Patent GB-1071064-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to tea-processing machines
IPC: A23F3/12
Filed: 1963-06-18
Abstract: 1,071,064. Tea-processing machines. H. C. ANDREWS. June 18, 1964 [June 18, 1963], No. 24215/63. Addition to 1,007,776. Heading A2B. In a tea-processing machine, which is an improvement on that of the parent Specification No. 1,007,776, the shaft 12, Fig. 1, carrying frusto-conical parts 5b constituting discs 5, each having two frusto-conical faces, is rotatably mounted between the lower ends of curved levers 9 and 10, which are carried on a shaft 8 journalled in bearings 11 adjustably mounted, between stops 24, Fig. 2, on the top edges of side-frames 1 and 2, so that the discs 5 are urged to co-operate with similar discs 5 comprising parts 5a, on a shaft 3 journalled in bearings 4 in the side-frames, substantially by the combined weight of the levers 9 and 10 and the parts they carry, acting through their centre of gravity disposed forward, i.e. to the left of a vertical line passing through the shaft 8. Part of said weight may be counter-balanced by tension springs 27, connected to the lower ends of the levers and to screw-threaded tensioning rods 29 carrying adjusting nuts 29a passing through a front frame member 28. Shaft 12 is driven, e.g. clockwise, by an electric motor 15, adjustably carried on the levers 9 and 10. The transmission comprises a pulley 18 on the motor shaft, belts 20, pulleys 19 and 21 on a counter-shaft 16 rotatably mounted on the levers, belts 23 and pulleys 22 on the ends of the shaft 12. The motor 15 may be moved towards or away from a stop 25 to slacken or tighten the belts 20. The shaft 3 is rotated, e.g. anticlockwise, by an electric motor (not shown) through a worm 6 and gear wheel 7. The shaft 12 is rotated faster than the shaft 3. An arm 30 is pivoted on each end of the shaft 3. The arms 30 carry an inclined platform 31, on which are mounted a plurality of upstanding tongue pieces 32, arranged to form arcuate, disc-receiving, V-sectioned roughened recesses 33 and smooth, disc-receiving V-sectioned recesses 34, Fig. 3. The tongue pieces are thus urged to co-operate with the discs 5, on shafts 12 and 3. Downward swing of the platform 31 is limited by a stop 36. Each frusto-conical face of the parts 5a and 5b is divided into equal sectors, e.g. twelve sectors, and each sector is provided with a plurality of inclined, parallel battens. The angle between the battens and radii, may be 60 degrees and the battens of one sector may form chevron patterns with those of adjacent sectors. Each batten has a crosssection terminating in a sharp edge, and the battens in adjacent sectors have their sharp edges alternately facing inwardly and outwardly of the disc concerned. The sides of each tongue piece 32 are divided into sectors. Leaf tea is fed between the discs 5 by a travelling endless belt conveyer 47 and inclined shoots 49 and 50, Fig. 2. Shoot 49 is pivoted so that it can be swung between a lower position, in which it delivers leaf tea to the shoot 50 and the discs, and an upper position, in which it delivers the leaf tea on to a travelling endless belt conveyer 51, which returns the leaf tea to the source of supply. Movement of the shoot 49 may be controlled by solenoid-actuated mechanism, which may be energized to move the shoot 49 into said upper positon, in response to movement of the levers 9 and 10 away from stops 14, e.g. due to accumulation of tea between the discs. If the levers are moved an excessive distance from the stops 14, e.g. due to the intervention of a foreign body, the levers may operate a switch, which stops the machine by cutting-off electric power from the driving motors. Processed leaf tea is removed by a travelling endless belt conveyer 53.