The present disclosure relates to systems and methods related to the suppression of invasive plant species by laying down a fabric over beds of such invasive plants. A watercraft with a fabric laying mechanism is provided with the mechanism automatically guiding the fabric from a fabric stockpile to a frame that spreads the fabric prior to the fabric being laid over the underwater plant bed. The watercraft may be provided with a device for dispensing material over the fabric that has been laid down to weigh down or hold down the fabric. Preferably, the fabric is biodegradable and the material is natural to the area. In one implementation, the fabric (e.g jute burlap) is coarsely woven from natural plant fibers.

Disclosed is a folding device, comprising: a first folding part, configured to fold, for a first time in a first direction, a folded object in half; a second folding part, configured to fold for a second time in a second direction in half, the folded object that has been folded in half for the first time, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction; a third folding part, configured to fold, for a third time in a third direction, one end of the folded object that has been folded in half for the second time, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the second direction; a fourth folding part, configured to fold, for a fourth time in a fourth direction, the other end of the folded object that has been folded in half for the second time, where the fourth direction is opposite to the third direction.

The invention provides a fiber product folding and stacking system comprising at least one folding wheel, a plurality of suction channels, a plurality of valves and a plurality of passages. The folding wheel includes a plurality of protruding wheels and a plurality of recessing wheels. The protruding wheels and the recessing wheels are adjacent to each other, and suction channels are arranged within the protruding wheels. The passages are disposed in the folding wheel and are fluidly connected to the suction channel. The valves are disposed within the recessing wheels of the folding wheel, and include a connecting opening, a valve channel and a valve opening. When the folding wheel rotates, portion of the suction channels will be fluidly connected to the valve channel through the passage and the valve opening to generate a negative pressure thereon for absorbing the fiber product.

Due to rapid advancement in computing technology of both hardware and software, the labor intensive sewing process has been transformed into a technology-intensive automated process. During an automated process, product materials may become wrinkled or folded, which can slow down the automated process or result in human intervention. Various examples are provided related to the automation of sewing robots, and removal of wrinkles from products. Images of material on a work table can be captured and analyzed to determine if there are wrinkles or folds in the product. The robot can remove the wrinkle or fold by manipulating the material through the use of end effectors such as, e.g., budgers.

Disclosed is a cutting apparatus for a roll zebra. The cutting apparatus includes: a main body portion; a mounting portion provided at one side of the main body portion to wind or unwind a fabric; a cutting portion provided at one side of the main body portion to cut the fabric with a required length; and a discharge portion provided at one side of the main body portion to convey the fabric cut by the cutting portion to the outside. The cutting portion includes a longitudinal cutting portion cutting the fabric in a longitudinal direction, and a transverse cutting portion cutting the fabric in a transverse direction.

A method of fabricating a textile structure of varying thickness including using a loom to weave a fiber texture in the form of a strip extending lengthwise along a longitudinal axis and widthwise along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and causing the texture to be wound under tension onto a mandrel. The texture includes a portion presenting extra thickness. During the winding of the texture, a spacer element is interposed between adjacent turns of the fiber texture onto the mandrel. Each spacer element extends in the width direction of the texture over a portion thereof situated outside the portion of extra thickness and presenting, over the portion of the texture situated outside the portion of extra thickness, a thickness that corresponds at least to the difference between thicknesses of the portion of extra thickness and of the portion of the texture situated outside the portion of extra thickness.

The method of transporting a piece of fabric material using a Morton™ picker comprises the steps of aligning a weight vector of the piece of fabric material being lifted, from the gap between the toothed wheel and the pressing foot of the picker and into a region between a tangent to the toothed wheel and a right angle to the pressing surface of the pressing foot; and lifting and transporting the piece of fabric material while maintaining the alignment of the weight vector in that region. In another aspect, there is provided robotic installation comprising a robotic arm and a Morton™ picker for manipulating pieces of fabric material. The robotic arm is configured for simultaneously rotating an axis of the picker and moving the picker along a hyperbolic trajectory, in a single complex motion without jitter, while maintaining the aforesaid alignment of the weight vector.

A machine (1) for spreading fabric on a spreading plane (2) includes a carriage (3) that is movable on the spreading plane, the carriage has an unwinding system (6) for unwinding the fabric; an inclined chute arranged below; a cutting system (11) for cutting the fabric, arranged at a lower end (12) of the chute; and a movement system (35) for moving the unwinding system between a first and a second unwinding operating configuration. In the first configuration, a first end (14) of the unwinding system is vertical to the chute (10) and in the second configuration, the first end (14) is in an advanced position towards the cutting head (13).

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric used for the industrial production of moistened wipes. The apparatus for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric from a roll wound on a core is mounted on a countertop, equipped with a housing, provided with a drive unit. Mounted on a hub (1) is a cylinder (2), to which eccentrically attached are rods (3) from which at a certain distance is mounted a linear feed (4). The hub assembly (1) with the cylinder (2) with the rods (3) and the linear feed (4) can be mounted vertically or horizontally.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric used for the industrial production of moistened wipes. The apparatus for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric from a roll wound on a core is mounted on a countertop, equipped with a housing, provided with a drive unit. Mounted on a hub (1) is a cylinder (2), to which eccentrically attached are rods (3) from which at a certain distance is mounted a linear feed (4). The hub assembly (1) with the cylinder (2) with the rods (3) and the linear feed (4) can be mounted vertically or horizontally.