasing force is configured to prevent translation of the sliding worm gear until the predetermined torque on the capstan is exceeded and the translation of the sliding worm gear activates the cutting mechanism.

A rope severing device for cutting a rope after a continued compressive force is disclosed. The rope severing device includes a housing having a base and a top and the top is movably mounted to the base such that the top can move axially with respect to the base. A blade is positioned at least partially within the housing and fixedly mounted with respect to the base. In some embodiments, an elastic member is positioned inside the housing in contact with the base and a damper is attached to the base to dampen relative movement of the top and the base. Upon application of a compressive force to the housing, the top moves toward the base and the blade is at least partially exposed through an opening in the top to sever a rope attached to the rope severing device.

Cutting of a material, such as a textile or film, can damage the material. A tool is provided that utilizes vacuum pressure near a knife edge to increase a result of the cut. The vacuum pressure passes through a base portion of the tool that has a recessed portion effective to distribute vacuum pressure to one or more apertures extending around an insert of a core portion. The one or more apertures align with a void between the knife edge and the insert allowing for the void to transmit the vacuum pressure through the tool to the knife edge. A machine horn may then cut the material at the knife edge and couple the material with another material.

Cutting of a material, such as a textile or film, can damage the material. A tool is provided that utilizes vacuum pressure near a knife edge to increase a result of the cut. The vacuum pressure passes through a base portion of the tool that has a recessed portion effective to distribute vacuum pressure to one or more apertures extending around an insert of a core portion. The one or more apertures align with a void between the knife edge and the insert allowing for the void to transmit the vacuum pressure through the tool to the knife edge. A machine horn may then cut the material at the knife edge and couple the material with another material.

A cutting mechanism for a roll fiber product comprises two clamping devices for clamping the roll fiber product, and a blade for cutting the roll fiber product. The two clamping devices are respectively connected to a push device. During the cutting process, the push devices drive the clamping devices and the roll fiber product thereon swinging so that the two clamping devices break the roll fiber products to reduce the contact area and the friction between the blade and the roll fiber products. In addition, two clamping devices are respectively connected with a push-pull device for increasing the size of the gap therebetween, so as to prevent the blade from touching the cut roll fiber products. Thus, the cutting mechanism of the present invention is able to reduce the wear rate of the blade, and improve the yield rate of the roll fiber products.

A cutting mechanism for a roll fiber product comprises two clamping devices for clamping the roll fiber product, and a blade for cutting the roll fiber product. The two clamping devices are respectively connected to a push device. During the cutting process, the push devices drive the clamping devices and the roll fiber product thereon swinging so that the two clamping devices break the roll fiber products to reduce the contact area and the friction between the blade and the roll fiber products. In addition, two clamping devices are respectively connected with a push-pull device for increasing the size of the gap therebetween, so as to prevent the blade from touching the cut roll fiber products. Thus, the cutting mechanism of the present invention is able to reduce the wear rate of the blade, and improve the yield rate of the roll fiber products.

Resilient cores preferably for inflatable bodies having resilient slabs that define a plurality of generally columnar holes or resilient arrays of generally columnar solids. The cores further include thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments means for improving a core's resistance to heat transfer beyond the core's innate insulative properties. Non-exclusive and non-exhaustive examples of such thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments in slab core embodiments include consideration to hole or bore geometric cross section, frequency, pattern and orientation, the introduction of a thermal barrier at or within at least some holes or bores, and/or slab material selection/treatment. Non-exclusive and non-exhaustive examples of such thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments in array core embodiments include consideration to the geometric cross section, frequency (density), pattern and orientation of the solids, the introduction of thermal barriers within inter-solid spaces and/or solid material selection treatment.

Resilient cores preferably for inflatable bodies having resilient slabs that define a plurality of generally columnar holes or resilient arrays of generally columnar solids. The cores further include thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments means for improving a core's resistance to heat transfer beyond the core's innate insulative properties. Non-exclusive and non-exhaustive examples of such thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments in slab core embodiments include consideration to hole or bore geometric cross section, frequency, pattern and orientation, the introduction of a thermal barrier at or within at least some holes or bores, and/or slab material selection/treatment. Non-exclusive and non-exhaustive examples of such thermal transmission mitigation materials or treatments in array core embodiments include consideration to the geometric cross section, frequency (density), pattern and orientation of the solids, the introduction of thermal barriers within inter-solid spaces and/or solid material selection treatment.