A continuous feed machine for trimming and separating plant material comprising:
- a cylindrically shaped trommel barrel that extends longitudinally between a circular first end and a circular second end, with the first and second ends interconnected by one or more longitudinal connecting members, and the cylindrically shaped trommel barrel having a trommel barrel interior space running longitudinally between the first and second ends;
- a trommel barrel input opening in said first end sized and oriented to receive plant material to be trimmed and separated into said trommel barrel interior space;
- a trommel barrel output opening in said second end sized and oriented to allow passage of plant material output from said trommel barrel interior space, the trommel barrel output opening configured to be adjustable to permit controlling a cross-sectional opening of the trommel barrel output opening, thereby permitting control of a material flow rate of material passing through the trommel barrel output opening;
- a longitudinal axis of rotation of said trommel barrel that extends within said trommel barrel interior space from said first end to said second end, and about which said trommel barrel is configured to rotate at a predetermined rate;
- a screening material comprising a mesh or screen or perforated material, the screening material enclosing said trommel barrel interior space between said first end and said second end, the screening material having openings configured to trim and separate components of plant material when said trommel barrel is rotated at said predetermined rate, said rotation causing tumbling of said plant material within said trommel barrel interior space and permitting movement of said plant material longitudinally between said first end and said second end;
- one or more baffles positioned within said trommel barrel interior space between said first and said second ends, each of said baffles separating said trommel barrel interior space into longitudinally separate sections, and at least one of said baffles configured as an adjustable baffle to permit controlling a cross-sectional opening between a first section of said trommel barrel interior space that is adjacent to a first side of the baffle and a second section of said trommel barrel interior space that is adjacent to a second side of the baffle, thereby permitting control of a material flow rate between the first and second sections of said trommel barrel interior space;
- a trommel barrel output housing that protrudes along the longitudinal axis away from the circular second end and extends transverse to the longitudinal axis from a top of the trommel barrel to below a bottom of the trommel barrel and that surrounds and encloses the circular second end of the trommel barrel and the trommel barrel output opening so as to capture material from the trommel barrel output opening, which, due to rotation of the trommel barrel at the predetermined rate, is discharged into the trommel barrel output housing;
- and
- a trommel barrel output chute positioned at a bottom of the trommel barrel output housing at a level below the bottom of the trommel barrel and having a discharge opening oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis and angled downward away from the bottom of the trommel barrel housing, the trommel barrel chute configured to direct material discharged from the trommel barrel output opening through the trommel barrel output chute discharge opening in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and angled downward away from the bottom of the trommel barrel housing,
- wherein the continuous feed machine is a bladeless trimming and separating machine that is free from a cutting reel and a blade bar for trimming or separating plant material, and wherein the continuous feed machine utilizes, in combination, the trommel barrel enclosed by the screening material and rotated at the predetermined rate, the trommel barrel input opening, the one or more baffles, and the trommel barrel output housing with the output chute, to trim and separate the plant material.